At the last out of a groue euen by,
That was right goodly and pleasant to sight,
I sie where there came singing lustily
A world of ladies, but to tell aright
Their great beauty it lieth not in my might,
Ne their array, neuerthelesse I shall
Tell you a part, though I speake not of all.
The surcotes white of veluet wele sitting,
They were in clad, and the semes echone,
As it were a manner garnishing,
Was set with emerauds one and one,
By and by, but many a rich stone
Was set on the purfles out of dout
Of colors, sleues, and traines round about.
As great pearles round and orient,
Diamonds fine and rubies red,
And many another stone, of which I went
The names now, and euerich on her head
A rich fret of gold, which without dread
Was full of stately rich stones set,
And euery lady had a chapelet
On her head of fresh and greene,
So wele wrought and so meruellously,
That it was a noble sight to seene,
Some of laurer, and some full pleasantly
Had chapelets of woodbind, and sadly
Some of agnus castus were also
Chapelets fresh, but there were many of tho
That daunced and eke song full soberly,
But all they yede in manner of compace,
But one there yede in mid the company,
Soole by her selfe, but all followed the pace
That she kept, whose heauenly figured face
So pleasant was, and her wele shape person,
That of beauty she past hem euerichone.
And more richly beseene by manifold
She was also in euery manner thing,
On her head full pleasaunt to behold,
A crowne of gold rich for any king,
A braunch of agnus castus eke bearing
In her hand, and to my sight truly,
She lady was of the company.
And she began a roundell lustely,
That "Suse le foyle, de vert moy," men call,
"Seen et mon ioly cuer en dormy,"
And than the company answered all,
With voice sweet entuned, and so small,
That me thought it the sweetest melody
That euer I heard in my life soothly.
And thus they came dauncing and singing
Into the middest of the mede echone,
Before the herber where I was sitting,
And God wot me thought I was wel bigone,
For than I might auise hem one by one,
Who fairest was, who coud best dance or sing,
Or who most womanly was in all thing.
They had not daunced but a little throw,
Whan that I heard not ferre off sodainly,
So great a noise of thundring trumps blow,
As though it should haue departed the skie,
And after that within a while I sie,
From the same groue where the ladies come out,
Of men of armes comming such a rout,
As all the men on earth had ben assembled
In that place, wele horsed for the nones,
Stering so fast, that all the earth trembled:
But for to speake of riches and stones,
And men and horse I trow the large wones,
Of Pretir John ne all his tresory,
Might not vnneth haue boght the tenth party.
Of their array who so list beare more,
I shall rehearse so as I can alite:
Out of the groue that I spake of before,
I sie come first all in their clokes white,
A company that ware for their delite,
Chapelets fresh of okes seriall,
Newly sprong, and trumpets they were all.
On euery trumpe hauging a broad banere
Of fine tartarium were full richely bete,
Euery trumpet his lords armes bere
About their neckes with great pearles sete,
Collers brode for cost they would not lete,
As it would seem for their schochones echone,
Were set about with many a precious stone.
Their horse harneis was all white also,
And after them next in one company,
Came kings of armes and no mo
In clokes of white cloth of gold richly,
Chapelets of greene on their heads on hie,
The crowns that they on their scochones bere,
Were set with pearle, ruby, and saphere.
And eke great diamonds many one,
But all their horse harneis and other geare
Was in a sute according euerychone,
As ye haue heard that foresaid trumpets were,
And by seeming they were nothing to lere,
And their guiding, they did so manerly,
And after hem came a great company
Of herauds and purseuaunts eke,
Arrayed in clothes of white veluet,
And hardily they were no thing to seke,
How they on hem should the harneis set,
And euery man had on a chapelet
Scochones and eke horse harneis indede,
They had in sute of hem that before hem yede,
Next after hem came in armour bright
All saue their heads, seemely knights nine,
And euery claspe and naile as to my sight
Of their harneis were of red gold fine,
With cloth of gold, and furred with ermine
Were the trappors of their stedes strong,
Wide and large, that to the ground did hong.
And euery bosse of bridle and paitrell
That they had, was worth as I would wene,
A thousand pound, and on their heads well
Dressed were crownes of laurer grene,
The best made that euer I had sene,
And euery knight had after him riding
Three henshmen on him awaiting.
Of which euery on o short tronchoun
His lords helme bare, so richly dight,
That the worst was worth the ransoun
Of a king, the second a shield bright
Bare at his necke, the thred bare vpright
A mighty spere, full sharpe ground and kene,
And euery child ware of leaues grene
A fresh chapelet vpon his haires bright,
And clokes white of fine veluet they were,
Their steeds trapped and raied right
Without difference as their lords were,
And after hem on many a fresh corsere,
There came of armed knights such a rout,
That they besprad the large field about.
And all they ware after their degrees
Chaplets new made of laurer grene,
Some of oke, and some of other trees,
Some in their honds bare boughs shene,
Some of laurer, and some of okes kene,
Some of hauthorne, and some of wood bind,
And many mo which I had not in mind.
And so they came their horses freshly stering
With bloody sownes of hir trompes loud,
There sie I many an vncouth disguising
In the array of these knights proud,
And at the last as euenly as they coud,
They took their places in middes of the mede,
And euery knight turned his horse hede
To his fellow, and lightly laid a spere
In the rest, and so justes began
On euery part about here and there,
Some brake his spere, some drew down hors and man,
About the field astray the steeds ran,
And to behold their rule and gouernaunce,
I you ensure it was a great pleasaunce.
And so the justs last an houre and more,
But tho that crowned were in laurer grene,
Wan the prise, their dints were so sore,
That there was none ayenst hem might sustene,
And the justing all was left off clene,
And fro their horse the ninth alight anone,
And so did all the remnant euerichone.
And forth they yede togider twain and twain,
That to behold it was a worthy sight
Toward the ladies on the greene plaine,
That song and daunced as I said now right:
The ladies as soone as they goodly might,
They brake of both the song and dance,
And yede to meet hem with ful glad semblance.
And euery lady tooke full womanly
By the hond a knight, and forth they yede
Unto a faire laurer that stood fast by,
With leues lade the boughes of great brede,
And to my dome there neuer was indede
Man, that had seene halfe so faire a tree,
For vnderneath there might it well haue be
An hundred persons at their owne plesance
Shadowed fro the heat of Phebus bright,
So that they should haue felt no greuance
Of raine ne haile that hem hurt might,
The sauour eke rejoice would any wight,
That had be sicke or melancolius,
It was so very good and vertuous.
And with great reuerence they enclining low
To the tree so soot and faire of hew,
And after that within a little throw
They began to sing and daunce of new,
Some song of lone, some plaining of vntrew,
Enuironning the tree that stood vpright,
And euer yede a lady and a knight.
And at the last I cast mine eye aside,
And was ware of a lusty company
That came roming out of the field wide,
Hond in hond a knight and a lady,
The ladies all in surcotes, that richely
Purfiled were with many a rich stone,
And euery knight of green ware mantles on,
Embrouded well so as the surcotes were,
And euerich had a chapelet on her hed,
Which did right well vpon the shining here,
Made of goodly floures white and red,
The knights eke that they in hond led
In sute of hem ware chapelets euerychone,
And before hem went minstrels many one,
As harpes, pipes, lutes, and sautry
All in greene, and on their heads bare
Of diuers floures made full craftely
All in a sute goodly chapelets they ware,
And so dauncing into the mede they fare,
In mid the which they found a tuft that was
All ouersprad with floures in compas.
Whereto they enclined euerychone
With great reuerence, and that full humbly,
And at the last there began anone
A lady for to sing right womanly
A bargaret in praising the daisie,
For as me thought among her notes swete,
She said "Si douset et la Margarete."
Than they all answered her in fere,
So passingly well, and so pleasauntly,
That it was a blisful noise to here,
But I not it happed suddainly,
As about noone the Sonne so feruently
Waxe hote, that the prety tender floures
Had lost the beauty of hir fresh colours.
For shronke with heat, the ladies eke to brent,
That they ne wist where they hem might bestow,
The knights swelt for lack of shade nie shent,
And after that within a little throw,
The wind began so sturdily to blow,
That down goeth all the floures euerichone,
So that in all the mede there laft not one,
Save such as succoured were among the leues,
Fro euery storme that might hem assaile,
Growing vnder hedges and thicke grenes,
And after that there came a storme of haile,
And raine in fere, so that withouten faile,
The ladies ne the knights nade o threed
Drie on them, so dropping was hir weed.
And whan the storm was cleane passed away,
Tho in white that stood vnder the tree,
They felt nothing of the great affray,
That they in greene without had in ybe,
To them they yede for routh and pite,
Them to comfort after their great disease,
So faine they were the helplesse for to ease.
Than I was ware how one of hem in grene
Had on a crowne rich and well sitting,
Wherefore I demed well she was a quene,
And tho in greene on her were awaiting,
The ladies than in white that were comming
Toward them, and the kuights in fere
Began to comfort hem, and make hem chere.
The queen in white, that was of great beauty,
Took by the hond the queen that was in grene,
Aud said, "Suster, I have right great pitie
Of your annoy, and of the troublous tene,
Wherein ye and your company haue bene
So long alas, and if that it you please
To go with me, I shall do you the ease,
"In all the pleasure that I can or may,"
Whereof the tother humbly as she might,
Thanked her, for in right ill array
She was with storm and heat I you behight,
And euery lady than anone right
That were in white, one of them took in grene
By the hond, which whan the knights had sene,
In likewise ech of them tooke a knight
Clad in greene, and forth with hem they fare,
To an hegge, where they anon right
To make their justs they would not spare
Boughes to hew down, and eke trees square,
Wherwith they made hem stately fires great,
To dry their clothes that were wringing weat.
And after that of hearbs that there grew, They made for blisters of the Sunne brenning, Very good and wholesome ointments new, Where that they yede the sick fast anointing, And after that they yede about gadering Pleasaunt salades which they made hem eat, For to refresh their great vnkindly heat.
The lady of the Leafe than began to pray
Her of the Floure (for so to my seeming
They should be as by their array)
To soupe with her, and eke for any thing,
That she should with her all her people bring:
And she ayen in right goodly manere,
Thanketh her of her most friendly cheare,
Saying plainely that she would obay
With all her herte all her commaundement,
And than anon without lenger delay
The lady of the Leafe hath one ysent
For a palfray, after her intent,
Arrayed well and faire in harneis of gold,
For nothing lacked, that to him long shold.
And after that to all her company
She made to puruey horse and euery thing
That they needed, and than full lustily,
Euen by the herber where I was sitting
They passed all so pleasantly singing,
That it would haue comforted any wight,
But than I sie a passing wonder sight.
For than the nightingale, that all the day
Had in the laurer sete, and did her might
The whole seruice to sing longing to May,
All sodainly gan to take her flight,
And to the lady of the Leafe forthright
She flew, and set her on her hond softly,
Which was a thing I marueled of greatly.
The goldfinch eke, that fro the medle tree
Was fled for heat into the bushes cold,
Unto the lady of the Flower gan flee,
And on her houd he set him as he wold,
And pleasauntly his wings gan to fold,
And for to sing they pained hem both as sore,
As they had do of all the day before.
And so these ladies rode forth a great pace,
And all the rout of knights eke in fere,
And I that had seen all this wonder case,
Thought I would assay in some manere,
To know fully the trouth of this matere,
And what they were that rode so pleasantly,
And whan they were the herber passed by,
I drest me forth, and happed to mete anone
Right a faire lady I you ensure,
And she come riding by her selfe alone,
All in white, with semblance ful demure:
I saluted her, and bad her good auenture
Might her befall, as I coud most humbly,
And she answered, "My doughter gramercy."
"Madame" (quod I)" if that I durst enquere
Of you I would faine of that company
Wit what they be that past by this arbere,"
And she ayen answered right friendly:
"My faire doughter, all tho that passed here by
In white clothing, be seruaunts euerichone
Unto the Leafe, and I my selfe am one.
"See ye not her that crowned is" (quod she)
"All in white?"—" Madame" (quod I) " yes:"
"That is Diane, goddesse of chastite,
And for because that she a maiden is,
In her hond the braunch she beareth this,
That agnus castus men call properly,
And all the ladies in her company
"Which ye se of that hearb chaplets weare,
Be such as han kept alway hir maidenheed:
And all they that of laurer chaplets beare,
Be such as hardy were and manly indeed,
Victorious name which neuer may be dede,
And all they were so worthy of their hond,
In hir time that none might hem withstond.
"And tho that weare chaplets on their hede
Of fresh wood bind, be such as neuer were
To loue vntrue in word, thought, ne dede,
But aye stedfast, ne for pleasance ne fere,
Thogh that they shuld their hertes all to tere,
Would neuer flit but euer were stedfast,
Till that their liues there asunder brast."
"Now faire madame" (quod I) "yet I would pray,
Your ladiship if that it might be,
That I might know by some maner way,
Sith that it hath liked your beaute,
The trouth of these ladies for to tell me,
What that these knights be in rich armour,
And what tho be in grene and weare the flour?
"And why that some did reuerence to that tre,
And some vnto the plot of floures faire:"
"With right good will my fair doghter" (quod she)
"Sith your desire is good and debonaire,
Tho nine crowned be very exemplaire,
Of all honour longing to chiualry,
And those certaine be called the nine worthy,
"Which ye may see riding all before,
That in hir time did many a noble dede,
And for their worthinesse full oft haue bore
The crowne of laurer leaues on their hede,
As ye may in your old bookes rede,
And how that he that was a conquerour,
Had by laurer alway his most honour.
"And tho that beare bowes in their hond
Of the precious laurer so notable,
Be such as were I woll ye vnderstond,
Noble knights of the round table,
And eke the douseperis honourable,
Which they beare in signe of victory,
It is witnesse of their deeds mightily.
"Eke there be knights old of the garter,
That in hir time did right worthily,
And the honour they did to the laurer,
Is for by they haue their laud wholly,
Their triumph eke, and marshall glory,
Which vnto them is more parfit richesse,
Than any wight imagine can or gesse.
"For one leafe giuen of that noble tree
To any wight that hath done worthily,
And it be done so as it ought to be,
Is more honour than any thing earthly,
Witnesse of Rome that founder was truly
Of all knighthood and deeds maruelous,
Record I take of Titus Liuius.
"And as for her that crowned is in greene,
It is Flora, of these floures goddesse,
And all that here on her awaiting beene,
It are such that loued idlenesse,
And not delite of no businesse,
But for to hunt and hauke, and pley in medes, And many other such idle dedes.
And for the great delite and pleasaunce
They haue to the floure, and so reuerently
They vnto it do such obeisaunce
As ye may see."-" Now faire Madame" (quod I)
"If I durst aske what is the cause and why,
That knights haue the signe of honour,
Rather by the leafe than the flour."
"Soothly doughter" (quod she) "this is the trouth,
For knights euer should be perseuering,
To seeke honour without feintise or slouth,
Fro wele to better in all manner thing,
In signe of which with leaues aye lasting,
They be rewarded after their degree,
Whose lusty green May, may not appaired be,
"But aie keping their beautie fresh and greene,
For there nis storme that may hem deface,
Haile nor snow, wind nor frosts kene,
Wherfore they haue this property and grace
And for the floure within a little space
Woll be lost, so simple of nature
They be, that they no greeuance may endure.
"And euery storme will blow them soone away,
Ne they last not but for a season,
That is the cause, the very trouth to say,
That they may not by no way of reason
Be put to no such occupation."
"Madame" (quod 1)“ with all mine whole seruise, I thanke you now in my most humble wise.
"For now I am ascertained throughly,
Of euery thing I desired to know."
I am right glad that I haue said soothly
Ought to your pleasure if ye will me trow:"
(Quod she ayen)" but to whom do ye owe
Your seruice, and which will ye honour,
Tel me I pray, this yere, the Leafe or the Flour."
"Madame" (quod I) “ though I least worthy,
Unto the Leafe I owe mine obseruaunce :"
"That is" (quod she) " right well done certainly,
And I pray God to honour you auaunce,
And kepe you fro the wicked remembraunce
Of male bouch, and all his crueltie,
And all that good and well conditioned be.
"For here may I no lenger now abide,
I must follow the great company
That ye may see yonder before you ride,"
And forth as I couth most humbly,
I tooke my leue of her as she gan hie,
After them as fast as euer she might,
And I drow homeward, for it was nigh night
And put all that I had seene in writing
Under support of them that lust it to rede.
O little booke, thou art so vnconning,
How darst thou put thy self in prees for drede,
It is wonder that thou wexest not rede,
Sith that thou wost full lite who shall behold
Thy rude language, full boistously vnfold.
LA PRIERE DE NOSTRE DAME.
Chaucer's A. B. C. called La Priere de nostre Dame: made, as some say, at the request of Blanch, duchess of Lancaster, as a prayer for her private use, being a woman in her religion very devout.
ALMIGHTY and all merciable queene,
To whom all this world fleeth for succour,
To haue release of sinne, of sorrow, of tene,
Glorious Virgine of all flouris flour,
To thee I flee confounded in errour,
Helpe aud releeue almighty debonaire,
Haue mercy of mine perillous langour,
Uenquist me hath my cruell aduersaire.
Bounty so fixe hath in my herte his tent,
That well I wote thou will my succour be,
Thou canst not waru that with good entent,
Axith thine helpe, thine herte is aye so free:
Thou art largesse of plaine felicite,
Hauen and refute of quiete and of rest,
Lo how that theuis seuen chasen me,
Helpe lady bright, or that mine ship to brest.
C.
Comfort is none, but in you lady dere,
For lo mine sinne and mine confusioun,
Which ought not in thine presence for to apere,
Han taken on me a greeuous actioun,
Of veray right and disperatioun,
And as by right they mighten well sustene,
That I were worthy mine damnatioun,
Nere mercy of you blistal! quene.
Dout is there none, queen of misericord,
That thou nart cause of grace and mercy here,
God vouchedsafe through thee with vs to accord:
For certis, Christ is blisful modir dere,
Were now the bow bent in swiche manere,
As it was first of justice and of ire,
The rightfull God would of no mercy here:
But through thee han we grace as we desire.
Euer hath mine hope of refute in thee be: For here beforne full oft in many a wise, Unto mercy hast thou receiued me,
But mercy lady at the great assise,
Whan we shall come before the high justise,
So little freut shall than in me ben found,
That but thou or that day correct me,
Of very right mine werk will me confound.
Flying, I flee for succour to thine tent,
Me for to hide fro tempest fall of drede,
Beseking you, that ye you not absent,
Though I be wick: O help yet at this nede,
All haue I been a beast in wit and dede,
Yet lady thou mee close in with thine own grace,
Thine enemy and nine, lady take hede,
Unto mine death in point is me to chase.
Gracious maid and modir, which that neuer
Were bitter nor in earth nor in see,
But full of sweetnesse and of mercy euer,
Help that mine fader be not wroth with me:
Speake thou, for I ne dare him not see,
So haue I done in earth, alas the while,
That certes but if thou mine succour be,
To sinke eterne he will mine ghost exile.
H.
He vouchedesafe, tell him, as was his will,
Become a man as for our alliaunce,
And with his blood he wrote that blisfull bill
Upon the crosse as generall acquetaunce,
To euery penitent in full criaunce:
And therefore lady bright, thou for vs prey,
Than shalt thou stent all his greeuaunce,
And maken our foe to failen of his prey.
I wote well thou wilt been our succour,
Thou art so full of bounty in certaine,
For whan a soule falleth in errour,
Thine pity goeth, and haleth him againe,
Than maketh thou his peace with his souerain,
And bringest him out of the crooked strete:
Who so thee loueth, shall not loue in vaine,
That shall he find, as he the life shall lete.
K.
Kalenderis enlumined been they,
That in this world been lighted with thine name,
And who so goith with thee the right wey,
Him that not drede in soule to been lame,
Now queen of comfort, sith thou art the same,
To whom I seech for my medicine:
Let not mine fo no more mine wound entame,
Mine hele into thine hond all I resine.
Lady, thine sorrow can I not portrey
Under that crosse, ne his greuous pennaunce:
But for your bothis peine, I you prey,
Let not our alder fo make his bostaunce,
That he hath in his lestis with mischaunce,
Conuict that, ye both han bought so dere:
As I said erst, thou ground of substaunce,
Continue on vs thine pitous eyen clere.
Moyses that saw the bosh of flambis rede
Brenning, of which than neuer a sticke brend,
Was sign of thine unwemmed maidenhede,
Thou art the bosh, on which there can descend
The Holyghost, which that Moyses weend
Had been on fire: and this was in figure.
Now lady from the fire vs defend,
Which that in Hell eternally shall dure.
Noble princesse, that neuer haddest pere,
Certes if any comfort in vs bee,
That commeth of thee, Christis moder dere,
We han none other melody ne glee,
Us to rejoyce in our aduersite,
Ne aduocat none, that will and dare so prey
For vs, and that for as little hire as ye,
That helpen for an Auemary or twey.
O very light of eyen tho been blind,
O very lust of labour and distresse,
O treasorere of bounty to mankind,
The whom God chese to moder for humblesse,
From his ancelle he made thee maistresse
Of Heaven and Earth, our bill vp to bede,
This world awaiteth euer on thine goodnes,
For thou ne failedest neuer wight at nede.
Purpose I haue sometime for to enquere,
Wherefore and why the Holyghost thee sought,
Whan Gabrielis voice come to thine ere,
He not to werre vs swich a wonder wrought,
But for to save vs, that sithen bought:
Than needeth vs no weapon vs to saue,
But onely there we did not as vs ought,
Do penitence, aud mercy aske and haue.
Q
Queen of comfort, right whan I me bethink,
That I agilt haue both him and thee,
And that mine soule is worthy for to sinke:
Alas I caitife, wheder shall I flee,
Who shall vnto thine sonne mine inean be:
Who but thine selfe, that art of pity well,
Thou hast more routh on our aduersitie,
Than in this world might any tongue tell.
Redresse me moder, and eke me chastise,
For certainly my faders chastising
Ne dare I not abiden in no wise,
So hideous is his full reckening,
Moder of whom our joy gan to spring,
Be ye mine judge, and eke my soules leech,
For euer in you is pity abounding,
To each that of pity will you beseech.
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