Part 14 (1/2)

XIV.

And on the smalle greene twistis [3] sat The little sweete nightingale, and sung, So loud and clear the hymnis consecrate Of love's use, now soft, now loud among,[4]

That all the gardens and the wallis rung Right of their song; and on the couple next Of their sweet harmony, and lo the text.

XV.

Wors.h.i.+p, O ye that lovers be, this May!

For of your bliss the calends are begun; And sing with us, 'Away! winter, away!

Come, summer, come, the sweet seasn and sun; Awake for shame that have your heavens won; And amorously lift up your heades all, Thank love that list you to his mercy call.

XXI.

And therewith cast I down mine eye again, Where as I saw walking under the tower, Full secretly new comen to her pleyne,[5]

The fairest and the freshest younge flower That e'er I saw (methought) before that hour For which sudden abate [6] anon astert [7]

The blood of all my body to my heart.

XXVII.

Of her array the form if I shall write, Toward her golden hair, and rich attire, In fret-wise couched with pearlis white, And greate balas[8] lemyng[9] as the fire; With many an emerald and fair sapphre, And on her head a chaplet fresh of hue, Of plumes parted red, and white, and blue.

XXIX.

About her neck, white as the fair amaille,[10]

A goodly chain of small orfeverie,[11]

Whereby there hang a ruby without fail Like to a heart yshapen verily, That as a spark of lowe[12] so wantonly Seemed burning upon her white throat; Now if there was good, perdie G.o.d it wrote.

x.x.x.

And for to walk that freshe Maye's morrow, A hook she had upon her tissue white, That goodlier had not been seen toforrow,[13]

As I suppose, and girt she, was a lite[14]

Thus halfling[15] loose for haste; to such delight It was to see her youth in goodlihead, That for rudeness to speak thereof I dread.

x.x.xI.

In her was youth, beauty with humble port, Bounty, richess, and womanly feature: (G.o.d better wot than my pen can report) Wisdom, largess, estate, and cunning[16] sure,

In word, in deed, in shape and countenance, That nature might no more her child advance.

[1] 'Hye:' haste.

[2] 'Herbere:' herbary, or garden of simples.

[3] 'Twistis:' twigs.

[4] 'Among:' promiscuously.

[5] 'Pleyne:' sport.