The Works of John Dryden, now first collected in eighteen volumes. Volume 12. John Dryden

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      To go with me I shall do you the ese

      In al the plesure that I can or may;

      Whereof that othir, humbly as she might,

      Thankid her, for in right evil array

      She was with storme and hete I you behight;

      And evèry lady then anon right

      That were in white one of them toke in grene

      By the hond, which when the knightis had sene

      In like manir eche of them toke a knight

      Clad in the grene, and forth with them they fare

      To an heggè, where that they anon right

      To makin these justis they would not spare

      Boughis to hew down, and eke trees to square,

      Wherewith they made them stately firis grete

      To dry ther clothis, that were wringing wete:

      And aftir that of herbis that there grew

      They made for blistirs of the sonne brenning

      Ointmentis very gode, wholsome and new,

      Where that they yede the sick fast anointing;

      And after that they yede about gadring

      Plesant saladis, which they made them ete

      For to refreshe ther grete unkindly hete.

      The lady of the Lefè then gan to pray

      Her of the Floare [for so to my seming

      They should be callid as by ther array]

      To soupe with her, and eke for any thing

      That she should with her all her pepill bringe,

      And she ayen in right godely manere

      Thankith her fast of her most frendly chere,

      Saying plainèly that she would obay

      With all her hert all her commandèment;

      And then anon without lengir delay

      The lady of the Lefe hath one ysent

      To bring a palfray aftir her intent,

      Arrayid wele in fair harneis of gold,

      For nothing lackid that to him long shold.

      And aftir that to all her company

      She made to purvey horse and every thing

      That they nedid, and then full hastily

      Even by the herbir where I was sitting

      They passid all, so merrily singing

      That it would have comfortid any wight:

      But then I se a passing wondir sight,

      For then the nightingale, that all the day

      Had in the laurir sete, and did her might

      The whole service to sing longing to May,

      All sodainly began to take her flight,

      And to the lady of the Lefe forthright

      She flew, and set her on her hand softly,

      Which was a thing I mervailed at gretly.

      The goldfinch eke, that fro the medlar tre

      Was fled for hete unto the bushis cold,

      Unto the lady of the Flowre gan fle,

      And on her hond he set him as he wold,

      And plesauntly his wingis gan to fold,

      And for to sing they peine them both as sore

      As they had do of all the day before.

      And so these ladies rode forth a grete pace,

      And all the rout of knightis eke in fere;

      And I that had sene all this wondir case

      Thought that I would assay in some manere

      To know fully the trouth of this mattere,

      And what they were that rode so plesauntly:

      And when they were the herbir passid by

      I drest me forth, and happid mete anon

      A right fair lady, I do you ensure,

      And she came riding by her self alone,

      Allè in white, with semblaunce full demure;

      I her salued, bad her gode avinture

      Mote her befall, as I coud most humbly,

      And she answered, My doughtir, gramercy!

      Madame, quod I, if that I durst enquere

      Of you, I wold fain of that company

      Wit what they be that passed by this herbere.

      And she ayen answerid right frendly,

      My doughtir, all tho that passid hereby

      In white clothing be servants everichone

      Unto the Lefe, and I my self am one.

      See ye not her that crownid is (quod she)

      Allè in white? Madame, then quod I, Yes.

      That is Dian, goddess of Chastity,

      And for bicause that she a maidin is

      Into her hond the brance she berith this

      That agnus castus men call propirly;

      And all the ladies in her company

      Which ye se of that herbè chaplets were

      Be such as han alwey kept maidinhede,

      And all they that of laurir chaplets bere,

      Be such as hardy were in manly dede

      Victorious, name which nevir may be dede,

      And all they were so worthy of their honde

      In their time that no one might them withstonde;

      And tho that were chapèlets on ther hede

      Of fresh wodebind be such as nevir were

      To Love untrue in word, in thought, ne dede,

      But ay stedfast, ne for plesance ne fere,

      Tho that they shulde ther hertis all to tere,

      Woud never flit, but evir were stedfast

      Till that ther livis there assundir brast.

      Now, fair Madame! quod I, yet would I pray

      Your ladiship [if that it mightin be]

      That I might knowe by some manir of wey,

      Sithin that it hath likid your beaute

      The trouth of these ladies for to tell me,

      What that these knightis be in rich armour,

      And what tho be in grene and were the Flour,

      And why that some did rev'rence to the tre,

      And some unto the plot of flouris fair?

      With right gode wil, my doughtir fair! quod she,

      Sith your desire is gode and debonaire:

      Tho nine crounid be very exemplaire

      Of all honour longing to chivalry,

      And those certain be clept, The Nine Worthy,

      Which that ye may se riding all before,

      That in ther time did many a noble dede,

      And for ther worthiness full oft have bore

      The crown of laurir levis on ther hede,

      As ye may in your oldè bokis rede,

      And how that he that was a conqueror

      Had by laurir alwey his most honour:

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