Chaucerian and Other Pieces. Various

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      a maner of ferdnesse crepeth in his herte, not for harme, but of

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      goodly subjeccion; namely, as men reden that aungels ben aferde

      of our saviour in heven. And pardè, there ne is, ne may no

      passion of disese be; but it is to mene, that angels ben adradde,

      not by †ferdnes of drede, sithen they ben perfitly blissed, [but]

      as [by] affeccion of wonderfulnesse and by service of obedience.

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      Suche ferde also han these lovers in presence of their loves, and

      subjectes aforn their soveraynes. Right so with ferdnesse myn

      herte was caught. And I sodainly astonied, there entred in-to

      the place there I was logged a lady, the semeliest and most

      goodly to my sight that ever to-forn apered to any creature; and

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      trewly, in the blustringe of her looke, she yave gladnesse and

      comfort sodaynly to al my wittes; and right so she doth to

      every wight that cometh in her presence. And for she was so

      goodly, as me thought, myn herte began somdele to be enbolded,

      and wexte a litel hardy to speke; but yet, with a quakinge

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      voyce, as I durste, I salued her, and enquired what she was;

      and why she, so worthy to sight, dayned to entre in-to so foule

      a dongeon, and namely a prison, without leve of my kepers.

      For certes, al-though the vertue of dedes of mercy strecchen to

      visiten the poore prisoners, and hem, after that facultees ben had,

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      to comforte, me semed that I was so fer fallen in-to miserye and

      wrecched hid caytifnesse, that me shulde no precious thing

      neighe; and also, that for my sorowe every wight shulde ben

      hevy, and wisshe my recovery. But whan this lady had somdele

      apperceyved, as wel by my wordes as by my chere, what thought

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      besied me within, with a good womanly countenance she sayde

      these wordes:—

      'O my nory, wenest thou that my maner be, to foryete my

      frendes or my servauntes? Nay,' quod she, 'it is my ful entente

      to visyte and comforte al my frendshippes and allyes, as wel in

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      tyme of perturbacion as of moost propertee of blisse; in me shal

      unkyndnesse never be founden: and also, sithen I have so fewe

      especial trewe now in these dayes. Wherefore I may wel at more

      leysar come to hem that me deserven; and if my cominge may

      in any thinge avayle, wete wel, I wol come often.'

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      'Now, good lady,' quod I, 'that art so fayre on to loke,

      reyninge hony by thy wordes, blisse of paradys arn thy lokinges,

      joye and comfort are thy movinges. What is thy name? How

      is it that in you is so mokel werkinge vertues enpight, as me

      semeth, and in none other creature that ever saw I with myne

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      eyen?'

      'My disciple,' quod she, 'me wondreth of thy wordes and on

      thee, that for a litel disese hast foryeten my name. Wost thou

      not wel that I am Love, that first thee brought to thy service?'

      'O good lady,' quod I, 'is this worship to thee or to thyn

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      excellence, for to come in-to so foule a place? Pardè, somtyme,

      tho I was in prosperitè and with forayne goodes envolved, I had

      mokil to done to drawe thee to myn hostel; and yet many

      werninges thou madest er thou liste fully to graunte, thyn home

      to make at my dwelling-place; and now thou comest goodly by

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      thyn owne vyse, to comforte me with wordes; and so there-thorough

      I ginne remembre on passed gladnesse. Trewly, lady,

      I ne wot whether I shal say welcome or non, sithen thy coming

      wol as moche do me tene and sorowe, as gladnesse and mirthe.

      See why: for that me comforteth to thinke on passed gladnesse,

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      that me anoyeth efte to be in doinge. Thus thy cominge bothe

      gladdeth and teneth, and that is cause of moche sorowe. Lo, lady,

      how than I am comforted by your comminge'; and with that

      I gan in teeres to distille, and tenderly wepe.

      'Now, certes,' quod Love, 'I see wel, and that me over-thinketh,

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      that wit in thee fayleth, and [thou] art in pointe

      to dote.'

      'Trewly,' quod I, 'that have ye maked, and that ever wol

      I rue.'

      'Wottest thou not wel,' quod she, 'that every shepherde ought

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      by reson to seke his sperkelande sheep, that arn ronne in-to

      wildernesse among busshes and perils, and hem to their pasture

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