The Canterbury tales and Faerie queene &c., &c., &c., ed. for popular perusal with current illustrations and explanatory notes, by D. Laing Purves.

222 POEMS OF GEOFFRE Y C1HA UCER.
Right as the freshi redde rose new "Come off!" they cried; "alas! ye will us
Against the summer Sunne colour'd is, shend! 19
Right so, for shame, all waxen gan the hue When will your cursed pleading have an end?
Of this form6l, when she had heard all this; How should a judge either party believe,
Neither she answer'd well, nor said amiss,l For yea or nay, withouten any preve?" 20
So sore abashed was she, till Natire The goose, the duck, and the cuckoo also,
Said, "Daughter, dread you not, I you So cried "keke, keke," "cuckoo," "queke
assure." 2 queke," high,
Another tercel eagle spake anon, That through mine ears the noise wente tho.7
Of lower kind, and said that should not be; The goose said then, " All this n'is worth a fly! 21
"I love her better than ye do, by Saint John! But I can shape 22 hereof a remedy;
Or at the least I love her as well as ye, And I will say my verdict, fair and swith,23
And longer have her serv'd in my degree; For water-fowl, whoso be wroth or blith." 24
And if she should have lov'd for long loving, "nd I for worm-fowl," said the fool cuckow;
To me alone had been the guerdoning.3 For I will, of mine own authority,
"I dare eke say, if she me finde false, For common speed,25 take on me the charge now;
Unkind, jangl6re,4 rebel in any wise, For to deliver us is great charity."
Or jealous, do me hange by the halse; 5 "Ye may abide a while yet, pardie," 26
And but 6 I beare me in her service Quoth then the turtle; " if it be your will
As well ay as my wit can me suffice, A wight may speak, it were as good be still.
From point to point, her honour for to save, "I am a seed-fowl, one th' unworthiest,
Take she my life and all the good I have." That know I well, and the least of cunning;
A thirde tercel eagle answer'd tho: 7 But better is, that a wight's tongue rest,
"Now, Sirs, ye see the little leisure here; Than entremette him of 27 such doing
For ev'ry fowl cries out to be ago Of which he neither redi 28 can nor sing;
Forth with his mate, or with his lady dear; And who it doth, full foul himself accloyeth,29
And eke Nature herself will not hear, For office uncommanded 30 oft annoyeth."
For tarrying her, not half that I would say; Naturi, which that alway had an ear
And but 6 I speak, I must for sorrow dey.8 To murmur of the lewdness behind,
" Of long service avaunt I me no thing, With facond31 voice said, "Hold your tongues
But as possible is me to die to-day, there,
For woe, as he that hath been languishing And I shall soon, I hope, a counsel find,
This twenty winter; and well happen may You to deliver, and from this noise unbind;
A man may serve better, and more to pay,9 I charge of ev'ry flock 32 ye shall one call,
In half a year, although it were no more, To say the verdict of you fowles all."
Than some man doththat served hathfull yore.l0 The tercelet 33 said then in this mannere:
"I say not this by me, for that I can "Full hard it were to prove it by reas6n,
Do no service that may my lady please; Who loveth best this gentle formel here;
But I dare say, I am her truest man,1 For ev'reach hath such replication,34
As to my doom,l2 and fainest13 would her please; That by skillis may none be brought adown; 35
At shorte words,l4 until that death me seize, I cannot see that arguments avail;
I will be hers, whether I wake or wink, Then seemeth it that there must be battaile." 3
And true in all that hearte may bethink." " All ready! " quoth those eagle tercels tho;7
Of all my life, since that day I was born, "Nay, Sirs! " quoth he; "if that I durst it say,
So gentle plea,15 in love or other thing, Ye do me wrong, my tale is not y-do, 37
Ne hearde never no man me beforn; For, Sirs,-and take it not agrief,38 I pray,Whoso that hadde leisure and cunning16 It may not be as ye would, in this way:
For to rehearse their cheer and their speaking: Ours is the voice that have the charge in hand,
And from the morrow gan these speeches last, And to the judges' doom ye muste stand.39
Till downward went the Sunn6 wonder fast.
illdownwardwenttheunnwonderfast. And therefore'Peace!' I say; as to my wit,
The noise of fowlis for to be deliver'dl7 Me wouldd think, how that the worthiest
So loude rang, " Have done and let us wend," 18 Of knighthood, and had40 longest used it,
That well ween'd I the wood had all to-shiver'd: Most of estate, of blood the gentilest,
1 She answered nothing, either well or ill. 22 Devise. 23 Speedily.
2 Confirm, support. 3 Reward. 24 Content, glad. 25 Despatch; advantage.
4 A vain or boastful talker. 26 Truly; by God.
5 Make me be hanged by the neck. 27 Meddle with; French, "entremettre," to interfere.
6 Unless. 7 Then. 8 Die., 28 Counsel. 29 Embarrasseth.
9 Satisfaction. See note 20, page 219. 30 Officious performance of uncommanded service.
10 For a long time. 31 Eloquent, fluent. 32 Class of fowl.
11 Liegeman, servant, to do her homage. 33 Male hawk. 34 Reply.
12 Judgment. 13 Most gladly of all. 35 By arguments may none be overcome.
14 In one word. 15 Excellent, noble pleading. 36 That the tercels must fight for the formel.
16 Skill, ability. 17 Set free to depart. 37 Done. 38 Be not offended.
18 Go. 19 Ruin. 20 Proof 39 Ye must abide by the judges' decision.
e1 All this is worthless, useless. 40 (The one that) had.