The parlament of foules, by Geoffrey Chaucer. Ed., with introduction, notes, and glossary, by T. R. Lounsbury.

THE PARLAMENT OF FOULES.

59

XXV.
With that myn hand he tok in his anon,
Of whiche I comfort kaughte, and wente in'faste. 170
But Lord! so was I glad and wel begon!
For oueral where that I mynne eyen caste,
Were treis clad with leuys that ay shal laste,
Eche in his kinde of colour fressh and greene
As emeroude, that joy it was to seene. I75
XXVI.
The byldere ok, and ek the hardy assh,
The pilere elm, the cofere vnto carayne,
The box tre pipere, holm to whippis lasch,
The saylynge fyr, the cipresse deth to pleyne,
The shetere ew, the asp for shaftys pleyne, I80
The olyue of pes, and ek the dronke vyne,
The victor palm, the laurer to deuyne.
XXVII.
A gardyn saw I ful of blosmy bowys,
Vpon a ryuer in a grene mede,
There as that swetnesse eueremore inow is, 185
With flouris white, blewe, and yelwe, and rede,
And colde welle stremys, nothyng dede,
That swymyn ful of smale fischis lite,
With fynnys rede and skalis syluyr bryghte.
170. [comfort] confort. 183. [blosmy] blospemy.
170. [wente in] that as. 184. [ryuer] reuer.
171. [begon] begoon. I85. [that] ther.
174. [fressh] frosch. I88. [swymyn] swemyn.
175. [joy it was] sothe was.