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

- TROZ0 Z~.US:.AND1 C'R:E SSIDA. -26. ThisTroilus her gain armesstrain, Aild therewithalthlahousand times her kist'And said, " O'sweet, as.ever may I go'n, - That what to do for joy unneth he:vist.24
Now be ye caught, now here is but we twain, The lovers exchanged vows, and kisses, and
Now yielde you, for other boot 2 is none." ebraces, and speeches of exalted love, and
To that Cresside answered thus anon, rings; Cressida gave to Troilus a brooch of
"N' had I ere now, my sweete hearte dear, gold and azure, " in which a ruby set was like
Beenyolden,3 y-wis, I were now not here I " a heart;" and the too short night passed.
0 sooth is said,e that healedfor be the cock, commfine astrologer,25
Of a fever, or other great sickness, Gan on his breast to beat, and after crow,
Men muste drink, as we may often see, And Lucifer, the daye's messenger,
Full bitter drink; and for to have gladness Gan for to rise, and out his beamis throw;
Men drinken often pain and great distress! And eastward rose, to him that could it know,
I mean it here, as for.this adventure, Fortuna Major,26 then anon Cresseide,
That thorough pain hath founden all his cure. With hearte sore, to Troilus thus said:
And now sweetnesse seemeth far more sweet, " My hearte's life, my trust, and my pleaThat bitterness assayed 4 was beforn; sance!
For out of woe in blisse now they fleet,5 That I was born, alas! that me is woe,
None such they felte since that they were born; That day of us must make disseverance!
Now is it better than both two were lorn! 6 For time it is to rise, and hence to go,
For love of God, take ev'ry woman heed Or else I am but lost for evermo'.
To worke thus, if it come to the need! 0 Night! alas! why n' ilt thou o'er us hove,27
Cresside, all quit from ev'ry dread and teen, As long as when Alcmena lay by Jove? 28
As she that justB cause had him to trust, "O blacke Night! as folk in bookes read
Made him such feast,8 it joy was for to see'n, That shapen 29 art by God, this world to hide,
When she his truth and intent cleane wist; At certain times, with thy darke weed,30
And as about a tree, with many a twist, That under it men might in rest abide,: Bitrent and writhen 10 is the sweet woodbind, Well oughte beastes plain, and folke chide,
Gan each of them in armes other wind."' That where as Day with labour would us brest,31
And as the new abashed nightingale,12 There thou right flee'st, and deignest 3 not'us
That stinteth,l3 first when she beginneth sing, rest.
When that she heareth any herde's tale,'4 "Thou dost, alas! so shortly thine office,33
Or in the hedges any wight stirring; Thou rakel34 Night! that God,35 maker of kind,
And, after, sicker15 out her voice doth ring; Thee for thy haste and thine unkinde vice,
Right so Cressida, when her dreadi stent,6 So fast ay to our hemisphere bind,
Open'd her heart, and told him her intent. l That never more under the ground thou wind; 36
And right as he that sees his death y-shapen, 1 For through thy rakel hieing 37 out of Troy
And dien must, in aught that he may guess,l9 Have I forgone 38 thus hastily my joy!"
And suddenly rescouse doth him escapen,20 This Troilus, that with these wordes felt,
And from his death is brought in sickerness;21 As thought him then, for piteous distress,
For all-the world, in such present gladness The bloody teares from his hearte melt,
Was Troilus, and had his lady sweet; As he that never yet such heavinessWith worsi hap God let us never meet! Assayed had out of so great gladness,.
Her armes small, her straighte back and soft,Gan therewithal resside, his lady dear,
Her sides longe, fleshly, smooth, and white, In armes strain, and said in this mannere:
fHe gan to.stroke; and good thrift 22 bade full oft " cruel Day! accuser of the joy
On her snow-white throat, her breastes round That Night and Love have stol'n, and fast yand lite; 3 wrien! s9
Thus in this heaven he gan him delight, Accursed be thy coming into Troy!
1 Prosper. 2 Remedy, resource.' the horologe of thorp8s lite;" and in The Nun's
3 If I had not yielded myself ere now. Priest's Tale Chanticleer knew by nature each ascen4 Experienced, tasted. See note 8, page 116. sion of the equinoctial, and, when the sun had ascended
5 Float, swim. fifteen degrees, "then crew he, that it might not be
6 Better this happy issue, than that both two should amended." Here he is termed the "common astrobe lost (through the sorrow of fruitless love). loger," as employing for the public advantage his know7'Freed'from every doubt and pain. ledge of astronomy.
8 " Lui fit fete "-made holiday for him. 26 The planet Jupiter.
9 ]new his truth and the purity of his purpose. 27 Why wilt not thou hover over us?
10 Plaited and wreathed. 1 Embrace, encircle. 28 When Jupiter visited Alcmena in the form of her
12 The newly-arrived and timid nightingale. husband Amphitryon, he is said to have prolonged-the
13t Stops. 14 The talking of any shepherd. night to the length of three natural nights. Hercules
15- With confidence; clearly and surely. was the fruit of the union.
16 When her doubt had ceased to affect her. 29 Appointed. 30 Robe.
17 Mind. 18 Prepared. 31 Burst, overcome. 33 Grantest.
19 For all that he can tell. 33 Performest thy duty in so short'a time.
so IRescue causeth him'to escape, 21 Safety. 34 Rash,:hasty. 35 Would that God would, &c.
22 Blessing, prosperity. 23. mall. 36 Turnrevolve. 37 Hasting.
2 He hardly knew.. 38 Lost.
25s The cQck is called, in "The Assembly of- Fowls," 39 Closely concealed.; i - i i -1 ~''-'-''`~~~~~~