"WATLYNGE STRETE." 35 Se yonder, loo, the Galoxie, 430 That ones was ybrente wyth hete, Whiche that in heven a synge 1 is yit. And he for-ferde 5 lost hys wyt 440 Of that, and lat the reynes goon Gonne up to mounten, and doun descende, Til Jubiter, loo, atte laste Hym slowe, and fer fro the cart caste. Of thing that he can not demeyne? And with this word, sothe for to seyne, He gan upper alwey for to sore, And gladded me ay more and more, So feythfully to me spake he. 450 1 After the Roman road across South Britain. Guide. Rush 0. Sign. Much frightened. Manage. Tho gan I loken under me, Thoo gan I not 3 ywys, but God, thou wost! 4 For more clere entendement 1 Nas me never yit ysent. And than thought I on Marcian,5 6 That sooth was her descripcioun 460 470 1 See Boethius, De Consolatione Philosophiæ, book iv., met. i. In the version made by Chaucer, there is reference to Thought, clothed in the feathers of Philosophy, being made a knight of God and com ing to the knowledge of God by seeking pure truth. 2 An uncer tainty. 3 Know not. 4 Understanding. 5 Cf. Canterbury Tales, 1. 14,068. Martianus Mineus Felix Capella, author of the Nuptial. of Philology and Mercury, of which book viii. (857) gives a hint o the true system of astronomy. It is quoted by Copernicus. Cf Pariement of Foules, 1. 316. Anticlaudianus is the title of a poen by Alanus de Insulis. Of alle hevenes regioun, As fer as that I sey the preve; 1 With that this egle began to crye: "Lat be," quod he, "thy fantasye; Wilt thou lere of sterres aught?" 66 Nay, certenly," quod I, "ryght naught." "And why? "For I am now to olde." "Elles I wolde the have toide," Quod he, "the sterres names, lo, And which they ben." "No fors," quod I. "Yis, pardee," quod he, "wostow why? For whan thou redest poetrie, How goddes gonne stellifye Briddes, fisshe, best, or him, or here, 480 490 "No fors," quod I, "hyt is no nede. 1 Saw the proof. 2 Ursa Major or Ursa Minor. Arion and his cithara is found in O-id, Fasti, ii. 82. The Pleiades, daughters of Atlas 6 Believe. 8 The story of • The dolphin. Hyt shulde shenden al my syghte, "The grete soun,” Herke wel; hyt is not rouned." 510 520 Herestow not the grete swogh?" "Yis, perde,” quod I, "wel ynogh." "And what soune is it lyke?" quod hee. "Peter! betynge of the see," Quod I, "agen the roches holowe, Whan tempest doth the shippes swalowe, 9 8 530 1 Loud. 2 St. Julian was the patron of lodging-places. Cf. Can terbury Taies, 1. 340. 3 Whispered. 4 Bellow. 5 Low, dead sound. For fear sweat. Lines 526-533 should be compared with Ovid's Metamorphoses, xii. 49. IT WILL NOT BITE! "Nay, drede the not therof," quod he, And with this word both he and I 66 To speke, or that I goo fro the, For the love of God, telle me, Be, as I have herd the tellen, 1 Of folke that doun in erthe dwellen, In al that hous that yonder ys, That maketh al this loude fare?" "Noo," quod he, "by Seynte Clare! And, also wis God rede me, 39 540 550 |