NOT A DRY THREAD. 545 Waxe hote, that the pretie tendre floures That they ne wiste where hem to bestowe; shent ; 360 And after that, within a little throwe, 8 And whan the storm was cleane passed away, Tho clad in white that stoode under the tree, They felte nothing of the great affray, That they in greene without had in ybe; To them they gede for routhe and pite, Them to comfort after their greate disease, So faine they were the helplesse for to ease. Than was I ware how one of hem in grene Had on a crowne, ful rich and wel sitting; 380 Wherefore I demed wel she was a quene, And tho in greene on her were awaiting; 1 Nigh. 2 Groves. VOL. III. Had not. + Their dress. 35 The ladies then in white that were comming Towardes them, and the knightes in fere, Beganne hem to comfort, and make hem chere, The queen in white, that was of great beauty, Tooke by the hond the queen that was in grenė, And said, "Suster, I have right great pitie Of your annoy, and of the troublous tene,1 Wherein ye and your company have bene 390 So long, alas! and if that it you please To go with me, I shall do you the ease, "In all the pleasure that I can or may ; Whereof the tother, humbly as she mighte, Thanked her; for in right ill array She was with storm and heat, I you behighte; And every lady, then anone right, That were in white, one of them took in grene By the hond; which when the knightes hadde sene, 399 In like wise ech of them tooke hir a knight I-clad in greene, and forth with hem they fare, Un-to an hegge, where they anon gan right To make their justes, woulde they not spare Boughes to hewe down, and eke trees square, Wherwith they made hem stately fires greate, To dry their clothes that were wringing weate. And after that, of hearbes that there grewe, They made, for blisters of the sunne brenning Very good and wholesome ointmentes newe, Where that they gede3 the sicke fast anointing 1 Sorrow. • Promise. 8 Went. THE KNIGHTS AND LADIES AT ONE. 547 And after that they gede aboute gadering 411 Pleasaunt salades, which they made hem eate, For to refresh their greate unkindly heate. The Lady of the Leafe then gan to praye To soupe with her, and eek, for any thing, And after that, to all her company For then the nightingale, that all the day 430 440 The goldfinch eke, that fro the medler tree Was fled for heat into the bushes colde, Unto the Lady of the Flower gan flee, And on her hond he set him as he wolde, And pleasauntly his winges gan to folde; And for to singe they pained hem both, as sore As they hadde do of all the day before. 450 And so these ladies rode forth a great pace, And all the rout of knightes eke in fere; And I, that hadde seene all this wonder case, Thought I would assay in some manere, To knowe fully the trouth of this matere, And what they were that rode so pleasantly. And when they were the herber passed by, I dreste me forth, and happede to mete anone Right a faire lady, I you ensure ; 460 And she come riding by herselfe alone, "Madame," quod I, "if that I durst enquere Of you, I woulde faine, of that company, Wite what they be that paste by this arbere." And she agen answerede right friendly. "My faire doughter, all tho that passed here by 1 From this address it is supposed that the poem is the production f a woman. Unto the Leafe, and I myselfe am one. 549 469 "See ye not her that crowned is," quod she, "All in white?" "Madame," quod I, "yis." "That is Diane, goddesse of chastite; And for because that she a maiden is, In her own hond the braunch she beareth iwis, That agnus castus men calle properly; And alle the ladies in her company, "Which as ye se of that hearb chapelets weare, Be such as han kept alway hir maidenheed: 49€ “Now, faire madame,” quod I, “yet would I pray Your ladiship, if that it mighte be, That I mighte knowe, by some maner way, - The trouth of these ladies for to telle me, |