What that these knightes be in rich armour, And what tho be in grene and weare the flour? "And why that some dide reverence to the

tre,

And some unto the plot of floures faire?" "With right good will, my fair doghter," quod

she,

"Sith your desire is good and debonaire ;
Tho nine crowned be very exemplaire
Of all honour longing to chivalry;

500

And those certaine be called the Nine Worthy,'
"Which ye may see now riding all before,
That in her time dide many a noble dede,
And for their worthinesse full oft have bore
The crowne of laurer leaves on their hede,

As ye may in your olde bookes rede;

510

And how that he that was a conquerour
Hadde by laurer alway his most honour.
"And tho that beare bowes 2 in their honde,

Of the precious laurer so notable,
Be such as were, I woll ye understonde,
Noble knightes of the Rounde Table,
And eke the Douseperis honourable,
Which they bearen in signe of victory;
It is witnesse of their deedes mightily.
"Eke there be Knightes old of the Garter,*
That in her time dide right worthily;
And the honour they dide to the laurer

520

2 Boughs 4 Th

1 Three Jews, three pagans, and three Christians. The twelve Paladins (Fr. douze pairs) of Charlemagne. order of Knights of the Garter was instituted by Edward 1!I.

"IT IS FLORA."

551

Is for by it they have their laud wholly,
Their triumph eke, and marshall glory;
Which unto them is more parfit richesse,
Than any wight imagine can or gesse.
"For one leafe given of that noble tree
T'o any wight that hath done worthily,
And it be done so as it oughte to be,
Is more honour than anything earthly;
Witnesse of Rome1 that founder was truly 530
Of all knighthood and deedes marvelous ;
Record I take of Titus Livius.

"And as for her that crowned is in greene,
It is Flora, of these floures goddesse ;
And all that here on her awaiting beene,
It are such folk that loved idlenesse,
And not delite hadde of no businesse,

But for to hunt and hauke, and pley in medes, And many other such idle dedes.

"And for the greate delite and pleasaunce They have to the floure, and so reverently 541 They unto it do such grete obeisaunce

As ye may se." "Now, faire madame," quod I, "If I durst aske what is the cause and why, That knightes have the signe of honour, Wel rather by the leafe than by the flour?" "Soothly, doughter," quod she, "this is the trouth:

1 The reference seems to be to Julius Cæsar, to whom the senate lecreed the right to wear a laurel crown. Suetonius recorris that Cæsar prized the honor, as it afforded him a means of concealing his aldness.

For knightes ever shoulde be persevering,
To seeke honour without feintise or slouth,
Fro wele to better in all manner thing;
In signe of which, with leaves aye lasting
They be rewarded after their degre,

1

550

Whose lusty green may not appaired 1 be, "But aie keping their beautie fresh and greene;

For there nis storme that ne may hem de

face,

Ne haile nor snow, ne winde nor frostes kene;
Wherfore they have this propertie and grace.
And for the floure within a little space
Woll be i-lost, so simple of nature

They be, that they no greevance may endure; "And every storme will blowe them soone

awaye,

Ne laste they not but for oon season;

That is the cause, the very trouth to saye,
That they maye not, by no way of reason,
Be put to no such occupation."

561

"Madame," quod I, "with all mine whole servise

I thanke you now, in my most humble wise; "For now I am acertained throughly,

Of every thing I desired to knowe."

'I am right glad that I have said, sothly, 570 Ought to your pleasure, if ye wille me trowe," Quod she agen, "but to whom do ye owe

1 Impaired.

"MALEBOUCHE."

Your service? and which wolle ye honoure,

553

Tel me I pray, this yere, the Leafe or the

Floure?"

"Madame," quod I, "though I be least

worthy,

Unto the Leafe I owe mine observaunce."
"That is," quod she, "right well done cer-
tainly;

And pray I God to honour you avaunce,
And kepe you fro the wicked remembraunce
Of Malebouche1 and al his crueltie,

And alle that good and well conditioned be. "For here may I no lenger now abide,

580

I muste followe the greate company
That ye maye see yonder before you ride."
And tho forth as I couthe, most humbly
I tooke my leve of her, as she gan hie
After them as fast as ever she mighte;
And I drow homeward, for it was nigh night.
And put all that I had seen in writing
Under support of them that lust it to rede. 590
O little booke, thou art so unconning,

How darst thow put thy self in prees," for drede?

It is wonder that thow wexest not rede,

Sith that thow wost ful lite who shall beholde Thy rude langage ful boistously unfolde.

1 Evil-mouth. The crowd.

THE CUCKOW AND THE NIGHTINGALE, OR THE BOKE OF CUPIDE, GOD OF LOVE.

THE god of Love, ah! benedicite,1
How myghty and how grete a lorde is he !
For he can make of lowe hertys hie,
And highe low, and like for to die,
And harde hertis he can make free.

And he can make, within a lytel stounde,
Of seke folke ful fresh, hool and sounde,
And of hoole folke he can make seke;
He can bynde, and unbynden eke,
What he wole have bounden or unbounde.

10

To telle his myght my wit may not suffice, For he can make of wise folke ful nyse," For he may do al that he can devyse, And in lithere folke dystroye vise, And proude hertys he can make agryse.* Shortely, al that evere he wol he may, Agenst him ther dar no wight seye nay; For he can glade and greve whom him lyke," And whom that he wol, don hym laughe or

sike,

And most his myght he sheweth ever in May. For every trewe gentil herte and fre,

21

1 The first two lines, says Mr. Skeat, are all that connect this poen with Chaucer. They are from the Canterbury Tales (ll. 1785, 1786) The style is nearer that of Chaucer than is that of any of the other attributed poems, and some lines seem to connect it with the Parle ment of Foules. Ignorant. Evil. Terrified. Pleaseth.