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I herde of hem that were nyh
Hou sche was cleped Alcione；
Which to Seyix hir lord al one 2650
And to nomo hire body kepte；
And whan sche sih him dreynt； sche lepte
Into the wawes where he swam；
And there a Sefoul sche becam；
And with hire wenges him bespradde
For love which to him sche hadde。
Lo； these foure were tho
Whiche I sih； as me thoghte tho；
Among the grete compaignie
Which Love hadde forto guye： 2660
Bot Youthe； which in special
Of Loves Court was Mareschal；
So besy was upon his lay；
That he non hiede where I lay
Hath take。 And thanne； as I behield；
Me thoghte I sih upon the field；
Where Elde cam a softe pas
Toward Venus； ther as sche was。
With him gret compaignie he ladde；
Bot noght so manye as Youthe hadde： 2670
The moste part were of gret Age；
And that was sene in the visage；
And noght forthi； so as thei myhte；
Thei made hem yongly to the sihte：
Bot yit herde I no pipe there
To make noise in mannes Ere；
Bot the Musette I myhte knowe；
For olde men which souneth lowe；
With Harpe and Lute and with Citole。
The hovedance and the Carole； 2680
In such a wise as love hath bede；
A softe pas thei dance and trede；
And with the wommen otherwhile
With sobre chier among thei smyle；
For laghtre was ther non on hyh。
And natheles full wel I syh
That thei the more queinte it made
For love； in whom thei weren glade。
And there me thoghte I myhte se
The king David with Bersabee； 2690
And Salomon was noght withoute；
Passende an hundred on a route
Of wyves and of Concubines；
Juesses bothe and Sarazines；
To him I sih alle entendant：
I not if he was sufficant；
Bot natheles for al his wit
He was attached with that writ
Which love with his hond enseleth；
Fro whom non erthly man appeleth。 2700
And overthis； as for a wonder；
With his leon which he put under；
With Dalida Sampson I knew；
Whos love his strengthe al overthrew。
I syh there Aristotle also；
Whom that the queene of Grece so
Hath bridled； that in thilke time
Sche made him such a Silogime；
That he foryat al his logique；
Ther was non art of his Practique； 2710
Thurgh which it mihte ben excluded
That he ne was fully concluded
To love； and dede his obeissance。
And ek Virgile of aqueintance
I sih； wher he the Maiden preide；
Which was the doghter； as men seide；
Of themperour whilom of Rome；
Sortes and Plato with him come；
So dede Ovide the Poete。
I thoghte thanne how love is swete； 2720
Which hath so wise men reclamed；
And was miself the lasse aschamed；
Or forto lese or forto winne
In the meschief that I was inne：
And thus I lay in hope of grace。
And whan thei comen to the place
Wher Venus stod and I was falle；
These olde men with o vois alle
To Venus preiden for my sake。
And sche； that myhte noght forsake 2730
So gret a clamour as was there；
Let Pite come into hire Ere；
And forth withal unto Cupide
Sche preith that he upon his side
Me wolde thurgh his grace sende
Som confort； that I myhte amende；
Upon the cas which is befalle。
And thus for me thei preiden alle
Of hem that weren olde aboute；
And ek some of the yonge route； 2740
Of gentilesse and pure trouthe
I herde hem telle it was gret routhe；
That I withouten help so ferde。
And thus me thoghte I lay and herde。
Cupido； which may hurte and hele
In loves cause； as for myn hele
Upon the point which him was preid
Cam with Venus； wher I was leid
Swounende upon the grene gras。
And； as me thoghte ； anon ther was 2750
On every side so gret presse；
That every lif began to presse；
I wot noght wel hou many score；
Suche as I spak of now tofore；
Lovers； that comen to beholde；
Bot most of hem that weren olde：
Thei stoden there at thilke tyde；
To se what ende schal betyde
Upon the cure of my sotie。
Tho myhte I hiere gret partie 2760
Spekende； and ech his oghne avis
Hath told； on that； an other this：
Bot among alle this I herde；
Thei weren wo that I so ferde；
And seiden that for no riote
An old man scholde noght assote；
For as thei tolden redely；
Ther is in him no cause why；
Bot if he wolde himself benyce；
So were he wel the more nyce。 2770
And thus desputen some of tho；
And some seiden nothing so；
Bot that the wylde loves rage
In mannes lif forberth non Age；
Whil ther is oyle forto fyre；
The lampe is lyhtly set afyre；
And is fulhard er it be queynt；
Bot only if it be som seint；
Which god preserveth of his grace。
And thus me thoghte； in sondri place 2780
Of hem that walken up and doun
Ther was diverse opinioun：
And for a while so it laste；
Til that Cupide to the laste；
Forth with his moder full avised；
Hath determined and devised
Unto what point he wol descende。
And al this time I was liggende
Upon the ground tofore his yhen；
And thei that my desese syhen 2790
Supposen noght I scholde live；
Bot he； which wolde thanne yive
His grace； so as it mai be；
This blinde god which mai noght se；
Hath groped til that he me fond；
And as he pitte forth his hond
Upon my body； wher I lay；
Me thoghte a fyri Lancegay；
Which whilom thurgh myn herte he caste；
He pulleth oute； and also faste 2800
As this was do； Cupide nam
His weie； I not where he becam；
And so dede al the remenant
Which unto him was entendant；
Of hem that in Avision
I hadde a revelacion；
So as I tolde now tofore。
Bot Venus wente noght therfore；
Ne Genius； whiche thilke time
Abiden bothe faste byme。 2810
And sche which mai the hertes bynde
In loves cause and ek unbinde；
Er I out of mi trance aros；
Venus； which hield a boiste clos；
And wolde noght I scholde deie；
Tok out mor cold than eny keie
An oignement； and in such point
Sche hath my wounded herte enoignt；
My temples and my Reins also。
And forth withal sche tok me tho 2820
A wonder Mirour forto holde；
In which sche bad me to beholde
And taken hiede of that I syhe；
Wherinne anon myn hertes yhe
I caste； and sih my colour fade；
Myn yhen dymme and al unglade；
Mi chiekes thinne； and al my face
With Elde I myhte se deface；
So riveled and so wo besein；
That ther was nothing full ne plein； 2830
I syh also myn heres hore。
Mi will was tho to se nomore
Outwith； for ther was no plesance；
And thanne into my remembrance
I drowh myn olde daies passed；
And as reson it hath compassed；
I made a liknesse of miselve
Unto the sondri Monthes twelve；
Wherof the yeer in his astat
Is mad； and stant upon debat； 2840
That lich til other non acordeth。
For who the times wel recordeth；
And thanne at Marche if he beginne；
Whan that the lusti yeer comth inne；
Til Augst be passed and Septembre；
The myhty youthe he may remembre
In which the yeer hath his deduit
Of gras； of lef； of flour； of fruit；
Of corn and of the wyny grape。
And afterward the time is schape 2850
To frost； to Snow； to Wind； to Rein；
Til eft that Mars be come ayein：
The Wynter wol no Somer knowe；
The grene lef is overthrowe；
The clothed erthe is thanne bare；
Despuiled is the Somerfare；
That erst was hete is thanne chele。
And thus thenkende thoghtes fele；
I was out of mi swoune affraied；
Wherof I sih my wittes straied； 2860
And gan to clepe hem hom ayein。
And whan Resoun it herde sein
That loves rage was aweie；
He cam to me the rihte weie；
And hath remued the sotie
Of thilke unwise fantasie；
Wherof that I was wont to pleigne；
So that of thilke fyri peine
I was mad sobre and hol ynowh。
Venus behield me than and lowh； 2870
And axeth； as it were in game；
What love was。 And I for schame
Ne wiste what I scholde ansuere；
And natheles I gan to swere
That be my trouthe I knew him noght；
So ferr it was out of mi thoght；
Riht as it hadde nevere be。
〃Mi goode Sone；〃 tho quod sche；
〃Now at this time I lieve it wel；
So goth the fortune of my whiel； 2880
Forthi mi conseil is thou leve。〃
〃Ma dame；〃 I seide； 〃be your leve；
Ye witen wel； and so wot I；
That I am unbehovely
Your Court fro this day forth to serve：
And for I may no thonk deserve；
And also for I am refused；
I preie you to ben excused。
And natheles as for the laste；
Whil that my wittes with me laste； 2890
Touchende mi confession
I axe an absolucion
Of Genius； er that I go。〃
The Prest anon was redy tho；
And seide； 〃Sone； as of thi schrifte
Thou hast ful pardoun and foryifte；
Foryet it thou；