Saying plainely, that she would obay
With all her hert, all her commaundement;
And then, anon, without lenger delay
The lady of the Leafe hath one ysent,
For a palfray, after her intent,

Arrayed well and faire in harneis of gold,
For nothing lacked, that to him long shold.
And after that to all her company
She made to purvey horse and every thing
That they needed, and than full lustily,
Even by the herber where I was sitting
They passed all so pleasantly singing,
That it would have comforted any wight;
But then I sie a passing wonder sight.

For then the nightingale, that all the day
Had in the laurer sate, and did her might
The whole service to sing longing to May,
All sodainly began to take her flight;
And to the lady of the Leafe forthright
She flew, and set her on her hond softly,
Which was a thing I marveled of greatly.

The goldfinch eke, that fro the medler tree
Was fled for heat into the bushes cold,
Unto the lady of the Flower gan flee,
And on her hond he sit him as he wold,
And pleasauntly his winges gan to fold;
And for to sing they pained hem both as sore,
As they had do of all the day before.

And so these ladies rode forth a great pace,
And all the rout of knightes eke in fere;
And I that had seen all this wonder case,
Thought I would assay in some manere,
To know fully the trouth of this matere;
And what they were that rode so pleasantly:
And whan they were the herber passed by,

I drest me forth, and happed to mete, anone,
Right a faire lady, I do you ensure ;
And she came riding by herselfe alone,
Alle in white, with semblance ful demure,

I salued her, and bad good aventure
Might her befall, as I coud most humbly;
And she answered, "My doughter, gramercy!"

"Madame," quoth I, "if that I durst enquere
Of you, I would faine of that company
Wite what they be that past by this arbere?"
And she ayen answered right friendly;

My faire doughter, all tho that passed hereby
In white clothing, be servaunts everichone
Unto the Leafe, and I my selfe am one."

"See ye not her that crowned is," quoth she,
"All in white ?"-" Madame," quoth I, "yes:"
"That is Diane, goddesse of chastite,

And for because that she a maiden is,
In her hond the braunch she beareth this,
That agnus castus men call properly,
And all the ladies in her company,

"Which ye se of that hearbe chapelets weare
Be such as han kept alway hir maidenheed:
And all they that of laurer chapelets beare,
Be such as hardy were, and manly in deed,
Victorious name which never may be dede!
And all they were so worthy of hir hond,
In hir time that none might hem withstond.

"And tho that weare chapelets on their hede
Of fresh wood bind, be such as never were
To love untrue in word, thought, ne dede,
But aye stedfast, ne for pleasaunce, ne fere,
Though that they should their hertes all to-tere,
Would never flit but ever were stedfast,

Till that their lives there asunder brast."

"Now fair madame," quoth I, "yet I would pray
Your ladiship, if that it mighte be,

That I might knowe by some maner way,
Sith that it hath liked your beaute,

The trouth of these ladies for to tell me,
What that these knightes be in rich armour,
And what tho be in grene and weare the flour?

"And why that some did reverence to that tre,

And some unto the plot of floures faire ?"

"With right good will my fair doughter," quoth she "Sith your desire is good and debonaire,

Tho nine crowned, be very exemplaire,

Of all honour longing to chivalry,

And those certaine be called the Nine Worthy,

"Which ye may see now riding all before,
That in hir time did many a noble dede,
And for their worthines full oft have bore
The crown of laurer leaves on their hede,
As ye may in your old bookes rede;
And how that he that was a conquerour,
Had by laurer alway his most honour.

"And tho that beare boughes in their hond
Of the precious laurer so notable,

Be such as were, I woll ye understond,
Noble knightes of the round table,
And eke the Douseperis honourable,
Which they beare in signe of victorye;
It is witnesse of their deeds mightily.

"Eke there be knightes old of the garter,
That in hir time did right worthily,
And the honour they did to the laurer,
Is for by it they have their laud wholly,
Their triumph eke, and martiall glory;
Which unto them is more parfite richesse,
Than any wight imagine can or guesse.

"For one leafe, given of that noble tree
To any wight that hath done worthily,
And it be done soe as it ought to be,
Is more honour than any thing earthly.
Witnes of Rome that founder was truly
Of all knighthood and deeds 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 in no businesse,

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

"And for the great delite and pleasaunce They have to the floure, and so reverently

They unto it do such obeisaunce,

As ye may se."-" Now faire Madame," quoth I, "If I durst aske what is the cause and why, That knightes have the ensigne of honour, Rather by the leafe than the flour?"

"Soothly doughter," quod she, "this is the trouth;
For knightes ever should 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,
Whose lusty green May may not appaired be,

"But aie keping their beautie fresh and greene,
For there n'is storme that may hem deface,
Haile nor snow, winde nor frosts keene,
Wherfore they have this property and grace;
And for the floure, within a little space
Woll be all lost, so simple of nature

They be, that they no greevance may endure.

"And every storme will blow them soone away, Ne they last not but for a season;

That is the cause, the very trouth to say,

That they may not by no way of reason

Be put to no such occupation."

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

I thanke you now, in my most humble wise.

For now I am ascertained throughly,

Of every thing that I desired to know."

"I am right glad that I have said sothly,
Ought to your pleasure, if ye will me trow,"

Quod she ayen, "but to whom do ye owe
Your service? And which will ye honour,
Tel me I pray, this yere? the Leafe or the Flour?"

"Madame," quoth I, "though I least worthy,
Unto the Leafe I owe mine observaunce :"
"That is," quod she, "right well done certainly;
And I pray God to honour you avaunce,

And kepe you fro the wicked remembraunce

Of Malebouch, and all his crueltie,

And all that good and well conditioned be.

"For here may I no lenger now abide,

I must follow the great company,
That ye may see yonder before you ride."
And forth as I couth most humbly,

I tooke my leve of her, as she gan hie,

After them as fast as ever she might,
And I drow homeward, for it was nigh night,

And put all that I had seene in writing,
Under support of them that lust it to rede.
O little booke, thou art so unconning,

How darst thou put thy self in prees for drede?
It is wonder that thou wexest not rede!

Sith that thou wost full lite who shall behold

Thy rude langage, full boistously unfold.

GEOFFREY CHAUCER, 1328-1399.