This passeth yeer by yeer, and day by day,
Till it fel oones in a morwe of Maymorning
That Emelye, that fairer was to seenesee
Than is the lilie on hire stalkes grene,
And fresscher than the May with floures newe—flowers
For with the rose colour strof hire hewe,strove, hue
I n’ot which was the fayrere of hem two—
Er it were day as sche was wont to do,
Sche was arisen, and al redy dight;dressed
For May wole han no sloggardye a nyght.sloth
The sesoun priketh every gentil herte,
And maketh him out of his sleepe sterte,
And seith, Arys, and do thin observaunce.[81]arise, thine
This maked Emelye han remembraunce
To don honour to May, and for to ryse.do
I-clothed was sche fressh for to devyse.[82]clothed
Hire yolwe heer was browdid in a tresse,yellow
Byhynde hire bak, a yerde long I gesse.
And in the gardyn at the sonne upriste
Sche walketh up and doun wher as hire liste.pleased
Sche gadereth floures, party whyte and reede,
To make a sotil gerland[83] for hire heede,
And as an aungel hevenly sche song.
Thus passeth year by year, and day by day,
Till it fell once upon a morn of May
That Emelye—more beauteous to be seen
Than is the lily on his stalk of green,
And fresher than the May with flowers new
(For with the rose’s colour strove her hue
I know not which was fairer of the two)
Early she rose as she was wont to do,
All ready robed before the day was bright;
For May time will not suffer sloth at night;
The season pricketh every gentle heart,
And maketh him out of his sleep to start,
And saith, Rise up, salute the birth of spring!
And therefore Emelye, remembering
To pay respect to May, rose speedily:
Attired she was all fresh and carefully,
Her yellow hair was braided in a tress
Behind her back, a full yard long, I guess,
And in the garden as the sun uprose
She wandered up and down where as she chose.
She gathereth flowers, partly white and red,
To make a cunning garland for her head,
And as an angel heavenly she sang.

[Larger Image]

FAIR EMELYE GATHERING FLOWERS.

‘The fairnesse of the lady that I see
Yonde in the gardyn romynge to and fro.’

The great tower, so thick and strong, in which these two knights were imprisoned, was close-joined to the wall of the garden.

Bright was the sun, and clear, that morning, as Palamon, by leave of his jailor, had risen, and was roaming about in an upper chamber, from which he could see the whole noble city of Athens, and also the garden, full of green boughs, just where fresh Emelye was walking.

This sorrowful prisoner, this Palamon, kept pacing to and fro in this chamber, wishing he had never been born; and it happened by chance that through the window, square and barred with iron, he cast his eyes on Emelye.

He started and cried out aloud, “Ah!” as though he were stricken to the heart.

And with that cry Arcite sprang up, saying, “Dear cousin, what ails you? You are quite pale and deathly. Why did you cry out? For God’s love be patient with this prison life since it cannot be altered. What is Heaven’s will we must endure.”