Part 19

Placebo came, and eke his friendes soon, And althirfirst he bad them all a boon, That none of them no argumentes make Against the purpose which that he had take; Which purpose was pleasaunt to God said he, And very ground of his prosperite.]

The phrase fails to convey the conception of Chaucer, that the knight too much smitten by the charms of May to consider anything else of the slightest importance.

All were it so she were of small degree, Sufficeth him her youth and her beaute.]

As alle wedded men do with their wives,

and trembles to think that he shall have his heaven upon earth.

This is my dread, and ye my brethren twey Assoileth me this question I you pray.]

And when they saw that it must needis be, They wroughten so by sleight and wise treate, That she, this maiden, which that Maybus hight, As hastily as ever that she might, Shall wedded be unto this January.]

For women to the brave an easy prey, Still follow fortune where she leads the way.]

I pass their warlike pomp, their proud array.]

Expensive dainties load the plenteous boards, The best luxurious Italy affords.]

What thoughts he had beseems me not to say.]

The slacke skin about his necke shaketh While that he sung.]

As custom is unto these nobles all, A bride shall not eaten in the hall, Till dayes four, or three days atte least I-passed be; then let her go to the feast. The fourthe day complete from noon to noon, When that the highe masse was i-doon, In halle sit this January and May, As fresh as is the brighte summer's day.]

This gentle May fulfillèd of pite, Right of her hand a letter makèd she; In which she granteth him her very grace; There lacked nought but only day and place. And when she saw her time upon a day To visite this Damian goeth May, And subtilely this letter down she thrust Under his pillow; read it if him lust. She taketh him by the hand, and hard him twist So secretly, that no wight of it wist, And bade him be all whole; and forth she went To January, when that he for her sent. Up riseth Damian the nexte morrow; All passed was his sickness and his sorrow.]

My humbler verse demands a softer theme, A painted meadow, or a purling stream.]

There was not much judgment required. They are fairies in Chaucer, but, as was not unusual in his day, he called them by names taken from the heathen mythology. Pope merely dropped the classical appellations, which would have been an incongruity when he wrote. In the details of his description he did not copy Shakespeare or Milton, but Dryden's version of Chaucer's Wife of Bath:

The king of elfs, and little fairy queen Gambolled on heaths, and danced on ev'ry green.]

Thus many a day with ease and plenty blessed Our gen'rous knight his gentle dame possessed.]

Nor art, nor nature's band can ease my grief, Nothing but death, the wretch's last relief.]

But atte last, after a month or tweye, His sorrow gan assuage sooth to say; For when he wist it may not other be He patiently took his adversitie.

This is one of the deeper and more solemn touches which Pope systematically rejected. Although the old man gets reconciled to the loss of his sight, his jealousy remains unabated.]

Oh! January, what might it thee avail If thou might see as far as shippes sail? For as good is blind deceivèd be, As to be deceivèd when a man may see.]

Their kisses greet The senseless stones, with lips that could not meet.]

Thou art the creature that I best love; For by the Lord that sit in heaven above, Lever I had to dyen on a knife. Than thee offende, deare, trewe wife.]

And with that word she saw where Damyan Sat in the bush, and coughing, she began; And with her fingers signes made she, That Damyan should climb upon a tree, That chargèd was with fruit, and up he went, For verily he knew all her intent; For in a letter she had told him all Of this mattier, how he worke shall.]

He saw a choir of ladies in a round, That featly footing seemed to skim the ground: Thus dancing hand in hand, so light they were, He knew not where they trod, on earth or air.]

Now by my mother Ceres' soul, I swear That I shall give her suffisaunt answere, And alle women after for her sake; That though they be in any guilt i-take, With face bold they shall themselves excuse, And bear them down that woulde them accuse. For lack of answer none of them shall dyen. All had ye seen a thing with both your eyen, Yet shall we women visage it hardily, And weep, and swear, and chide subtilely.]

I wot well that this Jew, this Solomon, Found of us women fooles many one; But though he be founde no good woman, Yet hath there founde many another man Women full true, full good, and vertuous; Witness on them that dwell in Christes house; With martyrdom they proved their constaunce.]