I woll you tellin aftir this

The faire faffion all i-wis

That well ywrought was for the nones;

I maie not tell you all at ones,
But as I maie and can I shall

By order tellin you it all.

Full faire fervice, and eke full fwete,

Thefe birdis madin as thei fete ;
Layis of love full well founing

Thei fongin in ther jargoning;
Some hie and fome eke lowe yfong
Upon the braunchis grene ifprong;
The fweteneffe of ther melodie
Made all mine herte in revelrie.

720

Tho went I forthe on my right honde,
Doune by a little pathe I fonde
Of mineis full and fenell grene;
As faftè by withoutin wene

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That for her finging is fo clere ;

Though we Meremaidins clepe 'hem here

In Englishe, as is our ufaunce,

Men clepin 'hem Sereins in Fraunce.

Ententife werin for to fing

These birdis, that not unkonning
Were of ther craft and a prentise,
But of fong fubtill and eke wife;
And certis whan I herd ther fong,
And fawe the grenè place emong,
In herte I wext fo wondir gaie
That I was nevir er that daie
So jolife nor fo well bigo,

Ne mcry' in herte, as I was tho;

And than wift I and fawe full well
That Idilneffe me fervid well,

That me put in foche jolite.
Her frende well oug

Sithe fhe

H

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690

And for to kembe and treffè me:

600

Acquaintid am I and prive

With Mirthe, the lorde of this gardin,

That fro the' londe of Alexandrin

Made the treis hithir be fet

That in this gardin ben ifet;

And whan the trees were woxé an hight
This wall, that ftant here in thy fight,
Did Mirthe enclofin all about;
And these imagis all without

He did 'hem bothe entaile and paint
That neither ben jolife ne quaint,
But thei ben full of forowe and wo,
As thou haft fene a while

cago.

And oft timis him to folace
Sir Mirthe comith into this place,
And eke with him come his meine,

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That liven' in luft and jolite;

And now is Mirthe therein, to here
The birdis how they fingin clere,

The mavis and the nightingale,
And othir joly birdis smale;
And thus he walkith to folace

Him and his folke, for fwettir place
To playin in he maie not finde

Although he fought one in till Inde;

620

The althir fairist folke to fe

That in this worlde maie founde ybe

625

Hath Sir Mirthe with him in his rout,
That folowen him alwaies about.

Whan Idilneffe had tolde all this,

And I had harkened well i-wis,

Than faied I to Dame Idilneffe,

630

Now all fo wifely God me bleffe,

Sith Mirthe, that is fo faire and fre,
Is in this yerd with his meine,
Fro thilke affemble if I maie
Shall no man wernè me to daie,

635

That I this night ne mote it fe,

For well wene I there with him be
A faire and joly companie

640

Fulfillid of all curtifie.

And forth withoutin wordis mo

In at the wickit went I tho

That Idilneffe had opened me
Into that gardin faire to fe:
And whan that I was in i-wis
Mine hertè was full glad of this,
For well wende I full fikirly
Have ben in Paradife yerthly,

645

So faire it was, that truftith well

650

It femed a place efpirituell;

For certis as at my devise
There is no place in Paradife

So gode in for to dwell or be

As in that gardin thoughtin me;

For there was many' a birde finging,
Thoroughout the yerde all thringing,
In many placis nightingales,

And alpes, and finches, and wodewales,
That in ther swetè fong deliten

In thilke placis as thei habiten.

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flockes

And thruftils, terins, and mavise,

That fongin for to winne 'hem prise,

And eke to furmount in ther fong
That othir birdis 'hem emong;
By note ymadin faire fervise
Thefe birdis that I you devise;

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Soche fwete fong as was 'hem emong,
That me thought it no bird'is fong,

But it was wondir like to be

Song of meremaidins of the fe,

680