Ne fhe was derke ne broune, but bright
And clere as is the monè light,
Again whom all the fterris femen

But fmall candelis as we demen;

Her flefhe was tendre' as dewe of floure;
Her chere was fimple' as birde in boure,
As white as lilie' or rofe in rife;

Her face was gentill and tretife;
Fetis fhe was, and fmale to fe;
No wintrid browis hadde fhe,
Ne popped here, for it nedid nought
To windir her or to paint ought;
Her treffes yelowe, and long ftraughten,
Unto her heles doune thei raughten;

Her nofe, her mouthe, and eye, and cheke,

Well wrought, and all the remnaunte eke;
A full grete favour and a fote

1025

Me thoughtin in mine hertè rote,

As helpe me God, whan I remember
Of the faffion of every member:
In worlde is none fo faire a wight,

For yong fhe was, and hewid bright

Sore plefaunt, and fetis with all,
And gent and in her middle small.
Befidè Beute yede Richeffe,
And hight ladic of grete nobleffe,
And grete of price in every place;
But who fo durft to her trefpace,

IC30

1C35

Or till her folke, in werke or dede,
He were ful hardie out of drede,

Han hindrid and ideen to die

Thefe lofingeours with ther flatt'erie,

And makith folke full ftraungè be

There as 'hem ought to ben prive:
Well evill motè thei thrive,
And evill arived mote thei be,
Thefe lofingeours full of envie ;
No gode man loveth ther companie.
Richeffe a robe of purple' on had,
Ne trowe not that I lie or mad,
For in this world is none it liche,
Ne by a thousande dele fo riche,
Ne none fo faire, for it full wele
With orfreis laied was every dele,
And purtraied in the ribaninges
Of dukis ftories and of kinges,
And with a bend of golde tafliled,
And knoppis fine of golde amiled;
About her necke of gentle' entaile

Was fhet the richè chevefaile,

In whiche there was full grete plente
Of ftonis clere and faire to fe.

Richeffe a girdle had upon,

The bokill of it was of fton

Of vertue grete and mokil might,
For who fo bare the ftone fo bright
Of venim durft him nothing doubt
While he the stone had him about;
That ftone was gretely for to love,

1085

1090

And till a riche mann'is behove

Worth all the golde in Rome and Frife;

The mourdaunt, wrought in noble gife,
Was of a stone full precious,

1095

That was fo fine and vertuous

That whole a man it couth ymake
Of palfie and of the tothe ake,

And yet the stone had foche a grace
That he was fikre' in every place
All thilkè daie not blinde to ben
That fasting might that stone sene;
The barris were of gold full fine,
Upon a tiffue of fatin;

Full hevie, grete, and nothing light,
In everiche was a befaunt wight.

Upon the treffis of Richeffe

Was fet a circle of nobleffe

Of brende golde, that full light yfhone,
So faire trowe I was nevir none:

But he were konning for the nones

That could devifin all the ftones

That in that circle fhewin clere;

1100

1105

ILIO

His lefe a rofin chapilet

845

Had made, and on his hedde it fet.

And wetin ye who was his lefe? Dame Gladdeffe there was him fo lefe,

Grete love there was a twix 'hem two;

Bothe were thei faire and bright of hewe;

855

She femid like a rofè newe

Of colours, and her fleshe so tender,

That with a brerè fmale and tender

Men might it cleve, I dare well fain;

Her forhedde frounciles all plain;
Bent werin her eye-browis two;
Her eyin graie, and glad also,
That laughdin aie in her femblaunt
First or the mouthe by covenaunt;
I n'ot what of her nofe difcrive,
So faire hath no woman alive;

860

865

Her here was yelowe', and clere fhining;

Of orfraies freshe was her garlande;

I, whiche that fene have a thousande,

870

I wot no lady fo liking.

Sawe ner i-wis no garlande yet
So well ywrought of filke as it ;