350
XVIII. THE CUCKOO AND
Ther sat I doun among the faire floures;[1]
And saw the briddes trippe out of her boures[2]
Ther-as they had hem rested al the night.[3]
They were so joyful of the dayes light
That they begonne of May to don hir houres![4] 70
And saw the briddes trippe out of her boures[2]
Ther-as they had hem rested al the night.[3]
They were so joyful of the dayes light
That they begonne of May to don hir houres![4] 70
They coude that servyce al by rote;
Ther was many a lovely straunge note;[5]
Some songe loudë, as they hadde pleyned,[6]
And some in other maner vois y-feyned[7] ,
And some al out, with al the fulle throte.[8] 75
Ther was many a lovely straunge note;[5]
Some songe loudë, as they hadde pleyned,[6]
And some in other maner vois y-feyned[7] ,
And some al out, with al the fulle throte.[8] 75
They proyned hem, and made[n] hem right gay,[9]
And daunseden, and lepten on the spray,
And evermore two and two in-fere;
Right so as they had chosen hem to-yere
In Feverere, on seint Valentynes day.[10] 80
And daunseden, and lepten on the spray,
And evermore two and two in-fere;
Right so as they had chosen hem to-yere
In Feverere, on seint Valentynes day.[10] 80
And eke[11] the river, that I sat upon,
It made suche a noise, as it ron,
Accordaunt with the briddes armonye,[12]
Me thoughte, it was the best[e] melodye[13]
That mighte been y-herd of any mon.[14] 85
And for delyt ther-of, I wot never how,[15]
I fel in suche a slomber and a swow,[16]
Not al a-slepe[17], ne fully wakinge;
And in that swow me thoughte I herde singe[18]
That sory brid, the lew[e]de cukkow.[19] 90
It made suche a noise, as it ron,
Accordaunt with the briddes armonye,[12]
Me thoughte, it was the best[e] melodye[13]
That mighte been y-herd of any mon.[14] 85
And for delyt ther-of, I wot never how,[15]
I fel in suche a slomber and a swow,[16]
Not al a-slepe[17], ne fully wakinge;
And in that swow me thoughte I herde singe[18]
That sory brid, the lew[e]de cukkow.[19] 90
- ↑ Th. sate; downe.
- ↑ Th. sawe; birdes. Th. trippe; T. trip; S. flee; F. B. crepe.
- ↑ Th. T. Ff. om. had. S. thame rested; rest rested hem.
- ↑ Th. T. om. That. All began; read begonne. Ff. to don hir; Th. T. for to done. F. B. of Mayes ben her houres (!); S. on mayes vss thair houres.
- ↑ S. lusty (for lovely). S. straunge; rest om.
- ↑ Ff. lowe. T. hade; rest had. S. compleyned.
- ↑ Th. voice yfayned.
- ↑ Ff. S. all (2); rest om. Th. Ff. T. the ful; S. fulle; F. B. a lowde.
- ↑ F. B. pruned. All made; read maden.
- ↑ Th. Feuerere; T. Feuirȝere; rest Marche (!). All upon; read on.
- ↑ S. eke; rest om.
- ↑ Th. T. with; rest to. T. Ff. briddes; S. birdis; Th. byrdes; F. B. foules. S. T. Ff. armonye; Th. armony; F. B. ermonye.
- ↑ Th. thought. All best (!).
- ↑ Th. myght; yherde.
- ↑ All delyte. S. therof; rest om. Th. wotte; F. B. note; S. wote; T. wot. F. B. ner (for never). Th. howe.
- ↑ Th. swowe; Ff. swough; S. slowe (!); B. slow (!).
- ↑ F. B. S. on slepe.
- ↑ Th. swowe; thought.
- ↑ F. B. Ff. That; rest the. F. B. Ff. bridde; S. T. brid; Th. byrde. Th. Cuckowe.
