The Lover answers his friend.
’Fore Heaven, you speak good truth, I cried.
In all the world there’s nought beside10450
To equal it, so pure, so sweet!
Happy am I a friend to meet
Whose words of wisdom so much aid
And comfort give me; nor afraid
Am I to say that better far
Your redes than those of Reason are.
But ere my shrewd and kindly friend
Had brought his parlance to an end,
Sweet-Speech and Gentle-Thought, who nigh
Had stood the while, all suddenly10460
Appeared in view from out their nooks,
But with them brought they not Sweet-Looks.
Alas! no man on earth, I wot.
Can give the thing he owneth not.
LV
The Lover makes no more delay,
But leaves his friend, and seeks the way
To where Fair-Welcome lies, for fain
Is he to find him once again.
The friend departs
Then to my friend I bade adieu.
And with a merry heart withdrew10470
From thence across the mead, lit up
With daisy bright and buttercup,
And hearkened how the echoes rang,
With joyous notes the small fowl sang;
