Page:Oxford Book of English Verse 1250-1918.djvu/47

 The angyr, na the wretchyt dome That is couplyt to foule thyrldome. Bot gyff he had assayit it, Than all perquer he suld it wyt; And suld think fredome mar to prise Than all the gold in warld that is. Thus contrar thngis evirmar Discoweryngis off the tothir ar.

GEOFFREY CHAUCER (1340?-1400) 14

PALEYS, whylom croune of houses alle, Enlumined with sonne of alle blisse! O ring, fro which the ruby is out-falle, O cause of wo, that cause hast been of lisse! Yet, sin I may no bet, fayn wolde I kisse Thy colde dores, dorste I for this route; And fare-wel shryne, of which the seynt is oute!’

Fro thennesforth he rydeth up and doun, And every thing com him to remembraunce As he rood forth by places of the toun In whiche he whylom hadde al his plesaunce. ‘Lo, yond saugh I myn owene lady daunce; And in that temple, with hir eyen clere, Me caughte first my righte lady dere.

And yonder have I herd ful lustily My dere herte laughe, and yonder pleye

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