Page:Romance of the Rose (Ellis), volume 2.pdf/70

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With the sweet latin of their lay

That welcome cried to dawning day.

Soft Zephirus, and eke his wife,

Dame Flora, queen of flowers, new life

Gave to the meads where’er they went,

And every verdant laund besprent

With opening buds, which gladly her

Worshipped as dame and verderer.

For these, to speed young lovers, go

Across the teeming earth and sow

Sweet flowers a-tint with varied hues,

Which amorous swains and maidens use

To twine amid their flowing hair

In chaplets fragrant, fresh and fair,

And ’tis for such they love to spread

Gay counterpanes right well bestead

With countless flowrets in such wise

As seems, forsooth, to mock the skies,

With stars all gloriously beseen.

On couches thus bedecked I ween,

From jealousy and envy free

They mingled in felicity

Secure, with soft embrace and kiss,

’Neath sheltering boughs in heaven-like bliss.

The branches joined above them made

A fretted roof of cooling shade.

And there right joyously they spent

The jolly time in merriment

And carolling and amorous play,

As simple men for whom the day

Was ne’er too long, nor sad nor dull,

For all the world was beautiful.