70 PARLAMENT OF FOULES. Gg. 4. 27, CAMBR. UNIV. LIBR.

(97)

But fyrst were chosyn / foulis for to synge

As 3er be zer was alwey the vsance
To synge a roundele at here departynge
To don to nature honour & plesaunce
The note I trow I-makid were in fraunce
The wordis were sweche as 3e may fynde
The nexte vers as I now haue in mynde

676

679

[Roundel: in a later 15th-century hand: no gaps between

the stanzas.]
(1.)

Nowe welcome somor with sonne softe

That hast thes wintres wedres ovire shake

And dreuyne a-way the large nyghtes blake

682

(II.)

Saynt volantyne that ert ful hye o lofte
Thus syngen smale foules for thy sake
[Now welcome somor &c.]

(III.)

684

Wele han they cause forto gladen ofte

Sethe ech of hem recouerede hathe hys make

Ful blisseful mowe they ben when they wake [Now welcome somor, &c.]

687

(98)

And with the shoutyng whan the song was do
That the foulys madyn at here flyght a wey

I wok & othere bokys tok me to
To reede vp on & 3it I rede alwey
In hope I-wis to rede so sum day

691

That I shal mete sum thyng for to fare

The bet & thus to rede I nele nat spare

694

Explicit parliamentum Auium In die sancti Valentini tentum secundum Galfridum Chaucer. Deo gracias.

IV.

The Complepnt of Mars.

72

THE COMPLAINT OF MARS. FAIRFAX MS 16.

[Fairfax MS 16, leaf 15. Leaf 14, back, is filled with a coloured illumination in 3 compartments; at the top is Iubiter, on the left is Mars, and on the right Venus, with Cupid above her on her right, and Vulcan below her on the left.]

¶ Complaynt of Mars and Venus.

[ñ is for n with a curl over it.]

(1) [The Proem.]

Ladeth ye lovers

G

on the morowe gray

Loo Venus rysen amonge yow rowes rede
And floures fressh / honoureñ the this day

For when the sunne vprist then wol they sprede ye lovers that lye in eny drede

But

Fleeth lest wikked tonges yow espye

Loo yonde the sunne · the candel of Ialosye

7

11

Tyme cometh ofte that cese shal your sorowe
The glad nyght ys worthe an heuy morowe
Seynt Valentyne a foule thus herd I synge

Yet sange this foule I rede yow al a-wake

And ye that han not chosen · in humble wyse "Yet at this fest· renoueleth your seruyse

With-out repentynge cheseth your make
And ye that han ful chosen as I deuise

Confermeth hyt perpetuely to dure

14

18

THE COMPLAINT OF MARS. FAIRFAX MS 16.

73

(4)

And for the worship of this highe fest

Yet wol I⚫ in my briddes wise synge

The sentence of the compleynt at the lest
That woful Mars made atte departyng
Fro fresshe Venus in a morwnyng

Whan Phebus with his firy torches rede

As wel by heuenysh reuolucion

As by desert hath wonne Venus his love

And she hath take him in subieccion

And as a maistresse · taught him his lesson

Commaundynge him that neuere in her seruise [leaf 15, back]

He ner so bolde • no louer to dispise

35

That when her deyned to cast' on hym her ye

39

That hath thys worthy knyght in gouernaunce

Who syngeth now but Mars / that serueth thus

causer of plesaunce

the fair Venus
He bynt him to perpetuall obeisaunce
And she bynt her to love him for euer'

But so be/ that his trespace hyt deseuer'

46

49

74

THE COMPLAINT OF MARS. FAIRFAX MS 16.

(8)

Thus be they knyt· and regneñ as in heuen
Be lokyng moost til hyt fil on a tyde

And he preiede her to faste her. for his sake

(9)

Then seyde he thus · myñ hertis lady suete

Ye knowe wel my myschefe in that place
For sikirly til that I with yow mete
My lyfe stant ther in auenture and grace
But when I se

the beaute of your face

Ther ys no dred of detħ · may do me smert
For alle your lust is ese to myn hert

(10)

She hath so grete compassion on her knyght'
That dwelleth in solitude til she come

For hyt stode so that ylke tyme no wight'

Counseyled hymne seyde to hym welcome

that nyghe her witte for sorowe was ouer-come Wherfore she sped her as fast in her wey

When they be mette ther may no tunge tel

ther is no more but vnto bed thei go

And thus in Ioy and blysse I let hem duel this worthi Mars that is of knyghthode wel the flour of feyrenesse lappeth in his armes And Venus kysseth Mars

53

56

60

63