viságe There passed through his heartë night by night. As whoso took a mirror polish’d bright, And set it in a common market-place, Then should he see many a figure pace By his mirrór; and in the samë wise Gan January in his thought devise Of maidens, which that dweltë him beside: He wistë not where that he might abide. For if that one had beauty in her face, Another stood so in the people’s grace For her sadness and her benignity, That of the people greatest voice had she: And some were rich and had a baddë name. But natheless, betwixt earnest and game, He at the last appointed him on one, And let all others from his heartë gon, And chose her of his own authority; For love is blind all day, and may not see. And when that he was into bed y-brought, He pourtray’d in his heart and in his thought Her freshë beauty, and her agë tender, Her middle small, her armës long and slender, Her wisë governance, her gentleness, Her womanly bearíng, and her sadnéss. And when that he on her was condescended, He thought his choicë might not be amended; For when that he himself concluded had, He thought each other mannë’s wit so bad, That impossíble it werë to reply Against his choice; this was his fantasy. His friendës sent he to, at his instánce, And prayed them to do him that pleasánce, That hastily they would unto him come; He would abridge their labour all and some: Needed no more for them to go nor ride, He was appointed where he would abide.
Placebo came, and eke his friendës soon, And alderfirst he bade them all a boon, That none of them no arguments would make Against the purpose that he had y-take: Which purpose was pleasánt to God, said he, And very ground of his prosperity. He said, there was a maiden in the town, Which that of beauty haddë great renown; All were it so she were of small degree, Sufficed him her youth and her beautý; Which maid, he said, he would have to his wife, To lead in ease and holiness his life; And thanked God, that he might have her all, That no wight with his blissë partë shall; And prayed them to labour in this need, And shape that he failë not to speed: For then, he said, his spirit was at ease. “Then is,” quoth he, “nothing may me displease, Save one thing pricketh in my