26 PROLOGUE

the first few years of the fifteenth century.1 In this the writer
tells us of how he climbed to the top of a hill, and there
I tournyd me twyes and totid2 aboute,
Beholding heigges and holtj3 so grene,
The mansions and medues mowen al newe,
For suche was }>e saison of J>e same yere.
I lifte vp my eye-ledes and lokid ferther
And sawe many swete sight3, so me God hclpe,
The wodes and ]?e waters and )?e welle-springes
And trees y-traylid fro toppe to ]?erthe,4
Coriously y-courid5 with curtelle of grene,
The flours on feeldes flavryng6 swete,
The corne on )>e croftes y-croppid ful faire,
The rennyng riuyere russhing faste,
Ful of fyssh and of frie of felefold7 kinde,
The breris8 with J>aire beries bent oucr J.»e waycs
As honysoucles hongyng vpon eche half,
Chesteynes9 and chines )>at children dcsiren
Were loigged vnder leues ful lusty to seen.
The havthorne so holsum I beheulde eekc,
And hough ]?e benes blowid and ]?e brome-fkmres ;
Peres and plummes and pesecoddes grene,
That ladies lusty loken muche after,
Were gadrid for gomnes10 ere J?ay gunne ripe ____
The conyng3u fro couert courid )>e bankcs
And raughte12 oute a raundom and retournyd agayncs,
Pleyed forthe on >e playne, and to ]?e pitte after,
But any hovnd henfe13 faym, or )>e hay-nettcsu. , ..
The shepe fro J>e sunne shadued >>aymsclf,
While )>e lambes laikid a-long by }?e hedges,
The cow with hire calfe and coites ful faire
And high hors15 in haras hurtelid to-gcdre,
And priesid16 ]?e pasture ]?at prime-saute17 )>aym made. . *.
I moued dovne fro f>e mote to >e mid ward ^
And so a-dovne to ]?e dale, dwelled I no longer,
But suche a noise of nestling3 ne18 so swete not^19
I herde not ]?is halfe yere, ne so heuenely sounes
As I dide on J>at dale adovne among "jpe heigges.

1 Op. dt. xxiv. » peered. » woods.

4 the earth. « covered. «

manifold. a ^^^ »

chestnut*.
u rabbits. « went.
» caught. M hedge-nets. «• stallion*.
" Praised- " spirited. IB nor.
19 notes.