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THE GARDEN.
For wel wende I ful sikerly
Have been in paradys erth[e]ly;
So fair it was, that, trusteth wel,
It semed a place espirituel. 650
For certes, as at my devys,
Ther is no place in paradys
So good in for to dwelle or be
As in that GARDIN, thoughte me;

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Quant Oiseuse m'ot ce conte,
Et j'oi moult bien tout escoute,
Je li dis lores: 'Dame Oiseuse,
Ja de ce ne soyes douteuse,
Puis que Deduit li biaus, li gens
Est orendroit avec ses gens
En cest vergier, ceste assemblee
Ne m'iert pas, se je puis, emblee, 630
Que ne la voie encore ennuit;
Veoir la m'estuet, car ge cuit
Que bele est cele compaignie,
Et cortoise et bien enseignie. '
Lors m'en entrai, ne dis puis mot,
Par l'uis que Oiseuse overt m'ot,
Ou vergier; et quant je fui ens
Je fui lies et baus et joiens.
Et sachies que je cuidai estre
Por voir en Paradis terrestre, 640
Tant estoit li leu delitables,
Qu'il sembloit estre esperitables:
Car si cum il m'iert lors avis,
Ne feist en nul Paradis
Si bon estre, cum il faisoit
Ou vergier qui tant me plaisoit.

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For there was many a brid singing, 655
Throughout the yerde al thringing.
In many places were nightingales,
Alpes, finches, and wodewales,
That in her swete song delyten
In thilke place as they habyten. 660
Ther mighte men see many flokkes
Of turtles and [of] laverokkes.
Chalaundres fele saw I there,
That wery, nigh forsongen were.
And thrustles, terins, and mavys, 665
That songen for to winne hem prys,
And eek to sormounte in hir song
These other briddes hem among.
By note made fair servyse
These briddes, that I you devyse; 670
They songe hir song as faire and wel
As angels doon espirituel.
And, trusteth wel, whan I hem herde,
Full lustily and wel I ferde;
For never yit swich melodye 675
Was herd of man that mighte dye.

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D'oisiaus chantans avoit asses
Par tout le vergier amasses;
En ung leu avoit rossigniaus,
En l'autre gais et estorniaus; 650
Si r'avoit aillors grans escoles
De roietiaus et torteroles,
De chardonnereaus, d'arondeles,
D'aloes et de lardereles;
Calendres i ot amassees
En ung autre leu, qui lassees
De chanter furent a envis:
Melles y avoit et mauvis
Qui baoient a sormonter
Ces autres oisiaus par chanter. 660
Il r'avoit aillors papegaus,
Et mains oisiaus qui par ces gaus
Et par ces bois ou il habitent,
En lor biau chanter se delitent.
Trop parfesoient bel servise
Cil oisel que je vous devise;
Il chantoient ung chant itel
Cum s'il fussent esperitel.
De voir sachies, quant les oi,
Moult durement m'en esjoi: 670
Que mes si douce melodie
Ne fu d'omme mortel oie.

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Swich swete song was hem among,
That me thoughte it no briddes song,
But it was wonder lyk to be
Song of mermaydens of the see; 680
That, for her singing is so clere,
Though we mermaydens clepe hem here
In English, as in our usaunce,
Men clepen hem sereyns in Fraunce.
Ententif weren for to singe 685
These briddes, that nought unkunninge
Were of hir craft, and apprentys,
But of [hir] song sotyl and wys.
And certes, whan I herde hir song,
And saw the grene place among, 690
In herte I wex so wonder gay,
That I was never erst, er that day,
So Iolyf, nor so wel bigo,
Ne mery in herte, as I was tho.
And than wiste I, and saw ful wel, 695
That Ydelnesse me served wel,
That me putte in swich Iolitee.
Hir freend wel oughte I for to be,
Sith she the dore of that gardyn
Hadde opened, and me leten in. 700

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Tant estoit cil chans dous et biaus,
Qu'il ne sombloit pas chans d'oisiaus,
Ains le peust l'en aesmer
A chant de seraines de mer,
Qui par lor vois, qu'eles ont saines
Et series, ont non seraines.
A chanter furent ententis
Li oisillon qui aprenti 680
Ne furent pas ne non sachant;
Et sachies quant j'oi lor chant,
Et je vi le leu verdaier,
Je me pris moult a esgaier;
Que n'avoie encor este onques
Si jolif cum je fui adonques;
Por la grant delitablete
Fui plains de grant joliete.
Et lores soi-je bien et vi
Que Oiseuse m'ot bien servi, 690
Qui m'avoit en tel deduit mis:
Bien deusse estre ses amis,
Quant ele m'avoit defferme
Le guichet du vergier rame.

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From hennesforth how that I wroughte,
I shal you tellen, as me thoughte.
First, whereof Mirthe served there,
And eek what folk ther with him were,
Withoute fable I wol descryve. 705
And of that gardin eek as blyve
I wol you tellen after this.
The faire fasoun al, y-wis,
That wel [y-]wrought was for the nones,
I may not telle you al at ones: 710
But as I may and can, I shal
By ordre tellen you it al.
Ful fair servyse and eek ful swete
These briddes maden as they sete.
Layes of love, ful wel sowning 715
They songen in hir Iargoning;
Summe highe and summe eek lowe songe
Upon the braunches grene y-spronge.
The sweetnesse of hir melodye
Made al myn herte in reverdye.