No More Learning

I wol noght serven Venus ne Cupyde
For sothe as yet, by no manere wey. '
Now sin it may non other wyse betyde,'
Quod tho Nature, 'here is no more to sey; 655
Than wolde I that these foules were a-wey
Ech with his make, for tarying lenger here'--
And seyde hem thus, as ye shul after here.

To you speke I, ye tercelets,' quod Nature,
'Beth of good herte and serveth, alle three; 660
A yeer is not so longe to endure,
And ech of yow peyne him, in his degree,
For to do wel; for, god wot, quit is she
Fro yow this yeer; what after so befalle,
This entremes is dressed for you alle. ' 665

And whan this werk al broght was to an ende,
To every foule Nature yaf his make
By even acorde, and on hir wey they wende.
A! lord! the blisse and Ioye that they make!
For ech of hem gan other in winges take, 670
And with hir nekkes ech gan other winde,
Thanking alwey the noble goddesse of kinde.

But first were chosen foules for to singe,
As yeer by yere was alwey hir usaunce
To singe a roundel at hir departinge, 675
To do Nature honour and plesaunce.
The note, I trowe, maked was in Fraunce;
The wordes wer swich as ye may heer finde,
The nexte vers, as I now have in minde.

_Qui bien aime a tard oublie. _

'Now welcom somer, with thy sonne softe, 680
That hast this wintres weders over-shake,
And driven awey the longe nightes blake!

Seynt Valentyn, that art ful hy on-lofte;--
Thus singen smale foules for thy sake--
_Now welcom somer, with thy sonne softe,_ 685
_That hast this wintres weders over-shake. _

Wel han they cause for to gladen ofte,
Sith ech of hem recovered hath his make;
Ful blisful may they singen whan they wake;
_Now welcom somer, with thy sonne softe,_ 690
_That hast this wintres weders over-shake,_
_And driven awey the longe nightes blake_. '

And with the showting, whan hir song was do,
That foules maden at hir flight a-way,
I wook, and other bokes took me to 695
To rede upon, and yet I rede alway;
I hope, y-wis, to rede so som day
That I shal mete som thing for to fare
The bet; and thus to rede I nil not spare.
699

EXPLICIT TRACTATUS DE CONGREGACIONE VOLUCRUM
DIE SANCTI VALENTINI.

_The authorities are_: F. (Fairfax 16); Gg. (Gg. 4. 27, Cambridge Univ.
Library); Trin. (Trinity Coll. Camb. R. 3. 19); Cx. (Caxton's edition);
Harl. (Harleian 7333); O. (St. John's Coll.