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Of berde unnethe hadde he no-thing,
For it was in the firste spring.
Ful yong he was, and mery of thought, 835
And in samyt, with briddes wrought,
And with gold beten fetisly,
His body was clad ful richely.
Wrought was his robe in straunge gyse,
And al to-slitered for queyntyse 840
In many a place, lowe and hye.
And shod he was with greet maistrye,
With shoon decoped, and with laas.
By druerye, and by solas,
His leef a rosen chapelet 845
Had maad, and on his heed it set.

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Les yex ot vairs, la bouche gente,
Et le nez fait par grant entente;
Cheveus ot blons, recerceles,
Par espaules fu auques les,
Et gresles parmi la ceinture:
Il resembloit une painture,
Tant ere biaus et acesmes,
Et de tous membres bien formes.
Remuans fu, et preus, et vistes,
Plus legier homme ne veistes; 820
Si n'avoit barbe, ne grenon,
Se petiz peus folages non,
Car il ert jones damoisiaus.
D'un samit portret a oysiaus,
Qui ere tout a or batus,
Fu ses cors richement vestus.
Moult iert sa robe desguisee,
Et fu moult riche et encisee,
Et decopee par cointise;
Chaucies refu par grant mestrise 830
D'uns solers decopes a las;
Par druerie et par solas
Li ot s'amie fet chapel
De roses qui moult li sist bel.

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And wite ye who was his leef?
Dame GLADNES ther was him so leef, GLADNESSE.
That singeth so wel with glad corage,
That from she was twelve yeer of age, 850
She of hir love graunt him made.
Sir Mirthe hir by the finger hadde
[In] daunsing, and she him also;
Gret love was atwixe hem two.
Bothe were they faire and brighte of hewe; 855
She semede lyk a rose newe
Of colour, and hir flesh so tendre,
That with a brere smale and slendre
Men mighte it cleve, I dar wel sayn.
Hir forheed, frounceles al playn.
860
Bente were hir browes two,
Hir yen greye, and gladde also,
That laughede ay in hir semblaunt,
First or the mouth, by covenaunt.
I not what of hir nose descryve; 865
So fair hath no womman alyve. . . .
Hir heer was yelowe, and cleer shyning,
I wot no lady so lyking.

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Saves-vous qui estoit s'amie?
Leesce qui nel' haoit mie,
L'envoisie, la bien chantans,
Qui des lors qu'el n'ot que sept ans
De s'amor li donna l'otroi;
Deduit la tint parmi le doi 840
A la karole, et ele lui,
Bien s'entr'amoient ambedui:
Car il iert biaus, et ele bele,
Bien resembloit rose novele
De sa color. S'ot la char tendre,
Qu'en la li peust toute fendre
A une petitete ronce.
Le front ot blanc, poli, sans fronce,
Les sorcis bruns et enarchies,
Les yex gros et si envoisies, 850
Qu'il rioient tousjors avant
Que la bouchete par convant.
Je ne vous sai du nes que dire,
L'en nel' feist pas miex de cire.
Ele ot la bouche petitete,
Et por baisier son ami, preste;
Le chief ot blons et reluisant.
Que vous iroie-je disant?
Bele fu et bien atornee;
D'ung fil d'or ere galonnee, 860
S'ot ung chapel d'orfrois tout nuef;
Je qu'en oi veu vint et nuef,

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Of orfrays fresh was hir gerland;
I, whiche seen have a thousand, 870
Saugh never, y-wis, no gerlond yit,
So wel [y]-wrought of silk as it.
And in an over-gilt samyt
Clad she was, by gret delyt,
Of which hir leef a robe werde, 875
The myrier she in herte ferde.
And next hir wente, on hir other syde, CUPIDE.