26 The 'Szi'cet Breath' of Zephyr 



The Ro)nan de la Rose docs not name 'la dame de Fayel,' but 

 this is done in a ballade attributed with much reason to Eustache 

 Deschamps/'^ of which I quote the first two stanzas^^ : 



Hester, Judith, Penelope, Helaine, 

 Sarre, Tisbe, Rebeque et Sarry, 

 Lucresce, Yseult, Genevre, chastellaine 

 La tres loyal nommee de Vergy, 

 Rachel aussi, la dame de Fayel 

 One ne furent sy precieux jouel 

 D'onneur, bonte, senz, beaute et valour 

 Con est ma tres doulce dame d'onnour. 



Se d'Absalon la grant beaute humaine, 



De Salomon tout le senz sanz demy, 



D'Alixandre I'avoir et le demaine 



Des .IX. preux eusse et leur prouesce aussy 



Et la force, syque se aucun appel 



Avoye, ne seroie bon ne bel 



Ne digne assez pour sy tres noble flour 



Con est ma tres doulce dame d'onnour. 



If these be compared with the corresponding two stanzas of 

 Chaucer's ballade in the Legend of Good Women (B 249-262), 

 and the underscored words be noted (see also the -nine rhyme of 

 the one, and the -eyne rhyme of the other — thus, Helaine, 

 Eleyne), it will seem probable that Chaucer had Deschamps in 

 mind as he wrote : 



Hyd, Absolon, thy gilte tresses clere; 

 Ester, ley thou thy meknesse al adoun; 

 Hyd, Jonathas,^ al thy frendly manere; 

 Penalopee, and Marcia Catoun,'^ 

 Mak of your wyfhod no comparisoun ; 

 Hyde ye your beautes, Isoude and Eleyne, 

 My lady cometh, that al this may disteyne. 



Thy faire body, lat hit nat appere, 

 Lavyne; and thou, Lucresse of Rome toun. 

 And Polixene, that boghten love so dere, 

 And Cleopatre, with al thy passioun, 



^° Cited by Skeat, who, however, did not know of the attribution to 

 Deschamps. 

 ^' Ocuvres 9. 49. 



^"Deschamps has 'Jonathas' (Oeuvrcs 2. 195). 

 ^^ 'Marcia, la fille Cathoun' {Ocuvres 9. 178), 



