MEMOR ESTO BREVIS JEVI 



That I shulde al encombred be 

 Or I had rekened every tree. 



These trees were sette, that I devyse, 

 One from another in assyse; 

 Fyve fadome or sixe, I trowe so; 

 But they were hye and great also, 

 And for to kepe out wel the sonne 

 The croppes were so thicke y-ronne, 

 And every braunche in other knette, 

 And ful of grene leves sette, 

 That sonne myght there none discende, 

 Lest it the tender grasses shende. 

 There myght men does and roes y-se, 

 And of squyrels ful grat plente 

 From bowe to bowe alwaye lepynge; 

 Connes there were also plaiynge, 

 That comyn out of her clapers 

 Of sondrie colours and maners, 

 And maden many a tourneiyng 

 Upon the fresshe grasse spryngyng. 

 In places sawe I welles there 

 In whiche there no frogges were, 

 And fayre in shadowe was every welle. 

 But I ne can the nombre telle 

 Of stremys smal, that by devyse 



[27] 



