U" ICH DIEN tT 



Amonges othere of his honeste thynges 

 He made a gardyn walled al with stoon. 

 So fair a gardyn woot I nowker noon, 

 For out of doute, I verraily suppose 

 That he wroot the romance of the Rose 

 Ne koude of it the beautee wel devyse 

 Ne Priapus me myghte nat suffise, 

 Though he be god of gardyns, for to telle 

 The beautee of the gardyn, and the welle, 

 That stood under a laurer, alwey grene. 

 Ful of te tyme he Pluto, and his queene 

 Proserpina, and al hire fairye, 

 Disporten hem and maken melodye 

 About that welle, and dannced as men tolde. 



GEOFFREY CHAUCER. 

 Canterbury Tales, The Merchant's Tale. 



The Garden of Proserpina 



The Gardin of Proserpina this hight; 

 And in the midst thereof a silver seat, 

 With a thick Arber goodly over-dight, 

 In which she often used from open heat 

 Her selfe to shroud, and pleasures to entreat; 



[67] 



