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Chaucer thus alludes to the good and pleasant old custom 
of going a Maying, in his “ Court of Love: ” 
And forthe goeth alle the Courte, both moste and leste. 
To fetch the flowirs freshe, and braunche and bloome. 
And namely hawthorne brought both page and groome, 
With freshe garlantis partly blew and white. 
Spenser makes frecpient mention of this fragrant Spring 
flower, both in his “Faery Queen,” and his poems of this 
world. The allusion I think most appropriate and beautiful, 
is this opening dialogue of the fifth “ ^Eglogue,” in his “ Shep- 
heard’s Calender : ”— 
Palinode. Piers. 
PuHnode. Is not thilke the mery moneth of May, 
When love lads masken in fresh aray ? 
How fades it then, wee no merrier beene, 
Ylike as others, girt in gawdy greene ? 
Our bloncket liveries bene all to sadde 
For thilke same season, when all is ycladde 
With pleasaunce; the ground with grasse, the woods 
With greene leaves, the bushes with bloosming buds. 
Youngthes folke now flocken in everie where 
To gather May buskets and smelling brere; 
And home they hasten the postes to dight. 
And all the kirk pillours eare day-light. 
With hawthorne-buds, and sweete eglantine. 
And girlonds of roses, and soppes in wine. 
Such merrimake holy Saints doth queme. 
But wee here sitten as drownde in dreme. 
Pitrx. For younkers. Palinode, such follies fitte; 
But wee tway bene men of elder witte. 
Palinode. Sicker this morrow, no longer agoe, 
1 sawe a shole of shepheardes outgoe. 
