Th' obliging dames obey'd with one confent; 410
They left the hall, and to his lodging went.
The female tribe surround him as he lay,
And close befide him fat the gentle May:
Where, as she try'd his pulse, he softly drew
A heaving figh, and cast a mournful view! 415
Then gave
his bill, and brib'd the pow'rs divine,
With fecret vows, to favour his design.

Who studies now but difcontented May ?
On her foft couch uneafily fhe lay :

The lumpish husband fnor'd away the night, 420
Till coughs awak'd him near the morning light,
What then he did, I'll not prefume to tell,
Nor if she thought herself in heav'n or hell:
Honeft and dull in nuptial bed they lay,
Till the bell toll'd, and all arose to pray.

425

Were it by forceful destiny decreed, Or did from chance, or nature's pow'r proceed; Or that some star, with aspect kind to love, Shed its felecteft influence from above Whatever was the caufe, the tender dame 430 Felt the firft motions of an infant flame; Receiv'd th' impreffions of the love-fick Squire, And wafted in the foft infectious fire.

Ye fair, draw near, let May's example move Your gentle minds to pity those who love! 435

Had fome fierce tyrant in her stead been found, The poor adorer sure had hang'd, or drown'd: But she, your fex's mirrour, free from pride, Was much too meek to prove a homicide.

But to my tale: Some fages have defin'd 440 Pleasure the fov'reign bliss of human-kind : Our knight (who study'd much, we may suppose) Deriv'd his high philosophy from those ; For, like a Prince, he bore the vast expence Of lavish pomp, and proud magnificence: 445 His house was stately, his retinue gay, Large was his train, and gorgeous his array. His fpacious garden made to yield to none, Was compafs'd round with walls of folid ftone; Priapus could not half describe the grace 450 (Tho' God of Gardens) of this charming place: A place to tire the rambling wits of France In long descriptions, and exceed Romance: Enough to fhame the gentleft bard that fings Of painted meadows, and of purling fprings. 455 Full in the centre of the flow'ry ground,

A crystal fountain spread its streams around, The fruitful banks with verdant laurels crown'd: About this spring (if ancient fame fay true) The dapper Elves their moon-light sports pursue:

Their pigmy king, and little fairy queen, 461 In circling dances gambol'd on the green, While tuneful fprites a merry concert made, And airy mufic warbled thro' the fhade. Hither the noble knight would oft repair, 465 (His fcene of pleasure, and peculiar care) For this he held it dear, and always bore The filver key that lock'd the garden door. To this sweet place in fummer's fultry heat, He us'd from noife and bus'nefs to retreat; 470 And here in dalliance spend the live-long day, Solus cum fola, with his fprightly May. For whate'er work was undischarg'd a-bed, The duteous knight in this fair garden fped.

But ah! what mortal lives of bliss fecure, 475 How short a space our worldly joys endure? O Fortune, fair, like all thy treach'rous kind, But faithless still, and wav'ring as the wind! O painted monster, form'd mankind to cheat, With pleasing poison, and with soft deceit! 480 This rich, this am'rous, venerable knight, Amidft his ease, his folace, and delight, Struck blind by thee, refigns his days to grief, And calls on death, the wretch's laft relief.

The rage of jealousy then feiz'd his mind, 485 For much he fear'd the faith of woman-kind.

His wife not suffer'd from his fide to stray,
Was captive kept, he watch'd her night and day,
Abridg'd her pleasures, and confin'd her fway.
Full oft in tears did hapless May complain, 490
And figh'd full oft; but figh'd and wept in vain ;
She look'd on Damian with a lover's eye;
For oh, 'twas fixt; she must possess or die!
Nor less impatience vex'd her am'rous Squire,
Wild with delay, and burning with defire. 495
Watch'd as she was, yet could he not refrain
By fecret writing to disclose his pain:
The dame by figns reveal'd her kind intent,
Till both were conscious what each other meant.
Ah, gentle knight, what would thy eyes avail,
Tho' they could fee as far as ships can fail? 501
"Tis better, fure, when blind, deceiv'd to be,
Than be deluded when a man can fee!

Argus himself, fo cautious and fo wife,
Was over-watch'd, for all his hundred eyes: 505
many an honeft husband may, 'tis known,
Who, wifely, never thinks the case his own.

So

The dame at last, by diligence and care, Procur'd the key her knight was wont to bear She took the wards in wax before the fire, And gave th' impreffion to the trusty Squire.

;

510

By means of this, fome wonder fhall appear, Which, in due place and feafon, you may hear.

Well fung fweet Ovid, in the days of yore, What flight is that, which love will not explore? And Pyramus and Thisbe plainly show 516 The feats true lovers, when they lift, can do: Tho' watch'd and captive, yet in spite of all, They found the art of kiffing thro' a wall.

But now no longer from our tale to stray; It hap'd, that once upon a fummer's day, 521 Our rev'rend Knight was urg'd to am'rous play: He rais'd his spouse ere Matin-bell was rung, And thus his morning canticle he fung.

526

Awake, my love, disclose thy radiant eyes; Arife, my wife, my beauteous lady, rife! Hear how the doves with penfive notes complain, And in foft murmurs tell the trees their pain: The winter's paft; the clouds and tempefts fly; The fun adorns the fields, and brightens all the

fky.

Fair without spot, whofe ev'ry charming part
My bofom wounds, and captivates my heart;
Come, and in mutual pleasures let's engage,
Joy of my life, and comfort of my age.

530