The Court of Love.

Of the allegorical poems commonly attributed to Chaucer, "The Court of Love" is one of the most interesting. A brief introduction by one of its earliest editors describes it as "an imitation of the 'Romaunt of the Rose,' shewing that all are subject to love, what impediments soever to the contrary; containing also those twentie statutes which are to be observed in the Court of Love." The poem is represented as the work of "Philogenet of Cambridge, clerk" (supposed by the older critics to be Chaucer himself), who, at "eighteen yeare of age, lusty and light," was commanded to seek the Court of Love.1

So then I went by strange and far countries,
Enquiring aye what coast had to it drew
The Court of Love. And thitherward as bees,
At last I see the people gan pursue ;

And methought some wight was there that knew
Where that the court was holden far or nigh,
And after them full fast'I gan me hie.

1 The "Court of Love” was probably written later than Chaucer's time, and is in reality an allegorical sketch of the Love Courts, as they existed in Provence and Languedoc in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. These courts probably originated in the purely literary competitions between Troubadours and poets in the feudal castles of the great lords. They were afterwards conducted by societies of noble knights and ladies, that in Provence being called the Court of Love, and that in Languedoc the

After a little while he came in sight of the castle wherein the court was held :

But furthermore the castle to descry,

Yet saw I never none so large and high.
For unto Heaven it stretcheth, I suppose,
Within and out depainted wonderly
With many a thousand daisies red as rose,
And white also, this saw I verily.

But who, though daisies might do signify,
Can I not tell, save that the quenës flower
Alceste it was that kept there her sojoure.1

Of that castle Venus (Alcestis) was queen, and Admetus king. It shone with windows all of glass, and the walls were covered with paintings "of many a prince and many a doughty king." Philogenet is conducted into

Fraternity of the Penitents of Love. They were regulated by a Code of Love, and their authority was supreme, or at least equal in their own jurisdiction to that of the Church or State. Of the Code of Love, Chaucer gives twenty of the most important statutes. Enthusiasm was carried to the highest pitch of unreason, and some curious stories are told of the manner in which the devotees of these courts sought to maintain their fanatical and ridiculous theories. To prove that love works the most wonderful changes, the love-penitents of Languedoc dressed in summer in heavy furs, and in winter in the lightest and thinnest clothing that could be obtained. They refused to protect themselves from cold by having fires in their houses, and decked their rooms with evergreens and the appurtenances of summer. Passing thinly clad from one castle to another, many of these devotees caught cold and died. Some were frozen to death in the snow. And yet these courts of love served a purpose in the improvement of manners and the elevation of the race. "They rescued woman," says Van Laun, "from what would have become a condition of intolerable degradation; encouraged devotion in the stronger sex, grace and propriety in the weaker; and when the institutions themselves disappeared, there remained at all events the developed taste and courtesy for womankind."

1 sojourn.

the presence of the king, who with stern visage inquires why he comes so late unto the court.

"Forsooth, my liege," quoth I,

"An hundred times have I ben at the gate
Afore this time, yet could I never espy
Of mine acquaintance any in mine eye,
And shamefacedness away me gan to chase.
But now I me submit unto your grace."

Then the book of the statutes of the court was brought out and placed before him, that he might "read and see what thing we must observe in Love's Court till that we die and sterve.1" Afterwards, in accordance with the poetical custom of the Troubadours,2 he was introduced to the lady Rosiall, with whom he had fallen in love while dreaming.

Her head was round by compass of natúre,
Her hair as gold, she passed all on love,
And lily forehead had this creätúre,
With liveliche brows, flaw of color pure,
Between the which was mean disseveránce
From every brow, to show a due distánce.

Her nose directed straight, and even as a line,
With form and shape thereto convenient,

In which the goddes milk-white path doth shine,
And eke her eyen ben bright and orient,5

4

As is the smaragde, unto my judgment,
Or yet those stars Heavenly small and bright,
Her visage is of lovely red and white.

Her mouth is short, and shut in little space,
Flaming some deal, not over red I mean,
With pregnant lips, and thick to kiss percase;

For lippës thin, not fat, but ever lean,

They serve of naught, they be not worth a bean,
For if the basse1 be full there is delight -
Maximian2 truly thus doth he write.

About her neck a flower of fresh devise,
With rubies set, that lusty were to seene;

3

And she in gown was light and summer wise,
Shapen full well, the color was of green,

With aureat sent about her sidës clean,

With divers stones precious and rich,

Thus was she rayed, yet saw I never her lich.5

The poem ends with a description of the celebration of the Festival of Love on May-day, wherein the birds are represented as chanting in honor of the god of love a parody of the Catholic matin service for Trinity Sunday:

To matens went the lusty nightingale.

And "Domine labia," gan he cry and gale,
"My lippes open lord of love I cry,
And let my mouth thy praising now bewry.?"

The eagle sang "Venite, bodies all,

And let us joy to love that is our health."
Then sayd the faucon, our own hertes wealth,
"Domine Dominus noster I wote,

Ye be the god that doth us burn thus hote."

"Cæli enarrant," said the popingay,
"Your might is told in heaven and firmament."

And then came in the goldfinch freshe and gay,
And said this psalme with hertily glad intent,
"Domine est terra," this laten intent,

1 kiss. From French baisser. Hence the vulgar word buss.

2 The author of six elegies sometimes ascribed to Gallus. He lived

The god of love hath yerth in governaunce :
And then the wren gan skippen and to daunce.

"Jube Domino O lord of love, I pray

Commaund me well this lesson for to rede.1"
The turtil dove said, “Welcom, welcom May,
Gladsom and light to lovers that ben trew."
And than "Tu autem," sang he all apart.

"Te deum amoris," sang the throstel-cocke;
Tubal himself, the first musician,

With key of armony coude not onlocke,

So swetë tewne as that the throstel can :

...

"The lorde of love we praysen," (quod he), than And so done al the foulës greate and lite,

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Honor we May, in fals lovers dispite."

"Dominus regnavit," said the pecocke there.
Out sterte the owle with "Benedicite."
"Laudate," sang the larke with voice ful shril,
And eke the kight "O admirabile."
"Amen," said al, and so said eke the pie.2

And forth the cockow gan procede anon,
With "Benedictus" thanking God in hast,
That in this May would visite them echon,3
And gladden them al while the feast shal last.
And therewithal a laughter out he brast,"
"I thanke it God that I should end the song,
And all the service which hath ben so long."

Thus sang they all the service of the feste,
And that was done right erly to my dome,
And forth goth all the court both most and lest,

To fetch the floures fresh, and braunch and blome,
And namely hauthorn brought both page and grome,
With fresh garlants party blew and white,

And then rejoysen in their great delite.

1 understand.

2 magpie.

4 burst.

8 each one.