'Blisful was the first age of men. They helden hem apayed with the metes that the trewe feldes broughten furthe. They ne distroyede nor deceivede not hem-self with outrage. They weren wont lightly to slaken hir hunger at even with acornes of okes. [_Stanza 2._] They ne coude nat medly[265] the yifte of Bachus to the clere hony; that is to seyn, they coude make no piment nor clarree. [_Stanza 3._] ... they coude nat deyen whyte fleeses[266] of Serien contree with the blode of a maner shelfisshe that men finden in Tyrie, with whiche blode men deyen purpur. [_Stanza 6._] They slepen hoolsum slepes upon the gras, and dronken of the renninge wateres [_cf._ l. 8]; and layen under the shadwes of the heye pyn-trees. [_Stanza 3, continued._] Ne no gest ne no straungere ne carf yit the heye see with ores or with shippes; ne they ne hadde seyn yit none newe strondes, to leden marchaundyse in-to dyverse contrees. Tho weren the cruel clariouns ful hust[267] and ful stille.... [_Stanza 4._] For wherto or whiche woodnesse of enemys wolde first moeven armes, whan they seyen cruel woundes, ne none medes[268] be of blood y-shad[269]?... Allas! what was he that first dalf[270] up the gobetes[271] or the weightes of gold covered under erthe, and the precious stones that wolden han ben hid? He dalf up precious perils; ... for the preciousnesse of swiche thinge, hath many man ben in peril.' The metre is the same as that of the ABC. § 27. X. FORTUNE. Attributed to Chaucer by Shirley in MSS. A. and T.; also marked as Chaucer's in MSS. F. and I. In MS. I., this poem and the preceding are actually introduced into Chaucer's translation of Boethius, between the fifth metre and the sixth prose of the second book, as has been already said. The metre is the same as that of the ABC and The Former Age, but the same rimes run through three stanzas. The Envoy forms a 7-line stanza, but has only two rimes; the formula is _ababbab_. For further remarks, see the Notes. § 28. XI. MERCILES BEAUTE.