<< When Ydelnesse had told al this, And I hadde herkned wel, y-wis, 630 Than seide I to dame Ydelnesse, Now al-so wisly god me blesse, Sith Mirthe, that is so fair and free, Is in this yerde with his meynee, Fro thilke assemblee, if I may, 635 Shal no man werne me to-day, That I this night ne mote it see. For, wel wene I, ther with him be A fair and Ioly companye Fulfilled of alle curtesye.' 640 And forth, withoute wordes mo, In at the wiket wente I tho, That Ydelnesse hadde opened me, Into that gardin fair to see. And whan I was [ther]in, y-wis, 645 Myn herte was ful glad of this. THE GARDEN. For wel wende I ful sikerly Have been in paradys erth[e]ly; So fair it was, that, trusteth wel, It semed a place espirituel. 650 For certes, as at my devys, Ther is no place in paradys So good in for to dwelle or be As in that GARDIN, thoughte me; >> Quant Oiseuse m'ot ce conté, Et j'oi moult bien tout escouté, Je li dis lores: 'Dame Oiseuse, Jà de ce ne soyés douteuse, Puis que Déduit li biaus, li gens Est orendroit avec ses gens En cest vergier, ceste assemblée Ne m'iert pas, se je puis, emblée, 630 Que ne la voie encore ennuit; Véoir la m'estuet, car ge cuit Que bele est cele compaignie, Et cortoise et bien enseignie.' Lors m'en entrai, ne dis puis mot, Par l'uis que Oiseuse overt m'ot, Où vergier; et quant je fui ens Je fui liés et baus et joiens. Et sachiés que je cuidai estre Por voir en Paradis terrestre, 640 Tant estoit li leu delitables, Qu'il sembloit estre esperitables: Car si cum il m'iert lors avis, Ne féist en nul Paradis Si bon estre, cum il faisoit Où vergier qui tant me plaisoit. << For there was many a brid singing, 655 Throughout the yerde al thringing. In many places were nightingales, Alpes, finches, and wodewales, That in her swete song delyten In thilke place as they habyten. 660 Ther mighte men see many flokkes Of turtles and [of] laverokkes. Chalaundres fele saw I there, That wery, nigh forsongen were. And thrustles, terins, and mavys, 665 That songen for to winne hem prys, And eek to sormounte in hir song These other briddes hem among. By note made fair servyse These briddes, that I you devyse; 670 They songe hir song as faire and wel As angels doon espirituel. And, trusteth wel, whan I hem herde, Full lustily and wel I ferde; For never yit swich melodye 675 Was herd of man that mighte dye.