*Upon the softe and swote grene gras 225 +They setten hem ful softely adoun, (B. 301) By ordre alle in compas, alle enveroun. First sat the god of love, and than this quene +With the whyte coroun, clad in grene; +And sithen al the remenant by and by, 230 As they were of degree, ful curteisly; +Ne nat a word was spoken in the place +The mountance of a furlong-wey of space. I, lening faste by under a bente, +Abood, to knowen what this peple mente, 235 +As stille as any stoon; til at the laste, The god of love on me his eye caste, And seyde, 'who resteth ther?' and I answerde Un-to his axing, whan that I him herde, +And seyde, 'sir, hit am I'; and cam him neer, 240 +And salued him. Quod he, 'what dostow heer In my presence, and that so boldely? +For it were better worthy, trewely, A werm to comen in my sight than thou.' +'And why, sir,' quod I, 'and hit lyke yow?' 245 +'For thou,' quod he, 'art ther-to nothing able. *My servaunts been alle wyse and honourable. Thou art my mortal fo, and me warreyest, (B. 322) +And of myne olde servaunts thou misseyest, +And hinderest hem with thy translacioun, 250 And lettest folk to han devocioun +To serven me, and haldest hit folye To troste on me. Thou mayst hit nat denye; For in pleyn text, hit nedeth nat to glose, +Thou hast translated the Romauns of the Rose, 255 +That is an heresye ageyns my lawe, +And makest wyse folk fro me withdrawe. *And thinkest in thy wit, that is ful cool. *That he nis but a verray propre fool *That loveth paramours, to harde and hote. 260 *Wel wot I ther-by thou beginnest dote *As olde foles, whan hir spirit fayleth; *Than blame they folk, and wite nat what hem ayleth. *Hast thou nat mad in English eek the book How that Crisseyde Troilus forsook, (B. 332) 265 In shewinge how that wemen han don mis? *But natheles, answere me now to this, *Why noldest thou as wel han seyd goodnesse *Of wemen, as thou hast seyd wikkednesse? *Was ther no good matere in thy minde, 270 *Ne in alle thy bokes coudest thou nat finde *Sum story of wemen that were goode and trewe? *Yis! god wot, sixty bokes olde and newe *Hast thou thy-self, alle fulle of stories grete, *That bothe Romains and eek Grekes trete 275 *Of sundry wemen, which lyf that they ladde, *And ever an hundred gode ageyn oon badde. *This knoweth god, and alle clerkes eke, *That usen swiche materes for to seke. *What seith Valerie, Titus, or Claudian? 280 *What seith Ierome ageyns Iovinian? *How clene maydens, and how trewe wyves,