To whiche I am obedient, To furthre thee with al my might, And wisse and teche thee aright Wher thou maist most tydinges here; 2025 Shaltow anoon heer many oon lere.' With this worde he, right anoon, Hente me up bitwene his toon, And at a windowe in me broghte, That in this hous was, as me thoghte-- (940) 2030 And ther-withal, me thoghte hit stente, And no-thing hit aboute wente-- And me sette in the flore adoun. But which a congregacioun Of folk, as I saugh rome aboute 2035 Some within and some withoute, Nas never seen, ne shal ben eft; That, certes, in the world nis left So many formed by Nature, Ne deed so many a creature; (950) 2040 That wel unethe, in that place, Hadde I oon foot-brede of space; And every wight that I saugh there Rouned ech in otheres ere A newe tyding prevely, 2045 Or elles tolde al openly Right thus, and seyde: 'Nost not thou That is betid, lo, late or now?' 'No,' quod [the other], 'tel me what;'-- And than he tolde him this and that, (960) 2050 And swoor ther-to that hit was sooth-- 'Thus hath he seyd'--and 'Thus he dooth'-- 'Thus shal hit be'--'Thus herde I seye'-- 'That shal be found'--' That dar I leye:'-- That al the folk that is a-lyve 2055 Ne han the cunning to discryve The thinges that I herde there, What aloude, and what in ere. But al the wonder-most was this:-- Whan oon had herd a thing, y-wis, (970) 2060 He com forth to another wight, And gan him tellen, anoon-right, The same that to him was told, Or hit a furlong-way was old, But gan somwhat for to eche 2065 To this tyding in this speche More than hit ever was. And nat so sone departed nas That he fro him, that he ne mette With the thridde; and, or he lette (980) 2070 Any stounde, he tolde him als; Were the tyding sooth or fals, Yit wolde he telle hit nathelees, And evermo with more encrees Than hit was erst. Thus north and southe 2075 Went every [word] fro mouth to mouthe, And that encresing ever-mo, As fyr is wont to quikke and go From a sparke spronge amis, Til al a citee brent up is. (990) 2080 And, whan that was ful y-spronge, And woxen more on every tonge Than ever hit was, [hit] wente anoon Up to a windowe, out to goon; Or, but hit mighte out ther pace, 2085 Hit gan out crepe at som crevace, And fleigh forth faste for the nones. And somtyme saugh I tho, at ones, A lesing and a sad soth-sawe, That gonne of aventure drawe (1000) 2090