And whyl the twylight and the rowes rede Of Phebus light were dëaurat a lyte, A penne I took, and gan me faste spede The woful playntë of this man to wryte Word by wordë, as he did endyte; 600 Lyk as I herde, and coude him tho reporte, I have here set, your hertes to disporte. If ought be mis, layeth the wyte on me, For I am worthy for to bere the blame If any thing [here] misreported be, 605 To make this dytè for to seme lame Through myn unconning; but, to sayn the same, Lyk as this man his complaynt did expresse, I aske mercy and forgivënesse. And, as I wroot, me thoughte I saw a-ferre, 610 Fer in the weste, lustely appere Esperus, the goodly brighte sterre, So glad, so fair, so persaunt eek of chere, I mene Venus, with her bemes clere, That, hevy hertes only to releve, 615 Is wont, of custom, for to shewe at eve. And I, as faste, fel doun on my knee And even thus to her gan I to preye:-- 'O lady Venus! so faire upon to see, Let not this man for his trouthe deye, 620 For that joy thou haddest whan thou leye With Mars thy knight, whan Vulcanus you fond, And with a chayne invisible you bond Togider, bothe twayne, in the same whyle That al the court above celestial 625 At youre shame gan for to laughe and smyle! A! fairë lady! welwilly founde at al, Comfort to careful, O goddesse immortal! Be helping now, and do thy diligence To let the stremes of thyn influence 630 Descende doun, in forthering of the trouthe, Namely, of hem that lye in sorowe bounde; Shew now thy might, and on hir wo have routhe Er fals Daunger slee hem and confounde. And specially, let thy might be founde 635 For to socourë, what-so that thou may, The trewe man that in the herber lay, And alle trewe forther, for his sake, O gladde sterre, O lady Venus myne! And cause his lady him to grace take. 640 Her herte of stele to mercy so enclyne, Er that thy bemes go up, to declyne, And er that thou now go fro us adoun, Fór that love thou haddest to Adoun!' And whan that she was gon unto her reste, 645 I roos anon, and hoom to bedde wente, For verily, me thoughte it for the beste; Prayinge thus, in al my best entente, That alle trewe, that be with Daunger shente, With mercy may, in reles of hir payn, 650 Recured be, er May come eft agayn. And for that I ne may no lenger wake, Farewel, ye lovers alle, that be trewe! Praying to god; and thus my leve I take, That, er the sonne to-morowe be risen newe, 655 And er he have ayein his rosen hewe, That eche of you may have suche a grace, His owne lady in armes to embrace.