[106] Gone. [107] Venture to say. [108] Uppermost. [109] Short cloak. [110] Gotten. [111] Rather. [112] Get. [113] Earnestly. [114] To attend school. [115] Matter. [116] Parvys: the portico of St. Paul's, frequented by lawyers for consultation. [117] Full. [118] Acquirer of property. [119] Tainted by illegality. [120] Cases and decisions. [121] Find a flaw. [122] Knew. [123] Fully. [124] Mixed in color. [125] Girdle. [126] Small. [127] Dwelling. [128] Hack. [129] Could. [130] Coarse cloth. [131] Supercargo. [132] Slept. [133] Heed. [134] Pilotage. THE TEMPLES OF VENUS, MARS, AND DIANA From the Knight's Tale First in the temple of Venus mayst thou see Wrought on the wall, full piteous to behold, The broken sleepes, and the sighes cold, The sacred teares, and the waimenting,[135] The fiery strokes of the desiring That loves servants in this life enduren; The oathes, that hir covenants assuren. Pleasance and hope, desire, foolhardiness, Beauty and youthe, bawdry and richesse, Charmes and force, leasings[136] and flattery, Dispence,[137] business,[138] and jealousy That weared of yellow goldes[139] a garland, And a cuckoo sitting on her hand; Feastes, instruments, caroles, dances, Lust and array, and all the circumstances Of love, which that I reckoned have and reckon shall, By order weren painted on the wall, And mo than I can make of mention. For soothly all the mount of Citheron, There Venus hath her principal dwelling, Was showed on the wall in portraying, With all the garden and the lustiness. Nought was forgot the porter Idleness, Ne Narcissus the fair of yore agone, Ne yet the folly of King Solomon, Ne yet the greate strength of Hercules, The enchantements of Medea and Circes, N'of Turnus with the hardy fierce courage, The riche Croesus caitiff[140] in servage[141]. Thus may ye see, that wisdom ne richesse, Beauty ne sleighte, strengthe, hardiness, Ne may with Venus holden champarty[142], For as her list the world then may she gye[143]. Lo, all these folk so caught were in her las[144] Till they for woe full often said, "Alas!" Sufficeth here ensamples one or two, And though I coulde reckon a thousand mo. The statue of Venus, glorious for to see, Was naked fleting[145] in the large sea, And from the navel down all covered was With waves green, and bright as any glass, A citole[146] in her right hand hadde she, And on her head, full seemly for to see, A rose garland fresh and well smelling, Above her head her doves flickering[147]. Before her stood her sone Cupido, Upon his shoulders winges had he two; And blind he was, as it is often seen; A bow he bare and arrows bright and keen. Why should I not as well eke tell you all The portraiture, that was upon the wall Within the temple of mighty Mars the red?