[170] Cut. [171] Disease. [172] Having died. [173] Burnt. [174] The dancing ships. [175] Hunter. [176] Devour. [177] Anvil. [178] Fine. [179] Mad. [180] Called in writings. [181] 'Puella' and 'Rubeus': two figures in Geomancy, representing two constellations,--the one signifying Mars retrograde, the other Mars direct. [182] Reverence. [183] 'Calistope' or Callisto: daughter of Lycaon--seduced by Jupiter--turned into a bear by Juno (or Diana)--and placed afterwards, with her son, as the Great Bear among the stars. [184] Pole-star. [185] Farther. [186] To. [187] Made. [188] Devour. [189] Sat. [190] Light-green. [191] 'Lucina': another name for Diana--as the goddess of child-bearing. [192] Lifelike. [193] What. THE PASSING OF THE FAIRIES From the Wife of Bath's Tale In th' olde dayes of the king Arthur Of which that Britons speaken great honour, All was this land fulfilled of faerie; The Elf-queen, with her jolly company, Danced full oft in many a greene mead; This was the old opinion as I read: I speak of many hundred years ago; But now can no man see none elves mo, For now the greate charity and prayers Of limitours[194] and other holy freres, That searchen every land and every stream, As thick as motes in the sunne-beam, Blessing halles, chambers, kitchenes, bowers, Cities, boroughs, castles, highe towers, Thorpes, barnes, shepens,[195] dairies, This maketh that there be no faeries: For there as wont to walken was an elf, There walketh now the limitour himself, In undermeles[196] and in morwenings, And saith his matins and his holy things, As he goeth in his limitation,[197] Women may go now safely up and down, In every bush, and under every tree; There is none other incubus but he. [194] Begging friars. [195] Stables. [196] Afternoons. [197] Begging district. THE PARDONER'S TALE In Flanders whilom was a company Of younge folk, that haunteden folly, As riot, hazard, stewes, and taverns; Whereas with harpes, lutes, and gitterns,[198] They dance and play at dice both day and night, And eat also, and drinken o'er hir might; Through which they do the devil sacrifice Within the devil's temple, in cursed wise, By superfluity abominable. Hir oathes be so great and so damnable, That it is grisly[199] for to hear hem swear. Our blessed Lordes body they to-tear[200]; Hem thoughte[201] Jewes rent him not enough; And each of hem at otheres sinne lough.[202] And right anon then comen tombesteres[203] Fetis[204] and small, and younge fruitesteres,[205] Singers with harpes, bawdes, waferers,[206] Which be the very devil's officers, To kindle and blow the fire of lechery, That is annexed unto gluttony. * * * * *