Mulier est hominis confusio_,-- Madam, the sentence[362] of this Latin is, Woman is mannes joy and all his bliss-- For when I feel a-night your softe side, * * * * * I am so full of joy and of solace, That I defye bothe sweven[363] and dream." And with that word he flew down from the beam, For it was day, and eke his hennes all; And with a chuck he gan hem for to call, For he had found a corn, lay in the yard. Royal he was, he was no more afeard; * * * * * He looketh as it were a grim lion; And on his toes he roameth up and down, Him deigned not to set his feet to ground: He chucketh, when he hath a corn yfound, And to him rennen then his wives all. Thus royal, as a prince is in his hall, Leave I this Chanticleer in his pasture; And after will I tell his aventure. When that the month in which the world began, That highte March, when God first maked man, Was complete, and ypassed were also, Sithen[364] March began, thirty dayes and two, Befell that Chanticleer in all his pride, His seven wives walking by his side, Cast up his eyen to the brighte sun, That in the sign of Taurus had yrun Twenty degrees and one, and somewhat more: He knew by kind,[365] and by none other lore, That it was prime, and crew with blissful steven,[366] "The sun," he said, "is clomben up on heaven Forty degrees and one, and more ywis.[367] Madame Partelote, my worldes bliss, Hearkeneth these blissful birdes how they sing, And see the freshe flowers how they spring; Full is mine heart of revel and solace." But suddenly him fell a sorrowful case; For ever the latter end of joy is woe: God wot that worldly joy is soon ago; And if a rethor[368] coulde fair indite, He in a chronique safely might it write, As for a sovereign notability. Now every wise man, let him hearken me: This story is also[369] true, I undertake, As is the book of Launcelot de Lake, That women hold in full great reverence. Now will I turn again to my sentence. A col fox,[370] full of sly iniquity, That in the grove had woned[371] yeares three, By high imagination forncast,[372] The same night throughout the hedges brast[373] Into the yard, there Chanticleer the fair Was wont, and eke his wives, to repair; And in a bed of wortes[374] still he lay, Till it was passed undern[375] of the day, Waiting his time on Chanticleer to fall: As gladly do these homicides all, That in awaite lie to murder men. O false murderer! lurking in thy den! O newe 'Scariot, newe Genelon! False dissimulour, O Greek Sinon. That broughtest Troy all utterly to sorrow! O Chanticleer! accursed be that morrow, That thou into that yard flew from the beams, Thou were full well ywarned by thy dreams, That thilke day was perilous to thee. But what that God forewot[376] mote needes be, After the opinion of certain clerkes.