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[This pretty allegory, or rather conceit, containing one or two passages that for vividness and for delicacy yield to nothing in the whole range of Chaucer’s poetry, had never been printed before the year 1597, when it was included in the edition of Speght. Before that date, indeed, a Dream of Chaucer had been printed; but the poem so described was in reality “The Book of the Duchess; or the Death of Blanche, Duchess of Lancaster” — which is not included in the present edition. Speght says that “This Dream, devised by Chaucer, seemeth to be a covert report of the marriage of John of Gaunt, the King’s son, with Blanche, the daughter of Henry, Duke of Lancaster; who after long love (during the time whereof the poet feigneth them to be dead) were in the end, by consent of friends, happily married; figured by a bird bringing in his bill an herb, which restored them to life again. Here also is showed Chaucer’s match with a certain gentlewoman, who, although she was a stranger, was, notwithstanding, so well liked and loved of the Lady Blanche and her Lord, as Chaucer himself also was, that gladly they concluded a marriage between them.” John of Gaunt, at the age of nineteen, and while yet Earl of Richmond, was married to the Lady Blanche at Reading in May 1359; Chaucer, then a prisoner in France, probably did not return to England till peace was concluded in the following year; so that his marriage to Philippa Roet, the sister of the Duchess Blanche’s favourite attendant Katharine Roet, could not have taken place till some time after that of the Duke. In the poem, it is represented to have immediately followed; but no consequence need be attached to that statement. Enough that it followed at no great interval of time; and that the intimate relations which Chaucer had already begun to form with John of Gaunt, might well warrant him in writing this poem on the occasion of the Duke’s marriage, and in weaving his own love-fortunes with those of the principal figures. In the necessary abridgement of the poem for the present edition, the subsidiary branch of the allegory, relating to the poet’s own love affair, has been so far as possible separated from the main branch, which shadows forth the fortunes of John and Blanche. The poem, in full, contains, with an “Envoy” arbitrarily appended, 2233 lines; of which 510 are given here.]

 

 WHEN Flora, the queen of pleasance,
 

 Had wholly *achiev'd the obeisance* *won the obedience*
 

 Of the fresh and the new season,
 

 Thorough ev'ry region;
 

 And with her mantle *whole covert* *wholly covered*
 

 What winter had *made discovert,* -- *stripped*
 

 

On a May night, the poet lay alone, thinking of his lady, and all her beauty; and, falling asleep, he dreamed that he was in an island

 

 Where wall, and gate, was all of glass,
 

 And so was closed round about,
 

 That leaveless* none came in nor out; *without permission
 

 Uncouth and strange to behold;
 

 For ev'ry gate, of fine gold,
 

 A thousand fanes,* ay turning, *vanes, weathercocks
 

 Entuned* had, and birds singing *contrived so as to emit
 

 Diversely, on each fane a pair, a musical sound
 

 With open mouth, against the air; <1>
 

 And *of a suit* were all the tow'rs, *of the same plan*
 

 Subtilly *carven aft* flow'rs *carved to represent*
  

 Of uncouth colours, *during ay,* *lasting forever*
 

 That never be none seen in May,
 

 With many a small turret high;
 

 But man alive I could not sigh,* *see
 

 Nor creatures, save ladies play,* *disporting themselves
 

 Which were such of their array,
 

 That, as me thought, *of goodlihead* *for comeliness*
 

 They passed all, and womanhead.
 

 For to behold them dance and sing,
 

 It seemed like none earthly thing;