|
The norice of digestioun, the sleep, |
| Gan on hem wynke, and bad hem taken keep, |
| That muchel drynke and labour wolde han reste; |
| 350 | And with a galpyng mouth hem alle he keste, |
| And seyde that it was tyme to lye adoun, |
| For blood was in his domynacioun. |
| 'Cherisseth blood, natures freend,' quod he. |
| They thanken hym, galpynge, by two, by thre, |
| 355 | And every wight gan drawe hym to his reste, |
| As sleep hem bad; they tooke it for the beste. |
| Hir dremes shul nat been ytoold for me; |
| Ful were hir heddes of fumositee, |
| That causeth dreem, of which ther nys no charge. |
| 360 | They slepen til that it was pryme large, |
| The mooste part, but it were Canacee; |
| She was ful mesurable, as wommen be. |
| For of hir fader hadde she take leve |
| To goon to reste, soone after it was eve. |
| 365 | Hir liste nat appalled for to be, |
| Ne on the morwe unfeestlich for to se: |
| And slepte hir firste sleepe, and thanne awook; |
| For swich a joye she in hir herte took, |
| Bothe of hir queynte ryng and hire mirour, |
| 370 | That twenty tyme she changed hir colour, |
| And in hire sleep right for impressioun |
| Of hire mirrour she hadde a visioun. |
| Wherfore, er that the sonne gan up glyde, |
| She cleped on hir maistresse, hir bisyde, |
| 375 | And seyde, that hir liste for to ryse. |
|
| The nurse of good digestion, natural sleep, |
| Caused them to nod, and bade them they take keep |
| That labour and much drinking must have rest; |
| 350 | And with a gaping mouth all these he pressed, |
| And said that it was time they laid them down, |
| For blood was in the ascendant, as was shown, |
| And nature's friend, the blood, must honoured be. |
| They thanked him, gaping all, by two, by three, |
| 355 | And every one began to go to rest, |
| As sleep them bade; they took it for the best. |
| But here their dreams shall not by me be said; |
| The fumes of wine had filled each person's head, |
| Which cause senseless dreams at any time. |
| 360 | They slept next morning till the hour of prime, |
| That is, the others, but not Canace; |
| She was right temperate, as women be. |
| For of her father had she taken leave, |
| To go to rest, soon after it was eve; |
| 365 | For neither pale nor languid would she be, |
| Nor wear a weary look for men to see; |
| But slept her first deep sleep and then awoke. |
| For so much joy upon her heart there broke |
| When she looked on the mirror and the ring |
| 370 | That twenty times she flushed, and sleep did bring- |
| So strong an impress had the mirror made- |
| A vision of it to the slumbering maid. |
| Wherefore, ere up the sun began to glide, |
| She called her mistress, sleeping there beside, |
| 375 | And said to her that she was pleased to rise. |
|
