From Geoffrey Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales", The Wife of Bath's Tale, lines 863-887

From The Canterbury Tales:
The Wife of Bath's Tale
lines 863-887: Introduction

	In th'olde dayes of the Kyng Arthour,
	Of which that Britons speken greet honour,
865	All was this land fulfild of fayerye.
	The elf-queene, with hir joly compaignye,
	Daunced ful ofte in many a grene mede.
	This was the olde opinion, as I rede;
	I speke of manye hundred yeres ago.
870	But now kan no man se none elves mo,
	For now the grete charitee and prayeres
	Of lymytours and othere hooly freres,
	That serchen every lond and every streem,
	As thikke as motes in the sonne-beem,
875	Blessynge halles, chambres, kichenes, boures,
	Citees, burghes, castels, hye toures,
	Thropes, bernes, shipnes, dayeryes,
	This maketh that ther been no fayeryes.
	For ther as wont to walken was an elf,
880	Ther walketh now the lymytour hymself
	In undermeles and in morwenynges,
	And seyth his matyns and his hooly thynges
	As he gooth in his lymytacioun.
	Wommen may go saufly up and doun.
885	In every bussh or under every tree
	Ther is noon oother incubus but he,
	And he ne wol doon hem but dishonour.

	Now in the olden days of King Arthur,
	Of whom the Britons speak with great honour,
865	All this wide land was land of faery.
	The elf-queen, with her jolly company,
	Danced oftentimes on many a green mead;
	This was the old opinion, as I read.
	I speak of many hundred years ago;
870	But now no man can see the elves, you know.
	For now the so-great charity and prayers
	Of limiters and other holy friars
	That do infest each land and every stream
	As thick as motes are in a bright sunbeam,
875	Blessing halls, chambers, kitchens, ladies' bowers,
	Cities and towns and castles and high towers,
	Manors and barns and stables, aye and dairies -
	This causes it that there are now no fairies.
	For where was wont to walk full many an elf,
880	Right there walks now the limiter himself
	In noons and afternoons and in mornings,
	Saying his matins and such holy things,
	As he goes round his district in his gown.
	Women may now go safely up and down,
885	In every copse or under every tree;
	There is no other incubus, than he,
	And would do them nothing but dishonour.