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Malory, Le Morte d'Arthur, Book XVII
May. 1st, 2019 10:01 pmAnd thus it passed on from Candlemas until after Easter, that the month of May was come, when every lusty heart beginneth to blossom and to burgeon.
For, like as trees and herbs burgeoneth and flourisheth in May, in like wise every lusty heart that is any manner of lover springeth, burgeoneth, buddeth and flourisheth in lusty deeds. For it giveth unto all lovers corrayge, that lusty month of May, in something to constrayne them to some manner of thing more in that month than in any other month, for diverse causes: for then all herbs and trees reneweth a man and a woman, and in like wise lovers calleth to their mind old gentilness and old service, and many kind deeds that was forgotten by negligence.
For, like as winter rasure doth always erase and deface green summer, so fareth it by unstable love in man and woman, for in many persons there is no stability, but it is feebleness of nature and great disworship, whosomever useth this.
Therefore, like as May month flowereth and flourisheth in every man's garden, so in like wise let every man of worship flourish his heart in this world: first unto God, and next unto the joy of them that he promised his faith unto; for there was never worshipful man nor worshipful woman but they loved one better than another; and worship in arms may never be foiled. But first reserve the honour to God, and secondly thy quarrel must come of thy lady. And such love I call virtuous love.
But nowadays men can not love sevennight but they must have all their desires. That love may not endure by reason, for where they be soon accorded and hasty, heat soon cooleth. And right so fareth the love nowadays, soon hot soon cold. This is no stability. But the old love was not so. For men and women could love together seven years, and no lykerous lusts was between them, and then was love truth and faithfulness. And so in like wise was used such love in King Arthur's days.
Wherefore I liken love nowadays unto summer and winter: for like as the one is cold and the other is hot, so fareth love nowadays. And therefore all ye that be lovers, call unto your remembrance the month of May, like as did Queen Guenyver, for whom I make here a little mention, that while she lived she was a true lover, and therefore she had a good end.
For, like as trees and herbs burgeoneth and flourisheth in May, in like wise every lusty heart that is any manner of lover springeth, burgeoneth, buddeth and flourisheth in lusty deeds. For it giveth unto all lovers corrayge, that lusty month of May, in something to constrayne them to some manner of thing more in that month than in any other month, for diverse causes: for then all herbs and trees reneweth a man and a woman, and in like wise lovers calleth to their mind old gentilness and old service, and many kind deeds that was forgotten by negligence.
For, like as winter rasure doth always erase and deface green summer, so fareth it by unstable love in man and woman, for in many persons there is no stability, but it is feebleness of nature and great disworship, whosomever useth this.
Therefore, like as May month flowereth and flourisheth in every man's garden, so in like wise let every man of worship flourish his heart in this world: first unto God, and next unto the joy of them that he promised his faith unto; for there was never worshipful man nor worshipful woman but they loved one better than another; and worship in arms may never be foiled. But first reserve the honour to God, and secondly thy quarrel must come of thy lady. And such love I call virtuous love.
But nowadays men can not love sevennight but they must have all their desires. That love may not endure by reason, for where they be soon accorded and hasty, heat soon cooleth. And right so fareth the love nowadays, soon hot soon cold. This is no stability. But the old love was not so. For men and women could love together seven years, and no lykerous lusts was between them, and then was love truth and faithfulness. And so in like wise was used such love in King Arthur's days.
Wherefore I liken love nowadays unto summer and winter: for like as the one is cold and the other is hot, so fareth love nowadays. And therefore all ye that be lovers, call unto your remembrance the month of May, like as did Queen Guenyver, for whom I make here a little mention, that while she lived she was a true lover, and therefore she had a good end.
