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Chaucer thus alludes to the good and pleasant old custom of going a Maying, in his "Court of Love:"
And forthe goeth alle the Courte, both moste and leste,
To fetch the flowirs freshe, and braunche and bloome,
And namely hawthorne brought both page and groome,
With freshe garlantis partly blew and white.
Spenser makes frequent mention of this fragrant Spring flower, both in his "Faëry Queen," and his poems of this world. The allusion I think most appropriate and beautiful, is this opening dialogue of the fifth "Æglogue," in his "Shepheard's Calender:"—
Palinode. Piers.
| Palinode. | Is not thilke the mery moneth of May, When love lads maskee in fresh aray? How falles it then, wee no merrier beene, Ylike as others, girt in gawdy greene? Our bloncket liveries bene all to sadde For thilke same season, when all is ycladde With pleasaunce; the ground with grasse, the woods With greene leaves, the bushes with bloosming buds. Youngthes folke now flocken in everie where To gather May buskets and smelling brere; And home they hasten the postes to dight, And all the kirk pillours eare day-light, With hawthorne-buds, and sweete eglantine, And girlonds of roses, and soppes in wine. Such merrimake holy Saints doth queme, But wee here sitten as drownde in dreme. |
| Piers. | For younkers, Palinode, such follies fitte, But wee tway bene men of elder witte. |
| Palinode. | Sicker this morrow, no lenger agoe, I sawe a shole of shepheardes outgoe, |
