e imaginary persons addressing the relater as
"Daughter." In the adventure, which is simply the witnessing a Vision,
there is nothing that might not as well have happened to Chaucer himself
as to dame or damsel.

In a sweet season of spring, a lady who, for some cause unknown to
herself, cannot sleep, rises at the peep of day, and wanders out into a
lofty and pleasant grove, where a slender unworn path, not easily seen,
leads her to a fair arbour of elaborate workmanship, and so framed as that
the sitter within sees, unseen, whatsoever passes without; adjoining which
is a singularly beautiful medlar-tree in full blossom. A goldfinch leaps
from bough to bough, eating buds and blossoms his fill, and then sings
most 'passing sweetly,' and is answered by an unseen nightingale, in a
note 'so merry' that all the wood rang again. Whilst the lady adventuress
sits upon the turfed seat listening, a new burst, as if of angelical
voices, is heard. The harmony proceeds from "a world of ladies," who march
out from a neighbouring grove, clad in richly-jewelled surcoats of white
velvet, each wearing on her head a chaplet of green leaves, laurel, or
woodbine, or Agnus Castus. They dance and sing soberly, surrounding one
who wears on her head a crown of gold, has a branch of Agnus Castus in her
hand, excels them all in beauty, appears to be their queen, and sings a
roundel having some allusion to the Green Leaf, and advance, dancing and
singing, into a meadow fronting the arbour. The song is not given--its
name is in half unintelligible French. Now a thundering of trumpets is
heard: and innumerable "men of arms" issue from the grove from which the
ladies came. Trumpets, kings-of-arms, heralds, and pursuivants clad in
white, and wearing chaplets of leaves, ride foremost. Then follow Nine
Knights magnificently armed, excepting that on their unhelmed heads are
set crowns of laurel. Upon each three henchmen attend, clad in white, with
green chaplets, and severally carrying the casque, the shield, and the
lance of him they serve. Last, issue a great rout of knights,
well-mounted, wearing chaplets, and bearing boughs of oak, laurel,
hawthorn, woodbine, and other kinds. They joust gallantly for an hour or
more: the laurel-wearers overbearing all opposition. At last, the whole
company dismount, and move by two and two towards the ladies, who, at
their approach, break off song and dance, and go to meet them. Every lady
takes a knight by the hand,