Thus while she spoke a sidelong glance she cast, Where Damian, kneeling, worshipp'd as she pass'd. 600 She saw him watch the motions of her eye, And singled out a pear-tree planted nigh: 'Twas charged with fruit that made a goodly show, And hung with dangling pears was every bough. Thither th' obsequious squire address'd his pace, And, climbing, in the summit took his place; The knight and lady walk'd beneath in view, Where let us leave them and our tale pursue.
'Twas now the season when the glorious sun His heavenly progress through the Twins had run; 610 And Jove, exalted, his mild influence yields, To glad the glebe, and paint the flowery fields: Clear was the day, and Phoebus, rising bright, Had streak'd the azure firmament with light; He pierced the glittering clouds with golden streams, And warm'd the womb of earth with genial beams.
It so befell, in that fair morning tide, The fairies sported on the garden side, And in the midst their monarch and his bride. So featly tripp'd the light-foot ladies round, 620 The knights so nimbly o'er the greensward bound, That scarce they bent the flowers or touch'd the ground. The dances ended, all the fairy train For pinks and daisies search'd the flowery plain; While on a bank reclined of rising green, Thus, with a frown, the king bespoke his queen:
''Tis too apparent, argue what you can, The treachery you women use to man: A thousand authors have this truth made out, And sad experience leaves no room for doubt. 630
'Heaven rest thy spirit, noble Solomon! A wiser monarch never saw the sun: All wealth, all honours, the supreme degree Of earthly bliss, was well bestow'd on thee! For sagely hast thou said, Of all mankind, One only just, and righteous, hope to find: But shouldst thou search the spacious world around, Yet one good woman is not to be found.
'Thus says the king, who knew your wickedness; The son of Sirach testifies no less. 640 So may some wild-fire on your bodies fall, Or some devouring plague consume you all; As well you view the lecher in the tree, And well this honourable knight you see: But, since he's blind and old (a helpless case), His squire shall cuckold him before your face.
'Now by my own dread majesty I swear, And by this awful sceptre which I bear, No impious wretch shall 'scape unpunish'd long, That in my presence offers such a wrong. 650 I will this instant undeceive the knight, And in the very act restore his sight: And set the strumpet here in open view, A warning to these ladies, and to you, And all the faithless sex, for ever to be true.'