The Romaunt of the Rose
( A, Vv. 1-34)

Many men sayn that in sweveninges
Ther nys but fables and lesynges;
But men may some sweven[es] sen
Which hardely that false ne ben,
But afterward ben apparaunt.
This may I drawe to warraunt
An authour that hight Macrobes,
That halt nat dremes false ne lees,
But undoth us the avysioun
That whilom mette kyng Cipioun.
And whoso saith or weneth be
A jape, or elles nycete,
To wene that dremes after falle,
Let whoso lyste a fol me calle.
For this trowe I, and say for me,
That dremes signifiaunce be
Of good and harm to many wightes

That dremen in her slep a-nyghtes
Ful many thynges covertly
That fallen after al openly.
Within my twenty yer of age,
Whan that Love taketh his cariage
Of yonge folk, I wente soone
To bedde, as I was wont to done,
And faste I slepte; and in slepyng
Me mette such a swevenyng
That lyked me wonders wel.
But in that sweven is never a del
That nys afterward befalle,
Ryght as this drem wol tel us alle.
Now this drem wol I ryme aright
To make your hertes gaye and lyght,
For Love it prayeth, and also
Commaundeth me that it be so.

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