O yonge fresshe folkes, he or she, In which that love…

O yonge fresshe folkes, he or she,
In which that love up-groweth with your age,
Repeyreth hoom fro worldly vanitee,
And of your herte up-casteth the visage
To thilke God that after his image
Yow made, and thynketh al nis but a faire
This world, that passeth sone as floures faire.

Sourced, Troilus and Criseyde
(1385)

Book 5, l. 1835-1841

Other Geoffrey Chaucer Quotes

Soun is noght but air ybroken,
And every speche that is spoken,
Loud or privee, foul or fair,
In his substaunce is but air;
For as flaumbe is but lighted smoke,
Right so soun is air ybroke. - View Quote Details on Soun is noght but air ybroken,
And every speche that is…
Forbede us thing, and that desiren we;
Preesse on us faste, and thanne wol we flee.
With daunger oute we al oure chaffare:
Greet prees at market maketh dere ware,
And too greet chepe is holden at litel pris. - View Quote Details on Forbede us thing, and that desiren we;
Preesse on us faste,…
He coude songes make, and wel endite. - View Quote Details on He coude songes make, and wel endite.
Mordre wol out, that se we day by day. - View Quote Details on Mordre wol out, that se we day by day.
This noble ensample to his shepe he yaf,—
That first he wrought, and afterwards he taught. - View Quote Details on This noble ensample to his shepe he yaf,—
That first he…
The gretteste clerkes been noght wisest men. - View Quote Details on The gretteste clerkes been noght wisest men.
Nowher so bisy a man as he ther nas,
And yet he semed bisier than he was. - View Quote Details on Nowher so bisy a man as he ther nas,
And yet…
For I am shave as neigh as any frere.
But yit I praye unto youre curteisye:
Beeth hevy again, or elles moot I die. - View Quote Details on For I am shave as neigh as any frere.
But yit…
What is this world? what asketh men to have?
Now with his love, now in his colde grave
Allone, withouten any compaignye. - View Quote Details on What is this world? what asketh men to have?
Now with…
For thogh we slepe, or wake, or rome, or ryde,
Ay fleeth the tyme; it nyl no man abyde. - View Quote Details on For thogh we slepe, or wake, or rome, or ryde,
Ay…