For a last instance take another reverdie theme, a May
song in prose from Malory. It is at the close of the eighteenth
book and forms a complete chapter in itself--"How true
love is likened to summer."

"The month of May was come, when every lusty heart
beginneth to blossom and to bring forth fruit; for like as herbs
and trees bring forth fruit and flourish in May, in likewise
every lusty heart, that is in any manner a lover, springeth and
flourisheth in lusty deed. For it giveth unto all lovers
courage, that lusty month of May, in some thing to constrain
him to some manner of thing, more in that month than in any
other month, for divers causes. For then all herbs and trees
renew a man and woman, and in likewise lovers call again to
their mind old gentleness and old service, and many kind deeds
that were forgotten by negligence. For like as winter rasure
doth always arase and deface green summer, so fareth it by
unstable love in man and woman. For in many persons
there is no stability, for we may see all day, for a little blast
of winter's rasure, anon we shall deface and lay apart true
love for little or nought, that cost much thing.

No need to complete the chapter. Taken to pieces its
love-litany in movement and detail rather suggests an anti-
phonic origin, and the praise of love sung by two shepherds
or lovers in alternate staves. A modern verse-writer has
attempted to translate its terms into the lyric form--a
reconversion, which may serve in passing to illustrate the
adaptation of reverdie and love-song motives by these old
romancers--

"Like as herb and tree in May
Flourish from the root,--
Every lusty heart must rise
And start to love and fare likewise
Flower first, then fruit."

These early romances show us, in fact, the perfect interaction
of the lyric and narrative modes; and they are of signal value
in the account as forerunners of the ballads, whose repertory
and whose lyric dialect they helped to form.

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