He saw a quire of ladies in a round
  That featly footing seem’d to skim the ground: 
  Thus dancing hand in hand, so light they were,
  He knew not where they trod, on earth or air. 
  At speed he drove, and came a sudden guest,
  In hope where many women were, at least 220
  Some one by chance might answer his request. 
  But faster than his horse the ladies flew,
  And in a trice were vanish’d out of view.

    One only hag remain’d; but fouler far
  Than grandame apes in Indian forests are: 
  Against a wither’d oak she lean’d her weight,
  Propp’d on her trusty staff, not half upright,
  And dropp’d an awkward courtesy to the knight;
  Then said, What makes you, sir, so late abroad
  Without a guide, and this no beaten road? 230
  Or want you aught that here you hope to find,
  Or travel for some trouble in your mind? 
  The last I guess; and if I read aright,
  Those of our sex are bound to serve a knight;
  Perhaps good counsel may your grief assuage,
  Then tell your pain; for wisdom is in age.

    To this the knight:  Good mother, would you know
  The secret cause and spring of all my woe? 
  My life must with to-morrow’s light expire,
  Unless I tell what women most desire. 240
  Now could you help me at this hard essay,
  Or for your inborn goodness, or for pay;
  Yours is my life, redeem’d by your advice,
  Ask what you please, and I will pay the price;
  The proudest kerchief of the court shall rest
  Well satisfied of what they love the best. 
  Plight me thy faith, quoth she, that what I ask,
  Thy danger over, and perform’d thy task,
  That thou shalt give for hire of thy demand;
  Here take thy oath, and seal it on my hand; 250
  I warrant thee, on peril of my life,
  Thy words shall please both widow, maid, and wife.

    More words there needed not to move the knight
  To take her offer, and his truth to plight. 
  With that she spread a mantle on the ground,
  And, first inquiring whither he was bound,
  Bade him not fear, though long and rough the way,
  At court he should arrive ere break of day;
  His horse should find the way without a guide. 
  She said:  with fury they began to ride, 260
  He on the midst, the beldam at his side. 
  The horse what devil drove I cannot tell,
  But only this, they sped their journey well: 
  And all the way the crone inform’d the knight,
  How he should answer the demand aright.

    To court they came; the news was quickly spread
  Of his returning to redeem his head. 
  The female senate was assembled soon,
  With all the mob of women in the town: 
  The queen sat lord chief-justice of the hall, 270
  And bade the crier cite the criminal. 
  The knight appear’d; and silence they proclaim;
  Then first the culprit answer’d to his name: 
  And, after forms of law, was last required
  To name the thing that women most desired.