text:  Nevertheless even here when Chaucer is nearest home taking his subject in his own day and putting his own friend and patron in verse there is a trick of the riddling faculty since the Blacke Knight lodging during the love-month of May in the greenwood and bemoaning all day long his hard love-hap represents it is presumed old stout John of Gaunt in love who might utter his passion uncertain of requital "In groans that thunder love in sighs of fire;" but who most assuredly did not build himself a forest bower and annually retire from court and castle to spend there a lovesick May