ANONYMOUS
BYTUENE Mershe ant Averil
When spray biginneth to spring,
The lutel foul hath hire wyl
On hyre lud[1] to synge:
Ich libbe[2] in love-longinge
For semlokest[3] of alle thynge,
He[4] may me blisse bringe,
Icham in hire bandoun.[5]
An hendy[6] hap ichabbe y-hent,[7]
Ichot[8] from hevene it is me sent,
From alle wymmen my love is
Ant lyht[9] on Alisoun.
On heu hire her[10] is fayr ynoh,
Hire browe broune, hire eye blake;
With lossum[11] chere he on me loh;[12]
With middel smal ant wel y-make;
Bote he[13] me wolle to hire take
For to buen[14] hire owen make,[15]
Long to lyven ichulle forsake
Ant feye[16] fallen adoun.
An hendy hap, etc.
Nihtes[17] when I wende[18] and wake,
For-thi[19] myn wonges waxeth won;[20]
- ↑ on hyre lud] in her language.
- ↑ ich libbe] I live.
- ↑ semlokest] seemliest.
- ↑ he] she.
- ↑ bandoun] thraldom.
- ↑ hendy] gracious.
- ↑ y-hent] seized, enjoyed.
- ↑ ichot] I wot
- ↑ lyht] alighted.
- ↑ hire her] her hair.
- ↑ lossum] lovesome.
- ↑ loh] laughed.
- ↑ bote he] unless she.
- ↑ buen] be.
- ↑ make] mate.
- ↑ feye] like to die.
- ↑ nihtes] at night.
- ↑ wende] turn.
- ↑ for-thi] on that account.
- ↑ wonges waxeth won] cheeks grow wan.
