University of Virginia Library

Þanne hadde þis menskful melior maydenes fele
a-segned hire to serue & to seuwe hire a-boute;
but among alle þe maidenes most sche loued one
þat was a digne damisele to deme al þe soþe,
& komen of hire oune kin h[er]e kosin ful nere,
of lumbardie a dukes douȝter ful derworþ in wede,
& þat amiabul maide alisaundrine a-hiȝt.
& from þe time þat melior gan morne so strong,
þat burde was euer hire bi busy hire to plese,
More þan ani oþer damisele so moche sche hire louede.
& whan sche seiȝ here so sek sche seide on a time,
“Now for marie, madame þe milde quene of heuene,
& for þat loue þat ȝe loue leliest here in erþe,
Seiȝth me al ȝour seknesse & what so sore ȝow greuis.
ȝe knowen icham ȝour kosyn & bi krist of heuene,
ȝut bi cas of cunsail ful wel can ich hele,
& be tristy and trew to ȝow for euer-more,
and help ȝow hasteli at al ȝoure hele to gete,
ȝif ȝe saie me ȝoure sores & ich se what may gayne.”
whan melior þat meke mayde herd alisaundrines wordes,
sche was gretly gladed of hire gode bi-hest,
& wiþ a sad sikyng seide to hire þanne;—
“a! curteyse cosyne crist mot þe it ȝelde
of þi kynde cumfort þat þow me kuþest nowþe,
þow hast warsched me wel wiþ þi mede wordes.
I ȝiue me al in þi grace to gete me sum hele,
as þow me here has be-hiȝt of mi harde peynes;
now wol i telle þe my tene wat so tide after.
serteynly þis seknesse þat so sore me greues
Is feller þan any frek þat euer ȝit hadde.
& ofter þan [ten] times hit takeþ me a-daye,
& [ix.] times on þe niȝt nouȝt ones lesse;
and al comes of a þroly þouȝt þat þirles min hert;
I wold meng al mi mater ȝif i miȝt for schame.
ac wond wold ich nouȝt to þe witow for soþe,
ay whan ich hent þe haches þat so hard aren.
It komses of a kene þouȝt þat ich haue in hert
of william þat bold barn þat alle burnes praisen;
nis no man vpon mold þat more worchip winnes.
him so propirli haue i peinted & portreide in herte,
þat me semes in my siȝt he sittes euer meke.
what man so ich mete wiþ or mele wiþ speche,
Me þinkes euerich þrowe þat barn is þat oþer;
& fele times haue ich fonded to flitte it fro þouȝt,
but witerly al in wast þan worche ich euer.
þer-for, curteise cosynes for loue of crist in heuene,
Kiþe nouȝ þI kindenes & konseyle me þe best;
For but ich haue bote of mi bale bi a schort time,
I am ded as dore-nail now do al þi wille!”