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13. To His Mistress
Chaucer.
LADY of pite for þy sorowes þat þou haddest
ffor Ihesu þy son in tyme of hys passion
haue rewthe of me that ys most maddest
In loue to wryte & shew myn entencion
To her that hath my lyfe in correccion
Bothe lyfe & dethe all ys at her wyll
Now helpe me lady & let me nat spyll
ffor Ihesu þy son in tyme of hys passion
haue rewthe of me that ys most maddest
In loue to wryte & shew myn entencion
To her that hath my lyfe in correccion
Bothe lyfe & dethe all ys at her wyll
Now helpe me lady & let me nat spyll
Allas howe myght I wryte my souerayn for to plese
Or in what maner to cause her on me rewe
Allas for fere I quake. my hert ys nat at ese
My hande doth tremble my ioy ys leyde in mewe
Ther to abyde tyll that my swetyng trewe
Me haue relesyd/ but worst ys þat I dowte
That she my payne & labour set at noughte
Or in what maner to cause her on me rewe
Allas for fere I quake. my hert ys nat at ese
My hande doth tremble my ioy ys leyde in mewe
Ther to abyde tyll that my swetyng trewe
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That she my payne & labour set at noughte
Most souerayn most sormountyng in goodnes
O intemerat Iunyper & daysy delycious
My trust my helthe my cordiall founderes
O medycyne sanatyf my infyrmynat langours
O confortable creature of louers amerous
O excellent herber of louely countenaunce
Ye regystre my loue in your remembraunce
O intemerat Iunyper & daysy delycious
My trust my helthe my cordiall founderes
O medycyne sanatyf my infyrmynat langours
O confortable creature of louers amerous
O excellent herber of louely countenaunce
Ye regystre my loue in your remembraunce
My wyt my þought and myne entencion
Ys forto plese yow mastres souerayn
And for your loue þorough many a Region
I wold be exyled so ye wold nat dysdayn
To haue pyte on me when I complayn
In wele and wo to suffre perturbaunce
So þat ye wold haue me in remembraunce
Ys forto plese yow mastres souerayn
And for your loue þorough many a Region
I wold be exyled so ye wold nat dysdayn
To haue pyte on me when I complayn
In wele and wo to suffre perturbaunce
So þat ye wold haue me in remembraunce
My payne ys preuy impossible to dyscerne
My lamentable thoughtes byn cast in mornyng
O generall Iuge whyche syttyst superne
Gracyosly graunt me loue of þys mayde ying
O amiable mastres gracious and benygne
I put me holy in your gouernaunce
Exyle me nat out of your remembraunce
My lamentable thoughtes byn cast in mornyng
O generall Iuge whyche syttyst superne
Gracyosly graunt me loue of þys mayde ying
O amiable mastres gracious and benygne
I put me holy in your gouernaunce
Exyle me nat out of your remembraunce
What myght hit be þat brought me in þys daunce
Couetyse or Ryches or byrthe of hygh lynage
Nay nothyng elles safe your womanly contenaunce
Your condicions your maners wyse and sage
Benygne & curteyse thys encreseth your age
These virtues reportyd to me & shewyd clere
By oon þat ye know for a curteyse Bachelere.
Couetyse or Ryches or byrthe of hygh lynage
Nay nothyng elles safe your womanly contenaunce
Your condicions your maners wyse and sage
Benygne & curteyse thys encreseth your age
These virtues reportyd to me & shewyd clere
By oon þat ye know for a curteyse Bachelere.
But mastresse as for my part let þe world wag
I woll nat be yokyd but I coude draw
I haue nat vsyd to bost nor to brag
Nor false of my worde hit ys no louers law
Wherfore I feyne me & mysylf withdraw
As for a whyle & put yow out of dowt
Though I lak yow yet shall I nat be withowt
I woll nat be yokyd but I coude draw
I haue nat vsyd to bost nor to brag
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Wherfore I feyne me & mysylf withdraw
As for a whyle & put yow out of dowt
Though I lak yow yet shall I nat be withowt
Yet for the good wyll þat ye haue me shewyd
I wyll do any thyng þat myght yow please
As well as he on whom your loue ys bestowyd
Though hit were to me hurt & gret vnease
But as for your loue. do as yow please
And as for your euyll wyll þerof woll I non
ffor hit were ouermoche ij dogges ouer o boon
I wyll do any thyng þat myght yow please
As well as he on whom your loue ys bestowyd
Though hit were to me hurt & gret vnease
But as for your loue. do as yow please
And as for your euyll wyll þerof woll I non
ffor hit were ouermoche ij dogges ouer o boon
Now mastresse syth hit ys nat your pleasure
Of loue nolengor to kepe contynuaunce
What noforce go all at auenture
I cannat make stabyll þat ys full of variaunce
But oon þyng masteras haue in your rememb[ra]unce
ffor to loue yow I woll do my deueure
And to trust yow whyle my lyfe endure
Of loue nolengor to kepe contynuaunce
What noforce go all at auenture
I cannat make stabyll þat ys full of variaunce
But oon þyng masteras haue in your rememb[ra]unce
ffor to loue yow I woll do my deueure
And to trust yow whyle my lyfe endure
The Retor Tullius so gay of eloquence
And Ouide that sheweth þe craft of loue expresse
With habundaunce of Salomons sapience
And pulcrytude of Absolons fayrenesse
And were possessyd with Iobys gret rychesse
Manly as Sampson my person to auaunce
Yet wold I submyt me in your remembraunce
And Ouide that sheweth þe craft of loue expresse
With habundaunce of Salomons sapience
And pulcrytude of Absolons fayrenesse
And were possessyd with Iobys gret rychesse
Manly as Sampson my person to auaunce
Yet wold I submyt me in your remembraunce
Explicit
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