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46. A Love Message to My Lady

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MS. Douce 326 (Sum. Catal. No. 21900)

Goe, lytyll byll, & doe me recommende
Vn-to my lady with godely countynaunce,
ffor, trusty messanger, I the sende.
Pray her that sche make puruyaunce;
ffor my love, thurgh her sufferaunce,
In her Bosome desyreth to reste,
ssyth off all women I loue here beste.
sshe ys lylly off redolence,
Wych only may doe me plesure;
she is the rose off conffydence,
Most conffortyng to my nature.
Vn-to that lady I me assure,
I wyll hur loue and neuer mo—
Goe, lytyll byll, and sey hur so.
she restyd in my remembraunce,
Day other nyght wher-so I be;
It ys my specyall dalyaunce
for to remembyr hur bewte;
she is enprentyd in ych degre
With yftis of nature in-explycable,
And eke of grace incomparable.
The cause þerfor, yf she wyll wytt,
Wyll I presume on sych a flowre
ssay, off hyr, for yt ys I-wrytt,
she is þe feyrest paramour
And to man in ych langour

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Most souerayne medyatryce.
Ther-ffor I loue þat flowre of pryce.
Her bewte holy to dyscryve
Who is she that may ssuffyce?
ffor-soth no clerk þat is on lyve,
ssyth she is only withowtyn vyce;
Her flauour excedith the fflowr-delyce.
Afore all flowris I haue hur chose
Enterely in myn herte to close.
Hyr I beseche, seth I not feyne
Butt only putt me in hur grace,
That off me she not dysdeyne,
Takyng regarde at old trespace;
seth myn entent in euery place
sshall be to doe hur obeysaunce
And hur to loue saunce varyaunce.