BYTUENE Mershe ant Averil When spray biginneth to spring, On hyre lud to synge: From alle wymmen my love is lent On heu hire her is fayr ynoh, Hire browe broune, hire eye blake ; With middel smal ant wel y-make; Bote he me wolle to hire take For to buen hire owen make, Long to lyven ichulle forsake An hendy hap, etc. Nihtes when I wende and wake, For-thi myn wonges waxeth won ; C. 1300 bote he] unless she. make] mate. feye] like to die. nihtes] at night. wende] turn. for-thi] on that account. waxeth won] cheeks grow wan wonges Levedi, al for thine sake In world his non so wyter mon Hire swyre is whittore than the swon, Ant feyrest may in toune. Icham for wowyng al for-wake, Herkne to my roun An hendy hap, etc. 3. Spring-tide LENTEN ys come with love to toune, With blosmen ant with briddes roune, Dayes-eyes in this dales, Notes suete of nyhtegales, Vch foul song singeth; 2. levedi] lady. wise a man. with vigils. y-lent me on] arrived to me. swyre] neck. may] maid. C. 1300 so wyter mon] so for-wake] worn out geynest so water in wore] as water in a weir. reve] rob. y-yerned yore] long been distressed. tholien] to endure. under gore] comeliest under woman's apparel. roun] tale, lay. 3. to toune] in its turn. The threstlecoc him threteth oo, Away is huere wynter wo, When woderove springeth; The rose rayleth hire rode, Ase strem that striketh stille, For loue that likes ille. The mone mandeth hire lyht, huere] their. woderove] him threteth oo] is aye chiding them. woodruff. ferly fele] marvellous many. wlyteth] whistle, or look. rayleth hire rode] clothes herself in red. mandeth hire bleo] sends forth her light. lossom to seo] lovesome to see. fille] thyme. wowes] woo. miles] males. murgeth] make merry. makes] mates. striketh] flows, trickles. moody man makes moan. one of them. mody meneth] the so doth mo] so do many. on of tho] breme] lustily. deores] dears, lovers. tales. domes forte deme] for to give (decide) their decisions. dank. 4. Wormes woweth under cloude, Blow, Northern Wind ICHOT a burde in boure bryht, Menskful maiden of myht; Feir ant fre to fonde; Never yete y nuste non Lussomore in londe. Blou northerne wynd! Send thou me my suetyng! C. 1300 Blou northerne wynd! blou, blou, blou ! With lokkes lefliche ant longe, With frount ant face feir to fonge, With murthes monie mote heo monge, 3. cloude] clod. 1 will forgo. wunne weole] wealth of joy. wyht] wight. fleme] banished. 4. Ichot] I know. burde] maiden. y wole forgon] menskful] worshipful. wurhliche] noble. won] lussomore in londe] lovelier feir] fair. multitude. on earth. fonde] take, prove. y nuste] I knew not. brid] bird. suetyng] sweetheart. lefliche] lovely. fonge] take between hands. murthes] mirths, joys. mote heo monge] may she mingle. breme] full of life. With lossom eye grete ant gode, Blou northerne wynd, etc. Hire lure lumes liht Ase a launterne a nyht, So feyr heo is ant fyn. A suetly swyre heo hath to holde, Heo is coral of godnesse, Ant baner of bealtè. Heo is lilie of largesse, Heo is parvenke of prouesse, Heo is solsecle of suetnesse, For hire love y carke ant care, For hire love my blisse is bare Ant al ich waxe won, |