He. Mine own dear love, I see the prove Of maid, of wife, in all my life, The best that ever I knew. Be merry and glad; be no more sad; For it were ruth that for your truth I will not to the green-wood go; She. These tidings be more glad to me If I were sure they should endure; When men will break promise they speak The wordis on the splene. Ye shape some wile me to beguile, Then were the case worse than it was, And I more wo-begone : For, in my mind, of all mankind He. Ye shall not nede further to drede: You (God defend), sith you descend Of so great a linage. Now understand: to Westmoreland, Which is my heritage, on the splene] that is, in haste. 26. I will you bring; and with a ring, I will you take, and lady make, Thus have you won an Earles son, Here may ye see that women be But rather pray God that we may Which sometime proveth such as He loveth, For sith men would that women should Much more ought they to God obey, As ye came from the Holy Land AS ye came from the holy land Of Walsinghame, Met you not with my true love By the way as you came? How should I know your true love, That have met many a one As I came from the holy land, 16th Cent She is neither white nor brown, But as the heavens fair; Such a one did I meet, good sir, Such an angelic face, Who like a nymph, like a queen, did appear In her gait, in her grace. She hath left me here alone All alone, as unknown, Who sometime did me lead with herself, What's the cause that she leaves you And a new way doth take, alone That sometime did love you as her own, I have loved her all my youth, Know that Love is a careless child, His desire is a dureless content, He is won with a world of despair, 27. 28. Of womenkind such indeed is the love, But true love is a durable fire, In the mind ever burning, The Lover in Winter Plaineth for O the Spring 16th Cent. (?) WESTERN wind, when wilt thou blow Balow BALOW, my babe, lie still and sleep! 16th Cent. It grieves me sore to see thee weep. When he began to court my love, But now I see most cruellye Lie still, my darling, sleep awhile, I cannot choose but ever will But do not, do not, pretty mine, And never change her for a new: Bairn, by thy face I will beware; Like Sirens' words, I'll come not near; |