To write them all it will not be ;
But ha ha! ha! full well is me,
For I am now at liberty.

Every thing that fair. doth shew,
When proof is made it proveth not so;
But turneth mirth to bitter woe,
Which in this case full well I see;
But ha ha ha! full well is me,
For I am now at liberty.

Too great desire was my guide,
And wanton will went by my side,
Hope ruled still and made me bide,
Of Love's craft the extremity.

But ha ha! ha! full well is me,

For I am now at liberty.

With feigned words, which were but wind,

To long delays I was assign'd;

Her wily looks my wits did blind;

Thus as she would I did agree.
But ha ha ha! full well is me,

For I am now at liberty.

Was never bird tangled in lime That brake away in better time, Than I, that rotten boughs did climb, And had no hurt but scaped free. Now ha ha! ha! full well is me, For I am now at liberty.

THE LOVER PRAYETH

THAT HIS LADY'S HEART MIGHT BE ENFLAMED WITH EQUAL AFFECTION.

LOVE doth again

Put me to pain,
And yet all is but lost.
I serve in vain,

And am certain,

Of all misliked most.

Both heat and cold

Doth so me hold,

And comber so my mind;
That whom I should

Speak and behold,

It driveth me still behind.

My wits be past,

My life doth waste,

My comfort is exiled;

And I in haste,

Am like to taste

How love hath me beguiled.

Unless that right

May in her sight

Obtain pity and grace;

Why should a wight

Have beauty bright,

If mercy have no place.

Yet I, alas!

Am in such case;

That back I cannot go;

But still forth trace

A patient pace,

And suffer secret woe.

For with the wind

My fired mind

Doth still inflame;

And she unkind

That did me bind,

Doth turn it all to game.

Yet can no pain

Make me refrain,

Nor here and there to range;

I shall retain

Hope to obtain

Her heart that is so strange.

But I require

The painful fire,

That oft doth make me sweat;

For all my ire,

With like desire,

To give her heart a heat.

Then she shall prove

How I her love,

And what I have offer'd;

Which should her move,

For to remove

The pains that I have suffer'd.

And better fee

Than she gave me,

She shall of me attain;

For whereas she

Shewed cruelty,

She shall my heart obtain.

THE DISDAINFUL LADY REFUSING TO HEAR

HER LOVER'S SUIT, HE RESOLVETH TO FORSAKE HER.

Now all of change

Must be my song,

And from my bond now must I break ;

Since she so strange,

Unto my wrong,

Doth stop her ears, to hear me speak.

Yet none doth know

So well as she,

My grief, which can have no restraint;

That fain would follow,

Now needs must flee,

For fault of ear unto my plaint.

I am not he

By false assays,

Nor feigned faith can bear in hand;

Though most I see

That such always

Are best for to be understand.

But I that truth

Hath always meant,

Doth still proceed to serve in vain :

Desire pursueth

My time mispent,

And doth not pass upon my pain.

Of Fortune's might

That each compels,

And me the most, it doth suffice;

Now for my right

To ask nought else

But to withdraw this enterprise.

And for the gain

Of that good hour,

Which of my woe shall be relief;

I shall refrain

By painful power,

The thing that most hath been my grief.

I shall not miss

To exercise

The help thereof which doth me teach,

That after this

In any wise

To keep right within my reach.

And she unjust

Which feareth not

In this her fame to be defiled,

Yet once I trust

Shall be my lot

To quite the craft that me beguiled.