O! lost service! O pain ill rewarded!
O! pitiful heart! with pain enlarged!
O! faithful mind! too suddenly assented!
Return, alas! sithens thou art not regarded.
Too great a proof of true faith presented,
Causeth by right such faith to be repented.
O cruel causer of undeserved change,
By great desire unconstantly to range,
Is this your way for proof of steadfastness?
Perdie! you know, the thing was not so strange,
By former proof too much my faithfulness;
What needeth then such coloured doubleness?
I have wailed thus, weeping in nightly pain,
In sobs, and sighs, alas! and all in vain,
In inward plaint, and hearts woful torment.
And yet, alas! lo! cruelty and disdain
Have set at nought a faithful true intent,
And price hath privilege truth to prevent.
But though I starve, and to my death still mourn And piecemeal in pieces though I be torn;
And though I die, yielding my wearied ghost,
Shall never thing again make me return.
of that that I have lost
To whom so ever lust for to prove most.
A COMPLAINT OF HIS LADY'S CRUELTY
SINCE ye delight to know,
That my torment and woe
Should still increase
Without release,
I shall enforce me so,
That life and all shall go
For to content your cruelness.
And so this grievous train,
That I too long sustain,
Shall sometime cesse,
And have redress,
And you also remain,
Full pleased with my pain,
For to content your cruelness.
Unless that be too light,
And that ye would ye might,
See the distress,
And heaviness,
Of one slain out right,
Therewith to please your sight,
And to content your cruelness.
Then in your cruel mood
Would God! forthwith ye would
With force express,
My heart oppress,
To do your heart such good,
To see me bathe in blood,
For to content your cruelness.
Then could ye ask no more;
Then should ye ease my sore,
And the excess
Of my distress;
And you should evermore
Defamed be therefore,
For to repent your cruelness.
OF THE CONTRARY AFFECTIONS OF THE
SUCH hap as I am happed in,
Had never man of truth I ween;
At me Fortune list to begin,
To shew that never hath been seen,
A new kind of unhappiness;
Nor I cannot the thing I mean
Myself express my deadly pain,
That can I well, if that might serve;
But when I have not help again,
That know I not, unless I sterve,
For hunger still amiddes my food
[Lacking the thing] that I deserve
To do me good.
To do me good what may prevail,
For I deserve, and not desire,
And still of cold I me bewail,
And raked am in burning fire;
For though I have, such is my lot,
In hand to help that I require,
It helpeth not.
It helpeth not but to increase
That, that by proof can be no more;
That is, the heat that cannot cease;
And that I have, to crave so sore.
What wonder is this greedy lust!
To ask and have, and yet therefore
Refrain I must.
Refrain I must; what is the cause ?
Sure as they say, 'So hawks be taught.'
But in my case layeth no such clause;
For with such craft I am not caught;
Wherefore I say, and good cause why,
With hapless hand no man hath raught
Such hap as I.
THAT RIGHT CANNOT GOVERN FANCY.
I HAVE Sought long with steadfastness To have had some ease of my great smart: But nought availeth faithfulness
To grave within your stony heart.
But hap, and hit, or else hit not,
As uncertain as is the wind;
Right so it fareth by the shot
Of Love, alas! that is so blind.
Therefore I play'd the fool in vain,
With pity when I first began
Your cruel heart for to constrain,
Since love regardeth no doubtful man.
But of your goodness, all your mind
Is that I should complain in vain;
This is the favour that I find;
Ye list to hear how I can plain!
But tho' I plain to please your heart, Trust me I trust to temper it so,
Not for to care which do revert;
All shall be one, or wealth, or woe.
For fancy ruleth, though Right say nay,
Even as the good man kist his cow⚫
None other reason can ye lay,
But as who sayeth; 'I reck not how.'
THAT TRUE LOVE AVAILETH NOT WHEN FORTUNE LIST TO FROWN.
To wish, and want, and not obtain;
To seek and sue ease of
Since all that ever I do is vain,
What may it avail me!
Although I strive both day and hour
Against the stream, with all my power,
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