For it doth well appear My friend is turn'd my foe: THE LOVER, HOPELESS OF GREATER HAPPINESS, CONTENTETH HIMSELF WITH ONLY PITY. 1 THOUGH I cannot your cruelty constrain, Have no power your heart to move, 2 Though I your thrall must evermore remain, To rue upon my pain! 3 Though I have not deserved to obtain 4 But I see well, that your high disdain This my poor, and small request; THAT TIME, HUMBLENESS, AND PRAYER, CAN SOFTEN EVERYTHING SAVE HIS LADY'S HEART. 1 PROCESS of time worketh such wonder, 2 And yet an heart that seems so tender, 3 So cruel, alas! is nought alive, So fierce, so froward, so out of frame, 4 And I that always have sought, and seek 5 The lion in his raging furour Forbears that sueth, meekness for his [boot]; And thou, alas! in extreme dolour, The heart so low thou treads under thy foot. 6 Each fierce thing, lo! how thou dost exceed, And hides it under so humble a face! And yet the humble to help at need Nought helpeth time, humbleness, nor place. THAT UNKINDNESS HATH SLAIN HIS POOR TRUE HEART. Ir in the world there be more woe Than I have in my heart; For to increase my smart. Alas! I am receipt of every care; And of my life each sorrow claims his part. By me let him beware. For I by high disdain Am made without redress; And unkindness, alas! hath slain My poor true heart, all comfortless. THE DYING LOVER COMPLAINETH THAT HIS MISTRESS REGARDETH NOT HIS SUFFERINGS. 1 LIKE as the swan towards her death Doth strain her voice with doleful note; I die I die! and you regard it not. 2 I shall enforce my fainting breath, 3 Your unkindness hath sworn my death, 10 4 Consumeth my life, faileth my breath, Your fault is forger of this note; Melting in tears a cruel death. I die! I die! and you regard it not. 5 My faith with me after my death THE CAREFUL LOVER COMPLAINETH, AND THE HAPPY LOVER COUNSELLETH. АH! Robin! Jolly Robin! Tell me how thy leman doth? And thou shalt know of mine. My lady is unkind, perdie!' Alack, why is she so? She loveth another better than me, RESPONSE. I find no such doubleness; I find women true. My lady loveth me doubtless, And will change for no new. LE PLAINTIF. Thou art happy while that doth last, That woman's love is but a blast, And turneth like the wind. F 10 RESPONSE. But if thou wilt avoid thy harm, Learn this lesson of me; At others' fires thyself to warm, And let them warm with thee. LE PLAINTIF. Such folks shall take no harm by love, But I, alas, can no way prove THE LOVER HAVING BROKEN HIS VOWETH NEVER MORE TO BE ENTHRALLED. 1 In æternum I was once determed, For to have loved and my mind affirmed, 2 Forthwith I found the thing that I might like, 17 3 To trace this dance I put myself in press, Vain Hope did lead, and bade I should not cesse, To serve to suffer, and still to hold my peace In æternum. 4 With this first rule I further'd me a pace, That as methought my truth had taken place, With full assurance to stand in her grace, In æternum. |