Not long ago,

It chanced so,

As I did walk alone;

I heard a man,

That now and than

Himself did thus bemoan :

Alas!' he said,

'I am betray'd,

And utterly undone;
Whom I did trust,

And think so just,

Another man hath won.

'My service due,

And heart so true,

On her I did bestow;

I never meant

For to repent,

In wealth, nor yet in woe.

Each western wind

Hath turned her mind,

And blown it clean away;
Thereby my wealth,

My mirth and health,

Are driven to great decay.

'Fortune did smile

A right short while,
And never said me nay;
With pleasant plays,
And joyful days,

My time to pass away.
'Alas! alas!

The time so was,
So never shall it be,

Since she is gone,

And I alone

Am left as you may see. 'Where is the oath?

Where is the troth?

That she to me did give?

Such feigned words,

With sely bourds,

Let no wise man believe.

'For even as I,

Thus wofully,

Unto myself complain :

If ye then trust,

Needs learn ye must,
To sing my song in vain.

'How should I

Be so pleasant,
In my semblant,

THAT FAITH IS DEAD, AND TRUE LOVE

DISREGARDED.

WHAT should I say!

Since Faith is dead,

And Truth away
From you is fled?

Should I be led

With doubleness?

Nay! nay! Mistress.
I promis'd you,

And you promis'd me,
To be as true,

As I would be.

But since I see
Your double heart,

Farewell my part!
Thought for to take,
It is not my mind ;
But to forsake

[One so unkind;]
And as I find,
So will I trust;
Farewell, unjust!

Can ye say nay,
But that you said

That I alway

Should be obey'd?
And thus betray'd,

Or that I wist!
Farewell, unkist !

THE LOVER COMPLAINETH THAT HIS

FAITHFUL HEART AND TRUE MEANING HAD NEVER MET

WITH JUST REWARD.

GIVE place! all ye that doth rejoice,
And love's pangs hath clean forgot.
Let them draw near and hear my voice
Whom Love doth force in pains to fret;
For all of plaint my song is set,

Which long hath served and nought can get.
A faithful heart so truly meant,
Rewarded is full slenderly;
A steadfast faith with good intent
Is recompensed craftily;

Such hap doth hap unhappily
To them that mean but honestly.
With humble suit I have essayed
To turn her cruel hearted mind;
But for reward I am delayed,
And to my wealth her ears be blind.
Lo! thus by chance I am assign'd

With steadfast love to serve the unkind.

What vaileth truth, or steadfastness,
Or still to serve without repreef!
What vaileth faith or gentleness,
Where cruelty doth reign as chief!
Alas! there is no greater grief
Than for to love, and lack relief.

Care doth constrain me to complain
Of Love, and her uncertainty,

Which granteth nought but great disdain,
For loss of all my liberty.
Alas! this is extremity,

For love to find such cruelty.
For love to find such cruelty
Alas! it is a careful lot;
And for to void such mockery
There is no way but slip the knot!
The gain so cold, the pain so hot!
Praise it who list, I like it not.

THE FORSAKEN LOVER

CONSOLETH HIMSELF WITH REMEMBRANCE OF PAST

HAPPINESS.

SPITE hath no power to make me sad,
Nor scornfulness to make me plain.
It doth suffice that once I had,

And so to leave it is no pain.

Let them frown on that least doth gain, Who did rejoice must needs be glad;