Complaint of the Absence of her Lover being upon the Sea

O HAPPY dames that may embrace

The fruit of your delight;

Help to bewail the woful case,

And eke the heavy plight,

Of me, that wonted to rejoice

The fortune of my pleasant choice:

Good ladies! help to fill my mourning voice.

In ship freight with remembrance

Of thoughts and pleasures past,

He sails that hath in governance

My life while it will last;

With scalding sighs, for lack of gale,

Furthering his hope, that is his sail,

Toward me, the sweet port of his avail.

Alas! how oft in dreams I see

Those eyes that were my food;

Which sometime so delighted me,

That yet they do me good:

Wherewith I wake with his return,

Whose absent flame did make me burn:

But when I find the lack, Lord! how I mourn.

When other lovers in arms across,

Rejoice their chief delight;

Drowned in tears, to mourn my loss,

I stand the bitter night

In my window, where I may see

Before the winds how the clouds flee:

Lo! what mariner love hath made of me.

And in green waves when the salt flood

Doth rise by rage of wind;

A thousand fancies in that mood

Assail my restless mind.

Alas! now drencheth my sweet foe,

That with the spoil of my heart did go,

And left me; but, alas! why did he so?

And when the seas wax calm again,

To chase from me annoy,

My doubtful hope doth cause me plain;

So dread cuts off my joy.

Thus is my wealth mingled with woe:

And of each thought a doubt doth grow;

Now he comes! will he come? alas! no, no!