Nicholson & Lee, eds. The Oxford Book of English Mystical Verse. 1917.
Anonymous (?15th century)3. Quia Amore Langueo
I
I sowght in mownteyn & in mede,
trustyng a treulofe for to fynd:
vpon an hyll than toke I hede;
a voise I herd (and nere I yede)
in gret dolour complaynyng tho,
‘see, dere soule, my sydes blede
Quia amore langueo.’
vndir thys tree a man sittyng;
from hede to fote wowndyd was he,
hys hert blode I saw bledyng;
A semely man to be a kyng,
A graciose face to loke vnto.
I askyd hym how he had paynyng,
he said, ‘Quia amore langueo.’
my sistur, mannys soule, I loued hyr thus;
By-cause I wold on no wyse disseuere,
I left my kyngdome gloriouse;
I purueyd hyr a place full preciouse;
she flytt, I folowyd, I luffed her soo
that I suffred thes paynès piteuouse
Quia amore langueo.
I saued hyr fro betyng, and she hath me bett;
I clothed hyr in grace and heuenly lyght,
this blody surcote she hath on me sett;
for langyng love I will not lett;
swetë strokys be thes, loo;
I haf loued euer als I hett,
Quia amore langueo.
I led hyr to chambre and she me to dye;
I browght hyr to worship and she me to skorne,
I dyd hyr reuerence and she me velanye.
To love that loueth is no maistrye,
hyr hate made neuer my love hyr foo;
ask than no moo questions whye,
but Quia amore langueo.
thes gloues were geuen me whan I hyr sowght;
they be nat white, but rede and wan,
embrodred with blode my spouse them bowght;
they wyll not of, I lefe them nowght,
I wowe hyr with them where euer she goo;
thes handes full frendly for hyr fowght,
Quia amore langueo.
my love hath shod me wondyr strayte;
she boklyd my fete as was hyr wyll
with sharp nailes, well thow maist waite!
in my love was neuer dissaite,
for all my membres I haf opynd hyr to;
my body I made hyr hertys baite,
Quia amore langueo.
loke, in me how wyde a wound is here!
this is hyr chambre, here shall she rest,
that she and I may slepe in fere.
here may she wasshe, if any filth were;
here is socour for all hyr woo;
cum if she will, she shall haf chere,
Quia amore langueo.
I will to hyr send or she sey nay;
If she be rechelesse I will be gredi,
If she be dawngerouse I will hyr pray.
If she do wepe, than byd I nay;
myn armes ben spred to clypp hyr to;
crye onys, ‘I cum!’ now, soule, assaye!
Quia amore langueo.
I loke to the vayle, my spouse I see;
now rynneth she awayward, now cummyth she narre,
yet fro myn eye syght she may nat be;
sum waite ther pray, to make hyr flee,
I rynne tofore to chastise hyr foo;
recouer, my soule, agayne to me,
Quia amore langueo.
apples ben rype in my gardine;
I shall clothe the in new array,
thy mete shall be mylk, honye, & wyne,
now, dere soule, latt us go dyne,
thy sustenance is in my skrypp, loo!
tary not now, fayre spousë myne,
Quia amore langueo.
if thow be seke, I shall the hele;
yf thow owght morne, I shall be-mene;
spouse, why will thow nowght with me dele?
thow fowndyst neuer love so lele;
what wilt thow, sowle, that I shall do?
I may of vnkyndnes the appele,
Quia amore langueo.
abyde I will hyre iantilnesse;
wold she loke onys owt of hyr howse
of flesshely affeccions and vnclennesse;
hyr bed is made, hyr bolstar is in blysse,
hyr chambre is chosen, suche ar no moo;
loke owt at the wyndows of kyndnesse,
Quia amore langueo.
yit is my love more than thyn may be;
thow gladdyst, thow wepist, I sitt the bygh,
yit myght thow, spouse, loke onys at me!
spouse, shuld I alway fede the
with childys mete? nay, love, nat so!
I pray the, love, with aduersite,
Quia amore langueo.
make no noyse, but lat hyr slepe;
my babe shall sofre noo disease,
I may not here my dere childe wepe,
for with my pappe I shall hyr kepe;
no wondyr thowgh I tend hyr to,
thys hoole in my side had neuer ben so depe,
but Quia amore langueo.
what mede is aye to lyffe in comfort?
for in tribulacion, I ryn more ryfe
ofter tymes than in disport;
In welth, in woo, euer I support;
than, dere soule, go neuer me fro!
thy mede is markyd, whan thow art mort,
in blysse; Quia amore langueo.