Contents
-BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD
Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. 1919. The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250–1900.
Anonymous. c. 1300
2. Alison
BYTUENE Mershe ant Averil | |
When spray biginneth to spring, | |
The lutel foul hath hire wyl | |
On hyre lud to synge: | |
Ich libbe in love-longinge | 5 |
For semlokest of alle thynge, | |
He may me blisse bringe, | |
Icham in hire bandoun. | |
An hendy hap ichabbe y-hent, | |
Ichot from hevene it is me sent, | 10 |
From alle wymmen my love is lent | |
Ant lyht on Alisoun. | |
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On heu hire her is fayr ynoh, | |
Hire browe broune, hire eye blake; | |
With lossum chere he on me loh; | 15 |
With middel smal ant wel y-make; | |
Bote he me wolle to hire take | |
For to buen hire owen make, | |
Long to lyven ichulle forsake | |
Ant feye fallen adoun. | 20 |
An hendy hap, etc. | |
|
Nihtes when I wende and wake, | |
For-thi myn wonges waxeth won; | |
Levedi, al for thine sake | |
Longinge is y-lent me on. | 25 |
In world his non so wyter mon | |
That al hire bountè telle con; | |
Hire swyre is whittore than the swon, | |
Ant feyrest may in toune. | |
An hendy hap, etc. | 30 |
|
Icham for wowyng al for-wake, | |
Wery so water in wore; | |
Lest eny reve me my make | |
Ichabbe y-yerned yore. | |
Betere is tholien whyle sore | 35 |
Then mournen evermore. | |
Geynest under gore, | |
Herkne to my roun— | |
An hendy hap, etc. | |
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GLOSS: on hyre lud] in her language. ich libbe] I live. semlokest] seemliest. he] she. bandoun] thraldom. hendy] gracious. y-hent] seized, enjoyed. ichot] I wot. lyht] alighted. hire her] her hair. lossum] lovesome. loh] laughed. bote he] unless she. buen] be. make] mate. feye] like to die. nihtes] at night. wende] turn. for-thi] on that account. wonges waxeth won] cheeks grow wan. levedi] lady. y-lent me on] arrived to me. so wyter mon] so wise a man. swyre] neck. may] maid. for-wake] worn out with vigils. so water in wore] as water in a weir. reve] rob. y-yerned yore] long been distressed. tholien] to endure. geynest under gore] comeliest under woman’s apparel. roun] tale, lay. |