Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. 1919. The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250–1900.
IN a valley of this restles mind | |
I sought in mountain and in mead, | |
Trusting a true love for to find. | |
Upon an hill then took I heed; | |
A voice I heard (and near I yede) | 5 |
In great dolour complaining tho: | |
See, dear soul, how my sides bleed | |
Quia amore langueo. | |
|
Upon this hill I found a tree, | |
Under a tree a man sitting; | 10 |
From head to foot wounded was he; | |
His hearte blood I saw bleeding: | |
A seemly man to be a king, | |
A gracious face to look unto. | |
I askèd why he had paining; | 15 |
[He said,] Quia amore langueo. | |
|
I am true love that false was never; | |
My sister, man’s soul, I loved her thus. | |
Because we would in no wise dissever | |
I left my kingdom glorious. | 20 |
I purveyed her a palace full precious; | |
She fled, I followed, I loved her so | |
That I suffered this pain piteous | |
Quia amore langueo. | |
|
My fair love and my spouse bright! | 25 |
I saved her from beating, and she hath me bet; | |
I clothed her in grace and heavenly light; | |
This bloody shirt she hath on me set; | |
For longing of love yet would I not let; | |
Sweete strokes are these: lo! | 30 |
I have loved her ever as I her het | |
Quia amore langueo. | |
|
I crowned her with bliss and she me with thorn; | |
I led her to chamber and she me to die; | |
I brought her to worship and she me to scorn; | 35 |
I did her reverence and she me villany. | |
To love that loveth is no maistry; | |
Her hate made never my love her foe: | |
Ask me then no question why— | |
Quia amore langueo. | 40 |
|
Look unto mine handes, man! | |
These gloves were given me when I her sought; | |
They be not white, but red and wan; | |
Embroidered with blood my spouse them brought. | |
They will not off; I loose hem nought; | 45 |
I woo her with hem wherever she go. | |
These hands for her so friendly fought | |
Quia amore langueo. | |
|
Marvel not, man, though I sit still. | |
See, love hath shod me wonder strait: | 50 |
Buckled my feet, as was her will, | |
With sharpe nails (well thou may’st wait!) | |
In my love was never desait; | |
All my membres I have opened her to; | |
My body I made her herte’s bait | 55 |
Quia amore langueo. | |
|
In my side I have made her nest; | |
Look in, how weet a wound is here! | |
This is her chamber, here shall she rest, | |
That she and I may sleep in fere. | 60 |
Here may she wash, if any filth were; | |
Here is seat for all her woe; | |
Come when she will, she shall have cheer | |
Quia amore langueo. | |
|
I will abide till she be ready, | 65 |
I will her sue if she say nay; | |
If she be retchless I will be greedy, | |
If she be dangerous I will her pray; | |
If she weep, then bide I ne may: | |
Mine arms ben spread to clip her me to. | 70 |
Cry once, I come: now, soul, assay | |
Quia amore langueo. | |
|
Fair love, let us go play: | |
Apples ben ripe in my gardayne. | |
I shall thee clothe in a new array, | 75 |
Thy meat shall be milk, honey and wine. | |
Fair love, let us go dine: | |
Thy sustenance is in my crippe, lo! | |
Tarry thou not, my fair spouse mine, | |
Quia amore langueo. | 80 |
|
If thou be foul, I shall thee make clean; | |
If thou be sick, I shall thee heal; | |
If thou mourn ought, I shall thee mene; | |
Why wilt thou not, fair love, with me deal? | |
Foundest thou ever love so leal? | 85 |
What wilt thou, soul, that I shall do? | |
I may not unkindly thee appeal | |
Quia amore langueo. | |
|
What shall I do now with my spouse | |
But abide her of my gentleness, | 90 |
Till that she look out of her house | |
Of fleshly affection? love mine she is; | |
Her bed is made, her bolster is bliss, | |
Her chamber is chosen; is there none mo. | |
Look out on me at the window of kindeness | 95 |
Quia amore langueo. | |
|
My love is in her chamber: hold your peace! | |
Make ye no noise, but let her sleep. | |
My babe I would not were in disease, | |
I may not hear my dear child weep. | 100 |
With my pap I shall her keep; | |
Ne marvel ye not though I tend her to: | |
This wound in my side had ne’er be so deep | |
But Quia amore langueo. | |
|
Long thou for love never so high, | 105 |
My love is more than thine may be. | |
Thou weepest, thou gladdest, I sit thee by: | |
Yet wouldst thou once, love, look unto me! | |
Should I always feede thee | |
With children meat? Nay, love, not so! | 110 |
I will prove thy love with adversitè | |
Quia amore langueo. | |
|
Wax not weary, mine own wife! | |
What mede is aye to live in comfort? | |
In tribulation I reign more rife | 115 |
Ofter times than in disport. | |
In weal and in woe I am aye to support: | |
Mine own wife, go not me fro! | |
Thy mede is marked, when thou art mort: | |
Quia amore langueo. | 120 |