Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. 1919. The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250–1900.
HENCE, heart, with her that must depart, | |
And hald thee with thy soverane! | |
For I had liever want ane heart, | |
Nor have the heart that dois me pain. | |
Therefore, go, with thy love remain, | 5 |
And let me leif thus unmolest; | |
And see that thou come not again, | |
But bide with her thou luvis best. | |
|
Sen she that I have servit lang | |
Is to depart so suddenly, | 10 |
Address thee now, for thou sall gang | |
And bear thy lady company. | |
Fra she be gone, heartless am I, | |
For quhy? thou art with her possest. | |
Therefore, my heart, go hence in high, | 15 |
And bide with her thou luvis best. | |
|
Though this belappit body here | |
Be bound to servitude and thrall, | |
My faithful heart is free entier | |
And mind to serve my lady at all. | 20 |
Would God that I were perigall | |
Under that redolent rose to rest! | |
Yet at the least, my heart, thou sall | |
Abide with her thou luvis best. | |
|
Sen in your garth the lily quhyte | 25 |
May not remain amang the laif, | |
Adieu the flower of whole delite! | |
Adieu the succour that may me saif! | |
Adieu the fragrant balme suaif, | |
And lamp of ladies lustiest! | 30 |
My faithful heart she shall it haif | |
To bide with her it luvis best. | |
|
Deploir, ye ladies cleir of hue, | |
Her absence, sen she must depart! | |
And, specially, ye luveris true | 35 |
That wounded bene with Luvis dart. | |
For some of you sall want ane heart | |
As well as I; therefore at last | |
Do go with mine, with mind inwart, | |
And bide with her thou luvis best! | 40 |