Oxford Book of English Verse 1250-1918/Alison

by Anonymous

For other versions of this work, see Alison.

c. 1300

BYTUENE Mershe and Averil
    When spray biginneth to springe,
The lutel foul hath hire wyl
    On hyre lud^[1] to synge:
Ich libbe^[2] in love-longinge
For semlokest^[3] of alle thynge,
He^[4] may me blisse bringe,
    Ich am in hire baundoun.^[5]
An hendy^[6] hap ichabbe y-hent,^[7]
Ichot^[8] from hevene it is me sent,
From alle wymmen my love is lent
    And lyht^[9] on Alysoun.

On heu hire her^[10] is fayr ynoh,
    Hire brow broune, hir eye blake;
With lossum chere^[11] he on me loh;^[12]
    With middel smal and wel y-make;
Bote he^[13] me wolle to hire take
For to buen^[14] hir owen make,^[15]
Long to lyven ichulle forsake
    And feye^[16] fallen adoun.
An hendy hap, etc.

Nihtes^[17] when I wende^[18] and wake,
    For-thi^[19] myn wonges waxeth won,^[20]

Levedi,^[21] al for thine sake
    Longinge is y-lent me on.^[22]
In world nis non so wyter mon^[23]
That al hire bounté telle con;
Hire swyre^[24] is whittore than the swon,
    And feyrest may^[25] in toune.
An hendy hap, etc.

Ich am for wowyng al for-wake,^[26]
    Wery so water in wore;^[27]
Lest eny reve^[28] me my make
    Ichabbe y-yerned^[29] yore.
Betere is tholien whyle sore
Then mournen evermore.
Geynest under gore,^[30]
    Herkne to my roun.^[31]
An hendy hap, etc.

 

1. on hyre lud] in her language.
2. ich libbe] I live.
3. semlokest] seemliest.
4. he] she
5. baundoun] thraldom.
6. hendy] gracious.
7. y-hent] received.
8. ichot] I wot.
9. lyht] alighted.
10. hire her] her hair.
11. lossum chere] lovely face.
12. loh] smiled.
13. bote he] unless she.
14. buen] be.
15. make] mate.
16. feye] like to die.
17. nihtes] at night.
18. wende] turn.
19. for-thi] on that account.
20. wonges waxeth won] cheeks grow wan.
21. levedi] lady.
22. y-lent me on] come upon me.
23. so wyter mon] so wise a man.
24. swyre] neck.
25. may] maid.
26. for-wake] worn out with vigils.
27. so water in wore] as water in a weir.
28. reve] rob.
29. y-yerned yore] long desired.
30. geynest under gore] comeliest under robe.
31. roun] voice.