Page:Oxford Book of English Verse 1250-1918.djvu/34

ANONYMOUS

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]

 

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.