The Old and Middle English.
157
| Suete lemmon; y preye the of love one speche, | ||
| Whil y lyve in world so wyde other nulle y f seche; | f I will not | |
| With thy love, my suete leof, mi blis thou mihteseche,g | g increase | |
| A suete cos of thy mouth mihte be my leche. | ||
| Suete lemmon, y preʓe the of a love bene;h | h boon | |
| Yef thou me lovest, ase men says, lemmon, as ywene, | ||
| Ant ʓef hit thi wille be, thou loke that hit be sene, | ||
| So muchel.y thenke upon the, that al y waxegrene. | ||
| Bituene Lyncolne ant Lyndeseye, Norhamptounant Lounde, | ||
| Ne wot y non so fayr a may as y go fore y-bounde; | ||
| Suete lemmon, y preʓe the thou lovie me a stounde,i | i while | |
| Y wole mone my song on wham that hit ys on y-long.[1] |
THE CONTRAST TO THE EAST MIDLAND.
(A.D. 1264.)
Richard of Alemaigne, whil that he wes kyng.
He spende al is tresour opon swyvyng;
Haveth he nout of Walingford ferlyng;
Let him habbe, ase he brew, bale to dryng,
Maugre Wyndesore.
. . . . . . .
Be the luef, be the loht, sire Edward,
Thou shalt ride sporeles o thy lyard
Al the ryhte way to Dovere ward;
- ↑ Percy Society, vol. iv. p. 92. This is a transcript made by aHerefordshire man, who must have altered and into ant, nill intonulle, kis into cos, &c.
