THOMAS DE HALES (bef. 1300) 1a love rune (or letter) me eagerly her 5 make 8 9 an true 10 lover 11 14 not not at all 15 19 is not 20 a race 23 men 16 66 A LOVE LETTER A maid of Christ doth plead with me Who faithfulest of all shall be, O maiden, here thou mayst behold And is beset so many fold, Fickle and false and weak and base. Those knights that here were once so bold, Like wind have glided from their place; Under mould they are lying cold, There's none so rich and none so free Gold, nor silver, nor ermine gay; This world fareth like the wind, One thing gone, another here; What now is loath before was dear; The love that may not here abide, Thou art wrong to trust it now; Capricious and frail and false of vow, 2 of Christ's 3 begs 37 vair ermine whereby she learn just as a single 12 could protect 13 will 45 what refuse will 17 here 18 places mayst 22 21 in so many ways fickle ugly 24 weak 25 false 26 these nobles 27 are passed 31 30 the earth they lie 32 wither 33 there is none 34 free, generous 35 hence 54 the may see the wrong true the 56 trustest 57 it very wrongly even SO pass away delicate capricious 63 hasting away at every time sorrow enough 64 61 62 65 66 Whose match no man on earth could bring, O maid, if thou wilt love full long, The blessed virtues of this Lord! Both glad of cheer and mild of word, Of lovesome grace, of trust most true, Free-hearted, rich in wisdom's hoard; Never shouldst thou have need to rue, If thou but trust thee in his ward. He is the strongest man in land, As far as men can speak with mouth, So 13 wide so 13 mon speketh with muth, 88 96 104 35 coun ful, fair 31 had not equal 33 pride were not a herring longest a lover I will teach thee a 39 didst know 40 qualities 1 hue, appearance 41 tenance 43 mood 44 of lovable desire 45 able 46 thou wouldst never need to repent might'st thou put thyself 48 grace they are 51 holds 52 bows 53 sends 54 messenger 49 55 50 47 56 desires known to thee. I 5 IO 15 20 25 30 35 1 spring 2 whisper 3 these sweet 5 each bird sings a song the throstle cock threatens ever 7 their 8 woodruff birds 10 wonderfully many 12 weal 13 puts on cry 14 redness 15 vigorously 11 16 mends 17 complexion 18 beautiful 19 thyme 20 these wild drakes woo 21 beasts gladden their mates runs the moody man laments, - so do 22 23 With love is come to town the spring, There are daisies in the dales, His song each warbler singeth. When up the woodruff springeth. A thousand birds are singing gay Of winter's sadness passed away, Till all the woodland ringeth. The rose puts on her ruddy hood, The moon is brightening her face; With thyme and fennel blowing; My love for naught bestowing. The moon now mendeth fast her light, Lonely the wild wood haunting. others 24 I know I am one of those 25 pleases ill 26 mends, increases 27 loud 28 dews wet 29 hills 30 lovers with their secret whispers [come] cases [of love] to judge worms woo under clod 33 if 34 lack 35 36 boon of joy one 38 and be a will banished wight in the forest 32 37 UBI SUNT QUI ANTE NOS FUERUNT? (c. 1350) Were beth1 they that biforen us weren, Where are they that lived of yore? They ate and drank and made them glad; Men knelt unto their sway; 6 12 9 them 6 head-dress 7 10 bore themselves very high 11 lost |