The mone mandeth hire lyht,
So doth the semly sonne bryht,
   When briddes singeth breme¹⁸;
Deawes¹⁹ donketh²⁰ the dounes,
Deores²¹ with huere derne rounes²²
   Domes for to deme;²³
Wormes woweth under cloude,²⁴
Wymmen waxeth wounder proude,
   So wel hit wol hem seme,
Yef me shal wonte wille of on,
This wunne weole²⁵ y wole forgon
   Ant wyht in wode be fleme²⁶.

5   Blow, Northern Wind

c. 1300

ICHOT¹ a burde² in boure bryht,
   That fully semly is on syht,
Menskful³ maiden of myht;
   Feir⁴ ant fre to fonde;⁵
In al this wurhliche⁶ won⁷
A burde of blod ant of bon
Never yete y nuste⁸ non
   Lussomore in londe⁹.
       Blow northerne wynd!
       Send thou me my suetyng!¹⁰
       Blow northerne wynd! blow, blow, blow!

With lokkes lefliche¹² ant longe,
With frount ant face feir to fonge,¹³
With murthes¹⁴ monie mote heo monge,¹⁵
   That brid¹⁶ so breme¹⁷ in boure.
With lossom eye grete ant gode,
With browen blysfol under hode,
He that reste him on the rode,¹⁸
   That leflych lyf honoure.
     Blow northerne wynd, etc.

Hire lure¹⁹ lumes²⁰ liht,
Ase a launterne a-nyht,
Hire bleo²¹ blykyeth so bryht,
   So feyr heo is ant fyn.
A suetly swyre²² heo²³ hath to holde,
With armes, shuldre ase mon wolde,
Ant fingres feyre for to folde,
   God wolde hue were myn!
       Blow northerne wynd, etc.

Heo is coral of godnesse,
Heo is rubie of ryhtfulnesse,
Heo is cristal of clannesse,²⁴
   Ant baner of bealté.
Heo is lilie of largesse,
Heo is parvenke²⁵ of prouesse,
Heo is solsecle²⁶ of suetnesse,
   Ant lady of lealté.

For hire love y carke ant care,
For hire love y droupne ant dare,²⁷
For hire love my blisse is bare
   Ant al ich waxe won.²⁸
For hire love in slep y slake,
For hire love al nyht ich wake,
For hire love mournynge y make
   More then eny mon.
     Blow northerne wynd!
     Send thou me my suetyng!
     Blow northerne wynd! blou, blou, blou!

6   Lines from Love Letters

(i)

De Amico ad Amicam

ACELUY que pluys eyme en mounde,
Of alle tho that I have founde
        Carissima,
Saluz od treyé amour,
With grace and joye and alle honoure,
        Dulcissima.

Sachez bien, pleysant et beele,
That I am right in goode heele
        Laus Christo!
Et moun amour doné vous ay,
And also thine owene, night and day
        In cisto.

Ma tres duce et tres amé,
Night and day for love of thee
        Suspiro.
Soyez permanent et leal;
Love me so that I it fele,
        Requiro.

A vous jeo suy tut doné;
Mine herte is full of love to thee
        Presento;
Et pur ceo jeo vous pry,
Sweting, for thin curtesy,
        Memento.

Jeo vous pry par charité
The wordes that here wreten be
        Tenete;
And turne thy herte me toward
O àa Dieu que vous gard!
        Valete!