A SOUN tres chere et special,
Fer and ner and overal
        In mundo,
Que soy ou saltz et gré
With mouth, word and herte free
        Jocundo.

Jeo vous pry sans debat
That ye wolde of myn estat
        Audire;
Sertfyés a vous jeo fay
I wil in time whan I may
        Venire.

Pur vostre amour, allas, allas!
I am werse than I was
        Per multa:
Jeo suy dolourouse en tut manere,
Woulde God in youre armes I were
        Sepulta!

Vous estes ma morte et ma vye,
I preye you for your curteisie
        Amate,
Cestes maundés jeo vous pry
In youre herté stedefastly
        Notate.

7   This World’s Joy

c. 1300

WYNTER wakeneth al my care,
Nou thise leves¹ waxeth bare;
Ofte I sike² and mourne sare
    When hit cometh in my thoht
    Of this worldes joie, hou hit geth al to noht.

Nou hit is, and nou hit nys,³
Al so hit ner nere,⁴ ywys;
That moni mon seith, soth⁵ hit ys:
    Al goth bote Godes wille:
    Alle we shule deye, thah⁶ us like ylle.

Al that gren me graveth grene,
Nou hit faleweth⁷ al bydene:⁸
Jehsu, help that hit be sene
    And shild us from helle!
For y not whider⁹ y shal, ne hou longe her duelle.¹⁰

8   Our Lady’s Song

c. 1375

IESU, swete sone dere!
On porful bed list thou here,
And that me greveth sore;
For thi cradel is ase a bere,¹
Oxe and asse beth thi fere:²
    Weepe ich mai tharfore.

Iesu, swete, beo noth wroth,
Thou ich nabbe clout ne cloth
    The on for to folde,
    The on to folde ne to wrappe,
For ich nabbe clout ne lappe;³
Bote ley thou thi fet to my pappe,
    And wite⁴ the from the colde.

9   A Hymn to the Virgin

c. 1300

OF on¹ that is so fayr and bright
           Velut maris stella,
Brighter than the day is light,
           Parens et puella:
Ic crie to the, thou see to me,
Levedy,² preye thi Sone for me,
           Tam pia,
That ic mote come to thee
           Maria.

Al this world was for-lore
           Eva peccatrice,
Tyl our Lord was y-bore
           De te genetrice.
With ave it went away
Thuster³ nyth and cometh the day
           Salutis;
The welle springeth ut of the
           Virtutis.

Levedy, flour of alle thing,
           Rosa sine spina,
Thu bere Jhesu, hevene king,
           Gratia divina:
Of alle thu berst the pris,⁴
Levedy, quene of paradys
           Electa:
Mayde milde, Moder es
           Effecta.

10   Of a rose, a lovely rose,
                                            Of a rose is al myn song.

c. 1400