5

Adam scriveyn, if ever it thee bifalle
Boece* or Troylus* for to wryten newe,
Under thy long lokkes thou most have the scalle,**
But after my makyng thow wryte more trewe;
So oft adaye I mot thy werk renewe,
It to correcte and eke to rubbe and scrape,
And al is thorugh thy negligence and rape.

scribe

locks of hair; may you have the scale**
according to; poetry
many a day; must

haste

5





10




15





20

Madame, ye ben of al beaute shrine
As fer as cercled is the mapamounde,
For as the cristal glorious ye shyne,
And lyke ruby ben your chekes rounde.
Therwith ye ben so mery and so jocounde
That at a revel whan that I see you daunce,
It is an oynement unto my wounde,
Thogh ye to me ne do no daliaunce.

For thogh I wepe of teres ful a tyne,
Yet may that wo myn herte nat confounde;
Your semy voys that ye so smal out twyne
Maketh my thought in joy and blis habounde.
So curtaysly I go with love bounde
That to myself I sey in my penanunce,
“Suffyseth me to love you, Rosemounde,
Thogh yet to me ne do no daliaunce.”

Nas never pyk walwed in galauntyne
As I in love am walwed and ywounde,
For which ful ofte I of myself devyne
That I am trewe Tristam the secounde.
My love may not refreyde nor affounde,
I brenne ay in an amorous plesaunce.
Do what you lyst, I wyl your thral be founde,
Though ye to me ne do no daliaunce.

tregentil---------------//---------------------chaucer

are
far; mappa mundi (map of the world)


jolly

ointment, salve
are not friendly, encouraging, to me

barrel

small, high; twist out






pike steeped in galantine (a sauce)


Tristan, the idealised lover of Isolde
grow cold; grow numb, turn cold
burn; always
wish


très gentil (very noble)

5





10




15





20




25







30

So hath myn herte caught in remembraunce
Your beaute hoole and stidefast governaunce,
Your vertues al and yowre hie noblesse,
That you to serve is set al my plesaunce.
So wel me liketh your womanly contenaunce,
Your fresshe fetures and your comlynesse,
That whiles I live myn hert to his maystresse
You hath ful chose in trewe perséverance
Never to chaunge, for no maner distresse.

And sith I shal do you this observaunce,
Al my lif withouten displesaunce
You for to serve with al my besynesse,
And have me somewhat in your souvenance.
My woful herte suffreth greet duresse,
And loke how humbly with al symplesse
My wil I cónforme to your ordynaunce,
As you best list, my peynes for to redresse.

Considryng eke how I hange in balaunce
In your service, such, lo, is my chaunce,
Abidying grace, whan that your gentilnesse
Of my grete wo liste do alleggeaunce,
And with your pite me some wise avaunce
In ful rebatyng of myn hevynesse;
And thynketh by resoun that wommanly noblesse
Shuld nat desire for to do the outrance
Ther as she fyndeth non unbuxumnesse.

           Lenvoye

Auctour of norture, lady of plesaunce,
Soveraigne of beautee, floure of wommanhede,
Take ye non hede unto myn ignoraunce,
But receyveth of your goodlihede,
Thynkyng that I have caught in remembraunce,
Your beaute hole, your stidefast governaunce.

high

since

remembrance

simpleness

wish

also

nobility
for; wishes to; alleviation
manner, way
abatement

excessive harm
wherever; disobedience

The dedication

authoritative source

5





10





15




20

Madame, for your newefangelnesse,
Many a servaunt have ye put out of grace.
I take my leve of your unstedefastnesse,
For wel I wot, whyl ye have lyves space,
Ye can not love ful half yeer in a place,
To newe thing youre lust is ay so kene;
In stede of blew, thus may ye were al grene.

Right as a mirour nothing may impresse,
But, lightly as it cometh, so mote it pace,
So fareth youre love, youre werkes beren witnesse.
Ther is no feith that may your herte enbrace;
But, as a wedercok, that turneth his face
With every wind, ye fare, and this is sene;
In stede of blew, thus may ye were al grene.

Ye might be shryned, for youre brotelnesse,
Bet than Dalyda, Creseyde or Candace;*
For ever in chaunging stant youre sikernesse;
That tache may no wight fro your herte arace.
If ye lese oon, ye can wel tweyn purchace;
Al light for somer (ye woot wel what I mene),
In stede of blew, thus may ye were al grene.

desire for novelty

know; time in your life
one
desire; always
wear

must; pass

weathercock; wind vane
move

enshrined, like a saint; brittleness, instability
better
stands; security, stability
blemish, defect; person; erase
lose; two
readily; know

* Delilah, who betrayed Samson; Criseyde, the unfaithful lover of Troilus; Candace, a queen of India who tricked Alexander the Great to get him in her power.