* * * * *
Al hoolly youres, withouten otheres part!
Wherefore? y-wis, that I ne can ne may
My service chaungen; thus of al suche art
The lerninge I desyre for ever and ay.
And evermore, whyl that I live may, 5
In trouthe I wol your servant stille abyde,
Although my wo encresè day by day,
Til that to me be come the dethes tyde.
From MS. Harl. 7578, fol. 15. At the bottom of fol. 14, back, is the
last line of Chaucer’s Complaint to Pity, beneath which is written
‘Balade.’ But the present poem is really a Complaint, like the
preceding one. Rejected readings of the MS. are here given. There is no
title in the MS. except ‘Balade.’
1. holly; others parte. 2. I wisse. 3. By (_surely an error for_
My); arte. 4. lernynge; desire; euer (_and_ u _for_ v _often_). 5.
while; leue. 6. trought (_sic_); youre; abide. 7. be (_for_ by).
Seint Valentyne! to you I rénovele
My woful lyf, as I can, compleyninge; 10
But, as me thinketh, to you a quarele
Right greet I have, whan I, rememberinge
Bitwene, how kinde, ayeins the yeres springe,
Upon your day, doth ech foul chese his make;
And you list not in swich comfórt me bringe, 15
That to her grace my lady shulde me take.
9. valentine; Renouele. 10. compleynynge. 12. grete; whanne;
remembringe. 13. Bytwene howe kende. 14. Vppon youre; doith eche
foule. 15. lyste; suche comforte.
[xxviii]
Wherfor unto you, Cupide, I beseche,
Furth with Venús, noble lusty goddesse,
Sith ye may best my sorowe lesse and eche;
And I, your man, oppressed with distresse, 20
Can not crye ‘help!’ but to your gentilnesse:
So voucheth sauf, sith I, your man, wol dye,
My ladies herte in pitè folde and presse,
That of my peyne I finde remedye.
21. cry helpe; vnto (_for_ to); gentelnesse. 22. safe. 24. peine;
fynde I may (_for_ I finde); remydie.
To your conning, my hertes right princesse, 25
My mortal fo, whiche I best love and serve,
I recommaunde my boistous lewednesse.
And, for I can not altherbest deserve
Your grace, I preye, as he that wol nat swerve,
That I may fare the better for my trouthe; 30
Sith I am youres, til deth my herte kerve,
On me, your man, now mercy have and routhe.
25. konnyngge; princes. 26. foo. 27. leudenesse. 29. prey;
swerue. 30. trouth. 31. herte wol kerue (_I omit_ wol). 32. haue;
routh.
[xxix]
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