Alysoun
BY ANONYMOUS
An hendy hap ichabbe yhent;
Ichot, from hevene it is me sent;
From alle wymmen mi loue is lent,
And lyght on Alysoun.
Bytuene Mersh and Averil,
When spray biginneth to springe,
The lutel foul hath hire wyl
On hyre lud to synge.
Ich libbe in love longinge
For semlokest of alle thinge.
He may me blisse bringe;
Icham in hire baundoun.
On heu hire her is fayr ynoh,
Hire browe broune, hire eye blake;
With lossum chere he on me loh;
With middel smal, and wel ymake.
Bote he me wolle to hire take,
Forte buen hire owen make,
Longe to lyven ichulle forsake,
And feye fallen adoun.
Nihtes when y wende and wake,
Forthi myn wonges waxeth won;
Levedi, al for thine sake
Longinge is ylent me on.
In world nis non so wyter mon,
That al hire bounté telle con.
Hire swyre is whittore then the swon,
And feyrest may in toune.
Icham for wowyng al forwake,
Wery so water in wore.
Lest eny reve me my make,
Ychabbe y-yerned yore.
Betere is tholien whyle sore
Then mournen evermore.
Geynest under gore,
Herkne to my roun.
