A
COMPLEINT
TO HIS LADY.
Chaucer - Romuant of the Rose
nele; F.
O.
wol; Trin.
wyll_e_;
Cx. wil.
COLOPHON. _So in_ F; Gg. _has_--Explicit parliamentum Auium in die sancti
Valentini tentum, secundum Galfridum Chaucer; Ff. _has_--Explicit
Parliamentum Auium; MS. Arch. Seld. B. 24 _has_--Here endis the parliament
of foulis; Quod Galfride Chaucere; _the_ Longleat MS. _has_--Here endith
the Parlement of foules.
* * * * *
VI.
A COMPLEINT TO HIS LADY.
I. (_In seven-line stanzas. _)
The longe night, whan every creature
Shulde have hir rest in somwhat, as by kinde,
Or elles ne may hir lyf nat long endure,
Hit falleth most in-to my woful minde
How I so fer have broght my-self behinde, 5
That, sauf the deeth, ther may no-thing me lisse,
So desespaired I am from alle blisse.
This same thoght me lasteth til the morwe,
And from the morwe forth til hit be eve;
Ther nedeth me no care for to borwe, 10
For bothe I have good leyser and good leve;
Ther is no wight that wol me wo bereve
To wepe y-nogh, and wailen al my fille;
The sore spark of peyne doth me spille.
II. (_In Terza Rima; imperfect. _)
[The sore spark of peyne doth me spille;] 15
This Love hath [eek] me set in swich a place
That my desyr [he] never wol fulfille;
For neither pitee, mercy, neither grace
Can I nat finde; and [fro] my sorwful herte,
For to be deed, I can hit nat arace. 20
The more I love, the more she doth me smerte;
Through which I see, with-oute remedye,
That from the deeth I may no wyse asterte;
[For this day in hir servise shal I dye].
III. (_In Terza Rima; imperfect. _)
[Thus am I slain, with sorwes ful dyverse; 25
Ful longe agoon I oghte have taken hede].
Now sothly, what she hight I wol reherse;
Hir name is Bountee, set in womanhede,
Sadnesse in youthe, and Beautee prydelees,
And Plesaunce, under governaunce and drede; 30
Hir surname eek is Faire Rewthelees,
The Wyse, y-knit un-to Good Aventure,
That, for I love hir, sleeth me giltelees.
Hir love I best, and shal, whyl I may dure,
Bet than my-self an hundred thousand deel, 35
Than al this worldes richesse or creature.
Now hath nat Love me bestowed weel
To love, ther I never shal have part?
Allas!
Cx. wil.
COLOPHON. _So in_ F; Gg. _has_--Explicit parliamentum Auium in die sancti
Valentini tentum, secundum Galfridum Chaucer; Ff. _has_--Explicit
Parliamentum Auium; MS. Arch. Seld. B. 24 _has_--Here endis the parliament
of foulis; Quod Galfride Chaucere; _the_ Longleat MS. _has_--Here endith
the Parlement of foules.
* * * * *
VI.
A COMPLEINT TO HIS LADY.
I. (_In seven-line stanzas. _)
The longe night, whan every creature
Shulde have hir rest in somwhat, as by kinde,
Or elles ne may hir lyf nat long endure,
Hit falleth most in-to my woful minde
How I so fer have broght my-self behinde, 5
That, sauf the deeth, ther may no-thing me lisse,
So desespaired I am from alle blisse.
This same thoght me lasteth til the morwe,
And from the morwe forth til hit be eve;
Ther nedeth me no care for to borwe, 10
For bothe I have good leyser and good leve;
Ther is no wight that wol me wo bereve
To wepe y-nogh, and wailen al my fille;
The sore spark of peyne doth me spille.
II. (_In Terza Rima; imperfect. _)
[The sore spark of peyne doth me spille;] 15
This Love hath [eek] me set in swich a place
That my desyr [he] never wol fulfille;
For neither pitee, mercy, neither grace
Can I nat finde; and [fro] my sorwful herte,
For to be deed, I can hit nat arace. 20
The more I love, the more she doth me smerte;
Through which I see, with-oute remedye,
That from the deeth I may no wyse asterte;
[For this day in hir servise shal I dye].
III. (_In Terza Rima; imperfect. _)
[Thus am I slain, with sorwes ful dyverse; 25
Ful longe agoon I oghte have taken hede].
Now sothly, what she hight I wol reherse;
Hir name is Bountee, set in womanhede,
Sadnesse in youthe, and Beautee prydelees,
And Plesaunce, under governaunce and drede; 30
Hir surname eek is Faire Rewthelees,
The Wyse, y-knit un-to Good Aventure,
That, for I love hir, sleeth me giltelees.
Hir love I best, and shal, whyl I may dure,
Bet than my-self an hundred thousand deel, 35
Than al this worldes richesse or creature.
Now hath nat Love me bestowed weel
To love, ther I never shal have part?
Allas!
