001 A wayle whyt ase whalles bon
002 a grein in golde þat godly shon
003 a tortle þat min herte is on
004 in tonues trewe
005 hire gladshipe nes neuer gon
006 whil y may glewe
007 when heo is glad
008 of al þis world namore y:bad
009 þen beo wiþ hire myn one bistad
010 wiþ oute strif
011 þe care þat icham yn ybrad
012 y wyte a wyf 013 A wyf nis non so worly wroht 014 when heo ys blyþe to bedde ybroht 015 wel were him þat wiste hire þoht 016 þat þryuen & þro 017 wel y wot heo nul me noht 018 myn herte is wo 019 hou shal þat lefly syng 020 þat þus is marred in mournyng 021 heo me wol to deþe bryng

022 longe er my day 023 gret hire wel þat swete þing 024 wiþ eenen gray 025 hyre hee haueþ wounded me ywisse 026 hire bende browen þat bringeþ blisse 027 hire comely mouth þat mihte cusse 028 in muche murþe he were 029 y wolde chaunge myn for his 030 þat is here fere 031 wolde hyre fere beo so freo 032 ant wurþes were þat so myhte beo 033 al for on y wolde eue þreo 034 wiþoute chep 035 from helle to heuene ant sonne to see 036 nys non so e,e,p 037 ne half so freo 038 wose wole of loue be trewe do lystne me 039 herkneþ me y ou telle 040 in such wondryng for wo y welle 041 nys no fur so hot in helle 042 al to mon

043 þat loueþ derne ant darn:out telle 044 whet him ys on 045 Ich vnne hire wel ant heo me wo 046 ycham hire frend ant heo my fo 047 me þuncheþ min herte wol breke atwo 048 for sorewe ant syke 049 in godes greting mote heo go 050 þat wayle whyte 051 Ich wolde ich were a þrestelcok 052 a bountyng oþer a lauercok 053 swete bryd 054 bituene hire curtel ant hire smok 055 y wolde ben hyd

  A beauty white as whale's bone;A golden bead, shining alone;A turtle my heart is fixed upon,Earth's truest thing!Her gaiety will not be goneWhile I can sing.When blisses on this beauty pour,Of all this world I ask no moreThan be alone with her and drawNo word of strife.I blame a lovely woman forMy woes in life.No beauty could be better wrought.When to bed she's blithely brought,Happy for him who knows her thought,That creature fair!But well I know she loves me not,To my despair.How shall a singer sweetly sing, Afflicted so with suffering? Dreadful death to me she'll bring Before my day. Bow low to her, that lovely thing With eyes of grey!Those eyes have dealt me agonies;Her curving brows have brought me bliss:Her comely mouth a man might kissAnd be in heaven.I'd gladly change my lot for hisTo whom she's given.And if his mind were fair and free,And worthy women I could see,For her I'd give him any three,Without ado.From hell to heaven, from sun to sea,There's no one so discreet as she,Nor half as generous: hark to me,You lovers trueYes, listen while my tale I tell.I burn, distracted in a spell:There is no hotter flame in hellThan lover's fire When secret lover dare not tellHis strong desire.I wish her well, she wills me woe;I am her friend, but she's my foe:I think my heart will break in twoWith sighs and care.With God's own greeting may she go,So white, so fair!I wish I were a throstle?cock,A bunting or a laverock,Sweet birds of the air!Between her kirtle and her smockI'd hide, I swear.