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In May when Flora, the fressh lusty quene, The soyle hath clad in grene, rede, and white, And Phebus gan to shede his stremes shene Amyd the Bole wyth al the bemes bryght,1 And Lucifer, to chace awey the nyght, Agen the morowe our orysont hath take2 To byd lovers out of her slepe awake, And hertys hevy for to recomforte From dreryhed of hevy nyghtis sorowe, Nature bad hem ryse and disporte Ageyn the goodly, glad, grey morowe; And Hope also, with Seint John to borowe, Bad in dispite of Daunger and Dispeyre For to take the holsome, lusty eyre. And wyth a sygh I gan for to abreyde Out of my slombre and sodenly out stert, As he, alas, that nygh for sorowe deyde - My sekenes sat ay so nygh myn hert.3 But for to fynde socour of my smert, Or attelest summe relesse of my peyn That me so sore halt in every veyn, I rose anon and thoght I wolde goon Unto the wode to her the briddes sing, When that the mysty vapour was agoon, And clere and feyre was the morownyng. The dewe also, lyk sylver in shynyng Upon the leves as eny baume suete, Til firy Tytan with hys persaunt hete Had dried up the lusty lycour nyw Upon the herbes in the grene mede, And that the floures of mony dyvers hywe Upon her stalkes gunne for to sprede And for to splay out her leves on brede Ageyn the sunne, golde-borned in hys spere, That doun to hem cast hys bemes clere. And by a ryver forth I gan costey, Of water clere as berel or cristal, Til at the last I founde a lytil wey Touarde a parke enclosed with a wal In compas rounde; and, by a gate smal, Hoso that wolde frely myght goon Into this parke walled with grene stoon. And in I went to her the briddes songe, Which on the braunches, bothe in pleyn and vale, So loude songe that al the wode ronge, Lyke as hyt sholde shever in pesis smale. And, as me thoght, that the nyghtyngale Wyth so grete myght her voys gan out wrest, Ryght as her hert for love wolde brest. The soyle was pleyn, smothe, and wonder softe, Al oversprad wyth tapites that Nature Had made herselfe, celured eke alofte With bowys grene, the flores for to cure, That in her beauté they may longe endure Fro al assaute of Phebus fervent fere, Which in his spere so hote shone and clere. The eyre atempre and the smothe wynde Of Zepherus amonge the blosmes whyte So holsomme was and so norysshing be kynde That smale buddes and rounde blomes lyte In maner gan of her brethe delyte To gif us hope that their frute shal take, Agens autumpne redy for to shake. I sawe ther Daphene, closed under rynde, Grene laurer, and the holsomme pyne, The myrre also, that wepeth ever of kynde, The cedres high, upryght as a lyne, The philbert eke, that lowe dothe enclyne Her bowes grene to the erthe doune Unto her knyght icalled Demophoune. Ther saw I eke the fressh hawthorne In white motele that so soote doth smelle;4 Asshe, firre, and oke with mony a yonge acorne, And mony a tre mo then I can telle. And me beforne I sawe a litel welle That had his course, as I gan beholde, Under an hille with quyke stremes colde. The gravel golde, the water pure as glas, The bankys rounde the welle environyng,5 And softe as velvet the yonge gras That therupon lustely gan spryng. The sute of trees about compassyng Her shadowe cast, closyng the wel rounde And al th'erbes grouyng on the grounde. The water was so holsom and so vertuous Throgh myghte of erbes grouynge beside - Nat lyche the welle wher as Narcisus Islayn was thro vengeaunce of Cupide, Wher so covertely he did hide The greyn of deth upon ech brynk That deth mot folowe, who that evere drynk; Ne lyche the pitte of the Pegacé Under Parnaso, wher poetys slept; Nor lyke the welle of pure chastité, Whiche as Dyane with her nymphes kept When she naked into the water lept, That slowe Atteon with his houndes felle Oonly for he cam so nygh the welle. But this welle that I her reherse So holsom was that hyt wolde aswage Bollyn hertis, and the venym perse Of pensifhede with al the cruel rage, And evermore refresh the visage Of hem that were in eny werynesse Of gret labour or fallen in distresse. And I that had throgh Daunger and Disdeyn So drye a thrust, thoght I wolde assay To tast a draght of this welle, or tweyn, My bitter langour yf hyt myght alay; And on the banke anon doune I lay, And with myn hede into the welle araght, And of the watir dranke I a good draght. Wherof me thoght I was refresshed wel Of the brynnyng that sate so nyghe my hert That verely anon I gan to fele An huge part relesed of my smert; And therwithalle anon up I stert And thoght I wolde walke and se more Forth in the parke and in the holtys hore. And thorgh a launde as I yede apace I gan about fast to beholde, I fonde anon a delytable place That was beset with trees yong and olde (Whos names her for me shal not be tolde), Amyde of which stode an erber grene That benched was with clourys nyw and clene. This erber was ful of floures ynde, Into the whiche, as I beholde gan, Betwex an hulfere and a wodebynde, As I was war, I sawe ther lay a man In blake and white colour, pale and wan, And wonder dedely also of his hiwe, Of hurtes grene and fresh woundes nyw. And overmore destreyned with sekenesse Besyde, as thus he was ful grevosly, For upon him he had a hote accesse That day be day him shoke ful petously, So that, for constreynyng of hys malady And hertly wo, thus lyinge al alone, Hyt was a deth for to her him grone. Wherof astonied, my fote I gan withdrawe, Gretly wondring what hit myght be That he so lay and had no felowe, Ne that I coude no wyght with him se, Wherof I had routhe and eke pité; I gan anon, so softly as I coude, Amonge the busshes me prively to shroude; If that I myght in eny wise espye What was the cause of his dedely woo, Or why that he so pitously gan crie On hys fortune and on his eure also, With al my myght I leyde an ere to Every worde to marke what he sayed Out of his swogh among as he abreyde. But first, yf I shal make mensyon Of hys persone and pleynly him discrive, He was in sothe, without excepcion, To speke of manhod, oon the best on lyve - Ther may no man agein trouthe stryve - For of hys tyme, and of his age also, He proved was ther men shuld have ado.6 For oon the best ther of brede and lengthe, So wel ymade by good proporsion Yf he had be in his delyver strengthe; But thoght and sekenesse wer occasion That he thus lay in lamentacion, Gruffe on the grounde in place desolate, Sole by himself, awaped and amate. And for me semeth that hit ys syttyng His wordes al to put in remembraunce, To me that herde al his compleynyng And al the grounde of his woful chaunce, Yf therwithal I may yow do plesaunce, I wol to yow, so as I can, anone Lych as he seyde reherse everychone. But who shal helpe me now to compleyn? Or who shal now my stile guy or lede? O Nyobe! Let now thi teres reyn Into my penne and eke helpe in this nede, Thou woful mirre that felist my hert blede Of pitouse wo, and my honde eke quake, When that I write for this mannys sake. For unto wo acordeth compleynyng, And delful chere unto hevynesse; To sorow also, sighing and wepyng And pitouse morenyng unto drerynesse; And who that shal write of distresse In partye nedeth to know felyngly Cause and rote of al such malady. But I, alas, that am of wytte but dulle And have no knowyng of suche mater For to discryve and wryte at the fulle The wofull compleynt which that ye shul here, But even like as doth a skryvener That can no more what that he shal write But as his maister beside dothe endyte, Ryght so fare I, that of no sentement Sey ryght noght, as in conclusion, But as I herde when I was present This man compleyn wyth a pytouse son; For even lych, wythout addissyon Or disencrese, outher mor or lesse, For to reherse anon I wol me dresse. And yf that eny now be in this place That fele in love brennyng or fervence, Or hyndered were to his lady grace With false tonges that with pestilence Sle trwe men that never did offence In worde ne dede, ne in their entent - Yf eny such be here now present, Let hym of routhe ley to audyence With deleful chere and sobre contenaunce To here this man, be ful high sentence, His mortal wo and his perturbaunce, Compleynyng, now lying in a traunce With loke upcast and reuful chere, Th'effect of which was as ye shal here. Compleynt "The thoght oppressed with inward sighes sore, The peynful lyve, the body langwysshing, The woful gost, the hert rent and tore, The petouse chere pale in compleynyng, The dedely face lyke asshes in shynyng, The salt teres that fro myn yen falle, Parcel declare grounde of my peynes alle. "Whos hert ys grounde to blede on hevynesse, The thoght resseyt of woo and of compleynt, The brest is chest of dule and drerynesse, The body eke so feble and so feynt. With hote and colde my acces ys so meynt7 That now I shyver for defaute of hete, And hote as glede now sodenly I suete: "Now hote as fire, now colde as asshes dede, Now hote for colde, now cold for hete ageyn, Now colde as ise, now as coles rede For hete I bren; and thus betwext tweyn I possed am, and al forcast in peyn, So that my hete pleynly, as I fele, Of grevouse colde ys cause everydele. "This ys the colde of ynwarde high dysdeyn, Colde of dyspite, and colde of cruel hate; This is the colde that evere doth besy peyn Agens trouthe to fight and debate; This ys the colde that wolde the fire abate Of trwe menyng, alas, the harde while; This ys the colde that will me begile. "For evere the better that in trouthe I ment With al my myght feythfully to serve, With hert and al to be dilygent, The lesse thanke, alas, I can deserve. Thus for my trouthe Daunger doth me sterve, For oon that shuld my deth of mercie let Hath made Dispite now his suerde to whet "Agens me and his arowes to file To take vengeaunce of wilful cruelté; And tonges fals throgh her sleghtly wile Han gonne a werre that wol not stynted be; And fals Envye of wrathe, and Enemyté Have conspired agens al ryght and lawe, Of her malis, that Trouthe shal be slawe. "And Male-Bouche gan first the tale telle To sclaundre Trouthe of indignacion, And Fals-Report so loude ronge the belle8 That Mysbeleve and Fals-Suspecion Have Trouthe brought to hys damnacion, So that, alas, wrongfully he dyeth, And Falsnes now his place occupieth "And entred ys into Trouthes londe And hath therof the ful possessyon. O ryghtful God, that first the trouthe fonde, How may Thou suffre such oppressyon, That Falshed shuld have jurysdixion In Trouthes ryght, to sle him giltles? In his fraunchise he may not lyve in pes. "Falsly accused and of his foon forjuged, Without unsuer while he was absent He damned was and may not ben excused, For Cruelté satte in jugement Of hastynesse, without avisement, And bad Disdeyn do execute anon His jugement in presence of hys fon. "Atturney non ne may admytted ben To excuse Trouthe, ne a worde to speke; To feyth or othe the juge list not sen; Ther ys no geyn, but he wil be wreke. O Lorde of Trouthe, to Thee I calle and cleke: How may Thou se thus in Thy presence Without mercy mordred Innocence? "Now God that art of Trouthe sovereyn And seest how I lye for trouthe bounde, So sore knytte in Loves firy cheyn, Even at the deth, thro-girt wyth mony a wounde That lykly ar never for to sounde, And for my trouthe am damned to the dethe, And noght abide but drawe alonge the brethe,9 "Consider and se in Thyn eternal sight How that myn hert professed whilom was For to be trwe with al my ful myght Oonly to oon, the which now, alas, Of volunté, withoute more trespas, Myn accusurs hath taken unto grace And cherissheth hem my deth for to purchace. "What meneth this? What ys this wonder ure Of purveance, yf I shal hit calle, Of God of Love that fals hem so assure, And trew, alas, doun of the whele be falle? And yet, in sothe, this is the worst of alle: That Falshed wrongfully of Trouth hath the name, And Trouthe, agenwarde, of Falshed bereth the blame. "This blynde chaunce, this stormy aventure, In love hath most his experience, For who that doth with Trouth most his cure Shal for his mede fynde most offence, That serveth Love with al his diligence; For who can feyne under loulyhede Ne fayleth not to fynde grace and spede. "For I loved oon ful longe sythe agoon With al my hert, body, and ful myght, And to be ded my hert cannot goon From his hest, but hold that he hath hight. Thogh I be banysshed out of her syght And by her mouthe damned that I shal deye, Unto my behest yet I wil ever obeye. "For evere sithe that the worlde began, Whoso lyste loke and in storie rede, He shal ay fynde that the trwe man Was put abake, wheras the falshede Ifurthered was, for Love taketh no hede To sle the trwe and hath of hem no charge, Wheras the fals goth frely at her large. "I take recorde of Palamides, The trwe man, the noble worthy knyght, That ever loved, and of hys peyne no relese; Notwithstondyng his manhode and his myght, Love unto him did ful grete unright, For ay the bette he did in chevalrye, The more he was hindred by envye; "And ay the bette he dyd in every place Throgh his knyghthode and besy peyn, The ferther was he fro his ladys grace, For to her mercie myght he never ateyn, And to his deth he coude hyt not refreyn For no daunger, but ay obey and serve As he best coude, pleynly til he sterve. "What was the fyne also of Ercules, For al his conquest and his worthynesse, That was of strengthe alone pereles? For, lyke as bokes of him list expresse, He set pilers thro his high prouesse Away at Cades for to signifie That no man myght hym passe in chevalrie; "The whiche pilers ben ferre by-yonde Ynde Beset of golde for a remembraunce. And, for al that, was he sete behynde With hem that Love list febly avaunce;10 For him set laste upon a daunce Agens whom helpe may no strife - For al his trouth, he lost his lyfe. "Phebus also, for al his persaunt lyght, When that he went her in erthe lowe Unto the hert with Venus sight Ywounded was thro Cupides bowe; And yet his lady list him not to knowe, Thogh for her love his hert did blede; She let him go and toke of him non hede. "What shal I say of yong Piramus? Of trwe Tristram for al his high renoune? Of Achilles or of Antonyas? Of Arcite or of him, Palamoune? What was the ende of her passion But after sorowe, dethe, and then her grave? Lo, her the guerdon that lovers have! "But false Jasoun with his doublenesse, That was untrwe at Colkos to Medé; And Tereus, rote of unkyndenesse; And with these two eke the fals Ené. Lo, thus the fals ay in oon degré Had in love her lust and al her wille, And save falshed ther was non other skille. "Of Thebes eke the fals Arcite, And Demophon eke for his slouthe, They had her lust and al that myght delyte For al her falshede and grete untrouthe. Thus ever Love, alas, and that is routhe, His fals legys furthereth what he may And sleeth the trwe ungoodly day be day. "For trwe Adon was slayn with the bore Amyde the forest in the grene shade, For Venus love he felt al the sore. But Vulcanus with her no mercy made; The foule cherle had many nyghtis glade, Wher Mars, her worthi knyght, her trewe man, To fynde mercy, comfort noon he can. "Also the yonge, fressh Ipomones, So lusty fre as of his corage, That for to serve with al his hert ches Athalans, so feire of her visage. But Love, alas, quyte him so his wage With cruel daunger pleynly at the last, That with the dethe guerdonlesse he past. "Lo, her the fyne of lovers servise! Lo, how that Love can his servantis quyte! Lo, how he can his feythful men dispise To sle the trwe men and fals to respite! Lo, how he doth the suerde of sorowe byte In hertis suche as must his lust obey To save the fals and do the trwe dey! "For feythe nor othe, worde ne assuraunce,11 Trwe menyng, awayte, or besynesse, Stil port, ne feythful attendaunce, Manhode, ne myght in armes, worthinesse, Pursute of wurschip, nor high prouesse, In straunge londe rydinge ne travayle - Ful lyte or noght in love dothe avayle. "Peril of dethe, nother in se ne londe, Hungre ne thrust, sorowe ne sekenesse, Ne grete emprises for to take on honde, Shedyng of blode, ne manful hardynesse, Nor ofte woundynge at sawtes by distresse, Nor jupartyng of lyfe, nor dethe also - Al ys for noghte, Love taketh non hede therto. "But Lesynges with her fals flaterye, Thro her falshed and with her doublenesse, With tales new and mony feyned lye, By false semlaunce and contrefet humblesse, Under colour depeynt with stidfastnesse, With fraude cured under a pitouse face, Accept ben now rathest unto grace, "And can hemself now best magnifie With feyned port and presumpsion. They haunce her cause with fals surquedrie, Under menyng of double-entencion, To thenken on in her opynyon And sey another, to set hemselfe alofte And hynder Truthe, as hit ys seyn ful ofte. "The whiche thing I bye now al to dere, Thanked be Venus and the god Cupide, As hit is seen by myn oppressed chere And by his arowes that stiken in my syde, That, safe the dethe, I nothing abide Fro day to day - alas, the harde while! Whenevere hys dart that hym list to fyle, "My woful hert for to ryve atwo For faute of mercye and lake of pité Of her that causeth al my peyn and woo And list not ones of grace for to see Unto my trouthe throgh her cruelté. And most of al I me compleyn That she hath joy to laughen at my peyn "And wilfully hath my dethe sworone Al giltles and wote no cause why, Safe for the trouthe that I have hade aforne To her allone to serve feythfully. O God of Love, unto thee I crie And to thy blende, double deyté Of this grete wrong I compleyn me, "And unto thy stormy, wilful variaunce, Imeynt with chaunge and gret unstablesse: Now up, now down, so rennyng is thy chaunce That thee to trust may be no sikernesse, I wite hit nothinge but thi doublenesse; And who that is an archer and ys blynde Marketh nothing, but sheteth by wenynge. "And for that he hath no discrecion Withoute avise he let his arowe goo, For lak of syght and also of resoun, In his shetyng hit happeth oft soo To hurt his frende rathir then his foo. So doth this god with his sharpe flon The trwe sleeth and leteth the fals gon. "And of his woundyng this is the worst of alle: When he hurteth he dothe so cruel wreche And maketh the seke for to crie and calle Unto his foo for to ben his leche; And herd hit ys for a man to seche Upon the poynt of dethe in jupardie Unto his foo to fynde remedye. "Thus fareth hit now even by me, That to my foo that gaf my hert a wounde Mot axe grace, mercie, and pité, And namely ther wher noon may be founde, For now my sore my leche wol confounde; And God of kynde so hath set myn ure My lyves foo to have my wounde in cure. "Alas the while now that I was borne Or that I ever saugh the bright sonne! For now I se that ful longe aforne, Er I was borne, my destanye was sponne By Parcas sustren, to sle me if they conne, For they my dethe shopen or my shert, Oonly for trouthe I may hit not astert. "The myghty goddesse also of Nature, That under God hath the governaunce Of worldly thinges commytted to her cure, Disposed hath thro her wyse purveaunce To give my lady so moche suffisaunce Of al vertues and therwithal purvyde To mordre Trouthe hath taken Daunger to guyde. "For bounté, beauté, shappe, and semelyhed, Prudence, wite, passyngly fairenesse, Benigne port, glad chere with loulyhed, Of womanhed ryght plenteuous largesse, Nature in her fully did empresse Whan she her wroght, and altherlast Dysdeyne To hinder Trouthe she made her chambreleyne, "When Mystrust also, and Fals-Suspecion With Mysbeleve, she made for to be Chefe of counseyle, to this conclusion: For to exile Routhe and eke Pité, Out of her court to make Mercie fle, So that Dispite now haldeth forth her reyn Thro hasty beleve of tales that men feyn. "And thus I am for my trouthe, alas, Mordred and slayn with wordis sharp and kene, Giltles, God wote, of al trespas, And lye and blede upon this colde grene. Now mercie, suete, mercye my lyves quene! And to youre grace of mercie yet I prey, In your servise that your man may dey. "But and so be that I shall deye alagate, And that I shal non other mercye have, Yet of my dethe let this be the date That by youre wille I was broght to my grave. Or hastely, yf that ye list me save, My sharpe woundes that ake so and blede Of mercie charme, and also of womanhede. "For other charme pleynly ys ther noon, But only mercie, to helpe in this case; For thogh my wounde blede evere in oon, My lyve, my deth, stont in your grace; And thogh my gilt be nothing, alace, I axe mercie in al my best entent Redy to dye yf that ye assent. "For theragens shal I never strive In worde ne werke, pleynly I ne may, For lever I have then to be alyve To dye sothely, and hit be her to pay; Ye, thogh hit be this ech same day, Or when that ever her lust to devyse, Sufficeth me to dye in your servise. "And God, that knowest the thoght of every wyght Ryght as hit is in everything Thou maist se, Yet er I dye, with al my ful myght Louly I prey, to graunte unto me That ye, goodly, feir, fressh, and fre, Which sle me oonly for defaut of routhe, Er then I die, may know my trouthe. "For that in sothe suffiche me, And she hit knowe in every circumstaunce, And after I am welpayed that she, Yf that her lyst, of deth to do vengeaunce Unto me that am under her legeaunce; Hit sitte me not her doom to dysobey But at her lust wilfully to dey. "Wythout gruching or rebellion In wil or worde holy I assent, Or eny maner contradixion, Fully to be at her commaundement. And yf I dye, in my testament My hert I send and my spirit also, Whatsoever she list with hem to do. "And alderlast to her womanhede And to her mercy me I recommaunde, That lye now here betwext hope and drede, Abyding pleynly what she list commaunde; For utterly - this nys no demaunde - Welcome to me while me lasteth brethe, Ryght at her chose, wher hit be lyf or dethe. "In this mater more what myght I seyn, Sithe in her honde and in her wille ys alle: Bothe lyf and dethe, my joy and al my peyn. And fynally my hest holde I shall Til my spirit be destanye fatal When that her list fro my body wynde. Have her my trouthe, and thus I make an ynde." And with that worde he gan sike as sore Lyke as his hert ryve wolde atweyne And holde his pese and spake a worde no more. But for to se his woo and mortal peyn, The teres gan fro myn eyen reyn Ful piteusly, for verry inwarde routhe That I hym sawe so languysshing for his trouthe. And al this wile myself I kep close Amonge the bowes and myself gunne hide, Til at the last the woful man arose And to a logge went ther besyde Wher al the May his custom was to abide, Sole to compleyn of his peynes kene Fro yer to yer under the bowes grene. And for because that hit drowe to the nyght, And that the sunne his arke diurnall Ipassed was, so that his persaunt lyght, His bryght bemes, and his stremes all Were in the wawes of the water fall, Under the bordure of our occean His chare of golde his course so swyftly ran; And while the twilyght and the rowes rede Of Phebus lyght wer deaurat a lyte, A penne I toke and gan me fast spede The woful pleynt of this man to write, Worde be worde as he dyd endyte: Lyke as I herde and coude him tho reporte I have here set, your hertis to dysporte. Iff oght be mys, leyth the wite on me, For I am worthy for to bere the blame Yf enything mysreported be To make this dité for to seme lame Thro myn unkynnyng. But for to sey the same, Lyke as this man his compleynt did expresse, I axe mercie and forgevenesse. And as I wrote me thoght I sawe aferre Fer in the west lustely appere Esperus, the goodly bryght sterre, So glad, so feire, so persaunt eke of chere: I mene Venus with her bemys clere That hevy hertis oonly to releve Is wont of custom for to shew at eve. And I as fast fel doun on my kne And even thus to her I gan to preie: "O lady Venus, so feire upon to se, Let not this man for his trouthe dey, For that joy thou haddest when thou ley With Mars thi knyght, whom Vulcanus founde And with a cheyne unvisible yow bounde "Togedre both tweyne in the same while, That al the court above celestial At youre shame gan laughe and smyle. O feire lady, wel-willy founde at al, Comfort to carefull, O goddesse immortal, Be helpyng now and do thy diligence To let the stremes of thin influence "Descende doune in furtheryng of the trouthe, Namely of hem that lie in sorow bounde: Shew now thy myght and on her wo have routhe Er fals Daunger sle hem and confounde. And specialy let thy myght be founde For to socour, whatso that thou may, The trew man that in the erber lay. "And al trew further for his sake, O glad sterre, O lady Venus myn, And cause his lady him to grace take, Her hert of stele to mercy so enclyne Er that thy bemes go up to declyne, And er that thou now go fro us adoune For that love thou haddest to Adon." And when she was goon to her rest I rose anon and home to bed went For verry wery, me thoght hit for the best, Preyng thus in al my best entent That al trew that be with Daunger shent With mercie may, in reles of her peyn, Recured be er May come eft agen. And for that I ne may noo lenger wake, Farewel, ye lovers al that be trewe, Prayng to God, and thus my leve I take, That er the sunne tomorowe be ryse newe, And er he have agen his rosen hewe, That eche of yow may have such a grace His oune lady in armes to embrace. I mene thus: that in al honesté, Withoute more, ye may togedre speke Whatso yow list at good liberté, That eche may to other her hert breke, On Jelosie oonly to be wreke, That hath so longe of his malice and envie Werred Trouthe with his tiranye. L'envoye Princes, pleseth hit your benignité This litil dité to have in mynde, Of womanhede also for to se, Your trew man may summe mercie fynde, And pité eke that longe hath be behynde Let him agein be provoked to grace. For, by my trouthe, hit is agens kynde Fals Daunger to occupie his place. L'envoye de quare Go, litel quayre, go unto my lyves quene And my verry hertis sovereigne, And be ryght glad for she shal thee sene - Such is thi grace, but I, alas, in peyne Am left behinde and not to whom to pleyn, For Mercie, Routhe, Grace, and eke Pité Exiled be, that I may not ateyne Recure to fynde of myn adversité.

bright invigorating; (see note); (t-note) soil began to shine; bright rays; (see note) (t-note) i.e., the morning star; (t-note) bid; their; (t-note) sorrowful hearts; ease Of misery; night's; (t-note) bade them rise; make merry morning; (t-note) Saint John as his guarantor; (see note) Bade; spite; Resistance; Despair; (see note) wholesome, invigorating air sigh; began to awake; (see note); (t-note) sleep; awakened abruptly; (t-note) Like one; who nearly; died; (see note); (t-note) (see note); (t-note) find relief for; suffering; (t-note) at least some relief; (t-note) sorely afflicted; (t-note) right away; would go; (see note); (t-note) wood; hear; birds; (t-note) foggy mist; gone light; pleasant; morning (dawn); (t-note) like silver; brilliance; (see note); (t-note) leaves; any sweet balm i.e., the sun; piercing heat; (see note) fresh dew plants; meadow; (t-note) flowers; many different colors their; began to open; (t-note) spread out their; wide Under; gold-burnished; sphere; (see note); (t-note) bright beams; (t-note) river; went alongside; (see note) beryl little path surrounded by All around; by [means of] Whoever wished; go (t-note) hear; birds' song; (see note) field and valley; (t-note) sang; wood rang; (t-note) it; shatter into small pieces; (t-note) it seemed to me intensified her voice; (t-note) as [if]; burst flat; soil covered; tapestries (carpets) canopied also aloft; (see note); (t-note) boughs; flowers; shield; (t-note) their; (t-note) From; assault; heat hot mild (temperate) air; (see note) blossoms; (t-note) nourishing by nature shoots (buds); round little blooms; (t-note) After a fashion did; breath delight; (t-note) give; will begin to grow; (t-note) Toward; ready to fall Daphne; within bark; (see note); (t-note) laurel; pine; (see note) myrrh; by nature; (see note) cedars; perfectly upright; (see note) filbert (hazel nut tree); (see note) earth; (t-note) Demophon; (t-note) (see note); (t-note) fir; oak; (see note); (t-note) more before me; spring; (see note); (t-note) beheld; (t-note) flowing streams (springs) (see note); (t-note) (see note); (t-note) vigorously did; (t-note) row; extending all around; (t-note) Their; enclosing the spring; (see note) the plants growing full of power (virtuous) Through [the] virtue of plants growing Not like; where Narcissus; (see note); (t-note) Slain subtly (secretly); (t-note) seed (grain); death; each side (edge); (t-note) must Nor like; spring; Pegasus; (see note); (t-note) Parnassus; (t-note) (see note); (t-note) Diana; (t-note) slew Acteon; deadly hounds; (t-note) Only because; came so near here discuss (give an account of) it; sooth (assuage) Swollen [i.e., with anger]; destroy the venom; (t-note) Of anger (t-note) Resistance; (t-note) thirst; attempt; (t-note) taste; drink; two; (t-note) sickness if it; alleviate (allay) bank reached (stretched); (see note); (t-note) relieved; (t-note) From; burning; sat; near truly; feel alleviated (eased) in response to that; (t-note) see dark woods as I went quickly through a clearing to look around intently; (t-note) found; delightful; (see note) covered here; (see note) In the middle of; garden (arbor) was furnished with seats of turfs fresh; (t-note) deep blue flowers; (t-note) In which; saw/observed holly; honeysuckle (woodbine); (see note); (t-note) I noticed; (see note); (t-note) (see note); (t-note) deathly; complexion; (t-note) recent injuries; recently inflicted (new); (t-note) moreover tormented; (t-note) Besides; very severely; (t-note) fever; (t-note) shook because of [the] affliction; (t-note) heartfelt anguish It; hear; groan; (t-note) Astonished by that; foot why it companion Nor; person compassion; (t-note) right away, as; (see note); (t-note) myself secretly; hide; (t-note) [To see] if; discover did cry out Against; fate also; (see note); (t-note) paid attention to take note of swoon at intervals; recovered mention fully; describe truth; (t-note) one [of]; alive; (t-note) argue with [the] truth; (t-note) in every respect; (see note) formed been; full were [the] cause Face down; uninhabited; (see note) Alone; stunned; exhausted (overcome); (see note); (t-note) because it seems to me; appropriate lamenting source; misfortune with that; please you; (t-note) (t-note) Like; every one (see note); (t-note) pen (stylus) guide or control Niobe; tears rain; (see note); (t-note) pen stream; feels; (see note) compassionate; hand; tremble man's; (t-note) complaining is fitting for misery (sorrow); (see note) a sorrowful (doleful) expression to grief wretched lamentation; grief (t-note) part; sympathetically root wit; (see note) describe; (t-note) hear precisely; professional scribe knows dictate personal experience/feeling absolutely nothing voice exactly; addition [i.e., of words] subtraction [i.e., of words], either devote myself passion; ardor slandered; (t-note) wickedness; (t-note) Ruin faithful (true) nor; (t-note) [out] of pity pay attention sorrowful hear; with complete seriousness; (t-note) severe; agitation; (t-note) faint; (see note) glance turned upward; sorrowful face; (t-note) hear; (t-note) (t-note) inner (mental); painful; (see note); (t-note) existence; suffering spirit; torn; (t-note) (t-note) pale like ashes (i.e., lifeless); (see note) eyes; (t-note) To some degree proclaim [the] foundation; (t-note) crushed; bleed in misery; (t-note) [the] receptacle; (t-note) breast; [the] repository; grief (see note) shiver; lack; (t-note) hot as [a] live coal; sweat cold (i.e., lifeless) (t-note) ice; fiery embers; (t-note) burn; between two pushed; tossed about; (t-note) completely; (t-note) in every respect; (t-note) cold (i.e., lack of feeling); scorn; (t-note) contempt does his best (takes pains); (t-note) strive (t-note) faithful (pure) intention; difficult time (t-note) attentive; (see note); (t-note) thanks; did loyalty Resistance; kill; (see note); (t-note) [out] of pity prevent Defiance; sword to sharpen; (t-note) file (i.e., sharpen) (t-note) false; their sly wiles; (t-note) have begun a war; stopped; (t-note) Hatred; Hostility; (see note); (t-note) their malice; Truth (Constancy in love) slain; (t-note) Slander (lit., "Bad-Mouth"); (see note) slander; [out] of anger; (t-note) Skepticism (Mistrust); (t-note) ruin dies has asserted ownership of Truth's estate founded Falsehood; power/authority slay; unjustly freedom; peace; (t-note) by his enemies convicted/sentenced; (t-note) Without opportunity to defend himself in court convicted held court (sat in judgment) In undue haste; consideration enforce; (t-note) sentence/punishment; enemies be permitted [to plead in court]; (t-note) (t-note) formal pledge; oath; does not want to see; (t-note) help; ruined; (t-note) hold fast; (t-note) Innocence mercilessly destroyed; (t-note) faithfulness bound fettered; chain; (t-note) pierced through; (see note); (t-note) heal; (t-note) (t-note) (t-note) pledged formerly/once Arbitrarily/Willingly; [suffering] any injury; (t-note) Has received my accusers with good will incites them to seek my death; (t-note) strange fate [ordained]; (see note); (t-note) providence (foreknowledge); (see note); (t-note) [the] false are so confident; (t-note) off the wheel [of Fortune] are fallen; (see note) truly (t-note) on the other hand; (t-note) (see note) duty/effort; (see note) reward; annoyance whoever; feign; humility prosperity/luck [a] long time ago to save my life; turn away its vow; [to] that [which] it has promised; (t-note) driven out; (t-note) condemned to death; (t-note) promise (see note) desires; read ever find; true (devoted) hindered; deceitful [one] Was advanced; is not concerned about; (t-note) Killing; offers them no protection; (t-note) boldly without restriction; (t-note) cite the case of Palomedes; (see note) (t-note) forever; relief; (t-note) valor wrong; (t-note) ever the better; feats of arms ill-will prowess; constant effort; (t-note) (t-note) to save his life; restrain himself; (t-note) (t-note) unreservedly (completely); died end; Hercules; (see note) victory; (t-note) Who; peerless (unequaled) are pleased to relate; (t-note) pillars; great might; (see note); (t-note) Cadiz; (t-note) surpass far beyond Asia; (t-note) Covered despite all that (see note) he finally set himself of a course of action; (t-note) struggle; (t-note) Despite; devotion; (see note); (t-note) piercing; (see note); (t-note) here; (t-note) the sight of Venus; (t-note) wished (t-note) made; notice; (t-note) Pyramus; (see note); (t-note) (see note); (t-note) Antony; (see note) Palamon; (see note) their afterwards here; reward; (see note); (t-note) Jason; faithlessness; (see note) unfaithful; Colchis; Medea; (t-note) root of unnaturalness (ingratitude); (see note); (t-note) Aeneas; (see note); (t-note) in the same way their desire; their will except for (see note); (t-note) sloth; (see note); (t-note) their enjoyment their; (t-note) [a] pity; (t-note) attendants slays; unjustly; (t-note) Adonis; boar; (see note) (t-note) (see note); (t-note) churl; pleasant nights; (t-note) (t-note) favor, gratification/pleasure Hippomenes; (see note); (t-note) pleasingly noble; heart; (t-note) chose; (t-note) Atalanta; fair; (t-note) paid; due unrewarded; passed; (t-note) conclusion; (see note); (t-note) does; repay; (t-note) does spare sword; pierce; (see note); (t-note) desire; (t-note) cause the faithful (true) to die service, or diligence/devotion Quiet demeanor; attention (homage) paid Pursuit of honor; might little; nothing neither in sea nor land; (t-note) thirst; (t-note) chivalric enterprises (deeds) bold courage (daring) repeated; raids (assaults) risking; (t-note) Lies; their; flattery; (see note); (t-note) duplicity many [a]; lie pretense; counterfeit humility Under guise of loyalty; (see note) dishonesty concealed; (see note); (t-note) Are most easily taken into good graces; (t-note) exalt; (t-note) appearance/demeanor; (see note); (t-note) advance their; pride; (t-note) double-purpose; (see note) one [thing]; their opinion (t-note) purchase; too dearly (i.e., at too high a price) evident; expression arrows; are embedded [So] that, except for; await difficult time he wishes to file (sharpen); (see note) rip in two want; lack cares never; (t-note) (t-note) (see note) sworn; (see note) unjustly; [I] know formerly (t-note) (t-note) blind, duplicitous deity (i.e., Venus); (see note) fickle; instability; (see note) Mingled; inconstancy; (t-note) so rapid; (t-note) surety blame it [on]; (t-note) (see note) Takes aim at; shoots; guessing; (t-note) because heed; (t-note) shooting, it happens; (t-note) than; foe arrows (see note); (t-note) cruelly punish/injure; (t-note) sick [person] be his doctor (leech); (see note); (t-note) hard; seek In danger of death; (t-note) it is happening; (t-note) gave; (t-note) [I] must ask; (t-note) none; (t-note) wound; doctor will trouble nature; fate in [her] power; (t-note) saw see; very long ago Before; determined (spun); (see note) Parcae sisters (i.e., the three Fates); (t-note) shaped (ordained) before; shirt; (see note) escape (see note) care; (t-note) Has ordained; foresight; (t-note) great [an] abundance; (see note) by means of that planned (plotted) destroy; Resistance as guide; (t-note) loveliness wit, surpassing; (t-note) Gentle deportment; face; humility womanliness; generosity; (t-note) put; (t-note) made (wrought); last of all Disdain Distrust; (t-note) Skepticism (Mistrust) (t-note) ban Compassion; (t-note) (t-note) reign (rule); (t-note) belief (see note) acrimonious knows; (t-note) bleed sweet; soul's; (see note) die But if [it] so; in any event; (t-note) Then [On] which; (t-note) quickly; wish to save me; (t-note) ache; (t-note) [Out] of; (t-note) (t-note) (t-note) continually; (t-note) stand ask in defiance of that; offer resistance work; (t-note) I would rather; than truly, if it would be her pleasure; (t-note) Yea; very she wishes [It] satisfies (see note) see Humbly (lowly) Who; lack Before I in truth satisfies If pleased If she wishes authority; (see note) judgment desire willingly objection wholly (see note) wishes at the last; (t-note) (t-note) between; fear Awaiting unreservedly certainly - there is no question about it I can still breathe (i.e., while I am still alive); (t-note) choice, whether Since; (see note) (t-note) promise; (t-note) by predestined fate; (t-note) i.e., die; (t-note) here; end (i.e., finish speaking) sigh; (t-note) would break in pieces; (see note) peace (see note) eyes rain; (t-note) for sincere (heartfelt); (t-note) suffering; (t-note) boughs; did; (t-note) building (?summer house) sharp drew [near] daily path (arc); (see note) Had traversed (see note) waves; (t-note) edge chariot; (see note); (t-note) beams red; (see note) gilded a little; (see note) lament; (t-note) tell; (t-note) then amuse; (t-note) anything; wrong, lay; responsibility; (see note); (t-note) poem; halting; (t-note) lack of skill (knowledge); (t-note) at a distance; (see note); (t-note) pleasantly Hesperus; star show; evening began to pray fair to look upon; (see note); (t-note) For [the sake of]; lay; (see note) (t-note) chain; (t-note) [So] that; (t-note) benevolent (propitious); in every way; (see note); (t-note) to [the] wretched; (t-note) relief; exert yourself to the utmost rays of your promotion (t-note) their Before; (see note); (t-note) (t-note) relieve garden all [who are]; (t-note) (t-note) (t-note) steel Before; to [your] setting for Adonis; (see note); (t-note) (see note) On account of weariness; (t-note) (t-note) overcome; (t-note) relief; their; (t-note) Restored; once more; (t-note) (see note) rosy hue; (t-note) own (t-note) (t-note) Whatever; wish uninhibitedly their hearts open avenged; (t-note) ill-will; (t-note) Persecuted; overriding dominance Princess, may it please your graciousness; (t-note) poem; (t-note) see; (t-note) [So that] your; (t-note) been in the rear; (t-note) restored to favor; (t-note) nature; (t-note) poem; (see note); (t-note) true heart's see; (t-note) do not know; complain (see note); (t-note) A way out; from; (t-note)