Or if I mind to slip this knot

By want of faith or steadfastness;
Let all my service be forgot,

And when I would have chief redress,
Esteem me not.

5 But if that I consume in pain

Of burning sighs and fervent love; And daily seek none other gain,

But with my deed these words to prove; Methink of right I should obtain

That ye would mind for to remove
Your great disdain.

6 And for the end of this my song,
Unto your hands I do submit
My deadly grief, and pains so strong
Which in my heart be firmly shytt,'
And when ye list, redress my wrong:
Since well ye know this painful fit
Hath last too long.

OF FORTUNE, LOVE, AND FANTASY. 1 Ir was my choice; it was no chance

That brought my heart in other's hold;
Whereby it hath had sufferance

Longer, perdie, than reason wold.
Since I it bound where it was free
Methinks, y-wis,2 of right it should
Accepted be.

2 Accepted be without refuse;

Unless that Fortune have the power

1'Shytt:' shut.-Y-wis:' certainly.

All right of love for to abuse.

For as they say one happy hour May more prevail than right or might; If Fortune then list for to lower,

What 'vaileth right?

3 What 'vaileth right if this be true!
Then trust to chance, and go by guess:
Then whoso loveth may well go sue
Uncertain hope for his redress.
Yet some would say assuredly

Thou mayst appeal for thy release
To Fantasy.'

4 To Fantasy pertains to choose!
All this I know: for Fantasy
First unto love did me induce;

But yet I know as steadfastly,
That if love have no faster knot,
So nice a choice slips suddenly;
It lasteth not.

5 It lasteth not, that stands by change;
Fancy doth change; Fortune is frail;
Both these to please the way is strange.
Therefore methinks best to prevail,
There is no way that is so just
As truth to lead; the other fail,

And thereto trust.

1 Fantasy:' fancy.

DESERTED BY HIS MISTRESS,

HE RENOUNCETH ALL JOY FOR EVER.

1 HEART oppress'd with desperate thought,
Is forced ever to lament;

Which now in me so far hath wrought,
That needs to it I must consent:
Wherefore all joy I do refuse,
And cruel will thereof accuse.

2 If cruel will had not been guide,

Despair in me had [found] no place;
For my true meaning she well espied;
Yet for all that would give no grace;
Wherefore all joy I do refuse,
And cruel will thereof accuse.

3 She might well see, and yet would not;
And may daily, if that she will;
How painful is my hapless lot;
Join'd with despair me for to spill;
Wherefore all joy I do refuse,

And cruel will thereof accuse.

THAT NO WORDS MAY EXPRESS THE CRAFTY TRAINS OF LOVE.

1 FULL well it may be seen

To such as understand,

How some there be that ween
They have their wealth at hand:
Through love's abused band

But little do they see

The abuse wherein they be.

2 Of love there is a kind
Which kindleth by abuse;
As in a feeble mind

Whom fancy may induce
By love's deceitful use,
'To follow the fond lust
And proof of a vain trust.

3 As I myself may say,

By trial of the same;
No wight can well bewray

That falsehood love can frame;
I say, 'twixt grief and game,
There is no living man

That knows the craft love can.

4 For love so well can feign
To favour for the while;
That such as seeks the gain

Are served with the guile;
And some can this concile1
To give the simple leave
Themselves for to deceive.

5 What thing may more declare Of love the crafty kind,

Than see the wise so ware,

In love to be so blind;
If so it be assign'd;

Let them enjoy the gain,

That thinks it worth the pain.

1 Concile:' reconcile.

THAT THE POWER OF LOVE EXCUSETH
THE FOLLY OF LOVING.

1 SINCE love is such as that ye wot
Cannot always be wisely used;
I say therefore then blame me not,
Though I therein have been abused.
For as with cause I am accused,
Guilty I grant such was my lot;
And though it cannot be excused,
Yet let such folly be forgot.

2 For in my years of reckless youth

Methought the power of love so great,
That to his laws I bound my truth,
And to my will there was no let.
Me list no more so far to fet;1
Such fruit! lo! as of love ensu'th;
The gain was small that was to get,
And of the loss the less the ruth.

3 And few there is but first or last,

A time in love once shall they have;
And glad I am my time is past,

Henceforth my freedom to withsave."
Now in my heart there shall I grave
The granted grace that now I taste;
Thanked be fortune that me gave
So fair a gift, so sure and fast.

4 Now such as have me seen ere this,
When youth in me set forth his kind;

1'Fet:' fetch. Withsave:' preserve.