| Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. 1919. The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250–1900. |
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| Geoffrey Chaucer. 1340?–1400 |
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| 11. Balade |
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| HYD, Absolon, thy gilte tresses clere; | |
| Ester, ley thou thy meknesse al a-doun; | |
| Hyd, Jonathas, al thy frendly manere; | |
| Penalopee, and Marcia Catoun, | |
| Mak of your wyfhod no comparisoun; | 5 |
| Hyde ye your beautes, Isoude and Eleyne; | |
| My lady cometh, that al this may disteyne. | |
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| Thy faire body, lat hit nat appere, | |
| Lavyne; and thou, Lucresse of Rome toun, | |
| And Polixene, that boghten love so dere, | 10 |
| And Cleopatre, with al thy passioun, | |
| Hyde ye your trouthe of love and your renoun; | |
| And thou, Tisbe, that hast of love swich peyne; | |
| My lady cometh, that al this may disteyne. | |
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| Herro, Dido, Laudomia, alle y-fere, | 15 |
| And Phyllis, hanging for thy Demophoun, | |
| And Canace, espyed by thy chere, | |
| Ysiphile, betraysed with Jasoun, | |
| Maketh of your trouthe neyther boost ne soun; | |
| Nor Ypermistre or Adriane, ye tweyne; | 20 |
| My lady cometh, that al this may distevne. | |
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GLOSS: disteyne] bedim. y-fere] together. |
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