25. Nut-Brown Maid. Anonymous. The Oxford Book of English Verse

Verse > Anthologies > Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. > The Oxford Book of English Verse

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Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. 1919. The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250–1900.

Anonymous. 15th Cent.

25. The Nut-Brown Maid

He.	BE it right or wrong, these men among
	On women do complain;
	Affirming this, how that it is
	A labour spent in vain
	To love them wele; for never a dele	5
	They love a man again:
	For let a man do what he can
	Their favour to attain,
	Yet if a new to them pursue,
	Their first true lover than	10
	Laboureth for naught; for from her thought
	He is a banished man.

She.	I say not nay, but that all day
	It is both written and said
	That woman's faith is, as who saith,	15
	All utterly decayd:
	But nevertheless, right good witnèss
	In this case might be laid
	That they love true and continue:
	Record the Nut-brown Maid,	20
	Which, when her love came her to prove,
	To her to make his moan,
	Would not depart; for in her heart
	She loved but him alone.

He.	Then between us let us discuss	25
	What was all the manere
	Between them two: we will also
	Tell all the pain in fere
	That she was in. Now I begin,
	So that ye me answere:	30
	Wherefore all ye that present be,
	I pray you, give an ear.
	I am the Knight. I come by night,
	As secret as I can,
	Saying, Alas! thus standeth the case,	35
	I am a banished man.

She.	And I your will for to fulfil
	In this will not refuse;
	Trusting to show, in wordes few,
	That men have an ill use—	40
	To their own shame—women to blame,
	And causeless them accuse.
	Therefore to you I answer now,
	All women to excuse—
	Mine own heart dear, with you what cheer?	45
	I pray you, tell anone;
	For, in my mind, of all mankind
	I love but you alone.

He.	It standeth so: a deed is do
	Whereof great harm shall grow:	50
	My destiny is for to die
	A shameful death, I trow;
	Or else to flee. The t' one must be.
	None other way I know
	But to withdraw as an outlàw,	55
	And take me to my bow.
	Wherefore adieu, mine own heart true!
	None other rede I can:
	For I must to the green-wood go,
	Alone, a banished man.	60

She.	O Lord, what is this worldis bliss,
	That changeth as the moon!
	My summer's day in lusty May
	Is darked before the noon.
	I hear you say, farewell: Nay, nay,	65
	We dèpart not so soon.
	Why say ye so? whither will ye go?
	Alas! what have ye done?
	All my welfàre to sorrow and care
	Should change, if ye were gone:	70
	For, in my mind, of all mankind
	I love but you alone.

He.	I can believe it shall you grieve,
	And somewhat you distrain;
	But afterward, your paines hard	75
	Within a day or twain
	Shall soon aslake; and ye shall take
	Comfort to you again.
	Why should ye ought? for, to make thought,
	Your labour were in vain.	80
	And thus I do; and pray you to,
	As hartely as I can:
	For I must to the green-wood go,
	Alone, a banished man.

She.	Now, sith that ye have showed to me	85
	The secret of your mind,
	I shall be plain to you again,
	Like as ye shall me find.
	Sith it is so that ye will go,
	I will not live behind.	90
	Shall never be said the Nut-brown Maid
	Was to her love unkind.
	Make you ready, for so am I,
	Although it were anone:
	For, in my mind, of all mankind	95
	I love but you alone.

He.	Yet I you rede to take good heed
	What men will think and say:
	Of young, of old, it shall be told
	That ye be gone away	100
	Your wanton will for to fulfil,
	In green-wood you to play;
	And that ye might for your delight
	No longer make delay
	Rather than ye should thus for me	105
	Be called an ill womàn
	Yet would I to the green-wood go,
	Alone, a banished man.

She.	Though it be sung of old and young
	That I should be to blame,	110
	Theirs be the charge that speak so large
	In hurting of my name:
	For I will prove that faithful love
	It is devoid of shame;
	In your distress and heaviness	115
	To part with you the same:
	And sure all tho that do not so
	True lovers are they none:
	For in my mind, of all mankind
	I love but you alone.	120

He.	I counsel you, Remember how
	It is no maiden's law
	Nothing to doubt, but to run out
	To wood with an outlàw.
	For ye must there in your hand bear	125
	A bow ready to draw;
	And as a thief thus must you live
	Ever in dread and awe;
	Whereby to you great harm might grow:
	Yet had I liever than	130
	That I had to the green-wood go,
	Alone, a banished man.

She.	I think not nay but as ye say;
	It is no maiden's lore;
	But love may make me for your sake,	135
	As I have said before,
	To come on foot, to hunt and shoot,
	To get us meat and store;
	For so that I your company
	May have, I ask no more.	140
	From which to part it maketh my heart
	As cold as any stone;
	For, in my mind, of all mankind
	I love but you alone.

He.	For an outlàw this is the law,	145
	That men him take and bind:
	Without pitie, hangèd to be,
	And waver with the wind.
	If I had need (as God forbede!)
	What socours could ye find?	150
	Forsooth I trow, you and your bow
	For fear would draw behind.
	And no mervail; for little avail
	Were in your counsel than:
	Wherefore I'll to the green-wood go,	155
	Alone, a banished man.

She.	Right well know ye that women be
	But feeble for to fight;
	No womanhede it is, indeed,
	To be bold as a knight:	160
	Yet in such fear if that ye were
	With enemies day and night,
	I would withstand, with bow in hand,
	To grieve them as I might,
	And you to save; as women have	165
	From death men many one:
	For, in my mind, of all mankind
	I love but you alone.

He.	Yet take good hede; for ever I drede
	That ye could not sustain	170
	The thorny ways, the deep vallèys,
	The snow, the frost, the rain,
	The cold, the heat; for dry or wete,
	We must lodge on the plain;
	And, us above, no other roof	175
	But a brake bush or twain:
	Which soon should grieve you, I believe;
	And ye would gladly than
	That I had to the green-wood go,
	Alone, a banished man.	180

She.	Sith I have here been partynere
	With you of joy and bliss,
	I must alsò part of your woe
	Endure, as reason is:
	Yet I am sure of one pleasùre,	185
	And shortly it is this—
	That where ye be, me seemeth, pardé,
	I could not fare amiss.
	Without more speech I you beseech
	That we were shortly gone;	190
	For, in my mind, of all mankind
	I love but you alone.

He.	If ye go thyder, ye must consider,
	When ye have lust to dine,
	There shall no meat be for to gete,	195
	Nether bere, ale, ne wine,
	Ne shetès clean, to lie between,
	Made of thread and twine;
	None other house, but leaves and boughs,
	To cover your head and mine.	200
	Lo, mine heart sweet, this ill diète
	Should make you pale and wan:
	Wherefore I'll to the green-wood go,
	Alone, a banished man.

She.	Among the wild deer such an archère,	205
	As men say that ye be,
	Ne may not fail of good vitayle
	Where is so great plentè:
	And water clear of the rivere
	Shall be full sweet to me;	210
	With which in hele I shall right wele
	Endure, as ye shall see;
	And, or we go, a bed or two
	I can provide anone;
	For, in my mind, of all mankind	215
	I love but you alone.

He.	Lo yet, before, ye must do more,
	If ye will go with me:
	As, cut your hair up by your ear,
	Your kirtle by the knee;	220
	With bow in hand for to withstand
	Your enemies, if need be:
	And this same night, before daylight,
	To woodward will I flee.
	If that ye will all this fulfil,	225
	Do it shortly as ye can:
	Else will I to the green-wood go,
	Alone, a banished man.

She.	I shall as now do more for you
	Than 'longeth to womanhede;	230
	To short my hair, a bow to bear,
	To shoot in time of need.
	O my sweet mother! before all other
	For you I have most drede!
	But now, adieu! I must ensue	235
	Where fortune doth me lead.
	All this make ye: Now let us flee;
	The day cometh fast upon:
	For, in my mind, of all mankind
	I love but you alone.	240

He.	Nay, nay, not so; ye shall not go,
	And I shall tell you why—
	Your appetite is to be light
	Of love, I well espy:
	For, right as ye have said to me,	245
	In likewise hardily
	Ye would answere whosoever it were,
	In way of company:
	It is said of old, Soon hot, soon cold;
	And so is a womàn:	250
	Wherefore I to the wood will go,
	Alone, a banished man.

She.	If ye take heed, it is no need
	Such words to say to me;
	For oft ye prayed, and long assayed,	255
	Or I loved you, pardè:
	And though that I of ancestry
	A baron's daughter be,
	Yet have you proved how I you loved,
	A squire of low degree;	260
	And ever shall, whatso befall
	To die therefore anone;
	For, in my mind, of all mankind
	I love but you alone.

He.	A baron's child to be beguiled,	265
	It were a cursèd deed!
	To be felàw with an outlaw—
	Almighty God forbede!
	Yet better were the poor squyere
	Alone to forest yede	270
	Than ye shall say another day
	That by my cursèd rede
	Ye were betrayed. Wherefore, good maid,
	The best rede that I can,
	Is, that I to the green-wood go,	275
	Alone, a banished man.

She.	Whatever befall, I never shall
	Of this thing be upbraid:
	But if ye go, and leave me so,
	Then have ye me betrayed.	280
	Remember you wele, how that ye dele;
	For if ye, as ye said,
	Be so unkind to leave behind
	Your love, the Nut-brown Maid,
	Trust me truly that I shall die	285
	Soon after ye be gone:
	For, in my mind, of all mankind
	I love but you alone.

He.	If that ye went, ye should repent;
	For in the forest now	290
	I have purveyed me of a maid
	Whom I love more than you:
	Another more fair than ever ye were
	I dare it well avow;
	And of you both each should be wroth	295
	With other, as I trow:
	It were mine ease to live in peace;
	So will I, if I can:
	Wherefore I to the wood will go,
	Alone, a banished man.	300

She.	Though in the wood I understood
	Ye had a paramour,
	All this may nought remove my thought,
	But that I will be your':
	And she shall find me soft and kind	305
	And courteis every hour;
	Glad to fulfil all that she will
	Command me, to my power:
	For had ye, lo, an hundred mo,
	Yet would I be that one:	310
	For, in my mind, of all mankind
	I love but you alone.

He.	Mine own dear love, I see the prove
	That ye be kind and true;
	Of maid, of wife, in all my life,	315
	The best that ever I knew.
	Be merry and glad; be no more sad;
	The case is changèd new;
	For it were ruth that for your truth
	Ye should have cause to rue.	320
	Be not dismayed, whatsoever I said
	To you when I began:
	I will not to the green-wood go;
	I am no banished man.

She.	These tidings be more glad to me	325
	Than to be made a queen,
	If I were sure they should endure;
	But it is often seen
	When men will break promise they speak
	The wordis on the splene.	330
	Ye shape some wile me to beguile,
	And steal from me, I ween:
	Then were the case worse than it was,
	And I more wo-begone:
	For, in my mind, of all mankind	335
	I love but you alone.

He.	Ye shall not nede further to drede:
	I will not disparàge
	You (God defend), sith you descend
	Of so great a linàge.	340
	Now understand: to Westmoreland,
	Which is my heritage,
	I will you bring; and with a ring,
	By way of marriàge
	I will you take, and lady make,	345
	As shortly as I can:
	Thus have you won an Earles son,
	And not a banished man.

	Here may ye see that women be
	In love meek, kind, and stable;	350
	Let never man reprove them than,
	Or call them variable;
	But rather pray God that we may
	To them be comfortable;
	Which sometime proveth such as He loveth,	355
	If they be charitable.
	For sith men would that women should
	Be meek to them each one;
	Much more ought they to God obey,
	And serve but Him alone.	360

GLOSS: never a dele] never a bit. than] then. in fere] in company together. rede I can] counsel I know. part with] share with. tho] those. hele] health. yede] went. on the splene] that is, in haste.

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