| |
| GIVE place! all ye that doth rejoice, | |
| And love’s pangs hath clean forgot. | |
| Let them draw near and hear my voice | |
| Whom Love doth force in pains to fret; | |
| For all of plaint my song is set, | 5 |
| Which long hath served and nought can get. | |
| A faithful heart so truly meant, | |
| Rewarded is full slenderly; | |
| A steadfast faith with good intent | |
| Is recompensed craftily; | 10 |
| Such hap doth hap unhappily | |
| To them that mean but honestly. | |
| With humble suit I have essayed | |
| To turn her cruel hearted mind; | |
| But for reward I am delayed, | 15 |
| And to my wealth her eyes be blind. | |
| Lo! thus by chance I am assign’d | |
| With steadfast love to serve the unkind. | |
| What vaileth truth, or steadfastness, | |
| Or still to serve without repreef! | 20 |
| What vaileth faith or gentleness, | |
| Where cruelty doth reign as chief! | |
| Alas! there is no greater grief | |
| Than for to love, and lack relief. | |
| Care doth constrain me to complain | 25 |
| Of Love, and her uncertainty, | |
| Which granteth nought but great disdain, | |
| For loss of all my liberty. | |
| Alas! this is extremity, | |
| For love to find such cruelty. | 30 |
| For love to find such cruelty | |
| Alas! it is a careful lot; | |
| And for to void such mockery | |
| There is no way but slip the knot! | |
| The gain so cold, the pain so hot! | 35 |
| Praise it who list, I like it not. | |
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