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That liked of her master as well as well might be,

Till looking on an Englishman, the fair'st that eye could see,

Her fancy fell a-turning.

Long was the combat doubtful that love with love did fight,

To leave the master loveless, or kill the gallant knight:

To put in practise either, alas, it was a spite

Unto the silly damsel!

But one must be refused; more mickle was the pain

That nothing could be used to turn them both to gain,

For of the two the trusty knight was wounded with disdain: 220

Alas, she could not help it!

Thus art with arms contending was victor of the day,

Which by a gift of learning did bear the maid away:

Then, lullaby, the learned man hath got the lady gay;

For now my song is ended.

XVII.

On a day, alack the day!

Love, whose month was ever May,

Spied a blossom passing fair,

Playing in the wanton air:

Through the velvet leaves the wind 230

All unseen, gan passage find;

That the lover, sick to death,

Wish'd himself the heaven's breath,

'Air,' quoth he, 'thy cheeks may blow;

Air, would I might triumph so!

But, alas! my hand hath sworn

Ne'er to pluck thee from thy thorn:

Vow, alack! for youth unmeet:

Youth, so apt to pluck a sweet.

Thou for whom Jove would swear 240

Juno but an Ethiope were;

And deny himself for Jove,

Turning mortal for thy love.'

XVIII.

My flocks feed not,

My ewes breed not,

My rams speed not,

All is amiss:

Love's denying,

Faith's defying,

Heart's renying, 250

Causer of this.

All my merry jigs are quite forgot,

All my lady's love is lost, God wot:

Where her faith was firmly fix'd in love,

There a nay is placed without remove.

One silly cross Wrought all my loss;

O frowning Fortune, cursed, fickle dame!

For now I see

Inconstancy 260

More in women than in men remain.

In black mourn I,

All fears scorn I,

Love hath forlorn me,

Living in thrall:

Heart is bleeding,

All help needing,

O cruel speeding,

Fraughted with gall.

My shepherd's pipe can sound no deal; 270

My wether's bell rings doleful knell;

My curtail dog, that wont to have play'd

Plays not at all, but seems afraid;

My sighs so deep

Procure to weep,

In howling wise, to see my doleful plight.

How sighs resound

Through heartless ground,

Like a thousand vanquish'd men in bloody fight!

Clear wells spring not, 280

Sweet birds sing not,

Green plants bring not

Forth their dye;

Herds stand weeping,

Flocks all sleeping,

Nymphs back peeping

Fearfully:

All our pleasure known to us poor swains,

All our merry meetings on the plains,

All our evening sport from us is fled, 290

All our love is lost, for Love is dead

Farewell, sweet lass,

Thy like ne'er was

For a sweet content, the cause of all my moan:

Poor Corydon

Must live alone;

Other help for him I see that there is none.

XIX.

When as thine eye hath chose the dame,

And stall'd the deer that thou shouldst strike,

Let reason rule things worthy blame, 300

As well as fancy partial might:

Take counsel of some wiser head,

Neither too young nor yet unwed.

And when thou comest thy tale to tell,

Smooth not thy tongue with filed talk,

Lest she some subtle practise smell,--

A cripple soon can find a halt;--

But plainly say thou lovest her well,

And set thy person forth to sell.

What though her frowning brows be bent, 310

Her cloudy looks will calm ere night:

And then too late she will repent

That thus dissembled her delight;

And twice desire, ere it be day,

That which with scorn she put away.

What though she strive to try her strength,

And ban and brawl, and say thee nay,

Her feeble force will yield at length,

When craft hath taught her thus to say,

'Had women been so strong as men, 320

In faith, you had not had it then.'

And to her will frame all thy ways;

Spare not to spend, and chiefly there

Where thy desert may merit praise,

By ringing in thy lady's ear:

The strongest castle, tower, and town,

The golden bullet beats it down.

Serve always with assured trust,

And in thy suit be humble true;

Unless thy lady prove unjust,