All this may nought remove my thought, but that I will be your: And she shall fynde me soft, and kynde, and courteys every hour; Glad to fulfyll all that she wyll commaunde me, to my power: For had ye, lo, an hundred mo, yet wolde I be that one; For, in my mynde, of all mankynde I love but you alone. Myne own dere love, I se the prove that ye be kynde, and true; Of mayde, and wyfe, in all my lyfe, the best that ever I knewe. Be mery and glad, be no more sad, the case is chaunged newe; For it were ruthe, that, for your truthe, ye sholde have cause to rewe: 160 Be nat dismayed; whatsoever I sayd to you, whan I began, I will nat to the grene wode go, I am no banyshed man. B. These tydings be more gladder to me than to be made a quene, Yf I were sure they sholde endure: but it is often sene, Whan men wyll breke promyse, they speke the wordes on the splene: Ye shape some wyle, me to begyle, and stele from me, I wene: Than were the case worse than it was, and I more wo-begone; For, in my mynde, of all mankynde I love but you alone. Ye shall nat nede further to drede; I wyll not dys parage You (God defende!) syth you descend of so grete lynage. 170 Nowe understande,-to Westmarlande, which is myne herytage, I wyll you bringe; and with a rynge, by way of maryage I wyll you take, and lady make, as shortely as I can: Thus have ye won an erlys son, and no banyshed man. B. Here may ye se, that women be, in love, meke, kynde, and stable: Late never man reprove them than, But, rather, pray God, that we may to them be comfortable, Which sometyme proved such as he loved, yf they be charytable. Forsoth, men wolde that women sholde be meke to them eche one; Moche more ought they to God obey, and serve but Hym alone. 180 HENRY AND EMMA. A POEM, UPON THE MODEL OF THE NU1-BROWN MAID. TO CLOE. HOU, to whose eyes I bend, at whose command (Though low my voice, though artless I take the sprightly reed, and sing, and play; roll'd: years have 10 At thy desire she shall again be rais'd; No longer man of woman shall complain, 20 20 O fairest of the sex! be thou my Muse: As beauty's potent queen, with every grace That constant flame which faithful Henry felt; 30 Let men once more the bright example see; My pains and hopes; and when thou say'st that one Where beauteous Isis and her husband Tame With mingled waves for ever flow the same, In times of yore an ancient baron liv'd; Great gifts bestow'd, and great respect receiv'd. When dreadful Edward with successful care Led his free Britons to the Gallic war; This lord had headed his appointed bands, In firm allegiance to his king's commands; And (all due honours faithfully discharg'd) Had brought back his paternal coat enlarg'd With a new mark, the witness of his toil, And no inglorious part of foreign spoil. From the loud camp retired, and noisy court, In honourable ease and rural sport, 40 The remnant of his days he safely pass'd; 50 He made his wish with his estate comply, One child he had, a daughter chaste and fair, His age's comfort, and his fortune's heir. 61 They call'd her Emma; for the beauteous dame, 71 As with her stature, still her charms increas'd; Through all the isle her beauty was confess'd. Oh! what perfections must that virgin share, Who fairest is esteem'd, where all are fair? From distant shires repair the noble youth, And find report for once had lessen'd truth. By wonder first, and then by passion mov'd, They came; they saw; they marvell'd; and they lov'd. By public praises, and by secret sighs, 80 Each own'd the general power of Emma's eyes. |