תמונות בעמוד
PDF
ePub

Or elles to fle: the one muft be; none other way I

knowe,

But to withdrawe as an outlawe, and take me to my bowe.

Wherfore, adue, my owne hart true! none other rede I can;

For I must to the grene wode go, alone, a banyshed

man.

B.

O Lorde, what is this worldys blyffe, that chaungeth as the mone!

The fomers day in lufty May is derked before the none. I here you fay, farewell; Nay, nay, we départ not fo

fone:

Why fay ye fo? wheder wyll ye go? alas, what have ye done?

All my welfàre to forowe and care fholde chaunge, yf ye were gone;

For, in my mynde, of all mankynde I love but you

alone.

A.

I can beleve, it fhall you greve, and fomwhat you dyftrayne:

But, aftyrwarde, your paynes harde within a day or twayne

Shall sone aslake; and ye fhall take comfort to you

agayne.

Why fholde ye ought? for, to make thought, your labour were in vayne.

And thus I do; and pray you to, as hartely as I can; For I muft to the grene wode go, alone, a banyfhed

man.

B. Now,

B.

Now, fyth that ye have shewed to me the fecret of your mynde,

I fhall be playne to you agayne, lyke as ye fhall me fynde:

Syth it is so that ye wyll go, I wolle not leve behynde;

Shall it never be fayd, the notbrowne mayd was to her love unkynde :

Make you redy'; for fo am I, although it were anone; For, in my mynde, of all mankynde I love but you alone.

A.

Yet I you rede to take good hede what men wyll thynke and fay:

Of yonge and olde it fhall be tolde, that ye

away:

be gone

Your wanton wyll for to fulfill, in grene wode you to

play;

And that ye myght from your delyght no lenger make delay:

Rather than ye fholde thus for me be called an yll

woman,

Yet wolde I to the grene wode go, alone, a banyfhed

man.

B.

Though it be fonge of olde and yonge, that I fholde be to blame, Theyrs be the charge that fpeke fo large in hurtynge of my name :

For

For I wyll prove, that faythfull love it is devoyd of

fhame;

In your dyftreffe, and hevyneffe, to part wyth you, the

fame;

To shewe all tho that do nat fo, true lovers are they

none :

For, in my mynde, of all mankynde 'I love but you alone.

A.

I counceyle you, remember howe it is no maydens lawe,

Nothynge to dout, but to renne out to wode with an outlawe :

For ye

must there in your hand bere a bowe, redy to drawe;

And, as a thefe, thus muft you lyve, ever in drede and

awe;

Wherby to you grete harme myght growe: yet had I lever than,

That I had to the grene wode go, alone, a banyfhed

[blocks in formation]

I fay nat, nay, but as ye fay, it is no maydens lore: But love may make me, for your fake, as I have fayd before,

To come on fote, to hunt, and shote, to get us mete in ftore;

For fo that I your company may have, I aske no

more:

From

From which to part, it maketh my

ftone;

hart as colde as ony

For, in my mynde, of all mankynde I love but you alone.

A.

For an outlawe, this is the lawe,-that men hym take and bynde;

Without pytè, hanged to be, and waver with the wynde. Yf I had neede, (as God forbede!) what focours coude ye fynde?

For fothe I trowe, ye and your bowe for fere wolde drawe behynde:

And no mervayle; for lytell avayle were in your counceyle than :

Wherfore I'll to the grene wode go, alone, a banyshed

man.

B.

Right wele knowe ye, that women be but feble for to fyght;

No womanhede it is, indede, to be bolde as a knyght: Yet, in fuch fere yf that ye were with enemyes day and night,

I wolde withstande, with bowe in hande, to helpe you with my myght,

And you to fave; as women have from deth many a

one;

For, in my mynde, of all mankynde I love but you

alone.

VOL. XXXIII.

D

A. Yet

A.

Yet take good hede; for ever I drede that ye coude nat fuftayne

The thornie wayes, the depe valèies, the fnowe, the froft, the rayne,

The colde, the hete: for, dry, or wete, we must lodge on the playne ;

And, us above, none other rofe but a brake, bush, or

twayne:

Which fone fholde greve you, I beleve; and ye wolde gladly than

That I had to the grene wode go, alone, a banyfhed

man.

B.

Syth I have here been partynère with you of joy and

blyffe,

I must alfo parte of your wo endure, as refon is:

Yet am I fare of one plesùre; and, fhortely, it is this,That, where ye be, me femeth, pardè, I coude not fare amyfle.

Without more fpeche, I you befeche that we were fhortely gone;

For, in my mynde, of all mankynde I love but you alone.

A.

Yf ye goo thyder, ye muft confider,—whan ye have

luft- to dyne,

There fhall no mete, be for to gete, neyther bere, ale,

ne wine;

Ne

« הקודםהמשך »