The Rowley Poems eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 278 pages of information about The Rowley Poems.

The Rowley Poems eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 278 pages of information about The Rowley Poems.
oute thie faie[15];
    For twelve tymes twelve the mone hathe bin yblente[16], 40
    As manie tymes hathe vyed the Godde of daie,
    And on the grasse her lemes[17] of sylverr sente,
    Sythe thou dydst cheese mee for thie swote to bee,
  Enactynge ynn the same moste faiefullie to mee.

    Ofte have I seene thee atte the none-daie feaste, 45
    Whanne deysde bie thieselfe, for wante of pheeres[18],
    Awhylst thie merryemen dydde laughe and jeaste,
    Onn mee thou semest all eyne, to mee all eares. 
    Thou wardest mee as gyff ynn hondred feeres,
    Alest a daygnous[19] looke to thee be sente, 50
    And offrendes[20] made mee, moe thann yie compheeres,
    Offe scarpes[21] of scarlette, & fyne paramente[22];
    All thie yntente to please was lyssed[23] to mee,
  I saie ytt, I moste streve thatt you ameded bee.

  AELLA.

    Mie lyttel kyndnesses whyche I dydd doe, 55
    Thie gentleness doth corven them soe grete,
    Lyche bawsyn[24] olyphauntes[25] mie gnattes doe shewe;
    Thou doest mie thoughtes of paying love amate[26]. 
    Botte hann mie actyonns straughte[27] the rolle of fate,
    Pyghte thee fromm Hell, or broughte Heaven down to thee, 60
    Layde the whol worlde a falldstole atte thie feete,
    On smyle woulde be suffycyll mede for mee. 
    I amm Loves borro’r, & canne never paie,
  Bott be hys borrower stylle, & thyne, mie swete, for aie.

  BIRTHA.

    Love, doe notte rate your achevmentes[28] soe smalle; 65
    As I to you, syke love untoe mee beare;
    For nothynge paste wille Birtha ever call,
    Ne on a foode from Heaven thynke to cheere. 
    As farr as thys frayle brutylle flesch wylle spere,
    Syke, & ne fardher I expecte of you; 70
    Be notte toe slacke yn love, ne overdeare;
    A smalle fyre, yan a loude flame, proves more true.

  AELLA.

    Thie gentle wordis doe thie volunde[29] kenne
    To bee moe clergionde thann ys ynn meyncte of menne.

  AELLA, BIRTHA, CELMONDE, MYNSTRELLES.

  CELMONDE.

    Alle blessynges showre on gentle AElla’s hedde! 75
    Oft maie the moone, yn sylverr sheenynge lyghte,
    Inne varied chaunges varyed blessynges shedde,
    Besprengeynge far abrode mischaunces nyghte;
    And thou, fayre Birtha! thou, fayre Dame, so bryghte,
    Long mayest thou wyth AElla fynde muche peace, 80
    Wythe selynesse, as wyth a roabe, be dyghte,
    Wyth everych chaungynge mone new joies encrease! 
    I, as a token of mie love to speake,
  Have brought you jubbes of ale, at nyghte youre brayne to breake.

AELLA.

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Project Gutenberg
The Rowley Poems from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.