Alysoun

Alysoun

Original Text
Facsimile of British Museum MS. Harley 2253, intro. by N. R. Ker (London: Early English Text Society, 1965). PR 1119 .A2H3 Trinity College
1        An hendy hap ichabbe yhent;
2    Ichot, from hevene it is me sent;
3    From alle wymmen mi loue is lent,
4        And lyght on Alysoun.
5  Bytuen{.e} Mersh and Averil,
6    When spray biginneth to spring{.e},
7The lutel foul hath hir{.e} wyl
8    On hyr{.e} lud to syng{.e}.
9    Ich libbe in love longing{.e}
10    For semlokest of all{.e} thing{.e}.
11    He may me bliss{.e} bring{.e};
12      Icham in hire baundoun.
13  On heu hire her is fayr ynoh,
14    Hire brow{.e} broune, hire ey{.e} blak{.e};
15With lossum chere he on me loh;
16    With middel smal, and wel ymak{.e}.
17    Bote he me woll{.e} to hire tak{.e},
18    Fort{.e} buen hire owen mak{.e},
19    Longe to lyven ichulle forsak{.e},
20      And fey{.e} fallen adoun.
21  Niht{.e}s when y wende and wak{.e},
22    Forthi myn wong{.e}s waxeth won;
23Levedi, al for thin{.e} sak{.e}
24    Longinge is ylent me on.
25    In world nis non so wyter mon,
26    That al hire bounté tell{.e} con.
27    Hire swyre is whittore then the swon,
28      And feyrest may in toune.
29  Icham for wowyng al forwake,
30    Wery so water in wor{.e}.
31Lest eny rev{.e} me my mak{.e},
32    Ychabbe y-yern{.e}d yor{.e}.
33    Betere is tholien whyl{.e} sor{.e}
34    Then mournen evermor{.e}.
35    Geynest under gor{.e},
36      Herkn{.e} to my roun.

Notes

1] A fair fortune have I won. Back to Line
2] Ichot: I know. Back to Line
3] lent: departed. Back to Line
4] lyght: alighted. Back to Line
8] lud: language. Back to Line
9] libbe: live. Back to Line
10] semlokest: comeliest. Back to Line
11] he: she. Back to Line
12] Icham: I am.
baundoun: power. Back to Line
13] on heu: in colour, complexion.
her; hair.
ynoh: enough. Back to Line
15] lossum chere: loving look.
he on me loh: she laughed at me. Back to Line
16] ymake: made. Back to Line
17] bote: unless. Back to Line
18] forte: (for) to.
buen: be.
make: mate. Back to Line
19] ichulle: I will. Back to Line
20] feye: doomed to die (Old English fœge; Scotch fey). Back to Line
21] wende: turn, toss about. Back to Line
22] forthi: therefore.
wonges: cheeks.
won: wan. Back to Line
23] levedi: lady. Back to Line
24] is ylent me on: has come upon me. Back to Line
25] nis non so wyter mon: there is no man so wise. Back to Line
27] swyre: neck. Back to Line
28] may: maid. Back to Line
29] forwake: worn out by loss of sleep. Back to Line
30] weary as water in a pool (stagnant water). Back to Line
31] reve me my make: steal my mate from me. Back to Line
32] y-yerned yore: yearned, mourned, for a long time. Back to Line
33] It is better to endure hurt for a while than to mourn always. Back to Line
35] geynest under gore: most gracious, fairest under gown. Back to Line
36] roun: song. Back to Line
Publication Start Year
1310
RPO poem Editors
N. J. Endicott
RPO Edition
2RP.1.1; RPO 1996-2000.
Rhyme
ababbbbc