Blow, Northerne Wind

Blow, Northerne Wind

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    Blow, northerne wynd,
2  Send thou me my suetyng!
3  Blow, northerne wynd,
4    Blou, blou, blou!
5  Ichot a burde in bour{.e} bryht,
6That fully semly is on syht,
7Menskful maiden of myht,
8    Feir ant fre to fond{.e};
9In al this wurhlich{.e} won,
10A burde of blod and of bon
11Never yete y nust{.e} non
12    Lussomore in lond{.e}.
13  With lokk{.e}s lefliche and long{.e},
14With frount and fac{.e} feir to fong{.e},
15With murth{.e}s moni{.e} mote heo mong{.e},
16    That brid so breme in bour{.e};
17With lossom ey{.e}, grete ant god{.e},
18With browen blysfol under hod{.e};
19He that reste him on the rod{.e}
20    That leflich lyf honour{.e}!
21  Hire lur{.e} lum{.e}s liht
22Ase a launterne a nyht,
23Hire bleo blykyeth so bryht:
24    So feyr heo is ant fyn!
25A suetly suyre heo hath to hold{.e},
26With arm{.e}s, shuldr{.e}, ase mon wold{.e},
27Ant fyngres feyr{.e} fort{.e} fold{.e},
28    God wolde hue wer{.e} myn!
29  Middel heo hath menskful smal;
30Hire loveliche cher{.e} as cristal;
31They{.e}s, legg{.e}s, fet, ant al,
32    Ywraht is of the best{.e}.
33A lussum ledy last{.e}les
34That sweting is, and ever wes;
35A betere burd{.e} never nes
36    Yhery{.e}d with the hest{.e}.
37  Heo is der{.e}worthe in day,
38Gracious{.e}, stout, and gay,
39Gentil, jolyf so the jay,
40    Worhlich{.e} when heo waketh.
41Maiden murgest of mouth;
42Bi est, bi west, by north and south,
43Thér nis fithel{.e} ne crouth
44    That such murth{.e}s maketh.
45  Heo is coral of godness{.e},
46Heo is rubie of ryhtfulness{.e},
47Heo is cristal of clanness{.e},
48    Ant baner of bealté;
49Heo is lilie of largess{.e},
50Heo is paruenke of prouess{.e},
51Heo is solsecle of suetness{.e},
52    Ant ledy of lealté.
...
69  For hir{.e} love y carke ant car{.e},
70For hir{.e} love y droupne ant dar{.e},
71For hir{.e} love my blisse is bar{.e},
72    Ant al ich wax{.e} won;
73For hir{.e} love in slep y slak{.e},
74For hir{.e} love al nyht ich wak{.e},
75For hir{.e} love mournynge y mak{.e}
76    Mor{.e} then eny mon.

Notes

2] suetyng: sweeting, sweetheart. Back to Line
5] ichot: I know.
burde in boure: lady in bower. Back to Line
6] semly is on syht: is comely to behold. Back to Line
7] menskful: worshipful, honourable. Back to Line
8] fre to fonde: noble when put to the test, made trial of (alliterative formula) Back to Line
9] wurhliche mon: noble dwelling-place, i.e. the world. Back to Line
11] I never knew any. Back to Line
12] lussomore: more lovesome, attractive. Back to Line
13] lefliche: lovely. Back to Line
14] frount: forehead.
fonge: take, fondle. Back to Line
15] She must mingle in many pleasures. Back to Line
16] That bird (maiden) so joyous in bower. Back to Line
18] hode: hood. Back to Line
19] Christ who lay on the cross. Back to Line
20] leflich lyf: lovely person. Back to Line
21] lure: face.
lumes: shines. Back to Line
23] bleo: colour.
blykyeth: gleams. Back to Line
25] suetly suyre: sweet neck. Back to Line
27] forte folde: (for) to clasp. Back to Line
29] menskful: fittingly. Back to Line
30] cher: face. Back to Line
32] Is fashioned in the best way. Back to Line
33] lasteles: faultless. Back to Line
35] never nes: never was (double negative). Back to Line
36] Praised among the highest. Back to Line
37] dereworthe: precious. Back to Line
39] gentil: noble, generous. Back to Line
40] Noble while she wakes, noble in all her activity. Back to Line
41] murgest: merriest. Back to Line
43] There is neither fiddle nor crowd (a kind of fiddle). Back to Line
47] clannesse: purity. Back to Line
48] bealté: beauty. Back to Line
50] paruenke: periwinkle, an evergreen trailing shrub with light-blue flowers. Back to Line
51] solsecle: marigold. Back to Line
52] lealté: loyalty. Back to Line
70] droupne ant dare: droop and lurk or lie hidden. Back to Line
73] slake: slacken. Back to Line
Publication Start Year
1310
RPO poem Editors
N. J. Endicott
RPO Edition
2RP.1.2; RPO 1996-2000.
Rhyme
aaabcccb