Spring

Spring

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  Lenten ys come with love to toun{.e},
2With blosmen and with bridd{.e}s roun{.e},
3    That al this bliss{.e} bryngeth;
4Dayes-ey{.e}s in this dal{.e}s;
5Not{.e}s suete of nyht{.e}gal{.e}s;
6    Uch foul song singeth.
7The threstelcoc him threteth oo;
8Away is huer{.e} wynter woo,
9    When woderov{.e} springeth.
10This foul{.e}s singeth ferly fel{.e},
11And wlyteth on huere wynter wel{.e},
12    That al the wod{.e} ryngeth.
13  The ros{.e} rayleth hir{.e} rode;
14The lev{.e}s on the lyht{.e} wod{.e}
15    Waxen al with will{.e}.
16The mon{.e} mandeth hir{.e} bleo;
17The lili{.e} is lossom to seo,
18    The fenyl and the fill{.e}.
19Wow{.e}s this wild{.e} drak{.e}s;
20Mil{.e}s murgeth huer{.e} mak{.e}s;
21    Ase strem that striketh still{.e},
22Mody meneth, so doth mo;
23Ichot ycham on of tho,
24    For love that lik{.e}s ill{.e}.
25  The mon{.e} mandeth hir{.e} lyht,
26So doth the semly sonn{.e} bryht,
27    When bridd{.e}s singeth brem{.e}.
28Deaw{.e}s donketh the doun{.e}s;
29Deor{.e}s with huere dern{.e} roun{.e}s,
30    Dom{.e}s fort{.e} dem{.e};
31Worm{.e}s woweth under cloud{.e};
32Wymmen waxeth wounder proud{.e},
33    So wel hit wol hem sem{.e}.
34Yef me shal wont{.e} wille of on,
35This wunn{.e} weole y wole forgon,
36    Ant wyht in wode be flem{.e}.

Notes

1] Lenten: spring.
ys come to toune: has arrived (toune, originally an enclosure, a farm-stead, is here indefinite). Back to Line
2] roune: song. Back to Line
6] unch: each. Back to Line
7] The thrush continually chides (sings defiantly?). Back to Line
8] huere: their. Back to Line
9] woderove: woodruff. Back to Line
10] ferly fele: wonderfully many. Back to Line
11] wlyteth on hueer wynter wele: look back on their winter's weal, happiness (ironical). Back to Line
13] rayleth hire rose: puts on her redness. Back to Line
14] lyhte wode: the wood still lightly leaved. Back to Line
16] The moon sends forth her light. Back to Line
17] lossom to seo: lovesome to see. Back to Line
18] fenyl: fennel.
fille: chervil. Back to Line
19] wowes: woo. Back to Line
20] Beasts gladden their mates. Back to Line
21] As a stream that flows silently, the moody, passionate man laments, and so do others. Back to Line
23] ichot: contraction of Ich wot, I know.
on of tho: one of those. Back to Line
24] likes ille: pleases ill. Back to Line
26] semly: goodly. Back to Line
27] breme: lustily. Back to Line
28] Dews wet the hills. Back to Line
29] Deores might be animals or dears (lovers). The latter gives, on the whole, a better interpretation: lovers with their secret whispers (come) to give decisions (on questions) of love. Back to Line
31] cloud: clod. Back to Line
32] proude: beautiful, lovely in dress and bearing, rather than vain, haughty. Back to Line
33] seme: become. Back to Line
34] If I shall fail to have my will of one. Back to Line
35] wunne weole: wealth of joy.
Y wole forgon: I will forgo. Back to Line
36] And be a banished wight (person) in the forest (Old English flema, fugitive). Back to Line
Publication Start Year
1790
Publication Notes
Ritson's Ancient Songs (1790).
RPO poem Editors
N. J. Endicott
RPO Edition
2RP.1.1; RPO 1996-2000.
Rhyme
aabccbddbffb