Lament of the Duchess of Gloucester

Thorowowt a pales as I can passe,
I hard a lady make gret mone,
And ever she syked and sayd, “Alas!
“Alle wordly joy ys from me gone;
“And alle my frendes from me can fle;
“Alas! I am fulle woo begon;
“Alle women may be ware by me.

“Alle women that in this world be wrowght,
“By me they may insaumpulle take,
“As I that was browght up of nowght,
“A prince had chosyn me to his make;
“My sofferen lorde so to forsake,
“Yt was a dulfulle destenye.
“Alas! for to sorow how shuld I slake;
“Alle women may be ware by me.

“I was so high upon my whele,
“Myne owne estate I cowld not know,
“Therfor the gospelle seythe fulle welle,
“Who wille be high, he shalle be low.
“The whele of fortune, who may it trow,
“Alle ys but veyn and vanyté;
“My flowris off joy be alle down blow;
“Alle women may be ware by me.

“In worldly joy and worthynes
“I was besette on every side;
“Of Glowcestere I was duches,
“Amonge alle women magnyfyed.
“As Lucyfer felle down for pryde,
“I felle ffrom alle felycyté;
“I hade no grace my self to gyde;
“Alle women may be ware by me.

“Alas! what was myne adventure,
“So sodenly down for to falle,
“That hade alle London at my cure,
“To crok and knele, whan I wold calle?
“Now, fader of hevyn celestyalle,
“Of my complaynt have pyté.
“Now am I made sympulest of alle;
“Alle women may be ware by me.

“Before the counselle of this londe,
“At Westmynster, upon a day,
“Ffulle rewfully ther dide I stonde;
“A worde for me durst no man say.
“Owre soverayn lorde withowt delay
“Was there he myght both here and see
“And to his grace he toke me ay.
“Alle women may be ware by me.

“Hys grace to me was evermore gayne,
“Thowgh I had done so gret offence;
“The lawe wolde I hade bene slayn,
“And sum men dyde there delygence.
“That worthy prynce of high prudence
“Of my sorow hade gret petye.
“Honour to hym, with reverence!
“Alle women may be ware by me.

“I come before the spiritualité;
“Two cardynals, and byshoppis fyve,
“And oder men of gret degré,
“Examened me of alle my lyffe.
“And openly I dyde me shryffe
“Of alle thyng that they asked me.
“Than was I putt in penaunce belyffe;
“Alle women may be ware by me.

“Thorow London in many a strete,
“Of them that were most pryncypalle,
“I went bare fote on my fette,
“That sum tyme was wonte to ride rialle.
“Fader of hevyn and lorde of alle,
“As thou wilt, so must yt be.
“The syne of pryde wille have a falle;
“Alle women may be ware by me.

“Ffarewelle, London, and have good day;
“At the I take my leve this tyde.
“Farewelle, Grenwych, for ever and ay;
“Ffarewelle, fayer places on Temmys syde;
“Ffarewelle, alle welth and the world so wide.
“I am asigned where I shalle be;
“Under mens kepyng I must abide.
“Alle women may be ware by me.

“Ffarewelle, damask and clothes of gold;
“Ffarewelle, velvet, and clothes in grayn;
“Ffarewelle, robes in many a folde;
“Ffarewelle, I se you never agayn.
“Ffarewelle, my lorde and sufferayn;
“Ffarewelle, that may no bettere be;
“Owr partyng ys grownd of felyng payn.
“Alle women may be ware by me.

“Ffarewelle, my mynstrels, and alle your songe,
“That ofte hath made me for to daunce.
“Ffarewelle; I wott I have done wronge;
“And I wyte my mysgovernaunce.
“Now I lyste nother to pryke nor praunce;
“My pryde ys put to poverté.
“Thus, both in Englond and in Fraunce,
“Alle women may be ware by me.

“Ffarewelle, alle joy and lustynesse;
“Alle worldly myrth I may forsake.
“I am so fulle of hevynesse,
“I wotte not to whom my mone to make.
“Unto hym I wille me take
“That for me dyed upon a tre.
“In prayer I wille both walke and wake;
“Alle women may be ware by me.”
Translation: 
Language: 
Rate this poem: 

Reviews

No reviews yet.