Classic Poem

F AIR sir, this love of ours,
In joy begun so well,
I see at length to fail upon thy part:
Wherefore my heart sinks very heavily.
Fair sir, this love of ours
Began with amorous longing, well I ween:
Yea, of one mind, yea, of one heart and will
This love of ours hath been.
Now these are sad and still;
For on thy part at length it fails, I see.
And now thou art gone from me,
Quite lost to me thou art;
Wherefore my heart in this pain languisheth,
Which sinks it unto death thus heavily.

He

Lady, for will of mine
Our love had never changed in anywise,
Had not the choice been thine
With so much scorn my homage to despise.
I swore not to yield sign
Of holding 'gainst all hope my heart-service.
Nay, let thus much suffice: —
From thee whom I have serv'd,
All undeserved contempt is my reward, —
Rich prize prepar'd to guerdon fealty!

She

Fair sir, it oft is found
That ladies who would try their lovers so,
Have for a season frown'd,
Not from their heart but in mere outward show.
Then chide not on such ground,
Since ladies oft have tried their lovers so.
Alas, but I will go,
If now it be thy will.
Yet turn thee still, alas! for I do fear
Thou lov'st elsewhere, and therefore fly'st from me.

He

Lady, there needs no doubt
Of my good faith, nor any nice suspense
Lest love be elsewhere sought.
For thine did yield me no such recompense, —
Rest thou assured in thought, —
That now, within my life's circumference,
I should not quite dispense
My heart from woman's laws,
Which for no cause give pain and sore annoy,
And for one joy a world of misery.