Verses by a Lady

LETTER VII.

Verses written by a Lady in the reign of Henry VI. or Edward IV.
To an absent Lord with whom she was in love.

       MY ryght good Lord most knyghtly gentyll Knyght
                  On to yo^r grace in my most humbyll wyse
            I me comand as it is dew and ryght
            Besechyng yow at leyser to advyse
            Upon thys byll and p’don myn empryse
            Growndyd on foly for lak of provydence
            On to yo^r Lordshep to wryght w^t owght lycence.

            “But wher a man is w^t a fevyr shake
            Now hot now cold as fallyth by aventure
            He in hys mynd conjecte wyll and take

          The nyghest meane to ¹ worche hys cuyre
           More pacyently hys peynys to endure
           And ryght so I so it yow not dysplease
           Wryght in thys wyse my peynys to apease.

           “For when I cownt and mak a rekn[SYM]g
           Betwyx my lyfe my dethe and my desyer
           My lyfe alas it servyth of no thyng
           Sythe w^t. yo^r p’tyng depertyd my ² plesyer
           Wyshyng you^r p’sence setyth me on fyer
           But then yo^r absence dothe my hert so cold
           That for the peyne I ⁸ not me wher to hold.

           O owght on Absence ther foolys have no grace
           I mene mysylf nor yet no wytt to ³ gwye
           Theym owt of peyne to com on to that place
           Wher as presence may shape a remedye
           For al dysease now fye on my folye
           For I dyspeyryd am of yo^r soone metyng
           That God I prey me to yo^r p’sence bryng.

           Farwell my Lord for I may wryght no more
           So trowblyd is my hert w^t hevynesse
           Envye also it grewyth me most fore
           That thys rude byll shall put hym sylf in ⁴ presse
           To se yo^r Lordshepe of hys p’sumptuousnesse
           Er I my sylf but yett ye shall not mysse
           To have my hert to for my byll I wys.

           Whyche I comytt and all my hole servyse
           Into yo^r hands demeane it as you lyst
           Of it I kepe to have no more franchyse
           Then I hertlesse swyrly me wyst
           Sav[SYM]g only y^t it be as ⁵ tryst
           And to yow trew as evyr was hert and pleyn
           Tyll cruell dethe dep’t yt up on tweyn.

           Adew dysport farwell good companye
           In all thys world ther is no Joye I weene
           For ther as whyleom I sye w^t myn iee
           A ⁶ Lusty Lord leepyng upon a grene
           The soyle is soole no knyghts ther be seen
           No Ladyse walk ther they wer wont to doone
           Alas some folk depertyd hense to soone.

           Som’ tyme also mē myght a wageor make
           And w^t ther bowys a ffeld have it tryed
           Or at the ⁷ Paame ther ther plesure for to take
           Then wer they loose y^t now stand as tyed
           I ⁸ not wher to thys world may be aplyed
           For all good cher on evyn and on morow
           Whyche then was made now tornyth me to sorow.

               8 ½ by 11 ½.

                Paper Mark,
                   A Bull.
                Pl. IX. N^o 10.

These Verses are inserted as a specimen of the Poetry of a Lady, sent as a Letter to a
Nobleman, who was absent from her, and for whom she appears to have had a sincere
affection.

     The Thoughts contained in them are, many of them, natural and tender, and some of
them pretty and affecting.

     They are certainly originals, as in several places the words first written are struck out,
and words more to the writer’s satisfaction inserted above them—thus the 6th line in the
fifth Stanza, was originally written,

?Er then may I but thys ye shall not mysse,”
And then thus altered,

     “Er I my sylf but yett ye shall not mysse,”
Several others have similar alterations.

     They were written either in the reign of Henry VI. or Edward IV. the writing and
Paper being both of that age, and the paper Mark (a Bull) is used upon two other Letters,
XXIII. and XXV. in this Collection of the former reign.

     ¹ Perhaps it may mean watch.

     ² As spelt in the Original, plesyer, it rhimes exactly with desyer and fyer.

     ³ Guide.

     ⁴ Readiness.

     ⁵ Quaere, whither this means sorrowful or trusty?

    ⁶ Lively, and active in his exercises.

    ⁷ Some place of public resort, perhaps where some Palm Tree flourished.

     ⁸ I not, for, I wot not; that is, I know not.

LETTER VII.

Verses written by a Lady in the reign of Henry VI. or Edward IV.
To an absent Lord with whom she was in love.

            MY right good Lord, most knightly gentle Knight,
                 Unto your Grace, in my most humble wise,
            I me commend, as it is due and right,
            Beseeching you at leisure to advise
            Upon this bill, and pardon mine emprize
            Grounded on Folly, for lack of providence,
            Unto your Lordship to write without Licence.

            But when a man is with a fever shake
            Now hot, now cold, as falleth by adventure,
            He in his mind conjecture will, and take

           The nighest mean to ¹ work for his cure,
           More patiently his pains to endure;
           And right so I, so it you not displease,
           Write in this wise my pains to appease.

           For when I count and make a reckoning,
           Betwixt my life, my death, and my desire,
           My life, alas! it serveth of nothing,
           Since with your parting, departed my ² pleasure;
           Wishing your presence setteth me on fire,
           But then your absence doth my heart so cold,
           That for the pain, I ⁸ not me where to hold.

           O out on absencc, there Fools have no grace,
           I mean myself, nor yet no wit to ³ gwye
           Them out of pain, to come unto that place;
           Where as presence may shape a remedy
           For all disease, now fye on my folly,
           For I dispaired am of your soon meeting,
           That God I pray, me to your presence bring.

           Farewell my Lord, for I may write no more,
           So troubled is my heart with heaviness;
           Envy also, it grieveth me most sore,
           That this rude bill shall put himself in ⁴ press,
           To see your Lordship of his presumptuousness
           Ere I myself; but yet ye shall not miss
           To have my heart tofore my bill, I wis.

           Which I commit, and all my whole service
           Into your hands, demean it as you list,
           Of it, I keep to have no more franchise
           Than I heartless surely me wist,
           Saving only that it may be as ⁵ trist,
           And to you true, as ever was heart, and plain,
           Till cruel Death depart it up on twain.

           Adieu Disport, farewell good company,
           In all this world there is no joy I ween,
           For there as whilom, I see with mine eye
           A ⁶ lusty Lord leaping upon a Green,
           The soil is sole no Knights there be seen,
           No Ladies walk there they were wont to done;
           Alas! some Folk departed hence too soon.

           Some time also men might a wager make
           And with their Bows afield have it tried,
           Or at the ⁷ Paame there their pleasure for to take,
           Then were they loose, that now stand as tied,
           I ⁸ not whereto this world may be applied;
           For all good cheer, on even and on morrow,
           Which then was made, now turneth me to sorrow.

  8 ? by 11 ?.

                Paper Mark,
                   A Bull.
                Pl. IX. N^o 10.

    These Verses are inserted as a specimen of the Poetry of a Lady, sent as a Letter to a
Nobleman, who was absent from her, and for whom she appears to have had a sincere
affection.

     The Thoughts contained in them are, many of them, natural and tender, and some of
them pretty and affecting.

     They are certainly originals, as in several places the words first written are struck out,
and words more to the writer’s satisfaction inserted above them—thus the 6th line in the
fifth Stanza, was originally written,

?Er then may I but thys ye shall not mysse,”
And then thus altered,

     “Er I my sylf but yett ye shall not mysse,”
Several others have similar alterations.

     They were written either in the reign of Henry VI. or Edward IV. the writing and
Paper being both of that age, and the paper Mark (a Bull) is used upon two other Letters,
XXIII. and XXV. in this Collection of the former reign.

     ¹ Perhaps it may mean watch.

     ² As spelt in the Original, plesyer, it rhimes exactly with desyer and fyer.

     ³ Guide.

     ⁴ Readiness.

     ⁵ Quaere, whither this means sorrowful or trusty?

    ⁶ Lively, and active in his exercises.

    ⁷ Some place of public resort, perhaps where some Palm Tree flourished.

     ⁸ I not, for, I wot not; that is, I know not.

988

VERSES BY A LADY¹

Verses written by a Lady in the reign of Henry VI. or Edward IV.
to an absent Lord with whom she was in love.

    MY ryght good lord, most knyghtly gentyll knyght,
       On to your grace in my most humbyll wyse,
        I me comand, as it is dew and ryght,
Besechyng yow at leyser to advise
Upon thys byll, and pardon myn empryse,
Growndyd on foly, for lak of provydence,
On to your lordshep to wryght with owght lycence.

But wher a man is with a fevyr shake,
Now hot, now cold, as fallyth by aventure,
He in hys mynd conjecte wyll, and take
The nyghest meane to worche hys cuyre,
More pacyently hys peynys to endure;
And ryght so I, so it yow not dysplease,
Wryght in thys wyse my peynys to apease.

For when I cownt and mak a reknyng
Betwyx my lyfe, my dethe, and my desyer,
My lyfe, alas! it servyth of no thyng
Sythe with your partyng, depertyd my plesyer.

               Wyshyng your presence setyth me on fyer;
               But then your absence dothe my hert so cold,
               That for the peyne I not¹ me wher to hold.

               O owght on absence, ther foolys have no grace,
               I mene mysylf, nor yet no wytt to gwye
               Theym owt of peyne to com on to that place,
               Wher as presence may shape a remedye;
               For al dysease, now fye on my folye,
               For I dyspeyryd am of your soone metyng,
               That God I prey me to your presence bryng.

               Farwell, my lord, for I may wryght no more,
               So trowblyd is my hert with hevynesse;
               Envye also, it grewyth me most sore,
               That thys rude byll shall put hym sylf in presse²
               To se your lordshepe of hys presumptuousnesse
               Er I my sylf; but yett ye shall not mysse
               To have my hert to for my byll, I wys.

               Whyche I comytt and all my hole servyse
               Into your hands, demeane it as you lyst;
               Of it I kepe³ to have no more franchyse
               Then I hertlesse swyrly me wyst,
               Savyng only that it be as tryst,⁴
               And to yow trew as evyr was hert, and pleyn
               Tyll cruell dethe depart yt up on tweyn.

               Adew dysport, farwell good companye,
               In all thys world ther is no joye I weene;
               For ther as whyleom I sye with myn iee,
               A lusty lord leepyng upon a grene,
               The soyle is soole, no knyghts ther be seen,
               No ladyse walk ther they wer wont to doone;
               Alas, some folk depertyd hense to soone.

              Some tyme also men myght a wageor make,
              And with ther bowys a ffeld have it tryed,
              Or at the Paame ther, ther plesure for to take,
              Then wer they loose, that now stand as tyed,
              I not¹ wher to thys world may be aplyed;
              For all good cher on evyn and on morow,
              Whyche then was made, now tornyth me to sorow.

     ¹ [From Fenn, ii. 304.] It is not apparent by whom these verses were written,
or to what lord they were addressed. They may have been from the Countess of
Oxford to her husband after he escaped abroad in 1471 (see vol. v., No. 775). Or
they may have been the production of Lydgate writing in the name of a lady parted
from her lord. We place them, as Fenn did, for convenience, at the end of the
letters of Edward’s time.

     ¹ ‘I not’ stands for ‘I ne wot,’ or ‘I wot not,’ that is, I know not.

     ² Readiness.—F.     ³ I care.—F.

     ⁴ Quœre, whether this means sorrowful or trusty.—F.

              ¹ See Note 1 on last page.