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THOMAS DE HALES (bef. 1300)

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1a love rune (or letter) me eagerly her 5 make

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an

true

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lover 11

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not

not at all

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a race

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men

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A LOVE LETTER

A maid of Christ doth plead with me
To write her a letter of love to-day,
From which she can learn most readily
To take another true love, i'fay,

Who faithfulest of all shall be,
And best can guard a lady gay.
No wise will I deny her plea,
But I will teach her as I may.

O maiden, here thou mayst behold
This earthly love is but a race,

And is beset so many fold,

Fickle and false and weak and base. Those knights that here were once so bold, Like wind have glided from their place; Under mould they are lying cold,

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There's none so rich and none so free
That hence he shall not soon away.
Nothing may ever his warrant be,

Gold, nor silver, nor ermine gay;
Be he ever so swift, he may not flee,
Nor guard his life a single day.
Thus is this world, as thou mayst see,
Like as the shadow that glides away.

This world fareth like the wind,

One thing gone, another here;
What was before is now behind,

What now is loath before was dear;
Therefore he doth as doth the blind,
Who sets his love on this world's gear.
The world is vanishing, ye shall find;
Evil goes forward, truth to the rear.

The love that may not here abide,

Thou art wrong to trust it now;
Away from thee that love will glide,

Capricious and frail and false of vow,
And hasting away at every tide.
The while it lasts, 'tis sorrow enow;

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2 of Christ's 3 begs 37 vair ermine whereby she learn just as a single 12 could protect 13 will 45 what refuse will 17 here 18 places mayst 22 21 in so many ways fickle ugly 24 weak 25 false 26 these nobles 27 are passed 31 30 the earth they lie 32 wither 33 there is none 34 free, generous 35 hence

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may see the wrong true the 56 trustest 57 it very wrongly even SO pass away delicate capricious 63 hasting away at every time sorrow enough

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Whose match no man on earth could bring,
His pride were soon not worth a song,
In value less than a red herring.

O maid, if thou wilt love full long,
I will show thee a loyal king.
Ah, my sweet, if thou but knew

The blessed virtues of this Lord!
He is fair and bright of hue,

Both glad of cheer and mild of word, Of lovesome grace, of trust most true,

Free-hearted, rich in wisdom's hoard; Never shouldst thou have need to rue, If thou but trust thee in his ward.

He is the strongest man in land,

As far as men can speak with mouth,

So 13 wide so 13 mon speketh with muth,

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ful, fair 31 had not equal 33 pride were not a herring longest a lover I will teach thee a 39 didst know 40 qualities 1 hue, appearance 41 tenance 43 mood 44 of lovable desire 45 able 46 thou wouldst never need to repent might'st thou put thyself 48 grace they are 51 holds 52 bows 53 sends 54

messenger

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desires known to thee.

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1 spring 2 whisper 3 these sweet 5 each bird sings a song the throstle cock threatens ever 7 their 8 woodruff birds 10 wonderfully many 12 weal 13 puts on cry 14 redness 15 vigorously

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thyme

20 these wild drakes woo 21 beasts gladden their mates runs the moody man laments, - so do

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With love is come to town the spring,
With blossoms and birds' whispering;
That all this bliss now bringeth.

There are daisies in the dales,
Pipings sweet of nightingales,

His song each warbler singeth.
The throstlecock doth strutting go;
Away is all their winter woe

When up the woodruff springeth. A thousand birds are singing gay Of winter's sadness passed away, Till all the woodland ringeth.

The rose puts on her ruddy hood,
The leaves within the greening wood
With a will are growing.

The moon is brightening her face;
Here is the lily in her grace,

With thyme and fennel blowing;
A-wooing go the wilding drakes,
Beasts are courting now their mates;
The stream is softly flowing;
Many a wretch bemoans his lot;
I am one of them, I wot,

My love for naught bestowing.

The moon now mendeth fast her light,
So doth the seemly sun shine bright,
When birds are bravely chaunting;
The dews are falling on the hill;
For pleas of love in whispers still
Sweethearts are not wanting;
The worm is wooing in the clod;
Women wax now wondrous proud,
Their joy in life a-vaunting.
If love of one I may not know,
This blissful boon I will forego,

Lonely the wild wood haunting.

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others 24 I know I am one of those 25 pleases ill 26 mends, increases 27 loud 28 dews wet 29 hills 30 lovers with their secret whispers [come] cases [of love] to judge worms woo under clod 33 if 34 lack 35 36 boon of joy one 38 and be a will banished wight in the forest

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UBI SUNT QUI ANTE NOS FUERUNT? (c. 1350)

Were beth1 they that biforen us weren,
Houndes ladden 2 and havekes beren,3
And hadden feld and wode?

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Where are they that lived of yore?
Hounds they led and hawks they bore,
And held both park and chase.
The ladies in their bowers fair,
Who bound with gold their lovely hair,
And winsome were of face;

They ate and drank and made them glad;
Their life was all with pleasure led,

Men knelt unto their sway;

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10 bore themselves very high

11 lost

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