THE COMPLEYNTE TO PITE.

FAIRFAX 16.

41

(4)

Thus am I slayne / sith that pite is dede
Allas that day / that euer hyt shuld falle
What maner man) / dar now hold vp his hede

To whom shal now /eny sorwful herte calle
Now cruelte hath caste / to slee vs alle

25

In ydel hope / folke redelesse of peyne
Syth she is dede / to whom shul we compleyne

28

(5)

But yet encreseth me / this wonder newe
That no wight woot / that she is dede but I

So mony meñ / as in her tyme hir knewe

And yet dyed not/sodeynly

For I haue sought hir euer / ful besely
Sith I hadde firste / witte or mynde
But she was dede / er I koude hir fynde

(6)

Aboute hir herse / there stoden lustely
Withoute any woo / as thoughte me
Bounte parfyt/ wel armed and richely
And fresshe beaute / lust and iolyte
Assured maner / youthe and honeste
Wisdome estaat / drede and gouernaunce
Confedred both by bonde / and Alliaunce

(7)

32

35

[leaf 187, back]

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42

A compleynt had I writeñ / in myñ honde

To haue put to pittee / as a bille

But when I al this companye / ther fonde
That rather wolde / al my cause spille

Then do me helpe / I helde my pleynt stille
For to that folke/with-oute any fayle
Withoute pitee/ther may no bille a-vaile

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49

42

THE COMPLEYNTE TO PITE. FAIRFAX 16.

(8)

Then leve we al vertues / saue oonly pite
Kepynge the corps / as ye haue herde me seyn
Cofedered by bonde / and by cruelte

And ben assented/ when I shal be sleyñ
And I haue put my complaynt / vp ageyñ
For to my ffoes / my bille I dar not shewe
Theffect of which / seith thus in wordes fewe

(9) [The Bill of Complaint.] (Tern I. 1)

Humblest of herte / highest of reuerence
Benygne flour/corovne of vertues alle
Sheweth vn-to youre rialle / excellence
Youre servaunt / yf I durst me / so calle
Hys mortal harme / in which he is falle
And noght' al oonly / for his euel fare
But for your renoun / as he shal declare

(10) (I. 2)

Hit stondeth thus / that your contrary crueltee
Allyed is/ayenst your regalye

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56

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Vnder colour of womanly beaute

For men shulde not / knowe hir tirannye

67

With bounte gentilesse / and curtesye

And hath depryved yow / of your place

That is hygħ beaute / apertenent to your grace

(11) (I. 3)

For kyndely / by youre herytage ryght'
Ye be annexed euer / vnto bounte
And verrely ye oughte/ do youre myght'
To helpe trouthe/ in his aduersyte
Ye be also the corowne / of beaute

70

[leaf 188]

74

And certes yf ye want / in these tweyn

THE COMPLEYNTE TO PITE.

FAIRFAX 16.

43

(12) (Tern II. 1)

Eke what availeth maner / and gentilesse
Withoute yow / benygne creature

Shal cruelte / be your gouerneresse

Allas what herte / may hyt longe endure
Wherfore but ye / the rather take cure

81

To breke that perilouse / alliaunce

Ye sleen hem that ben / in your obeisaunce

84

(13) (II. 2)

And further ouer / yf ye suffre this

Youre renoun ys fordoo / in a throwe

Ther shal no mañ wete weH/ what pite is

Allas that euer your renouñ / is falle so lowe
Ye be also /fro youre heritage y-throwe
By cruelte / that occupieth youre place
And we despeyred / that speken to your grace

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91

(14) (II. 3)

Haue mercy on me / thow herenus quene
That yow haue sought / so tendirly and yore
Let somme streme of lyght' / on me be sene

That loue and drede yow / euer lenger the more
For sothely for to seyne / I bere so soore
And though I be not kunnynge / for to pleyne
For goddis loue / haue mercy on my peyne

(15) (Tern III. 1)

My peyne is this / that what so I desire
That haue I not ne no thing / lyke therto

And euer setteth desire / myn hert on fire

Eke on that other sydes / where so I goo
What maner thinge / that may encrese my woo
That haue I redy vnsoghte / euery where
Me lakketh but my deth / and than my bere

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44

THE COMPLEYNTE TO PITE.

FAIRFAX 16.

(16) (III. 2)

What nedeth to shewe parcel / of my peyne
Syth euery woo/ that herte may be-thynke
I suffre and yet I dar not to yow pleyne
For wel I wote / though I wake or wynke
Ye rekke not/ where I flete or synke
But natheles yet / my trouthe I shal sustene
Vnto my deth and that shal wel be sene

(17) (III. 3)

This is to seyne / I wol be youres euer
Though ye me slee / by crueltee your soo
Algate my spirite / shal neuer disseuer
Fro youre seruise / for eny peyne or woo
Sith
ye be yet ded / allas that hyt is soo
Thus for your deth / I may wel wepe and pleyne
With herte sore / and ful of besy peyne

¶ Explicit.

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112

116

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III.

The Parlement of Foules.