For hire love y carke ant care,
For hire love y droupne ant dare,
For hire love my blisse is bare
Ant al ich waxe won,
For hire love in slep y slake,
For hire love al nyht ich wake,
For hire love mournynge y make
More then eny mon.
Blou northerne wynd!
Send thou me my suetyng!
Blou northerne wynd! blou, blou, blou!

Ichot] I know. burde] maiden. menskful] worshipful. feir]
fair. fonde] take, prove. wurhliche] noble. won] multitude. y
nuste] I knew not. lussomore in londe] lovelier on
earth. suetyng] sweetheart. lefliche] lovely. fonge] take
between hands. murthes] mirths, joys. mote heo monge] may she
mingle. brid] bird. breme] full of life. Rode] the Cross. lure]
face. lumes] beams. bleo] colour. suetly swyre] darling
neck. forte] for to. hue, heo] she. clannesse] cleanness,
purity. parvenke] periwinkle. solsecle] sunflower. won] wan.


Anonymous. c. 1300

5. This World's Joy

WYNTER wakeneth al my care,
Nou this leves waxeth bare;
Ofte I sike ant mourne sare