Читать книгу The Oxford Book of English Verse - Various Authors - Страница 29

15th Cent.

He. Be it right or wrong, these men among On women do complain; Affirming this, how that it is A labour spent in vain To love them wele; for never a dele They love a man again: For let a man do what he can Their favour to attain, Yet if a new to them pursue, Their first true lover than Laboureth for naught; for from her thought He is a banished man.

She. I say not nay, but that all day It is both written and said That woman’s faith is, as who saith, All utterly decayd: But nevertheless, right good witnèss In this case might be laid That they love true and continue: Record the Nut-brown Maid, Which, when her love came her to prove, To her to make his moan, Would not depart; for in her heart She loved but him alone.

He. Then between us let us discuss What was all the manere Between them two: we will also Tell all the pain in fere That she was in. Now I begin, So that ye me answere: Wherefore all ye that present be, I pray you, give an ear. I am the Knight. I come by night, As secret as I can, Saying, Alas! thus standeth the case, I am a banished man.

She. And I your will for to fulfil In this will not refuse; Trusting to show, in wordes few, That men have an ill use— To their own shame—women to blame, And causeless them accuse.

Therefore to you I answer now, All women to excuse— Mine own heart dear, with you what cheer? I pray you, tell anone; For, in my mind, of all mankind I love but you alone.

He. It standeth so: a deed is do Whereof great harm shall grow: My destiny is for to die A shameful death, I trow; Or else to flee. The t’ one must be. None other way I know But to withdraw as an outlàw, And take me to my bow. Wherefore adieu, mine own heart true! None other rede I can: For I must to the green-wood go, Alone, a banished man.

She. O Lord, what is this worldis bliss, That changeth as the moon! My summer’s day in lusty May Is darked before the noon. I hear you say, farewell: Nay, nay, We dèpart not so soon. Why say ye so? whither will ye go? Alas! what have ye done? All my welfàre to sorrow and care Should change, if ye were gone: For, in my mind, of all mankind I love but you alone.

He. I can believe it shall you grieve, And somewhat you distrain; But afterward, your paines hard Within a day or twain Shall soon aslake; and ye shall take Comfort to you again. Why should ye ought? for, to make thought, Your labour were in vain. And thus I do; and pray you to, As hartely as I can: For I must to the green-wood go, Alone, a banished man.

She. Now, sith that ye have showed to me The secret of your mind, I shall be plain to you again, Like as ye shall me find. Sith it is so that ye will go, I will not live behind. Shall never be said the Nut-brown Maid Was to her love unkind. Make you readý, for so am I, Although it were anone: For, in my mind, of all mankind I love but you alone.

He. Yet I you rede to take good heed What men will think and say: Of young, of old, it shall be told That ye be gone away Your wanton will for to fulfil, In green-wood you to play; And that ye might for your delight No longer make delay Rather than ye should thus for me Be called an ill womàn Yet would I to the green-wood go, Alone, a banished man.

She. Though it be sung of old and young That I should be to blame, Theirs be the charge that speak so large In hurting of my name: For I will prove that faithful love It is devoid of shame; In your distress and heaviness To part with you the same: And sure all tho that do not so True lovers are they none: For in my mind, of all mankind I love but you alone.

He. I counsel you, Remember how It is no maiden’s law Nothing to doubt, but to run out To wood with an outlàw. For ye must there in your hand bear A bow readý to draw; And as a thief thus must you live Ever in dread and awe; Whereby to you great harm might grow: Yet had I liever than That I had to the green-wood go, Alone, a banished man.

She. I think not nay but as ye say; It is no maiden’s lore; But love may make me for your sake, As I have said before, To come on foot, to hunt and shoot, To get us meat and store; For so that I your company May have, I ask no more. From which to part it maketh my heart As cold as any stone; For, in my mind, of all mankind I love but you alone.

He. For an outlàw this is the law, That men him take and bind: Without pitie, hangèd to be, And waver with the wind. If I had need (as God forbede!) What socours could ye find? Forsooth I trow, you and your bow For fear would draw behind. And no mervail; for little avail Were in your counsel than: Wherefore I’ll to the green-wood go, Alone, a banished man.

She. Right well know ye that women be But feeble for to fight; No womanhede it is, indeed, To be bold as a knight: Yet in such fear if that ye were With enemies day and night, I would withstand, with bow in hand, To grieve them as I might, And you to save; as women have From death men many one: For, in my mind, of all mankind I love but you alone.

He. Yet take good hede; for ever I drede That ye could not sustain The thorny ways, the deep vallèys, The snow, the frost, the rain, The cold, the heat; for dry or wete, We must lodge on the plain; And, us above, no other roof But a brake bush or twain: Which soon should grieve you, I believe; And ye would gladly than That I had to the green-wood go, Alone, a banished man.

She. Sith I have here been partynere With you of joy and bliss, I must alsò part of your woe Endure, as reason is: Yet I am sure of one pleasùre, And shortly it is this— That where ye be, me seemeth, pardé, I could not fare amiss. Without more speech I you beseech That we were shortly gone; For, in my mind, of all mankind I love but you alone.

He. If ye go thyder, ye must consider, When ye have lust to dine, There shall no meat be for to gete, Nether bere, ale, ne wine, Ne shetès clean, to lie between, Made of thread and twine; None other house, but leaves and boughs, To cover your head and mine. Lo, mine heart sweet, this ill diète Should make you pale and wan: Wherefore I’ll to the green-wood go, Alone, a banished man.

She. Among the wild deer such an archère, As men say that ye be, Ne may not fail of good vitayle Where is so great plentè: And water clear of the rivere Shall be full sweet to me; With which in hele I shall right wele Endure, as ye shall see; And, or we go, a bed or two I can provide anone; For, in my mind, of all mankind I love but you alone.

He. Lo yet, before, ye must do more, If ye will go with me: As, cut your hair up by your ear, Your kirtle by the knee; With bow in hand for to withstand Your enemies, if need be:

AND this same night, before daylight,

To woodward will I flee.

If that ye will all this fulfil,

Do it shortly as ye can:

Else will I to the green-wood go,

Alone, a banished man.

She. I shall as now do more for you Than ’longeth to womanhede; To short my hair, a bow to bear, To shoot in time of need. O my sweet mother! before all other For you I have most drede! But now, adieu! I must ensue Where fortune doth me lead. All this make ye: Now let us flee; The day cometh fast upon: For, in my mind, of all mankind I love but you alone.

He. Nay, nay, not so; ye shall not go, And I shall tell you why— Your appetite is to be light Of love, I well espy: For, right as ye have said to me, In likewise hardily Ye would answere whosoever it were, In way of companý: It is said of old, Soon hot, soon cold; And so is a womàn: Wherefore I to the wood will go, Alone, a banished man.

She. If ye take heed, it is no need Such words to say to me; For oft ye prayed, and long assayed, Or I loved you, pardè: And though that I of ancestry A baron’s daughter be, Yet have you proved how I you loved, A squire of low degree; And ever shall, whatso befall To die therefore anone; For, in my mind, of all mankind I love but you alone.

He. A baron’s child to be beguiled, It were a cursèd deed! To be felàw with an outlaw— Almighty God forbede! Yet better were the poor squyere Alone to forest yede Than ye shall say another day That by my cursèd rede Ye were betrayed. Wherefore, good maid, The best rede that I can, Is, that I to the green-wood go, Alone, a banished man.

She. Whatever befall, I never shall Of this thing be upbraid: But if ye go, and leave me so, Then have ye me betrayed. Remember you wele, how that ye dele; For if ye, as ye said,

BE so unkind to leave behind

Your love, the Nut-brown Maid,

Trust me trulý that I shall die

Soon after ye be gone:

For, in my mind, of all mankind

I love but you alone.

He. If that ye went, ye should repent; For in the forest now I have purveyed me of a maid Whom I love more than you: Another more fair than ever ye were I dare it well avow; And of you both each should be wroth With other, as I trow: It were mine ease to live in peace; So will I, if I can: Wherefore I to the wood will go, Alone, a banished man.

She. Though in the wood I understood Ye had a paramour, All this may nought remove my thought, But that I will be your’: And she shall find me soft and kind And courteis every hour; Glad to fulfil all that she will Command me, to my power: For had ye, lo, an hundred mo, Yet would I be that one: For, in my mind, of all mankind I love but you alone.

He. Mine own dear love, I see the prove That ye be kind and true; Of maid, of wife, in all my life, The best that ever I knew. Be merry and glad; be no more sad; The case is changèd new; For it were ruth that for your truth Ye should have cause to rue. Be not dismayed, whatsoever I said To you when I began: I will not to the green-wood go; I am no banished man.

She. These tidings be more glad to me Than to be made a queen, If I were sure they should endure; But it is often seen When men will break promise they speak The wordis on the splene. Ye shape some wile me to beguile, And steal from me, I ween: Then were the case worse than it was, And I more wo-begone: For, in my mind, of all mankind I love but you alone.

He. Ye shall not nede further to drede: I will not disparàge You (God defend), sith you descend Of so great a linàge. Now understand: to Westmoreland, Which is my heritage,

I WILL you bring; and with a ring,

By way of marriàge

I will you take, and lady make,

As shortly as I can:

Thus have you won an Earles son,

And not a banished man.

Here may ye see that women be In love meek, kind, and stable; Let never man reprove them than, Or call them variable; But rather pray God that we may To them be comfortable; Which sometime proveth such as He loveth, If they be charitable. For sith men would that women should Be meek to them each one; Much more ought they to God obey, And serve but Him alone.

25. never a dele] never a bit. than] then.

in fere] in company together.

rede I can] counsel I know.

part with] share with. tho] those.

hele] health.

yede] went.

on the splene] that is, in haste.