Читать книгу The Oxford Book of English Verse - Various Authors - Страница 54

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16th Cent.

QUHEN Flora had o’erfret the firth

In May of every moneth queen;

Quhen merle and mavis singis with mirth

Sweet melling in the shawis sheen;

Quhen all luvaris rejoicit bene

And most desirous of their prey,

I heard a lusty luvar mene

—‘I luve, but I dare nocht assay!’

‘Strong are the pains I daily prove,

But yet with patience I sustene,

I am so fetterit with the luve

Only of my lady sheen,

Quhilk for her beauty micht be queen,

Nature so craftily alway

Has done depaint that sweet serene:

—Quhom I luve I dare nocht assay.

‘She is so bricht of hyd and hue,

I luve but her alone, I ween;

Is none her luve that may eschew,

That blinkis of that dulce amene;

So comely cleir are her twa een

That she mae luvaris dois affray

Than ever of Greece did fair Helene:

—Quhom I luve I dare nocht assay!’

o’erfret] adorned. shawis] woods. sheen] beautiful. mene] mourn. hyd] skin. blinkis] gets a glimpse. dulce amene] gentle and pleasant one. mae] more.