BALLAD

BALLADEver blessed be the day,Be the place and be the dwelling,That hath ended my delay,Shown the truth I shrank from telling.Dear friend, beholdMy love is yours, a costlier gift than gold:To Love be praise, that first the bond hath knit,For I am filled with perfect joy from it.Since I yielded to thy swayWhen thy heart with grief was swelling,Swiftly speeding as he mayJoy is come, my care dispelling:[pg 99]Now am I boldTo give thee love, that guerdons manifoldMay heal thee from thy sorrow every whit,For I am filled with perfect joy from it.So my soul, with God for stay,The new blissful years foretelling,Finds in thee, for whom I pray,Grace and gladness all excelling.I that of oldGave thee but sorry cheer and comfort cold,Am straightway turned to serve thee, as is fit,For I am filled with perfect joy from it.When I had toldMy love, my heart was yours to have and hold:To grief I yield not, nor to blame submit,For I am filled with perfect joy from it.In suchwise was happiness granted to me, even as you hear, and I pursued it with joy and gladness. But fortune, who is ready, whensoe'er she can, to do harm to lovers, straightway thought to do me very grievous hurt, as I will relate in a few words.It chanced, in a short while, that the lady who knew of our love, and who concealed our doings, had business at home, from the which loss would happen to her inheritance if she did not go there forthwith, wherefore, sad and sorrowful, she departed from the [pg 100] Court. And as for me, this caused me great grief, for I well knew that my lady would essay naught without her. And on this account I was much distressed, for, certes, I could in nowise rest without seeing her. And my lady knew this well, and I am persuaded that it was not otherwise with her. So she then bethought her of a lady who had likewise been in her service all her life, and who was prudent and discreet, and good, loyal, and reserved, although no longer did she live at Court. So she resolved to inquire of her if she was willing to return. Therefore without delay she wrote this letter to her, and received an answer from her.

Ever blessed be the day,Be the place and be the dwelling,That hath ended my delay,Shown the truth I shrank from telling.Dear friend, beholdMy love is yours, a costlier gift than gold:To Love be praise, that first the bond hath knit,For I am filled with perfect joy from it.Since I yielded to thy swayWhen thy heart with grief was swelling,Swiftly speeding as he mayJoy is come, my care dispelling:[pg 99]Now am I boldTo give thee love, that guerdons manifoldMay heal thee from thy sorrow every whit,For I am filled with perfect joy from it.So my soul, with God for stay,The new blissful years foretelling,Finds in thee, for whom I pray,Grace and gladness all excelling.I that of oldGave thee but sorry cheer and comfort cold,Am straightway turned to serve thee, as is fit,For I am filled with perfect joy from it.When I had toldMy love, my heart was yours to have and hold:To grief I yield not, nor to blame submit,For I am filled with perfect joy from it.

Ever blessed be the day,

Be the place and be the dwelling,

That hath ended my delay,

Shown the truth I shrank from telling.

Dear friend, behold

My love is yours, a costlier gift than gold:

To Love be praise, that first the bond hath knit,

For I am filled with perfect joy from it.

Since I yielded to thy sway

When thy heart with grief was swelling,

Swiftly speeding as he may

Joy is come, my care dispelling:

[pg 99]Now am I bold

[pg 99]

Now am I bold

To give thee love, that guerdons manifold

May heal thee from thy sorrow every whit,

For I am filled with perfect joy from it.

So my soul, with God for stay,

The new blissful years foretelling,

Finds in thee, for whom I pray,

Grace and gladness all excelling.

I that of old

Gave thee but sorry cheer and comfort cold,

Am straightway turned to serve thee, as is fit,

For I am filled with perfect joy from it.

When I had told

My love, my heart was yours to have and hold:

To grief I yield not, nor to blame submit,

For I am filled with perfect joy from it.

In suchwise was happiness granted to me, even as you hear, and I pursued it with joy and gladness. But fortune, who is ready, whensoe'er she can, to do harm to lovers, straightway thought to do me very grievous hurt, as I will relate in a few words.

It chanced, in a short while, that the lady who knew of our love, and who concealed our doings, had business at home, from the which loss would happen to her inheritance if she did not go there forthwith, wherefore, sad and sorrowful, she departed from the [pg 100] Court. And as for me, this caused me great grief, for I well knew that my lady would essay naught without her. And on this account I was much distressed, for, certes, I could in nowise rest without seeing her. And my lady knew this well, and I am persuaded that it was not otherwise with her. So she then bethought her of a lady who had likewise been in her service all her life, and who was prudent and discreet, and good, loyal, and reserved, although no longer did she live at Court. So she resolved to inquire of her if she was willing to return. Therefore without delay she wrote this letter to her, and received an answer from her.

Back to Index Next