Page:The Book of the Duke of True Lovers - 1908.djvu/131



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