That never yit wolde me to mercy take;
90
And yit wol I [for] evermore her serve
And love hir best, although she do me sterve.
Explicit.
In MS. Harl. 7333, fol. 133 b and 134. Title—And next folowyng begynnith an amerowse compleynte made at wyndesore in the laste May tofore Novembre (sic). Also in F. (Fairfax) and B. (Bodley 638); entitled Complaynt Damours. N. B. Unmarked readings are from Harl.
1. sorowfullest. 2. worlde; leving (F. lyvinge). 3. F. lest; Harl. B. leste. B. rekeuerer. 4. Begynne right thus; so F. B.; I omit right. 5. lyff; dethe. 6. Whiche hathe; rought (for rewthe). 7. beste; sleethe. 8. F. Kan I noght doon to seyn; B. Kan I nought don to seyn; Harl. Cane I nought ne saye. 9. All Ne; read For. 10. Youre. 11. frome. 12. Yee. F. B. han; Harl. haue. caste. F. B. thilke; Harl. that. All spitouse. 13. Harl. ne (after lyve); F. B. om. 14. beste (after you); F. B. om.
15. Soothe; weele. 16. F. B. that; Harl. om. F. B. a thing; Harl. om. a. thinge; doo. 17. F. B. Tacompte youre; Harl. For to acounte your. 18. noo wondre; yee; woo. 19. Sithe; goo. 20. F. neuer; B. euyr; Harl. euer. hie. 21. wondir; doo; noo. 22. Ellas; Eonde. F. myshefe; B. myschef (for my lyf). 23. dethe; conclucioun. 24. wele. F. sing; B. singe; Harl. say. Harl. sorye. 25. B. ys my (for may have). Confucioun. 26. B. my saluacioun (for deep affeccioun). 27, 28. B. I sey for me I haue noun [neuer?] felte Alle thes diden me in despeire to melte. 27. fo (? for for). 28. Alle this; yowe deere. 29. Harl. om. 2nd in. 30. F. B. nay; Harl. nay nay. 31. I supply to; yowe; dethe for-geve. 32. dothe. 33. certe (!); sheo. 34. Hathe; Al-thoughe sheo. 35. nought (for nat). 36. Thane sithe. 37. sitthe; rede. 38. seyne. 39. noo; womanhede. 40. Thaugh suche; dede.
41. Yette; I supply And; twoo; doone. 42. seyne; beaute; eye. 43. Harl. om. that. F. B. om. the. verraye Roote. 44. diseese; alsoo. 45. worde sheo myght; boote. 46. sheo wovched saufe; soo. 47. I supply why; woo. 48. wonne; all ins. to after wonne. 49. seon; sarvauntes; B. seruaunte. 50. thanne; alle; wondering. 51. sheo. 53. eke. 54. Hathe; shalle; Harl. om. that; worlde. 55. Whi; sheo lefe pitte; byhinde. Harl. so; F. alle; B. all. 56. ewisse; grete. 57. Yitte; noo. F. B. om. al. 58. Harl. ins. hem before soore (sic); F. B. hem (but om. sore). 59. thowe (for though); sheo; pette. 60. sheo doothe. 61. ought. 62. Harl. om. hir; pleye; lawhe when that men sikith. 63. liste; likethe. 64. B. Yit; F. Yet; Harl. Yeo (sic); see 57. dare; sorowfull. 65. F. B. meke; Harl. mekly. 66. F. sorwes; B. sorwys; Harl. shoures. 67. Harl. and; F. B. that, yee; onys.
68. compleynte (for pleynte); which I Fulle. 69. saide; thorowe. B. vnkonnynge; F. vnkunnynge; Harl. vnknowynge. F. B. om. here and myn. 70. yowre. 71. Loothest; loothe. 72. als; sowle safe. 73. seyne; thorughe; yee; wrothe. 74. leyde. 75. sarvaunt ne shulde yee. F. shul; B. shall; Harl. shulde. 76. thaughe. F. B. on yow haue pleyned; Harl. haue playned vnto yow. 77. For-gyvethe yt me, myne oune lady so dere. 78. howe. 79. youre. 80. Yee ben; gynnynge. 81. Harl. of; F. ouer; B. ovyr. F. B. om. and clere. Sterre so bright; huwe. 82. Harl. And I ay oon; F. B. Alwey in oon. fresshely. 84. wolle. 85. Conpleynte; valantines. 86. foughel cheesen shall; I supply ther from Parl. Foules, 310. 87. was (F. B. whos); hole; shall. 88. wofulle songe; conplaynte. 90. wolle; I supply for. 91. alle-thowhe sheo. F. B. Explicit; Harl. om.