Yet won no favour!” Then came I to woo ✿ And the long tale o’ love I had designed.
I fain set forth in writ of mine, with words ✿ Like strings of pearls in goodly line aligned:——
Set forth my sev’rance, griefs, tyrannic wrongs, ✿ And ill device ill-suiting lover-kind.
How oft love-claimant, craving secrecy, ✿ How oft have lovers ’plained as sore they pined,
“How many a brimming bitter cup I’ve quaffed, ✿ And wept my woes when speech was vain as wind!”
And thou:—“Be patient, ’tis thy bestest course ✿ And choicest medicine for mortal mind!”
Then unto patience worthy praise cleave thou; ✿ Easy of issue and be lief resigned:
Nor hope thou aught of me lest ill alloy ✿ Or aught of dross affect my blood refined:
Such is my speech. Read, mark, and learn my say! ✿ To what thou deemest ne’er I’ll tread the way.
Then he folded the scroll and sealing it, entrusted it to the damsel, who took it and bore it to her mistress. When the Princess read the letter and mastered its meaning, she said, “Meseemeth he recalleth bygones to me.” Then she called for pens, ink, and paper, and wrote these couplets: