348
XVIII. THE CUCKOO AND
Shortly, al that ever he wol he may;
Ageines him ther dar no wight sey nay.[1]
For he can gladde and greve whom him lyketh;[2]
And, who that he wol, he laugheth or he syketh;[3]
And most his might he sheweth ever in May.[4] 20
For every trewe gentil herte free[5]
That with him is, or thinketh for to be,[6]
Ageines May now shal have som steringe[7]
Other to joye, or elles to morninge,[8]
In no sesoun so greet, as thinketh me. [9] 25
For whan they mowe here the briddes singe,[10]
And see the floures and the leves springe,[11]
That bringeth into hertes rémembraunce[12]
A maner ese, medled with grevaunce,[13]
And lusty thoughtes fulle of greet longinge. [14] 30
And of that longing cometh hevinesse,
And therof groweth ofte greet seknesse,[15]
And al for lak of that that they desyre;[16]
And thus in May ben hertes sette on fyre,
So that they brennen forth in greet distresse. [17] 35
I speke this of feling, trewely;[18]
For, althogh I be old and unlusty,[19]
Yet have I felt of that seknesse, in May,[20]
Bothe hoot and cold, an acces every day,[21]
How sore, y-wis, ther wot no wight but I.[22] 40
Ageines him ther dar no wight sey nay.[1]
For he can gladde and greve whom him lyketh;[2]
And, who that he wol, he laugheth or he syketh;[3]
And most his might he sheweth ever in May.[4] 20
For every trewe gentil herte free[5]
That with him is, or thinketh for to be,[6]
Ageines May now shal have som steringe[7]
Other to joye, or elles to morninge,[8]
In no sesoun so greet, as thinketh me. [9] 25
For whan they mowe here the briddes singe,[10]
And see the floures and the leves springe,[11]
That bringeth into hertes rémembraunce[12]
A maner ese, medled with grevaunce,[13]
And lusty thoughtes fulle of greet longinge. [14] 30
And of that longing cometh hevinesse,
And therof groweth ofte greet seknesse,[15]
And al for lak of that that they desyre;[16]
And thus in May ben hertes sette on fyre,
So that they brennen forth in greet distresse. [17] 35
I speke this of feling, trewely;[18]
For, althogh I be old and unlusty,[19]
Yet have I felt of that seknesse, in May,[20]
Bothe hoot and cold, an acces every day,[21]
How sore, y-wis, ther wot no wight but I.[22] 40
- ↑ Ff. T. Ageynes; S. Ageynest; Th. Agaynst; F. B. Ayenst. Th. Ff. T. om. ther.
- ↑ Th. glad; rest glade.
- ↑ Th. loweth. S. has 2nd he; rest omit. F. B. don hym laugh or siketh.
- ↑ Th. T. shedeth.
- ↑ Th. fre.
- ↑ F. B. om. for.
- ↑ S. Ff. Aȝeynes; F. B. Ayenst; Th. T. Agayne. Th. nowe.
- ↑ F. B. Other; S. Outhir; Th. T. Ff. Or. Th. ioy. F. B. S. T. ellis; Th. els. Th. T. Ff. some mournyng; rest om. some.
- ↑ F. B. grette; Ff. S. grete; Th. moche.
- ↑ F. then; rest whan (when). Th. may; T. mai; F. B. S. mow; Ff. mowe. Th. byrdes; S. foulis; rest briddes.
- ↑ Th. leaues.
- ↑ Th. T. her (for hertes).
- ↑ Th. T. ease; S. ess; F. B. case (!). Ff. y-medled.
- ↑ Th. ful; Ff. fulle. Th. great.
- ↑ Th. great sicknesse.
- ↑ S. all; rest om. Th. lacke.
- ↑ Th. forthe; great.
- ↑ S. trewely; Th. trewly.
- ↑ F. B. S. For althogh; Th. T. If (!). Th. olde.
- ↑ Th. T. I haue; rest haue I. Th. felte; sicknesse. Th. Ff. through; rest in.
- ↑ All hote. Th. F. B. colde. Th. T. and (!); for an. Th. axes; F. B. acces.
- ↑ Th. Howe; wote.
