For twelve tymes twelve the mone hathe bin yblente[16], 40
As manie tymes hathe vyed the Godde of daie,
And on the grasse her lemes[17] of sylverr sente,
Sythe thou dydst cheese mee for thie swote to bee,
Enactynge ynn the same moste faiefullie to mee.
Ofte have I seene thee atte
the none-daie feaste, 45
Whanne deysde bie thieselfe,
for wante of pheeres[18],
Awhylst thie merryemen dydde
laughe and jeaste,
Onn mee thou semest all eyne,
to mee all eares.
Thou wardest mee as gyff ynn
hondred feeres,
Alest a daygnous[19] looke
to thee be sente, 50
And offrendes[20] made mee,
moe thann yie compheeres,
Offe scarpes[21] of scarlette,
& fyne paramente[22];
All thie yntente to please
was lyssed[23] to mee,
I saie ytt, I moste streve thatt you ameded
bee.
AELLA.
Mie lyttel kyndnesses whyche
I dydd doe, 55
Thie gentleness doth corven
them soe grete,
Lyche bawsyn[24] olyphauntes[25]
mie gnattes doe shewe;
Thou doest mie thoughtes of
paying love amate[26].
Botte hann mie actyonns straughte[27]
the rolle of fate,
Pyghte thee fromm Hell, or
broughte Heaven down to thee, 60
Layde the whol worlde a falldstole
atte thie feete,
On smyle woulde be suffycyll
mede for mee.
I amm Loves borro’r,
& canne never paie,
Bott be hys borrower stylle, & thyne,
mie swete, for aie.
BIRTHA.
Love, doe notte rate your
achevmentes[28] soe smalle; 65
As I to you, syke love untoe
mee beare;
For nothynge paste wille Birtha
ever call,
Ne on a foode from Heaven
thynke to cheere.
As farr as thys frayle brutylle
flesch wylle spere,
Syke, & ne fardher I expecte
of you; 70
Be notte toe slacke yn love,
ne overdeare;
A smalle fyre, yan a loude
flame, proves more true.
AELLA.
Thie gentle wordis doe thie
volunde[29] kenne
To bee moe clergionde thann
ys ynn meyncte of menne.
AELLA, BIRTHA, CELMONDE, MYNSTRELLES.
CELMONDE.
Alle blessynges showre on
gentle AElla’s hedde!
75
Oft maie the moone, yn sylverr
sheenynge lyghte,
Inne varied chaunges varyed
blessynges shedde,
Besprengeynge far abrode mischaunces
nyghte;
And thou, fayre Birtha! thou,
fayre Dame, so bryghte,
Long mayest thou wyth AElla
fynde muche peace, 80
Wythe selynesse, as wyth a
roabe, be dyghte,
Wyth everych chaungynge mone
new joies encrease!
I, as a token of mie love
to speake,
Have brought you jubbes of ale, at nyghte
youre brayne to breake.
AELLA.