4. Blow, Northern Wind

Anonymous. c. 1300


ICHOT a burde in boure bryht,
That fully semly is on syht,
Menskful maiden of myht;
  Feir ant fre to fonde;
In al this wurhliche won
A burde of blod ant of bon
Never yete y nuste non
  Lussomore in londe.
    Blou northerne wynd!
    Send thou me my suetyng!
    Blou northerne wynd! blou, blou, blou!

With lokkes lefliche ant longe,
With frount ant face feir to fonge,
With murthes monie mote heo monge,
  That brid so breme in boure.
With lossom eye grete ant gode,
With browen blysfol under hode,
He that reste him on the Rode,
  That leflych lyf honoure.
    Blou northerne wynd, etc.

Hire lure lumes liht,
Ase a launterne a nyht,
Hire bleo blykyeth so bryht.
  So feyr heo is ant fyn.
A suetly swyre heo hath to holde,
With armes shuldre ase mon wolde,
Ant fingres feyre forte folde,
  God wolde hue were myn!
    Blou northerne wynd, etc.

Heo is coral of godnesse,
Heo is rubie of ryhtfulnesse,
Heo is cristal of clannesse,
  Ant baner of bealte.
Heo is lilie of largesse,
Heo is parvenke of prouesse,
Heo is solsecle of suetnesse,
  Ant lady of lealte.

For hire love y carke ant care,
For hire love y droupne ant dare,
For hire love my blisse is bare
  Ant al ich waxe won,
For hire love in slep y slake,
For hire love al nyht ich wake,
For hire love mournynge y make
  More then eny mon.
    Blou northerne wynd!
    Send thou me my suetyng!
    Blou northerne wynd! blou, blou, blou!


Ichot
I know
Rode
the Cross
bleo
colour
breme
full of life
brid
bird
burde
maiden
clannesse
cleanness, purity
feir
fair
fonde
take, prove
fonge
take between hands
forte
for to
heo
she
hue
she
lefliche
lovely
lumes
beams
lure
face
lussomore in londe
lovelier on earth
menskful
worshipful
monge
mingle
mote
may
murthes
mirths, joys
parvenke
periwinkle
solsecle
sunflower
suetly swyre
darling neck
suetyng
sweetheart
won
wan
wurhliche
noble
y nuste
I knew not
The Oxford Book of English Verse, HTML edition