Geoffrey Chaucer

“ Beth ye my Iuge and eek my soules leche;
For ever in you is pitee haboundinge 135
To ech that wol of pitee you biseche.
Soth is, that God ne graunteth no pitee
With-oute thee; for God, of his goodnesse,
Foryiveth noon, but it lyke un-to thee.
He hath thee maked vicaire and maistresse 140
Et que mal hyer et pis m'est hui,
Tost après si me ranvite,
Vierge douce, se pren fuite,
Se je fui a la poursuite,
Ou fuiray, qu'a mon refui?
S'a nul bien je ne m'affruite 190
Et mas sui avant que luite,
Plus grief encore en est l'anuy. ”

“ Sans toy nul bien ne foysonne
Et sans toy Diex riens ne donne,
Quar de tout t'a fet maistresse.
Quant tu veus trestout pardonne;
Of al the world, and eek governeresse
Of hevene, and he represseth his Iustyse
After thy wille, and therefore in witnesse
He hath thee crouned in so ryal wyse.
Temple devout, ther god hath his woninge. 145
Fro which these misbileved pryved been,
To you my soule penitent I bringe.
Receyve me! I can no ferther fleen! ”

“ All the MSS. insert suffred after eek, caught from the line above; see note. 167. C. wole. 171. C. rouhte. 172. C. Riht soo thi. C. lust; rest list, liste. 173. C. ladi; merci; yow. 174. C. Sithe; merci. ”