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I
WILL you hear a Spanish lady | |
| How she woo’d an English man? | |
| Garments gay and rich as may be, | |
| Decked with jewels, she had on; | |
| Of a comely countenance and grace was she, | 5 |
| And by birth and parentage of high degree. | |
| |
II
As his prisoner there he kept her, | |
| In his hands her life did lie; | |
| Cupid’s bands did tie her faster, | |
| By the liking of an eye; | 10 |
| In his courteous company was all her joy, | |
| To favour him in any thing she was not coy. | |
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III
At the last there came commandment | |
| For to set the ladies free, | |
| With their jewels still adornèd, | 15 |
| None to do them injury: | |
| ‘Alas!’ then said this lady gay, ‘full woe is me; | |
| O let me still sustain this kind captivity! | |
| |
IV
‘Gallant captain, show some pity | |
| To a lady in distress; | 20 |
| Leave me not within this city, | |
| For to die in heaviness; | |
| Thou hast set this present day my body free, | |
| But my heart in prison strong remains with thee.’— | |
| |
V
‘How should’st thou, fair lady, love me, | 25 |
| Whom thou know’st thy country’s foe? | |
| Thy fair words make me suspect thee; | |
| Serpents lie where flowers grow.’— | |
| ‘All the harm I think to thee, most gracious knight, | |
| God grant unto myself the same may fully light: | 30 |
| |
VI
‘Blessèd be the time and season | |
| That you came on Spanish ground; | |
| If our foes you may be termèd, | |
| Gentle foes we have you found. | |
| With our city you have won our hearts each one; | 35 |
| Then to your country bear away that is your own.’— | |
| |
VII
‘Rest you still, most gallant lady, | |
| Rest you still, and weep no more; | |
| Of fair lovers there are plenty; | |
| Spain doth yield a wondrous store.’— | 40 |
| ‘Spaniards fraught with jealousy we often find, | |
| But Englishmen through all the world are counted kind. | |
| |
VIII
‘Leave me not unto a Spaniard; | |
| You alone enjoy my heart; | |
| I am lovely, young, and tender, | 45 |
| And so love is my desart. | |
| Still to serve thee day and night my mind is press’d; | |
| The wife of every Englishman is counted blest.’— | |
| |
IX
‘It would be a shame, fair lady, | |
| For to bear a woman hence; | 50 |
| English soldiers never carry | |
| Any such without offence.’— | |
| ‘I will quickly change myself if it be so, | |
| And like a page I’ll follow thee where’er thou go.’— | |
| |
X
‘I have neither gold nor silver | 55 |
| To maintain thee in this case, | |
| And to travel, ’tis great charges, | |
| As you know, in every place.’— | |
| ‘My chains and jewels every one shall be thine own, | |
| And eke five hundred pounds in gold that lies unknown.’— | 60 |
| |
XI
On the seas are many dangers; | |
| Many storms do there arise, | |
| Which will be to ladies dreadful, | |
| And force tears from watery eyes.’— | |
| ‘Well in truth I shall endure extremity, | 65 |
| For I could find in heart to lose my life for thee.’— | |
| |
XII
‘Courteous lady, leave this fancy; | |
| Here comes all that breeds the strife; | |
| I in England have already | |
| A sweet woman to my wife: | 70 |
| I will not falsify my vow for gold or gain, | |
| Nor yet for all the fairest dames that live in Spain.’— | |
| |
XIII
‘Oh how happy is that woman, | |
| That enjoys so true a friend! | |
| Many happy days God send you! | 75 |
| Of my suit I’ll make an end: | |
| On my knees I pardon crave for this offence, | |
| Which did from love and true affection first commence. | |
| |
XIV
‘Commend me to thy loving lady: | |
| Bear to her this chain of gold, | 80 |
| And these bracelets for a token; | |
| Grieving that I was so bold. | |
| All my jewels in like sort bear thou with thee, | |
| For they are fitting for thy wife, but not for me. | |
| |
XV
‘I will spend my days in prayer, | 85 |
| Love and all his laws defy, | |
| In a nunnery will I shroud me, | |
| Far from any company: | |
| But ere my prayers have end, be sure of this, | |
| To pray for thee and for thy love I will not miss. | 90 |
| |
XVI
‘Thus farewell, most gentle captain, | |
| Farewell too my heart’s content! | |
| Count not Spanish ladies wayward, | |
| Though to thee my love was bent: | |
| Joy and true prosperity go still with thee!’— | 95 |
| ‘The like fall ever to thy share, most fair lady!’ | |
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