| Geoffrey Chaucer (c. 1340–1400). The Complete Poetical Works. 1894. | | | | The Minor Poems | | XXI. Appendix: Against Women Unconstant |
| | Balade.
MADAME, for your newe-fangelnesse, | |
| Many a servaunt have ye put out of grace, | |
| I take my leve of your unstedfastnesse, | |
| For wel I wot, whyl ye have lyves space, | |
| Ye can not love ful half yeer in a place; | 5 |
| To newe thing your lust is ever kene; | |
| In stede of blew, thus may ye were al grene. | |
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| Right as a mirour nothing may enpresse, | |
| But, lightly as it cometh, so mot it pace, | |
| So fareth your love, your werkes bereth witnesse. | 10 |
| Ther is no feith that may your herte enbrace; | |
| But, as a wedercok, that turneth his face | |
| With every wind, ye fare, and that is sene; | |
| In stede of blew, thus may ye were al grene. | |
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| Ye might be shryned, for your brotelnesse, | 15 |
| Bet than Dalyda, Creseide or Candace; | |
| For ever in chaunging stant your sikernesse, | |
| That tache may no wight fro your herte arace; | |
| If ye lese oon, ye can wel tweyn purchace; | |
| Al light for somer, ye woot wel what I mene, | 20 |
In stede of blew, thus may ye were al grene.
Explicit. | | | | |
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