Quia Amore Langueo. (PART I.)
(THE VIRGIN'S COMPLAINT BECAUSE MAN'S SOUL IS WRAPT IN SIN.)
[Lambeth MS. 853, ab. 1430 A.D., page 4.] [8 stanzas in eights, abab bcbc, except st. 1, abab bcbd.]
(1)
IN a tabernacle of a tour,
As y stood musynge on þe moone,
A crowned queene, moost of honour,
Me þouȝte y siȝ sittinge in trone.
Line 4
Sche made hir cómpleynt bi hir oone,
For mannis soule is wrappid in synne: [The ryme should be in -o, as in the other stanzas.]
"Y may not leeue mankynde a-loone,
Quia amore langueo.
Line 8
(2)
I loke for loue of man, my broþir, [page 5]
I am his avoket [Alterd by a later hand to 'advoket.'] on euery wise,
I am his moder, y can noon oþir;
Whi schulde y my dere child dispise?
Line 12
¶ Þouȝ he me wraþþe in diuerse wise,
Þoruȝ freelte of fleisch be falle me fro,
Ȝit muste y rue til þat he rise,
Quia amore langueo.
Line 16
(3)
I abood & abide with greet longynge,
I loue & loke whanne man wole craue,
I pleyne me for pitee of pinynge;
Wolde he aske merci, he schulde it haue;
Line 20
Seie to me, soule, y schal þee saue;
