Quia Amore Langueo.
(From the Song of Solomon.)
[16 stanzas of eights, abab bcbc.]
[MS. Univ. Lib. Camb. Hh. 4. 12, leaf 41b. Handwriting of the latter half of the 15th century.]
(1)
IN the vaile of restles mynd
I sowght in mownteyn & in mede,
trustyng a treulofe for to fynd:
vpon an hyll / than toke I hede;
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a voise I herd / (and nere I yede)
in gret dolour complaynyng tho,
"see, derë soule, my sydës blede
Quia amore langueo." [Solomon's Song, ii. 5 and v. 8 (Vulgate).]
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(2)
¶ Vpon thys mownt I fand a tree;
vndir thys tree / a man sittyng;
from hede to fote / wowndyd was he,
hys hert blode I saw bledyng;
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A semely man / to be a kyng,
A graciose face / to loke vnto.
I askyd hym / how he had paynyng,
he said, "Quia amore langueo."
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(3)
¶ I am treulove / that fals was neuer:
my sistur, mannys soule, I loued hyr thus; [Sol. Song, iv. 9.]
By-cause I wold on no wyse disseuere,
I left my kyngdome gloriouse;
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I purueyd hyr a place full preciouse;
she flytt / I folowyd / I luffed her soo;
that I suffred thes paynès piteuouse
Quia amore langueo.
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