The Prentise unto woe,
By HENRY BARADOUN, ab. 1483. Hodson MS. 39, leaf 4; 2nd flyleaf. (Mr. Hodson's 3rd MS. of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales.) [Mr. Hodson's Librarian, Miss Constance Belliss, kindly copied the poem for me, and read the proof with the MS.]
(1)
Musyng alone, voide of consolacion, [folio 4]
Drownèd in sorowe, sighyng wondre sore,
I may complayn, with deedly lamentacion,
My tyme evill spent / sith first I was bore;
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My yongë yeres, in Courte I haue forlore;
Ȝhit, not-withstondyng howe I haue so do,
Vnto more peyne then I was into-fore,
I haue me yoked, as prentice vnto woo.
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(2)
¶ For [MS. As for.] liberte is laide alone apart;
My will also, hath no dominacion;
And as for easë, that most nedis depart;
A greuous payn, in myn oppinïon:
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labour & trouble hath predominacion
Of my spiritis, wher-euer I ride or go:
hertis ease & I be not at vnion:
Thus am I yoked / a prentise vnto wo.
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(3)
¶ In the courte, is many noble Roome;
But god knowith, I can noon sochë cacche:
ffrom a maister, I am be-come a grome,
And bonde mysilff to waytyng & to wacche;
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With euere gadrin, I stonde behynde the hacche,
Gapyng & staryng / wanderyng to & fro;
Ȝhit for all this, no good can I cacche:
Thus am I prentice & seruaunt vnto woo.
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