| Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. 1919. The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250–1900. |
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| Anonymous. c. 1300 |
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| 4. Blow, Northern Wind |
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| ICHOT a burde in boure bryht, | |
| That fully semly is on syht, | |
| Menskful maiden of myht; | |
| Feir ant fre to fonde; | |
| In al this wurhliche won | 5 |
| A burde of blod ant of bon | |
| Never yete y nuste non | |
| Lussomore in londe. | |
| Blou northerne wynd! | |
| Send thou me my suetyng! | 10 |
| Blou northerne wynd! blou, blou, blou! | |
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| With lokkes lefliche ant longe, | |
| With frount ant face feir to fonge, | |
| With murthes monie mote heo monge, | |
| That brid so breme in boure. | 15 |
| With lossom eye grete ant gode, | |
| With browen blysfol under hode, | |
| He that reste him on the Rode, | |
| That leflych lyf honoure. | |
| Blou northerne wynd, etc. | 20 |
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| Hire lure lumes liht, | |
| Ase a launterne a nyht, | |
| Hire bleo blykyeth so bryht. | |
| So feyr heo is ant fyn. | |
| A suetly swyre heo hath to holde, | 25 |
| With armes shuldre ase mon wolde, | |
| Ant fingres feyre forte folde, | |
| God wolde hue were myn! | |
| Blou northerne wynd, etc. | |
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| Heo is coral of godnesse, | 30 |
| Heo is rubie of ryhtfulnesse, | |
| Heo is cristal of clannesse, | |
| Ant baner of bealtè. | |
| Heo is lilie of largesse, | |
| Heo is parvenke of prouesse, | 35 |
| Heo is solsecle of suetnesse, | |
| Ant lady of lealtè. | |
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| For hire love y carke ant care, | |
| For hire love y droupne ant dare, | |
| For hire love my blisse is bare | 40 |
| Ant al ich waxe won, | |
| For hire love in slep y slake, | |
| For hire love al nyht ich wake, | |
| For hire love mournynge y make | |
| More then eny mon. | 45 |
| Blou northerne wynd! | |
| Send thou me my suetyng! | |
| Blou northerne wynd! blou, blou, blou! | |
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GLOSS: Ichot] I know. burde] maiden. menskful] worshipful. feir] fair. fonde] take, prove. wurhliche] noble. won] multitude. y nuste] I knew not. lussomore in londe] lovelier on earth. suetyng] sweetheart. lefliche] lovely. fonge] take between hands. murthes] mirths, joys. mote heo monge] may she mingle. brid] bird. breme] full of life. Rode] the Cross. lure] face. lumes] beams. bleo] colour. suetly swyre] darling neck. forte] for to. hue, heo] she. clannesse] cleanness, purity. parvenke] periwinkle. solsecle] sunflower. won] wan. |
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