Comparison of Geoffrey Chaucer Complaint to My Lode-Sterre to Geoffrey Chaucer

To you, my purse, and to non other wight [continues next]

Compleyne I, for ye be my lady dere! [continues next]

[continues previous] Compleyne I, for ye be my lady dere!

This Love hath [eek] me set in swich a place [continues next]

[continues previous] That my desyr [he] never wol fulfille;

It nis but folye and encrees of peyne;

And sin that here assembled be we tweyne

But natheles, whyl I have tyme and space, [continues next]

Er that I ferther in this tale pace, [continues next]

... til she have wept hir fille, as for a certain tyme; and thanne shal man doon his diligence with amiable wordes hir to reconforte, and preyen hir of hir weping for to stinte.' For which resoun this noble wyf Prudence suffred hir housbond for to wepe and crye as for a certein space; and whan she saugh hir tyme, she seyde him in this wyse. 'Allas, my lord,' quod she,' why make ye your-self for to be lyk a fool? For sothe, it aperteneth nat to a wys man, to maken swiche a sorwe. Your doghter, with the grace of god, shal warisshe and escape. And al were it ... [continues next]

In hasty tyme, whyl I have lyves space: [continues next]

[continues previous] Er that I ferther in this tale pace,

[continues previous] ... fille, as for a certain tyme; and thanne shal man doon his diligence with amiable wordes hir to reconforte, and preyen hir of hir weping for to stinte.' For which resoun this noble wyf Prudence suffred hir housbond for to wepe and crye as for a certein space; and whan she saugh hir tyme, she seyde him in this wyse. 'Allas, my lord,' quod she,' why make ye your-self for to be lyk a fool? For sothe, it aperteneth nat to a wys man, to maken swiche a sorwe. Your doghter, with the grace of god, shal warisshe and escape. And al were it so ...

List in no wyse of my sorowes saye 'ho!' [continues next]

[continues previous] For yit wiste I never noon, of my lyve,

[continues previous] She that shulde causen al my lustinesse [continues next]

[continues previous] List in no wyse of my sorowes saye 'ho!' [continues next]

[continues previous] She that shulde causen al my lustinesse

[continues previous] List in no wyse of my sorowes saye 'ho!'

And pyes, on hem for to crye and chyde. [continues next]

Thus lete I Canacee hir hauk keping; [continues next]

[continues previous] And pyes, on hem for to crye and chyde.

This is thy mortal fo, this is Arcite, [continues next]

Thou art my mortal fo, and me warreyest, [continues next]

My mortal fo, whiche I best love and serve,

[continues previous] That fro thy lond is banished on his heed,

[continues previous] Thou art my mortal fo, and me warreyest,

Wol with her grace no wyse my sorowes sounde. [continues next]

And that, shulde be my sorowes hertes leche, [continues next]

Have pitè on my woful besinesse; [continues next]

[continues previous] For she, that is my verray sorowes grounde,

[continues previous] Wol with her grace no wyse my sorowes sounde.

[continues previous] And that, shulde be my sorowes hertes leche,

[continues previous] But it is so, that her list, in no wyse,

[continues previous] Have pitè on my woful besinesse;

List in no wyse of my sorowes saye 'ho!' [continues next]

[continues previous] She that shulde causen al my lustinesse

[continues previous] List in no wyse of my sorowes saye 'ho!'

Do no servyse that may my lady plese; [continues next]

To preye for the peple, and do servyse,

They nolden drinken, in no maner wyse,

... freendes that been olde and wyse. And understond wel, that the gretteste and strongeste garnison that a riche man may have, as wel to kepen his persone as hise goodes, is that he be biloved amonges his subgets and with hise neighebores. For thus seith Tullius: that "ther is a maner garnison that no man may venquisse ne disconfite, and that is, a lord to be biloved of hise citezeins and of his peple." [continues next]

[continues previous] I ne say not this by me, for I ne can [continues next]

[continues previous] Do no servyse that may my lady plese; [continues next]

[continues previous] ... been olde and wyse. And understond wel, that the gretteste and strongeste garnison that a riche man may have, as wel to kepen his persone as hise goodes, is that he be biloved amonges his subgets and with hise neighebores. For thus seith Tullius: that "ther is a maner garnison that no man may venquisse ne disconfite, and that is, a lord to be biloved of hise citezeins and of his peple."

[continues previous] Do no servyse that may my lady plese;

For of good wille myn herte hit wolde, [continues next]

And eek to love hir I was holde [continues next]

[continues previous] And eek to love hir I was holde

That preised was of lowe and hye,

That I defye bothe sweven and dreem.'

Yet were me lever houndes had me eten, [continues next]

Two yeer or three for to respyten me, [continues next]

Than were I wel; for elles moot I selle [continues next]

Yet were me lever that I were unborn [continues next]

Than me were doon a sclaundre or vileinye; [continues next]

That lever me were keyes for to bere, [continues next]

I may wel in her abit go; [continues next]

But me were lever my nekke atwo, [continues next]

For dredelees, me were lever dye [continues next]

'Ye, that to me,' quod she, 'ful lever were [continues next]

Me lever were than thise worldes tweyne, [continues next]

Yet sholde I bet enduren al my peyne.' [continues next]

[continues previous] Than that myn heritage sholde falle

[continues previous] Than were I wel; for elles moot I selle

[continues previous] Than me were doon a sclaundre or vileinye;

[continues previous] Than walken in this wilde woode my clothes to tere.'

[continues previous] I may wel in her abit go;

[continues previous] Than she of me ought elles understode

[continues previous] Than al the good the sonne aboute gooth';

[continues previous] Me lever were than thise worldes tweyne,

Sith I am youres, til deth my herte kerve, [continues next]

[continues previous] Sith I am youres, til deth my herte kerve,

And yet his lyf al lyth now in my cure, [continues next]

[continues previous] But swich is love, and eek myn aventure. [continues next]

May ye not ten dayes thanne abyde,

For myn honour, in swich an aventure?

Seint Valentyne! to you I rénovele [continues next]

[continues previous] But swich is love, and eek myn aventure.

[continues previous] My woful lyf, as I can, compleyninge;

But natheles, whyl I have tyme and space,

Er that I ferther in this tale pace,

For wel I wot, whyl ye have lyves space, [continues next]

A thousand tyme, whan I have tyme and space. [continues next]

[continues previous] For wel I wot, whyl ye have lyves space,

[continues previous] For she, that is my verray sorowes grounde,