A PATTERN of true LOVE to you I will recite.  
Between a Beautiful Lady and a Courteous Knight.   
To the Tune of, Dainty come thou to me, etc.  
Licensd and Entered according to Order.  
 
 

DEar Love regard my grief,  
do not my suit disdain,  
O yield me some relief,  
that am with sorrow slain:  

These long seven years and more  
have I still loved thee,  
Do thou my joys restore,  
fair Lady pity me.    

Pity my grievous pain.  
long suffered for thy sake,  
Do not my suit disdain,  
that no time rest can take;  

These seven long years and more.  
have I still loved thee:  
Do thou my joys restore  
fair Lady pity me.    

How should I pity thee?  
this Lady then replied,  
Thou art no match for me,  
thy suit must be denied:  
I am of noble blood,  
you but of mean degree,  
It stands not for my good  
f●●●ly to match with th●e   

This answer had he most,  
which cut his heart so deep,  
That on his bed full oft  
would he lie down and weep,  
With tears he did lament  
his froward destiny;  
With sights yet would be say,  

Fair Lady pity me.    

While I live, I must love,  
so fancy urgeth me,  
My mind cannot remove,  
such is my constancy:  
My mind is nobly bend  
though I of low degree,  
Sweet Lady give consent  
to love and pity me.   

The Lady hearing now  
the moan that he did make,  
Did of his suit allow,  
and thus to him she spoke,  
Sir Knight, mourn thou no more,  
my faith I plight to thee,  
May this thy joys restore,  
thou hast thy wish of me,   
 

But first sweet Love (quoth she)  
what shift then wilt thou make,  
With speed to marry me,  
and thy delight to take:  
It were a bargain bad  
to get a wanton Wife,  
And lose with sorrow great  
thy sweet distressed life.   

If that my Father knew  
the love I bear to thee,  
We both the same should rue,  
therefore be ruled by me:  
When my Father is in bed  
and all his waiting-men,  
Through the window will I get  
see that you meet me then.   

Content Lady, (he said):  
he's but a Coward knight  
Whom aught shall make afraid  
to win a Lady bright:  
Thus than they went away  
but by the master-cook  
Coming thought the window wide,  
was this fair Lady took.   

O gentle cook, (quothshe)  
do not my deed bewray.  
Some favour to me show  
and let me pass away:  
Love that doth conquer Kings  
forced me to do this deed,  
Wilt others sits and sings  
make not my heart to bleed   

Not so, (than said the cook)  
fair Lady pardon me,  
Who can this trespass brook,  
committed thus by thee:  
My Lord, your Father shall  
the matter understand,  
For false I will not be,  
neither for house nor land.   

Then from the Lady's face,  
fell down the tears amain  
She was in woeful case  
and thus she made her moan:  
Ah, my own dear Love,  
little knowst thou my grief,  
Great sorrows must we prove,  
hope yielding no relief.   

Her Father in a spleen,  
locked up his Daughter bright  
And sent forth armed men  
to take this worthy Knight.  
Who then was judged to be  
quite banished from the land.  
Never his Love to see  
so strict was the command.   

And at the sessions next,  
after the Knight was gone,  
To his Daughter, full of woe,  
they brought a ●anged man,  
Whose head was smitten off,  
the Maiden's truth to prove,  
Quoth her Father, Wanton Dam●  
now take thee here thy Love.   

Her tears fell down amain,  
when this sight she did see  
And sorely did complain  
of Father's cruelty▪  
His body she did wash  
with tears that she did shed,  
An hundree times she kissed  
his body being dead.   

Alas, my Love, (she said)  
dear hast thou paid for me.  
Would God in heaven's bliss,  
my soul were onws with thee  
But whilst that I do live,  
a vow I here do make,  
Seven years to live unwed  
for my true Lover's sake   

Her Father hearing this,  
was grieved inwardly,  
He pardoned her amiss,  
and praised her constancy:  
And to this courteous Knight,  
her Father did her wed.  
God grant the like success:  
where perfect love is breed.   
FINIS.