Needs must I sing, I have no other choice,
Although I find but grief and weariness:
Still it is always better to rejoice;
Yielding to grief is ever profitless:
Yet not as one beloved I sing my lay,
But as in sorrow, pensive and astray;
And since of good I see no likeliness,
By words I am for ever led away.
One thing I tell in which I nought deceive
That in all love is chance and fickleness;
And were I able her control to leave,
It were more worth than did I France possess:
But in despair and madness oft I say,
Better the memory of her charms should stay,
Of her great wisdom, and sweet gentleness,
Than to hold all the world beneath my sway.
Full well I wot that I no good shall find,
That love doth hate me sore, and she disdain;
And therefore he who sets on love his mind
Should never dread, or madness, death, or pain.
Since to my mistress I all duty pay,
What she and love command I needs obey:
So I shall die or else my love regain,
Or my whole life be to disease a prey.
The Phoenix gathers store of twigs and wood
With which in flames his life away to throw:
I too count death my sole remaining good,
While seeing her, if she no pity show.
Ah me, how exquisite her beauty's ray,
Which since has caused me pangs so many a day;
The thought with longing sets my heart aglow,
And craving wishes nothing can allay.
Love is endowed with all surpassing might,
And good or ill bestows in wanton jest:
To me too long he portions only spite,
And reason bids me drive him from my breast.
But heart like mine ne'er yet was made of clay,
And Love!»Love! Love! it cries, with ne'er a stay.
No other reason from it can you wrest;
So I shall love, and nought can say me nay.
Lady, relent: thou whom all gifts adorn,
Who dost all worth and every grace display,
More than all other dames that e'er were born,
And give me kindly succour, since you may.
