The Quatrefoil of Love

sig: [A1]

The .iiii. leues of the trueloue

sig: [A1v]

The full set of readings from A supplied for lines 1 to 30 illustrates the significant degree of variance in the printed text from the surviving earlier manuscript versions, which show more clearly the Northern dialect origin of the text. Only select variants that clarify meaning in the 1510 print are supplied beyond this point. The print compositor or a prior copyist in the transmission process appears to have misunderstood the alliterative /rhymed stanzaic structure, with its bob and wheel. The bob, which should follow the eighth line of each stanza, has been attached to the first or second line of the three-line wheel, thus obscuring the triple end-rhyme. The misplaced bob is enclosed by curled brackets in the following transcription.

IN a mornyng of may whan medowes can sprynge can] sall A

Braunches and blossomes of bryght colours Braunches] Blomes A

As I wente by a well on my playenge

Thorowe a mery orcharde sayenge myn oures sayenge] bedande A

Where byrdes full bysely began for to synge The birdis one bewes bigane for to synge A

The bowes to borge on borde to the browes And bowes for to burgeon and belde to þe bour[es] A

I was ware of a may that made mornynge I was ware] Was I warre A

She sate and syghed amonge the fayre floures {so swete} Sekande and syghande amange þase floures so swete A

¶She made mournynge ynoughe

Her wepynge dyd my herte woo dyd my herte woo] dide woughe A; dyde me roghe B

To a derne I me droughe To a derne] Vndir a tree A

Her wyll for to knowe for to knowe] walde I wete A

¶Stylly I stalked and stode in that stede

To wytte of her wyll and of her wylde thought To wytte] For I walde wiete A

Then cast she her kercheffes the calle of hede Rafe scho hir kertchefs, hir kelle of hir hede A

Wronge she her handes and wrothly she wrought

¶She sayd mylde mary ryght thou my rede my] me A

Of all the welthe of the worlde wolde I nought For of alle þe wele of þis werlde I welde A; ... warlde I wys I walde noȜte B

But sende me some solase or sone I shall be dede But] omit A; solase] socour A; I shall be dede] be I dede A

A syghte of that selcath I haue it longe sought A] Som A

¶Then spake the turtyll on a tree {with care} the] a A

With fayre wordes and free wordes] notis A

Bryght byrde of bewte Thou birde for thi beaute A

Why syghest thou so sore

¶O fayre foule spare not thy speche nor thy spell A thou faire foule faile noghte þi speche and þi spelle A

[Thy] kerpynge doth me comforte to herken and bere Thy] They W; Thi carpyng es comforthe to herkene and to here A

All my wyll and my thought wolde I the tell wyll] hert A

My wo and my wandrynge and thou wolde come nere Mi wo and my wandrethe walde þou come nere A

¶Then he lyghted louely with her for to dwell Than lufly he lyghtede walde he noghte duelle A

To comforte the comly and euer her chere the] þat A; euer] couer A

She blyssyd his body with boke and with bell

And loued our lady that sente her that fere

¶Whan I was sory

sig: A2

Besought I our lady {so fre}

And she sente me company

Blessyd maye she be

¶O fayre foule full of loue so mylde and swete

To medle on a mater nowe we maye begynne

Trueloue I haue sought fer by waye and by strete

In many fayre orchardes where floures be in

¶So ferre as I haue soughte sawe I none yet

Full fewe I haue founde of more or of myn

Bryght byrde of ble my sorowe myght thou bete

Wolde thou me wysshe wysely a trueloue to wynne

¶For when I wene sonest

To fynde loue best {with ryght}

Then so feble is it fest

And fareth all on flyght

¶The wytte of wymen is wonder to here

Is all thy sory syghynge to seke a loue true

All thy lyfe dayes may thou seke and neuer none be nere

But yf thou had counsayle of one that I knewe

¶Yf thou be set to seke trueloue I shall the lere

Where it is spryngynge euermore newe

Without ony fautynge full fayre and full clere

Or castynge of coloures or chaungynge of hewe

¶I dare baldly [s]aye {full yare} saye] faye W, say A

Th[er] is no loue that lasteth aye Ther] Thre W, Ther A

Without treason or traye

But yf it begyn there

¶Loke where thou fyndest growyng a truloue gresse

That with .iiij. leues fully is set aboute

The fyrst lefe we maye lyken to the kynge of blysse

He that wrought all the worlde with

¶He made heuen with his hande and all paradyse

And this mery mydell-erthe without ony doubte

All the welthe of the worlde holly is his

In whome we ought to lyue and lowe for to loute

¶Holde we this in mynde {full wele}

sig: [A2v]

Tyll we may these felawes fynde

The true loue and kynde

That neuermore shall kele

¶The seconde lefe of the trueloue I lyken to goddes sone

That to the fyrst lefe is felawe and fere

The thyrde to the holy goost togyder they wone

All hole in a godhede and persones thre

¶They be rulers of water sonne and of mone

The fourth lefe of pryce without ony pere

Whan the comly kynge is set in his trone comly] semly A

Comly of colours and curteyse of chere

¶All this worlde he began {with grace}

And of wyndes and waters wan

Then he marked man

After his owne face

¶Fyrst he made Adam and than he made Eue

He put them in-to paradyse in grete degre

Forbyddynge nothynge to hym and his wyfe

But a grene apple that dyde growe on a tre

¶Than sory sathanas sought them belyfe

To awake our wo cursed myght he be

Then toke they the apple that styred moche stryfe

The foule fende was glad that syght for to se

¶The fyrst leue was wo {for tene}

Whan floures fell hym fro

That his frendes sholde to hell go

For an apple grene

¶Then began the fyrst lefe to mourne for vs all

For his holy handy-werke that was forlorne

Gabryell to hym he dyde call

100

Forth came he comly and kneled hym beforne

¶He sayd to mylde mary on message thou shall

To bere her gladde tydynges of her I wyll be borne

Thus he sent his sone out of his hye halle

sig: A3

To the mylde mayde on a mery morne

105

¶ Gabryell with the fayre face

Sayd mary full of grace {and her gret}

Pyerles in euery place

With myrth thou arte met

¶Thou salte conceyue a chylde comly and clere salte: =shalte

110

All the bale of the worlde in the it shall be let

She sayd that were a meruayle and I a chylde sholde bere

For I was neuer maryed with no man yet

¶He sayd beholde to thy cosyn that hath conceyued to_yere

Elyzabeth in her age that longe hath ben led

115

O lorde I am thy mayde sayd mary so dere

And holy in thy seruyce is my herte set

¶Blyssed be the swete wyght

That goddes sone in lyght {full styll}

Become man full of myght

120

With the faders wyll

¶Now is the seconde lefe for our loue moost

Lyght in the lady that gabryell grete

Without ony treason true for to tryst

With myrthe in a mayde is god and man met

125

¶This is the fader and the sonne and the holy goste

Thre lefes of loue without ony lette

The fourth is a mayde chosen for chaste

Suche another truloue was neuer in londe sette

¶The fourth lefe maye neuer fall {for bote}

130

But euer they sprynge shall

So gentely they Ioyne all

On a ryche roote

¶Now hathe the thyrde lefe a swete felowe taken

For loue in [our] lady is our [lorde] lyght our lady] lady W, oure lady A; lorde] lady W, lorde A

135

Ioseph her wedded and with her dyd gone

In the cyte of bethelem there buylded the bryght

sig: [A3v]

¶Bytwene an oxe and an asse pryde was there none

A blessed chylde there was borne on crystmas nyght

There rose a sterre stabely shewed and shone

140

Thre kynge[s] of colayne theron hadde a syght kynges] kynge W, kynges A

¶They offered to hym as they wolde {and sought}

Myrre Rykyls and golde

He thanked them many-folde

And to blysse he them brought

145

¶Unhappy Herode the tydynges herde tell

That a chylde was borne that kynge sholde be

He dyde make messagers and sende them full snell

To slee all male chyldren in that countre

¶They lefte none alyue but all dyd they kyll

150

They spytted them on spere-poyntes grete pyte was to se

Ioseph with his wedded wyfe wolde no longer dwell

But ledde her in-to Egypte with her leues thre

¶The chyldren coude theyr dethe take

For the trueloue sake {for to saue}

155

More myrthe they dyde make

For hym-selfe wolde they haue

¶Yet wolde our lorde do more for his frendes dere

For his holy handy-werkes to helle wolde he gone

To gyue ensample his lawe for to lere

160

Saynt Iohan crystened hym in flome iordane

¶For .xxx. pens was he solde thorowe a false fere

Unto the Iewes that wolde hym haue slayne

All he suffred for our sake and hymselfe was clere

By a kysse was he knowen and sone was he taken

165

¶It was grete pyte for to se {also}

When he sholde blenke of his ble

The seconde lefe of the thre

The fourth was full woo

¶ Pylate was Iustyse and spake vp on hye

sig: [A4]

170

For to deme Ihesu that Iudas hathe solde

He sayd loke lordes trouthe for to trye

The semly is fautles saye what they wolde

¶The Iues on pylate began for to crye

He calleth hymselfe a kyng suche bourdes be to bolde

175

Yf thou wylte not deme hym to_daye for to dye

Loude before the emperoure the tale shall be tolde

¶A f[i]ry dome he gaue hym there firy] fury W, drery A, B

And sayd that he coude saye no more {for drede}

I rede ye take hym there

180

And forthe ye hym lede

¶Alas for the fourthe lefe was lefte alone

When her fayre felowshyp was taken and torne

Beten wi[t]h sharpe scourges body and bone with] wich W

Syth spred on a crosse and crowned with thorne

185

¶Thorowe his handes and fete [the] nayles dyd gone the] herte W, þ e A

A bryght spere to his herte sharpely was borne

He shed his blode for our loue and lyfe leued hym none

A[t]ter and ayzell they gaue hym for scorne Atter] After W, Attir AAtter: 'gall'; see OED s.v. atter n.

¶It was grete pyte for to se {with gyle}

190

Whan he was nayled on a tre

The seconde lefe sycurly

Dyed for vs all

¶The fourthe lefe of the loke alone she stode

Wryngynge her handes and wepynge for woo

195

With a mournynge chere and mylde mode

Her sonnes coloure faded and wexed wonder blo

¶Downe by his whyte sydes ran the redde blode

Harde roches dyd ryue [the temple] in two the temple] and temples W, þ e temple A

Then swowned the fourth lefe and to the ground yode

200

Alas for the trueloue that it sholde twyne so

¶She sawe her dere sonne dye

Saynt Iohan stode her by {full yare}

sig: [A4v]

[To comforte] the lady upper margin trimmed

That was cast in care

205

¶Yet spake the noble kynge that was nayled on the tre

To his moder so mylde that was mournyng that tyde

And sayd leue thy wepyng woman mourne not for me

Take Iohan too thy sone that wonneth the besyde

¶ Iohan take mary to thy moder for to myrthe the

210

To kepe and to comforte your blysse for to byde

The hote blode of his sydes caused longes to se

That sought by a spere-shafte fro his woundes wyde

¶It was grete pyte for to se {that daye}

Whan he was take of the tree

215

The seconde lefe of the thre

Was closed in clay

¶Whan he was take of the rode and delued ful yare

All the welthe of the worlde with the iij. leues laye

The fourth for woo fell and syghed full sare

220

[And all] truth of the worlde was with the true maye And all] With W, and all A

¶Thoughe his manhede was dede his myght was the more

On his holy handy-werkes his herte was aye

The soule with the godhede to hell dyde fare

The body and the manhede dyd byde the iij. daye

225

¶All that he with his handes had wrought

And [syth] with his blode bought {full yare} syth] sayth W, sythen A

Tyll they were out of bale brought

Hym longed full sare

¶Than sayd sory sathanas his so[r]owe was sadde sorowe] solowe W, sorowe A

230

For the syght of the selcuth he was nothynge fayne

He sayd to vs cometh som bodworde I trowe it be bad

What art thou with thy fayre face thus dyd hym frayne

¶Kynge of Ioye is my name thy gestes to gladde

Let me in for theyr loue thou sholde not layne

235

He sayd wende awaye with thy myght thou makest vs

sig: B1

all made

What sholde thou do in this pyt here is nothyng but payne

¶Whan they herde the kynge sp[e]ke speke] spake W, speke A

All theyr gates they dyd shyt {fast}

Sone the barres dyd breke

240

And all the bandes braste

¶For his holy handy-werkes there harowed he hell

All them brought out of bale that euer had ben his

Dauyd his derlynge made myrthe them amonge

With an herpe in his hande he harped I_wysse

245

¶All his retenue out coude he tell

And of his grete mercy forgaue them theyr mysse

He sayd I was solde for your sake and suffred woundes wyde

And all my good chyldren be brought vnto blysse

¶The sothe is not to layne {on the roode}

250

Whan they were brought out of payne

To the blyssed body agayne

The holy goost yode

¶The fourth lefe of the trueloue was folden for wo

She was lefte mayde moder and wyfe

255

The fyrste lefe full of myght his wyll was so

By the assente of the thyrde lefe was there no stryfe

¶They reysed vp the seconde bytwene them two

Thorowe myght of the godhede from dethe vnto lyfe

He toke a crosse in his hande and forthe he dyd go

260

With his flesshe and his woundes fyfe

¶When he was rysen agayne {he yode}

He mette mary_magdalayne

It was no meruayle yf she was fayne

¶He was her leche good

265

¶Forth wente mari_magdalayne with myrth and with mode

She tolde the tydynges to Thomas of ynde

How cryst was rysen agayne that shed his hert-blode

sig: [B1v]

[Truste this] Thomas thou shalte it true fynde Truste this] Trow now þis Aupper margin trimmed

¶Then spake Thomas in stede there he stode

270

Women be talkynge it cometh to them by kynde

He wolde neuer byleue it tyll cryste to hym yode

And apered to the apostles so clerkes hath in my[n]de W omits the bob: In hy A

¶He put his hande to his syde

He blessed all that tyme

275

That byleued on his woundes wyde

And sawe they neuer with eye

¶Forthe wente the semly the soth for to saye

To seke his dyssyples that euer were true

[Syth] to our lady that he had loued ay Syth] Sayth W, sythen A

280

All hole in his hurtes of hyde and of hewe

¶She was euer stable and styll and fayled neuer faye

The iiij. leues of troueloue they sprynge euer newe

Our lorde assended in-to heuen on holy thursdaye

Then folowed his moder with myrthes ynowe

285

¶Before her sone she kneled downe {full euen}

With a good deuocyon

On her hede he set a crowne

And made her quene of heuen

¶The iiij. lefe of the trueloue blessed must she be

290

She may haue Ioye in her herte of her gentyll chylde

On his faders ryght hande her sone maye she se

And the holy ghost that to them can bylde

¶Now be they hole in one godhede and persones thre

And she is mayde of myght and moder full mylde

295

Suche a nother trueloue growed neuer on tre

Who-so trysteth on that trueloue shall not be gyled

¶Well is that wyght {so hende}

That maye be sure of the syght

Where euer is daye and euer lyght

300

And Ioye without ende

sig: B2

¶Thus hathe the fayre trueloue made vs all fre

Our soules out of bondage and bought vs on the rode

He commaunded vs to kepe and gaue pauste

Our soules out of synne for ony worldes good

305

¶Moche sorow wolde we haue and we our soules myȜt se

When they be sonken in synne as [f]ysshe in a [fl]ode fysshe] rysshe W, fercost A; flode] stode W, flode A

Then abyde we in bondage in bale for to be

He that vs boughte with his holy herte-blode

¶He bad axe mercy whan we maye

310

And byd our lady for vs pray {to haue blysse}

Or we be closed in claye

Or elles of our myrthe shall we mysse

¶Blessyd be the trueloue so meke and so mylde

Sure and stedfast and stable in faye

315

Whan we haue wrathed iij. with our werkes wylde wrathed] wrethede A

The fourth lefe is gracyous and good vs to helpe aye

¶Then kneleth she downe before her dere chylde

Sore wepynge for our sake with her eyes graye

She is euer full of grace alas we were begyled

320

She wynneth with her wepynge many fayre praye

¶Syth she is welthe of our wele {for to kepe} welthe] welle A, B

And all our care wolde kele

Alas why make ye her to knele

And for our werkes wepe

325

¶There is none in this worlde so doughty nor so dere

Kynge nor quene thoughe he were a crowne

Nor no fayre ladyes of coloures so clere

Whan dredfull dethe cometh it draweth all downe

¶Yet lyst vs neuer leue it for preste nor for fryer

330

Tyll we fele we fall with swelte and with swowne

Whan the bare body is broughte on bere

Than fayleth all felawshyp in felde and in towne Bob in A reads: Bot fonne

¶In a clothe be we knyt

sig: [B2v]

Syth put in a pyt {and erth vpon vs done}

335

Of all the worlde be we quyt

Forgoten be we soone

¶For the caytyf corse there is but lytell care

and we were sure of our soules where they sholde dwell

But nowe [no wyght] in this worlde so wyse [is] of lare no wyght] is nowe W, no wyghte A; is of] his of W, es of A

340

Nor no clerke in co[n]ynge that therof can tell conynge] comynge W, conynge A

¶How fer[r]e and how fele our soules must fare ferre] ferte W, ferre A

Hard wayes is to heuen and hasty to hell

In purgatory is grete payne whoso cometh there

Of moche wo shall they wyt that therin shall dwell

345

¶What-so-euer we do here we fare {so longe}

Before vs shall we fynde there

We maye be sure of no more

When paynes be full stronge

¶When grete fyers grym be made in our gate

350

Then is there no glosynge but i[n] must we glyde in] it W, In A

When we be put in the payne so harde and so hote

We seke after socoure on euery syde

¶We crye after kynne-folke they come to vs to late

[W]hen [w]e haue felte the fyer faysed is our pryde When we] Then he W, When we A

355

Then of all our sorowe no sertayne [ende] we wate ende] W omits, ende A

But truste on the trueloue his mercy to abyde

¶Now is tyme to begynne {with drede}

The trueloue to wynne

That all our bales he maye blyn

360

Whan [w]e haue moost nede we] he W, we A

¶Of all the dayes that we haue lyued ones shall we knowe

Whan we remembre our foule synnes sore may we mone

Whan the grete lorde aboue his bemes shall blowe

And hye Iustyse shall syt in his trone

365

¶And all the folke in the worlde shall ryse on a rowe

The quycke maye quake whan the dede shall vp-ryse

sig: B3

We may lette for no shame our synnes to showe

There is no golde nor fee that may make our maynpryse

¶For then is all our pryde gone {and kynne}

370

Our robes and our ryche pane

Saue a crysome alone

That we were crystened in

¶When we be called to the courte vs be_houeth to here

All shall be there sene bonde-men and free

375

The soule and the body that longe hath [b]en sere ben] sen W, bene A

Be_houeth to be present at the semble

¶Euery soule shall be sende to seke after his fere

Whan cryste well vs gather a grete lorde is he well: =will (A)

With our flesshe and our fell as we in worlde were

380

Neuer-more to sonder after that daye be

¶Our werkes be wryten and scorde

In a rolle of recorde {for to knowe}

Before the grete lorde

Full sharply to showe

385

¶We must seke thyder in a symple tyer a symple tyer] sympille atyre A

Tremblynge and quakynge as lefe on a tree

Whan all the worlde is set with water and fyer

There is no wrenche nor no wyll wyll wysshe vs to fle

¶When cryste is greued he is a grym syer

390

So many synfull wretches as he there shall see

Then dare not his moder yf she wolde desyre

Not speke to her son so dredfull is he

¶All t[he] sayntes in heuen {that daye} the] to W, þ e A

They shall be styll of theyr steuen

395

They dare not a worde meuen meuen] neuen A

For no man to praye

¶The werckes of mercy he wyll reken them seuen

When I was [hungry] how hardly haue ye me fedde hungry] thrusty W, hungry A

When I was thrusty how hardly haue ye me gyuen

sig: [B3v]

400

When I was naked how haue ye me cledde

¶When I was housles harbowred ye me euen

Or vysyte me in syknes or sought to my bedde

Or comforted me in pryson that wo[l]de I here [n]euen wolde] worde W, wolde B; neuen] meuen, neuen B

Or brought me to buryeng when deth hath me sted

405

¶Or lorde when sawe we the {they saye}

Euer in ony suche degree

He sayd the leest in the name of me

That thou myght praye

¶He wyll shewe vs his woundes blody and bare

410

All he suffred for our sake bytter and wyde

Kynges and quenes before hym must fare

Bysshoppes and barons all must abyde

¶Erles and Emperoures none wyll he spare

Prestes nor prelates or persones of pryde

415

Iustyse and Iuges of lawe and of lere

That now be full ryall to rynne and to ryde

¶Theyr dome shall they take there

Ryght as they haue demed here {in londe}

When they were of myght more

420

And domes had in hande

¶Ryche ladyes that hathe robes full yare

Ryches and rubyes with gownes full wyde

Bendes and myrroures and fyllettes full fayre

Golde on theyr garlondes with perre and pryde

425

¶Kalle and kercheffes that coucheth on theyr heyre

So [shaply] and shynynge to shewe by theyr syde shaply] sharply W, schaply A

All that welthe is awaye and myrth moche more

But yf we wyn the truloue vnglad maye we glyde

¶Betyme is best to begyn {for sorowe}

430

Or we be sonken in synne

For then is nother kyth nor kynne

Fro bale may vs borowe

sig: [B4]

¶By lordes and ladyes all I wyll not saye

But some-thynge by other folkes that I fynde full wele

435

The galande gedlynge that kythis gentry galande] galiarde A

With daynty damoyselles no man may dele

¶They haue purfels and perles and heddes full hye

Thoughe her corse be [in] the myddle of her kattell in] W omits, in A

Yf men talke of her kynne awaye wyll she wrye

440

Her fader and moder fayre wolde she hyll hyll] hele A

¶When that daye shall begyn {and tyde}

No man shall shame with theyr kynne

All shall shame with theyr synne

And with theyr foule pryde

445

¶The dome of the trueloue full sore maye we drede

For then is all the tyme past of mercy to craue

When euery man is demed after his owne dede

Then may not our-selfe sterte and sende forthe our knaue

¶For he rekeneth by reason so clerkes can rede

450

He setteth on his ryght hande the soules that he wyll saue

The synfull wretches that maye not spede

Shall stande on his lefte hande [and wo shall they] haue and wo shall they] awaye for to W, and wa sall þay B

¶Then wyll our lady wepe sore

For sorowe that she shall se there {for aye}

455

Whan she maye helpe no more

Grete mournynge shall be that daye

¶Now is tyme for to speke for them that wyll spede

And seke after socoure and foly to flee

And not on domes-daye whan we haue moost nede

460

Now is moche mercy and then wyll none be

¶When our dere lady dare not for drede

Speke to her dere sone so dredfull is he

How maye we axe mercy for our mysdede

That wyll not folowe to it whan it is fre

465

There is no waye but ij. {thore}

sig: [B4v]

Wheder that we shall go

To wele and to woo

To dwell for euermore

¶Thus the bryght byrde taught the true maye

470

And she blessyd his body his bone and his blode

To the fourthe lefe I rede that we praye

That she wolde our message do with a mylde mode

¶And speke for the loue before the last daye

To the thyrde lefe gracyous and good

475

The loue of the iiij. leues that we wynne maye

That grace graunt grete god that dyed on the rood

¶This I herde in a valaye {walkynge}

As I wente on my waye

In a mournynge of maye

480

Whan medowes can sprynge

Enprented at London in Flete_strete at the sygne o[f]of] ot W the sonne / by wynkyn_de_worde.