1 White as lilies was her face,
When she smilèd she beguilèd,
Quitting faith with foul disgrace,
Virtue, service thus neglected,
Heart with sorrow hath infected.
2 When I swore my heart my own,
She disdainèd, I complainèd;
Yet she left me overthrown,
Careless of my bitter grieving,
Ruthless bent to no relieving.
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3 Vows and oaths and faith assured,
Constant ever, changing never,
Yet she could not be procured,
To believe my pains exceeding,
From her scant neglect proceeding.
4 Oh that Love should have the art,
By surmises, and disguises,
To destroy a faithful heart,
Or that wanton-looking women,
Should reward their friends as foemen.
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5 All in vain is Ladies’ love,
Quickly choosèd, shortly loosèd,
For their pride is to remove,
Out alas their looks first won us,
And their pride hath straight undone us.
6 To thyself the sweetest fair,
Thou hath wounded, and confounded,
Changeless faith with soul despair,
And my service hath envied,
And my succours hath denied.
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7 By thine error thou hast lost,
Hart unfainèd, truth unstainèd,
And the swain that lovèd most,
More assured in love than many,
More despised in love than any.
8 For my heart, though set at naught,
Since you will it, spoil and kill it!
I will never change my thought,
But grieve that beauty e'er was born,
And so I'll live as one forlorn.
[To murther faith with froward scorn].
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English text