Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE COMPLAINT OF CHAUCER TO HIS EMPTY PURSE, by GEOFFREY CHAUCER


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE COMPLAINT OF CHAUCER TO HIS EMPTY PURSE, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: To you, my purse, and to non other wight
Last Line: Have mynde upon my supplicacion!
Variant Title(s): Complaint To His Empty Purse;song To His Purse For The King;to My Empty Purse;to His Empty Purse;complaint To His Purse
Subject(s): Henry Iv, King Of England (1366-1413)


To yow, my purse, and to noon other wight
Complayne I, for ye be my lady dere!
I am so sory, now that ye been lyght;
For certes, but ye make me hevy chere,
Me were as leef be layd upon my bere;
For which unto your mercy thus I crye:
Beth hevy ageyn, or elles mot I dye!

Now voucheth sauf this day, or yt be nyght,
That I of yow the blisful soun may here,
Or see your colour lyk the sonne bryght,
That of yelownesse hadde never pere.
Ye be my lyf, ye be myn hertes stere,
Quene of comfort and of good companye:
Beth hevy ageyn, or elles moote I dye!
Now purse, that ben to me my lyves lyght
And saveour, as doun in this world here,
Out of this toune helpe me thurgh your myght,
Syn that ye wole nat ben my tresorere;
For I am shave as nye as any frere.
But yet I pray unto your curtesye:
Beth hevy agen, or elles moote I dye!

Lenvoy de Chaucer

O conquerour of Brutes Albyon,
Which that by lyne and free eleccion
Been verray kyng, this song to yow I sende;
And ye, that mowen alle oure harmes amende,
Have mynde upon my supplicacion!





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