BYTUENE Mershe ant Averil 
   When spray biginneth to spring, 
The lutel foul hath hire wyl 
   On hyre lud to synge: 
Ich libbe in love-longinge 
For semlokest of alle thynge, 
He may me blisse bringe, 
   Icham in hire bandoun. 
An hendy hap ichabbe y-hent, 
Ichot from hevene it is me sent, 
From alle wymmen my love is lent 
   Ant lyht on Alisoun. 

On heu hire her is fayr ynoh, 
   Hire browe broune, hire eye blake; 
With lossum chere he on me loh; 
   With middel smal ant wel y-make; 
Bote he me wolle to hire take 
For to buen hire owen make, 
Long to lyven ichulle forsake 
   Ant feye fallen adoun. 
An hendy hap, etc. 

Nihtes when I wende and wake, 
   For-thi myn wonges waxeth won; 
Levedi, al for thine sake 
   Longinge is y-lent me on. 
In world his non so wyter mon 
That al hire bounte telle con; 
Hire swyre is whittore than the swon, 
   Ant feyrest may in toune. 
An hendy hap, etc. 

Icham for wowyng al for-wake, 
   Wery so water in wore; 
Lest eny reve me my make 
   Ichabbe y-yerned yore. 
   Betere is tholien whyle sore 
   Then mournen evermore. 
   Geynest under gore, 
   Herkne to my roun-- 
An hendy hap, etc.