A Medieval Love Poem: Fortune's Wheel

A late 15th-century poem which, like this one, comes from the Findern manuscript.


A! mercy, Fortune, have pitee on me,
And thinke that thu hast done gretely amisse
To parte asondre them whiche ought to be
Alwey in on. Why hast thu doo thus?
Have I offended thee? I? Nay! iwisse.
Then turne thy whele and be my frende again,
And sende me joy where I am nowe in pain.

And thinke what sorowe is the departing
Of two trewe hertes loving feithfully,
For parting is the most soroughfull thinge,
To mine entent, that ever yet knewe I.
Therfore I pray to thee right hertely
To turne thy whele and be my frende again,
And sende me joy where I am nowe in pain.

For, till we mete, I dare well say, for trouth,
That I shall never be in ease of herte.
Wherfore I pray you to have of me sume routh,
And release me of all my paines smerte,
Now, sith thu woste it is nat my deserte.
Then turne thy whele and be my frende again,
And sende me joy where I am nowe in pain.


Easier:

Ah, mercy, Fortune, have pity on me,
And think that thou hast done greatly amiss
To part asunder them which ought to be
Always one. Why hast thou done thus?
Have I offended thee? I? Nay! iwisse.
Then turn thy wheel and be my friend again,
And send me joy where I am now in pain.

And think what sorrow is the parting
Of two true hearts loving faithfully,
For parting is the most sorrowful thing,
In my opinion, that ever yet knew I.
Therefore I pray to thee right heartily
To turn thy wheel and be my friend again,
And send me joy where I am now in pain.

For, till we meet, I dare well say, for truth,
That I shall never be in ease of heart.
Wherefore I pray you to have of me some ruth,
And release me of my pains so smart,
Now, since thou know'st it is not my desert.
Then turn thy wheel and be my friend again,
And send me joy where I am now in pain.