The Compleint of Chaucer to his Empty Purse

  by Geoffrey Chaucer (1342-1400)
   
  Geoffrey Chaucer is better known for his longer poems. He wrote a number of shorter poems which he called 'Compleints' (this word actually means something like ballad), and the one I quote here is an amusing piece about his empty purse—a feeling not unknown to other professional poets! In a sense, this poem too is in a foreign language—Middle English—but I have not attempted to translate it into modern English. This is because if you read it aloud, the meaning will become clear, I believe (although actually the pronunciation which Chaucer would have used is different: the vowel sounds of M.E. were rather more like the French or Italian pronunciations, and terminal 'e' and 'es' were voiced, although that was starting to disappear in Chaucer's time): there are one or two words that are not used nowadays, or have changed their meaning somewhat

     
 
To you, my purse, and to non other wight
Compleyne I, for ye be my lady dere!
I am so sory, now that ye be light;
For certes, but ye make me hevy chere,
Me were as leef be leyd up-on my bere;
For whiche un-to your mercy thus I crye:
Beth hevy ageyn, or elles mote I dye!

Now voucheth sauf this day, or hit be night,
That I of you the blisful soun may here,
Or see your colour lyk the sonne bright
That of yellownesse hadde never pere.
Ye be my lyf, ye be myn hertes stere,
Quene of comfort and of good companye:
Beth hevy ageyn, or elles mote I dye!

Now purs, that be to my lyves light,
And saveour, as doun in this worlde here,
Out of this toune help me through your might,
Sin that ye wole nat been my tresorere;
For I am shave as nye as any frere.
But yit I pray un-to your curtesye:
Beth hevy ageyn, or elles mot I dye!


         Lenvoy de Chaucer

O conquerour of Brutes Albioun!
Which that by lyne and free eleccioun
Ben verray king, this song to you I sende;
And ye, that mowen al our harm amende,
Have minde up-on my supplicacioun!

 

 
     
 
 
     

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