BRYD ONE BRERE (Anon., late 13th or early 14th C.)

1. Bryd one brere,            (Bird on a briar)
Brid, brid one brere,         (Bird, bird on a briar,)
Kynd is come of loue          (Nature has come from love)
Loue to crave.                (To beg love.)
Blithful biryd,               (Happy lady, [pun on bird?])
On me thu rewe.               (You have pity on me.)
Or greyth, lef,               (Or prepare, beloved,)
Greith thu me my graue.       (You prepare me my grave.)

2. Hic am so blithe,          (I am so happy,)
So bryghit brid on brere,    (So bright bird on a briar,)
Quan I se that                (When I see that)
Hende in halle                (Handsome [one] in the hall)
Yhe is quit of lime,          (She is white of limb,)
Loueli, trewe,                (Lovely, true,)
Yhe is fayr and               (She is fair and)
Flur of alle.                ([the] Flower of all.)

3. Mikte hic hire             (Might I have her,)
At wille haven,               (By her will have her,)
Stedefast of loue,            (Steadfast of love,)
Loueli, trewe,                (Lovely, true,)
Of mi sorwe                   (Of my sorrow)
Yhe may me sauen;             (She may save me;)
Loye and blisse were          (Joy and bliss would be)
Ere me Newe.                  (Ever new for me.)


from http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/articles/filk.and.the.sca.html about 40% down the page.