Classic Poem

CCXXXIV

O, cruel heart, where is thy faith?
Where is become thy steadfast vow?
Thy sobbing sighs with fainting breath,
Thy bitter tears, where are they now?

Thy careful looks, thy piteous plaint,
Thy woeful words, thy wonted cheer?
Now may I see thou didst but paint
And all thy craft doth plain appear.

For now thy sighs are out of thought.
Thine oath thou dost nothing regard.
Thy tears hath quenched thy love so hot
And spite for love is my reward.

Yet love for love I had awhile
Though thine were false and mine were true.
Thy feigned tears did me beguile
And caused me trust thee, most untrue.

To trust why did I condescend,
And yield myself so earnestly
To her that did nothing intend
But thus to trap me craftily?

O, falsed faith, hast thou forgot
That once of late thou wert mine own?
But slackly tied may slip the knot:
No marvel then though thou art gone.

Mine own but late assuredly,
With faith and truth so justly bound.
And thus to change so suddenly!
Each thing upon thy shame shall sound.

Each thing shall sound upon thy shame
Since that thy faith is not to trust.
What more reproach is to thy name
Than of thy word to prove unjust?

And from thy words if thou wilt swerve
And swear thou didst them never say,
Thy tokens yet I do reserve
That shall declare the hour and day,

The hour and day, the time and where
That thou thyself didst them indite,
Wherein thou show'dst what dread and fear
Thou hadst once spied thy bills to write.

This proof I think may well suffice
To prove it true that here I speak.
No forged tales will I devise
But with thy hand I shall me wreak.

When time and place thereto I see,
No doubt there is but thou shalt know
That thou didst pain me wrongfully,
Without offence to forge my woe.

And thus, farewell, most cruel heart.
Farewell thy falsed faith also.
Farewell my sighs, farewell my smart.
Farewell my love and all my woe.