All of green willow, willow, willow, willow,
Sithe all of green willow shall be my garland.
1.
Embrace your bays sweetly that smile in love’s sight,
And deck you with laurel that dwell in delight;
To me most unhappy, still spurned by despite,
Is given writhed willows to express my state right.
2.
Pursuing the panther whose sweet doth abound,
A most cruel viper my hard fate hath found;
Whose nature to spiders I well may compare
That merciless murders what’s caught in her snare.
3.
The lion doth tender the beast that doth yield,
The tiger seems constant once conquered in field;
Bellona shows favour to captives that sue,
But Venus refuseth my dolours to rue.
4.
How shall I to ease me unburden my breast
Of these pensive passions that breeds my unrest;
When speech wanteth power, when voice is unprest,
And wit wanteth cunning to compass love’s hest.
5.
Yet what avails words, where ear’s words do flee,
Though words to the mind true messengers be?
Or what vaileth wit, where will is untoward?
The sacrifice lost, where saints be so froward.