In a goodly night, as in my bede I laye,
Pleasantlye sleping, this dreme I hade:
To me ther came a creature, brighter than the day,
Whiche comforted my sprites that were afore full sadde.
To beholde hur person, God knowes my hart was glade,
For hur swete visage, like Venus gold it shone;
To speke to hur I was right sore aferde,
But, when I waked, ther was I alone.

Then when she sawe that I lay soo still,
Full softely she drew unto my beddes side;
She bade me showe hur what was my will,
And my request it shuld not be denied.
With that she kist me—but, and I shulde have be dede,
I coude not speke, my sprites were soo ferre gone;
For verrey shame my face awey I wryede,
But, when I awoke, ther was but I alone.

Then speke I, goodly woordes to hur said:
‘I beseche your noblenes on me to have some grace.
To aproche to your presence I was sumwhat aferde;
That causes me now to turn awey my face.’
‘Nay, sir,’ quod she, ‘as touching this case,
I perdone you, my owne dere harte, anon.’
With that I toke hur softely, and swetly did hur basse,
But, when I awoke, ther was but I alone.

Then said she to me, ‘O my dere harte,
May I content in any wise your minde?’
‘Ye, God knowes,’ said I, ‘through loves darte
My harte forever to have ye do me binde.
You be my comforth—I have you most in minde.
Have on me petye and lett me not this mone.’
‘Leve’, said she, ‘this mourning; I will not be unkind.’
But, when I awoke, ther was but I alone.

I prayed hur hartely that she wolde come to bede.
She said she was content to doo me pleasure.
I know not wheder I was alive or dede,
So glad I was to have that goodly treasure.
I kissed hur, I bassed hur, out of all measure.
The more I kissede hur, the more hur bewty shone.
To serve hur, to please hur, that time I did me dever,
But, when I awoke, ther was but I alone.

Suche goodly sportes all night endured I
Unto the morow, that day cam to springe.
Soo glade I was of my dreme, verely,
That in my slepe loude I begane to singe.
And when I awoke, by Heven Kinge,
I wente after hur, and she was gone;
I had nothing but my pilowe in my armes lying,
For, when I awoke, ther was but I alone.