Part 6

Command of me, my Lady and my queen, All thy good pleasure, as I were thy slave, Which I shall do with glad and humble mien That whatsoe'er thou willest, thou may'st have. I owe no less Being bound thereto for so great pleasantness, More than to other lovers may betide: For sweeter are thy gifts than all beside.

Thy love delivered me from dule and teen, All that was needful to my soul it gave: Is there not here in truth good reason seen Thy love should rule the heart thy love did save? Ah, what mistress So guerdoneth her servant with largess Of love's delight? The rest have I denied, For sweeter are thy gifts than all beside.

Since such a harvest of reward I glean, Love in my heart hath risen like a wave: Thy slave am I, as I thy slave have been, While life shall last. Ah, damsel bright and brave, Sweet patroness Of spirit and strength, and lady of noblesse, All other comfort doth my heart deride, For sweeter are thy gifts than all beside.

Most dear princess Of joy thou art the fount, as I confess: I thirst no longer, but am satisfied, For sweeter are thy gifts than all beside.

Ere I parted from this very sweet being, I received an answer to my ballad, the which gave me more than a little very ardent rapture, for the enchanting fair one, whilst reading it, put her arms about my neck. And here it is:--

BALLAD

Ever blessed be the day, Be the place and be the dwelling, That hath ended my delay, Shown the truth I shrank from telling. Dear friend, behold My love is yours, a costlier gift than gold: To Love be praise, that first the bond hath knit, For I am filled with perfect joy from it.

Since I yielded to thy sway When thy heart with grief was swelling, Swiftly speeding as he may Joy is come, my care dispelling: Now am I bold To give thee love, that guerdons manifold May heal thee from thy sorrow every whit, For I am filled with perfect joy from it.

So my soul, with God for stay, The new blissful years foretelling, Finds in thee, for whom I pray, Grace and gladness all excelling. I that of old Gave thee but sorry cheer and comfort cold, Am straightway turned to serve thee, as is fit, For I am filled with perfect joy from it.

When I had told My love, my heart was yours to have and hold: To grief I yield not, nor to blame submit, For I am filled with perfect joy from it.

In suchwise was happiness granted to me, even as you hear, and I pursued it with joy and gladness. But fortune, who is ready, whensoe'er she can, to do harm to lovers, straightway thought to do me very grievous hurt, as I will relate in a few words.

It chanced, in a short while, that the lady who knew of our love, and who concealed our doings, had business at home, from the which loss would happen to her inheritance if she did not go there forthwith, wherefore, sad and sorrowful, she departed from the Court. And as for me, this caused me great grief, for I well knew that my lady would essay naught without her. And on this account I was much distressed, for, certes, I could in nowise rest without seeing her. And my lady knew this well, and I am persuaded that it was not otherwise with her. So she then bethought her of a lady who had likewise been in her service all her life, and who was prudent and discreet, and good, loyal, and reserved, although no longer did she live at Court. So she resolved to inquire of her if she was willing to return. Therefore without delay she wrote this letter to her, and received an answer from her.

_The Duchess_

_To my very dear and good friend_, _The Lady of La Tour_.

_Very dear and kind Friend_,--Concerning my estate, be pleased to know that I am in health, and I pray God to grant the same to you. I write to you because of the desire which I have to see you, and to speak with you, for I have not forgotten the good and faithful service which you have alway rendered me, for the which I hold myself so much bounden to you, that I can never repay it. And be sure that you have a friend in me, and you can put this to the proof whensoe'er you will. Dear lady and friend, you well know how that I am controlled, and held in great subjection and fear, and am harshly treated, and that my lot is a very hard one, and allows me but little happiness, and that I have no friend to whom I can make plaint and tell my secret thoughts, the which I would not make confession of to any save to you, from whom I would not hide aught any more than I would from my confessor, for I know you to be so loyal, that I can trust in you. You must know, therefore, that it is a very grievous sorrow to a young heart always to live in disquiet, and devoid of happiness. So I would that you were near me, and I would tell you of very pleasing things, concerning the which, with good reason, I do not write to you. And thus I have great need of your aid and good counsel, wherefore I pray you, by all the love you bear me, that, as soon as you have read this letter, you so arrange your affairs that you may be ready to come to me within a week from this, and I will send to fetch you with all due honour. And do not be in anywise troubled about leaving your household, for I pledge you my faith to make so liberal recompense, that it will alway be to the advantage of you and yours. And I pray you not to fail me in this, and to send me, by the bearer of this letter, your favourable reply. I commend me to your daughter-in-law. Dear, kind friend, may the Holy Spirit have you in His keeping.

_Written in my Castle, the eighth day of January._

And my lady despatched a messenger, and sent this letter to the lady whom she wholly regarded as her friend, and whom she much loved. And she sent a reply, the which disquieted me, for it was very much to my prejudice, and in this manner did she counsel her:--