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"Now, by thy life and wert thou just my life thou hadst not

ta'en, * But who can break the severance law which parteth lovers

twain! Thou loadest me with heavy weight of longing love, when I

* Can hardly bear my chemisette for weakness and for pain: I

marvel not to see my life and soul in ruin lain: * I marvel much

to see my frame such severance pangs sustain."

When I ended my verse I wept again; and he looked at me and

reviled me in abusive language,[FN#349] repeating these

couplets:-

"Thou wast all taken up with love of other man, not me; * 'Twas

thine to show me severance face, 'twas only mine to see: I'll

leave thee for that first thou wast of me to take thy leave * And

patient bear that parting blow thou borest so patiently: E'en as

thou soughtest other love, so other love I'll seek, * And make

the crime of murdering love thine own atrocity."