Alexander Scott

A Bequest of His Heart

HENCE, heart, with her that must depart,
    And hald thee with thy soverane!
For I had liever want ane heart,
    Nor have the heart that dois me pain.
    Therefore, go, with thy love remain,
And let me leif thus unmolest;
    And see that thou come not again,
But bide with her thou luvis best.

Sen she that I have servit lang
    Is to depart so suddenly,
Address thee now, for thou sall gang
    And bear thy lady company.
    Fra she be gone, heartless am I,
For quhy? thou art with her possest.
    Therefore, my heart, go hence in high,
And bide with her thou luvis best.

Though this belappit body here
    Be bound to servitude and thrall,
My faithful heart is free entier
    And mind to serve my lady at all.
    Would God that I were perigall
Under that redolent rose to rest!
    Yet at the least, my heart, thou sall
Abide with her thou luvis best.

Sen in your garth the lily quhyte
    May not remain amang the laif,
Adieu the flower of whole delite!
    Adieu the succour that may me saif!
    Adieu the fragrant balme suaif,
And lamp of ladies lustiest!
    My faithful heart she shall it haif
To bide with her it luvis best.

Deploir, ye ladies cleir of hue,
    Her absence, sen she must depart!
And, specially, ye luveris true
    That wounded bene with Luvis dart.
    For some of you sall want ane heart
As well as I; therefore at last
    Do go with mine, with mind inwart,
And bide with her thou luvis best!