Henry VI King of England

28 June 1491 – 28 January 1547 / Greenwich, England

Whoso That Wyll All Feattes Optayne

Whoso that wyll all feattes optayne,
In love he must be withowt dysdayne,

For love enforyth all nobyle kynd
And dysdayne dyscorages all gentyl mynd.

Wherefor to love and be not loved
Is wors then deth? Let it be proved!

Love encoragith and makyth on bold;
Dysdayne abattyth and makith hym colde.

Love ys gevyn to God and man;
To woman also, I thynk, the same.

But dysdayne ys vice and shuld be refused;
Yet never the lesse it ys to moch used.

Whoso that wyll all feattes optayne,
In love he must be withowt dysdayne,

Grett pyte it ware, love for to compell
With dysdayne both falce and subtell.
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