| | That is or was syn the worlde began | |
| | Therwith he was yf men sholde hym discryue | |
| | On of the beste faryng men on lyue | |
| 225 | Yong strong vertuous and wyse | |
| | And wel belouyd and holdyn in gret price | |
| | And shortly yf I the soth telle shall | |
| | Vnwytyng of this Dorigene at al | |
| | This lusty squier seruaunt to venus | |
| 230 | Whiche that clepid was Aurelius | |
| | He louyd her best of ony creature | |
| | Two yeer or more as was his auenture | |
| | But neuer durste he telle here his greuaunce | |
| | Withoute the cup drank he al his penaunce | |
| 235 | He was despeyred no thing durste he sey | |
| | Saue in his songis somdele wolde he wrey | |
| | This was in general his compleynynge | |
| | He said he louyd and belouyd no thing | |
| | Of suche mater made he meny layis | |
| 240 | Songis compleyntis rondels virayls | |
| | How that he durste not his sorow telle | |
| | But languyng as fier doth in helle | |
| | And dye he sayde he muste as did Ekko | |
| | For Narccisus that durst not telle his wo | |
| 245 | In other maner than ye here now say | |
| | Ne durste he not his wo to hir bewray | |
| | Saue perauenture at festes and daunsis | |
| | There yonge folk kepyn her obseruauncis | |
| | It may weel ben he lokid in her face | |
| 250 | In suche a wyse as men that axen grace | |
