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They flee
from me that sometime did me seek
With naked foot,
stalking in my chamber.
I have seen them gentle,
tame, and meek,
That now are wild and do not remember
That sometime they put themself in danger
To take
bread at my hand; and now they range,
Busily seeking
with a continual change.
Thanked be fortune it
hath been otherwise
Twenty times better; but once in
special,
In thin array after a pleasant guise,
When her loose gown from her shoulders did fall,
And
she me caught in her arms long and small;
Therewithall sweetly did me kiss
And softly said,
'dear heart, how like you this?'
It was no dream:
I lay broad waking.
But all is turned thorough my
gentleness
Into a strange fashion of forsaking;
And I have leave to go of her goodness,
And she also,
to use newfangleness.
But since that I so kindly am
served
I would fain know what she hath deserved.
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