by Anonymous / Unidentified Author

My Leman is so true
Language: English 
My Leman is so true
Of love and full steadfast
Yet seemeth ever new
His love is on us cast.

I would that all Him knew
And loved Him firm and fast,
They never would it rue
But happy be at last.

He lovingly abides
Although I stay full long
He will me never chide
Although I choose the wrong.

He says "Behold, my side
And why on Rood I hung;"
For my love leave thy pride
And I thee underfong.

I'll dwell with Thee believe,
Leman, under Thy tree.
May no pain e'er me grieve
Nor make me from Thee flee.

I will in at Thy sleeve
All in Thine heart to be;
Mine heart shall burst and cleave
Ere untrue Thou me see.

Appears in A Medieval Anthology, edited by Mary Segar.

Glossary
leman = lover (Christ)
underfong = take back


Text Authorship:

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):


Researcher for this page: Geoffrey Wieting

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 24
Word count: 125