Lament Composed by Richard While Captive

Never can captive make a song so fair
As he can make that has no cause for care,
Yet may he strive by song his grief to cheer.
I lack not friends, but sadly lack their gold!
Shamed are they, if unransomed I lie here,
A second Yule in hold.

My men and barons all, full well they know,
Poitevins, English, Normans, Gascons too,
That I have not one friend, however poor,
Whom I would leave in chains to save my gold,
I tell them this, but blame them not therefor:
Though I lie yet in hold.

True is the saying, as I have proved herein,
Dead men and prisoners have no friends, no kin;
But if they leave me here to save their gold,
'Tis ill for me, but worse for them, I fear,
That when I die, reproach and blame shall hear:
If I be left in hold.

Small marvel if my heart knows heaviness,
When my Lord puts my land to such distress.
If he remembered what we swore of old.
The oath we took at Sens between us twain,
I know full well that I should not remain
Many days here in hold.

Sister and Countess, God give you good cheer!
And keep my Lady, whom I love so dear;
For whom I lie in hold.