What is "serue"

Usage examples of "serue".

He hent the hathel aboute the halse, and hendely hym kysses, And eftersones of the same he serued hym there.

Bi vche grome at his degre graythely wat3 serued Ther wat3 mete, ther watz myrthe, ther watz much ioye, That for to telle therof hit me tene were, And to poynte hit 3et I pyned me parauenture.

Bot Arthure wolde not ete til al were serued, He wat3 so joly of his joyfnes, and sumquat childgered: His lif liked hym ly3t, he louied the lasse Auther to longe lye or to longe sitte, So bisied him his 3onge blod and his brayn wylde.

In this wide Inland sea, that hight by nameThe Idle lake, my wandring ship I row,That knowes her port, and thither sailes by ayme,Ne care, ne feare I, how the wind do blow,Or whether swift I wend, or whether slow:Both slow and swift a like do serue my tourne,Ne swelling Neptune, ne loud thundring IoueCan chaunge my cheare, or make me euer mourne.

But foolish boy, what bootes thy seruice baceTo her, to whom the heauens do serue and sew?

There Atin found Cymochles soiourning,To serue his Lemans loue: for he, by kind,Was giuen all to lust and loose liuing,When euer his fiers hands he free mote find:And now he has pourd out his idle mindIn daintie delices, and lauish ioyes,Hauing his warlike weapons cast behind,And flowes in pleasures, and vaine pleasing toyes,Mingled emongst loose Ladies and lasciuious boyes.

But by no meanes my way I would forslow,For ought that euer she could doe or say,But from my lofty steede dismounting low,Past forth on foote, beholding all the wayThe goodly workes, and stones of rich assay,Cast into sundry shapes by wondrous skill,That like on earth no where I recken may:And vnderneath, the riuer rolling stillWith murmure soft, that seem'd to serue the workmans will.

At last when as the Sarazin perceiu'd,How that straunge sword refusd, to serue his need,But when he stroke most strong, the dint deceiu'd,He flong it from him, and deuoyd of dreed,Vpon him lightly leaping without heed,Twixt his two mighty armes engrasped fast,Thinking to ouerthrow and downe him tred:But him in strength and skill the Prince surpast,And through his nimble sleight did vnder him down cast.

Nathlesse proud man himselfe the other deemed,Hauing so peerelesse paragon ygot:For sure the fayrest Florimell him seemed,To him was fallen for his happie lot,Whose like aliue on earth he weened not:Therefore he her did court, did serue, did wooe,With humblest suit that he imagine mot,And all things did deuise, and all things dooe,That might her loue prepare, and liking win theretoo.