Classic Poem

Whan netilles in winter bere roses rede,
And thornes bere figges naturally,
And bromes bere appilles in every mede,
And lorelles bere cheris in the croppes so hie,
And okes bere dates so plentuosly,
And lekes geve honey in ther superfluence—
Than put in a woman your trust and confidence.

Whan whiting walk in forestes, hartes for to chase;
And heringes in parkes hornes boldly blowe,
And flownders more-hennes in fennes enbrace,
And gornardes shote rolyons out of a crosse-bowe,
And grengese ride in hunting the wolf to overthrowe,
And sperlinges rone with speres in harness to defence—
Than put in a woman your trust and confidence.

Whan sparowes bild chirches and stepulles hie,
And wrennes cary sackes to the mille,
And curlews cary clothes horses for to drye,
And se-mewes bring butter to the market to sell,
And wod-doves were wod-knives theves to kill,
And griffons to goslinges don obedience—
Than put in a woman your trust and confidence.

Whan crabbes tak wodcokes in forestes and parkes,
And hares ben taken with swetness of snailes,
And camelles with ther here tak swalowes and perches,
And mice mowe corn with waveying of ther tailes,
Whan duckes of the dunghill sek the Blod of Hailes,
Whan shrewed wives to ther husbondes do non offence—
Than put in a woman your trust and confidence.