Classic Poem

Were beth they that biforen us weren,
Houndes ladden and havekes beren,
And hadden feld and wode?
The riche levedies in here bour,
That wereden gold in here tressour,
With here brighte rode;

Eten and drounken, and maden hem glad;
Here lif was al with gamen y-lad,
Men kneleden hem biforen;
They beren hem wel swithe heye;
And in a twincling of an eye
Here soules weren forloren.

Were is that lawhing and that song,
That trayling and that proude gong,
Tho havekes and tho houndes?
Al that joye is went away,
That wele is comen to weylaway
To manye harde stoundes.

Here paradis they nomen here,
And nou they lyen in helle y-fere;
The fyr hit brennes evere.
Long is ay, and long is o,
Long is wy, and long is wo;
Thennes ne cometh they nevere.