Classic Poem

Ich'ot a burde in a bowr as beryl so bright,
As saphyr in silver seemly on sight,
As jaspe the gentil that lemeth with light,
As gernet in golde and ruby wel right;
As onycle heo is on y-holden on hight,
As diamaund the dere, in day when heo is dight.
Heo is coral y-cud with cayser and knight;
As emeraude amorewen this may haveth might;
The might of the margarite haveth this may mere;
For charbocle ich hire ches by chin and by chere.

Hire rode is as rose that red is on ris,
With lilye-white leres lofsum heo is;
The primerole heo passeth, the pervenke of pris,
With alisaundre thereto, ache and anis.
Cointe as columbine — such hire cunde is —
Glad under gore in gro and in gris,
Heo is blosme upon blee brightest under bis,
With celydoyne and sauge, as thou thyself sis.
That sight upon that seemly, to blis he is brought;
Heo is solsecle to sauve is forsought.

Heo is papejay in pyn that beteth me my bale,
The trewe tortle in a towr — I telle thee my tale;
Heo is thrustle thriven and thro that singeth in sale,
The wilde laveroc on wolkne and the wodewale;
Heo is faucoun in frith, dernest in dale,
And with everich a gome gladest in gale.
From Weye hco is wisest into Wirhale;
Hire name is in a note of the nightegale:
In annote is hire name — nempneth it non!
Whoso right redeth roune to Johon.