Classic Poem

As : itt beffell on a sumers day,
when Phebus in his glorye,
he was suited in his best array, —
as heere records my storye, —
2 London damsells fforth they wold ryde,
they were decked in their pompe & their pryde,
they said they wold goe ffarr & wyde
but they wold goe gather Codlyngs.

Sisters they were, exceeding ffine,
& macheless in their bewtye;
happy was the wight cold giue them wine
to expresse his loue and dutye.
soe fine, so ffeate, so sweet, soe neate, so delicate;
O, itt wold doe you good ffor to heare them prate!
but yett intruth they haue a ffault,
to fill their belly ffull of Codlings.

Then to an orchard straight they went,
intending ffor to enter
the younger w i th a bold attempt
ffirst did intend to enter:
" nay, softly! " q uo th the Elder wench,
" I pray thee lett vs goe ffrom hence;
ffor heare I am in some suspence
tha t heare I shall not gett no Codlings. "

" Art thou soe ffond? canst thou not see
what good Lucke doth abode vs?
yonder lyes a youngman vnder a tree
tha t w i th his ffruite can loade vs
then to the Orchard straight wee will stray;
weele devise w i th him to sport & to play;
& then Ile warrant you w i thout delay
heele ffill our belly ffull of codlings "

Then shee did leape ouer the ditch
as light as any ffether;
her sister after her did Leape,
now begins to ffeare no whether.
w i th a merry hart & a ioyffull cheere,
setting aside all care & ffeare,
seeing her sister scape soe cleere,
shee wold not Loose her share o Codlings ;

Then shee did leape ouer the dich
as light as any arrow;
& in her leape, " ah! ah! " shee cryes,
ffeeling her smocke was narrowe,
as maydens doe tha t newly wedd
being taken ffrom her true louers bedd;
& w i th a sigh her mayden-head
were worne away w i th eating Codlings .

Her sister, on the Other side where shee attended,
bidd her haue a care, her smocke was too wyde
w i th what shee was offended;
w i th tha t a nettle stonge her by the knee;
" a pox of all strait smockes! " q uo th shee.
seeing itt wold no better bee,
shee Layd her downe to gether Codlings .