Classic Poem

Then Marjorie Milk-Duck
Her kirtle she did uptuck
An inch above her knee,
Her legges that ye might see;
But they were sturdy and stubbèd,
Mighty pestles and clubbèd,
As fair and as white
As the foot of a kite.
She was somewhat foul,
Crook-nebbèd like an owl,
And yet she brought her fees,
A cantle of Essex cheese,
Was well a foot thick,
Full of maggottès quick;
It was huge and great
And mighty strong meat
For the devil to eat;
It was tart and punyèt.
Another sort of sluttès--
Some brought walnuttès,
Some apples, some pears,
Some brought their clipping shears,
Some brought this and that,
Some brought I wot nere what,
Some brought their husband's hat,
Some puddings and linkès,
Some tripès that stinkès.
But of all this throng
One came them among--
She seemed half a leech--
And began to preach
Of the Tuesday in the week
When the mare doth keek,
Of the virtue of an unset leek
And of her husband's breek.
With the feathers of a quail
She could to Bordeaux sail;
And with good ale barm
She could make a charm
To help withal a stitch:
She seemed to be a witch.