Thomas Humphry Ward, ed. The English Poets. 1880–1918.rnVol. I. Early Poetry: Chaucer to Donne
Robert Henryson (1430?1506?)The Garmond of Fair Ladies
W
And wirk eftir my will,
I suld ane Garmond gudliest
Gar mak hir body till.
Upoun hir heid to weir,
Garneist with governance so gud,
Na demyng suld hir deir.
Of chestetie so quhyt,
With schame and dreid togidder mixt,
The same suld be perfyt.
Lasit with lesum lufe,
The mailyheis of continuance
For nevir to remufe.
Weill ribband with renowne,
Purfillit with plesour in ilk place,
Furrit with fyne fassoun.
About hir middill meit;
Hir mantill of humilitie,
To tholl bayth wind and weit.
And hir tepat of trewth,
Hir patelet of gude pansing,
Hir hals-ribbane of rewth.
To keip hir fra dispair;
Hir gluvis of the gud govirnance,
To hyd hir fyngearis fair.
In syne that scho nocht slyd;
Hir hoiss of honestie, I ges,
I suld for hir provyd.
I durst sweir by my seill,
That scho woir nevir grene nor gray
That set hir half so weill.