English Medieval Literature

13th century

Cuckoo Song

(Anonymous, c. 1226)

Sumer is icumen in,

Lhude sing cuccu !

Groweth sed, and bloweth med,

And springeth the wude nu --

Sing cuccu !

Awe bleteth after lomb,

Lhouth after calve cu;

Bulluc stereth, bucke verteth,

Murie sing cuccu !

Cuccu, cuccu, well singes thu, cuccu;

Ne swike thu naver nu;

Sing cuccu, nu, sing cuccu,

Sing cuccu, sing, cuccu, nu !

Praise of Women

(Robert Mannyng of Brunne, 1288-1338)

No thyng is to man so dere

As wommanys love in gode mannere.

A gode womman is manny blys,

There here love right and stedfast is.

There is no solas under hevene,

Of alle that a man may nevene,

That shuld a man do so moche glew

As a gode womman that loveth trew.

Ne derer is none in Goddys hurde

Than s chaste womman with lovely worde.