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Home  »  The Oxford Book of English Verse  »  22. May in the Green-Wood

Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. 1919. The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250–1900.

Anonymous. 15th Cent.

22. May in the Green-Wood

IN somer when the shawes be sheyne, 
  And leves be large and long, 
Hit is full merry in feyre foreste 
  To here the foulys song. 
 
To se the dere draw to the dale         5
  And leve the hilles hee, 
And shadow him in the leves grene 
  Under the green-wode tree. 
 
Hit befell on Whitsontide 
  Early in a May mornyng,  10
The Sonne up faire can shyne, 
  And the briddis mery can syng. 
 
‘This is a mery mornyng,’ said Litulle Johne, 
  ‘Be Hym that dyed on tre; 
A more mery man than I am one  15
  Lyves not in Christiantè. 
 
‘Pluk up thi hert, my dere mayster,’ 
  Litulle Johne can say, 
‘And thynk hit is a fulle fayre tyme 
  In a mornynge of May.’  20
 
GLOSS:  sheyne] bright.