This may be of interest:
Holly and Ivy
ME, 15th century
Nay! Ivy, nay!
It shall not be, iwis:
Let Holy have the maistry,
As the maner is.
Holy stond in the hall
Faire to beholde:
Ivy stond without the dore-
She is full sore acold.
Holy and his mery men
They daunsen and they sing;
Ivy and her maidenes
They wepen and they wring.
Ivy hath a kibe-
She caght it with the colde.
So mot they all have ay
That with Ivy hold.
Holy hath beris
As rede as any rose:
The foster, the hunters
Kepe hem fro the doos.
Ivy hath beris
As blake as any slo:
Ther com the owle
And ete hem as she goo.
Holy hath birdes,
A full faire flok:
The nightingale, the poppinguy,
The gayntil laverok.
Gode Ivy, gode Ivy,
What birdes has thou?
Non but the owlet
That creye, 'How! how!'
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Jonathan A. Glenn
University of Central Arkansas
501.450.5112 or 450.3254
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
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