The parlament of foules, by Geoffrey Chaucer. Ed., with introduction, notes, and glossary, by T. R. Lounsbury.

THE PARLAMENT OF FOULES.

67

XLIX.
The gentyl faucon, that with his feet distraynyth
The kyngis hand; the hardy sperhauk eke,
The quaylis foo; the merlyon that paynyth
Hymself ful ofte the larke for to seke; 340
There was the dove with hire eyen meke;
The jelous swan agens hire deth that syngith;
The oule ek that of deth the bode bryngyth.
L.
The crane, the geaunt, with his trompis soun,
The thef the choughe, and ek the jangelynge pye, 345
The skornynge jay, the elis fo heroun,
The false lapwynge ful of trecherye,
The starlyng that the conseyl can bewreye,
The tame ruddok and the coward kyte,
The kok that orloge is of thorpis lyte. 350
LI.
The sparwe Venus sone, the nyhtyngale
That clepith forth the grene leuys newe;
The swalwe, mortherere of the bees smale
That makyn hony of flouris fresshe of hewe;
The wedded turtil with hire herte trewe; 355
The pokok with his aungelis federys bryghte;
The fesaunt, skornere of the cok be nyghte.
337 [faucon] facoun. 345. [choughe] crow.
339. [merlyon] Merilioun. 349. [ruddok] rodok.
341. [dove] douue. 353. [bees] foulis.
344. the before geaunt wanting in this 354. [fresshe of ewe] frosche & newe.
MS. 356. [fderys] clothis.