Would my good lady love me best,
And work after my will,
I should a garment goodliest
Gar[1] make her body till.[2]
Of high honoùr should be her hood,
Upon her head to wear,
Garnish'd with governance, so good
No deeming[3] should her deir,[4]
Her sark[5] should be her body next,
Of chastity so white:
With shame and dread together mixt,
The same should be perfite.[6]
Her kirtle should be of clean constance,
Laced with lesum[7] love;
The mailies[8] of continuance,
For never to remove.
Her gown should be of goodliness,
Well ribbon'd with renown;
Purfill'd[9] with pleasure in ilk[10] place,
Furred with fine fashioùn.
Her belt should be of benignity,
About her middle meet;
Her mantle of humility,
To thole[11] both wind and weet.[12]
Her hat should be of fair havìng,
And her tippet of truth;
Her patelet of good pansìng,[13]
Her hals-ribbon of ruth.[14]
Her sleeves should be of esperance,
To keep her from despair;
Her glovës of good governance,
To hide her fingers fair.
Her shoes should be of sickerness,[15]
In sign that she not slide;
Her hose of honesty, I guess,
I should for her provide.
Would she put on this garment gay,
I durst swear by my seill,[16]
That she wore never green nor gray
That set[17] her half so weel.
[1] 'Gar:' cause.
[2] 'Till:' to.
[3] 'Deeming:' opinion.
[4] 'Deir:' injure.
[5] 'Sark:' shift.
[6] 'Perfite:' perfect.
[7] 'Lesum:' lawful.
[8] 'Mailies:' eyelet-holes.
[9] 'Purfill'd:' fringed.
[10] 'Ilk:' each.
[11] 'Thole:' endure.
[12] 'Weet:': wet.
[13] 'Pansing:' thinking.
[14] 'Her hals-ribbon of ruth:' her neck-ribbon of pity.
[15] 'Sickerness:' firmness.
[16] 'Seill:' salvation.
[17] 'Set:' became.