The boke of Saint Albans

by Juliana Berners

Of the Roobucke.

¶ And iff ye of the Roobucke wiƚƚ knaw thessame

The first yere he is a kyde soukyng on his dame

The secunde yere he is a gerle: and so be siche aƚƚ

The thirde yere an hemule loke ye hym caƚƚ

Robucke of the first hede he is at the iiij. yere

The .v. yere a Roobucke hym caƚƚ I yow lere

At saynt andrew day his hornys he wiƚƚ cast

In moore or in moos he hidyth hem fast

So that no man may hem sone fynde

Ellys in certayn he doos not his kynde

¶ At saynt Iamys day where so he go

Then shaƚƚ the Roobucke gendre with the Roo

And so boldely ther as ye durne

Then is he calde a Roobucke goyng in his turne

And iff ye may a Robucke sle with owt any fayle

And ye fynde that heue grece at his tayle

As sum Robuckys haue when ye hit fynde

Then shaƚƚ ye rere it as ye do of hert and of hynde

Also the Robucke as hit is weele kyde

At holyrode day he gooth to Ryde.

And vsith the bit: when he may gete hit