The noble Chaucer, of makaris flouir,
The monk of Bery and Gower all three.
[855] Beginning of the "Thrissil and the Rois" (to be compared with the opening of the "Canterbury Tales"):
Quhen March wes with variand windis past,
And Appryl had, with his silver schouris,
Tane leif at Nature with ane orient blast,
And lusty May, that muddir is of flouris,
Had maid the birdis to begyn their houris
Amang the tendir odouris reid and quhyt,
Quhois armony to heir it was delyt....
[856] Text in the Morris edition of Chaucer's poetical works, London, Aldine poets, vol. iv.
[857] Principal work to consult: F. J. Child, "The English and Scottish Popular Ballads," Boston, 1882. See above, p. 352.
[858] In "Bishop Percy's Folio MS.," ed. Hales and Furnivall, London, Ballad Society, 1867, 8vo.
[859] Text, e.g., in Skeat, "Specimens of English Literature," Oxford, 4th ed. 1887, p. 96, written, under the form in which we now have it, about the end of the fifteenth century.
The pillers of yvery garnished with golde,
With perles sette and brouded many a folde,
The flore was paved with stones precious, &c.
Stephen Hawes, "Pastime of Pleasure," Percy Society, 1845, p. 125.