#  The Fair Maid of Ribbesdale 

 



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### From the Harley Lyrics

## The Fair Maid of Ribbesdale

##### See the glossary to the Riversaide Chaucer for words not explained in the margins.

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Mosti riden by Ribbesdale  
 Wilde wommen forto wale  
 And welde which ich wolde,  
 Founde were the fairest one   
 That ever was mad of blod and bone   
 In boure best with bolde.  
   
 As sonnebem hire bleo is bright  
 In vche londe heo leometh light  
 Thourh tale as mon me tolde;  
 The lily lossum is and long  
 With riche rose and rode among  
 A fildor fax to folde.  
   
 Hire hed when ich biholde upon   
 The sonnebeem aboute noon   
 Me thoghte that I seghe;  
 Hire eyen aren grete and gray ynogh  
 That lussom when heo on me logh lovely one  
 Ybend wax either breghe  
   
 The mone with hire muchele might  
 Ne leneth non such light a-night  
 That is in hevene heghe  
 As hire forhed doth in day   
 For whom thus muchel I mourne may;   
 For duel to deth I dreighe  
   
 Heo hath browes bend an high  
 Whit bitwene and nought too nigh;   
 Lussum lif heo ledes;  
 Hire nose is set as hit wel semeth   
 I deghe, for deth that me demeth;  
 Hire speche as spices spredeth.   
   
 Hire lockes lefly aren and longe  
 For sone heo mighte hire murthes monge  
 With blisse when hit bredes;  
 Hire chin is chosen and either cheke  
 Whit ynogh and rode on eke  
 As roser when hit rose redes.  
   
 Heo hath a mury mouth to mele  
 With lefly rede lippes lele  
 Romauns forto rede;   
 Hire teth aren white as bon of whal  
 Evene set and atled al  
 As hende mowe taken hede.  
   
 Swannes swire swithe wel ysette neck   
 A spanne lengore then I mette  
 That freoly is to fede;  
 Me were levere kepe hire come  
 Then beon pope and ride in Rome be   
 Stithe upon stede.  
   
 When I biholde upon hire hond   
 The lilye white lef in lond  
 Best heo mighte beo;  
 Either arm an elne long ell  
 Baloygne mengeth al bimong  
 As baum is hire bleo. balm  
   
 Fingres heo hath fair to folde   
 Mighte ich hire have and holde   
 In world wel were me;   
 Hire tittes aren an-under bis  
 As apples two of Parays  
 Youself ye mowen seo.  
   
 Hire girdel of bete gold is al  
 Umben hire middel smal  
 That triketh to the to;  
 Al with rubies on a rowe   
 Withinne corven craft to knowe  
 And emeraudes mo.  
   
 The bocle is al of whalles bon  
 Ther withinne stont a ston  
 That warneth men from wo;  
 The water that hit wetes in   
 Ywis hit wortheth al to win  
 That seggen seyden so.  
   
 Heo hath a mete middel smal,  
 Body and brest wel made al,   
 As Feynes withoute fere;  
 Either side soft as silk   
 Whittore then the moren milk  
 With leofly lit on lere.  
   
 Al that ich you nempne noght  
 Hit is wonder wel ywroght   
 And elles wonder were;   
 He mighte sayen that Crist hym seghe  
 That mighte nightes negh hire leghe;  
 Hevene he hevede here.

**If I might**   
 **choose**   
 **control whichever I wanted**   
   
   
 **best for a bold one in a chamber**   
   
 **her complexion**   
 **everywhere. . . she gleams**   
 **as I was told (mon = one)**   
 **lovely**   
 **rosy hue, rednes, mixed in**   
 **golden thread a tress to enfold**   
   
   
   
 **saw**   
 **large and very gray**   
 **she. . . smiled**   
 **both brows bent**   
   
 **great power**   
  **lends, gives**   
 **high**   
   
   
 **dole. . .draw**   
   
 **She**   
   
 **She leads a lovely life**   
   
  **die for her who dooms me to death**   
   
   
  **are lovely**   
 **she. . . mingle**   
 **an occasion for joy arises**   
 **choice, excellent**   
 **ruddy also**   
 **rose bush. . . reddens with roses**   
   
  **She. . . speak**   
 **loyal, admirable**   
   
 **whale bone**   
 **set out, arranged**   
 **As elegant people will notice**   
   
   
 **a span (9 inches) longer than I found before**   
 **elegant is to feed**   
  **I would rather await her arrival**   
   
  **strong**   
   
   
 **dear**   
 **i.e., better than the lily**   
 **(a measurement; now 45 inches)**   
  **baleen, whale bone mingled therein**   
 **balm. . . complexion**   
   
   
   
   
 **under fine linen**   
 **Paradise**   
 **(As) you can see for yourself**   
   
 **beaten**   
 **around her small waist**   
 **adorns (her)**   
   
 **skill of carving make known**   
 **emeralds**   
   
 **buckle**   
 **stands a jewel**   
 **guards**   
   
 **changes all \[poison\] to wine**   
  **Those who saw it said so**   
   
 **She. . . suitable**   
   
  **Phoenix without peer**   
   
 **morning milk**   
  **color on her cheek**   
   
 **do not specify to you**   
   
   
 **looked on him (benevolently)**   
 **Who could lay by her at night**   
  **He would have his Heaven here** 





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This text has been heavily regularized and glossed from the edition by Karl Boeddeker, Altenglischen Dichtungen des Ms. Harl. 2253. Berlin, 1878 [Widener 12414.13]. (Better edition is G.L. Brook, Harley Lyrics. Manchester, 1956 [PR1203 .H34].)