99. [The Holly and the Ivy.]
Nay, nay, Ive, it may not be, iwis,
For holy must haue þe mastry, as þe maner is.
1
Holy berith beris, beris rede ynowgh;
Þe thristilcok, þe popyngay, dance in euery bow[gh];
Welaway, sory ivy, what fowles hast thow
But þe sory howlet þat syngith “How-how”?
Na[y, nay, Ive, it may not be, iwis,
For holy must haue þe mastry, as þe maner is.]
2
Ivy berith beris as blak as any sho,
Þer commeth þe woode-coluer, & fedith her of tho;
She liftith vp her tayll, & she cakkis or she go:
She wold not for C. li. serue holy soo:
[Nay, nay, Ive, it may not be, iwis,
For holy must haue þe mastry, as þe maner is.]
3
Holy with his mery men, they can dance in hall;
Ivy & her jentyl women can not dance at all,
But lyke a meyny of bullokkis in a water fall,
Or on a whot somers day, whan they be mad all:
Nay, [nay, Ive, it may not be, iwis,
For holy must haue þe mastry, as þe maner is.]
4
Holy & his mery men sytt in cheyres of gold;
Ivy & her jentyll women sytt with-owt in fold,
With a payre of kybid helis cawght with cold;
So wold I þat euery man had, þat with yvy will hold.
Nay, [nay, Ive, it may not be, iwis,
For holy must haue þe mastry, as þe maner is.]
Explicit.
