"Women," anonymous medieval lyric

[mosca]

This one goes out to my students.

Women

Women, women, loue of women,
Make bare purs with some men,
Some be nyse as a nonne hene,
Yit al thei be nat soo.
some be lewde,
some all be schrewde;
Go schrewes wher thei goo.

Sum be nyse, and some be fonde,
And some be tame, y vndirstonde,
And some can take brede of a manes hande,
Yit all thei be nat soo.
some be lewde,
some all be schrewde;
Go schrewes wher thei goo.

Some cane part with-outen hire,
And some make bate in eueri chire,
And some cheke mate with oure Sire,
Yet all thei be nat so.
Some be lewde,
and sume be schreuede,
go wher thei goo.

Som be browne, and some be whit,
And some be tender as a tripe,
And some of theym be chiry ripe,
Yet all thei be not soo.
Sume be lewde,
and some be schrewede,
go wher thei goo.

Some of them be treue of love
Beneth the gerdell, but nat above,
And in a hode aboue can chove,
Yet all thei do nat soo.
Some be lewde,
and some be schreude,
go where thei goo.

Some cane whister, & some cane crie,
Some cane flater, and some can lye,
And some cane sette the moke awrie,
Yet all thei do nat soo.
Sume be lewde,
and sume be schreuede,
go where thei goo.

He that made this songe full good,
Came of the north and of sothern blode,
And some-what kyne to Robyn Hode,
Yit all we be nat soo.
Some be lewde,
and some be schrewede,
go where thei goo.

Some be lewde, some be schrewde,
Go where thei goo.