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¹ O how fayre art thou (my loue) how fayre art thou? thou hast doues eyes besyde that which lyeth hid within.² Thy hayrie lockes are like a flocke of shepe that be clypped, which go first vp from the washinge place: where euery one beareth two twyns, and not one vnfrutefull amoge them.³ Thy lippes are like a rose coloured rybende, thy wordes are louely: thy chekes are like a pece of a pomgranate, besydes that which lyed hyd within.⁴ Thy neck is like the tower of Dauid buylded with bulworkes, wher vpon there hage a thousande sheldes, yee all the weapes of the giautes.⁵ Thy two brestes are like two twyns of yonge roes, which fede amoge the lilies.⁶ O that I might go to the mountayne of Myrre, and to the hyll of frankynsense: till the daye breake, and till the shadowes be past awaye.⁷ Thou art all fayre (o my loue) & no spott is there in the.

⁸ Come to me from Libanus (o my spouse) come to me from Libanus: come soone the next waye from the toppe of Amana, from the toppe of Sanir and Hermon, from the Lyons dennes and from the mountaynes of ye leopardes.⁹ Thou hast wouded my hert (o my sister, my spouse) thou hast wounded my hert, with one of thine eyes, and with one cheyne of thy neck.¹⁰ O how fayre and louely are thy brestes, my sister, my spouse? Thy brestes are more pleasaunt then wyne, and the smell of thy oyntmentes passeth all spices.¹¹ Thy lippes (o my spouse) droppe as the hony combe, yee mylck and hony is vnder thy tonge, and the smell of thy garmentes is like the smell of frankynsense.¹² Thou art a well kepte garden (o my sister, my spouse) thou art a well kepte water sprynge, a sealed well.¹³ The frutes that sproute in the, are like a very paradyse of pogranates wt swete frutes:¹⁴ as Cypresse, Nardus, Saffron, Calmus, and all the trees of Libanus: Myrre, Aloes, and all the best spyces.

¹⁵ Thou art a well of gardens, a well of lyuynge waters, which renne downe from Libanus.¹⁶ Vp thou northwynde, come thou southwynde, and blowe vpo my garde, that the smell therof maye be caried on euery syde: Yee that my beloued maye come in to my garden, & eate of the frutes and apples that growe therin.