A Complaint against Blacksmiths
By Unknown
Swarte smekyd smepes smateryd wyth smoke.
dryue me to deth wyth den of here dyntes.
Swech noys on nyghtes ne herd men neuer.
what knauene cry & clateryng of knockes
þe cammede kongons cryen after col col.
& blowen here bellewys þat al here brayn brestes
huf puf seyth þat on haf paf þat oper.
þei spyttyn & spraulyn & spellyn many spelles.
þei gnauen & gnacchen þei gronys to gyder
and holdyn hem hote wyth here hard hamers.
of a bole hyde ben here barm fellys.
her schankes ben schakeled for þe fere flunderys.
heuy hamerys þei han þat hard ben handled.
stark strokes þei stryken on a stelyd stokke.
lus. bus. las. das. rowtyn be rowe.
sweche dolful a dreme þe deuyl it to dryue
þe mayster longith a lityl & lascheth a lesse.
twyneth hem tweyn and towchith a treble.
tik. tak. hic. hac. tiket. taket. tyk. tak.
tus. bus. lus. das. swych lyf þei ledyn.
Alle cloye merys cryst hem gyue sorwe.
may no man for brenwaterys on nyght han hys rest.
Notes:
Original text dates c. the fourteenth century, by an unknown medieval author. Source language text is public domain.
Copyright Credit: Elizabeth Salter, ed., “A Complaint against Blacksmiths.” Literature and History vol. 5, no. 2, 1987.
Source: 1987