My Translation
I Have a Noble Cock
I have a noble cock,
He crows on the turn of day;
He makes me rise up early,
My morning prayers to say.
I have a noble cock,
His lineage is great;
His comb is of corral red,
His tail is blackened straight.
I have a noble cock,
From well-bred stock he goes;
His comb is of corral red,
His tail is indigo.
His legs are of azure,
So noble and so small;
His spurs are of silver white,
Into the rooted wall.
His eyes are both of crystal,
Locked and all in amber;
And every night he perches there:
In my lady’s chamber.
Original Middle English
I Have a Gentil Cock
I have a gentil cok,
Crowyt me day;
He doth me rysyn erly,
My matyins for to say.
I have a gentil cok,
Comyn he is of gret;
His comb is of red corel,
His tayil is of get.
I have a gentyl cok,
Comyn he is of kynde;
His comb is of red corel,
His tayl is of inde.
His legges ben of asor,
So gentil and so smale;
His spores arn of sylver qwyt,
Into the wortewale.
His eynyn arn of cristal,
Lokyn al in aumbry;
And every nyght he perchit hym
In myn ladyis chaumbyr.