hark, dost thou speaketh true?
During my senior year English class in high school, we did a unit on Renaissance England complete with field trip to a Renaissance Fair followed by the production of our own renaissance fair in the hallways of our school. We researched the era, made or own costumes, and even learned a dance that we performed every 20 minutes or so for the visitors (underclassmen and teachers). It was actually a lot of fun and not cheesy and embarrassing at all. The best part was trying to speak Elizabethan English for two hours.
Usually when people break into their best Elizabethan speak, they end up quoting from Romeo and Juliet. But I would like to submit for your enjoyment, a poem by Edward de Vere.
LOVE THY CHOICE.
Who taught thee first to sigh, alas, my heart ?
Who taught thy tongue the woeful words of plaint ?
Who filled your eyes with tears of bitter smart ?
Who gave thee grief and made thy joys to faint ?
Who first did paint with colours pale thy face ?
Who first did break thy sleeps of quiet rest ?
Above the rest in court who gave thee grace ?
Who made thee strive in honour to be best ?
In constant truth to bide so firm and sure,
To scorn the world regarding but thy friends ?
With patient mind each passion to endure,
In one desire to settle to the end ?
Love then thy choice wherein such choice thou bind,
As nought but death may ever change thy mind.
Earle of Oxenforde.