Of all the birds that I do know
  Philip, my sparrow, hath no peer:
For sit she high or [lie]1 she low,
  Be she far off or be she near,
There is no bird so fair, so fine,
Nor yet so fresh as this of mine.2

Come in a morning merrily,
  When Philip hath been lately fed,
Or in an evening soberly,
  When Philip list to go to bed :
It is a heaven to heare my [Phippe]3,
How she can chirp with [cherry]4 lip.2

She never wanders far abroad;
  But is at home when I do call,
If I command, she lays on load
  With lips, with teeth, with tongue and all.
She chants, she chirps, she makes such cheer,
That I believe she hath no peer.2

And yet besides all this good sport,
  My Philip can both sing and dance,
With new-found toys of sundry sort
  My Philip can both prick and prance:
[As]5 if you say but "fend cut, Phippe,"
Lord! how the peat will turn and skip.2

Her feathers are so fresh of hue, 
  And so well pruned every day:
She lacks no oil, I warrant you,
  To trim her tail both trick and gay.
And though her mouth be somewhat wide, 
Her tongue is sweet and short beside. 

And for the rest I dare compare, 
  She is both tender, sweet, and soft;
She never lacketh dainty fare. 
  But is well fed and feedeth oft : 
For if my Phippe have lust to eat, 
I warrant you Phippe lacks no meat. 

And then if that her meat be good,
  And such as like do love alway, 
She will lay lips thereon, by the rood!
  And see that none be cast away : 
For when she once hath felt a fit, 
Philip will cry still "yit, yit, yit." 

And to tell [truth]6, he were to blame, 
  [Which had]7 so fine a bird as she,
To make him all this goodly game. 
  Without suspect or jealousy : 
He were a churl and knew no good, 
Would see her faint for lack of food.2

Wherefore I sing and ever shall, 
  To praise as I have often proved: 
There is no bird amongst them all
  So worthy for to be beloved. 
Let other praise what bird they will. 
Sweet Philip shall be my bird still.