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And in a land, upon a hill of flowers,
Set the noble Goddess Nature;
of branches were her hills and her boughs,
wrought of her craft and her measure;
Neither has fowl come of engender,
that they were not pressed in her presence,
to take her doom and have her audience.
For this was on sent Valentine’s day
When every bird comes there to choose his mate.

– Geoffrey Chaucer, 1382
Translated from Parliament of Fowls, known to be the first mention of Valentine’s Day.

CONTINUE Shakespeare 1600’s

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