Or like the silver crimson shroud Her lips are like two budded roses, Heigh ho, would she were mine! Her paps are centres of delight, Heigh ho, would she were mine! With orient pearl, with ruby red, With marble white, with sapphire blue, Nature herself her shape admires, Then muse not, nymphs, though I bemoan 15 20 25 30 35 40 Since for her fair there's fairer none, 15 And knowest not yet what thou dost ail? But come to mother, babe, and play, 25 Sweet boy, if it by fortune chance A lamb in town thou shalt him find: Thy father is no rascal lad, A noble youth of blood and bone: His glancing looks, if he once smile, 1594 35 40 45 Nicholas Breton (1545?-1626?) A SWEET LULLABY COME, little babe, come, silly soul, Thy father's shame, thy mother's grief, Born, as I doubt, to all our dole, PHYLLIDA AND CORYDON IN the merry month of May, She said, never man was true; 10 1595 He said, none was false to you. Then she made the shepherd call 1600 Robert Southwell (1561?-1595) THE BURNING BABE 25 And we will sit upon the rocks, And I will make thee beds of roses, Embroidered all with leaves of myrtle; A gown made of the finest wool A belt of straw and ivy-buds, The shepherd-swains shall dance and sing Thomas Nashe (1567-1601) DEATH'S SUMMONS 1599 5 10 15 20 10 Love is the fire, and sighs the smoke, the ashes, shame and scorns. The fuel Justice layeth on, and Mercy blows the coals, The metal in this furnace wrought are men's defiled souls, For which, as now on fire I am, to work them to their good, So will I melt into a bath to wash them in my blood.' I am sick, I must die. Lord, have mercy on us! Rich men, trust not in wealth, 10 The plague full swift goes by: Lord, have mercy on us! Beauty is but a flower, Lord, have mercy on us! Strength stoops unto the grave, ope Lord, have mercy on us! Wit with his wantonness, Hath no ears for to hear Lord, have mercy on us! 1600 William Shakespeare (1564-1616) ON A DAY, ALACK THE DAY! ON a day, alack the day! Love, whose month is ever May, 15 Playing in the wanton air: Through the velvet leaves the wind, All unseen, gan passage find; 5 And coughing drowns the parson's saw, And birds sit brooding in the snow, 30 That the lover, sick to death, Wished himself the heaven's breath. And Marian's nose looks red and raw, When roasted crabs hiss in the bowl, Then nightly sings the staring owl, Ne'er to pluck thee from thy thorn; 1598 Vow, alack! for youth unmeet, Youth so apt to pluck a sweet. WHO IS SILVIA Do not call it sin in me, 15 That I am forsworn for thee; Thou for whom e'en Jove would swear Juno but an Ethiope were; WHO is Silvia? what is she? That all our swains commend her? Holy, fair, and wise is she; IT WAS A LOVER AND HIS LASS It was a lover and his lass, With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino, That o'er the green corn-field did pass, In the spring time, the only pretty ring time, When birds do sing, hey ding a ding, ding; 5 Sweet lovers love the spring. Between the acres of the rye, With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino, These pretty country folks would lie, In the spring time, etc. This carol they began that hour, With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino, How that a life was but a flower In the spring time, etc. And therefore take the present time, 10 15 Who doth ambition shun, And loves to live i' the sun, Seeking the food he eats, 10 1623 O MISTRESS MINE O MISTRESS mine, where are you roaming? Every wise man's son doth know. What is love? 't is not hereafter; 1623 5 10 FEAR no more the heat o' th' sun, Thou thy worldly task hast done, Home art gone, and ta'en thy wages; Fear no more the frown o' th' great, To thee the reed is as the oak: Fear no more the lightning-flash, Nor the all-dreaded thunder-stone; Fear not slander, censure rash; Thou hast finished joy and moan: All lovers young, all lovers must Consign to thee, and come to dust. No exorciser harm thee! Nor no witchcraft charm thee! Ghost unlaid forbear thee! Nothing ill come near thee! Quiet consummation have; And renowned be thy grave! 5 10 Merrily, merrily shall I live now bough. 15 1623 5 5 Under the blossom that hangs on the 1623 1623 Youth is full of sport, |