The Shepherd's Wife's Song

Ah, what is Love? It is a pretty thing,
As sweet unto a shepherd as a king;
And sweeter too;

For kings have cares that wait upon a crown,
And cares can make the sweetest love to frown:
Ah then, ah then,

If country loves such sweet desires do gain, What lady would not love a shepherd swain?

His flocks are folded, he comes home at night, As merry as a king in his delight;

And merrier too;

For kings bethink then what the state require, Where shepherds careless carol by the fire: Ah then, ah then,

If country loves such sweet desires do gain, What lady would not love a shepherd swain?

He kisseth first, then sits as blithe to eat
His cream and curds as doth a king his meat;
And blither too;

For kings have often fears when they do sup,
Where shepherds dread no poison in their cup:
Ah then, ah then,

If country loves such sweet desires do gain,
What lady would not love a shepherd swain?

To bed he goes, as wanton then, I ween,
As is a king in dalliance with a queen;
More wanton too;

For kings have many griefs affects to move,

Where shepherds have no greater grief than love:
Ah then, ah then,

If country loves such sweet desires do gain,
What lady would not love a shepherd swain?

Upon his couch of straw he sleeps as sound
As doth a king upon his beds of down;
More sounder too;

For cares cause kings full oft their sleep to spill,
Where weary shepherds lie and snort their fill:
Ah then, ah then,

If country loves such sweet desires do gain,
What lady would not love a shepherd swain?

Thus with his wife he spends the

year as blithe As doth the king at every tide or sithe;

And blither too;

For kings have wars and broils to take in hand,
Where shepherds laugh and love upon the land:
Ah then, ah then,

If country loves such sweet desires do gain,
What lady would not love a shepherd swain?

69

Greene.

Perigot and Willy's Roundelay

Perigot. It fell upon a holy eve,

Willy. (Hey-ho, holy day!)

Perigot. When holy fathers wont to shrieve,

Willy. (Now 'ginneth this roundelay),

Perigot. Sitting upon a hill so high,

Willy. (Hey-ho, the high hill!)

Perigot. The while my flock did feed thereby, Willy. The while the shepherd's self did spill;

Perigot. I saw the bouncing Bellibone,
Willy. (Hey-ho, Bonnibell!)
Perigot. Tripping over the dale alone;
Willy. (She can trip it very well:)
Perigot. Well decked in a frock of gray,
Willy. (Hey-ho, gray is greet!)
Perigot. And in a kirtle of green say
Willy. (The green is for maidens meet).
Perigot. A chapelet on her head she wore,
Willy. (Hey-ho, the chapelet!)

Perigot. Of sweet violets therein was store,
Willy. She sweeter than the violet.

Perigot. My sheep did leave their wonted food,
Willy. (Hey-ho, silly sheep!)

Perigot. And gazed on her as they were wood, Willy. Wood as he that did them keep.

Perigot. As the bonny lass passed by, (Hey-ho, bonny lass!)

Willy.

Perigot. She roved at me with glancing eye,
Willy. As clear as the crystal glass:
Perigot. All as the sunny beam so bright
Willy. (Hey-ho, the sunbeam!)

Perigot. Glanceth from Phoebus' face forthright,
Willy. So love into my heart did stream.

Perigot. Or as the thunder cleaves the clouds, (Hey-ho, the thunder!)

Willy.

Perigot. Wherein the lightsome levin shrouds,
Willy. So cleaves thy soul asunder;
Perigot. Or as Dame Cynthia's silver ray
Willy. (Hey-ho, the moonlight!)
Perigot. Upon the glittering wave doth play,
Willy. Such play is a piteous plight:

Perigot. The glance into my heart did glide,
Willy. (Hey-ho, the glider!)

Perigot. Therewith my soul was sharply gride;
Willy. Such wounds soon waxen wider.
Perigot. Hasting to wrench the arrow out,
Willy. (Hey-ho, Perigot!)

Perigot. I left the head in my heart-root.
Willy. It was a desperate shot.

Perigot. There it rankleth aye more and more,

Willy. (Hey-ho, the arrow!)

Perigot. Nor can I find salve for my sore:
Willy. (Love is a cureless sorrow.)

Perigot. And though my bale with death I bought,

Willy. (Hey-ho, heavy cheer!)

Perigot. Yet should thilk lass not from my thought.

Willy. So you may buy gold too dear.

Perigot. But whether in painful love I pine,
Willy. (Hey-ho, pinching pain!)

Perigot. Or thrive in wealth, she shall be mine:
Willy. But if thou can her obtain.
Perigot. And if for graceless grief I die,
Willy. (Hey-ho, graceless grief!)
Perigot. Witness, she slew me with her
Willy. Let thy folly be the prief.

my

eye.

Perigot. And you that saw it, simple sheep,
Willy. (Hey-ho, the fair flock!)
Perigot. For prief thereof death shall weep
Willy. And moan with many a mock.
Perigot. So learned I love on a holy eve,
Willy. (Hey-ho, holy day!)

Perigot. That ever since my heart did grieve:
Willy. Now endeth our roundelay.

Spenser.

The Palmer's Ode

Old Menalcas, on a day,
As in field this shepherd lay,
Tuning of his oaten pipe,
Which he hit with many a stripe,
Said to Corydon that he

66

Once was young and full of glee.
Blithe and wanton was I then:
Such desires follow men.

As I lay and kept my sheep,
Came the God that hateth sleep,
Clad in armour all of fire,
Hand in hand with queen Desire,
And with a dart that wounded nigh,
Pierced my heart as I did lie;
That when I woke I 'gan swear
Phyllis beauty's palm did bear.
Up I start, forth went I,
With her face to feed mine eye;
There I saw Desire sit,

That my heart with love had hit,
Laying forth bright beauty's hooks
To entrap my gazing looks.
Love I did, and 'gan to woo,
Pray and sigh; all would not do:
Women, when they take the toy,
Covet to be counted coy.

Coy she was, and I 'gan court;
She thought love was but a sport;
Profound hell was in my thought;
Such a pain Desire had wrought,