LXXVII

A pleasant new song betwixt a Saylor

and his Love

To the tune of 'Dulcina'.

WHAT doth ayl my love so sadly,
in such heavy dumps to stand?
Doth she grieve, or take unkindly,
that I am so nigh at hand?
Or doth she vow

she will not know,

Nor speak to me when I do come?

if that be so,

away i'le go,

First kiss and bid me welcome home.

Had I ever thee forsaken,

putting thee out of my mind,

Then thou might'st have justly spoken
that I to thee was unkind:

or should I take

some other mate,

then might thou have cause to mourn,
but let me dye,

before that I

Do so, then bid me welcome home.

Sooner shall the grass leave growing,

from the Hare the Hound shall run,
Husband-men shall leave their sowing,
floods shall run the Lands upon :
the Fish shall flye,

the Sea run dry,

The birds shall sing no more but mourn,

e're I of thee

unmindful be,

Then kiss and bid me welcome home.

Smile on me, be not offended,
pardon grant for my amiss,
Let thy favour so befriend me,
as to seal it with a kiss,
to me I swear,

thou art so dear,

That for thy sake i'le fancy none;

then do not frown,

but sit thee down,

Sweet kiss and bid me welcome home.

If thou hast prov'd chast Diana,
since from thee I did depart;
I have as constant been to thee,
for on thee fixed was my heart;
no not for she,

Jupiter see,

Diana in her Tower alone,

should me intice,

no i'le be nice,

Then kiss and bid me welcome home.

No, nor Venus, Cupid's Mother, nor the fairest Wife of Jove, Should Lucretia or some other seek by gifts to win my love, should Hellen fair

to me compare,

And unto me for love make moan, yet none of these

my mind shall please,

Then kiss and bid me welcome home.

From thy sight tho I were banisht,
yet I always was to thee
Far more kind then Ulisses
to his chast Penelope ;
for why away
he once did stay,

Ten years and left her all alone,

but I from thee

have not been three,

Sweet kiss and bid me welcome home.

Come sweet-heart and sit down by me, and let thy lap my Pillow be, While sweet sleep my mind beguileth, all my dreams shall be on thee. I pray then stay,

steal not away,

Let Lullaby be all thy Song;

with kisses sweet,

lull me asleep,

Sweet kiss and bid me welcome home.

The Woman's Answer

I have been sad to see how from me, thou so long from me didst stay, Yet now I more rejoyce to see thee, happily arriv'd this way:

thou from our shore

shalt go no more,

To wander thus abroad alone, but thou shalt stay

with me alway,

And here's my hand, thou'rt welcome home.

I have prov'd Diana to thee

since from me thou wentst away, I have Suitors well nigh twenty,

and much ado I had to stay, but I deny'd,

when they reply'd,

And sent them all away with scorn,

for I had sworn

to Live forlorn,

Until that I see thee come home.

Seeing thou art home returned,

thou shalt not go from home in haste, But lovingly come sit down by me, let my arms imbrace thy waste : farewel annoy,

welcome my joy,

Now lullaby shall be the song,

for now my Heart,

sings loath to part,

Then kiss, &c.

Since sweet-heart thou dost befriend me,

thus to take me to thy Love,

Never more will I offend thee,

but will ever constant prove;
thou hast my heart,

not to depart,

But ever constant to remain;
and thou art mine,

and I am thine,

Then let us kiss and welcome home.

LXXVIII

To Lucasta, going beyond the Seas

IF to be absent were to be

Away from thee;

Or that when I am gone

You or I were alone;

Then, my Lucasta, might I crave

Pity from blustering wind or swallowing wave.

But I'll not sigh one blast or gale

To swell my sail,

Or pay a tear to 'suage

The foaming blue god's rage; For whether he will let me pass Or no, I'm still as happy as I was.

Though seas and land betwixt us both,

Our faith and troth,

Like separated souls,

All time and space controls;

Above the highest sphere we meet

Unseen, unknown; and greet as Angels greet.

So then we do anticipate

Our after-fate,