This foone Sir Lancelott efpyde,
He leapt upon him then,
He pull'd him downe upon his knee,
And rufhing off his helm,
Forthwith he ftrucke his necke in two,
And, when he had foe done,
From prifon threescore knights and four
Delivered everye one.
THE PASSIONATE SHEPHERD TO HIS
IVE with me, and be my
And we wil all the pleasures prove
That hils and vallies, dale and field,
And all the craggy mountains yield.
There will we fit upon the rocks,
And fee the fhepherds feed their flocks,
By fhallow rivers, to whofe falls
Melodious birds fing madrigrals.
There will I make thee beds of rofes
With a thousand fragrant pofies,
A cap of flowers, and a kirtle
Imbrodered all with leaves of mirtle;
A gown made of the finest wool,
Which from our pretty lambs we pull;
Slippers lin'd choicely for the cold,
With buckles of the pureft gold;
A belt of ftraw, and ivie buds,
With coral clafps, and amber ftuds:
And if these pleasures may thee move,
Then live with me, and be my love.
The fhepherd fwains shall dance and fing
For thy delight each May morning:
If thefe delights thy mind may move,
Then live with me, and be my love.
F that the World and Love were young, And truth in every shepherd's toung, These pretty pleasures might me move To live with thee, and be thy love.
But time drives flocks from field to fold,
When rivers rage, and rocks grow cold,
And Philomel becometh dumb,
And all complain of cares to come.
The flowers do fade, and wanton fields
To wayward winter reckoning yield:
A honey tongue, a heart of gall,
Is fancies Spring, but forrows Fall.
Thy gowns, thy fhoes, thy beds of roses,
Thy cap, thy kirtle, and thy pofies,
Soon break, foon wither, foon forgotten,
In folly ripe, in reafon rotten.
Thy belt of ftraw, and ivie buds,
Thy coral clafps, and amber ftuds;
All these in me no means can move
To come to thee, and be thy love.
But could youth laft, and love ftill breed,
Had joyes no date, nor age no need;
Then thofe delights my mind might move
Tolive with thee, and be thy love.
KING LEAR AND HIS THREE DAUGHTERS.
KING Lear once ruled in this land,
With princely power and peace,
And had all things with hearts content,
That might his joys increase:
Amongst those things that nature gave,
Three daughters fair had he,
So princely feeming beautiful,
As fairer could not be.
So on a time it pleas'd the king
A question thus to move,
Which of his daughters to his grace
Could fhew the deareft love:
For to my age you bring content,
Quoth he, then let me hear
Which of you three in plighted troth,
The kindeft will appear.
To whom the eldest thus began,
Dear father, mind, quoth fhe,
Before your face, to do you good,
My blood fhall render'd be:
And for your fake my bleeding heart
Shall here be cut in twain,
Ere that I fee your reverend age
The smallest grief sustain.
And fo will I, the fecond faid:
Dear father, for your
The worst of all extremities
I'll gently undertake;
And ferve your highness night and day
With diligence and love:
That fweet content and quietnefs;
Discomforts may remove.
In doing fo, you glad my foul,
The aged king reply'd;
But what fayeft thou, my youngest girl,
How is thy love ally'd ?
My love (quoth young Cordelia then) Which to your grace I owe,
Shall be the duty of a child,
And that is all I'll flow.
And wilt thou fhew no more, quoth he,
Than doth thy duty bind ?
I well perceive thy love is fmall,
When as no more I find:
|