PERJURY EXCUSED. ID not the heavenly rhetoric of thine eye, DID 'Gainst whom the world cannot hold argument, Persuade my heart to this false perjury? Vows for thee broke deserve not punishment. A woman I forswore; but I will prove, Thou being a goddess, I forswore not thee: My vow was earthly, thou a heavenly love ; Thy grace being gained cures all disgrace in me. Vows are but breath, and breath a vapour is : Then thou, fair sun, which on my earth dost shine, Exhalest this vapour-vow; in thee it is: If broken then, it is no fault of mine: If by me broke, what fool is not so wise To lose an oath to win a paradise? ON A DAY-ALACK THE DAY! N a day-alack the day!— ΟΝ Love, whose month is ever May, Spied a blossom, passing fair, Playing in the wanton air: Through the velvet leaves the wind, Juno but an Ethiope were; And deny himself for Jove, Turning mortal for thy love, SPRING AND WINTER. WHEN daisies pied, and violets blue, WHE And lady-smocks all silver-white, And cuckoo-buds of yellow hue, Do paint the meadows with delight, Cuckoo, cuckoo,-O word of fear, Unpleasing to a married ear! 13 When shepherds pipe on oaten straws, And merry larks are ploughmen's clocks, When turtles tread, and rooks, and daws, And maidens bleach their summer smocks, The cuckoo then, on every tree, Mocks married men, for thus sings he, Cuckoo, cuckoo,-O word of fear, When icicles hang by the wall, And Dick the shepherd blows his nail, And milk comes frozen home in pail, To-who, a merry note, While greasy Joan doth keel1 the pot. When all around the wind doth blow, And Marian's nose looks red and raw, To-who, a merry note, While greasy Joan doth keel the pot. 1 Skim. f From A Midsummer Night's Dream. OVER HILL, OVER DALE. VER hill, over dale, OVE Thorough bush, thorough brier, Over park, over pale, Thorough flood, thorough fire, In those freckles live their savours: D YOU SPOTTED SNAKES WITH DOUBLE TONGUE. YOU spotted snakes with double tongue, You Thorny hedge-hogs, be not seen; Newts, and blind-worms, do no wrong; Come not near our fairy queen : Sing in our sweet lullaby; Lulla, lulla, lullaby, lulla, lulla, lullaby; Never harm, Nor spell, nor charm, Come our lovely lady nigh; So, good night, with lullaby. Weaving spiders, come not here : Hence, you long-legged spinners, hence! Beetles black, approach not near; Worm, nor snail, do no offence. Philomel, with melody, &c. THE OUSEL-COCK, SO BLACK OF HUE. HE ousel-cock, so black of hue, THE With orange-tawny bill, The throstle with his note so true, The wren with little quill; The finch, the sparrow, and the lark, Whose note full many a man doth mark, 1 See note 1, p. 2. |