When all was handsomly dispos'd, 140 That might his health impair. "And, damsell," quoth shee, "for it seemes But when he knew those goods to be Scarce taking leave, he home returnes The countesse was a-bed, and he With her his lodging tooke. 160 "Sir, welcome home" (quoth shee), "this night 165 For you I did not looke." Then did he question her of such His stuffe bestowed soe. "Forsooth," quoth she, "because I did Your love and lodging knowe : "Your love to be a proper wench, I held it for your health, the house 170 Her patience, witte and answer wrought The following stanzas were written by Michael Drayton, a poet of some eminence in the reigns of Queen Elizabeth, James I., and Charles I.1 They are inserted in one of his Pastorals, the first edition of which bears this whimsical title. "Idea. The Shepheards Garland fashioned in nine Eglogs. Rowlands sacrifice to the nine muses. Lond. 1593, 4to." They are inscribed with the author's name at length, "To the noble and valerous gentleman master Robert Dudley," &c. It is very remarkable, that when Drayton reprinted them in the first folio edition of his works, 1619, he had given those Eclogues so thorough a revisal, that there is hardly a line to be found the same as in the old edition. This poem had received the fewest corrections, and therefore is chiefly given from the ancient copy, where it is thus introduced by one of his shepherds: "Listen to mee, my lovely shepheards joye, And thou shalt heare, with mirth and mickle glee, A prettie tale, which when I was a boy, My toothles grandame oft hath tolde to me. The author has professedly imitated the style and metre of some of the 1 He was born in 1563, and died in 1631.--Biog. Brit. old metrical romances particularly that of Sir Isenbras,2 (alluded to in v. 3,) as the reader may judge from the following specimen: This ancient legend was printed in black letter, 4to, by Wyllyam Coyland: no date. In the Cotton Library (Calig. A. 2), is a MS. copy of the same romance containing the greatest variations. They are probably two different translations of some French original. FARRE in the count ey of Arden, There won'd a knight, hight Cassemen, Fell was he and eger bent, As was the good Sir Topas. He had, as antique stories tell, A mayden fayre and free; Of mickle curtesie. The silke well couth she twist and twine, And with the needle werke; 5 10 10 And she could helpe the priest to say 15 His mattins on a holy-day, And sing a psalme in kirke. 2 As also Chaucer's Rhyme of Sir Topas, v. 6. She ware a frock of frolicke greene, A hood to that so neat and fine, 20 Her features all as fresh above, 25 As is the grasse that growes by Dove, Her skin as soft as Lemster wooll, Or swanne that swims in Trent. 30 This mayden in a morne betime Went forth, when May was in her prime, To get sweete cetywall, He lear'd his sheepe as he him list, 45 When he would whistle in his fist, In favour this same shepheards swayne Whom his lewd brother slaw. 50 3 Alluding to Tamburlaine the Great, or the Scythian Shepheard, 1590, 8vo, an old ranting play ascribed to Marlowe. 4 Sc. Abel. The shepheard ware a sheepe-gray cloke, 55 Full crispe and curled were his lockes, 65 So like a lover true. And pyping still he spent the day, So merry as the popingay; Which liked Dowsabel; That would she ought, or would she nought, This lad would never from her thought, She in love-longing fell. At length she tucked up her frocke, She drew the shepheard nye; But then the shepheard pyp'd a good, That all his sheepe forsooke their foode, Thy sheepe," quoth she, "cannot be leahe, That have a jolly shepheards swayne, 80 The which can pipe so well." "Yea, but," sayth he, "their shepheard may, If pyping thus he pine away, In love of Dowsabel." "Of love, fond boy, take thou no keepe," 85 Quoth she; "looke thou unto thy sheepe, Quoth he, "So had I done full well, Had I not seen fayre Dowsabell Come forth to gather maye." 90 |