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2.

KNOW YE THE FAIR ONE.

KN

NOW ye the fair one whom I love?
High is her white and holy brow;
Her looks so saintly, sweet, and pure,
Make men adore who come to woo ;
Her neck, o'er which her tresses hing,
Is snow beneath a raven's wing.

Her lips are like the red-rose bud,
Dew-parted in a morn of June;
Her voice is gentler than the sound

Of some far heard and heavenly tune;

Her little finger, white and round,
Can make a hundred hearts to bound.

My love's two eyes are bonnie stars,
Born to adorn the summer skies;
And I will by our tryste-thorn sit,

To watch them at their evening rise:
That when they shine on tower and tree,
Their heavenly light may fall on me.

Come, starry Eve, demure and gray,

Now is the hour when maidens woo;
Come shake o'er wood, and bank, and brae
Thy tresses moist with balmy dew:
Thy dew ne'er dropt on flower or tree,
So lovely or so sweet as she.

The laverock's bosom shone with dew,
Beside us on the lilied lea;

She sung her mate down from the cloud
To warble by my love and me;

Nor from her young ones sought to move,
For well she saw our looks were love.

Allan Cunningham.

3. SONG: TO CELIA.

DRINK to me, only with thine eyes,

And I will pledge with mine;

Or leave a kiss but in the cup,

And I'll not look for wine.

The thirst that from the soul doth rise,
Doth ask a drink divine;

But might I of Jove's nectar sup,
I would not change for thine.

I sent thee late a rosy wreath,
Not so much honouring thee,
As giving it a hope, that there

It could not withered be.

But thou thereon didst only breathe,

And sent'st it back to me :

Since when it grows, and smells, I swear,

Not of itself, but thee.

Ben Jonson.

4. THE SPANISH LADY'S LOVE.

WILL

you hear a Spanish lady

How she wooed an English man

Garments gay as rich as may be

Decked with jewels she had on.

Of a comely countenance and grace was she, And by birth and parentage of high degree.

As his prisoner there he kept her,
In his hands her life did lie;
Cupid's bands did tie them faster

By the liking of an eye.

In his courteous company was all her joy,
To favour him in anything she was not coy.

But at last there came commandment
For to set the ladies free,

With their jewels still adorned,

None to do them injury.

Then said this lady mild, 'Full woe is me!
O let me still sustain this kind captivity!

'Gallant captain, show some pity
To a lady in distress ;
Leave me not within this city,

For to die in heaviness:

Thou hast set this present day my body free,
But my heart in prison still remains with thee.'

'How shouldst thou, fair lady, love me,
Whom thou know'st thy country's foe?
Thy fair words make me suspect thee :
Serpents lie where flowers grow.'

'All the harm I wish to thee, most courteous knight, God grant the same upon my head may fully light.

'Blessed be the time and season

That you came to Spanish ground;

If our foes you may be termed,

Gentle foes we have you found:

With our city you have won our hearts each one;
Then to your country bear away that is your own.'

'Rest you still, most gallant lady;
Rest you still, and weep no more;

Of fair lovers there is plenty,

Spain doth yield a wondrous store.'

'Spaniards fraught with jealousy we often find,

But Englishmen through all the world are counted kind.

'Leave me not unto a Spaniard ;

You alone enjoy my heart;

I am lovely, young, and tender,

Love is likewise my desert :

Still to serve thee, day and night, my mind is prest;

The wife of every Englishman is counted blest.'

'It would be a shame, fair lady, For to bear a woman hence; English soldiers never carry

Any such without offence.'

'I'll quickly change myself, if it be so,

And like a page I'll follow thee where'er thou go.'

'I have neither gold or silver

To maintain thee in this case; And to travel is great charges,

As you know, in every place.'

'My chains and jewels every one shall be thy own,

And eke five hundred pounds in gold that lies unknown.

'On the seas are many dangers,

Many storms do there arise,

Which will be to ladies dreadful,

And force tears from watery eyes.'

'Well, in troth, I shall endure extremity,

For I could find in heart to lose my life for thee.'

'Courteous lady, leave this fancy;

Here comes all that breeds the strife;

I in England have already

A sweet woman to my wife :

I will not falsify my vow for gold or gain,

Nor yet for all the fairest dames that live in Spain.'

'Oh! how happy is that woman

That enjoys so true a friend! Many happy days God send her!

Of my suit I make an end:

On my knees I pardon crave for my offence,

Which did from love and true affection first commence.

• Commend me to thy lovely lady,

Bear to her this chain of gold; And these bracelets for a token,

Grieving that I was so bold:

All my jewels, in like sort, take thou with thee,

For they are fitting for thy wife, and not for me.

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'I will spend my days in prayer,
Love and all her laws desy ;
In a nunnery will I shroud me

Far from any company;

But, ere my prayers have an end, be sure of this,
To pray for thee, and for thy love, I will not miss.

'Thus farewell, most gallant captain,

Farewell too my heart's content!
Count not Spanish ladies wanton,

Though to thee my love was bent:

Joy and true prosperity go still with thee!'

'The like fall ever to thy share, most fair ladie.'

Percy's Reliques.

WHEN

5. TO ALTHEA.

FROM PRISON.

HEN Love with unconfined wings
Hovers within my gates;

And my divine Althea brings
To whisper at the grates:
When I lie tangled in her hair,
And fettered to her eye;
The birds that wanton in the air
Know no such liberty.

When flowing cups run swiftly round
With no allaying Thames,

Our careless heads with roses bound,
Our hearts with loyal flames;
When thirsty grief in wine we steep,
When healths and draughts go free,

Fishes that tipple in the deep
Know no such liberty.

When (like committed linnets) I
With shriller throat shall sing

The sweetness, mercy, majesty,
And glories of my king;