give full language, and behold their goats at rut | in religion daily arifing, to great clerks only ap in all fimplicity: Ωπόλος ὅκκ ̓ ἐσορῇ τὰς μηκάδας, οἷα βατεῦνται, Τάκεται ὀφθαλμῶς, ὅτι ἐ τράγος αὐτὸς ἐγέντο. THEOC. Id. i. 87. Verily, as little pleasance receiveth a true homebred tafte, from all the fine finical new-fangled fooleries of this gay Gothic garniture, wherewith they fo nicely bedeck their court-clowns, or clowncourtiers (for which to call them rightly I wot not), as would a prudent citizen journeying to his country farms, should he find them occupied by people of this motley make, instead of plain downright hearty cleanly folk, fuch as be now tenants to the burgeffes of this realm. Furthermore, it is my purpofe, gentle reader, to fet before thee, as it were a picture, or rather lively landscape of thy own country, just as thou mighteft fee it, didft thou take a walk into the fields at the proper feafon: even as Maifter Milton hath elegantly fet forth the fame: "As one who long in populous city pent, "Where houfes thick, and fewers annoy the air, "Forth iffuing on a fummer's morn to breathe Among the pleasant villages and farms Adjoin'd, from each thing met conceives delight; 66 61 "The Imell of grain, or tedded grafs, or kine, "Or dairy, each rural fight, each rural found." Thou wilt not find my shepherdeffes idly piping on oaten reeds, but milking the kine, tying up the fheaves, or, if the hogs are aftray, driving them to the tyes. My shepherd gathereth none other nofegays but what are the growth of our own fields; he ileepeth not under myrtle fhades, but under a hedge; nor doth he vigilantly defend his flocks from wolves, because there are none, as Mafter Spenfer well obferveth: "Well is known that, fince the Saxon king, pertaining. What liketh me beft are his names' indeed right fimple and meet for the country? fuch as Lobbin Cuddy, Hobbinol, Diggon, and others, fome of which I have made bold to borrow. Moreover, as he called his Eclogues, the Shepherd's Calendar," and divided the fame into twelve months, I have chosen (peradventure not week, omitting Sunday, or the Sabbath, ours being over rafhly) to name mine by the days of the fuppofed to be Chriftian fhepherds, and to be then at church-worship. Yet further, of many of Maifmouths they be called, of the laid months therein ter Spenfer's eclogues it may be obferved, though nothing is ipecified; wherein I have alfo esteemed him worthy mine imitation. That principally, courteous reader, whereof I would have thee to be advertised (seeing I depart from the vulgar ufage), is touching the language of my fhepherds; which is, foothly to say, fuch as is neither fpoken by the country maiden, or the courtly dame; nay, not only fuch as in the prefent times is not uttered, but was never uttered in times paft; and, if I judge aright, will never be uttered in times future: it having too much of the country to be fit for the court, too much of the court to be fit for the country; too much of the language of old times to be fit for the prefent, too much of the prefent to have been fit for the old, and too much of both to be fit for any time to come. Granted alfo it is, that in this my language I feem unto myfelf as a London mafon, who calculateth his work for a term of years, when he buildeth with old materials upon a ground-reat that is not his own, which foon turns to rubbish and ruins For this point no realon can I allege, only deep learned enfamples having led me there unto. But here again much comfort arifeth in me, from the hopes, in that I conceive, when the fe words, in the courfe of tranfitory things, fhall decay, it may fo hap, in meet time, that lome lover of fimplicity fhall arife, who fhall have the hardnefs to render thefe mine eclogues into fuch modern dialect as fhall be then understood, to which teams are annexed. For as much as I have mentioned Maifler Spen-end gloffes and explications of uncouth paftoral fer, foothly I must acknowledge him a bard of fweetest memorial. Yet hath his thepherd's boy at some times raised his ruftic reed to rhymes more rumbling than rural. Divers grave points alfo hath he handled of churchly matter, and doubts Gentle reader, turn over the leaf, and entertain thyfelf with the profpect of thine own country, limned by the painful hand of thy loving countryman, JOHN GAY. That queen, who eas'd our tax of late, At this, in tears was Cicely feen, For me, when as I heard that death While thus we ftood as in a found, So forth I far'd to court with fpeed, Of foldier's drum withouten dreed; For peace allays the shepherd's fear Of wearing cap of grenadier.' There faw ladies all a-row, Before their queen in feemly fhow. No more I'll fing Buxoma brown, Like goldfinch in her Sunday gown; Nor Clumfilis, nor Marian bright, Nor damfel that Hobnelia hight. 20 But Lansdowne, fresh as flower of May, In roundelay or fonnet quaint. There many a worthy wight I've seen, In ribbon blue and ribbon green: As Oxford, who a wand doth bear, Like Mofes, in our bibles fair; Who for our traffic forms defigns, And gives to Britain Indian mines. Now, fhepherds, clip your fleecy care; Ye maids, your fpinning-wheels prepare; Ye weavers, all your shuttles throw, 30 And bid broad cloths and ferges grow; For trading free fhall thrive again, Nor leafings lewd affright the fwain. There faw I St. John, fweet of mien, Lo, here thou haft mine cclogues fair, 50 Should ftay the trade of France or Spain; I'd burn book, preface, notes, and all. 70 99 MONDAY; OR THE SQUABBLE. LOBBIN CLOUT, CUDDY, CLODDIPOLE. Lobbin Clout. THY younglings, Cuddy, are but just awake, Ver. 3. Welkin, the fame as welken, an old Saxon word, fignifying a cloud; by poetical licence it is frequently taken for the element or sky, as may appear by this verfe in the dream of Chaucer, Ne in all the welkin was no cloud." O'er yonder hill does feant the dawn appear Ver. 5. Scant, ufed in the ancient Britife authors for Ver. 6. Rear, an expression in several counties of England, for early in the morning. Ver. 7. To ween, derived from the Saxen, to think er conceive. 7 This rifing rear betokeneth well thy mind, Ah, Blouzelind! I love thee more by half, Than does their fawns, or cows the newn-fall'n calf: Woe worth the tongue! may blifters fore it gall, That names Buxoma Blouzelind withal. Cuddy. 20 Hold, witless Lobbin Clout, I thee advise, That pricking corns foretold the gathering rain. See this tobacco-pouch, that's lin’d with hair, Cuddy. Begin thy carols then, thou vaunting flouch! Be thine the oaken staff, or mine the pouch. Lobbin Clout. My Blouzelinda is the blithest lass, 30 40 My brown Buxoma is the featest maid, Sweet is my toil when Blouzelind is near; 60 Ver. 25. Erft, a contraction of ere this; it fignifies fome time ago, or formerly. Ver. 56. Deft, an old word, fignifying brisk or simble. Come, Blouzelinda, ease thy fwain's defire, My fummer's fhadow, and my winter's fire! Cuddy. As with Buxoma once I work'd at hay, Ev'n noon-tide labour feem'd an holiday; And holidays, if haply fhe were gone, Like worky-days I wifh'd would foon be done. Eftfoons, O fweetheart kind my love repay, And all the year shall then he holiday. Lobbin Clout. As Blouzelínda, in a gamesome mood, Behind a haycock loudly laughing stood, I flily ran, and snatch'd a hafty kiss; She wip'd her lips, nor took it much amifs. Believe me, Cuddy, while I'm bold to say, Her breath was fweeter than the ripen'd hay. Cuddy. As my Buxoma, in a morning fair, With gentle finger ftrok'd her milky care, I queintly stole a kiss; at first, 'tis true, She frown'd, yet after granted one or two. Lobbin, I fwear, believe who will my vows, Her breath by far excell'd the breathing cows. 70 80 Leek to the Welch, to Dutchmen butter's dear, Of irish fwains potatoe is the cheer; Oats for their feafts the Scottish shepherds grind, Sweet turnips are the food of Blouzelind. While the loves turnips, butter I'll defpife, Nor leeks, nor oatmeal, nor potatoe, prize. Cuddy. In good roaft-beef my landlord sticks his knife, The capon fat delights his dainty wife, 90 Pudding our parfon eats, the fquire loves hare, But white-pot thick is my Buxoma's fare. While the loves white-pot, capon ne'er shall be, Nor hare, nor beef, nor pudding, food for nie. Lobbin Clout. As once I play'd at blindman's buff, it hapt About my eyes the towel thick was wrapt. I mifs'd the fwains, and feiz'd on Blouzelind. True speaks that ancient proverb," Love is blind." Cuddy. As at hot-cockles once I laid me down, And felt the weighty hand of many a clown; 100 Buxoma gave a gentle tap, and I Quick rofe, and read foft mischief in her eye. Ver. 69. Eftfoons, from eft, an ancient Briti word, figifying foon. So that eftfoons is a doubling of the word foon; which is, as it were, to say, twice foon or very foon. Ver. 79. Queint bas various fignifications in the ancient English authors. I have used it in this place in the fame fenfe as Chaucer bath done in his Miller's Tale. "As Clerkes being full subtle and queint" (by which he means arch or waggifh); and not in that obfcene fenfe wherein be useth it in the fine immediatelly following. Forbear, contending louts, give o'er your strains! TUESDAY; OR, THE DITTY. ΙΟ YOUNG Colin Clout, a lad of peerless meed, Ver. 103-110 were not in the early editions. Ver. 117. Rofemury. 20 Ah, Colin? canft thou leave thy sweetheart true? Where'er I gad, I cannot hide my care, 40 Whilom with thee 'twas Marian's dear delight "Dic quibus in terris infcripti nomina Regum Help me, ye gypfies; bring him home again, "Nafcantur Flores."--VIRG. Ver. 120. "Et vitula tu dignus et hic."-VIRG. And to a conitant lafs give back her fwain. When every creature did in flumbers lie, 90 Remember, Colin, when at last year's wake I bought the coftly prefent for thy fake; Could't thou fpell o'er the pofy on thy knife, And with another change thy state of life? If thou forget't, I wot, I can repeat, My memory can tell the verse so sweet: "As this is grav'd upon this knife of thine, "So is thy image on this heart of mine." But woe is me! fuch prefents luckless prove, For knives, they tell me, always fever love, Thus Marian wail'd, her eyes with tears brimfull, 100 When Goody Dobbins brought her cow to bull. With apron blue to dry her tears she fought; Then faw the cow well ferv'd, and took a groat. WEDNESDAY; OR, THE DUMPS *. Sparabella. THE wailings of a maiden I recite, A while, O d'Urfey, lend an ear or twain And heighten her conceits with fack and ale, Dumps, or dumbs, made ufe of to exprefs a fit of the fullens. Seme bave pretended that it is derived from Dumops, a king of Egypt, that built a pyramid, and died of melancholy. So mopes, after the fame manner, is thought to have come from Merops, another Egyptian king, that died of the fame diflemper. But our Englifb antiquaries have conjectured that dumps, which is a grievous heaviness of fpirits, comes from the word dumplin, the heaviest kind of pudding that is eaten in this ountry; much used in Norfolk, and other counties of England. Ver. 5. "Immemor herbarum quos eft mirata juvenca Certantes, quorum ftupefact carmine lynces, "Et mutata fuos requiérunt flumina curfus." "My plaint, ye laffes, wer; re knew; d the fhrew. Durthen aid, "'Tis hard fo true a dandel de a maid." I've often seen my ifage in yon lake, Nor are my features of the homelieft make: Though Clumfilis may boat a whiter dye, Yet the black floe turns in my rolling eye; And fairest bloffoms drop with every blast, But the brown beauty will like hollies laft. Her wan complexion's like the wither'd leek, While Katherine pears adorn my ruddy check. Yet fhe, alas: the witlefs lout hath won, And by her gain poor Sparabell's undone! Let hares and hounds in coupling ftraps unite, 59 The clucking hen make friendhip with the kite; Ver. 17. Meed, an old word for fame or renown," Ver. 18. -"Hanc fine tempora circum "Inter victrices ederam tibi ferpere lauros." VIRG. "Mopfo Nifa datur, quid non fperemus amantes?"-- -VIRG. "Jungentur jam gryphes equis; ævoque fequenti "Cum canibus timidi venient ad pocula dame." |