It fortuned out of the thicket wood Hunting full greedy after savage blood; And with the sight amazed, forgot his furious force. Instead thereof he kiss'd her weary feet, And lick'd her lily hands with fawning tongue ; Oh how can beauty master the most strong, Redounding tears did choke the end of her plaint, To seek her strayed champion if she might attain. The lion would not leave her desolate, But with her went along, as a strong guard Of her chaste person, and a faithful mate Of her sad troubles and misfortunes hard : Still when she slept, he kept both watch and ward; And when she waked, he waited diligent, With humble service to her will prepared : From her fair eyes he took commandment, And ever by her looks conceived her intent. ANGELS WATCHING OVER MANKIND. AND is there care in heaven, and is there love There is else much more wretched were the case To come to succour us that succour want! How oft do they with golden pinions cleave The flitting skies like flying pursuivant, Against foul fiends to aid us militant! They for us fight; they watch and duly ward, And their bright squadrons round about us plant; And all for love and nothing for reward: Oh why should heavenly God to men have such regard! THE SEASONS. So forth issued the Seasons of the year: And on his head (as fit for warlike stoures) That as some did him love, so others did him fear. Then came the jolly Summer, being dight He wore, from which as he had chauffed1 been, 1 Angered. A bow and shafts, as he in forest green Had hunted late the libbard1 or the boar, And now would bathe his limbs with labour heated sore. Then came the Autumn, all in yellow clad, As though he joyed in his plenteous store, Upon his head a wreath, that was enrolled To reap the ripened fruits the which the earth had yold. Chattering his teeth for cold that did him chill; SHAKSPERE. SHAKSPERE was born at Stratford-upon-Avon in 1564, and died in 1616. He wrote numerous dramas, both tragic and comic. His sonnets also are among the finest compositions in our language. In the words of Hallam we may say, "The name of Shakspere is the greatest in our literature-it is the greatest in all literature. No man ever came near him in the creative powers of the mind; no man ever had such strength at once and such variety of imagination." COMBAT OF HOTSPUR AND HENRY PRINCE OF WALES. Enter HOTSPUR. Hot. IF I mistake not, thou art Harry Monmouth. 1 Leopard. Pr. Hen. A very valiant rebel of the name. Why then, I see I am the Prince of Wales, and think not, Percy, Two stars keep not their motion in one sphere; Hot. Nor shall it, Harry, for the hour is come Thy name in arms were now as great as mine! Pr. Hen. I'll make it greater ere I part from thee; And all the budding honours on thy crest I'll crop to make a garland for my head. Hot. I can no longer brook thy vanities. HOTSPUR is wounded and falls. Hot. O Harry! thou hast robb'd me of my youth : I better brook the loss of brittle life, Than those proud titles thou hast won of me. [They fight. They wound my thoughts worse than thy sword my flesh : But thought's the slave of life, and life time's fool; And time, that takes survey of all the world, Must have a stop. Oh! I could prophesy, But that the earthy and cold hand of death And food for [Dies. Pr. Hen. For worms, brave Percy: Fare thee well, great heart! Ill-weaved ambition, how much art thou shrunk ! When that this body did contain a spirit, A kingdom for it was too small a bound; Is room enough. This earth, that bears thee dead, If thou wert sensible of courtesy, I should not make so dear a show of zeal : Adieu, and take thy praise with thee to heaven ! MUSIC. ("Merchant of Venice," Act 5.) Lor. How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank! Creep in our ears; soft stillness, and the night Sit, Jessica look how the floor of heaven Come, ho, and wake Diana with a hymn ; [Enter Musicians. Jes. I'm never merry, when I hear sweet music. You shall perceive them make a mutual stand; By the sweet power of music. Therefore the poet Let no such man be trusted-Mark the music. 1 A patine is a small flat plate. [Music. |