English

A Gentleman being on a Christmas Eue in a very sollitary place, among very solemn Company: where was but small cheare, lesse myrth and least musicke: beeing very earnestly entreated to sing a Christmas Caroll, with much adoe sung as followeth
Now Christmas draweth near, & most me make good cheare
With heigh how, care away:
I lyke a siely mome, in drowsy dumpes at home
Will naught but fast and pray.

Some syng and daunce for lyfe some Carde and Dyce as ryfe,
Some vse olde Christmas Games:

THE ARGUMENT

Since that the passing panges of looue,
Which many Loouers ofte doo prooue:
I fynde the cause, from time to time,
That made men shew their mindes in rime
I doo intend, in verses few
A dolorous discourse to shew,
Of one that was bewitcht in looue:
What passing pangues he ofte did prooue
In which God wot the more his paine
Euen till his death he did remaine.

I F I had skill to frame a cunning Vearse

A pretty Dittie in despight of Fantasie

THE ARGUMENT

Since Fantasye fyrst mooued mee.
To rime thus rudely, as you see:
A prety Dittye of Despight,
Gaynste Fantasy first will I write.

N OW , by my troth. I cannot chuse but smile
To see the foolish fittes of Fantasie:
With what deceits she dooth the mind beguile,
As pleaseth best her great inconstancie.
As well the wisest as the foolish man,

A LAS , poore seelie wretche,
now maiste thou weepe and wayle:
For now, thy Forte is of no force
thou canst no more preuayle.
Fancie, let fall thy flagge,
thy brauerie is descride,
Thy shifts are seene, wherwith thou thoughtst
thy selfe from sight to hide.
The man is got away,
whom late I entertainde:
And loe, by him I am defamde,
and all my state is staind:

Days pass, winds veer, and favouring skies
Change like the face of fortune; storms arise;
Safely, but not within her port desired,
The good ship lies.
Where the long sandy Cape
Bends and embraces round,
As with a lover's arm, the shelter'd sea,
A haven she hath found
From adverse gales and boisterous billows free.

Now strike your sails,
Ye toil-worn mariners, and take your rest

THE ARGUMENT

A S FANCIE bath a SCOOLE
so hath she too a FORT,
Of which, the chiefest points, my selfe
wyll somwhat make report.
The ground wheron it stands.
and the foundation then:
How it is built how it is kept
and by what kynde of men:
What kinde of cheere she keepes
who are her chiefest gesse:
What drink she drinks, who ar her cookes

M ETHINKES I see you smile
before you gin to reede,
At this same title of my Tale:
but, for you shall not neede.
To maruaile at the same.
First, read it to the ende,
And marke ye still, through all the tale
wherto eche point dooth tend:
And you shall see I hope,
that this same title serues
Fit for this tale: cls, sure my minde
from reason greatly swarues:

Anna in black, the judge in scarlet robes,
A fuss of lawyers' people coming, going,
The windows shut, the gas alight in globes,
Evening outside, and pleasant weather blowing.
" They'll hang him? " " I suppose so; there 's no knowing. "
" A pretty piece, the woman, ain't she, John?
He killed the fellow just for carrying on. "

" She give her piece to counsel pretty clear. "
" Ah, that she did, and when she stop she smiled. "
" She 's had a-many men, that pretty dear;
She 's drove a-many pretty fellows wild. "

Dully he got his time-check from the keeper.
" Curse her, " he said, " and that 's the end of whores " —
He stumbled drunkenly across a sleeper —
" Give all you have and get kicked out a-doors. "
He cashed his time-check at the station stores.
" Bett'ring yourself, I hope, Jim, " said the master;
" That's it, " said Jim; " and so I will do, blast her. "

Beyond the bridge, a sharp turn to the right
Leads to " The Bull and Boar, " the carters' rest;
An inn so hidden it is out of sight

[One of the Bearers soliloquizes:]

... Room in your heart for him, O Mother Earth,
Who loved each flower and leaf that made you fair,
And sang your praise in verses manifold
And delicate, with here and there a line
From end to end in blossom like a bough
The May breathes on, so rich it was. Some thought
The workmanship more costly than the thing
Moulded or carved, as in those ornaments
Found at Mycaene. And yet Nature's self
Works in this wise; upon a blade of grass,