Then Jove amidst his cups, for service done,
'Gan thus to jest with Ganymede, his boy:
I fain would find for thee, my pretty Son!
A fairer wife than Paris brought to Troy.
Why, Sir! quoth he, if Phoebus stand my friend,
Who knows the world, this gear will soon have end.
Then Jove replied that Phoebus should not choose
But do his best to find the fairest face;

And she once found should neither will nor choose,
But yield herself and change her dwelling-place,
Alas! how much was then my heart affright:
Which bade me wake and watch my Fair Delight.

THE KISS

N time long past, when in Diana's chase
A bramble bush prick'd Venus in the foot,
Old Esculapius help'd her heavy case
Before the hurt had taken any root:

Wherehence, although his beard were crisping hard,
She yielded him a kiss for his reward.

My luck was like to his, this other day,
When She whom I on earth do worship most

For kissing me vouchsafèd thus to say

"Take this for once, and make thereof no boast!"
Forthwith my heart gave signs of joy by skips,
As though our souls had join'd by joining lips.
And since that time I thought it not amiss
To judge which were the best of all these three:
Her breath, her speech, or that her dainty kiss:
And (sure) of all the kiss best likèd me.

WATSON

For that was it which did revive my heart,
Oppress'd and almost dead with daily smart.

MY LOVE IS PAST

LOVE hath delight in sweet delicious fare;

Love never takes good Counsel for his friend ; Love author is and cause of idle care;

23

Love is distraught of wit and hath no end;
Love shooteth shafts of burning hot desire;
Love burneth more than either flame or fire.
Love doth much harm through jealousy's assault;
Love once embraced will hardly part again;
Love thinks in breach of faith there is no fault;
Love makes a sport of others' deadly pain;
Love is a wanton child, and loves to brawl;
Love with his war brings many souls to thrall.
These are the smallest faults that lurk in Love;
These are the hurts which I have cause to curse;
These are those truths which no man can disprove ;
These are such harms as none can suffer worse.
All this I write that others may beware,

Though now myself twice free from all such care.

SONNET

BLAME me not, dear Love! though I talk at randon,
Terming thee scornful, proud, unkind, disdainful,

Since all I do can not my woes abandon,
Or rid me of the yoke I feel so painful.

If I do paint thy pride or want of pity,
Consider likewise how I blaze thy beauty:

Inforced to the first in mournful ditty,
Constrained to the last by servile duty.
And take thou no offence if I misdeemed!

Thy beauty's glory quencheth thy pride's blemish :
Better it is of all to be esteemed

Fair and too proud than not fair and too squeamish. And seeing thou must scorn, and 'tis approved, Scorn to be ruthless since thou art beloved!

ANTHONY MUNDAY

DIRGE FOR ROBIN HOOD

WEEP, weep, ye woodmen ! wail;

Your hands with sorrow wring!
Your master, Robin Hood, lies dead:
Therefore sigh as you sing!

Here lie his primer and his beads-
His bent bow and his arrows keen ;
His good sword and his holy cross:
Now cast on flowers fresh and green!

And, as they fall, shed tears and say
Well, well-a-day! well, well-a-day!
Thus cast ye flowers fresh, and sing,
And on to Wakefield take your way!

GEORGE PEELE

ENONE

CUPID'S CURSE

FAIR and fair and twice so fair,
As fair as any may be,-

The fairest shepherd on our green,
A Love for any Ladie!

PARIS- Fair and fair and twice so fair,
As fair as any may be,—

ENONE

Thy Love is fair for thee alone,

And for no other Ladie.

My Love is fair, my Love is gay,
As fresh as been the flowers in May;
And of my Love my roundelay,
My merry merry merry roundelay,

Concludes with Cupid's Curse-
They that do change old love for new,
Pray Gods, they change for worse!

BOTH They that do change

ENONE- Fair and fair and twice so fair,
As fair as any may be,-

The fairest shepherd on our green,
A Love for any Ladie!

PARIS- Fair and fair and twice so fair,
As fair as any may be,-

G

.ENONE

Thy Love is fair for thee alone,

And for no other Ladie.

My Love can pipe, my Love can sing,
My Love can many a pretty thing;

And of his lovely praises ring
My merry merry roundelays:

Amen to Cupid's Curse!

They that do change old love for new, Pray Gods, they change for worse! PARIS They that do change old love for new, Pray Gods, they change for worse!

BOTH - Fair and fair

О

COLIN'S SONG

GENTLE LOVE! ungentle for thy deed,
Thou makest my heart

A bloody mark,

With piercing shot to bleed :

Shoot soft, sweet Love! for fear thou shoot amiss, For fear too keen

Thy arrows been

And hit the heart where my Beloved is!

Too fair that fortune were, nor never I

Shall be so blest
Among the rest,

That Love shall seize on her by sympathy: Then since with Love my prayèrs bear no boot, This doth remain

To cease my pain:

I take the wound and die at Venus' foot.