The thissel-cock cryis The fieldis ouerflowis The nicht is neir gone. Now hairtis with hindis On ground quhair they grone. Aye passis in pairis; 16 Quhilk duly declaris The nicht is neir gone. 24 The season excellis Through sweetness that smellis; Now Cupid compellis Our hairtis echone On Venus wha waikis, To muse on our maikis, Syne sing for their saikis— 'The nicht is neir gone!' 40 All courageous knichtis The breist-plate that bright is The freikis on feildis Are broke on their breistis: So hard are their hittis, On ground quhile they grone. Alexander Montgomerie. 56 48 1601. HYMN TO DIANA Foom Cynthia's Revels QUEEN and Huntress, chaste and fair, Seated in thy silver chair State in wonted manner keep: Hesperus entreats thy light, Earth, let not thy envious shade Cynthia's shining orb was made Heaven to clear when day did close: Lay thy bow of pearl apart And thy crystal-shining quiver; Give unto the flying hart Space to breathe, how short soever: Thou that mak'st a day of night, 6 12 18 Ben Jonson. SPRING'S WELCOME From Campaspe WHAT bird so sings, yet so does wail? Jug, jug, jug, jug, tereu! she cries, 10 1584. SPRING John Lyly. From Summer's Last Will and Testament SPRING, the sweet Spring, is the year's pleasant king; Then blooms each thing, then maids dance in a ring, Cold doth not sting, the pretty birds do sing, The palm and may make country houses gay, Lambs frisk and play, the shepherds pipe all day, And we hear aye birds tune this merry lay, Cuckoo, jug-jug, pu-we, to-witta-woo! 8 The fields breathe sweet, the daisies kiss our feet, 1600. Spring! the sweet Spring! 13 Thomas Nash. . TO THE NIGHTINGALE As it fell upon a day, In the merry month of May, Sitting in a pleasant shade Which a grove of myrtles made, Beasts did leap, and birds did sing, Trees did grow, and plants did spring; Save the nightingale alone. She, poor bird, as all forlorn, Leaned her breast up-till a thorn; And there sung the doleful'st ditty 10 |