The Whole Works of William Browne of Tavistock ... Now first collected and edited, with a memoir of the poet, and notes, by W. Carew Hazlitt, of the Inner Temple |
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 | The Whole Works of William Browne |  |
As I haue seene the Lady of the May
Set in an Arbour (on a Holy-day)
Built by the May-pole, where the iocund Swaines
Dance with the Maidens to the Bagpipes straines,
When enuious Night commands them to be gone,
Call for the merry youngsters one by one,
And for their well performance soone disposes:
To this a Garland interwoue with Roses.
To that a carued Hooke or well-wrought Scrip,
Gracing another with her cherry lip:
To one her Garter, to another then
A Hand-kerchiefe cast o're and o're agen:
And none returneth emptie that hath spent
His paines to fill their rurall merriment:
So Nereus Daughter, when the Swaines had done
With an vnsparing, liberall hand begun
To giue to euery one that sung before,
Rich orient Pearles brought from her hidden store,
Red branching Corrall, and as precious Iems
As euer beautifide the Diadems:
That they might liue what chance their sheepe betide,
On her reward, yet leaue their heires beside.
Since when I think the world doth nothing giue them
As weening Thetis euer should relieue them.
And Poets freely spend a golden showre,
As they expected Her againe each houre.
Set in an Arbour (on a Holy-day)
Built by the May-pole, where the iocund Swaines
Dance with the Maidens to the Bagpipes straines,
When enuious Night commands them to be gone,
Call for the merry youngsters one by one,
And for their well performance soone disposes:
To this a Garland interwoue with Roses.
To that a carued Hooke or well-wrought Scrip,
Gracing another with her cherry lip:
To one her Garter, to another then
A Hand-kerchiefe cast o're and o're agen:
And none returneth emptie that hath spent
His paines to fill their rurall merriment:
So Nereus Daughter, when the Swaines had done
With an vnsparing, liberall hand begun
To giue to euery one that sung before,
Rich orient Pearles brought from her hidden store,
Red branching Corrall, and as precious Iems
As euer beautifide the Diadems:
That they might liue what chance their sheepe betide,
On her reward, yet leaue their heires beside.
Since when I think the world doth nothing giue them
As weening Thetis euer should relieue them.
And Poets freely spend a golden showre,
As they expected Her againe each houre.
| The Whole Works of William Browne | |