The revel now proceed apace, They sit, they drink, and eat; By this the stars began to wink, Chill, dark, alone, adreed, he lay, Then deem'd the dole was o'er : This tale a sybil nurse ared; She softly stroak'd my youngling head, And some are born with none. 'But virtue can itself advance Virtue can gain the odds of fate, Parnell. THE FAIRIES' FAREWELL. FAREWELL, rewards and fairies! Do fare as well as they; And though they sweep their hearths no less Yet who of late for cleanliness Lament, lament, old abbies, For love of your domains. At morning and at evening both Or Ciss to milking rose, And nimbly went their toes. Witness those rings and roundelays But since of late Elizabeth And later James came in ; By which we note the fairies A tell-tale in their company Now they have left our quarters; Who can preserve their charters; By one that I could name Are kept in store! con twenty thanks To William Churne of Staffordshire Who every meal can mend your cheer To William all give audience, For all the fairy's evidence Were lost, if it were addle. Corbet. THE FROLICSOME DUKE*. Now as Fame does report, a young duke keeps a court, One that pleases his fancy with frolicsome sport: But among all the rest, here is one, I protest, Which will make you to smile when you hear the true jest. A poor tinker he found lying drunk on the ground, As secure in a sleep as if laid in a swound. The duke said to his men, William, Richard, and Ben, 'Take him home to my palace, we'll sport with him then.' O'er a horse he was laid, and with care soon convey'd To the palace, although he was poorly array'd: Then they stripp'd off his clothes, both his shirt, shoes, and hose, And they put him to bed for to take his repose. Having pull'd off his shirt, which was all over dirt, They did give him clean holland, which was no great hurt: * The story is told of Philip the Good, duke of Burgundy. On a bed of soft down, like a lord of renown, They did lay him to sleep the drink out of his crown. In the morning when day, then admiring he lay, For to see the rich chamber both gaudy and gay. Now he lay something late, in his rich bed of state, Till at last knights and 'squires they on him did wait; And the chamberlain bare then did likewise de clare, He desired to know what apparel he'd wear : Though he seem'd something mute, yet he chose a rich suit, Which he straightways put on without longer dispute; With a star on each side, which the tinker oft eyed, And it seem'd for to swell him no little with pride; For he said to himself, 'Where is Joan, my sweet wife? Sure she never did see me so fine in her life.' From a convenient place the right duke his good grace Did observe his behaviour in every case. To a garden of state on the tinker they wait, Trumpets sounding before him; thought he, This is great: Where an hour or two pleasant walks he did view, With commanders and 'squires in scarlet and blue. |