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My love, as long as life shall last,
Not forcing any fortune's blast;
No threat, nor thraldom shall prevail
To cause my faith one jot to fail;
But, as I was, so will I be,

A lover, and a friend to thee.

SIR EDWARD DYER.

A poet whose lot has been rather singular. His name is generally coupled with that of Sir Philip Sidney, and of the most fashionable writers of the age; and yet Bolton, who was almost a contemporary critic, professes "not to "have seen much of his poetry." Though a knight, in a reign when knighthood was nobility, the time of his birth is unknown. Wood intimates that he received some of his academical education at Baliol College, Oxford. Having the character of a well-bred man, he was taken into the service of the court. Queen Elizabeth employed him in several embassies, and conferred on him the Chancellorship of the Garter. He died in the reign of King James. The letters M. D. in the Paradise of Dainty Devices are presumed (says Mr. Ritson in his Bibliographia), to denote this Master Dyer. Of six pieces, preserved in England's Helicon, only half of one appeared worth transcribing, as a specimen of his style.

To Phillis the fair Shepherdess.

My Phillis hath the morning sun
At first to look upon her;
And Phillis hath morn-waking birds,
Her risings still to honour.

My Phillis hath prime-feather'd flowers,
That smile when she treads on them;
And Phillis hath a gallant flock,

That leaps since she doth own them.

But Phillis hath too hard a heart;
Alas, that she should have it!

It yields no mercy to desert,
Nor grace to those that crave it.

Signed S. E. D.

JOHN STILL

Was born at Grantham in Lincolnshire, about 1542, and educated at Christ's College, Cambridge, where he proceeded M. A. and D. D. After passing through several gradations in the church, and having been successively master of St. John's and Trinity Colleges, and vice-chancellor of Cambridge, he attained the mitre of Bath and Wells, after the demise of bishop Godwin, and died in 1607. Sir John Harington speaks of him with glowing commendation, in his brief" State of the Church."

He is believed to have written the earliest English drama that exhibited any approaches to regular comedy. This drama, entitled "Gammer Gurton's Needle," was acted in 1566, though not printed till 1575. It contains the following chanson à boire, which has had the honour to occupy a page in Warton's poetic history, from its vein of ease and humour.

A SONG.

I CANNOT eat but little meat,

My stomach is not good;
But sure, I think that I can drink

With him that wears a hood.

Tho' I go bare, take ye no care,
I am nothing a cold,
I stuff my skin so full within

Of jolly good ale and old.

Back and side go bare, go bare,
Both foot and hand go cold;

But, belly, God send thee good ale enough,
Whether it be new or old.

I love no roast but a nut-brown toast,
And a crab laid in the fire;

A little bread shall do me stead,
Much bread I not desire.

No frost, no snow, no wind, I trow
Can hurt me if I wold,

I am so wrapt, and thoroughly lapt
Of jolly good ale and old.
Back and side go bare, &c.

And Tib, my wife, that as her life
Loveth well good ale to seek,
Full oft drinks she, till ye may see
The tears run down her cheek:
Then doth she troul to me the bowl,
Even as a maltworm should,

And saith, "Sweetheart, I took my part

"Of this jolly good ale and old."

Back and side go bare, &c.

Now let them drink till they nod and wink,

Even as good fellows should do;

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