fed us, or elfe Coridon wil be doged. Pifc. Nay, I will not be worse my word, you fhall not want my Song, and I hope I fhall be

then

fect in it.

per

Viat. And I hope the like for my Ketch, which I have ready too,and therefore lets go merrily to Supper, and then have a gentle touch at finging and drinking; but the laft with moderation.

Cor. Come,now for your Song, for we have fed heartily. Come Hoftis, give us a little more drink, and lay a few more sticks on the fire, and now fing when you will. Pifc. Well then, here's to you Coridon; and now for my Song.

Oh the brave Fishers life,
It is the best of any,

'Tis full of pleasure,void of frife,
And 'tis belov'd of many:
Other joyes

are but toyes,

only this lawful is, for our skil breeds no ill,

but content and pleasure.

In a morning up we rife
Ere Aurora's peeping,

Drink a cup to wash our eyes,
Leave the fluggard fleeping;
Then we go

too and fro,
with our knacks
at our backs,
to fuch streams

as the Thames

if we have the leisure.

When we please to walk abroad

For our recreation,

In the fields is our abode,
Full of delectation:

Where in a Brook
with a book,
or a Lake

fifh we take,

there

there we fit for a bit,

till we fish intangle.

We have Gentles in a born,

We have Pafte and worms too,
We can watch both night and morn,
Suffer rain and ftorms too:
None do here

ufe to fwear,
oathes do fray
fish away,
we fit ftill,
watch our quill,

Fishers must not rangle,

If the Suns excessive heat Makes our bodies fwelter, To an Ofier hedge we get For afriendly fhelter,

where in a dike

Pearch or Pike,
Roch or Dace
we do chafe
Bleak or Gudgion
without grudging,

we are still contented.

Or we fometimes pass an hour,
Under a green willow,

That defends us from a shour,
Making earth our pillow,
There we may

think and pray
before death

ftops our breath;
other joyes
are but toyes
and to be lamented.

Viat. Well fung, Mafter; this dayes fortune and pleasure, and this nights company and Song, do all make me more and more in love

with

Angling.Gentlemen,myMafter left me alone for an hour this day, and I verily believe he retir'd himfelf from talking with me, that he might be fo perfect in this Song;was it not Mafter?

Pifc. Yes indeed, for it is many yeers fince I learn'd it, and having forgotten a part of it, I was forced to patch it up by the help of my own

invention, who am not excellent at Poetry, as my part of the Song may teftifie: But of that I will fay no more, least you should think I mean by discommending it, to beg your commendations of it. And therefore without replications, lets hear your Ketch, Scholer, which I hope will be a good one, for you are both Musical, and have a good fancie to boot.

Viat. Marry, and that you shall, and as freely as I would have my honeft Mafter tel me fome more fecrets of fish and fishing as we walk and fifh towards London to morrow. But Mafter, first let me tell you,that that very hour which you were absent from me, I fate down under a Willow tree by the water fide, and confidered what you had told me of the owner of that pleasant Meadow in which you then left me, that he had a plentiful estate, and not a heart to think fo; that he had at this time many Law Suites depending, and P 3 that