Seeking the food he eats And pleased with what he gets- Here shall be see 15 But winter and rough weather. W. SHAKESPEARE. 8 It was a lover and his lass With a hey and a ho, and a hey-nonino | That o'er the green cornfield did pass In the spring time, the only pretty ring time, When birds do sing hey ding a ding ding: 5 Sweet lovers love the Spring. Between the acres of the rye These pretty country folks would lie : This carol they began that hour, 10 And therefore take the present time With a hey and a ho, and a hey-nonino ! For love is crowned with the prime In spring time, the only pretty ring time, When birds do sing hey ding a ding ding : Sweet lovers love the Spring. 16 W. SHAKESPEARE. 9 PRESENT IN ABSENCE Absence, hear thou my protestation Against thy strength, Distance, and length ; 10 For hearts of truest mettle 5 Absence doth join, and Time doth settle, Who loves a mistress of such quality, He soon hath found Affection's ground To hearts that cannot vary Absence is Present, Time doth tarry. That I can catch her, 15 In some close corner of my brain : There I embrace and kiss her ; And so I both enjoy and miss her. ANON. 10 ABSENCE Upon the hours and times of your desire ? Nor services to do, till you require : Nor dare I chide the world-without-end hour 5 Whilst I, my sovereign, watch the clock for you, Nor think the bitterness of absence sour When you have bid your servant once adieu : Nor dare I question with my jealous thought Where you may be, or your affairs suppose, 10 But like a sad slave, stay and think of nought Save, where you are, how happy you make those ;So true a fool is love, that in your will, Though you do anything, he thinks no ill. W. SHAKESPEARE. 11 How like a winter hath my absence been From Thee, the pleasure of the fleeting year! What freezings have I felt, what dark days seen, What old December's bareness everywhere ! And yet this time removed was summer's time ; 5 The teeming autumn, big with rich increase, Bearing the wanton burden of the prime Like widow'd wombs after their lords' decease : Yet this abundant issue seem'd to me But hope of orphans, and unfather'd fruit; 10 For summer and his pleasures wait on thee, And, thou away, the very birds are mute ; Or if they sing, 'tis with so dull a cheer, That leaves look pale, dreading the winter's near. W. SHAKESPEARE. 12 A CONSOLATION I all alone beweep my outcast state, And look upon myself, and curse my fate ; Wishing me like to one more rich in hope, 5 Featured like him, like him with friends possést, Desiring this man's art, and that man's scope, With what I most enjoy contented least; Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising, Haply I think on Thee-and then my state, 10 Like to the lark at break of day arising From sullen earth, sings hymns at heaven's gate ; For thy sweet love remember'd such wealth brings, That then I scorn to change my state with kings. W. SHAKESPEARE. 13 THE UNCHANGEABLE O never say that I was false of heart, Though absence seem'd my flame to qualify : As easy might I from myself depart As from my soul, which in thy breast doth lie ; That is my home of love ; if I have ranged, 5 Like him that travels, I return again, So that myself bring water for my stain. All frailties that besiege all kinds of blood, 10 That it could so preposterously be stain'd To leave for nothing all thy sum of good : W. SHAKESPEARE. 14 To me, fair Friend, you never can be old, For as you were when first your eye I eyed Such seems your beauty still. Three winters cold Have from the forests shook three summers' pride ; Three beauteous springs to yellow autumn turn'd 5 In process of the seasons have I seen, Three April perfumes in three hot Junes burn'd, Since first I saw you fresh, which yet are green. Ah ! yet doth beauty, like a dial-hand, Steal from his figure, and no pace perceived ; 10 So your sweet hue, which methinks still doth stand, Hath motion, and mine eye may be deceived : For fear of which, hear this, thou age unbred, Ere you were born, was beauty's summer dead. W. SHAKESPEARE. 133 ва 15 DIAPHENIA Diaphenia like the daffadowndilly, White as the sun, fair as the lily, Heigh ho, how I do love thee ! I do love thee as my lambs Are beloved of their dams ; 5 Diaphenia like the spreading roses, That in thy sweets all sweets encloses, 10 Loves the sun's life-giving power ; For dead, thy breath to life might move me. Diaphenia like to all things blesséd When all thy praises are expresséd, Dear joy, how I do love thee ! 15 As the birds do love the spring, Or the bees their careful king : H. CONSTABLE. ROSALYNDE Where all imperial glory shines, Heigh ho, fair Rosalynde ! Her eyes are sapphires set in snow, Resembling heaven by every wink; The Gods do fear whenas they glow, And I do tremble when I think Heigh ho, would she were mine! 5 10 |