Whether thou seek'st new kingdoms in the sun,
Whether thy Muse does at Newmarket run,
Or does with gossips at a feast regale,

And heighten her conceits with sack and ale,
Or else at wakes with Joan and Hodge rejoice, 15
Where D'Urfey's lyrics swell in every voice;
Yet suffer me, thou bard of wondrous meed,
Amid thy bays to weave this rural weed.

20

Now the sun drove adown the western road, And oxen, laid at rest, forgot the goad; The clown fatigued trudged homeward with his spade,

Across the meadows stretch'd the lengthen'd shade;

When Sparabella, pensive and forlorn,

Alike with yearning love and labour worn, Lean'd on her rake, and straight with doleful guise Did this sad plaint in mournful notes devise: 26 'Come night as dark as pitch, surround my head, From Sparabella, Bumkinet is fled;

30

The ribbon that his valorous cudgel won,
Last Sunday happier Clumsilis put on :
Sure if he'd eyes (but Love, they say, has none)
I whilom by that ribbon had been known.
Ah! well-a-day! I'm shent with baneful smart,
For with the ribbon he bestow'd his heart.

Ver. 11.] An opera written by this author, called 'The World in the Sun; or, The Kingdom of Birds;' he is also famous for his song on the Newmarket horse-race, and several others that are sung by the British swains.

Ver. 17.] Meed, an old word for fame or renown.
Ver. 18.]
Inter victrices hederam tibi serpere lauros.

- Hanc sine tempora circum

Virg.

Ver. 25.] Incumbens tereti Damon sic cœpit olivæ. Virg. Ver. 33.] Shent, an old word signifying hurt, or harmed.

My plaint, ye lasses! with this burden aid, 35 "Tis hard so true a damsel dies a maid.

• Shall heavy Clumsilis with me compare? View this, ye lovers! and like me despair. Her blubber'd lip by smutty pipes is worn, And in her breath tobacco whiffs are borne; 40 The cleanly cheese-press she could never turn, Her awkward fist did ne'er employ the churn; If e'er she brew'd, the drink would straight go sour, Before it ever felt the thunder's power: No huswifery the dowdy creature knew;

To sum up all, her tongue confess'd the shrew. My plaint, ye lasses! with this burden aid, "Tis hard so true a damsel dies a maid.

45

50

'I've often seen my visage in yon lake, Nor are my features of the homeliest make. Though Clumsilis may boast a whiter dye, Yet the black sloe turns in my rolling eye; And fairest blossoms drop with every blast, But the brown beauty will like hollies last. Her wan complexion's like the wither'd leek, 55 While Katherine pears adorn my ruddy cheek. Yet she, alas! the witless lout hath won, And by her gain poor Sparabell's undone! Let hares and hounds in coupling straps unite, The clucking hen make friendship with the kite; 60

Ver. 37.] Mopso Nisa datur; quid non speremus amantes?

Virg.

Ver. 49.] Nec sum adeo informis; nuper me in litore vidi.

Virg.

Ver. 53.] Alba ligustra cadunt, vaccinis nigra leguntur.

Virg.

Ver. 59.] Jungentur jam gryphes equis; ævoque sequeni

Cum canibus timidi venient ad pocula damæ.

Virg.

Let the fox simply wear the nuptial noose,
And join in wedlock with the waddling goose ;
For Love hath brought a stranger thing to pass,
The fairest shepherd weds the foulest lass.

My plaint, ye lasses! with this burden aid, 65 'Tis hard so true a damsel dies a maid.

'Sooner shall cats disport in waters clear, And speckled mackarel graze the meadows fair; Sooner shall screech-owls bask in sunny day, And the slow ass on trees, like squirrels, play; 70 Sooner shall snails on insect pinions rove, Than I forget my shepherd's wonted love.

My plaint, ye lasses! with this burden aid, "Tis hard so true a damsel dies a maid.

80

"Ah! didst thou know what proffers I withstood, When late I met the squire in yonder wood; 76 To me he sped, regardless of his game, While all my cheek was glowing red with shame; My lip he kiss'd, and praised my healthful look, Then from his purse of silk a guinea took: Into my hand he forced the tempting gold, While I with modest struggling broke his hold. He swore that Dick, in livery striped with lace, Should wed me soon to keep me from disgrace; But I nor footman prized nor golden fee, For what is lace or gold compared to thee?

My plaint, ye lasses! with this burden aid,

"Tis hard so true a damsel dies a maid.

85

Now plain I ken whence Love his rise begun ; Sure he was born some bloody butcher's son, 90

Ver. 67.] Ante leves ergo pascentur in æthere cervi, Et freta destituent nudos in littore pisces

Quam nostro illius labatur pectore vultus.

Virg.

Ver. 89.] To ken. Scire Chaucero, to ken, and kende,

Bred up in shambles, where our younglings slain
Erst taught him mischief, and to sport with pain.
The father only silly sheep annoys,

The son the sillier shepherdess destroys.
Does son or father greater mischief do?
The sire is cruel, so the son is too.

'My plaint, ye lasses! with this burden aid, "Tis hard so true a damsel dies a maid.

95

Farewell, ye woods! ye meads! ye streams! that flow;

100

:

A sudden death shall rid me of my woe.
This penknife keen my windpipe shall divide :-
What, shall I fall as squeaking pigs have died!
No-To some tree this carcass I'll suspend:
But worrying curs find such untimely end!
I'll speed me to the pond, where the high stool 105
On the long plank hangs o'er the muddy pool,
That stool, the dread of every scolding quean;-
Yet sure a lover should not die so mean!
There placed aloft, I'll rave and rail by fits,
Though all the parish say I've lost my wits; 110
And thence, if courage holds, myself I'll throw,
And quench my passion in the lake below.

notus A. S. cunnan. Goth. kunnan. Germanis kennen. Danis kiende. Islandis Kunna. Belgis kennen. This word is of general use, but not very common, though not unknown to the vulgar. Ken, for prospicere, is well known, and used, to discover by the eye. Ray, F. R. S.

Nunc scio quid sit amor, &c.

Crudelis mater magis, an puer improbus ille?

Improbus ille puer; crudelis tu quoque, mater.

Virg.

Ver. 99.] vivite Sylvæ,

Præceps aëri specula de montis in undas

Deferar.

Virg.

'Ye lasses! cease your burden, cease to moan; And, by my case forewarn'd, go mind your own.' The sun was set; the night came on apace, 115 And falling dews bewet around the place, The bat takes airy rounds on leathern wings, And the hoarse owl his woful dirges sings; The prudent maiden deems it now too late, And till to-morrow comes, defers her fate.

120

Thursday:

OR,

THE SPELL.

HOBNELIA.

HOBNELIA, seated in a dreary vale,
In pensive mood rehearsed her piteous tale;
Her piteous tale the winds in sighs bemoan,
And pining Echo answers groan for groan:
I rue the day, a rueful day I trow,

The woful day, a day indeed of woe!
When Lubberkin to town his cattle drove,
A maiden fine bedight he hap to love;
The maiden fine bedight his love retains,
And for the village he forsakes the plains.

10

Ver. 8.] Dight, or bedight, from the Saxon word Dightan, which signifies to set in order.