Cicely, the western lass, that tends the kee, "Ah, Colin! canst thou leave thy sweetheart "Have I not sat with thee full many a night, "Remember, Colin! when at last year's wake What I have done for thee, will Cicely do? 40 50 "Where'er I gad, I cannot hide my care, 60 70 "Last Friday's eve, when as the Sun was set, Ver. 21. Kee, a west-country word for kine, or cows. 80 90 100 Thus Marian wail'd, her eyes with tears brimful, WEDNESDAY; OR, THE DUMPS.* SPARABELLA. THE wailings of a maiden I recite, A while, O D'Urfey! lend an ear or twain, *Dumps, or dumbs, made use of to express a fit of the sullens. Some have pretended that it is derived from Dumops, a king of Egypt, that built a pyramid, and died of melancholy. So mopes, after the same manner, is thought to have come from Merops, another Egyptian king, that died of the same distemper. But our English antiquaries have conjectured that dumps, which is a grievous heaviness of spirits, comes from the word dumpling, the heaviest kind of pudding that is eaten in this country, much used in Norfolk, and other counties of : England. 40 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! 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 burthen aid, "Tis hard so true a damsel dies a maid.' "Sooner shall cats disport in waters clear, And speckled mack'rel 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 burthen aid, "Tis hard so true a damsel dies a maid.' "Ah! didst thou know what proffers I withstood, When late I met the squire in yonder wood! To me he sped, regardless of his game, While all my cheek was glowing red with shame; My lip he kiss'd, and prais'd my healthful look, Then from his purse of silk a guinea took, Into my hand he forc'd the tempting gold, While I with modest struggling broke his hold. He swore that Dick, in livery strip'd with lace, Should wed me soon, to keep me from disgrace; But I nor footman priz'd, nor golden fee; For what is lace or gold, compar'd to thee? My plaint, ye lasses, with this burthen aid, 'Tis hard so true a damsel dies a maid.' 80 Now plain I ken whence Love his rise begun Sure he was born some bloody butcher's son, 90 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. Farewell, ye woods, ye meads, ye streams tha flow; 50 A sudden death shall rid me of my woe. "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, While Katharine 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; Let the fox simply wear the nuptial noose, 61 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 burthen aid, 'Tis hard so true a damsel dies a maid.' 100 This penknife keen my wind pipe shall divide. "Ye lasses, cease your burthen, cease to moan, And, by my case forewarn'd, go mind your own." Ver. 67. Ante leves ergo pascentur in æthere cervi, Et freta destituent nudos in littore piscesQuàm nostro illius labatur pectore vultus. Virg. Ver. 89. To ken. Scire. Chaucer, to ken, and kende; notus A. S. cunnam. Goth. kunnam. Germanis kennen. Danis kiende. Islandis kunna. Belgis kennen. This word is of general use, but not very common, though not un. known 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. Virg. -vivite sylvæ: Præceps aërii speculá de montis in undas Deferar. Virg. Virg. The Sun was set; the night came on apace, 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. THURSDAY; OR, THE SPELL. HOBNELIA. HOBNELIA, seated in a dreary vale, Spells will I try, and spells shall ease my care. 120 Last May-day fair I search'd to find a snail, That might my secret lover's name reveal. Upon a gooseberry-bush a snail I found, (For always snails near sweetest fruit abound). I seiz'd the vermin, whom I quickly sped, And on the earth the milk-white embers spread. Slow crawl'd the snail; and, if I right can spell, In the soft ashes mark'd a curious L. Oh, may this wondrous omen lucky prove! For L is found in Lubberkin and Love. 50 With my sharp heel I three times mark the ground, And turn me thrice around, around, around.' "Two hazel-nuts I threw into the flame, And to each nut I gave a sweetheart's name; This with the loudest bounce me sore amaz'd, That in a flame of brightest color blaz'd. 10 As blaz'd the nut, so may thy passion grow; For 'twas thy nut that did so brightly glow. With my sharp heel I three times mark the ground, And turn me thrice around, around, around.' "When first the year I heard the cuckoo sing, And call with welcome note the budding spring, I straightway set a running with such haste, Deborah that won the smock scarce ran so fast; Till spent for lack of breath, quite weary grown, Upon a rising bank I sat adown, Then doff'd my shoe, and, by my troth, I swear, 20 With my sharp heel I three times mark the ground, 68 And turn me thrice around, around, around.' "As peascods once I pluck'd, I chanc'd to see I broke my yarn, surpris'd the sight to see; 80 And turn me thrice around, around, around.' "I pare this pippin round and round again, 40 Than what the paring makes upon the green. Last Valentine, the day when birds of kind Their paramours with mutual chirpings find; I early rose, just at the break of day, Before the Sun had chas'd the stars away; A-field I went, amid the morning dew, To milk my kine (for so should huswives do); Thee first I spied; and the first swain we see, In spite of Fortune, shall our true-love be. See, Lubberkin, each bird his partner take; And canst thou then thy sweetheart dear forsake? Ver. 8. Dight, or bedight, from the Saxon word dightan, which signifies to set in order. 90 Ver. 21. Doff and don, contracted from the words do off and do on Ver. 93. Transque caput jace; ne respexeris. Virg. "This pippin shall another trial make, See from the core two kernels brown I take; This on my cheek for Lubberkin is worn; And Boobyclod on t' other side is borne. But Boobyclod soon drops upon the ground, A certain token that his love's unsound; While Lubberkin sticks firmly to the last; Oh, were his lips to mine but join'd so fast! From the tall elm a shower of leaves is borne, 100 And their lost beauty riven beeches mourn. With my sharp heel I three times mark the ground, And turn me thrice around, around, around.' "As Lubberkin once slept beneath a tree, ground, And turn me thrice around, around, around.' 110 Hang sorrow!" Let's to yonder hut repair, And with trim sonnets "cast away our care." "Gillian of Croydon" well thy pipe can play : Thou sing'st most sweet, "O'er hills and far away." the Of "Patient Grissel” I devise to sing, 120 "As I was wont, I trudg'd last market-day To town, with new-laid eggs preserv'd in hay, I made my market long before 'twas night, My purse grew heavy, and my basket light. Straight to the 'pothecary's shop I went, And in love-powder all my money spent. Behap what will, next Sunday, after prayers, When to the alehouse Lubberkin repairs, These golden flies into his mug I'll throw, And soon the swain with fervent love shall glow. With my sharp heel I three times mark the ground, And turn me thrice around, around, around.' 130 And catches quaint shall make the valleys ring. 20 GRUBBINOL. Yes, blithesome lad, a tale I mean to sing, But with my woe shall distant valleys ring. The tale shall make our kidlings droop their head, For, wo is me!-our Blouzelind is dead! BUMKINET. Is Blouzelinda dead? farewell, my glee! As the wood-pigeon cooes without his mate, But hold!—our Lightfoot barks, and cocks his Of Blouzelinda fair I mean to tell, The peerless maid that did all maids excel. 30 Where'er I gad, I Blouzelind shall view, Woods, dairy, barn, and mows, our passion knew, When I direct my eyes to yonder wood, Fresh rising sorrow curdles in my blood. Thither I've often been the damsel's guide, When rotten sticks our fuel have supplied; There I remember how her fagots large Were frequently these happy shoulders' charge. Sometimes this crook drew hazel-boughs adown, And stuff'd her apron wide with nuts so brown; 50 Or when her feeding hogs had miss'd their way, Or wallowing 'mid a feast of acorns lay; Th' untoward creatures to the sty I drove, 60 When in the barn the sounding flail I ply, Where from her sieve the chaff was wont to fly; 70 The poultry there will seem around to stand, Waiting upon her charitable hand. No succor meet the poultry now can find, GRUBBINOL. Albeit thy songs are sweeter to mine ear, Than to the thirsty cattle rivers clear; Or winter porridge to the laboring youth, Or buns and sugar to the damsel's tooth; Yet Blouzelinda's name shall tune my lay, Of her I'll sing for ever and for aye. 90 When Blouzelind expir'd, the wether's bell Before the drooping flock toll'd forth her knell; 100 The solemn death-watch click'd the hour she died, And shrilling crickets in the chimney cried! Ver. 84. The boding raven on her cottage sate, How shall I, void of tears, her death relate, "Mother," quoth she, "let not the poultry need. And give the goose wherewith to raise her breed: Be these my sister's care-and every morn Amid the ducklings let her scatter corn; The sickly calf that's hous'd be sure to tend, Feed him with milk, and from bleak colds defend. Yet ere I die-see, mother, yonder shelf, There secretly I've hid my worldly pelf. Twenty good shillings in a rag I laid; Be ten the parson's, for my sermon paid. The rest is yours-my spinning-wheel and rake Let Susan keep for her dear sister's sake; 120 My new straw hat, that's trimly lin'd with green, 130 To show their love, the neighbors far and near Follow'd with wistful look the damsel's bier. Sprig'd rosemary the lads and lasses bore, While dismally the parson walk'd before. Upon her grave the rosemary they threw, The daisy, butter-flower, and endive blue. After the good man warn'd us from his text, 139 That none could tell whose turn would be the next; He said, that Heaven would take her soul, no doubt, And spoke the hour-glass in her praise-quite out. While bulls bear horns upon their curled brow, 160 Ver. 153. Virg. Dum juga montis aper, fluvios dum piscis amabit, Dumque thymo pascentur apes, dum rore cicada, Semper honos, nomenque tuum, laudesque manebunt. Virg. Ver. 96. An imitation of Theocritus. |