PERCY. Whereby she seized was, And then to Ludlow sent, Where she was judged, condemned, and hanged, There died this gallant quean, Was Barnwell hung in chains. Lo! here's the end of youth, * Poland:-The ship was probably bound to Dantzic. THE PASSIONATE SHEPHERD TO HIS LOVE. BY CHRISTOPHER MARLOW. COME, live with me, and be my love, There will we sit upon the rocks, There will I make thee beds of roses, Embroidered all with leaves of myrtle. * This song has been sometimes printed as Shakspeare's; but there is now very little doubt that it is rightly attributed to Marlow. It is assigned to him by Walton (who lived very near to his time), in his "Complete Angler,” wherein it is inserted, and described as " old-fashioned poetry, but choicely good;" and also an answer, by Sir Walter Raleigh; but this last is of inferior merit. A pleasing but extravagant poem was written in imitation of Marlow's, by Dr. Donne, who died in 1631. Christopher Marlow was a poet of very superior talents, but unhappily of unusually evil principles; and, in consequence, of very dissolute habits. This, however, the reader would hardly discover from his noble tragedy of "Faustus:" the conclusion of which, in particular, is very finely worked up. Marlow died, disgracefully, in 1593. A gown made of the finest wool, Which from our pretty lambs we'll pull; A belt of straw, and ivy buds, The shepherd swains shall dance and sing PERCY. A CHRISTMAS SONG.* BY J. WITHERS. [About 1630.] So, now is come our joyfullest feast, Each room with ivy leaves is dressed, And every post with holly. Though some churls at our mirth repine, Round your foreheads garlands twine- Now, all our neighbours' chimneys smoke, * This song has been inserted, as containing a curious and faithful description of the Christmas manners of our ancestors: in some points, doubtless, degenerating sadly into evil and intemperance, and therefore open to animadversion; but in others, exhibiting a benevolence and simplicity of character which, it is much to be lamented, in our more advanced days is becoming obsolete and neglected, and in danger of complete extinction. Without the door let sorrow lie; Now every lad is wond'rous trim, Young men and maids, and girls and boys, Give life to one another's joys, And you anon shall by their noise Perceive that they are merry. Rank misers now do sparing shun, Their hall of music soundeth; And dogs thence with whole shoulders run- The country folks themselves advance, And Jack shall pipe, and Jill shall dance, Ned Squash hath fetched his bands from pawn, And all his best apparel; Brisk Nell hath bought a ruff of lawn, With droppings of the barrel. And those that hardly, all the year, Had bread to eat or rags to wear, Will have both clothes and dainty fare, Now poor men to the Justices With capons make their errants, And if they hap to fail of these, They plague them with their warrants ; |