Shalt thou his faults with eye severe explore, And give to life one human weakness more? Still mark if vice or nature prompts the deed; Still mark the strong temptation and the need; On pressing want, on famine's powerful call, At least more lenient let thy justice fall. APOLOGY FOR VAGRANTS For him who, lost to every hope of life, AUGUSTUS MONTAGU TOPLADY ROCK OF AGES Rock of Ages, cleft for me, From Thy riven side which flowed, Be of sin the double cure, Cleanse me from its guilt and power. Not the labors of my hands Nothing in my hand I bring; While I draw this fleeting breath, JOHN SKINNER TULLOCHGORUM Come gie's a sang! Montgomery cried, For what's been done before 'em? Let Whig and Tory all agree, To drop their Whig-mig-morum! Let Whig and Tory all agree The reel o' Tullochgorum! O, Tullochgorum's my delight; And ony sumph' that keeps up spite, And mak a happy quorum; For blythe and cheery we's be a', There needs na be sae great a phrase For half a hundred score o' 'em: They're douff and dowie at the best, Douff and dowie, douff and dowie, They're douff and dowie at the best, Wi' a' their variorum; They're douff and dowie at the best, Let warldly minds themselves oppress To the reel o' Tullochgorum? May choicest blessings still attend And a' that's good watch o'er him! And dainties a great store o' em! That's fond o' Tullochgorum! But for the dirty, yawning fool And discontent devour him! And nane say 'wae's me' for him! THOMAS CHATTERTON [SONGS FROM "ELLA, A TRAGYCAL ENTERLUDE, WROTENN BIE THOMAS ROWLEIE"] [THE BODDYNGE FLOURETTES BLOSHES ATTE THE LYGHTE] FYRSTE MYNSTRELLE The boddynge flourettes bloshes atte the lyghte; Whenn gentle wyndes doe blowe to whestlyng dynne ys brought. The evenynge commes, and brynges the dewe alonge; The roddie welkynne sheeneth to the eyne; Arounde the alestake Mynstrells synge the songe; Yonge ivie rounde the doore poste do entwyne; I laie mee onn the grasse; yette, to mie wylle, Albeytte alle ys fayre, there lackethe somethynge stylle. SECONDE MYNSTRELLE So Adam thoughtenne, whann, ynn Paradyse, All Heavenn and Erthe dyd hommage to hys mynde; Ynn Womman alleyne mannès pleasaunce lyes; As Instrumentes of joie were made the kynde. Go, take a wyfe untoe thie armes, and see Wynter and brownie hylles wyll have a charm for thee. THYRDE MYNSTRELLE Whanne Autumpne blake and sonne-brente doe appere, With hys goulde honde guylteynge the falleynge lefe, Bryngeynge oppe Wynterr to folfylle the yere, Beerynge uponne hys backe the ripèd shefe; Whan al the hyls wythe woddie sede ys whyte; Whanne levynne-fyres and lemes do mete from far the syghte; Whann the fayre apple, rudde as even skie, Meethynckes mie hartys joie ys steynced wyth somme care. SECONDE MYNSTRELLE Angelles bee wrogte to bee of neidher kynde; Angelles alleyne fromme chafe desyre bee free: Dheere ys a somwhatte evere yn the mynde, Yatte, wythout wommanne, cannot styllèd bee; Ne seyncte yn celles, botte, havynge blodde and tere, Do fynde the spryte to joie on syghte of womanne fayre; |