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XXI

DIRGES

WEET Flower, with flowers thy bridal bed I

SWEE

strew,

O woe! thy canopy is dust and stones ;-Which with sweet water nightly I will dew,

Or, wanting that, with tears distilled by moans : The obsequies that I for thee will keep

Nightly shall be to strew thy grave and weep.

Pardon, Goddess of the night,
Those that slew thy virgin knight;
For the which, with songs of woe,
Round about her tomb they go.

Midnight, assist our moan;
Help us to sigh and groan,

Heavily, heavily :

Graves, yawn and yield your dead

Till death be uttered,

Heavily, heavily.

XXII

THE END

EAR no more the heat o' the sun

FEAR

Nor the furious winter's rages; Thou thy worldly task hast done, Home art gone, and ta'en thy wages : Golden lads and girls all must, As chimney-sweepers, come to dust.

Fear no more the frown o' the great;
Thou art past the tyrant's stroke;
Care no more to clothe and eat ;
To thee the reed is as the oak:
The sceptre, learning, physic, must
All follow this, and come to dust.

Fear no more the lightning-flash

Nor the all-dreaded thunder-stone;

Fear not slander, censure rash;
Thou hast finish'd joy and moan:

All lovers young, all lovers must
Consign to thee, and come to dust.

No exorciser harm thee !

Nor no witchcraft charm thee!
Ghost unlaid forbear thee !
Nothing ill come near thee !
Quiet consummation have;

And renowned be thy grave!

XXIII

THE FAIRY LIFE

I

WHERE the bee sucks, there suck I:

In a cowslip's bell I lie ;

There I couch when owls do cry.

On the bat's back I do fly

After summer merrily.

Merrily, merrily shall I live now,

Under the blossom that hangs on the bough.

II

Come unto these yellow sands,
And then take hands :

Courtsied when you have and kiss'd
The wild waves whist,

Foot it featly here and there

e;

And, sweet Sprites, the burthen bear :

Hark, hark!

Bow-wow.

The watch-dogs bark :

Bow-wow.

Hark, hark! I hear

The strain of strutting chanticleer

Cry, Cock-a-diddle-dow.

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