When all was handsomly dispos'd,
She prayes them to have care

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That nothing hap in their default,

That might his health impair.

"And, damsell," quoth shee, "for it seemes

Scarce taking leave, he home returnes
The matter to debate.

The countesse was a-bed, and he

With her his lodging tooke.

"Sir, welcome home" (quoth shee), "this night 165

For you I did not looke."

Then did he question her of such

His stuffe bestowed soe.

"Forsooth," quoth she, "because I did

Your love and lodging knowe:

"Your love to be a proper wench,
Your lodging nothing lesse;
I held it for your health, the house
More decently to dresse.

170

The following stanzas were written by Michael Drayton, a poet of some eminence in the reigns of Queen Elizabeth, James I., and Charles I.1 They are inserted in one of his Pastorals, the first edition of which bears this whimsical title. "Idea. The Shepheards Garland fashioned in nine Eglogs. Rowlands sacrifice to the nine muses. Lond. 1593, 4to." They are inscribed with the author's name at length, "To the noble and valerous gentleman master Robert Dudley," &c. It is very remarkable, that when Drayton reprinted them in the first folio edition of his works, 1619, he had given those Eclogues so thorough a revisal, that there is hardly a line to be found the same as in the old edition. This poem had received the fewest corrections, and therefore is chiefly given from the ancient copy, where it is thus introduced by one of his shepherds:

"Listen to mee, my lovely shepheards joye,

And thou shalt heare, with mirth and mickle glee,

A prettie tale, which when I was a boy,

My toothles grandame oft hath tolde to me."

The author has professedly imitated the style and metre of some of the

1 He was born in 1563, and died in 1631.-Biog. Brit.

old metrical romances; particularly that of Sir Isenbras, (alluded to in v. 3,) as the reader may judge from the following specimen:

"Lordynges, lysten, and you shal here," &c.

This ancient legend was printed in black letter, 4to, by Wyllyam Copland: no date. In the Cotton Library (Calig. A. 2), is a MS. copy of the same romance containing the greatest variations. They are probably two different translations of some French original.

FARRE in the countiey of Arden,
There won'd a knight, hight Cassemen,

As bolde as Isenbras;

Fell was he and eger bent,
In battell and in tournament,
As was the good Sir Topas.

He had, as antique stories tell,
A daughter cleaped Dowsabel,

A mayden fayre and free;

And for she was her father's heire,
Full well she was y-cond the leyre

5

10

Of mickle curtesie.

Went forth, when May was in her prime,

He lear'd his sheepe as he him list,

45

When he would whistle in his fist,
To feede about him round;
Whilst he full many a carroll sung,
Untill the fields and meadowes rung,
And all the woods did sound.

In favour this same shepheards swayne
Was like the bedlam Tamburlayne,

3

Which helde prowd kings in awe;
But meeke he was as lamb mought be;
And innocent of ill as he 4

Whom his lewd brother slaw.

50

3 Alluding to Tamburlaine the Great, or the Scythian Shepheard, 1590, 8vo, an old ranting play ascribed to Marlowe.

4 Sc. Abel.

The shepheard ware a sheepe-gray cloke,
Which was of the finest loke,

55

That could be cut with sheere.

Which liked Dowsabel;

That would she ought, or would she nought,

70

This lad would never from her thought,

She in love-longing fell.

"Thy sheepe," quoth she, "cannot be leahe, That have a jolly shepheards swayne,

80

The which can pipe so well."

66

Yea, but," sayth he, "their shepheard may,

If pyping thus he pine away,

In love of Dowsabel."

"Of love, fond boy, take thou no keepe,"

85

Lest they should hap to stray.'

Quoth she; "looke thou unto thy sheepe,

Quoth he, "So had I done full well,

Had I not seen fayre Dowsabell

Come forth to gather maye."

90