按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
that was sung by your daughter when I last passed over this meadow； about eight or nine days since。
Milk…woman。 What song was it； I pray？ Was it； 〃 Come； Shepherds； deck your herds 〃 ？ or； 〃 As at noon Dulcina rested 〃 ？ or； 〃 Phillida flouts me 〃 ？ or； 〃 Chevy Chace 〃 ？ or； 〃 Johnny Armstrong 〃 ？ or； 〃 Troy Town 〃 ？
Piscator。 No； it is none of those； it is a Song that your daughter sung the first part； and you sung the answer to it。
Milk…woman。 O； I know it now。 I learned the first part in my golden age； when I was about the age of my poor daughter； and the latter part； which indeed fits me best now； but two or three years ago； when the cares of the world began to take hold of me： but you shall； God willing； hear them both； and sung as well as we can； for we both love anglers。 Come； Maudlin； sing the first part to the gentlemen； with a merry heart； and I'll sing the second when you have done。
The Milk…maid's song。
Come live with me； and be my love； And we will all the pleasures prove； That valleys； groves； or hills； or fields； Or woods； and steepy mountains yields；
Where we will sit upon the rocks； And see the shepherds feed our flocks； By shallow rivers； to whose falls Melodious birds sing madrigals。
And I will make thee beds of roses； And； then； a thousand fragrant posies； A cap of flowers； and a kirtle； Embroidered all with leaves of myrtle；
A gown made of the finest wool Which from our pretty lambs we pull Slippers； lin'd choicely for the cold； With buckles of the purest gold；
A belt of straw and ivy…buds； With coral clasps； and amber studs。 And if these pleasures may thee move； Come； live with me； and be my love；
Thy silver dishes； for thy meat As precious as the Gods do eat Shall； on an ivory table； be Prepared each day for thee and me。
The shepherd swains shall dance and sing For thy delight； each May morning。 If these delights thy mind may move； Then live with me； and be my love。
Venator。 Trust me； master； it is a choice song； and sweetly sung by honest Maudlin。 I now see it was not without cause that our good queen Elizabeth did so often wish herself a milk…maid all the month of May； because they are not troubled with fears and cares； but sing sweetly all the day； and sleep securely all the night： and without doubt； honest； innocent； pretty Maudlin does so。 I'll bestow Sir Thomas Overbury's milk…maid's wish upon her； 〃that she may die in the Spring； and； being dead； may have good store of flowers stuck round about her winding… sheet 〃 。
The Milk…maid's mother's answer
If all the world and love were young And truth in every shepherd's tongue； These pretty pleasures might me move To live with thee； and be thy love。
But Time drives flocks from field to fold。 When rivers rage； and rocks grow cold Then Philomel becometh dumb And age complains of cares to come。
The flowers do fade； and wanton fields To wayward winter reckoning yields。 A honey tongue； a heart of gall； Is fancy's spring but sorrow's fall。
Thy gowns； thy shoes； thy beds of roses； Thy cap； thy kirtle； and thy posies； Soon break； soon wither； soon forgotten； In folly rise。 in reason rotten。
Thy belt of straw； and ivy buds； Thy coral clasps； and amber studs； All these in me no means can move To come to thee； and be thy love。
What should we talk of dainties； then； Of better meat than's fit for men ？ These are but vain： that's only good Which God hath blessed and sent for food。
But could youth last； and love still breed； Had joys no date； nor age no need； Then those delights my mind might move To live with thee； and be thy love。
Mother。 Well！ I have done my song。 But stay； honest anglers； for I will make Maudlin sing you one short song more。 Maudlin ！ sing that song that you sung last night； when young Coridon the shepherd played so purely on his oaten pipe to you and your cousin Betty。
Maudlin。 I will； mother。
I married a wife of late； The more's my unhappy fate： I married her for love； As my fancy did me move； And not for a worldly estate：
But oh！ the green sickness Soon changed her likeness； And all her beauty did fail。 But 'tis not so With those that go Thro'frost and s As As all men know； And carry the milking…pail。
Piscator。 Well sung； good woman； I thank you。 I'll give you another dish of fish one of these days； and then beg another song of you。 Come； scholar ！ let Maudlin alone： do not you offer to spoil her voice。 Look ！ yonder comes mine hostess； to call us to supper。 How now！ is my brother Peter come？
Hostess。 Yes； and a friend with him。 They are both glad to hear that you are in these parts； and long to see you； and long to be at supper； for they be very hungry。
The third day … continued
On the Trout
Chapter V
Piscator； Peter； Venator； Coridon
Piscator。 Well met； brother Peter！ I heard you and a friend would lodge here to…night； and that hath made me to bring my friend to lodge here too。 My friend is one that would fain be a brother of the angle： he hath been an angler but this day； and I have taught him how to catch a Chub； by dapping with a grasshopper； and the Chub he caught was a lusty one of nineteen inches long。 But pray； brother Peter； who is your companion ？
Peter。 Brother Piscator； my friend is an honest countryman； and his name is Coridon； and he is a downright witty companion； that met me here purposely to be pleasant and eat a Trout； and I have not yet wetted my line since we met together： but I hope to fit him with a Trout for his breakfast； for I'll be early up。
Piscator。 Nay； brother； you shall not stay so long； for； look you！ here is a Trout will fill six reasonable bellies。
Come； hostess； dress it presently； and get us what other meat the house will afford； and give us some of your best barley…wine； the good liquor that our honest forefathers did use to think of； the drink which preserved their health； and made them live so long； and to do so many good deeds。
Peter。 On my word； this Trout is perfect in season。 Come； I thank you； and here is a hearty draught to you； and to all the brothers of the angle wheresoever they be； and to my young brother's good fortune to… morrow。 I will furnish him with a rod； if you will furnish him with the rest of the tackling： we will set him up； and make him a fisher。 And I will tell him one thing for his encouragement； that his fortune hath made him happy to be scholar to such a master； a master that knows as much； both of the nature and breeding of fish； as any man； and can also tell him as well how to catch and cook them； from the Minnow to the Salmon； as any that I ever met withal。
Piscator。 Trust me； brother Peter； I find my scholar to be so suitable to my own humour； which is to be free and pleasant and civilly merry； that my resolution is to hide nothing that I know from him。 Believe me； scholar； this is my resolution； and so here's to you a hearty draught； and to all that love us and the honest art of Angling。
Venator。 Trust me； good master； you shall not sow your seed in barren ground； for I hope to return you an increase answerable to your hopes： but； however； you shall find me obedient； and thankful； and serviceable to my best ability。
Piscator。 'Tis enough； honest scholar！ come； let's to supper。 Come； my friend Coridon； this Trout looks lovely； it was twenty…two inches when it was taken； and the belly of it looked； some part of it； as yellow as a marigold； and part of it as white as a lily； and yet； methinks； it looks better in this good sauce。
Coridon。 Indeed； honest friend； it looks well； and tastes well： I thank you for it； and so doth my friend Peter； or else he is to blame。
Peter。 Yes； and so I do； we all thank you： and； when we have supped； I will get my friend Coridon to sing you a song for requital。
Coridon。 I will sing a song； if anybody will sing another； else； to be plain with you； I will sing none。 I am none of those that sing for meat； but for company： I say；
'〃Tis merry in hall； When men sing all。〃
Piscator。 I'll promise you I'll sing a song that was lately made； at my request； by Mr。 William Basse； one that hath made the choice songs of the 〃 Hunter in his Career；〃 and of 〃 Tom of Bedlam；〃 and many others of note； and this； that I will sing； is in praise of Angling。
Coridon。 And then mine shall be the praise of a Countryman's life。 What will the rest sing of？
Peter。 I will promise you； I will sing another song in praise of Angling to…morrow night； for we will not part till then； but fish to…morrow； and sup together： and the next day every man leave fishing； and fall to his business。
Venator。 Tis a match； and I will provide you a song or a catch against then； too； which shall give some addition of mirth to the company； for we will be civil and as merry as beggars。
Piscator。 Tis a match； my masters。 Let's e en say grace； and turn to the fire； drink the other cup to whet our whistles； and so sing away all sad thoughts。 Come on； my masters； who begins？ I think it is best to draw cuts； and avoid contention。
Peter。 It is a match。 Look； the shortest cut falls to Coridon。
Coridon。 Well； then； I will begin； for I hate contention
Coridon's song。
Oh the sweet contentment The countryman doth find！ Heigh trolollie lollie foe； Heigh trolollie