For courts are full of flattery,
As hath too oft been tried;

Heigh trolollie lollie loe, etc.
The city full of wantonness,
And both are full af pride:
Then care away, etc.

But, oh! the honest countryman
Speaks truly from his heart;

Heigh trolollie lollie loe, etc.

His pride is in his tillage,
His horses and his cart:
Then care away, etc.

Our clothing is good sheepskins,
Gray russet for our wives,

Heigh trolollie lollie loe, etc.

'Tis warmth, and not gay clothing, That doth prolong our lives:

Then care away, etc.

The ploughman, though he labour hard,

Yet on the holiday,

Heigh trolollie lollie loe, etc.

No emperor so merrily

Doth pass his time away,

Then care away, etc.

To recompense our tillage,
The heavens afford us showers;
Heigh trolollie lollie loe, etc.
And for our sweet refreshments
The earth affords us bowers;
Then care away, etc.

The cuckoo and the nightingale

Full merrily do sing,

Heigh trolollie lollie loe, etc.

And with their pleasant roundelays
Bid welcome to the spring:
Then care away, etc.

This is not half the happiness
The countryman enjoys;

Heigh trolollie lollie loe, etc.

Though others think they have as much,
Yet he that says so lies:

sung,

Then come away, turn

Countryman with me.-Jo. CHALkhill.

PISC. Well Coridon; this song was sung with mettle, and was choicely fitted to the occasion; I shall love you for it as long as I know you; I would you were a brother of the angle; for a companion that is cheerful, and free from swearing and scurrilous discourse, is worth gold. I love such mirth as does not make friends ashamed to look upon one another next morning; nor men (that

cannot well bear it) to repent the money they spent when they be warmed with drink: and take this for a rule, you may pick out such times, and such companions, that you may make yourselves merrier for a little than a great deal of money; for, ""Tis the company and not the charge that makes the feast ;" and such a companion you prove, I thank you for it.

But I will not compliment you out of the debt that I owe you; and therefore I will begin my song, and wish it may be so well

liked.

THE ANGLER'S SONG

As inward love breeds outward talk,
The bound some praise, and some the hawk;
Some, better pleased with private sport,
Use tennis; some a mistress court;

But these delights I neither wish
Nor envy, while I freely fish.

Who bunts, doth oft in danger ride;
Who hawks, lures oft both far and wide;
Who uses games, shall often prove
A loser; but who falls in love

Is fetter'd in fond Cupid's snare;
My angle breeds me no such care.

Of recreation there is none
So free as fishing is alone;
All other pastimes do no less
Than mind and body both possess ;
My hand alone my work can do,
So I can fish and study too.

I care not, 1, to fish in seas-
Fresh rivers best my mind do please,
Whose sweet calm course I contemplate,
And seek in life to imitate:

In civil bounds I fain would keep,
And for my past offences weep.

And when the timorous trout I wait
To take, and be devours my bait,
How poor a thing, sometimes I find,
Will captivate a greedy mind;

And when none bite, I praise the wise,
Whom vain allurements ne'er surprise.

But yet, though while I fish I fast,
I make good fortune my repast;
And thereunto my friend invite,
In whom I more than that delight:
Who is more welcome to my dish
Than to my angle was my fish.
As well content no prize to take,
As use of taken prize to make:
For so our Lord was pleased, when
He fishers made fishers of men;

Where (which is in no other game)
A man may fish and praise His name.
The first men that our Saviour dear
Did choose to wait upon Him here,
Bless'd fishers were, and fish the last
Food was that He on earth did taste:
I therefore strive to follow those
Whom He to follow Him hath chose.

COR. Well sung, brother, you have paid your debt in good coin. We anglers are all beholden to the good man that made this song: come, hostess, give us more ale, and let's drink to him.

And now let's every one go to bed, that we may rise early but first let's pay our reckoning, for I will have nothing to hinder me in the morning, for my purpose is to prevent the sun-rising.

PETER. A match. Come, Coridon, you are to be my bedfellow. I know, brother, you and your scholar will lie together. But where shall we meet to-morrow night? for my friend Coridon and I will go up the water towards Ware.