The Turtle Dove.
Or, The wooing in the Wood, being a pleasant new
Song of two constant Lovers.
To the tune of, the North Countre Lasse.
|
WHen Flora she had deckt
|
the fields with flowers faire,
|
my love and I did walke abroad,
|
to take the Pleasant ayre.
|
Faire phebus brightly shind,
|
and gentlie warmd each thing:Where every creature then did seeme,
|
to welcome in the Spring.
|
Into a pleasant grove,
|
by Nature trimly made:My Love and I together walkt,
|
to coole us in the shade.
|
The bubling brookes did glide,
|
the silver fishes leape:The gentle Lambes & nimble Fawnes
|
did seeme to leape and skipe,
|
The Birds with sugured notes,
|
their prettie throats did straine:And Shepheards on their oten pipes,
|
made musicke on the plaines.
|
Then I began to talke,
|
of Lovers in their blis:I wood her and courted her,
|
for to exchange a kiss.
|
With that she straight way said,
|
harke how the Nigtingale,
|
Although that she doth sweetly sing.
|
doth tell a heavie tale.
|
That in her maiden yeares,
|
by man she had much wrong:Which makes her now with thorne inbrest
|
to sing a mournefull song.
|
With that I lent an eare,
|
to heare sweete Philomell.
|
Amongst the other Birds in woods,
|
and she this tale did tell.
|
Fair maides be warnd by me,
|
I was a maiden pure.
|
Untill by man I was orereacht,
|
which makes me this indure.
|
To live in woods and groves,
|
sequestred from all sight:
|
For heavily I doe complaine,
|
both morning, noone, and night.
|
The Threstle-cock did say,
|
fie, Phill, you are to blame:Although that one did doe amisse,
|
will all men doe the same:
|
No quoth the Ousell then,
|
though I be blacke of hew:Unto my mate and dearest love,
|
I alwaies will proove true.
|
The Blackebird having spoke,
|
the Larke began to sing:If I pertisipate of ought,
|
my love to it I bring.
|
The Mag-pie up did start,
|
and straight began to chatter:
|
Beleeve not men they all are false,
|
for they will lye and flatter.
|
Then up upon a leafe,
|
the Wren leapt by and by,
|
And said bold Parrat your pide-coate,
|
shewes you can cog and lye.
|
|
|
|
|
The Second part. To the same Tune.
|
THen Robin-Redbrest said,
|
Tis I in love am true:My couller shewes that I am he,
|
if you give me my dew.
|
No, said the Linet then,
|
your brest it is to yellow:For let your love be never so true,
|
you[]le thinke you have a fellow.
|
Another bird start up,
|
being cald the Popengay,
|
And said faire Mistris view me well,
|
my coate is fine and gay,
|
Away with painted stuffe,
|
the Feldefare did say:
|
My couller it the abourne is,
|
and beares the bell away.
|
The Goldfinch then bespake,
|
my coullours they are pure:For yellow, red, for blacke, and white,
|
all weathers will indure.
|
Each bird within the wood,
|
a severall sentence gave:And all did strive with severall notes,
|
preheminence to have.
|
Then from an Ivie bush,
|
the Owle put forth her head
|
And said, not such an other Bird
|
as I, the wood hath breed.
|
With that each Bird of note,
|
did beate the Owle away:That never more he durst be seene,
|
to stay abroad by day.
|
And then they all agreed,
|
to choose the Turtle Dove,
|
And that he should deside the cause,
|
betwixt me and my love.
|
Who thus began to speake,
|
Behold sweet maiden faire:How my beloved and my selfe,
|
doe alwayes live a paire.
|
We never use to change,
|
but alwaies live in love:We kisse and bill, and therefore cald,
|
The faithfull Turtle Dove.
|
And when that each doth die,
|
we spend our time in mone,
|
Bewayling our deceased frind,
|
we live and die alone.
|
We never match againe,
|
as other birds doe use:Therefore sweet Maiden love your [mate]
|
doe not true love refuse.
|
Thus ending of his speech,
|
they all did silent stand,
|
And then I turnd me to my love,
|
and tooke her by the hand
|
And said, my dearest sweete,
|
behold the love of these:How every one in his degree,
|
doe seeke his ma[t]e to please.
|
Then fairest grant to me,
|
your constant heart and love:
|
And I will prove as true to thee,
|
as doth the Turtle Dove.
|
She said heere is my hand,
|
my heart and all I have:I kist her, and upon the same
|
a token to her gave[.]
|
And then upon the same,
|
the Birds did sweetly sing:That ecchoes through the woods and groves,
|
most lowdly then did ring.
|
Then up I tooke my Love,
|
and arme in arme did walke:With her unto her fathers house,
|
where we with him did talke.
|
Who soone did condiscend
|
when we weare both agreed
|
And shortly to the church we went,
|
and married were with speed.
|
The Bells aloud did ring
|
and Minstrels they did play
|
And every Youth and maid did strive,
|
to grace our wedding day.
|
God grant my love and I,
|
may have the like successe:And live in love untill we die,
|
in joy and righteousnes.
|
|
|
|
|