XV. Lord, how mine eyes throw gazes to the east! While Philomela sits and sings, I sit and mark, For she doth welcome day-light with her ditty, morrow. come to Were I with her, the night would post too soon; .1 To spite me now, each minute seems a moon borrow: Short, night, to-night, and length thyself to morrow. XVI.2 It was a lording's daughter, Long was the combat doubtful, 1 an hour: in old eds. Steevens made the change; moon having the sense of month. 2 This is the first piece in the division of "The Passionate Pilgrim," 1599, called "Sonnets to sundry Notes of Music." As the signatures of the pages run on throughout th small volume, we have continued to mark the poems by numerals in the order in which they were printed. VOL. VIII.-39 To put in practice either, Unto the silly damsel. But one must be refused, Alas! she could not help it. Thus art with arms contending For now my song is ended. XVII1. On a day (alack the day!) Through the velvet leaves the wind, 1 This poem, in a more complete state, and with the addition of two lines only found there, may be seen in "Love's Labour's Lost." The poem is also printed in " England's Helicon," (sign. H.) a miscellany of poetry, first published in 1600, (reprinted in 1812,) where "W. Shakespeare" is appended to it. My flocks feed not, Heart's denying," Causer of this. XVIII.1 All my merry jigs are quite forgot, Wrought all my loss: O frowning Fortune, cursed fickle dame! Inconstancy More in women than in men remain. In black mourn I, All fears scorn I, Fraughted with gall! My shepherd's pipe can sound no deal,1 Procure to weep, 1 In "England's Helicon," 1600, this poem immediately follows "On a day (alack the day!)" but it is there entitled, "The unknown Shepherd's Complaint," and it is subscribed Ignoto. Hence, we may suppose that the compiler of that collection knew that it was not by Shakespeare, although it had been attributed to him in "The Passionate Pilgrim," of the year preceding. It had appeared anonymously, with the music, in 1597, in a collection of Madrigals, by Thomas Weelkes. 2 Love's denying in "England's Helicon." 3 Heart's renying in "England's Helicon." 4 Part. 5 Both editions of : "The Passionate Pilgrim," have With for My, which last not only is necessary for the sense, but is confirmed as the true reading by Weelkes' Madrigals, 1597. In howling-wise, to see my doleful plight. Through heartless ground, Like a thousand vanquish'd men in bloody fight! Clear wells spring not, Nymphs back peeping All our pleasure known to us poor swains, Thy like ne'er was For a sweet content, the cause of all my moan3 Poor Coridon Must live alone, Other help for him I see that there is none. XIX.* When as thine eye hath chose the dame, And stall'd the deer that thou shouldst strike, So both editions of "The Passionate Pilgrim," and "England's Helicon." Malone preferred the passage as it stands in Weelkes' Madrigals: "Loud bells ring not 2 "The Passionate Pilgrim," and "England's Helicon," both have love for lass, which the rhyme shows to be the true reading, as it stands in Weelkes' Madrigals, 1597. 3 So "England's Helicon" and Weelkes' Madrigals: "The Passionate Pilgrim," 1599, has woe for moan. 4 In some modern editions, the stanzas of this poem have been given in an order different to that in which they stand in "The Passionate Pilgrim," 1599: to that order we restore them, and that text we follow, excepting where it is evidently corrupt. The line, "As well as partial fancy like," we have corrected by a manuscript of the time. The edition of 1599 reads: "As well as fancy party allmight," which is decidedly wrong. Malone substituted "As well as fancy, partial tike." The manuscript by which we have corrected the fourth line of the stanza also gives the two last lines of it thus :"Ask counsel of some other head, Neither unwise nor yet unwed." But no change from the old printed copy is here necessary. manuscript the whole has Shakespeare's initials at the end. In the Let reason rule things worthy blame, Take counsel of some wiser head, And when thou com'st thy tale to tell, But plainly say thou lov'st her well, What though her frowning brows be bent, And twice desire, ere it be day, That which with scorn she put away. What though she strive to try her strength, And to her will frame all thy ways: The strongest castle, tower, and town, Serve always with assured trust, When time shall serve, be thou not slack The wiles and guiles that women work, 1 So the manuscript in our possession, and another that Mal used the old copies read, with obvious corruption, "And set her person forth to sale." |