The rock, the spindle, and the shears control

Of Destiny, and spin her own free hours. Such when I meant to feign, and wished

HOW NEAR TO GOOD IS WHAT IS FAIR!

How near to good is what is fair!
Which we no sooner see,

But with the lines and outward air
Our senses taken be.

We wish to see it still, and prove

What ways we may deserve; We court, we praise, we more than love, We are not grieved to serve.

EPITAPH ON ELIZABETH L. H. WOULDST thou hear what man can say In a little?- reader, stay! Underneath this stone doth lie As much beauty as could die,Which in life did harbor give To more virtue than doth live. If at all she had a fault, Leave it buried in this vault. One name was Elizabeth, The other, let it sleep with death. Fitter where it died to tell, Than that it lived at all. Farewell!

UNKNOWN. [Before 1649.]

LOVE WILL FIND OUT THE WAY.

OVER the mountains,

And under the waves,

Over the fountains,

And under the graves,
Under floods which are deepest,
Which Neptune obey,
Over rocks which are steepest,
Love will find out the way.

Where there is no place

For the glow-worm to lie, Where there is no place

For the receipt of a fly,

Where the gnat dares not venture,
Lest herself fast she lay,

If Love come he will enter,
And find out the way.

If that he were hidden,

And all men that are, Were strictly forbidden

That place to declare;

Winds that have no abidings,

Pitying their delay,

Would come and bring him tidings, And direct him the way.

If the earth should part him,

He would gallop it o'er;

If the seas should o'erthwart him,
He would swim to the shore.
Should his love become a swallow,

Through the air to stray,
Love will lend wings to follow,
And will find out the way.

There is no striving

To cross his intent,

There is no contriving

His plots to prevent;

But if once the message greet him,
That his true love doth stay,

If death should come and meet him,
Love will find out the way.

UNKNOWN.

[Before 1649.]

BEGONE DULL CARE!

BEGONE dull care!

I prithee begone from me: Begone dull care!

Thou and I can never agree. Long while thou hast been tarrying here, And fain thou wouldst me kill; But i' faith, dull care,

Thou never shalt have thy will. Too much care

Will make a young man gray;
Too much care

Will turn an old man to clay.
My wife shall dance, and I will sing,
So merrily pass the day;

For I hold it is the wisest thing,
To drive dull care away.

Hence, dull care,

I'll none of thy company; Hence, dull care,

Thou art no pair for me.

We'll hunt the wild boar through the

wold,

So merrily pass the day;

And then at night, o'er a cheerful bowl, We'll drive dull care away.

BISHOP RICHARD CORBETT.

[1582-1635.]

FAREWELL TO THE FAIRIES.

FAREWELL rewards and fairies!
Good housewifes now may say,
For now foul sluts in dairies
Do fare as well as they.

And though they sweep their hearths no less

Than maids were wont to do; Yet who of late, for cleanliness, Finds sixpence in her shoe?

give a light,

A little before it is day;

So God bless you all, both great and

small,

And send you a joyful May!

The fairies' lost command;

They did but change priests' babies,

But some have changed your land; And all your children sprung from thence Are now grown Puritans;