a

And I will make thee beds of roses,
And a thousand fragrant posies :
A cap of flowers, and a kirtle,3
Embroider’dt all with leaves of myrtle.
A gown made of the finest wool,
Which from our pretty lainbs we pull ;
Fair linèd slippers for the cold,
With buckles of the finest 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.
The shepherd swains: shall dance and sing,
For thy delight each May morning:
If these delights thy mind may move,
Come live with me and be my love.

10 SIMON WASTELL.-Born, 1562; date of death, and incidents of life, unknown.

HUMAN LIFE.
LIKE as the damask rose you see,
Or like a blossom on a tree,
Or like a dainty flow'r of May,
Or like the morning to the day,
Or like the sun, or like the shade,
Or like the gourd which Jonas had,
E'en such is man ;—whose thread is spun,

Drawn out, and cut, and so is done.3 kirtle, an outward skirt, or mantle. swain, lit. a servant; then, a young embroider, lit., to emborder, to man, a peasant

a

5

The rose withers, the blossom blasteth,
The flower fades, the morning hasteth,
The sun sets, the shadow flies,
The gourd consumes,-the man he dies.
Like to the grass that's newly sprung,
Or like a tale that's new begun,
Or like the bird that's here to-day,
Or like the pearlèd dew of May,
Or like an hour, or like a span,
Or like the singing of a swan,
E'en such is man ;—who lives by breath,
Now here, now there, in life and death.
The grass withers, the tale is ended,
The bird is flown, the dew's ascended,
The hour is short, the span not long,
The swan’s near death,-man's life is done.

1

- 11

M. DRAYTON.-Born, 1563 Died, 1631. Michael Drayton was born in Warwickshire, and was buried in Westminster Abbey. His greatest work was “ Poly-olbion; or a Description of England” (1613), which unites the learning of a historian, an antiquary, a naturalist, and a geographer, with the imagination of a poet. His poems were published separately.

SUMMER'S EVE.

CLEAR had the day been from the dawn,

All checkered was the sky,
Thin clouds, like scarfs of cobweb lawn,

Veiled heaven's most glorious eye.

The wind had no more strength than this,

That leisurely it blew,
To make one leaf the next to kiss,

That closely by it grew.
The flowers, like brave embroidered girls,

Looked as they most desired
To see whose head with orienta pearls

Most curiously was tyred. 3
The rills that on the pebbles played

Might now be heard at will ;
This world the only music made,

Else everything was still.
And to itself the subtle air

Such sovereignty assumes,
That it received too large a share

From Nature's rich perfumes.

12

THE BATTLE OF AGINCOURT.1

2

FAIR stood the wind for France
When we our sails advance,
Nor now to prove our chance
Longer will tarry;
1 embroidered, -

:-see note 4, p. 21
orient, eastern, where the sun 3 tyred, a form of atlircd.

rises (oriens, rising, L.) 1 Agincourt is a village in the the French at least 50,000, of

Province of Artois, now the de- whom not fewer than 10,000 partment of the Pas de Calais. were slain, while the remainder The battle of Agincourt was were either dispersed or made fought on October 25th, 1415, prisoners. Of the English 1,600 between the English, under were killed. Henry V., and the French, under 2 On Saturday, August 10th, 1415, the Dauphin of France. Henry Henry sailed from Southampton, had not more than 10,000 men. prove, try.

3

Seine. Henry landed on Tuesday,

14th August, about noon, near Harfleur, at the mouth of the Seine. “Caux" is now the name of the hills in that neighbourhood.

5 fort, castle. 6

prepared for war power, army. 8 ransom. Wealthy prisoners al

Yet, having well begun,
Battles so bravely won
Have ever to the sun

By fame been raised.
“ And for myself,” quoth he,
“ This my full rest shall be ;
England ne'er mourn for me,

Nor more esteem me :-
Victor I will remain,
Or on this earth lie slain ;
Never shall she sustain

Loss to redeem me.