With my sharp heel I three times mark the ground,

And turn me thrice around, around, around.'

"Last Valentine, the day when birds of kind Their paramours with mutual chirpings find; I early rose, just at the break of day, Before the Sun had chas'd the stars away; A-field I went, amid the morning dew, To milk my kine (for so should huswives do); Thee first I spy'd; and the first swain we see, In spite of Fortune, shall our true-love be. See, Lubberkin, each bird his partner take; And canst thou then thy sweetheart dear forsake?

40

With my sharp heel I three times mark the ground,

And turn me thrice around, around, around.

"Last May-day fair I search'd to find a snail,
That might my secret lover's name reveal.
Upon a gooseberry-bush a snail I found,
(For always snails near sweetest fruit abound).
I seiz'd the vermine, whom I quickly sped,
And on the earth the milk-white embers spread.
Slow crawl'd the snail; and, if I right can spell,
In the soft ashes mark'd a curious L.

Oh, may this wondrous omen lucky prove!
For L is found in Lubberkin and Love.

50

With my sharp heel I three times mark the

ground,

And turn me thrice around, around, around.'

60

"Two hazel nuts I threw into the flame,
And to each nut I gave a sweetheart's name;
This with the loudest bounce me sore amaz'd,
That in a flame of brightest colour blaz'd.
As blaz'd the nut, so may thy passion grow;
For 'twas thy nut that did so brightly glow.

With my sharp heel I three times mark the

ground,

And turn me thrice around, around, around.'

68

“As peasecods once I pluck'd, I chanc'd to see One that was closely fill'd with three times three. Which, when I cropp'd, I safely home convey'd, And o'er the door the spell in secret laid; My wheel I turn'd, and sung a ballad new, While from the spindle I the fleeces drew;

The latch mov'd up, when, who should first come in, But, in his proper person - Lubberkin.

I broke my yarn, surpris'd the sight to see;

Sure sign that he would break his word with me.
Eftsoons I join'd it with my wonted slight:

So may again his love with mine unite!

80

With my sharp heel I three times mark the

ground,

And turn me thrice around, around, around.'

Ver. 64. · ἐγὼ δ ̓ ἐπὶ Δέλφιδι δάφναν
Αἴθω. χ ̓ ὡς αὐτὰ λακέει, μέγα καππυρίσασα.

Ver. 66.

THEOC.

Daphnis me malus urit, ego hanc in Daphnide.

"This lady-fly I take from off the grass, Whose spotted back might scarlet red surpass,

Fly, lady-bird, North, South, or East, or West, Fly where the man is found that I love best.' He leaves my hand; see, to the West he's flown, To call my true-love from the faithless town.

'With my sharp heel I three times mark the

ground,

And turn me thrice around, around, around.

"I pare this pippin round and round again,
My shepherd's name to flourish on the plain,
I fling th' unbroken paring o'er my head,
Upon the grass a perfect L is read;

Yet on my heart a fairer L is seen

Than what the paring makes upon the green.

90

With my sharp heel I three times mark the

ground,

And turn me thrice around, around, around.'

"This pippin shall another trial make,
See from the core two kernels brown I take;
This on my cheek for Lubberkin is worn ;
And Boobyclod on t' other side is borne.
But Boobyclod soon drops upon the ground,
A certain token that his love's unsound;
While Lubberkin sticks firmly to the last;
Oh, were his lips to mine but join'd so fast!

100

With my sharp heel I three times mark the ground,

And turn me thrice around, around, around.'

Ver. 93. Transque caput jace; ne respexeris.

VIRG

"As Lubberkin once slept beneath a tree,
I twitch'd his dangling garter from his knee.
He wist not when the hempen string I drew,
Now mine quickly doff, of inkle blue.
Together fast I tye the garters twain ;
And while I knit the knot repeat this strain:
Three times a true-love's knot I tye secure,
Firm be the knot, firm may his love endure !'

110

With my sharp heel I three times mark the ground,

And turn me thrice around, around, around.'

"As I was wont, I trudg'd last market-day To town, with new-laid eggs preserv'd in hay, 120 I made my market long before 'twas night, My purse grew heavy, and my basket light. Straight to the 'pothecary's shop I went, And in love-powder all my money spent. Behap what will, next Sunday, after prayers, When to the alehouse Lubberkin repairs, These golden flies into his mug I'll throw, And soon the swain with fervent love shall glow.

Ver. 109.

Necte tribus nodis ternos, Amarylli, colores:

Necte, Amarylli, modo; et Veneris dic vincula

Ver. 127. · Ποτὸν κακὸν αὔριον οἰσῶ. THEOC.

With my sharp heel I three times mark the

ground,

And turn me thrice around, around, around.' 130

"But hold! -our Lightfoot barks, and cocks his

ears,

O'er yonder stile see Lubberkin appears.

He comes! he comes! Hobnelia's not bewray'd, Nor shall she, crown'd with willow, die a maid. He vows, he swears, he'll give me a green gown: Oh dear! I fall adown, adown, adown!"

FRIDAY; OR, THE DIRGE.*

BUMKINET, GRUBBINOL.

BUMKINET.

WHY, Grubbinol, dost thou so wistful seem?

'There's sorrow in thy look, if right I deem.
'Tis true yon oaks with yellow tops appear,
And chilly blasts begin to nip the year;
From the tall elm a shower of leaves is borne,
And their lost beauty riven beeches mourn.

Ver. 131.

Nescio quid certe est; et Hylax in limine latrat.

VIRG.

* Dirge, or dyrge, a mournful ditty, or song of lamentation, over the dead; not a contraction of the Latin dirige in the popish hymn, dirige gressus meos, as some pretend; but from the Teutonic dyrke, laudare, to praise and extol. Whence it is possible their dyrke, and our dirge, was a laudatory song to commemorate and applaud the dead.

COWELL'S Interpreter.