Everything did banish moan, Save the nightingale alone: She, poor bird, as all forlorn, Lean'd her breast up-till a thorn, And there sung the dolefull'st ditty, That to hear it was great pity: " Fie, fie, fie," now would she cry, "Tereu, Tereu!" by-and-by: That to hear her so complain, Scarce I could from tears refrain; For her griefs so lively shown, Made me think upon mine own. Ah! thought I, thou mourn'st in vain; None takes pity on thy pain : Senseless trees, they cannot hear thee; Ruthless bears, they will not cheer thee. King Pandion, he is dead; All thy friends are lapp'd in lead : All thy fellow-birds do sing, Careless of thy sorrowing. Even so, poor bird, like thee, None alive will pity me. Whilst as fickle Fortune smiled, Thou and I were both beguiled: Every one that flatters thee Is no friend in misery. Words are easy like the wind; Faithful friends are hard to find. Every man will be thy friend, Whilst thou hast wherewith to spend; But if store of crowns be scant, No man will supply thy want. If that one be prodigal, Bountiful they will him call: And with such-like flattering, "Pity but he were a king." If he be addict to vice, SONG. AKE, oh, take those lips away, That so sweetly were forsworn, But my kisses bring again, Hide, oh, hide those hills of snow, THE PHOENIX AND THE TURTLE. VERSES AMONG THE ADDITIONAL POEMS TO CHESTER'S "LOVE'S MARTYR, OR ROSALIN'S COMPLAINT," PRINTED IN 1601. ET the bird of loudest lay, But thou, shrieking harbinger, To this troop come thou not near. From this session interdict Let the priest in surplice white, And thou, treble-dated crow Here the anthem doth commence : So they loved, as love in twain Hearts remote, yet not asunder; So between them love did shine, Property was thus appall'd, Reason, in itself confounded, That it cried, "How true a twain Whereupon it made this threne THRENOS. Beauty, truth, and rarity, Death is now the phoenix' nest; Leaving no posterity :'Twas not their infirmity, It was married chastity. Truth may seem, but cannot be : Beauty brag, but 'tis not she; Truth and beauty buried be. To this urn let those repair |