---

 

        To Mistress Margaret Hussey
 
Merry Margaret,
    As midsummer flower,
Gentle as falcon
Or hawk of the tower;
With solace and gladness,
Much mirth and no madness,
All good and no badness;
    So joyously,
    So maidenly,
    So womanly
    Her demeaning
    In every thing,
    Far, far passing
    That I can endite,
    Or suffice to write
Of merry Margaret,
    As midsummer flower,
Gentle as falcon
Or hawk of the tower.
    As patient and as still
    And as full of good will
    As fair Isaphill;
    Colyander,
    Sweet pomander,
    Good Cassander;
Steadfast of thought,
    Well made, well wrought,
    Far may be sought
    Ere that ye can find
    So courteous, so kind
As merry Margaret,
    This midsummer flower,
Gentle as falcon
Or hawk of the tower.

 

 

To Mistress Isabell Pennell

By Saint Mary, my lady,
Your mammy and your dady
Brought forth a goodly baby!
My maiden Isabell,
Reflaring rosabell,
The flagrant camamell,
The ruddy rosary,
The sovereign rosemary,
The pretty strawberry,
The columbine, the nepte,
The jeloffer well set,
The proper violet;
Ennewèd your colour
Is like the daisy flower
After the April shower;
Star of the morrow gray,
That blossom on the spray,
The freshest flower of May:
Maidenly demure,
Of womanhood the lure;
Wherefore, I make you sure,
It were an heavenly health,
It were and endless wealth,
A life for God himself,
To hear this nightingale
Among the birdes smale
Warbling in the vale,
Dug, dug, jug, jug,
Good year and good luck,
With chuck, chuck, chuck, chuck!
 
 
 
 
 
 
With Lullay, Lullay, Like A Child

With lullay, lullay, like a child,
Thou sleepèst too long, thou art beguiled!

"My darling dear, my daisy flower,
Let me," quoth he, "lie in your lap."
"Lie still," quoth she, "my paramour,
Lie still hardily, and take a nap."
His head was heavy, such was his hap,
All drowsy, dreaming, drowned in sleep,
That of his love he took no keep,
      With hey, lullay, etc.

With ba, ba, ba, and bas, bas, bas!
She cherished him both cheek and chin
That he wist never where he was;
He had forgotten all deadly sin!
He wanted wit her love to win:
He trusted her payment and lost all his pay;
She left him sleeping and stale away,
      With hey, lullay, etc.

The rivers rough, the waters wan;
She sparèd not to wet her feet.
She waded over, she found a man
That halsèd her heartily and kissed her sweet;
Thus after her cold she caught a heat.
"My lief," she said, "rowteth in his bed;
Iwys he hath an heavy head,"
      With hey, lullay, etc.

What dreamest thou, drunkard, drowsy pate?
Thy lust and liking is from thee gone;
Thou blinkard blowboll, thou wakèst too late;
Behold thou liest, luggard, alone!
Well may thou sigh, well may thou groan,
To deal with her so cowardly.
Ywis, pole-hatchet, she blearèd thine eye!
            Quoth Skelton Laureate.