Tudor and Stuart Love Songs — Sir Walter Raleigh

HIS LOVE ADMITS NO RIVAL.

Shall I like a hermit dwell, On a rock, or in a cell, Calling home the smallest part That is missing of my heart, To bestow it where I may Meet a rival every day?

If she undervalue me, What care I how fair she be?

Were her tresses angel gold, If a stranger may be bold, Unrebuked, unafraid, To convert them to a braid, And with little more ado Work them into bracelets too?

If the mine be grown so free, What care I how rich it be?

Were her hand as rich a prize As her hairs, or precious eyes, If she lay them out to take Kisses, for good manners' sake: And let every lover skip From her hand unto her lip;

If she seem not chaste to me, What care I how chaste she be?

No; she must be perfect snow, In effect as well as show;

Warming, but as snowballs do, Not like fire, by burning too;

But when she by change hath got To her heart a second lot, Then if others share with me, Farewell her, whate'er she be!

Sir Walter Raleigh.

THE SHEPHERD'S DESCRIPTION OF LOVE.

"Shepherd, what's love?

I pray thee tell!"

-- It is that fountain, and that well, Where pleasure and repentance dwell;

It is, perhaps, that passing bell That tolls us all to heaven or hell;

And this is love, as I heard tell.

"Yet, what is love?

good shepherd, saine!"

-- It is a sunshine mix'd with rain;

It is a toothache, or like pain;

It is a game where none doth gain: The lass saith No, and would full fain!

And this is love, as I hear saine.

"Yet, shepherd, what is love, I pray?"

-- It is a "Yea," it is a "Nay," A pretty kind of sporting fray;

It is a thing will soon away;

Then, nymphs, take vantage while ye may, And this is love, as I hear say.

"Yet what is love?

good shepherd, show!"

-- A thing that creeps, it cannot go, A prize that passeth to and fro, A thing for one, a thing for moe;

And he that proves shall find it so;

And, shepherd, this is love, I trow.

Sir Walter Raleigh.

THE SHEPHERDESS'S REPLY TO THE PASSIONATE SHEPHERD.

If all the world and Love were young, And truth in every shepherd's tongue, These pretty pleasures might me move To live with thee and be thy love.

But time drives flocks from field to fold, When rivers rage, and rocks grow cold;

Then Philomel becometh dumb, The rest complains of cares to come.

The flowers do fade, and wanton fields To wayward winter reckoning yields;

A honey tongue, a heart of gall, Is fancy's spring: but sorrow's fall.

Thy gowns, thy shoes, thy bed of roses, Thy cup, thy kirtle, and thy posies, Soon break, soon wither, soon forgotten;-- In folly ripe, in reason rotten.

The belt of straw and ivy-buds, Thy coral clasps and amber studs,-- All these in me no means can move, To come to thee, and be thy love.

What should we talk of dainties, then, Of better meat than's fit for men?

These are but vain: that's only good Which God hath bless'd and sent for food.

But could youth last, and love still breed;

Had joys no date, nor age no need;

Then those delights my mind might move, To live with thee, and be thy love.

Sir Walter Raleigh.

[See "The Passionate Shepherd to His Love," page 50. ]