145   Under the Greenwood Tree

Amiens sings:

   UNDER the greenwood tree,
   Who loves to lie with me,
   And turn his merry note
   Unto the sweet bird’s throat,
Come hither, come hither, come hither:
      Here shall he see
      No enemy
But winter and rough weather.

   Who doth ambition shun,
   And loves to live i’ the sun.
   Seeking the food he eats,
    And pleased with what he gets,
Come hither, come hither, come hither:
      Here shall be see
      No enemy
But winter and rough weather.

Jaques replies:

   If it do come to pass
   That any man turn ass,
   Leaving his wealth and ease
   A stubborn will to please,
Ducdamàe, ducdamàe, ducdamàe:
      Here shall he see
      Gross fools as he,
An if he will come to me.

146   Blow, blow, thou Winter Wind

   BLOW, blow, thou winter wind,
   Thou art not so unkind
    As man’s ingratitude;
   Thy tooth is not so keen,
   Because thou art not seen,
    Although thy breath be rude.
Heigh ho! sing, heigh ho! unto the green holly:
Most friendship is feigning, most loving mere folly:
    Then heigh ho, the holly!
    This life is most jolly.

     Freeze, freeze, thou bitter sky,
   That dost not bite so nigh
    As benefits forgot:
   Though thou the waters warp,
   Thy sting is not so sharp
    As friend remember’d not.
Heigh ho! sing, heigh ho! unto the green holly:
Most friendship is feigning, most loving mere folly:
    Then heigh ho, the holly!
    This life is most jolly.

147   It was a Lover and his Lass

IT was a lover and his lass,
   With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino,
That o’er the green corn- field did pass,
   In the spring time, the only pretty ring time,
When birds do sing, hey ding a ding, ding;
Sweet lovers love the spring.

Between the acres of the rye,
   With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino,
These pretty country folks would lie,
   In the spring time, the only pretty ring time,
When birds do sing, hey ding a ding, ding;
Sweet lovers love the spring.

This carol they began that hour,
   With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino,
How that life was but a flower
   In the spring time, the only pretty ring time,
When birds do sing, hey ding a ding, ding;
Sweet lovers love the spring.

And, therefore, take the present time
   With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino,
For love is crownàed with the prime
   In the spring time, the only pretty ring time,
When birds do sing, hey ding a ding, ding;
Sweet lovers love the spring.

148   Take, O take those Lips away

   TAKE, O take those lips away,
   That so sweetly were forsworn;
And those eyes, the break of day,
   Lights that do mislead the morn!
But my kisses bring again,
      Bring again;
Seals of love, but seal’d in vain,
      Seal’d in vain!

149   Aubade

   HARK! hark! the lark at heaven’s gate sings,
   And Phœbus ’gins arise,
His steeds to water at those springs
   On chaliced flowers that lies;
And winking Mary-buds begin
   To ope their golden eyes:
With everything that pretty bin,
   My lady sweet, arise!
       Arise, arise!