THE PASSIONATE SHEPHERD TO HIS LOVE

BY CHRISTOPHER MARLOWE.

(REFERRED TO IN THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR, Act 11. 8c. 1.]

COME live with me, and be my love,
And we will all the pleasures prove
That vallies, groves, and hills and field,
Or woods and steepy mountains yield.
Where we will sit upon the rocks,
And see the shepherds feed their flocks,
By shallow rivers, to whose falls
Melodious birds sing madrigals.
And I will make thee beds of roses,
And a thousand fragrant posies;
A cap of flowers, and a kirtle,
Embroider'd all with leaves of myrtle :
A gown made of the finest wool,
Which from our pretty lambs we pull;
Fair lined slippers for the cold,
With buckles of the purest gold:
A, belt of straw and ivy buds,
With coral clasps and amber studs ;
And if these pleasures may

thee

move,
Come live with me, and be my love.
The shepherd swains shall dance and sing
For thy delight, each May-morning :
If these delights thy mind may move,
Then live with me, and be my love.

THE NYMPH'S REPLY.

BY SIR WALTER RALEIGH.

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,
And age 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 beds of roses,
Thy cap, thy kirtle, and thy posies,
Soon break, soon wither, soon forgotten,
In folly ripe, in reason rotten.
Thy 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.
But could youth last and love still breed,
Had joys no date, nor age no need,
Then these delights my mind might move
To live with thee, and be thy love.

Olivia. But we will draw the curtain, and show you the picture. Look you, sir; such a one I was this present : is't not well done?

Act i. Sc. 5.