Milk-woman.O, I know it now.I learned the first part in my golden age, when I was about the age of my poor daughter; and the latter part, which indeed fits me best now, but two or three years ago, when the caresof the world began to take hold of me: but you shall, God willing, hear them both; and sung as well as we can, for we both love anglers.Come, Maudlin, sing the first part to the gentlemen, with a merry heart; and I'll sing the second when you have done.
The Milk-maid's song.
Come live with me, and be my love, And we will all the pleasures prove, That valleys, groves, or hills, or fields, Or woods, and steepy mountains yields;Where we will sit upon the rocks, And see the shepherds feed our flocks, By shallow rivers, to whose falls Melodious birds sing madrigals.
And I will make thee beds of roses; And, then, a thousand fragrant posies; A cap of flowers, and a kirtle, Embroidered all with leaves of myrtle;A gown made of the finest wool Which from our pretty lambs we pull Slippers, lin'd choicely 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,Thy silver dishes, for thy meat As precious as the Gods do eat Shall, on an ivory table, be Prepared each day for thee and me.
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.
Venator.Trust me, master, it is a choice song, and sweetly sung by honest Maudlin.I now see it was not without cause that our good queen Elizabeth did so often wish herself a milk-maid all the month of May, because they are not troubled with fears and cares, but sing sweetly all the day, and sleep securely all the night: and without doubt, honest, innocent, pretty Maudlin does so.I'll bestow Sir Thomas Overbury's milk-maid's wish upon her, "that she may die in the Spring; and, being dead, may have good store of flowers stuck round about her winding- sheet ".
The Milk-maid's mother's answer
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 rise.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.
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 blessed 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.
Mother.Well! I have done my song.But stay, honest anglers; for I will make Maudlin sing you one short song more.Maudlin ! sing that song that you sung last night, when young Coridon the shepherd played so purely on his oaten pipe to you and your cousin Betty.
Maudlin.I will, mother.
I married a wife of late, The more's my unhappy fate: I married her for love, As my fancy did me move, And not for a worldly estate:
But oh! the green sickness Soon changed her likeness; And all her beauty did fail.But 'tis not so With those that go Thro'frost and s As As all men know, And carry the milking-pail.
Piscator.Well sung, good woman; I thank you.I'll give you another dish of fish one of these days; and then beg another song of you.Come, scholar ! let Maudlin alone: do not you offer to spoil her voice.Look ! yonder comes mine hostess, to call us to supper.How now! is my brother Peter come?
Hostess.Yes, and a friend with him.They are both glad to hear that you are in these parts; and long to see you; and long to be at supper, for they be very hungry.