Thomas Pery 1729-1811 John Bartlett


1
Every white will have its blacke, And every sweet its soure.
Reliques of Ancient Poetry. Sir Cauline.
2
Late, late yestreen I saw the new moone, Wi’ the auld moon in hir arme. 1
Sir Patrick Spens.
3
He that had neyther been kith nor kin Might have seen a full fayre sight.
Guy of Gisborne.
4
Have you not heard these many years ago Jeptha was judge of Israel? He had one only daughter and no mo, The which he loved passing well; And as by lott, God wot, It so came to pass, As God’s will was. 2
Jepthah, Judge of Israel.
5
A Robyn, Jolly Robyn, Tell me how thy leman does. 3
A Robyn, Jolly Robyn.
6
Where gripinge grefes the hart wounde, And dolefulle dumps the mynde oppresse, There music with her silver sound 4 With spede is wont to send redresse.
A Song to the Lute in Musicke.
7
The blinded boy that shootes so trim, From heaven downe did hie. 5
King Cophetua and the Beggar-maid.
8
“What is thy name, faire maid?” quoth he. “Penelophon, O King!” quoth she. 6
King Cophetua and the Beggar-maid.
9
And how should I know your true love From many another one? Oh, by his cockle hat and staff, And by his sandal shoone.
The Friar of Orders Gray.
10
O Lady, he is dead and gone! Lady, he ’s dead and gone! And at his head a green grass turfe, And at his heels a stone. 7
The Friar of Orders Gray.



11
Sigh no more, ladies, sigh no more! Men were deceivers ever; One foot in sea and one on shore, To one thing constant never. 8
The Friar of Orders Gray.
12
Weep no more, lady, weep no more, Thy sorrowe is in vaine; For violets pluckt, the sweetest showers Will ne’er make grow againe. 9
The Friar of Orders Gray.
13
He that would not when he might, He shall not when he wolda. 10
The Friar of Orders Gray.
14
We ’ll shine in more substantial honours, And to be noble we ’ll be good. 11
Winifreda (1720).
15
And when with envy Time, transported, Shall think to rob us of our joys, You ’ll in your girls again be courted, And I ’ll go wooing in my boys.
Winifreda (1720).
16
King Stephen was a worthy peere, His breeches cost him but a croune; He held them sixpence all too deere, Therefore he call’d the taylor loune. He was a wight of high renowne, And those but of a low degree; Itt ’s pride that putts the countrye doune, Then take thine old cloake about thee. 12
Take thy old Cloak about Thee.
17
A poore soule sat sighing under a sycamore tree; Oh willow, willow, willow! With his hand on his bosom, his head on his knee, Oh willow, willow, willow! 13
Willow, willow, willow.
18
When Arthur first in court began, And was approved king. 14
Sir Launcelot du Lake.
19
Shall I bid her goe? What if I doe? Shall I bid her goe and spare not? Oh no, no, no! I dare not. 15
Corydon’s Farewell to Phillis.
20
But in vayne shee did conjure him To depart her presence soe; Having a thousand tongues to allure him, And but one to bid him goe.
Dulcina.

Note 1.
I saw the new moon late yestreen,
Wi’ the auld moon in her arm.
From Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border. [back]

Note 2.
”As by lot, God wot;” and then you know, “It came to pass, as most like it was.”—William Shakespeare: Hamlet, act ii. sc. 2. [back]

Note 3.
Hey, Robin, jolly Robin,
Tell me how thy lady does.
William Shakespeare: Twelfth Night, act iv. sc. 2. [back]

Note 4.
When griping grief the heart doth wound,
And doleful dumps the mind oppress,
Then music with her silver sound.
William Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet, act iv. sc. 5. [back]

Note 5.
Young Adam Cupid, he that shot so trim,
When King Cophetua loved the beggar-maid!
William Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet, act ii. sc. 1. [back]

Note 6.
Shakespeare, who alludes to this ballad in “Love’s Labour ’s Lost,” act iv. sc. 1, gives the beggar’s name Zenelophon. The story of the king and the beggar is also alluded to in “King Richard II.,” act v. sc. 3. [back]

Note 7.
Quoted in “Hamlet,” act iv. sc. 3. [back]

Note 8.
See Shakespeare, Much Ado about Nothing, Quotation 17. [back]

Note 9.
See John Fletcher, Quotation 4. [back]

Note 10.
See Heywood, Quotation 9.

He that will not when he may,
When he would, he should have nay.
Cervantes: Don Quixote, part i. book iii. chap. iv. [back]

Note 11.
See Chapman, Quotation 21.

Nobilitas sola est atque unica virtus (Nobility is the one only virtue).—Juvenal: Satire viii. line 20. [back]

Note 12.
The first stanza is quoted in full, and the last line of the second, by Shakespeare in “Othello,” act ii. sc. 3. [back]

Note 13.
The poor soul sat sighing by a sycamore tree,
Sing all a green willow;
Her hand on her bosom, her head on her knee,
Sing willow, willow, willow.
Othello, act iv. sc. 3. [back]

Note 14.
Quoted by Shakespeare in Second Part of “Henry IV.,” act ii. sc. 4. [back]

Note 15.
Quoted by Shakespeare in “Twelfth Night,” act ii. sc. 3. [back]

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