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Home  »  The Oxford Book of English Verse  »  72. The Wakening John Attye’s First Book of Airs

Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. 1919. The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250–1900.

Anonymous. 1622

72. The Wakening John Attye’s First Book of Airs

ON a time the amorous Silvy 
Said to her shepherd, ‘Sweet, how do ye? 
Kiss me this once and then God be with ye, 
                    My sweetest dear! 
Kiss me this once and then God be with ye,         5
For now the morning draweth near.’ 
 
With that, her fairest bosom showing, 
Op’ning her lips, rich perfumes blowing, 
She said, ‘Now kiss me and be going, 
                    My sweetest dear!  10
Kiss me this once and then be going, 
For now the morning draweth near.’ 
 
With that the shepherd waked from sleeping, 
And spying where the day was peeping, 
He said, ‘Now take my soul in keeping,  15
                    My sweetest dear! 
Kiss me and take my soul in keeping, 
Since I must go, now day is near.’