Give me a looke, give me a face, That makes simplicitie a grace; Robes loosely flowing, haire as free: Such sweet neglect more taketh me, Than all th' adulteries of art, That strike mine eyes, but not my heart. _ANONYMOUS_ THE WEAVER'S SONG WREN Hercules did use to spin, And Pallas wrought upon the loom, Our trade to flourish did begin, While conscience went not selling broom; Then love and friendship did agree To keep the bands of amity. When princes' sons kept sheep in field, And queens made cakes of wheated flour, The men to lucre did not yield, Which brought good cheer in every bower; Then love and friendship... But when the Gyants huge and high, Did fight with spears like weavers' beams, Then they in iron beds did lye, And brought poor men to hard extreams; Yet love and friendship... Then David took his sling and stone, Not fearing great Goliah's strength, He pierc't his brains, and broke the bone, Though he were fifty foot of length; For love and friendship... But while the Greeks besieged Troy, Penelope apace did spin; And weavers wrought with mickle joy, Though little gains were coming in; For love and friendship... Had Helen then sate carding wooll, (Whose beauteous face did breed such strife), She had not been Sir Paris' trull, Nor caused so many to lose their life; Yet we by love did still agree To hold the bands of amity. Or had King Priam's wanton son Been making quills with sweet content, He had not then his friends undone, When he to Greece a-gadding went; For love and friendship... The cedar-trees endure more storms Then little shrubs that sprout on high; The weavers live more void of harms Then princes of great dignity; While love and friendship doth agree... The shepherd sitting in the field Doth tune his pipe with heart's delight; When princes watch with spear and shield, The poor man soundly sleeps all night; While love and friendship doth agree... Yet this by proof is daily try'd, For God's good gifts we are ingrate, And no man through the world so wide Lives well contented with his state; No love and friendship we can see To hold the bands of amity. THE HONEST FELLOW HANG fear, cast away care, The parish is bound to find us Thou and I, and all must die, And leave this world behind us. The bells shall ring, the clerk shall sing, And the good old wife shall winds us; And the sexton shall lay our bodies in the clay, Where nobody shall find us. ROBIN GOODFELLOW FROM Oberon, in fairy land, The king of ghosts and shadows there, Mad Robin I, at his command, Am sent to view the night-sports here. What revel rout Is kept about, In every corner where I go, I will o'ersee, And merry be, And make good sport, with ho, ho, ho! More swift than lightning can I fly About this airy welkin soon, And, in a minute's space, descry Each thing that's done below the moon. There's not a hag Or host shall wag, Or cry, ware goblins! where I go; But Robin I Their feats will spy, And send them home with ho, ho, ho!