The Canterbury tales and Faerie queene &c., &c., &c., ed. for popular perusal with current illustrations and explanatory notes, by D. Laing Purves.

APRIL.] THE SHEPHERD'S CALENDAR. 565
Y-clad in scarlet, like a maiden queen, They dancen deftly, and singen swoot,7
And ermines white: In their merriment.
Upon her head a crimson coronet, Wants not a fourth Grace, to make the dance
With damask roses and daffodillies set; even?
Bay leaves between, Let that room to my Lady be given.
And primroses green, She shall be a Grace,
Embellish the sweet violet. To fill the fourth place,
And reign with the rest in heaven.
4' Tell me, have ye seen her angelic face,
Like Phoebe fair? "And whither runs this bevy of ladies bright,
Her heav'nly'haviour, her princely grace, Ranged in a row?
Can you well compare? They be all Ladies of the Lake behight,s
The red rose medled 1 with the white y-fere,2 That unto her go.
In either cheek depainten 3 lively cheer: Chloris, that is the chiefest nymph of all,
Her modest eye, Of olive branches bears a coronal:
Her majesti, Olives be for peace,
Where have you seen the like but there? When wars do surcease:
Such for a princess be principal.
" I saw Phoebus thrust out his golden head,
Upon her to gaze; "Ye shepherds' daughters, that dwell on the
But, when he saw how broad her beams did green,
spread, Hie you there apace:
It did him amaze. Let none come there but that virgins be'n
He blush'd to see another sun below, To adorn her grace:
Nor durst again his fiery face out show. And, when you come where as she is in place,
Let him, if he dare, See that your rudeness do not you disgrace:
His brightness compare Bind your fillets fast,
With hers, to have the overthrow. And gird in your waist,
For more fineness, with a tawdry lace.9' Shew thyself, Cynthia, with thy silver rays,
And be not abash'd: "Bring hither the pink and purple columbine,
When she the beams of her beauty displays, With gillyflow'rs;
O how art thou dash'd! Bring coronations, and sops-in-wine,lo
But I will not match her with Latona's seed; Worn of paramours:11
Such folly great sorrow to Niob6 did breed. Strow me the ground with daffodowndillies,
Now she is a stone, And cowslips, and kingcups, and lov'd lilies:
And makes daily moan, The pretty pauncel2
Warning all other to take heed. And the chevisance,
Pan may be proud that ever he begot Shall match with the fair flow'r delice.l3
4' Pan may be proud that ever he begot
Such a bellibone; 4 "Now rise up, Elisa, decked as thou art
And Syrinx rejoice, that ever was her lot In royal array
To bear such an one.
To bear such an one. And now ye dainty damsels may depart
Soon as my younglings cryen for the dam, Each one her way.
To her will I offer a milk-white lamb;
ZTo her will I offer a milk-white lamb; I fear I have troubled your troops too long;
She is my goddess plain,
She is my goddess plain, Let Dame Elisa thank you for her song:
And I her shepherd's swain, And, if you comehither
All be forswonk and forswat I am.5W en dmons I ther
WVhen damsons I gather,' I see Calliope speed her to the place I will part them all you among."
Where my goddess shines;
And after her the other Muses trace,6. And was this same song of Coli's own
With their violins, making?
With their violins. Ah! foolish boy! that is with love y-blent;14
Be they not bay-branches which they do bear, foolish boy! that is with love yblent
All for Elisa in her hand to wear? Great pity is, he be in such taking,
So sweetly they play, tFor naught caren that be so lewdly 15 bent.
And sing all the way, H. Sicker I hold him for a greater fon,15
That it a heavhen is to hear. That loves the thing he cannot purchase.l7
But let us homeward, for night draweth on,' Lo, how finely the Graces can it foot And twinkling stars the daylight hence
To the instrument: chase.
1 Mingled. 2 Together. 3 Picture. 1 " A flower in colour much like to a coronation
4 "Belle et bonne "-a lovely and good maiden; (carnation), but differing in smell and quantity."-E. K,
otherwise "bonnibelle." 11 Lovers. 12 Pansy.
5 Although I am overtoiled and spent with heat. 13 Flower-de-luce, oriris; "beingin Latin," saysE. K,,
6 Go, walk. 7 Sweetly. 8 Called. "calledleos delitiarum," flower of delights.
9 A lace or girdle bought at the fair of Saint Ethel- 14 Blinded. 15 Foolishly.
red, vulgarly called Saint Audrey. 6I Fool. 17 Obtain.