CUDDY.

In good roast-beef my landlord sticks his knife,
The capon fat delights his dainty wife;
Pudding our parson eats, the squire loves hare,'
But white-pot thick is my Buxoma's fare.
While she loves white-pot, capon ne'er shall be,
Nor hare, nor beef, nor pudding, food for me.

LOBBIN CLOUT.

As once I play'd at Blindman's-buff, it hapt
About my eyes the towel thick was wrapt:
I miss'd the swains, and seiz'd on Blouzelind,
True speaks that ancient proverb, Love is blind.

CUDDY.

As at Hot-Cockles once I laid me down,
And felt the weighty hand of many a clown,
Buxoma gave a gentle tap, and I

Quick rose, and read soft mischief in her eye.

LOBBIN CLOUT.

On two near elms the slacken'd cord I hung,

Now high, now low, my

Blouzelinda swung:

With the rude wind her rumpled garment rose, And show'd her taper leg and scarlet hose.

GUILLOT.

Le seigneur du village est friand d'alloyau;
Dans un poulet Madame enfonce le couteau ;
Le bailli veut un lièvre, et sa fille un potage;
Ma gentille Jeannette est folle de laitage.
Son goût règle le mien, le laitage lui plait,
Adieu potage, adieu lièvre, alloyau, poulet.

COLAS.

Hier, à Colin-Maillard on jouait dans la plaine,
On me mit sur les yeux un bandeau de futaine;
Je manquai les bergers, mais j'attrapai Fanchon,
Et cependant l'amour est aveugle, dit-on.

GUILLOT.

A la main-chaude un soir on jouait sur l'herbette;
J'étais pris; les bergers tapaient dur. Ma Jeannette
Frappe, et je vis, malgré son air mystérieux,
Sa douce espiéglerie écrite dans ses yeux.

COLAS.

Un jour, dieu, quel plaisir! sur une escarpolette
Je faisais voltiger ma belle Fanchonette,

Le vent fut, ce jour là, favorable à l'amour :
Sa jambe, mon ami, sa jambe est faite au tour.

CUDDY.

Across the fallen oak the plank I laid,
And myself pois'd against the tott'ring maid:
High leap'd the plank, adown Buxoma fell;
I spy'd but faithful sweet-hearts never tell.

LOBBIN CLOUT.

This riddle, Cuddy, if thou canst, explain;
This wily riddle puzzles ev'ry swain:

What flow'r is that which bears the virgin's name,
The richest metal joined with the same (1)?

CUDDY.

Answer, thou carle, adjuge this riddle right,
I'll frankly own thee for a cunning wight:
What flow'r is that which royal honour craves?
Adjoin the virgin, and 'tis strown on graves (2).

CLODDIPOLE.

Forbear, contending louts, give o'er your strains; An oaken staff each merits for his pains.

But see, the sun-beams bright to labour warn, And gild the thatch of goodman Hodge's barn.

(1) Marygold,

(2) Rosemary.

GUILLOT.

Aux deux bouts d'une planche, un matin, ma bergère Et moi, nous balancions; Jeannette plus légère Tombe; l'amour, je crois, l'amour le fit exprès: Je vis.... chut, taisons-nous; les amans sont discrets.

COLAS.

Devine cette énigme et ma main te couronne :
Quel est, parmi les fruits que fait naître l'automne,
Celui qui réunit, bizarre en son destin,

L'épouse d'un monarque au nom d'un petit saint (1)?

GUILLOT.

Devine aussi la mienne et tu seras mon maître:
Quelle est, parmi les fleurs que le zéphir fait naître,
La fleur aux doux parfums dont le nom réunit
Un animal folâtre et ce qui le nourrit (2)?

GROSJEAN.

Cessez, jeunes bergers, cessez vos chansonnettes ; Heureuses les Fanchons, heureuses les Jeannettes Qu'on chante en vers si doux! cessez, et de ma main Prenez l'un une flûte et l'autre un tambourin.

(1) Reine-Glaude.

(2) Chèvre-feuille.

Your herds for want of water stand adry; They're weary of your songs-and so am I.

THE POET AND THE ROSE.

A FABLE.

I Hate the man who builds his name
On ruins of another's fame.

Thus prudes, by characters o'erthrown,
Imagine that they raise their own;
Thus scribblers, covetous of praise
Think slander can transplant the bays.
Beauties and bards have equal pride :
With both all rivals are decry'd..
Who praises Lesbia's eyes and feature
Must call her sister aukward creature;
For the kind flattery's sure to charm
When we some other nymph disarm.

As in the cool of early day,

A poet sought the sweets of May,
The garden's fragrant breath ascends
And ev'ry stalk with odour bends.