THE HAPPY COUNTRYMAN

Who can live in heart so glad

As the merry country lad?

Who upon a fair green balk [83]

May at pleasure sit and walk,

And amid the azure skies

See the morning sun arise,—

While he hears in every spring

How the birds do chirp and sing:

Or before the hounds in cry

See the hare go stealing by:

Or along the shallow brook,

Angling with a baited hook,

See the fishes leap and play

In a blessèd sunny day:

Or to hear the partridge call,

Till she have her covey all:

Or to see the subtle fox,

How the villain plies the box:

After feeding on his prey,

How he closely sneaks away,

Through the hedge and down the furrow

Till he gets into his burrow:

Then the bee to gather honey,

And the little black-haired coney,

On a bank for sunny place,

With her forefeet wash her face:

Are not these, with thousands moe [84]

Than the courts of kings do know,

The true pleasing spirit's sights

That may breed true love's delights?...

Nicholas Breton