PERIGOT AND CUDDY’S ROUNDELAY.
BY EDM. SPENSER.
T fell upon a holy-eve
(Heigho, holy-day!),
When holy fathers wont to shrive
(Now ’ginneth this roundelay),
Sitting upon a hill so high
(Heigho, the high hill!)
The while my flock did feed thereby,
The while the shepherd’s self did spill.
I saw the bouncing Bellibone
(Heigho, bonny-bell!)
Tripping over the dale alone—
She can trip it very well—
Well decked in a frock of gray
(Heigho, gray is great!)
And in a kirtle of green say—
The green is for maidens meet.
A chaplet on her head she wore
(Heigho, the chaplet!);
Of sweet violets therein was store—
She’s sweeter than the violet.
