The next day being holiday,
And country maids they would be seen,
Each took his sweet-heart by the hand
And went to dance upon the green:
The country maids incontinent[52]
Unto the green assembled were,
Adorned with beauty's ornament,[53]
Their cheeks like roses and lilies fair:
The young men fell a-skipping,
The maidens nimbly fell a-tripping,
They could not dance, but tumble, tumble, [tumble]
Up and down[54] the green meadow.
The old men that had lived long
And viewed full many a summer's day,
Came gently walking by themselves
To see them keep their holiday:
The married men of middle age
Brought forth their wives to see that sport,
And they put on their best array,
Unto the green they did resort:
There music sweetly sounding,
The maidens' hearts with joys abounding,
They could not dance, but tumble, tumble, tumble
Up and down the green meadow.
When they with tumbling well had sweat,
And tumbling joys had tasted well,
And Phœbus almost lost his heat,
Each did return where they did dwell:
Their wives unto their husbands said
The pretty sports which they had seen,
Wish'd them to teach them in their bed[55]
As did the lovers on the green:
The young men joyful-hearted
Each took his lass and so departed,
When they no more could tumble, tumble, tumble, tumble, tumble
Up and down the green meadow.
From Harleian MS. 791, fol. 55.
IN summer time when grass was mown
And country maids were treading of hay,
Then forth walked I in a fair morning
Thinking to pass the time away.
Fair lovely nymphs might there be seen
With fine lawn aperns[56] white as snow,
And crimson ribbons 'bout their arms,
Which made a pretty summer show.
There young lovers fell a-prating,
And called their lovers from hay-making
To go and tumble, tumble, tumble, tumble
Up and down the meadow.
Then the old wives fell a-laughing,
And held their sides with extreme coughing,
To see them tumble, tumble, tumble, tumble
Up and down the meadows.
From Wit Restored, 1658.
Women.
ONCE I must confess I loved
And expected love again,
But, so often as I proved,
My expectance was in vain.
Women joy to be attempted,
And do glory when they see
Themselves from love's force exempted,
And that men captived be.
If they love they can conceal it,
And dissemble when they please,
Whenas men will straight reveal it
And make known their heart's disease.
Men must beg and crave their favour,
Making many an idle vow,
Whilst they, froward in behaviour,
Fain would yield but know not how.