Shakespeare's play of the Merchant of Venice / Arranged for Representation at the Princess's Theatre, with Historical and Explanatory Notes by Charles Kean, F.S.A.

by William Shakespeare

But whilst this muddy vesture of decay

Doth grossly close it in, we cannot hear it.—

Enter MUSICIANS.

GLEE.[^[115]]

It was a lover and his lass,
With a hey and a ho, and a hey nonino;
That o'er the green corn fields did pass,
In the spring-time, the pretty spring time,
When birds do sing, hey ding-a-ding, ding:—
Sweet lovers love the spring.

And therefore take the present time,
With a hey and a ho, and a hey nonino;
For love is crowned with the prime
In the spring-time, the pretty spring time,
When birds do sing, hey ding-a-ding, ding:—
Sweet lovers love the spring.

Jes

. I am never merry when I hear sweet music.

Lor

. The reason is your spirits are attentive: