Reliques of Ancient English Poetry: Consisting of Old Heroic Ballads, Songs, EtcF. Warne and Company, 1887 - 438 pages |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
Adam Bell ancient awaye ballad bonny brave bride Busk called castle Childe Waters copy court daughter daye dear death doth Earl Earl of Murray Editor's folio Edward England English Erle faire fast father fayre fight gallant Gawaine gold grace hand hart hath head heart heire of Linne Henry honour John King Arthur knight kyng lady ladye land little Musgrave lord maid Mary Ambree Minstrels never noble Northumberland Percy play poem poet praye pretty Bessee prince printed queene quoth reign Robin romances ryde sayd sayes Scotland shee shold Sing sir Aldingar slaine slayne song sonne sore sorrow stanzas sweet sword teares tell thee ther thou art thou shalt true unto weep wife willow wold word wyfe wyll Wyth youth zour
Popular passages
Page 135 - Some men with swords may reap the field, And plant fresh laurels where they kill: But their strong nerves at last must yield; They tame but one another still: Early or late They stoop to fate, And must give up their murmuring breath, When they, pale captives, creep to death.
Page 119 - With coral clasps and amber studs: And if these pleasures may thee move, Come live with me, and be my love.
Page 39 - I never heard the old song of Percy and Douglas that I found not my heart moved more than with a trumpet; and yet it is sung but by some blind crowder, with no rougher voice than rude style...
Page 125 - Crabbed age and youth cannot live together Youth is full of pleasance, age is full of care; Youth like summer morn, age like winter weather; Youth like summer brave, age like winter bare; Youth is full of sport, age's breath is short; Youth is nimble, age is lame; Youth is hot and bold, age is weak and cold; Youth is wild, and age is tame. Age, I do abhor thee; youth, I do adore thee; O, my love, my love is young!
Page 135 - The glories of our blood and state Are shadows, not substantial things ; There is no armour against fate ; Death lays his icy hand on kings : Sceptre and crown Must tumble down, And in the dust be equal made With the poor crooked scythe and spade.
Page 119 - And all complain of cares to come. The flowers do fade, and wanton fields To wayward Winter reckoning yields ; A honey tongue, a heart of gall, Is fancy's Spring, but sorrow's Fall.
Page 119 - Thy gowns, thy shoes, thy beds of roses, Thy cap, thy kirtle, and thy posies, Soon break, soon wither, soon forgotten, In folly ripe, in reason rotten. Thy belt of straw and ivy buds, Thy coral clasps and amber studs, All these in me no means can move To come to thee and be thy love.
Page 353 - Still to be neat, still to be drest, As you were going to a feast ; Still to be powdered, still perfumed : Lady, it is to be presumed, Though art's hid causes are not found, All is not sweet, all is not sound.
Page 125 - Crabbed age and youth Cannot live together ; Youth is full of pleasance, Age is full of care : Youth like summer morn, Age like winter weather ; Youth like summer brave, Age like winter bare. Youth is full of sport, Age's breath is short, Youth is nimble, age is lame : Youth is hot and bold, Age is weak and cold ; Youth is wild, and age is tame.
Page 119 - The shepherd swains shall dance and sing For thy delight each May morning: If these delights thy mind may move, Then live with me and be my love.