X.

CORYDON'S FAREWELL TO PHILLIS,

Is an attempt to paint a lover's irresolution, but so poorly executed, that it would not have been admitted into this collection, if it had not been quoted in Shakespeare's _Twelfth-Night_, act ii. sc. 3.--It is found in a little ancient miscellany, intituled, _The Golden Garland of Princely Delights_, 12mo. bl. let.

In the same scene of the _Twelfth-Night_, _Sir Toby_ sings a scrap of an old ballad, which is preserved in the Pepys Collection (vol. i. pp. 33, 496), but as it is not only a poor dull performance, but also very long, it will be sufficient here to give the first stanza:

THE BALLAD OF CONSTANT SUSANNA.

There dwelt a man in Babylon Of reputation great by fame; He took to wife a faire womàn, Susanna she was callde by name: A woman fair and vertuous; Lady, lady: Why should we not of her learn thus To live godly?

If this song of _Corydon_, &c. has not more merit, it is at least an evil of less magnitude.

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[Dr. Rimbault refers to an earlier copy of this song in a rare musical volume entitled _The First Booke of Ayres, composed by Robert Jones_, 1601, where it is accompanied by the original music for four voices. This tune appears to have been a very popular one, and several Scottish songs are to be sung to the "toon of sal I let her go." The air is also to be found in a Dutch collection of Songs published at Haarlem in 1626.

In Brome's comedy of _The Jovial Crew_, acted in 1641 at the Cockpit in Drury Lane, there is an allusion perhaps to this song:

"Let her go, let her go, I care not if I have her, I have her or no."]

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Farewell, dear love; since thou wilt needs be gone, Mine eyes do shew, my life is almost done. Nay I will never die, so long as I can spie There be many mo, though that she doe goe, There be many mo, I fear not: 5 Why then let her goe, I care not.

Farewell, farewell; since this I find is true, I will not spend more time in wooing you: But I will seek elsewhere, if I may find love there: Shall I bid her goe? what and if I doe? 10 Shall I bid her goe and spare not? O no, no, no, I dare not.

Ten thousand times farewell;--yet stay a while:-- Sweet, kiss me once; sweet kisses time beguile: 14 I have no power to move. How now am I in love? Wilt thou needs be gone? Go then, all is one. Wilt thou needs be gone? Oh, hie thee! Nay stay, and do no more deny me.

Once more adieu, I see loath to depart Bids oft adieu to her, that holds my heart. 20 But seeing I must lose thy love, which I did choose, Goe thy way for me, since that may not be. Goe thy ways for me. But whither? Goe, oh, but where I may come thither.

What shall I doe? my love is now departed. 25 She is as fair, as she is cruel-hearted. She would not be intreated, with prayers oft repeated, If she come no more, shall I die therefore? If she come no more, what care I? Faith, let her goe, or come, or tarry. 30