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The Judge's charge-a Robin's-read,
Twelve honest Robins' verdict said,
A Robin Ketch will hang thee dead,-

Confound the Cats!

Laid in unblest abysmal tomb,
Resurgam none-a cat-acomb-

Thou❜lt rot in Paris, Memphis, Rome

Confound the Cats!

Would, Richard Whittington! you'd ta'en
Your "turn again" through my domain,
And shipped a cargo off for Spain!

Confound the Cats!

'Twould have saved Robin-cheeriest fellow! With pipe so clear, and soul so mellow, Amongst his mates a regular swell, Oh

Confound the Cats!

In scarlet vest and breeches grey,
He looked the gentleman so gay-
His nut-brown coat, a cut-away.

Confound the Cats!

Puss eyed him plump and debonnair,—
Compassion cried in vain "Oh spare!"-
And trussed his gentle carcase there :

Confound the Cats!

Cat venit, vidit, vicit Rob,

A Cæsarlike and summary job,

Without one quick compunctious throb.

Confound the Cats!

Swooned Queen Robina at his rape;

While her Lord Chamberlain bade drape
All Robindom with deepest crape.

Confound the Cats!

"Confound the Cats," she cried sob-sobbing, "Who took their hard and hungry gob in

My royal spouse-my peerless Robin!

Ah me, sweet Robin!

"O feline and felonious breed!

My true love's red breast-Ah foul deed!-
To cause with redder red to bleed,

Dear murdered Robin!

"The bagpipes drone fu' sad and sairlie, Aye liltin' Wae's me for Prince Charlie ;' My heart responds, Wae's me for rarely

Gifted Prince Robin!

"O early lost and long adored! My dhilka tookra, my soul's lord! Thy virtues how shall I record,

My noble Robin?

"Victoria builds her Alberteum, As Caria's Queen her Mausoleum; I'll raise, I vow, my Robineum

For Consort Robin!

"Ad Viduarum nexa choream, Extruam, in majorem gloriam Robini, propriam In Memoriam.

O loved-lost-Robin!'

Her grief we share :-confound the brutes
Who turn sweet warblers into mutes,
And clothe their mates in mourning-suits---
Confound the Cats!

O one-tailed Cats, remorseless crew!
Did all Garotters meet their due,
A nine-tailed Cat would harry you—

Confound the Cats!

When Thetis dipped her bantling stout
In Styx, she pulled him quickly out
By the heel-whence came Achilles' gout:
Confound the Cats!

Far different guerdon thou shouldst win,
Tenny! for thine enormous sin;

No heel I'd hold, but plump thee in:

Confound the Cats!

O utinam the watery strife

Absorbed the last Cat's last ninth life,
Nor left one thread for Fate's sharp knife!
Confound the, Cats!

Were the Cat-world one-necked, as Nero
Wished all mankind a one-necked hero,
"Off with his head!" I'd ring out clear, Oh
Confound the Cats!

But hush, my soul, bereavement-riven !
Bow to the dark behest of Heaven-
In this round world there may be even

Needs-be for Cats!

[graphic][merged small][merged small]

WOMEN, women, love of women,
Make bare purse with some men !
Some be nice as a nunne hen,

Yit all they be nat so.

Some be lewd, some all be shrewed,-2
Go shrews where they go.

Some be wise, and some be fond,

And some be tame, I understond,

And some can take bread of a man's hond,
Yit all they be nat so.

Some will be drunken as a mouse;

Some be crooked, and will hurt a louse;

And some be fair, and good in a house;

Yit all be nat so:

For some be lewd, and some be shrewed,-
Go shrew wheresoever ye go.

Some can prate withouten hire,

And some make debate in every shire,
And some checkmate with oure sire,
Yit all they be nat so.

Some be lewd, and some be shrewed,

Go where they go.

Some be brown, and some be white,

And some be tender as a tripe,

And some of them be cherry-ripe,

Yit all they be nat so.

Some be lewd, and some be shrewed,

Go where they go.

1 The date of this poem may be towards 1460. I have seen three several versions of it. Two of them are nearly alike, and are here substantially reproduced. From the other, which differs considerably, I have taken the stanza which appears third in the present reprint.

2 Curst, hateful.

Some of them be true of love
Beneath the girdle but not above,
And in a hood above can chove;
Vit all they be nat so.

Some be lewd, and some be shrewed,
Go where they go.

Some can whister, and some can cry;
Some can flatter, and some can lie ;
And some can set the moke awry ;
Yit all they do nat so.

Some be lewd, and some be shrewed,
Go where they go.

He that made this song full good

Came of the north and the southern blood,
And somewhat kine1 to Robin Hood;
Yit all we be nat so.

Some be lewd, and some be shrewed,
Go where they go ;

Some be lewd and some be shrewed,
Go where they go.

A GOOD MEDICINE FOR SORE EYNE.2

FOR a man that is almost blind,

Let him go barehead all day again the wind,
Till the sun be set;

And than wrap him in a cloak,

And put him in a house full of smoke,
And look that every hole be well shet.
And, whan his eyes begin to rope,
Fill hem full of brimstone and soap,
And hyll 3 him well and warm.
And, if he be not, by the next moon,
As well at midnight as at noon,
I shall lese my right arm.

TRUST IN WOMEN.

WHEN these things following be done to our intent,
Than put women in trust and confident.

When nettles in winter bring forth roses red,'
And all manner of thorn-trees bear figs naturally,
And geese bear pearls in every mead,

1 Kin.

And laurel bear cherries abundantly,
And oaks bear dates very plenteously,

2 Date towards 1480: so also for the two poems that follow next. 3 Cover.

And kisks give of honey superfluence,
Than put women in trust and confidence.
When box bear paper in every lond and town,
And thistles bear berries in every place,
And pikes have naturally feathers in their crown,
And bulls of the sea sing a good bass,
And men be the ships fishes do trace,
And in women be found no insipience,
Than put hem in trust and confidence.
When whitings do walk forests to chase harts,
And herrings their horns in forests boldly blow,
And marmsats morn in moors and in lakes,
And gurnards shoot rooks out of a cross-bow,
And goslings hunt the wolf to overthrow,
And sprats bear spears in armes of defence,

Than put women in trust and confidence.
When swine be cunning in all points of music,
And asses be doctors of every science,

And cats do heal men be practising of physic,
And buzzards to scripture gif ony credence,
And marchans buy with horn, instead of groats and pence,
And pyes be made poets for their eloquence,
Than put women in trust and confidence.

1

When sparrows build churches on a heighth,
And wrens carry secks 1 onto the mill,
And curlews carry timber houses to dighth,2
And fomalls bear butter to market to sell,

And woodcocks wear woodknives cranes to kill,

And greenfinches to goslings do obedience,
Than put women in trust and confidence.

When crowves take sarmon 3 in woods and parks,
And be take with swifts and snails,

And camels in the air take swallows and larks,
And mice move mountains with wagging of their tails,
And shipmen take a ryd instead of sails,

And when wifes to their husbands do no offence,
Than put women in trust and confidence.

When hantlopes surmounts eagles in flight,

And swans be swifter than hawks of the tower,
And wrens set gos-hawks be force and might,
And muskets make vergece of crabbes sour,
And ships sail on dry lond, syll gyfe flower,*
And apes in Westminster gif judgment and sentence,
Than put women in trust and confidence.

1 Sacks.

2 Construct.

3 Salmon.

4 I don't understand these three words-not to speak of some few others passim.

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