The WOODY CHORISTERS;
Or; The BIRDS Harmony.
In TWO PARTS.
When Birds could speak, and Women they
Had neither Good or Bad to say;
The pretty Birds then filld with Pain,
Did to each other thus complain.
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OH! said the Cukow, loud and stout,
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I fly the country round about;
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While other birds my young ones feed,
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And I myself do stand in need.
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Then says the sparrow on her nest,
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I lovd a Lass, but it was in jest;
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And ever since that self-same thing,
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I made a wow I neer would sing.
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In came the Robin and thus he said,
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I loved once an ill-favourd maid;
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Her beauty kindled such a spark,
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That on my breast I bear the mark.
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Then said the Lark upon the Grass,
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I loved once a well-favourd Lass:
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But she would not hear her true love sing,
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Tho he had a voice would please a king.
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Then said the Black Bird as he fled,
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I loved one but she is dead;
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And ever since my love I lack,
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This is the cause I mourn in black.
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O said the bonny Nightingale,
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Then I must end my mournful Tale;
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While others sing, I sit and mourn,
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Leaning my breast upon a Thorn.
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Ah! says the Water-Wag-Tail then,
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I neer shall be myself again;
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I loved one, but could not prevail,
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This is the cause I wag my tail.
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Then says the party colourd Jay,
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My dearest Love is gone away;
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And in remembrance of my dear,
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A feather of each sort I wear.
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Then says the leather-winged Bat,
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Mind but my tail, Ill tell you what
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Is the cause I fly by night,
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Because I lost my hearts delight.
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Then said the Green-Finch as she flew,
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I loved one that provd untrue:
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And since he can no more be seen,
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Love like a sick-maid I turn to green.
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Then did begin the chattering Swallow,
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My love is fled, but Ill not follow,
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And now upon the chimney high,
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I sing forth my poor melody.
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O says the Owl, my love is gone,
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That I did so much doat upon;
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I know not how my love to follow
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But after her to hoop and hollow.
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Then says the Lap-Wing as she flies,
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I search the meadows and the skies:
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But cannot find my love again,
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So about I fly in deadly pain.
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Then says thrush I squeak and sing,
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Which doth to me no comfort bring;
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For oftentimes I at midnight
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Record my love and hearts delight.
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The Canary Bird she then come in,
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To tell her tale she did begin:
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I am of my dear love bereft,
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So I have my own country left.
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The Chaff-Finch then begins to speak,
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For love, quoth she, my heart will break,
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I grieve for you, it dont appear,
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I sing but two months in the year.
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Then quoth the Magpie I was crost
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In love, and now my dear is lost;
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And warning of my hearts delight,
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I mourn for him in black and white.
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O says the Rook, and eke the Crow,
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The reason why so black we grow;
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It is because we are forsook,
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Come pity us, poor Crow and Rook.
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The Bull-Finch was in a rage,
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And nothing could his wrath assuage;
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So in the woods he would not dwell,
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But spend his time in a doleful cell.
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Thus you have heard the birds complaint
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Taking delight in their restraint;
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Let this to all a pattern be,
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For to delight in constancy.
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PART. II.
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DOWN as I lay one morning in May,
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My hands they were coupled fast:
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My heart did rejoice to hear the pleasant voice
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Of the Birds in the air as they past.
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Then comes the Nightingale,
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Speaking the words so plain,
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I prithee kind heart, take it in good part,
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And love when thou art lovd again.
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Then says Tom-Tit-Mouse there be some men
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That will change nine times a day:
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O then says the Wren there be some Women
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That will change as often as they.
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O then says the Crow, if it be so,
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Ill give you leave to smite off my head;
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For a man unjust, no woman will him trust,
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Until the very day he is dead.
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O then says the Pye, tell me the reason why
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You judge so hardly of men?
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O then says the Lark I speak it from my heart,
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That Women are worse than them?
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O then says the Dove I once had a love,
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And she loved me very kind:
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O says the Rook Ill be sworn to a book!
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Such another is hard to find.
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O says the Daw I care not a straw,
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Altho I may chuse me a mate:
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O then say the Thrush, you shall have her
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in a rush,
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And take her a lower rate.
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O then says the Duck, I wish you better luck
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Than a man that I do know:
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When hes from home, theres another in his
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room,
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And so says the Cuckoo too.
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