174 



THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 



[PART i. 



dry house over our heads ; for, hark ! how it rains and blows. 

 Come, hostess, give us more ale, and our supper with what haste 

 you may : and when we have supped, let us have your song, 

 Piscator ; and the catch that your scholar promised us ; or else, 

 Coridon will be dogged. 



PlSCATOR. Nay, I will not be worse than my word ; you 

 shall not want my song, and I hope I shall be perfect in it. 



VENATOR. And I hope the like for my catch, which I have 

 ready too : and therefore let's go merrily to supper, and then 

 have a gentle touch at singing and drinking ; but the last with 

 moderation. 



CORIDON. Come, now for your song ; for we have fed 

 heartily. Come, hostess, 7 lay a few more sticks on the fire. 

 And now, sing when you will. 



PISCATOR. Well then, here's to you, Coridon ; and now for 

 my song. 



O the gallant 8 Fisher's life, 



It is the best of any ; 

 'Tis full of pleasure, void of strife, 

 And 'tis belov'd of many : 



Other joys 



Are but toys; 



Only this 



Lawful is ; 



For our skill 



Breeds no ill, 

 But content and pleasure, 



In a morning up we rise, 

 Ere Aurora's peeping ; 

 Drink a cup to wash our eyes ; 



Or a lake, 

 Fish we take : 

 There we sit, 

 For a bit, 

 Till we fish entangle. 



Leave the sluggard sleeping : 

 Then we go 

 To and fro, 

 With our knacks 

 At our backs, 

 To such streams 

 As the Thames, 

 If we have the leisure. 



When we please to walk abroad 



For our recreation, 

 In the fields is our abode, 

 Full of delectation : 

 Where in a brook 

 With a hook, 



We have gentles in a horn, 



We have paste and worms too ; 

 We can watch both night and morn, 

 Suffer rain and storms too ; 



None do here 



Use to swear ; 



Oaths do fray 



Fish away ; 



We sit still, 



And watch our quill ; 

 Fishers must not wrangle. 



If the sun's excessive heat 



Make our bodies swelter, 

 To an osier hedge we get 

 For a friendly shelter ; 



Where, in a dike, 



Perch or Pike, 



Roach or Dace, 



We do chase ; 



Bleak or Gudgeon, 



Without grudging; 

 We are still contented. 



VARIATIONS. 



7 give us a little more drink and lay a few more sticks on the fire. ist edit. 



8 brave. ist edit. 



