THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 69 



with any fears of many things that will never be, as too many 

 men too often do : but she cast away all care, and sung like a 

 nifrhtinsale : her voice was good, and the dittv fitted for it : it 

 was that smooth song which was made by Kit Marlow,* now at 

 least fifty years ago : and the milk-maid's mother sung an an- 

 swer to it, which was made by Sir Walter Raleigh in his younger 

 days.f 



They were old-fashioned poetry, but choicely good ; I think 

 much better than the strong lines that are now in fashion in this 

 critical age.:{: Look yonder ! on my word, yonder they both be 

 a milking again. I will give her the chub, and persuade them 

 to sing those two songs to us. 



God speed you, good woman ! I have been a fishing, and am 

 going to Bleak-Hall to my bed, and having caught more fish than 

 will sup myself and my friend, I will bestow this upon you and 

 your daughter, for I use to sell none. 



MiLK-W. Marry, God requite you. Sir, and we'll eat it cheer- 

 fully ; and if you come this way a fishing two months hence, a 

 grace of God I'll give you a syllabub of new verjuice in a new- 

 made hay-cock§ for it, and my Maudlin shall sing you one of her 

 best ballads ; for she and I both love all anglers, they be such 

 honest, civil, quiet men ; in the mean time, will you drink a 

 draught of red cow's milk ? you shall have it freely. 



* Christopher Marlow, contemporary with Shakspeare, and a favorite 

 actor with Elizabeth and Jan^es L He wrote seven tragedies, and has re- 

 ceived high praise as a poet. He was a man of loose principles in reli- 

 gion and morals, and came to a corresponding end, being killed in a brawl 

 with a servant about a low woman. He is known as Kit Marlow ; as 

 Thomas Heywoode, 1635, says (" Hierarchic of the Blessed Angels " p. 

 206), 



" Marlow, renowned for his rare art and wit. 

 Could ne'er attaine beyond the name of Kit." 



[.im. Ed. 



t See note on the song. 



X He probably means the affectation of condensing too much for clear- 

 ness. — im. Ed. 



§ Verjuice is the acid of the crab apple, wild grapes, or other fruits, with 

 which the good woman hoped, when the season of them, " two months 

 hence," was come, to prepare her syllabub. " Red cow's milk" was pro- 

 bably thought to be better for health, as the vulgar think that red flannel 



