98 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 



and veriest virgin of the company. And she sung Frank 

 Davison's song, which he made forty years ago ; and all the 

 others of the company joined to sing the burthen with her. 

 The ditty was this : but first the burthen : 



Bright shines the sun ; play, beggars play ! 

 Here's scraps enough to serve to-day. 



"What noise of viols is so sweet 



As when our merry clappers ring ? 

 What mirth doth want when beggars meet ? 



A beggar's life is for a king, 

 Eat, drink, and play, sleep when we list, 

 Gfo where we will so stocks be miss'd. 



Bright shines the sun ; play, beggars, play ! 



Here's scraps enough to serve to-day. 



The world is ours, and ours alone ; 



For we alone have world at will. 

 We purchase not all is our own ; 



Both fields and streets we beggars fill. 



Bright shines the sun ; play, beggars, play ! 



Here's scraps enough to serve to-day. 



A hundred herds of black and white 



Upon our gowns securely feed ; 

 And yet if any dare us bite, 



He dies, therefore, as sure as creed. 

 Thus beggars lord it as they please, 

 And only beggars live at ease. 



Bright shines the sun ; play, beggars, play ! 



Here's scraps enough to serve to-day. 



VEN. I thank you, good master, for this piece of merri- 

 ment, and this song, which was well humoured by the maker, 

 and well remembered by you. 



Pise. But, I pray, forget not the catch which you promised 

 to make against night ; for our countryman, honest Coridon, 

 will expect your catch, and my song, which I must be forced 

 to patch up, for it is so long since I learnt it, that I have 

 forgotten a part of it. But, come, now it hath done raining, 

 let's stretch our legs a little in a gentle walk to the river, and 

 try what interest our angles will pay us for lending them so 

 long to be used by the trouts ; lent them, indeed, like usurers, 

 for our profit and their destruction. 



VEN. Oh me ! look you, master, a fish ! a fish ! Oh, alas, 

 master, I have lost her ! 



Pise. Ay, marry, sir, that was a good fish indeed : if I had 

 had the luck to have taken up that rod, then 'tis twenty to 



