THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 177 



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. 



Or we sometimes pass an hour 



Under a green willow, 

 That defends us from a shower, 

 Making earth our pillow : 

 Where we may 

 Think and pray 

 Before death 

 Stops our breath : 

 Other joys 

 Are but toys, 

 And to be lamented. * 



Jo. CHALKHILL. 



* This, in its kind, is a good song. The following, taken from Cotton's 

 Poems, 8vo. 1689, is to the same purpose, and well deserves a place here ; 



Away to the brook, 



All your tackle out-look, 

 Here's a day that is worth a year's wishing. 



See that all things be right, 



For 'twould be a spite 

 To want tools when a man goes a-fishing. 



Your rod with tops two, 



For the same will not do, 

 If your manner of angling you vary ; 



And full well may you thinlc, 



If you troll with a pink, 

 One too weak will be apt to miscarry. 



Then basket, neat made 



By a master in 's trade, 

 In a belt at your shoulders must dangle ; 



For none e'er was so vain 



To wear this to disdain 

 Who a true brother was of the angle. 



Next pouch must not fail, 



Stuff 'd as full as a mail, 

 With wax, crewels, silks, hair, furs, and fe*ther, 



To make several flies, 



For the several skies, 

 That shall kill in despite of all weather*. 



