HE. Bell my wife she loves not ftrife, I am forced to yield, though Ime good-man': 6ɔ Where I began I now mun leave, And take mine old cloake about mee. VI. WILLOW, WILLOW, WILLOW. It is from the following ftanzas that Shakespeare bas taken his fong of the WILLOW, in his OTHELLO, A. 4. J. 3. though fomewhat varied and applied by him to a female character. He makes Desdemona introduce it in this pathetic and affecting manner, 66 My mother had a maid call'd Barbarie : "She was in love; and he, she lov'd, forfook her, This is given from a black-letter copy in the Pepys Collection thus intitled," A Lovers complaint, being forfaken of bis "love. To a pleasant tune.' A Poore A Poore foule fat fighing under a ficamore tree, O willow, willow, willow! With his hand on his bosom, his head on his knee; O willow, willow, willow! O willow, willow, willow! Sing, O the greene willow shall be my garland. He figh'd in his finging, and after each grone, I am dead to all pleasure, my true-love is gone; Sing, O the greene willow, &c. My love she is turned; untrue fhe doth prove: O willow, &c. She renders me nothing but hate for my O willow, &c. Sing, O the greene willow, &c. 5 love. 15 O pitty.me (cried he) ye lovers, each one: O willow, &c. Her heart's hard as marble; she rues not my mone. O willow, &c. Sing, O the greene willow, &c. The cold streams ran by him, his eyes wept apace, O willow, &c. The falt tears fell from him, which drowned his face: O willow, &c. Sing, O the greene willow, &c. 20 25 The The mute birds fate by him, made tame by his mones: O willow, &c. The falt tears fell from him, which foftned the ftones. O willow, &c. Sing, O the greene willow shall be my garland! Let nobody blame me, her fcornes I do prove; She was borne to be fair; I, to die for her love. O willow, &c. Sing, O the greene willow, &c. 30 O that beauty should harbour a heart, that's so hard! Sing willow, &c. My true love rejecting without all regard. O willow, &c. Sing, O the green willow, &c. Let Love no more boast him in palace, or bower; O willow, &c. For women are trothles, and flote in an houre. O willow, &c. Sing, O the greene willow, &c. But what helps complaining? In vaine I complaine: I must patiently fuffer her fcorne, and difdaine. 35 40 45 50 Come, Come, all you forfaken, and fet down by me, O willow, &c, He that 'plaines of his falfe love, mine's falfer than fhe. O willow, &c. Sing, O the greene willow, &c. The willow wreath weare I, fince my love did fleet ; O willow, &c. A Garland for lovers forfaken moft meete. O willow, &c. Sing, O the greene willow shall be my garland! 55 60 THE SECOND PART. L OWE lay'd by my forrow, begot by disdaine, Against her too cruell, ftill ftill I complaine, O willow, willow, willow! O willow, willow, willow: Sing, O the greene willow fhall be my garland! O love too injurious, to wound my poore heart; To fuffer the triumph, and joy in my smart: O willow, &c. Sing, O the greene willow, &c. I 5 10 O willow, O willow, willow, willow! the willow garland, O willow, &c. A fign of her falsenesse before me doth stand : As here it doth bid to despair and to dye, O willow, &c. So hang it, friends, ore mee in grave where I lye: O willow, &c. Sing, O the greene willow, &c. where I reft mee, hang this to the view O willow, &c. Of all that doe knowe her, to blaze her untrue. O willow, &c. Sing, O the greene willow, &c. With these words engraven, as epitaph meet, O willow, &c. 20 25 "Here lyes one, drank poyfon for potion moft fweet." O willow, &c. Sing, O the green willow, &c. Though the thus unkindly hath fcorned my love, O willow, &c. And carelefly smiles at the forrowes, I prove; O willow, &c. Sing, O the green willow, &c. N 2 30 35 I cannot |