Song
Lordly gallants! tell me this(Though my safe content you weigh not),In your greatness, what one blissHave you gained, that I enjoy not?You have honours, you have wealth;I have peace, and I have health:All the day I merry make,And at night no care I take.
Bound to none my fortunes be,This or that man's fall I fear not;Him I love that loveth me,For the rest a pin I care not.You are sad when others chaff,And grow merry as they laugh;I that hate it, and am free,Laugh and weep as pleaseth me.
You may boast of favours shown,Where your service is applied:But my pleasures are mine own,And to no man's humour tied.You oft flatter, sooth, and feign;I such baseness do disdain;And to none be slave I would,Though my fetters might be gold.
By great titles, some believe,Highest honours are attained;And yet kings have power to giveTo their fools, what these have gained.Where they favour there they mayAll their names of honour lay;But I look not raised to be,'Till mine own wing carry me.
Seek to raise your titles higher;They are toys not worth my sorrow;Those that we to-day admire,Prove the age's scorn to-morrow.Take your honours; let me findVirtue in a free born mind--This, the greatest kings that beCannot give, nor take from me.
Though I vainly do not vauntLarge demesnes, to feed my pleasure;I have favours where you want,That would buy respect with treasure.You have lands lie here and there,But my wealth is everywhere;And this addeth to my store--Fortune cannot make me poor.
Say you purchase with your pelfSome respect, where you importune;Those may love me for myself,That regard you for your fortune.Rich or born of high degree,Fools as well as you may be;But that peace in which I liveNo descent nor wealth can give.
If you boast that you may gainThe respect of high-born beauties;Know I never wooed in vain,Nor preferred scorned duties.She I love hath all delight,Rosy-red with lily-white,And whoe'er your mistress be,Flesh and blood as good as she.
Note of me was never took,For my woman-like perfections;But so like a man I look,It hath gained me best affections.For my love as many showersHave been wept as have for yours:And yet none doth me condemnFor abuse, or scorning them.
Though of dainties you have store,To delight a choicer palate,Yet your taste is pleased no moreThan is mine in one poor sallet.You to please your senses feedBut I eat good blood to breed;And am most delighted thenWhen I spend it like a man.
Though you lord it over me,You in vain thereof have braved;For those lusts my servants beWhereunto your minds are slaved.To yourselves you wise appear,But, alas! deceived you are;You do foolish me esteem,And are that which I do seem.
When your faults I open lay,You are moved, and mad with vexing;But you ne'er could do or sayAught to drive me to perplexing.Therefore, my despised powerGreater is, by far, than your.And, whate'er you think of me,In your minds you poorer be.
You are pleased, more or less,As men well or ill report you;And show discontentedness,When the times forbear to court you.That in which my pleasures be,No man can divide from me;And my care it adds not to,Whatso others say or do.
Be not proud, because you viewYou by thousands are attended;For, alas! it is not you,But your fortune that's befriended.Where I show of love have got,Such a danger fear I not:Since they nought can seek of me,But for love, beloved to be.
When your hearts have everything,You are pleasantly disposed:But I can both laugh and sing,Though my foes have me enclosed.Yea, when dangers me do hem,I delight in scorning them,More than you in your renown,Or a king can in his crown.
You do bravely domineer,Whilst the sun upon you shineth:Yet, if any storm appear,Basely, then, your mind declineth.But, or shine, or rain, or blow,I my resolutions know--Living, dying, thrall, or free,At one height my mind shall be.
When in thraldom I have lain,Me not worth your thought you prized;But your malice was in vain,For your favours I despised.And, howe'er you value me,I with praise shall thought on beWhen the world esteems you notAnd your names shall be forgot.
In these thoughts my riches are;Now, though poor or mean you deem me,I am pleased, and do not careHow the times or you esteem me.For those toys that make you gayAre but play-games for a day:And when nature craves her due,I as brave shall be as you.
Shall I, wasting in despair,Die, because a woman's fair?Or make pale my cheeks with care'Cause another's rosy are?Be she fairer than the day,Or the flow'ry meads in May;If she be not so to me,What care I how fair she be.
Should my heart be grieved or pined'Cause I see a woman kind?Or a well-disposed natureJoined with a lovely creature?Be she meeker, kinder thanTurtle-dove or pelican:If she be not so to me,What care I how kind she be.
Shall a woman's virtues moveMe to perish for her love?Or, her well-deserving known,Make me quite forget mine own?Be she with that goodness blestWhich may gain her name of bestIf she be not such to me,What care I how good she be.
'Cause her fortune seems too high,Shall I play the fool and die?Those that bear a noble mind,Where they want or riches find,Think what with them they would doThat without them dare to woo.And unless that mind I see,What care I though great she be.
Great, or good, or kind, or fair,I will ne'er the more despair;If she love me, this believe,I will die ere she shall grieve.If she slight me, when I woo,I can scorn, and let her go.For, if she be not for me,What care I for whom she be.
Amarillis I did woo,And I courted Phillis too;Daphne, for her love, I chose;Cloris, for that damask roseIn her cheek, I held as dear;Yea, a thousand liked well near.And, in love with all together,Feared the enjoying either;'Cause to be of one possest,Barred the hope of all the rest.
Words in this poem 19
- wealth n.
- Weal; welfare; prosperity; good. [OE. welthe, from wele; cf. D. weelde luxury. See Weal prosperity.]
- humour n.
- Moisture, especially, the moisture or fluid of animal bodies, as the chyle, lymph, etc.; as, the humors of the eye, etc. [OE. humour, OF. humor, umor, F. humeur, L. humor, umor, moisture, fluid, fr. humere, umere, to be moist. See Humid.]
- sooth a.
- True; faithful; trustworthy. [OE. soth, AS. s, for san; akin to OS. s, OHG. sand, Icel. sannr, Sw. sann, Dan. sand, Skr. sat, sant, real, genuine, present, being; properly p. pr. from a root]
- favour n.
- Kind regard; propitious aspect; countenance; friendly disposition; kindness; good will. [Written also favour.]
- honour n.
- Esteem due or paid to worth; high estimation; respect; consideration; reverence; veneration; manifestation of respect or reverence. [OE. honor, honour, onour, onur, OF. honor, onor, honur, onur, honour, onour, F. honneur, fr. L. honor, honos.]
- admire v. t.
- To regard with wonder or astonishment; to view with surprise; to marvel at. [F. admirer, fr. L. admirari; ad + mirari to wonder, for smirari, akin to Gr. smi, and E. smile.]
- pelf n.
- Money; riches; lucre; gain; -- generally conveying the idea of something ill-gotten or worthless. It has no plural. [OE. pelfir booty, OF. pelfre, akin to pelfrer to plunder, and perh. to E. pillage. Cf. Pilfer.]
- importune a.
- Inopportune; unseasonable. [F. importun, L. importunus; pref. im- not + a derivative from the root of portus harbor, importunus therefore orig. meaning, hard of access. See Port harbor, an]
- sallet n.
- A light kind of helmet, with or without a visor, introduced during the 15th century. [F. salade, Sp. celada, or It. celata, fr. L. (cassis) caelata, fr. caelare, caelatum, to engrave in relief. So called from the figures engraved upon it.]
- delighted a.
- Endowed with delight.
- aught n.
- Property; possession. [AS. , fr. agan to own, p. p. ahte.]
- whatso pron.
- Whatsoever; whosoever; whatever; anything that.
- pleasantly adv.
- In a pleasant manner.
- bravely adv.
- In a brave manner; courageously; gallantly; valiantly; splendidly; nobly.
- basely adv.
- In a base manner; with despicable meanness; dishonorably; shamefully.
- shall v. i.
- To owe; to be under obligation for. [OE. shal, schal, imp. sholde, scholde, AS. scal, sceal, I am obliged, imp. scolde, sceolde, inf. sculan; akin to OS. skulan, pres. skal, imp. skolda, D. zullen,]
- thraldom n.
- The condition of a thrall; slavery; bondage; state of servitude. [Icel. . See Thrall, and -dom.]
- deem v. t.
- To decide; to judge; to sentence; to condemn. [OE. demen to judge, condemn, AS. d, fr. d doom; akin to OFries. d, OS. ad, D. doemen, OHG. tuommen, Icel. dæma, Sw. dömma, Dan. dömme, Goth. d. See Doom, n., an]
- daphne n.
- A genus of diminutive Shrubs, mostly evergreen, and with fragrant blossoms. [L., a laurel tree, from Gr. .]
Definitions and etymologies from Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913.
About this text
Song is in the public domain. This text is taken from Pastoral Poems by Nicholas Breton, Selected Poetry by George Wither, and Pastoral Poetry by William Browne (of Tavistock), Project Gutenberg ebook #22001; the transcription's header, footer and licence were removed and nothing else was changed. You may copy, print and reuse it freely.
Cite as: Nicholas Breton, Song, in Pastoral Poems and Selected Poetry (1597–1604), text of Project Gutenberg ebook #22001, Laurel, https://laurelpoetry.com/poem/breton-poems/song.html, id L08844.
Form and metre
Song is 194 lines in 24 verse paragraphs. It is in rhyming couplets, 53% of the lines: octosyllabic couplets. The metre is iambic tetrameter, measured from the stress the words themselves fix (confidence 85%). 99% of its stressed syllables fall where the metre puts the beat. The lines average 7.1 syllables. 27 lines end on an unstressed syllable, a feminine ending. 16% of the lines run on without a stop at the line end.
See other poems in octosyllabic couplets, other poems in iambic tetrameter.
Measured by Laurel's pipeline, not copied from a handbook: how stress and metre are counted, how rhyme is lettered, how a drifted rhyme is found. Where the dictionary cannot confirm a rhyme the letter is withheld, not guessed.
Rhyme words, stanza by stanza
The word that ends each line, lettered by the rhyme it makes; a dash is a line whose rhyme the dictionary could not confirm.
- 1 ABABCCDD thisA · notB · blissA · notB · wealthC · healthC · makeD · takeD
- 2 ABABCCAA beA · notB · meA · notB · chaffC · laughC · freeA · meA
- 3 ABABCC-- shownA · appliedB · ownA · tiedB · feignC · disdainC · would · gold
- 4 -A-ABBCC believe · attainedA · give · gainedA · mayB · layB · beC · meC
- 5 -A-ABBCC higher · sorrowA · admire · morrowA · findB · mindB · beC · meC
- 6 ABABCC-- vauntA · pleasureB · wantA · treasureB · thereC · everywhereC · store · poor
- 7 ABABCCDD pelfA · importuneB · myselfA · fortuneB · degreeC · beC · liveD · giveD
- 8 ABABCCDD gainA · beautiesB · vainA · dutiesB · delightC · whiteC · beD · sheD
- 9 ABAB--CC tookA · perfectionsB · lookA · affectionsB · showers · yours · condemnC · themC
- 10 ABABCC-- storeA · palateB · moreA · salletB · feedC · breedC · then · man
- 11 A-A---BB meA · braved · beA · slaved · appear · are · esteemB · seemB
- 12 ABAB--CC layA · vexingB · sayA · perplexingB · power · your · meC · beC
- 13 ABABCCBB lessA · youB · discontentednessA · youB · beC · meC · toB · doB
- 14 A-A-BBCC viewA · attended · youA · befriended · gotB · notB · meC · beC
- 15 ABABCCDD everythingA · disposedB · singA · enclosedB · hemC · themC · renownD · crownD
- 16 A-A-BBCC domineerA · shineth · appearA · declineth · blowB · knowB · freeC · beC
- 17 ABABCCDD lainA · prizedB · vainA · despisedB · meC · beC · notD · forgotD
- 18 -A-ABBCC are · meA · care · meA · gayB · dayB · dueC · youC
- 19 AAA-BBCC despairA · fairA · careA · are · dayB · mayB · meC · beC
- 20 AA--BBCC pinedA · kindA · nature · creature · thanB · pelicanB · meC · beC
- 21 AABBCCDD moveA · loveA · knownB · ownB · blestC · bestC · meD · beD
- 22 AABBCCDD highA · dieA · mindB · findB · doC · wooC · seeD · beD
- 23 AABB--CC fairA · despairA · believeB · grieveB · woo · go · meC · beC
- 24 AABBCC--DD wooA · tooA · choseB · roseB · dearC · nearC · together · either · possestD · restD
Scansion, line by line
Each line with its syllable count and the stresses the words themselves fix: / stressed, ˘ unstressed, · a syllable the word leaves free and the metre decides. Read against iambic tetrameter. How this is done.
| Line | Syl. | Stress |
|---|---|---|
| Lordly gallants! tell me this | 7 | /˘/˘··· |
| (Though my safe content you weigh not), | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| In your greatness, what one bliss | 7 | ··/˘··· |
| Have you gained, that I enjoy not? | 8 | ·····˘/· |
| You have honours, you have wealth; | 7 | ··/˘··· |
| I have peace, and I have health: | 7 | ······· |
| All the day I merry make, | 7 | ····/˘· |
| And at night no care I take. | 7 | ······· |
| Bound to none my fortunes be, | 7 | ····/˘· |
| This or that man's fall I fear not; | 8 | ········ |
| Him I love that loveth me, | 7 | ······· |
| For the rest a pin I care not. | 8 | ········ |
| You are sad when others chaff, | 7 | ····/˘· |
| And grow merry as they laugh; | 7 | ··/˘··· |
| I that hate it, and am free, | 7 | ······· |
| Laugh and weep as pleaseth me. | 7 | ····/˘· |
| You may boast of favours shown, | 7 | ····/˘· |
| Where your service is applied: | 7 | ··/˘·˘/ |
| But my pleasures are mine own, | 7 | ··/˘··· |
| And to no man's humour tied. | 7 | ····/˘· |
| You oft flatter, sooth, and feign; | 7 | ··/˘··· |
| I such baseness do disdain; | 7 | ··/˘·˘/ |
| And to none be slave I would, | 7 | ······· |
| Though my fetters might be gold. | 7 | ··/˘··· |
| By great titles, some believe, | 7 | ··/˘·˘/ |
| Highest honours are attained; | 7 | /˘/˘·˘/ |
| And yet kings have power to give | 7 | ····/·· |
| To their fools, what these have gained. | 7 | ······· |
| Where they favour there they may | 7 | ··/˘··· |
| All their names of honour lay; | 7 | ····/˘· |
| But I look not raised to be, | 7 | ······· |
| 'Till mine own wing carry me. | 7 | ····/˘· |
| Seek to raise your titles higher; | 8 | ····/˘/˘ |
| They are toys not worth my sorrow; | 8 | ······/˘ |
| Those that we to-day admire, | 7 | ·····˘/ |
| Prove the age's scorn to-morrow. | 8 | ··/˘··/˘ |
| Take your honours; let me find | 7 | ··/˘··· |
| Virtue in a free born mind-- | 7 | /˘····· |
| This, the greatest kings that be | 7 | ··/˘··· |
| Cannot give, nor take from me. | 7 | /˘····· |
| Though I vainly do not vaunt | 7 | ··/˘··· |
| Large demesnes, to feed my pleasure; | 8 | ······/˘ |
| I have favours where you want, | 7 | ··/˘··· |
| That would buy respect with treasure. | 8 | ···˘/·/˘ |
| You have lands lie here and there, | 7 | ······· |
| But my wealth is everywhere; | 7 | ····/˘· |
| And this addeth to my store-- | 7 | ······· |
| Fortune cannot make me poor. | 7 | /˘/˘··· |
| Say you purchase with your pelf | 7 | ··/˘··· |
| Some respect, where you importune; | 8 | ·˘/····· |
| Those may love me for myself, | 7 | ······/ |
| That regard you for your fortune. | 8 | ·˘/···/˘ |
| Rich or born of high degree, | 7 | ·····˘/ |
| Fools as well as you may be; | 7 | ······· |
| But that peace in which I live | 7 | ······· |
| No descent nor wealth can give. | 7 | ·˘/···· |
| If you boast that you may gain | 7 | ······· |
| The respect of high-born beauties; | 8 | ·˘/···/˘ |
| Know I never wooed in vain, | 7 | ··/˘··· |
| Nor preferred scorned duties. | 7 | ·˘/˘·/˘ |
| She I love hath all delight, | 7 | ·····˘/ |
| Rosy-red with lily-white, | 7 | /˘··/˘· |
| And whoe'er your mistress be, | 6 | ···/˘· |
| Flesh and blood as good as she. | 7 | ······· |
| Note of me was never took, | 7 | ····/˘· |
| For my woman-like perfections; | 8 | ··/˘·˘/˘ |
| But so like a man I look, | 7 | ······· |
| It hath gained me best affections. | 8 | ·····˘/˘ |
| For my love as many showers | 8 | ····/˘/˘ |
| Have been wept as have for yours: | 7 | ······· |
| And yet none doth me condemn | 7 | ·····˘/ |
| For abuse, or scorning them. | 7 | ·˘/·/˘· |
| Though of dainties you have store, | 7 | ··/˘··· |
| To delight a choicer palate, | 8 | ·˘/·/˘/˘ |
| Yet your taste is pleased no more | 7 | ······· |
| Than is mine in one poor sallet. | 8 | ······/˘ |
| You to please your senses feed | 7 | ····/˘· |
| But I eat good blood to breed; | 7 | ······· |
| And am most delighted then | 7 | ···˘/˘· |
| When I spend it like a man. | 7 | ······· |
| Though you lord it over me, | 7 | ······· |
| You in vain thereof have braved; | 7 | ······· |
| For those lusts my servants be | 7 | ····/˘· |
| Whereunto your minds are slaved. | 7 | ······· |
| To yourselves you wise appear, | 7 | ·˘/··˘/ |
| But, alas! deceived you are; | 7 | ·˘/˘/·· |
| You do foolish me esteem, | 7 | ··/˘·˘/ |
| And are that which I do seem. | 7 | ······· |
| When your faults I open lay, | 7 | ····/˘· |
| You are moved, and mad with vexing; | 8 | ······/˘ |
| But you ne'er could do or say | 7 | ······· |
| Aught to drive me to perplexing. | 8 | ·····˘/˘ |
| Therefore, my despised power | 7 | ···˘//˘ |
| Greater is, by far, than your. | 7 | /˘····· |
| And, whate'er you think of me, | 8 | ·˘˘/···· |
| In your minds you poorer be. | 7 | ····/˘· |
| You are pleased, more or less, | 7 | ···˘··· |
| As men well or ill report you; | 8 | ·····˘/· |
| And show discontentedness, | 7 | ···˘/˘˘ |
| When the times forbear to court you. | 8 | ···˘/··· |
| That in which my pleasures be, | 7 | ····/˘· |
| No man can divide from me; | 7 | ···˘/·· |
| And my care it adds not to, | 7 | ······· |
| Whatso others say or do. | 7 | /˘/˘··· |
| Be not proud, because you view | 7 | ······· |
| You by thousands are attended; | 8 | ··/˘·˘/˘ |
| For, alas! it is not you, | 7 | ·˘/···· |
| But your fortune that's befriended. | 8 | ··/˘·˘/˘ |
| Where I show of love have got, | 7 | ······· |
| Such a danger fear I not: | 7 | ··/˘··· |
| Since they nought can seek of me, | 7 | ······· |
| But for love, beloved to be. | 7 | ···˘/·· |
| When your hearts have everything, | 7 | ····/˘· |
| You are pleasantly disposed: | 7 | ··/˘˘˘/ |
| But I can both laugh and sing, | 7 | ······· |
| Though my foes have me enclosed. | 7 | ·····˘/ |
| Yea, when dangers me do hem, | 7 | ··/˘··· |
| I delight in scorning them, | 7 | ·˘/·/˘· |
| More than you in your renown, | 7 | ·····˘/ |
| Or a king can in his crown. | 7 | ······· |
| You do bravely domineer, | 7 | ··/˘·˘/ |
| Whilst the sun upon you shineth: | 8 | ······/˘ |
| Yet, if any storm appear, | 7 | ··/˘·˘/ |
| Basely, then, your mind declineth. | 8 | /˘···˘/˘ |
| But, or shine, or rain, or blow, | 7 | ······· |
| I my resolutions know-- | 7 | ···˘/˘· |
| Living, dying, thrall, or free, | 7 | /˘/˘··· |
| At one height my mind shall be. | 7 | ······· |
| When in thraldom I have lain, | 7 | ··/˘··· |
| Me not worth your thought you prized; | 7 | ······· |
| But your malice was in vain, | 7 | ··/˘··· |
| For your favours I despised. | 7 | ··/˘·˘/ |
| And, howe'er you value me, | 7 | ····/˘· |
| I with praise shall thought on be | 7 | ······· |
| When the world esteems you not | 7 | ···˘/·· |
| And your names shall be forgot. | 7 | ·····˘/ |
| In these thoughts my riches are; | 7 | ····/˘· |
| Now, though poor or mean you deem me, | 8 | ········ |
| I am pleased, and do not care | 7 | ······· |
| How the times or you esteem me. | 8 | ·····˘/· |
| For those toys that make you gay | 7 | ······· |
| Are but play-games for a day: | 7 | ······· |
| And when nature craves her due, | 7 | ··/˘··· |
| I as brave shall be as you. | 7 | ······· |
| Shall I, wasting in despair, | 7 | ··/˘·˘/ |
| Die, because a woman's fair? | 7 | ····/˘· |
| Or make pale my cheeks with care | 7 | ······· |
| 'Cause another's rosy are? | 7 | ·˘/˘/˘· |
| Be she fairer than the day, | 7 | ··/˘··· |
| Or the flow'ry meads in May; | 7 | ······· |
| If she be not so to me, | 7 | ······· |
| What care I how fair she be. | 7 | ······· |
| Should my heart be grieved or pined | 7 | ······· |
| 'Cause I see a woman kind? | 7 | ····/˘· |
| Or a well-disposed nature | 7 | ···˘//˘ |
| Joined with a lovely creature? | 7 | ···/˘/˘ |
| Be she meeker, kinder than | 7 | ··/˘/˘· |
| Turtle-dove or pelican: | 7 | /˘··/˘˘ |
| If she be not so to me, | 7 | ······· |
| What care I how kind she be. | 7 | ······· |
| Shall a woman's virtues move | 7 | ··/˘/˘· |
| Me to perish for her love? | 7 | ··/˘··· |
| Or, her well-deserving known, | 7 | ···˘/˘· |
| Make me quite forget mine own? | 7 | ···˘/·· |
| Be she with that goodness blest | 7 | ····/˘· |
| Which may gain her name of best | 7 | ······· |
| If she be not such to me, | 7 | ······· |
| What care I how good she be. | 7 | ······· |
| 'Cause her fortune seems too high, | 7 | ··/˘··· |
| Shall I play the fool and die? | 7 | ······· |
| Those that bear a noble mind, | 7 | ····/˘· |
| Where they want or riches find, | 7 | ····/˘· |
| Think what with them they would do | 7 | ······· |
| That without them dare to woo. | 7 | ······· |
| And unless that mind I see, | 7 | ······· |
| What care I though great she be. | 7 | ······· |
| Great, or good, or kind, or fair, | 7 | ······· |
| I will ne'er the more despair; | 7 | ·····˘/ |
| If she love me, this believe, | 7 | ·····˘/ |
| I will die ere she shall grieve. | 7 | ······· |
| If she slight me, when I woo, | 7 | ······· |
| I can scorn, and let her go. | 7 | ······· |
| For, if she be not for me, | 7 | ······· |
| What care I for whom she be. | 7 | ······· |
| Amarillis I did woo, | 7 | ······· |
| And I courted Phillis too; | 7 | ··/˘/˘· |
| Daphne, for her love, I chose; | 7 | /˘····· |
| Cloris, for that damask rose | 7 | ····/˘· |
| In her cheek, I held as dear; | 7 | ······· |
| Yea, a thousand liked well near. | 7 | ··/˘··· |
| And, in love with all together, | 8 | ·····˘/˘ |
| Feared the enjoying either; | 7 | ··˘/˘/˘ |
| 'Cause to be of one possest, | 7 | ·····/˘ |
| Barred the hope of all the rest. | 7 | ······· |
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