Classic Poem

Perigot . It fell upon a holy eve,
Willie . Hey, ho, holiday!
Per. When holy fathers wont to shrieve;
Wil. Now ginneth this roundelay.
Per. Sitting upon a hill so high,
Wil. Hey, ho, the high hill!
Per. The while my flock did feed thereby;
Wil. The while the shepherd self did spill;
Per. I saw the bouncing Bellibone,
Wil. Hey, ho, Bonibell!
Per. Tripping over the dale alone,
Wil. She can trip it very well!
Per. Well deckid in a frock of gray,
Wil. Hey, ho, gray is greete!
Per. And in a kirtle of green saye,
Wil. The green is for maidens meet.
Per. A chapelet on her head she wore,
Wil. Hey, ho, chapelet!
Per. Of sweet violets therein was store,
Wil. She sweeter than the violet.
Per. My sheep did leave their wonted food,
Wil. Hey, ho, silly sheep!
Per. And gazed on her as they were wood,
Wil. Wood as he that did them keep!
Per. As the bonilasse passid by,
Wil. Hey, ho, bonilasse!
Per. She roved at me with glancing eye,
Wil. As clear as the crystal glass:
Per. All as the sunny beam so bright,
Wil. Hey, ho, the sun beam!
Per. Glanceth from Phoebus' face forthright,
Wil. So love into thy heart did stream:
Per. Or as the thunder cleaves the clouds.
Wil. Hey, ho, the thunder!
Per. Wherein the lightsome levin shrouds,
Wil. So cleaves thy soul asunder:
Per. Or as Dame Cynthia's silver ray,
Wil. Hey, ho, the moonlight!
Per. Upon the glittering wave doth play,
Wil. Such play is a piteous plight.
Per. The glance into my heart did glide;
Wil. Hey, ho, the glider!
Per. Therewith my soul was sharply gryde.
Wil. Such wounds soon waxen wider.
Per. Hasting to raunch the arrow out,
Wil. Hey, ho, Perigot!
Per. I left the head in my heart-root,
Wil. It was a desperate shot.
Per. There it rankleth, ay more and more,
Wil. Hey, ho, the arrow!
Per. Ne can I find salve for my sore:
Wil. Love is a cureless sorrow.
Per. And though my bale with death I bought,
Wil. Hey, ho, heavy cheer!
Per. Yet should thilk lass not from my thought,
Wil. So you may buy gold too dear.
Per. But whether in painful love I pine,
Wil. Hey, ho, pinching pain!
Per. Or thrive in wealth, she shall be mine,
Wil. But if thou can her obtain.
Per. And if for graceless grief I die,
Wil. Hey, ho, graceless grief!
Per. Witness she slew me with her eye,
Wil. Let thy folly be the prief.
Per. And you, that saw it, simple sheep,
Wil. Hey, ho, the fair flock!
Per. For prief thereof, my death shall weep,
Wil. And moan with many a mock.
Per. So learned I love on a holy eve,
Wil. Hey, ho, holiday!
Per. That ever since my heart did grieve,
Wil. Now endeth our roundelay.