crimson cockscomb to the blue
And crowing like Chanticleer, _Give them a rouse! Tickle it, tabourer!
Nimbly, lasses, nimbly! Tuck up your russet petticoats and dance! Let
the Cheape know it is the first of May!_

And as I seized shirt, doublet and trunk-hose, I saw the hobby-horse
come cantering down, A pasteboard steed, dappled a rosy white Like
peach-bloom, bridled with purple, bitted with gold, A crimson foot-cloth
on his royal flanks, And, riding him, His Majesty of the May! Round him
the whole crowd frolicked with a shout, And as I stumbled down the
crooked stair I heard them break into a dance and sing:--

SONG

I

Into the woods we'll trip and go,
Up and down and to and fro,
Under the moon to fetch in May,
And two by two till break of day,
A-maying,
A-playing,
For Love knows no gain-saying!
Wisdom trips not? Even so--
Come, young lovers, trip and go,
Trip and go.

II

Out of the woods we'll dance and sing
Under the morning-star of Spring,
Into the town with our fresh boughs
And knock at every sleeping house,
Not sighing,
Or crying,
Though Love knows no denying!
Then, round your summer queen and king,
Come, young lovers, dance and sing,
Dance and sing!

"_Chorus_," the great Fool tossed his gorgeous crest,
And lustily crew against the deepening dawn,
"_Chorus_," till all the Cheape caught the refrain,
And, with a double thunder of frolic feet,
Its ancient nut-brown tabors woke the Strand:--

A-maying,
A-playing,
For Love knows no gain-saying!
Wisdom trips not? Even so,--
Come, young lovers, trip and go,
Trip and go.

Into the Mermaid with a shout they rushed
As I shot back the bolts, and _bang, thwack, bang,_
The bladder bounced about me. What cared I?
This was all England's holy-day! "Come in,
My yellow-hammers," roared the Friar Tuck
Of this mad morrice, "come you into church,
My nightingales, my scraps of Lincoln green,
And hear my sermon!" On a window-seat
He stood, against the diamonded rich panes
In the old oak parlour and, throwing back his hood,
Who should it be but Ben, rare Ben himself?
The wild troup laughed around him, some a-sprawl
On tables, kicking parti-coloured heels,
S