A Pleasant Song Made by a Souldier, Whose Bringing Up Had Been Dainty

In Summer time when Phoebus rayes
Did chéer each mortall mans delight,
Increasing of the chéerfull dayes,
and cutting of the darksome nights:
When Nature brought forth every thing,
By just return of April showers,
To make the pleasant Branches spring
with sundry sorts of herbs and flowers.

It was my chance to walk abroad,
To view Dame Natures new come brood,
The pretty Birds did lay on load
with sugred tunes in every wood:
The gallant Nightingale did set
Her speckled breast against a Bryer,
Whose mournfull tunes bewail (as yet)
her brother Tereus false desire.

The Serpents having cast their coats,
Lay listning how the Birds did sing,
The pretty Birds with sugred notes.
did welcome in the pleasant Spring:
I drew me to the Gréen-wood side,
To hear this Countrey harmony,
Whereas er'e long I had espy'd
a woful man in misery.

He lay along upon the ground
And to the Heavens he cast his eye,
The bordering Hills and Dales resound
the eccho's of his piteous cry:
He wailing sore, and sighing said,
Oh Heavens what endlesse grief have I?
Why are my sorrows thus delaid?
come therefore death and let me die.

When Nature first had made my frame,
And set me loose when she had done,
Steps Fortune in that fickle Dame,
to end what Nature had begun.
She set my féet upon her knée,
And blest my tender age with store,
But in the end she did agrée
to mar what she had made before.
I could no sooner créep alone:
But she forsook her fostered child,
I had no lands to live upon,
But trac'd abroad the world so wilde.

At length I fell in company
With gallant Youths of Mars his train,
I spent my life in jeopardy,
and got my labour for my pain:
I watched on the sieged walls
In thunder, lightning, rain and snow,
And oft being shot with powdred Balls,
whose costly marks are yet to show.

When all my kindred took their rest
At home in many a stately Bed,
The ground and pavement 'was my nest,
my Flask a pillow for my head:
My meat was such as I could get,
Of Roots and Herbs of sundry sorts,
Which did content my hungry mind,
although my commons were but short.

My powder serv'd to salt my meat,
My Murrion for a gilded Cup,
Whereas such drink as I could get,
In Spring or Ditch I drank it up:
My Rapier alwayes by my side,
My Piece lay charg'd with match & light,
Thus many a month I did abide
to ward all day and watch by night.

I lived in this glorious vain,
Untill my limbs grew stiffe and lame,
And thus I got me home again,
regarding no such costly fame:
When I came home I made a proof
What friends would do if néed should be,
My nearest kinsfolks lookt aloof,
as though they had forgotten me.

And as the Owl by chattering charms
Is wondred at of other Birds,
So they came wondring at my harms,
and yéeld me no relief but words:
Thus do I want while they have store,
That am their equall every way,
Though fortune lent them somwhat more,
else had I béen as good as they.

Come gentle Death and end my grief,
Yée pretty Birds ring forth my knell,
Let Robin red-breast be the chief
to bury me and so farewell.
Let no good Souldier be dismaid
To fight in Field with courage bold,
Yet mark the words that I have said,
trust not to friends when thou art old.