Love
Corydon's Farewell to Phillis
From Percy, Reliques of Ancient English Poetry (1765)
Farewell, dear love; since thou wilt needs be gone,
Mine eyes do shew, my life is almost done.
Nay I will never die, so long as I can spie
There be many mo, though that she doe goe,
There be many mo, I fear not:
Why then let her goe, I care not.
Farewell, farewell; since this I find is true,
I will not spend more time in wooing you:
But I will seek elsewhere, if I may find love there:
Shall I bid her goe? what and if I doe?
Shall I bid her goe and spare not?
O no, no, no, I dare not.
Ten thousand times farewell;--yet stay a while:--
Sweet, kiss me once; sweet kisses time beguile:
I have no power to move. How now am I in love?
Wilt thou needs be gone? Go then, all is one.
Wilt thou needs be gone? Oh, hie thee!
Nay stay, and do no more deny me.
Once more adieu, I see loath to depart
Bids oft adieu to her, that holds my heart.
But seeing I must lose thy love, which I did choose,
Goe thy way for me, since that may not be.
Goe thy ways for me. But whither?
Goe, oh, but where I may come thither.
What shall I doe? my love is now departed.
She is as fair, as she is cruel-hearted.
She would not be intreated, with prayers oft repeated,
If she come no more, shall I die therefore?
If she come no more, what care I?
Faith, let her goe, or come, or tarry.
Codex Note
Percy prints it from the old miscellany The Golden Garland of Princely Delights; Sir Toby quotes it in Twelfth Night.
Cite this poem
MLA
Anonymous (English and Scottish Ballads). “Corydon's Farewell to Phillis.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/anonymous-english-scottish-ballads/237/.
Chicago
Anonymous (English and Scottish Ballads). “Corydon's Farewell to Phillis.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/anonymous-english-scottish-ballads/237/.
Read this poem with the Codex →