The Shepherd's Description of Love

"Shepherd, what's love? I pray thee, tell!"
It is that fountain, and that well.
Where pleasure and repentance dwell;
It is, perhaps, that passing bell
That tolls us all to heaven or hell;
And this is love, as I heard tell.

"Yet, what is love? I pray thee, say!"
It is a work on holiday:
It is December match'd with May,
When lusty woods, in fresh array.
Hear, ten months after, of the play;
And this is love, as I hear say.

"Yet, what is love? good shepherd, saine!"
It is a sunshine mix'd with rain;
It is a tooth-ache, or like pain;
It is a game where none doth gain.
The lass saith, No, and would full fain!
And this is love, as I hear saine.

"Yet, shepherd, what is love, I pray?"
It is a
"yea," it is a
"nay,"
A pretty kind of sporting fray;
It is a thing will soon away;
Then, nymphs, take vantage while ye may,
And this is love, as I hear say.

"Yet, what is love, good shepherd, show!"
A thing that creeps, it cannot go,
A prize that passeth to and fro,
A thing for one, a thing for moe;
And he that proves shall find it so;
And, shepherd, this is love I trow.