"But first upon my true-love's grave
My weary limbs I'll lay,
And thrice I'll kiss the green-grass turf,
That wraps his breathless clay."
"Yet stay, fair lady; rest awhile
Beneath this cloyster wall:
See through the hawthorn blows the cold wind,
And drizzly rain doth fall."
"O stay me not, thou holy friar;
O stay me not, I pray;
No drizzly rain that falls on me,
Can wash my fault away."
"Yet stay, fair lady, turn again,
And dry those pearly tears;
For see beneath this gown of gray
Thy own true-love appears.
"Here forc'd by grief, and hopeless love,
These holy weeds I sought;
And here amid these lonely walls
To end my days I thought.
"But haply for my year of grace[2]
Is not yet past away,
Might I still hope to win thy love,
No longer would I stay."
"Now farewell grief, and welcome joy
Once more unto my heart;
For since I have found thee, lovely youth,
We never more will part."
***As the foregoing song has been thought to have suggested to our late excellent
poet, Dr. Goldsmith, the plan of his beautiful ballad ofEdwin and Emma(first printed
in hisVicar of Wakefield), it is but justice to his memory to declare, that his poem was
written first, and that if there is any imitation in the case, they will be found both to be
indebted to the beautiful old balladGentle Herdsman, &c. printed in Series II. Book i.
No. 14, of this work, which the Doctor had much admired in manuscript, and has
finely improved.
NOTES
- These are the distinguishing marks of a pilgrim. The chief places of devotion being
beyond sea, the pilgrims were wont to put cockle-shells in their hats to denote the
intention or performance of their devotion. Warb.Shaksp. vol. viii. p. 224. - The year of probation, or noviciate.