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第31节

the complete angler-第31节

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here we played at shovel…board half the day; all the time that it rained we were there; and as merry as they that fished。 And I am glad we are now with a dry house over our heads; for; hark ! how it rains and blows。 Come; hostess; give us more ale; and our supper with what haste you may: and when we have supped; let us have your song; Piscator; and the catch that your scholar promised us; or else; Coridon will be dogged。

Piscator。 Nay; I will not be worse than my word; you shall not want my song; and I hope I shall be perfect in it

Venator。 And I hope the like for my catch; which I have ready too: and therefore let's go merrily to supper; and then have a gentle touch at singing and drinking; but the last with moderation。

Coridon。 Come; now for your song; for we have fed heartily。 Come; hostess; lay a few more sticks on the fire。 And now; sing when you will。

Piscator。 Well then; here s to you; Coridon; and now for my song。

O the gallant Fisher's life; It is the best of any; 'Tis full of pleasure; void of strife; And 'tis beloved of many: Other joys Are but toys; Only this Lawful is; For our skill Breeds no ill; But content and pleasure。

In a morning up we rise Ere Aurora's peeping; Drink a cup to wash our eyes。 Leave the sluggard sleeping; Then we go To and fro; With our knacks At our backs To such streams As the Thames If we have the leisure。

When we please to walk abroad For our recreation; In the fields is our abode; Full of delectation: Where in a brook With a hook Or a lake Fish we take: There we sit For a bit; Till we fish entangle。

We have gentles in a horn; We have paste and worms too We can watch both night and morn; Suffer rain and storms too; None do here Use to swear; Oaths do fray Fish away; We sit still; And watch our quill Fishers must not wrangle。

If the sun's excessive heat Make our bodies swelter; To an osier hedge we get For a friendly shelter Where; in a dike; Perch or Pike Roach or Dace We do chase Bleak or Gudgeon; Without grudging We are still contented。

Or we sometimes pass an hour Under a green willow; That defends us from a shower; Making earth our pillow; Where we may Think and pray Before death Stops our breath。 Other joys Are but toys; And to be lamented。

Jo。 Chalkhill。

Venator。 Well sung; master; this day s fortune and pleasure; and the night's company and song; do all make me more and more in love with angling。 Gentlemen; my master left me alone for an hour this day; and I verily believe he retired himself from talking with me that he might be so perfect in this song; was it not; master?

Piscator。 Yes indeed; for it is many years since I learned it; and having forgotten a part of it; I was forced to patch it up with the help of mine own invention; who am not excellent at poetry; as my part of the song may testify; but of that I will say no more; lest you should think I mean; by discommending it; to beg your commendations of it。 And therefore; without replications; let's hear your catch; scholar; which I hope will be a good one; for you are both musical and have a good fancy to boot。

Venator。 Marry; and that you shall; and as freely as I would have my honest master tell me some more secrets of fish and fishing; as we walk and fish towards London to…morrow。 But; master; first let me tell you; that very hour which you were absent from me; I sat down under a willow…tree by the water…side; and considered what you had told me of the owner of that pleasant meadow in which you then left me; that he had a plentiful estate; and not a heart to think so ; that he had at this time many law…suits depending; and that they both damped his mirth; and took up so much of his time and thoughts; that he himself had not leisure to take the sweet content that I; who pretended no title to them; took in his fields: for I could there sit quietly; and looking on the water; see some fishes sport themselves in the silver streams; others leaping at flies of several shapes and colours; looking on the hills; I could behold them spotted with woods and groves; looking down the meadows; could see; here a boy gathering lilies and lady…smocks; and there a girl cropping culverkeys and cowslips; all to make garlands suitable to this present month of May: these; and many other field flowers; so perfumed the air; that I thought that very meadow like that field in Sicily of which Diodorus speaks; where the perfumes arising from the place make all dogs that hunt in it to fall off; and to lose their hottest scent I say; as I thus sat; joying in my own happy condition; and pitying this poor rich man that owned this and many other pleasant groves and meadows about me; I did thankfully remember what my Saviour said; that the meek possess the earth; or rather; they enjoy what the others possess; and enjoy not; for anglers and meek quiet…spirited men are free from those high; those restless thoughts; which corrode the sweets of life; and they; and they only; can say; as the poet has happily express it;

Hail ! blest estate of lowliness; Happy enjoyments of such minds As; rich in self…contentedness; Can; like the reeds; in roughest winds; By yielding make that blow but small At which proud oaks and cedars fall。

There came also into my mind at that time certain verses in praise of a mean estate and humble mind: they were written by Phineas Fletcher; an excellent divine; and an excellent angler; and the author of excellent Piscatory Eclogues; in which you shall see the picture of this good man's mind: and I wish mine to be like it。

No empty hopes; no courtly fears him fright; No begging wants his middle fortune bite: But sweet content exiles both misery and spite。

His certain life; that never can deceive him; Is full of thousand sweets and rich content The smooth…leav'd beeches in the field receive him; With coolest shade; till noon…tide's heat be spent。 His life is neither tost in boisterous; seas; Or the vexatious world; or lost in slothful ease; Please and full blest he lives when he his God can please。

His bed; more safe than soft; yields quiet sleeps; While by his side his faithful spouse teas place His little son into his bosom creeps; The lively picture of his father's face。 His humble house or poor state ne'er torment him Less he could like; if less his God had lent him; And when he dies; green turfs do for a tomb content him;

Gentlemen; these were a part of the thoughts that then possessed me。 And I there made a conversion of a piece of an old catch; and added more to it; fitting them to be sung by us anglers。 Come; Master; you can sing well: you must sing a part of it。 as it is in this paper。

Man's life is but vain; for 'tis subject to pain; And sorrow; and short as a bubble; 'Tis a hodge…podge of business; and money; and care; And care; and money; and trouble。

But we'll take no care when the weather proves fair; Nor will we vex now though it rain; We'll banish all sorrow; and sing till to…morrow; And angle。 and angle again。

Peter。 I marry; Sir; this is musick indeed; this has cheer'd my heart; and made me remember six verses in praise of musick; which I will speak to you instantly。

Musick ! miraculous rhetorick; thou speak'st sense Without a tongue; excelling eloquence ; With what ease might thy errors be excus'd; Wert thou as truly lov'd as th' art abus'd! But though dull souls neglect; and some reprove thee; I cannot hate thee; 'cause the Angels love thee。

Venator。 And the repetition of these last verses of musick has called to my memory what Mr。 Edmund Waller; a lover of the angle; says of love and musick

Whilst I listen to thy voice; Chloris! I feel my heart decay That powerful voice Calls my fleeting soul away: Oh! suppress that magic sound; Which destroys without a wound。

Peace; Chloris! peace; or singing die; That together you and I To heaven may go; For all we know Of what the blessed do above Is; that they sing; and that they love。

Piscator。 Well remembered; brother Peter; these verses came seasonably; and we thank you heartily。 Come; we will all join together; my host and all; and sing my scholar's catch over again; and then each man drink the tother cup; and to bed; and thank God we have a dry house over our heads。

Piscator。 Well; now; good…night to everybody。 Peter。 And so say I。

Venator。 And so say I。

Coridon。 Good…night to you all; and I thank you。





The FIFTH day。

Piscator。 Good…morrow; brother Peter; and the like to you; honest Coridon。

Come; my hostess says there is seven shillings to pay: let's each man drink a pot for his morning's draught; and lay down his two shillings; so that my hostess may not have occasion to repent herself of being so diligent; and using us so kindly。

Peter。 The motion is liked by everybody; and so; hostess; here's your money: we anglers are all beholden to you; it will not be long ere I'll see you again; and now; brother Piscator; I wish you; and my brother your scholar; a fair day and good fortune。 Come; Coridon; this is our way。





The FIFTH day…continued

Of Roack and Dace

Chapter XVII

Venator and Piscator

Venator。 Good master; as we go now towards London; be still so courteous as to give me more instructions; for I have several boxes in my memory; in which I will keep them al

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