Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

BALLAD TO THE TUNE - 'I'LL DO BY THEE AS NE'ER WAS DONE', by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: The ermine is without all spot
Last Line: He'd never speak word more.
Subject(s): Love – Unrequited


I

'THE Ermine is without all spot,
And harmless is the dove;
The lamb is innocent, but not
Like to my chastest love:
So pure a flame did never shine
From any breast before;
And (trust me) such an one as mine
Thou'lt never meet with more.

II

Hadst thou accepted of my heart,
And us'd it well awhile;
Hadst thou but sweet'ned all its smart
With one poor word, one smile;
Nay, hadst thou not, with angry scorn,
Bid it thenceforth give o'er;
It would not then have thus forborne,
'T had lov'd thee evermore.

III

But since thou didst my love requite
With so much coy disdain,
Pretending that thy honour might
From thence receive some stain,
My wronged heart (being innocent)
Broke all the chains it wore;
And vow'd, to give thee full content,
It ne'er would love thee more.'

IV

Thus to a cruel shepherdess
A poor sad shepherd sung;
He wept (such grief could do no less),
His pipe away he flung:
Then rising, for her hand he strove,
Kiss'd his last kiss, and swore
That from that time, to her of love
He'd never speak word more.





Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!


Other Poems of Interest...
Home: PoetryExplorer.net