| William Stanley Braithwaite, ed. The Book of Elizabethan Verse. 1907. | | | | Hey, Down a Down | | Anonymous |
| | | “HEY, 1 down a down!” did Dian sing | |
| Amongst her virgins sitting; | |
| “Than love there is no vainer thing, | |
| For maidens most unfitting.” | |
| And so think I, with a down, down, derry. | 5 |
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| When women knew no woe, | |
| But lived themselves to please, | |
| Men’s feigning guiles they did not know,— | |
| The ground of their disease. | |
| Unborn was false suspect; | 10 |
| No thought of jealousy; | |
| From wanton toys and fond effect, | |
The virgin’s life was free.
“Hey, down a down!” | |
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| At length men used charms | |
| To which what maids gave ear, | 15 |
| Embracing gladly endless harms | |
| Anon enthrallèd were. | |
| Thus women welcomed woe | |
| Disguised in name of love, | |
| A jealous hell, a painted show: | 20 |
| So shall they find that prove. | |
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| “Hey, down a down!” did Dian sing, | |
| Amongst her virgins sitting; | |
| “Than love there is no vainer thing, | |
| For maidens most unfitting.” | 25 |
| And so think I, with a down, down, derry! | |
| | | Note 1. From England’s Helicon, 1600, where it was signed “Ignoto.” [back] | | |
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