Thomas Humphry Ward, ed. The English Poets. 1880–1918.rnVol. II. The Seventeenth Century: Ben Jonson to Dryden

Thomas Dekker (c. 1570–1632)

The Praise of Fortune (from Old Fortunatus)

FORTUNE smiles, cry holiday!

Dimples on her cheek do dwell.

Fortune frowns, cry well-a-day!

Her love is Heaven, her hate is Hell.

Since Heaven and Hell obey her power,

Tremble when her eyes do lower.

Since Heaven and Hell her power obey,

When she smiles cry holiday!

Holiday with joy we cry,

And bend and bend, and merrily

Sing Hymns to Fortune’s deity,

Sing Hymns to Fortune’s deity.

Chorus.

Let us sing merrily, merrily, merrily,

With our songs let Heaven resound.

Fortune’s hands our heads have crowned

Let us sing merrily, merrily, merrily.