Poem by Nicholas Breton

Phillida and Coridon

In the merry month of May,
In a morn by break of day,
Forth I walked by the wood side
Whenus May was in his pride.
There I spied all alone
Phillida and Coridon.
Much ado there was, Got wot,
He would love and she would not.
She said, never man was true;
Lie said, none was false to you.
He said, he had loved her long;
She said. Love should have no wrong.
Coridon would kiss her then.
She said, maids must kiss no men
Till they did for good and all.
Then she made the shepherd call
All the heavens to witness truth,
Never loved a truer youth.
Thus with many a pretty oath,
Yea and nay, and faith and troth,
Such as silly shepherds use
When they will not love abuse;
Love, which had been long deluded,
Was with kisses sweet concluded.
And Phillida, with garlands gay,
Was made the lady of the May.

1. A Sweet Pastoral
2. A Sweet Contention between Love, his Mistress, and Beauty
3. Aglaia
4. A Quarrel with Love
5. A Pastoral of Phyllis and Corydon

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