Page:Oxford Book of English Verse 1250-1918.djvu/289

 WILLIAM DRUMMOND

240 Saint John Baptist

THE last and greatest Herald of Heaven's King, Girt with rough skins, hies to the deserts wild, Among that savage brood the woods forth bring, Which he than man more harmless found and mild. His food was locusts, and what young doth spring With honey that from virgin hives distilFd; Parch'd body, hollow eyes, some uncouth thing Made him appear, long since from earth exiled. There burst he forth 'All ye, whose hopes rely On God, with me amidbt these deserts mourn, Repent, repent, and from old errors turn'' Who listened to his voice, obey'd his cry ? Only the echoes, which he made iclent, Rung from their marble caves 'Repent 1 Repent!'

��GILES FLETCHER

��241 Wooing Song

" O VE is the blossom where there blows

Every thing that lives or grows. Love doth make the Heavens to move, And the Sun doth burn in love. Love the strong and weak doth yoke, And makes the ivy climb the oak, Under whose shadows lions wild, Soften'd by love, grow tame and mild: Love no med'cine can appease, He burns the fishes in the seas:

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