here　we　played　at　shovel…board　half　the　day；　all　the　time　that　it　rained　we　were　there；　and　as　merry　as　they　that　fished。　And　I　am　glad　we　are　now　with　a　dry　house　over　our　heads；　for；　hark　！　how　it　rains　and　blows。　Come；　hostess；　give　us　more　ale；　and　our　supper　with　what　haste　you　may：　and　when　we　have　supped；　let　us　have　your　song；　Piscator；　and　the　catch　that　your　scholar　promised　us；　or　else；　Coridon　will　be　dogged。
  Piscator。　Nay；　I　will　not　be　worse　than　my　word；　you　shall　not　want　my　song；　and　I　hope　I　shall　be　perfect　in　it
  Venator。　And　I　hope　the　like　for　my　catch；　which　I　have　ready　too：　and　therefore　let's　go　merrily　to　supper；　and　then　have　a　gentle　touch　at　singing　and　drinking；　but　the　last　with　moderation。
  Coridon。　Come；　now　for　your　song；　for　we　have　fed　heartily。　Come；　hostess；　lay　a　few　more　sticks　on　the　fire。　And　now；　sing　when　you　will。
  Piscator。　Well　then；　here　s　to　you；　Coridon；　and　now　for　my　song。
  O　the　gallant　Fisher's　life；　It　is　the　best　of　any；　'Tis　full　of　pleasure；　void　of　strife；　And　'tis　beloved　of　many：　Other　joys　Are　but　toys；　Only　this　Lawful　is；　For　our　skill　Breeds　no　ill；　But　content　and　pleasure。
  In　a　morning　up　we　rise　Ere　Aurora's　peeping；　Drink　a　cup　to　wash　our　eyes。　Leave　the　sluggard　sleeping；　Then　we　go　To　and　fro；　With　our　knacks　At　our　backs　To　such　streams　As　the　Thames　If　we　have　the　leisure。
  When　we　please　to　walk　abroad　For　our　recreation；　In　the　fields　is　our　abode；　Full　of　delectation：　Where　in　a　brook　With　a　hook　Or　a　lake　Fish　we　take：　There　we　sit　For　a　bit；　Till　we　fish　entangle。
  We　have　gentles　in　a　horn；　We　have　paste　and　worms　too　We　can　watch　both　night　and　morn；　Suffer　rain　and　storms　too；　None　do　here　Use　to　swear；　Oaths　do　fray　Fish　away；　We　sit　still；　And　watch　our　quill　Fishers　must　not　wrangle。
  If　the　sun's　excessive　heat　Make　our　bodies　swelter；　To　an　osier　hedge　we　get　For　a　friendly　shelter　Where；　in　a　dike；　Perch　or　Pike　Roach　or　Dace　We　do　chase　Bleak　or　Gudgeon；　Without　grudging　We　are　still　contented。
  Or　we　sometimes　pass　an　hour　Under　a　green　willow；　That　defends　us　from　a　shower；　Making　earth　our　pillow；　Where　we　may　Think　and　pray　Before　death　Stops　our　breath。　Other　joys　Are　but　toys；　And　to　be　lamented。
  Jo。　Chalkhill。
  Venator。　Well　sung；　master；　this　day　s　fortune　and　pleasure；　and　the　night's　company　and　song；　do　all　make　me　more　and　more　in　love　with　angling。　Gentlemen；　my　master　left　me　alone　for　an　hour　this　day；　and　I　verily　believe　he　retired　himself　from　talking　with　me　that　he　might　be　so　perfect　in　this　song；　was　it　not；　master？
  Piscator。　Yes　indeed；　for　it　is　many　years　since　I　learned　it；　and　having　forgotten　a　part　of　it；　I　was　forced　to　patch　it　up　with　the　help　of　mine　own　invention；　who　am　not　excellent　at　poetry；　as　my　part　of　the　song　may　testify；　but　of　that　I　will　say　no　more；　lest　you　should　think　I　mean；　by　discommending　it；　to　beg　your　commendations　of　it。　And　therefore；　without　replications；　let's　hear　your　catch；　scholar；　which　I　hope　will　be　a　good　one；　for　you　are　both　musical　and　have　a　good　fancy　to　boot。
  Venator。　Marry；　and　that　you　shall；　and　as　freely　as　I　would　have　my　honest　master　tell　me　some　more　secrets　of　fish　and　fishing；　as　we　walk　and　fish　towards　London　to…morrow。　But；　master；　first　let　me　tell　you；　that　very　hour　which　you　were　absent　from　me；　I　sat　down　under　a　willow…tree　by　the　water…side；　and　considered　what　you　had　told　me　of　the　owner　of　that　pleasant　meadow　in　which　you　then　left　me；　that　he　had　a　plentiful　estate；　and　not　a　heart　to　think　so　；　that　he　had　at　this　time　many　law…suits　depending；　and　that　they　both　damped　his　mirth；　and　took　up　so　much　of　his　time　and　thoughts；　that　he　himself　had　not　leisure　to　take　the　sweet　content　that　I；　who　pretended　no　title　to　them；　took　in　his　fields：　for　I　could　there　sit　quietly；　and　looking　on　the　water；　see　some　fishes　sport　themselves　in　the　silver　streams；　others　leaping　at　flies　of　several　shapes　and　colours；　looking　on　the　hills；　I　could　behold　them　spotted　with　woods　and　groves；　looking　down　the　meadows；　could　see；　here　a　boy　gathering　lilies　and　lady…smocks；　and　there　a　girl　cropping　culverkeys　and　cowslips；　all　to　make　garlands　suitable　to　this　present　month　of　May：　these；　and　many　other　field　flowers；　so　perfumed　the　air；　that　I　thought　that　very　meadow　like　that　field　in　Sicily　of　which　Diodorus　speaks；　where　the　perfumes　arising　from　the　place　make　all　dogs　that　hunt　in　it　to　fall　off；　and　to　lose　their　hottest　scent　I　say；　as　I　thus　sat；　joying　in　my　own　happy　condition；　and　pitying　this　poor　rich　man　that　owned　this　and　many　other　pleasant　groves　and　meadows　about　me；　I　did　thankfully　remember　what　my　Saviour　said；　that　the　meek　possess　the　earth；　or　rather；　they　enjoy　what　the　others　possess；　and　enjoy　not；　for　anglers　and　meek　quiet…spirited　men　are　free　from　those　high；　those　restless　thoughts；　which　corrode　the　sweets　of　life；　and　they；　and　they　only；　can　say；　as　the　poet　has　happily　express　it；
  Hail　！　blest　estate　of　lowliness；　Happy　enjoyments　of　such　minds　As；　rich　in　self…contentedness；　Can；　like　the　reeds；　in　roughest　winds；　By　yielding　make　that　blow　but　small　At　which　proud　oaks　and　cedars　fall。
  There　came　also　into　my　mind　at　that　time　certain　verses　in　praise　of　a　mean　estate　and　humble　mind：　they　were　written　by　Phineas　Fletcher；　an　excellent　divine；　and　an　excellent　angler；　and　the　author　of　excellent　Piscatory　Eclogues；　in　which　you　shall　see　the　picture　of　this　good　man's　mind：　and　I　wish　mine　to　be　like　it。
  No　empty　hopes；　no　courtly　fears　him　fright；　No　begging　wants　his　middle　fortune　bite：　But　sweet　content　exiles　both　misery　and　spite。
  His　certain　life；　that　never　can　deceive　him；　Is　full　of　thousand　sweets　and　rich　content　The　smooth…leav'd　beeches　in　the　field　receive　him；　With　coolest　shade；　till　noon…tide's　heat　be　spent。　His　life　is　neither　tost　in　boisterous；　seas；　Or　the　vexatious　world；　or　lost　in　slothful　ease；　Please　and　full　blest　he　lives　when　he　his　God　can　please。
  His　bed；　more　safe　than　soft；　yields　quiet　sleeps；　While　by　his　side　his　faithful　spouse　teas　place　His　little　son　into　his　bosom　creeps；　The　lively　picture　of　his　father's　face。　His　humble　house　or　poor　state　ne'er　torment　him　Less　he　could　like；　if　less　his　God　had　lent　him；　And　when　he　dies；　green　turfs　do　for　a　tomb　content　him；
  Gentlemen；　these　were　a　part　of　the　thoughts　that　then　possessed　me。　And　I　there　made　a　conversion　of　a　piece　of　an　old　catch；　and　added　more　to　it；　fitting　them　to　be　sung　by　us　anglers。　Come；　Master；　you　can　sing　well：　you　must　sing　a　part　of　it。　as　it　is　in　this　paper。
  Man's　life　is　but　vain；　for　'tis　subject　to　pain；　And　sorrow；　and　short　as　a　bubble；　'Tis　a　hodge…podge　of　business；　and　money；　and　care；　And　care；　and　money；　and　trouble。
  But　we'll　take　no　care　when　the　weather　proves　fair；　Nor　will　we　vex　now　though　it　rain；　We'll　banish　all　sorrow；　and　sing　till　to…morrow；　And　angle。　and　angle　again。
  Peter。　I　marry；　Sir；　this　is　musick　indeed；　this　has　cheer'd　my　heart；　and　made　me　remember　six　verses　in　praise　of　musick；　which　I　will　speak　to　you　instantly。
  Musick　！　miraculous　rhetorick；　thou　speak'st　sense　Without　a　tongue；　excelling　eloquence　；　With　what　ease　might　thy　errors　be　excus'd；　Wert　thou　as　truly　lov'd　as　th'　art　abus'd！　But　though　dull　souls　neglect；　and　some　reprove　thee；　I　cannot　hate　thee；　'cause　the　Angels　love　thee。
  Venator。　And　the　repetition　of　these　last　verses　of　musick　has　called　to　my　memory　what　Mr。　Edmund　Waller；　a　lover　of　the　angle；　says　of　love　and　musick
  Whilst　I　listen　to　thy　voice；　Chloris！　I　feel　my　heart　decay　That　powerful　voice　Calls　my　fleeting　soul　away：　Oh！　suppress　that　magic　sound；　Which　destroys　without　a　wound。
  Peace；　Chloris！　peace；　or　singing　die；　That　together　you　and　I　To　heaven　may　go；　For　all　we　know　Of　what　the　blessed　do　above　Is；　that　they　sing；　and　that　they　love。
  Piscator。　Well　remembered；　brother　Peter；　these　verses　came　seasonably；　and　we　thank　you　heartily。　Come；　we　will　all　join　together；　my　host　and　all；　and　sing　my　scholar's　catch　over　again；　and　then　each　man　drink　the　tother　cup；　and　to　bed；　and　thank　God　we　have　a　dry　house　over　our　heads。
  Piscator。　Well；　now；　good…night　to　everybody。　Peter。　And　so　say　I。
  Venator。　And　so　say　I。
  Coridon。　Good…night　to　you　all；　and　I　thank　you。
  The　FIFTH　day。
  Piscator。　Good…morrow；　brother　Peter；　and　the　like　to　you；　honest　Coridon。
  Come；　my　hostess　says　there　is　seven　shillings　to　pay：　let's　each　man　drink　a　pot　for　his　morning's　draught；　and　lay　down　his　two　shillings；　so　that　my　hostess　may　not　have　occasion　to　repent　herself　of　being　so　diligent；　and　using　us　so　kindly。
  Peter。　The　motion　is　liked　by　everybody；　and　so；　hostess；　here's　your　money：　we　anglers　are　all　beholden　to　you；　it　will　not　be　long　ere　I'll　see　you　again；　and　now；　brother　Piscator；　I　wish　you；　and　my　brother　your　scholar；　a　fair　day　and　good　fortune。　Come；　Coridon；　this　is　our　way。
  The　FIFTH　day…continued
  Of　Roack　and　Dace
  Chapter　XVII
  Venator　and　Piscator
  Venator。　Good　master；　as　we　go　now　towards　London；　be　still　so　courteous　as　to　give　me　more　instructions；　for　I　have　several　boxes　in　my　memory；　in　which　I　will　keep　them　al