| Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. 1919. The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250–1900. |
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| Richard Barnefield. 1574–1627 |
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| 203. Philomel |
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| AS it fell upon a day | |
| In the merry month of May, | |
| Sitting in a pleasant shade | |
| Which a grove of myrtles made, | |
| Beasts did leap and birds did sing, | 5 |
| Trees did grow and plants did spring; | |
| Everything did banish moan | |
| Save the Nightingale alone: | |
| She, poor bird, as all forlorn | |
| Lean'd her breast up-till a thorn, | 10 |
| And there sung the dolefull'st ditty, | |
| That to hear it was great pity. | |
| Fie, fie, fie! now would she cry; | |
| Tereu, Tereu! by and by; | |
| That to hear her so complain | 15 |
| Scarce I could from tears refrain; | |
| For her griefs so lively shown | |
| Made me think upon mine own. | |
| Ah! thought I, thou mourn'st in vain, | |
| None takes pity on thy pain: | 20 |
| Senseless trees they cannot hear thee, | |
| Ruthless beasts they will not cheer thee: | |
| King Pandion he is dead, | |
| All thy friends are lapp'd in lead; | |
| All thy fellow birds do sing | 25 |
| Careless of thy sorrowing: | |
| Even so, poor bird, like thee, | |
| None alive will pity me. | |
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