from

Old Fortunatus (?1598)

by Thomas Dekker


[Hymn to Fortune]

FORTUNE smiles, cry holiday !
    Dimples on her cheeks 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.

Let us sing merrily, merrily, merrily !
    With our song let heaven resound,
    Fortune's hands our heads have crowned :
Let us sing merrily, merrily, merrily !




Schelling, Felix E., Ed. A Book of Elizabethan Lyrics.
Boston: Ginn and Company, 1895. 44.




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