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Ah! What is love? It is a pretty thing,
As sweet unto a sheperd as a king;
And sweeter too;
For kings have cares that wait upon a crown,
And cares can make the sweetest face to frown:
Ah then, Ah then,
If country loves such sweet desires gain,
What lady would not love a sheperd swain?

His flocks are folded; he comes home at night
As merry as a king in his delight,
And merrier too;
For things bethink them what the state require.
Where sheperds, careless, carol by the fire:
Ah then, Ah then,
If country loves such sweet desires gain,
What lady would not love a sheperd swain?

He kisseth first, then sits as blithe to eat
His cream and curd as doth the king his meat,
And blither too;
For kings have often fears when they sup,
Where sheperds dread no poison in their cup:
Ah then, Ah then,
If country loves such sweet desires gain,
What lady would not love a sheperd swain?

Upon his couch of straw he sleeps as sound
As doth the king upon his bed of down,
More sounder too;
For cares cause kings full oft their sleep to spill,
Where weary sheperds lie and snort their fill:
Ah then, Ah then,
If country loves such sweet desires gain,
What lady would not love a sheperd swain?

Thus with his wife he spends the year as a blithe
As doth the king at every tide or syth,
And blither too;
For kings have wars and broils to take in hand,
When sheperds laugh, and love upon their land:
Ah then, Ah then,
If country loves such sweet desires gain,
What lady would not love a sheperd swain?