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Fair the day shine as it shone on my childhood—

Fair shine the day on the house with open door;

Birds come and cry there and twitter in the chimney—

But I go for ever and come again no more.

Robert Louis Stevenson

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DALYAUNCE

Mundus.Welcome, fayre chylde, what is thy name?

Infans.I wote not, syr, withouten blame.

But ofte tyme my moder in her game

Callèd me dalyaunce.

Mundus.Dalyaunce, my swetė chylde,

It is a name that is ryght wylde,

For whan thou waxest olde.

It is a name of no substaunce

But, my fayre chylde, what woldest thou have?

Infans.Syr of some comforte I you crave—

Mete and clothe my lyfe to save:

And I your true servaunt shall be.

Mundus.Fayre chylde, I graunte thee thyne askynge.

I wyll thee fynde[15] whyle thou art yinge[16]

So thou wylte be obedyent to my byddynge.

These garments gaye I gyve to thee.

And also I gyve to thee a name,

And clepe[17] thee Wanton, in every game;

Tyll XIII yere be come and gone,

And than come agayne to me.

[Infans is now called Wanton.]

Wanton.Gramercy, Worlde, for myne araye,