though we languish And live a while in anguish We know Love shall prevail Love's sweet conceivings Are no abortive heavings Our mindes for to assail No pleasant baits can us allure agen For we are carried Our mindes are married To things above the common reach of men Oh Arm of Flesh how weak wilt thou he then But yet we wander Vnseen of each by-stander In uncouth wayes These desert places Wâ—hardly ken the traces Of sheep that strayes We wander up and down and passe the springs And see no creature Of form and feature That we can love as these despised things And we well know that same hath flying wings But obthe dearest In my affection nearest My heart deth sail to tell How I have loved Since first my minde approved The vertue that doth dwell Within that brest that swells with things divine From whose out-flowings These tender growings Refresh the sense as with inspiring Wine And in these rayes the deity doth shine I heard one talking As I alone was walking On yonder lovely Plain With words of scorning Rich minder but poor adorning Love's honour for to stain But I will hold it for a point of faith The worst transgressions In Love's expressions The Law of Love which is as strong as death Commands to hide as long as there is breath I le stay and rest me Thy sweetnesse hath possest me And I have faith in this Thou wilt not fail me Though long delayes may quail me And I much joy may misse The thirsty soul alas brooks no delay And time comes flying There 's no denying There 's no intreats will make him for to stay Bald time farewell for ever and a day My minde reposes As on a bed of Roses Although sometimes I finde Some contradiction Which may prove but a fiction For to oresway my minde But when I overlook those lovely Hills With heart uprising And highly prizing That influence that Hills and Vallies fills Right sweetly then my swaying passion stills Friends now you see the noblenesse of love That consters all things to the better part And is content and willing to remove All blocks and rubs that sweet affection thwart Malignant nature and revengefull spleen Sends quite a swimming in the ragefull waves Of black confusion never to be seen To blast our good intentions with their braves But there 's a friend that keeps by yonder Plains That drives his flock so neer the Hazlewoods That to my knowledge mighty losse sustains And very lately I have understood By some of his acquaintance not unknown To some of us here present that his losse Is extraordinary that he is grown Unto a melancholly humour and so crosse That he will scarce admit society With any friends that come in loving sort For to advise but saith they come to spie That so they may his weaknesses report But I dare say not any one that 's here Can take delight to view his moody fits But as a matter that concerns them neer Abhors the seat where Scorn and Envy sits For we were alwayes better taught I 'm sure And see our Master's practise every day A noble president he gives for to inure Nature compels our wills for to obey Oh Sacred streams of Heavens influence Divine inspiring How can we forget The spring of thy divine intelligence That every day our barren soyl doth wet And makes our coast of desert places spring With various sweets and flowers of the prime Forsaken and despised Valleys sing With rich abounding plenty in our clime By the still waters glyding through the Plains Contentedly we sit and spend our hours Wherewith supply of Pastures green sustains And every day refresh with dews and showers The heritage of thrice adored Pan Which makes them bring forth twins when they do come From Washing Where the streams of love began The time of love a rich increase sends home But stay a while I purpose to relate The matter of his losse whereof I spake That so we may his case commiserate And sympathizing his our sorrows make He shall be namelesse at this time least I Should add unto his sorrows for I swear I would not do him the least injury Though I might gain the fleece his flock doth wear But to be brief our Master set him forth With Sheep-hook in his hand and with a flock Of Kids and Lambs that were of mighty worth Which after he had led beyond the Rock That stands beneath that high aspiring Hill Which you may view with your perspective Glasse A mighty Wood the upland grounds doth fill And by that Wood he every day did passe In handsome order for a while he kept His pretty Lambs and fed them with great care But so it was one afternoon he slept Out comes a Woolf and too and fro did stare But when he saw no creature to resist His hungry madnesse he began to catch At Kids and Lambs but by good hap he miss't The principall yet other two did snatch And worried them and kill'd and suckt their blood And drew them to the Wood that was so nigh The flock the while without resistance stood Amazed yet did neither bleat nor cry But yet thus much I dare be bold to say Had he but bin awak't and bin aware He would have fought and made a bloody fray For two or three of them he would not care But so it was the young man he began To rouze himself and looking all about He saw his flock were fled and then he ran To bring them in again and made no doubt Of any losse because he saw so many That did present themselves unto his view Thought all was well yet neither there was any Appearance whereupon he fearlesse grew Well that pass'd on and then it was not long But there befell another losse was worse For on a day when he was gone among The western Lads as 't was sometimes his course To go a merry making and to leave Hisslock along the Hedge-rows safely feeding At least he thought them safe nor did conceive The least suspect of such like danger breeding When he was gone out of the Wood there comes A fell devouring Beast a furious Bore His Tusks stood out and at the mouth he fomes And running on some half a dozen tore And of the Lambs made such a heavy wrack That 't was a wonder to behold the spoil How he their flesh did tear and bones did crack But having fill'd his paunch did back recoyl The flocks were all disperst among the Bryars Who fled for Shelter to the Thorny Hedge At last runs forth a Bear and quickly tires And worried half a score and took their pledge But all this while the Shepherd did forget His flock that in dispair ran to and fro But he amongst his boon companions set His resolution yet he would not go Ah silly Lambs resistlesse in your harms Wasted and spoyl'd yet shew no discontent Spoyl'd of all yet nere assuming arms Can you subsist in this your element
when we are at repast He walks among us kindly in the Hall And bids us eat and drink and make no waste Be cheerfull friends for ye are welcome all We have a day another day in chase Wherein wee l bid our Neighbours Swayns to bring The Lasses of the Plaines who with sweet Grace Can play upon the Violet and sing And there 's a Damsell I have heard some tell Can play upon the Lute exactly and can raise The minde of all the hearers with a spell Which to the soul another soul conveyes This I have heard and I beleeve in part That Aiery notes do steal away the sence And secretly conveyes another heart Who in admiring of some excellence Soars up aloft fill'd with extream desire To reach up to the center still doth hover And fain would close draws neer and would draw nigher Till with eternity all covered over Forgetâ—ing things below is well content To presse unto the mark that mighty prize And swallowed up in life and ravishment Drown'd with delight looks up with fixed eyes Unto the Hills not daring to look down Upon the empty pleasures that do bring Fears losses and amazements leaden Crown Whose best adorning is the Serpents sting Such Musick I have oft desired to hear Though I disdain not for to hear a Song Even of the meanest Swayn if he doth steer His course the lowly vallies all along In the mean time I le drink to honest Sisse To Dorothy and Isabella kinde I should be sorry any here to misse And to the Shepherdesses there behinde You sit as if you had no skill in love Or if faint-hearted do digresse from kinde We â—hepherds are disposed for to rove With random words sometimes to shew our minde Think not our mindes are altogether vain And full of folly cause we let our tongues To speak to you like men or entertain A minde to work your prejudice or wrongs Yet know that we are men and love like men We eat and drink and sleep like other creatures For you to love and we not love agen Were altogether to forget our natures We live like men and we do love our like Like in affection is the strongest tie Who that denies at natures Law doth strike For like rejoyceth when his like stands by This is in Pan our noble Master who Is much delighted when he doth behold Fair Innocency ranging to and fro Amongst the Lambs and Kidlings of our fold The greatest Joy he doth and can expresse Is to behold his flocks and heards to flourish But when he doth behold them in distresse He blames the Shepherds that are slack to nourish The tender Lambs committed to their charge Who at their will may lead them where they list But are contented they should run at large Which if they would but whistle with their fist Or if loves eccho's were but sometimes heard To peirce the Hils and Vallies where they wander A check of love would make them so afear'd T were needlesse for a dog to be commander And if a Shepherd shall for vertues cause Despise his fellow then me thinks I see A Devill that 's incarnate for his Claws And cloven Feet are manifest to me Oh then my soul take heed thou come not there Where such ill spirits haunt for where they dance The circle of their foul enchants appear And of Pans nature shew their ignorance Into their secrets let not my soul come Avaunt you Gipsies fickle fortune tellers Go dance the round where you finde better roome In younder Meadow with the fairy dwellers Where Screetch-Owls and the dismall Satyres haunt Inventing mischief foul malignant spirits Croaking ill luck like Envies blast that daunt Where male-contents infernall dales inherits Though we are men and live and die as men Yet we have thoughts that slee beyond the sphears Transcendent thoughts that knows both where and when To flee away beyond the common fears When in a hubbub all the world appears And the foundations fail and mountains tremble As if the Clouds would fall about their ears Our spirits then we presently assemble For they have wings to bear us to a place Beyond the raging waves wherewith a song Of exultation misty clouds do chace Away those vapours that our sight doth wrong Will. Stay Brother stay you go beyond your bounds You speak to men and women that do carry More flesh then spirit such high things confounds The memory of weaklings le ts not vary Speak in our Language for we understand Our mother tongue with that we travell far Le ts not forget that we have flocks at hand And too rich Pasture may our Kidlings mar We know thou art and hast bin long in love And ere 't be long we trust thou shal't obtain Thy strong desire and we do well approve And hope thy longing will not be in vain Thy sweet affections can no way miscarry Thou art but young take heed soar not too high But stay with us a while good honest Harry And in a lower stile thy measures try Come sing a song and we will bear a part In joy and sorrow and we will expresse Our best affections and each loving heart I dare be bold to say doth think no lesse Harry Then tune your Pipes sweet friends and I le begin And set your strings unto a lowly strain Yea all of you that in Loves bands have bin And bear a part with me a rurall Swayn For now I sing of Love but I want words For to expresse the things my minde affords The Argument of the Song THe longing soul stirs up her holy fires And in a Song sends forth her strong-desires To her most dear and best beloved Christ Whose sweet society she long hath miss't The Song O Thou the fairest fair without compare Whose kinde embraces passing pleasing are Whose unctions sweet from head to feet Oredows thy comely parts Eustaming mindes and making joyfull hearts And for the sent of odours spent And rare composed smell The fairest Virgins love thee passing well Vouchsafe to cover these black spots of mine With these same white and spotlesse robes of thine And then though I deformed lie And black I shall appear A comely Virgin in thine eye and dear Sore sick of love unapt to move Oh let thy gentle hand Reach forth thy comforts or I cannot stand Oh when wilt thou transport me to that place Where no disturbance shall prevent thy grace Where fill of love oreflowings prove That we may there injoy In that sweet bed of love without annoy For when I minde thy kisses kinde When first in love we fell That now me thinks thy absence proves a Hell If thou defire to see me yet alive Make haste and see how I for breath do strive Oh come away make no delay And sow thy precious seed For nothing else our sweet delight will breed Big swoln with grief there 's no relief Can wipe my weepings dry Oh come and give me children else I die For unto me
thou art more lovely far Then any beauties to my senses are And wheresoere thy shinings are And thy image I espie Me thinke it is 〈◊〉 to mine eye Yea then even then would I take part with thee For though 〈…〉 I have inforced bin To yeeld unto that 〈◊〉 betraying sin 〈…〉 field from friends exil'd When I 〈…〉 alone 〈…〉 came none 〈…〉 safety most Alâ—â— poor 〈◊〉 I sude Strong 〈◊〉 and shares that hands and jeet do binde If I have 〈…〉 on ary wight Or ought 〈…〉 my chief â—â—light Siace first that 〈◊〉 did wound my heart That none but thee can â—â—re Then in 〈…〉 let me still indure Yea let me â—e exil'd from thee And never see thy face If in my heart thou misse the chiefest place And yet methinks I wish my self no harms Were I in Hell inclused in thine Arms Lesse cause of fear more comforts there Then in Heavens flying fame For they might passe but thou art still the same These empty things have flying wings The soaring soul flees higher Thou art the center of her chief defire For yesternight when I was half a sleep Me thought I saw thee walking on the deep Whose comely feet the waves did greet With friendly threatnings kinde Thy steps a deep impression left behinde The raging waves that erst while raves When thou in love dost chide With trembling silence thy rebukes abide If it be thee Lord bid me come apace I know 't is thee thy words oreflow with grace Then sink or swim I le go to him A sea of love I see If I be drown'd I care not I le to thee Oh 't is my choice 't is Davids voice My soul is knit to thine A strangers voice was never so divine Prove me my dear and try if thou canst finde If my affections be not to thy minde If I withstand thy sweet command Then let me bear the blame And in thy love put me to publike shame Or if 't is meet first shew the shect Where Virgin thoughts did lie And thou shalt see the signe of chastity Ralph Dost thou want words sweet friend Why now I see Thou canst comply as well as any man Dost think equivocation may passe free And be well taken We thy words can scan Say what thou wilt we know thee If thou hide Thy self within a Wood wee l thee descry Though in a Grove of Woods thou wouldst abide Yet we will trace thee in a Sympathy And we can walk with thee within thy cloud Whose Pearl-like dew drops words of sweet desire My genius tells me sure thou art not proud Although thy humble breathings do aspire To speak in lofty words yet we professe Though thou comply we love thee nere the lesse Harry T is true indeed and I acknowledge it I do comply and so I think I may And I account it manners and 't is fit In friendly terms to grant and to gainsay But he whose friendship is but complement And onely complementall I count base That course is quite without my element From me such thoughts I quite away do chase I love my friend that is my friend indeed And he shall know my inmost secrecies The choicest Cates on which my soul doth feed That doth support me in my miseries I will not spare but freely will impart The treasure of my soul and where 't is hid The wants and the aboundings of my heart My faults for which I have bin soundly chid My hopes and fears my joyes and discontents My nakednesse my shame I will discover My vildnesse and the joyfull ornaments I will not hide from thee my friend my lover Will. Thanks Harry we have born our parts with thee But thou hast born the burden of thy Song I would thy soul from anguish were as free As I could wish I trust thou shalt ere long Receive thy hearts desire but stay a while With patience wait but prethee set no time The Pilgrims chat doth longsome way beguile And loves transgressions none doth count a crime Onely beware of this do not reveal Loves secrets on thy life as yesterday A friend of ours but stay I will conceal His name for fear he run the more astray For on a day and 't is not long ago I heard him tune an Oaten-pipe so well That if I should account him for a foe And should his folly to the Milk-maids tell He would forget his musiâ—k and neglect His little flock committed to his charge And with a neer conceit of disrespect Despair the bounds of folly would enlarge John No Brother stay be silent for a while We have a rule that 's left by noble Pan A principle that hangs upon the file That 's legible to read for every man And for memoriall stands upon record Let all your things sweet friends be done in love You are my friends and I can well afford My name which all your Shepherds well approve Shall be impos'd upon you My commands Are far from being grievous unto those Whose sweet affections well inclined stands And I no other burden do impose Loves yoak is casie and the burthen light Sweet is the yoak no bitternesse at all No slavish fearfull toyl that doth affright Therein's no danger for to stand or fall Ralph Now we perceive right well the very cause Thou lov'st to sit alone upon these Hills Not with intent to nullifie the Laws And liberty of Shepherds with thy will For all the liberty that we injoy Consists in this if Love but once command We are content and willing to obey No Shepherd on these Downs will it withstand If any Shepherds Lad presume to break The Law of Love of purpose and shall tell Her secrecies and shall account them weak They such a one will presently expell To their society he shall not come The very Milk-maids will begin to hisse Yea such a fellow shall not have a crum Of any dainties no not of a kisse His Curds and Cream that he was wont to have At noon times in the Dairey when the heat Of Summer made him kindnesse for to crave Though much he needed not for to intreat He with the Hindes shall stand and cool his feet Beg for a favour and receive a flout The poorest Kitchin-maid that he doth meet When time shall serve will make him stand without And is not he well serv'd that shall disclose The secrets of his friend to do him harm When his chief trust he doth in him repose With many friendly walkings arm in arm When promises of constant loving hearts Viewing wherein his strength and weaknesse lies Against the very course of Love imparts To friend and foe his inmost secrecies Now honest William do not hold us long But prethee tell the subject of this Song Will. Well then in sober sadnesse I will tell The subject of his Song though I may misse For to expresse the words he fram'd so well But to my best remembrance it was this The SONG COme you sweet affections all View the
place of Pan 's abiding And you Shepherds great and small Bring your stocks to his residing Shepherdesses of the Plains Bring your instruments well stringed You whose Virgin brests retains Darts that flew from Heaven winged Noble hearts of Heavens choice Bring your flames of sacred firing You that can expresse by voice Raptures of divine inspiring Bring your Lutes and let us hear And we will your measures follow Wee l the burden help to hear By the guidance of Apollo Hand in hand and heart in heart We will tread our pacing measures Like affections none can part Twinning arms nere-ending pleasures Those whom Heavens hand hath joyn'd Who will dare to put a sunder Can Heavens darlings be unkinde That would be a mighty wonder Natures bounds who can forget T is Pan 's nature to be loving He the waves their bounds hath set Their presumption still reproving But Pan 's nature overflows Lofty Hills and brings them under In the Sea they stand in Rowes Mollifi'd and rent in sunder In his name we will rejoyce In his nature we will wander Through the desarts are our choice Where compell'd by no Commander We can no commands they Though they 〈◊〉 with strong perswading Nature taught as to gainsay And 〈◊〉 the wills ineading But methinks Thear a voice From the 〈◊〉 of safe assuring Who in safety do 〈◊〉 Yet in bonds themselves inuring But another veice rass'd by Freely 〈◊〉 in my hearing He come forth my Dove and bie Thee to a place of better cheering New the 〈◊〉 Winter's past Haâ— and Snow and Weather beatings 〈◊〉 Sol away hath chast Though with sweet and fair intreatings Shadows 〈◊〉 and get you hence Come â—o more to hurt our seeing To thy nothingnesse from whence Thou dericest all thy being Now the lovely Spring is come And each Bird in safety singeth Counting every place their home Where their Airy-wings them bringeth Sweet affections they flee high Far above all dying being Almost to eternity From the hands oâ— Fowlers freeing Yesternight Tâ—past alone By the light of Luna 's shining Purposely to hear a Song I perceived the friendly twining Of the Trees and Bushes kinde Who most friendly kiss't each other Arm iâ— Arm their Branches twin'd Like the childe that hugs the mother Passing further by a Dale Full of thoughts and sweet conceivings There I heard a Nightingale Whose sweet mirth was sense bereavings Oh thought I if Songs of night Be so joyfull in our hearing Raviâ—ments of greater might Will be seen at Sun's appearing Now the gladsome Sun doth rise And the Earth in her best dressing And each Bird doth memorize Pan 's great acts and might expressing How he hath destroyed quite Welves and Foxes Bears and Lions And deliver'd by his might The distressed Lambs of Sion ' s. Now rejoyce thou little Hill Little in thine estimation Thou shalt be beloved still And a Crown of exaltation Shall be given unto thee Who art Pan 's delight and pleasure Thou ab thou art onely she Vnto whom he brings his treasure All his living Springs abide In thy Brest thou Queen of Nations And from thee they do divide Into streams whose elevations Soon descending to the plains Where each Shepherds Boy resorteth Which their thirsty soul sustains Where our Lambs and Kidlings sporteth Yet I heard not long ago Shrew'd reports of Shepherds striving For a Well whose springs did flow With sweet streams of soul reviving The contention grew so hot Almost unto Daggers drawing But the anger was forget By Pan 's wisedom over-awing We are called by thy name Oh thou mighty Pan whose dwelling Is beyond the common fame All our Shepherds far excelling For from thee they do derive All their wisedom how to order And their tender flocks to drive Till they come to Canaan 's border Like an Oyntment powred forth Whose sweet sent enflames the senses Orâ—â—nâ— oâ—our of great worth Purchased with great expences Right so precious for to hear Is thy name and sweetly soundeth And from Hills and Dales do rear Ecchoes that thy fame resoundeth Every Shepherds Boy that walks All along these Downs and Mountains Of his bounty alway talks T'other day by yonder Fountains Sate each lovely Shepherdesse Singing Songs and Musick playing Each one in her Virgins dresse With Love's ornaments arraying These were the words but I will tell you more Upon a day when all alone he sate Under a Hill upon his head he wore A kinde of Wreath well wrought and delicate With dainty Flowers that well I cannot name As Roses Violets Hearts-ease Columbines The tender Lilly Tulips of great fame Wall-Flowers and Honey-Suckles that entwines Sweet-Marjoram and Sweet-Bryer Cowslips Marigolds Primroses pretty Dazies Jilly-Flowers The Hollyoak in doubles manifolds And many more brought in by April showers There wanted nothing but the Lawrell-Bay Me thought it did become the Lad so well That in affection I am bold to say Most Lads upon these Downs he did excell But to be brief I crept upon all four And secretly unseen I came so neer him 'T was ten to one I came in such an hour When he began to sing to over-hear him Upon his Pipe he played and sweetly sing I hearkned to his tunes with great delight Then in a rage his Pipe away he flung Yet all this while I kept me from his sight All this I speak that so I might remove The prejudice that I perceive remains Within your Brests the dwelling place of love Who with delight Pan's precepts entertains For we are servants unto noble Pan And have and do observe his nature well His noâ—le kindnesse unto every man With love he useth onely to compell This is his nature and it is no shame To imitate his nature with desire Not onely to be called by his name But to a further neernesse to aspire Not onely for to love his likenesse sweet When with delight we view those gladsome beams But with his nature one another greet And from that nature send forth lovely streams As streams of mercy and of suffering long Patient in waiting seeking every hour To win with love without compulsion strong And without fury hear what others say And now sweet friends you that desire to hear The matter of his Song I pray draw neer The SONG Come neer affections And help with thy directions To sing this Song of love And we together Will take a part of either The same more light will prove For now dismay'd I sit and make my moan And I am searfull It will prove direfull A burden heavy for to bear alone T will break my heart I think that thou bear none And now I wonder To hear some speak like Thunder Love's darlings for to awe And to affright them As if they would endite them And give Love's bounds a Law Love that so deep and past their ouring wounds But love is boundlesse Her Law is groundlesse Love cannot be contain'd in humane bounds Nor will we yeeld to them on such small grounds For
Content to live contented for to die Content in wants contented to enjoy A greater store content in misery Is this your nature never to be coy Wonder in nature nature without art Infused nature far beyond all teaching No creature else this nature can impart 'T is Foxes nature to be still ont-reaching The furious Lion Lions doth beget And some men say their strength lieth in their eyes What ere he seeth he 's bold thereon to set On noble things he dares to make a prize The raving Woolf hath alwayes Woolvish tricks He hath a voice and by that voice doth call Vnto his fellows which their ears up pricks And other creatures quickly bring in thrall Where Woolfs prevail no mercy is expected It is their nature and who ever saw Them change their nature or could be corrected To bring them in subjection to a law The Bear begets his like the she doth bring Forth a rude lump that 's quite without a form She licks it over till a formall thing Appears in sight then furiously doth storm If any one presume to touch her young And rob her of her whelps she loves most dearly Shall quickly know shee l put up no such wrong Shee l follow to the quick and touch them nearly Boars beget Boars and Swine have filthy natures And have their sustenance from filthy things And of their like they do produce more creatures No Beast but that so many young ones brings Wash'd nere so clear they 'l wallow in the mire Drink till th y'r drunk and sometimes burst withall When Horses drink they 'l modestly retire No other creature we may Swinish call But this digression helps not my intent The Shepherd he looks out and sees his flock Some lost some spoil'd some torn and deadly rent Then presently he ran into the Rock With an intent to cast himself away Down to the depth almost as low as Hell But so it fell the Rock did prove his stay And in amaz upon the Rock he fell And lying in dispair half on half over At last came to himself and look't about him And sees the Rook and doth the deep discover All danger sees within him and without him Lifts up his eyes unto the bending Hills Half dead and lost ashamed of his hope His former vain and spacious hopes distills And brings their spirits to a narrow scope Ah whither shall I flee for to escape The hand of Pan my master if I fall Down to the deep there I may see his shape Were I in Holl I 'de hearken to his call Ah I have often heard his lovely voice How he perswades with sweetnesse every day Leaves all men free and puts them to their choice To yeeld him free obedience or gainsay He nere provokes to anger any one Nor doth discourage those he entertains Into his service Those that will be gonâ— And will not serve they the most losse sustains And after many sad complaints were spent He was resolved to return to Pan But I beleeve right sure the â—ad was shent For t'other day I met him pale and wan And then because I saw him discontented I sung this Song that I before invented The SONG WEll met my friend me thinks I long to hear How it hath far'd with thee this many a yeer Why art thou strange to him that is thy friend And turn'd about with every blast of winde Me thinks thou look'st with sorrow in thy face And I would joy if that might purchase grace But if thy grief from outward objects spring Then 't is my woe to hear so harsh a thing For there 's no cure to ease thee of thy pain No outward Pillars can thy soul sustain Thy soul 's divine and 't is no common hand That can support thee in this forrain Land Return return and lay these words to heart Let not self love over-sway thy noble part What wouldst thou have or what canst thou require With humble words subscribe thy hearts desire Is there no soul to sympathize with thine Why in thy brest dost thou thy grief confine Quite from thy friends as if they were thine own And none but thine unfit for to be known Know thou hast friends and they are friends indeed That 's prest to help at every time of need That stands unmov'd though storms of grief arise And as their own accounts thy miseries 'T is not a blast of misconceived wrong Nor evill nature of a venom'd tongue Malignant words nor slie deln ling charms Cannot unloose their friendly twining arms Huge floods of Water cannot quench this fire Showers of contentious strivings may conspire But over past revivings are soon seen Rainbows appear that 's blew that 's red and green A sacred signe that Heavens rage is past He takes no pleasure for to spoil and wâ—st Dispairing soul look up the skie is clear The flouds are past the Olive boughs appear Art thou a stranger onely on our coast And dost not know of that which men talk most Dost thou not know the soul must passe the fire And then attain the end of her desire The Husbandman that sows his precious seed With patient waiting is full well agreed To stay his time and sleeps and wakes and sees His crop comes for ward daily by degrees Fair Innocence desires not to be hid The crafty minde is fearfull to be chid No cloak of zeal for covering she doth strive Fair Innocence on every ground will thrive No barren soyl seems barren in her eye That which most seers carclesly cast by Vnfruitfull fields with Bryers overgrowe In her esteem are firtest to be sown Things quite despised in the worlds esteem Things lâ—sse then nothing to the Senses seem But that men see they see with their own eyes But Heaven discerns their foolish fallacies And shall we think our waiting over-long And that Heavens hand ore-sways things to our wrong Oh no dear soul thou shalt ere long receive Refreshings sweet let vapours take their leave Dost thou not know that Fortunes fickle wheel With foolish favours to and fro doth reel Bears some aloft on wings of flying fame And on a trice their glory turns to shame Even so it is with every thing below That 's underneath the Suns fair shining show His peircing rayes gives light to every plant But growing low their vigour quickly want The Marygold sends forth its spreading flower Whilest lovely Sun displayes his quickning power But having run his circuit to the West Their Curtains close and sadly take their rest The sweetest flowers in May and joyfull June When every Bird chants forth some pretty tune I think 't is pity such sweet flowers should die And pretty Birds should cease their melody When I perseive the gladsome spring come on And chilling cold of Winter blasts are gone And Earth is cloathed in her best array As if intending to keep Holiday Oh then I look and weigh with heavy chear What changes come to passe within a yeer In little time the flowery
never end Here 's lovely seed That 's sown indeed In souls agreed Partaking of that nature And thence doth spring That noble thing That light doth bring The first-born of each creature Then Faith and Hope are glad to spie Their sister dear fair Charity Harry Your charity I love and do commend And in my minde you do a great deal better And oft I think 't is better to offend In over-giving then to be a debter Ned. It is your bounty yet I pray you know Fair Charity hath eyes and can discern She is not blinde nor hood-winkt goes I trow To judge of colours is not far to learn She can distinguish colours when she sees Or white or black or green or blue or yellow Knows well that light and darknesse disagrees And good to evill will not be a fellow To say that white is black or black is white Or for to say that darknesse doth excell And shall esteem it far above the light I dare be bold to say He sees not well For when I see a man reel to and fro And make Indentures in the Kings high-way That is a drunkard and I think him so To speak what I do see I think I may Such revell-rout was kept a moneth agone Amongst the Northern Lads that met together That staggering ripe they passed one by one Well lin'd they thought to keep away the weather As blinde as beetles and I heard some say That one of them that 's sick will scarce recover That domineer'd and swore his wits away In a dry ditch as he was passing over Fell down and slept till morning when the Sun Began to rise and when he saw 't was day Lookt out to finde his bottle which had run And that beyond the bridge quite empty lay And when he saw his bottle he was glad And 'gan to poize it being dry as dust But having found its lightnesse grew so sad That to the River for to drink he must A cooler fittest for such roaring Boyes Such boysterous fellows that can never tell When 't is sufficient but good things destroyes 'T were a good riddance such were packt to hell The world 's so full of swearers and blasphemers Of knaves and rascalls cheaters and deceivers Of busie-bodies and vain foolish dreamers Blood-suckers and oppressing life-bereavers That I do wonder Heaven can forbear To rain down slames and tempests of consuming Upon such wretches as do daily dare With a high hand Heavens vengeance with presuming Harry I will not wish that any friend of mine Should be too forward for to censure those Whom they may think are faulty or repine And others failings to the world disclose Failings said I our master is content To passe by more then failings in us all Grosse evilâ— daring bold and impudent With patience bears offenders great and small Knows men are men and whilest we are but men Men of the earth whose mindes are full of folly Winks at small faults out ruâ—s us now and then Yet knows our hearts are vain and much unholy Our dayes of ignorance and unknowing times Doth passe by him in silence unregarded Our want of skill esteemeth not as crimes Nor sends a servant going unrewarded But now 't is time sith we have seen so long His going forth and coming in before us How day by day he comes our flocks among And in our wants is willing for to store us 'T is good to mark his wayes his lovely wayes His comely steps when he is passing by And being past mark but his lovely rayes Is left behinde discern'd with half an eye Yea wheresoere we go or run or ride We may discern his foot-steps every where Trace all the Hills and Dales and Valleys wide And who can lay His footsteps are not here In low despised Valleys I have seen His lovely steps and pacings he did go Where to my thinking he had never beeh Where weather-beaten Reeds shook to and fro And when I saw his footsteps I was glad Thought I Our Lord and Master is not far I that before opprest in minde and sad He came upon me ere I was aware And in amaze I looked and beheld him 'Twixt joy and fear but love was most prevailing And when he saw my love it so compell'd him To stay with me a while for all my failing He thus began to say What dost thou here What dost thou here my friend and servant whom I have betrusted with a flock right dear Why dost thou thus far from thy Kidlings come I gave thee Kids and Lambs and bid thee stay By yonder Downs the fittest place for feeding Now tell me why th' art gone so far away And to my order gavest no better heeding My answer was at hand and not to seek For Love compell'd me for to answer mildly For there was cause enough I should be meek Cause my behaviour had bin sometimes wildly I answered thus Sweet Sir be not offended I came to seek two Lambs that went astray When yesterday I purpos'd and intended To bring them to the fold in cool of day But having told my Lambs and missing twayn I left the other feedâ—ng for a while Making no question but with little pain To finde them quickly near to yonder stile I pass'd along beneath the seven Hills Something inquiring of my fellow wayns If they had seen my Lambs to passe the Rills That run along the Valleys in the Plains And they made answer they have lost their own And more then two or three or half a dozen Were strayed away from them and they were shown A skin or two by some that meant to cozen We saw them not the Woolf perâ—aps hath catcht them For all these coasts are pester'd every where With raving Woolfs and Foxes which do watch them And put us daily in a trembling fear Well I was answer'd yet I would not leave But sought them still where I observ'd thy treading In every Valley and I did conceive And 't was my minde to trace thee in thy leading And now I am come hither to this Dale Oregrown with Flags and Sedge and bruised Reeds And weeping ripe I wander in this Vale And now I spie my Lambs Ned. Now cease thy speech sweet friend I know thy minde Thy sweet rebukes I am content to bear Sure thou hast learn'd of Pan for to be kinde Now for my sake good heart this Favour wear Take it and wear it and remember me It is a token of my love to thee Phil. D' ee hear my friend Me thinks it is a shame You should neglect your flocks and stand contending Such triviall talkings much deserveth blame Your vain discourse me thinks should have some ending Do you not see the Sun doth now begin For to decline unto the West Southwest Is this the way our Masters love to win Or can you think this is your place of rest And do you think you shall even now enjoy An everlasting day here in these Bowers How are your thoughts disperst
cursed noyse Charge boyes doe not spare Me things their roarings are but toyes stand to it cast off Care So long as we stand charg'd with Love who dares to assault Their bold presumption well we prove if they be wounded 't is their fault Bear up your Ensigne in their view shâ—â—t Sirs spare no cost Amongâ— them wounding Arrowes strew 〈…〉 are not lost Perhaps they may reflect agen 〈…〉 bleeding Soules Then who can heal these wounded men gentle breasts their grief condoles Stand to it boldly noble herts ' ward their charge againe You see they send us poysoned Darts reward them for their paine And send them double two for one Loves shaftes wound deep Discharge again and they 'le be gone or in their woundings fall a sleep Alas when will these troubles cease weak soules feeble strength That we the harbour of our peace might see at the length Ah now our Ship begins to sinke helpe hands spare no cost We must of greater sorrowes drinke alas our Ankors hold is lost Oh Master wake arise and save we perish if thou stay We fear the Sea will be our grave thou canst these waves allay Thou canst rebuke the roaring Seas furious tempests thou canst still If thou but chide the winde obeyes and stands submissive to thy will THE ARGVMENT THe Shepherds boy with low and sad aspect as if orecome with passion lookes about him And for a while doth seemingly neglect his stragling flocke within him and without him Then recollecting his dispersed powers who almost lost in Silence passeth by All discontents resolves to spend his houres in things more serious and his pipe doth try Invites the scatter'd Flock to hear a Song and by the name of Woman comprehends The humble soul fair Rachel weeping long And then digressing from his matter spends Much of his time in wandring wearinesse Sometimes aloft sometimes in low despair Some observations high he doth expresse Though he may seem sometimes to beat the air Of the five Senses speaks sometimes in brief These in a silly cloud are mixt together The single eye discerns which are the chief And can distinguish when he speaks of either After long seeking weeping Rachel's found Her griefs are known her childrens losse cuts deep In telling of their names her griefs abound Order nor Method in this Song doth keep The SONG DEarest Darlings of the plaines place of Soules residing You that listen to the Swaines by the rivers gliding Come and hearken to a Pipe that playes out of Season For my oaten reed's not ripe yet it harpes on reason Come I le tell you of a Song that I heard one singing Full of wo and passion strong heart and hands a wringing 'T is a womans voice said I this I said in thinking For I saw no creature nigh but some birds a drinking Lifting up their little bills to their great Creator They had quickly drunk their fills then to the Theator Flew about the worlds great stage every thing possessing At their holdnesse none did rage they no law transgressing None presumed for to aske them of their abiding They did still performe their taske fear'd not Masters chiding Whereso'ere they set their Feet in their estimation 'T was their own and not unmeet to their reputation Then me thought I heard a quire of these airie Creatures Moved much with strong desire to behold their features Much rejoycing for to hear how they prais'd their Maker Oh thought I might I draw neer to be their partaker Pressing something nigh the place where they congregated They thought I had come to chase and been animated For to hurt them in their joy but I had no intention For to work their least annoy fight was their prevention I regardlesse for a while went aside to wander In the desert many a mile where was no by-stander Then to work my thoughts were set and my minde a flying Matter plenty to intreat objects new descrying Sometimes Castles in the air I would fain be building Something still will crosse the hair and mar all the guilding Restlesse thoughts my minde possest high imaginations Still there thrust in many a guest working molestations Sometimes almost in despair at the conscience chiding Then thought I I will repair to my former biding But the thoughts of my return to my former station Made my inward parts to burn with a great vexation Oh thought I must I forfo my acquaintance loving All those friends that I love so kinde respects to moving Shall I part with my two eyes lovely things descrying To be guided by such Spies into weaknesse prying I that have been apt to think no mans seeing better Then mine own I now must wink and become a debter To be guided and be led by some sower leader And so think my self well sped with harsh Lecture-Reader Ah those dainty Musick words that I often hearing That such sweet delights affords to the Senses chearing Must I now forgo to hear these delightfull voyces Ravishments that charm the eaâ— humane sense rejoyces Must I now endure a wrong ah how shall I bear it Blowes and smitings with the tongue I do greatly fear it I that have been apt to give blowes and evil speeches Two for one now must I strive to come with kinde beseeches I could nere abide to see any man more prouder Then my self nor any he in his defence speak louder Oh how sensible of wrong quick in opprehension To conceive offences strong scorning reprehension How unapt am I to learn lovely moderation And unable to discern snares of tribulation That lie hidden underneath leaves of painted pleasure Broods of Serpents that do breath blastings out of measure How have I been over-joyed at delicious smellings And how quickly am annoyed at corruâ—ted swellings Flower that but for a day have no longer lasting And to morrow thrown away to the dunghill casting As I wandred all along then I call'd to minding The distressed womans song some occasion finding To return and seek the place of her poâ—r abiding And to know her piteous case and cause of wo betiding Back again th'row thick and thiâ— then amazed standing â—iewing which way to begin for 't was no demanding I might ask the lofty hills but their high disdaining Shew'd it much against their willâ— to their honours staining Then I came into a plain full of water gallings Willing for to entertain and to hear my callingâ— Stay a little and I 'll tell by familiar speakings How to sinde her in her Cell furnisht with heart-breakingâ— For I see thy troubled minde and I am a witnesse Of thy sorrows in a kinde yet thy much unfitnesse Makes me doubt thou wilt not bear what I say unto thee If thou canst then stand and hear and mark what I do shew thee If thou go beyond that hill that stands over looking Thou shalt hear an Eccho sâ—rill which though hardly brooking And yet further for thy sake I will tell thee plainly Thou must passe a mighty Lake else thy