's desired O that breath The cause of life should be the cause of death That who is shipwrackt on loues hidden shelfe Doth liuâ— to others dies vnto her selfe Why might not I attempt by Death as yet To gaine that freedome which I could not get Being hind'red heretofore a time as free A place as fit offers it selfe to me Whose seed of ill is growne to such a height That makes the earth groane to support his weight Who so is lull'd asleepe with Mida's treasures And onely feares by death to lose lifes pleasures Let them feare death but since my fault is such And onely fault that I haue lou'd too much On ioyes of life why should I stand for those Which I neere had I surely cannot lose Admit a while I to these thoughts consented Death can be but deferred not preuented Then raging with delay her teares that fell Vsher'd her way and she into a Well Straight-waies leapt after O! how desperation Attends vpon the minde enthral'd to passion The fall of her did make the God below Starting to wonder whence that noise should grow Whether some ruder Clowne in spight did fling A Lambe vntimely falne into his Spring And if it were he solemnly then swore His Spring should flow some other way no more Should it in wanton manner ere be seene To writhe in knots or giue a gowne of greene Vnto their Meadowes nor be seene to play Nor driue the Rushy-mils that in his way The Shepherds made but rather for their lot Send them red waters that their sheepe should rot And with such Moorish Springs embrace their field That it should nought but Mosse and Rushes yeeld Vpon each hillocke where the merry Boy Sits piping in the shades his Notes of ioy Hee 'd shew his anger by some floud at hand And turne the same into a running sand Vpon the Oake the Plumbe-tree and the Holme The Stock-doue and the Blackbird should not come Whose muting on those trees doe make to grow Rots curing Hyphear and the Misseltâ—â— Nor shall this helpe their sheep whose stomacks failes By tying knots of wooll neere to their tailes But as the place next to the knot doth die So shall it all the body mortifie Thus spake the God but when as in the water The corps came sinking downe he spide the matter And catching softly in his armes the Maid He brought her vp and hauing gently laid Her on his banke did presently command Those waters in her to come forth at hand They straight came gushing out and did contest Which chiefly should obey their Gods behest This done her then pale lips he straight held ope And from his siluer haire let fall a drop Into her mouth of such an excellence That call'd backe life which grieu'd to part from thence Being for troth assur'd that then this one She ne'er possest a fairer mansion Then did the God her body forwards steepe And cast her for a while into a sleepe Sitting still by her did his full view take Of Natures Master-peece Here for her sake My Pipe in silence as of right shall mourne Till from the watring we againe returne THE SECOND SONG THE ARGVMENT Obliuions Spring and Dory's loue With faire Marina's rape first moâ—e Mine Oaten Pipe which after sings The birth of two renowned Springs NOw till the Sunne shall leaue vs to our rest And Cynthia haue her Brothers place possest I shall goe on and first in diffring stripe The floud-Gods speech thus tune on Oaten Pipe Or mortall or a power aboue I â—â—rag'd by Fury or by Loue Or both I know not such a deed Thou would'st effected that I bleed To thinke thereon alas poore elfe What growne a traitour to thy selfe This face this haire this hand so pure Were not ordain'd for nothing sure Nor was it meant so sweet a breath Should be expos'd by such a death But rather in some louers brest Be giuen vp the place that best Befits a louer yeeld his soule Nor should those mortals ere controule The Gods that in their wisdome sage Appointed haue what Pilgrimage Each one should runne and why should men A bridge the iourney set by them But much I wonder any wight If he did turne his outward sight Into his inward dar'd to act Hâ—r death whose body is compact Of all the beauties euer Nature Laid vp in store for earthly creature No sauage beast can be so cruell To rob the earth of such a Iewell Rather the stately Vnicorne Would in his breast enraged scorne That Maids committed to his charge By any beast in Forrest large Should so be wronged Satyres rude Durst not attempt or ere intrude With such a minde the flowry balkes Where harmlesse Virgins haue their walkes Would she be won with me to stay My waters should bring from the Sea The Corrall red as tribute due And roundest pearles of Orient hue Or in the richer veines of ground Should seeke for her the Diamond And whereas now vnto my Spring They nothing else but grauell bring They should within a Mine of Gold â—n piercing manner long time hold And hauing it to dust well wrought By them it hither should be brought With which I le paue and ouer-spread My bottome where her foot shall tread The best of Fishes in my flood Shall giue themselues to be her food The Trout the Dace the Pike the Brâ—am The Eele that loues the troubled streame The Millers thombe the hiding Loach The Perch the euer-nibling Roach The Shoats with whom is Tanie fraught The foolish Gudgâ—on quickly caught And last the little Minnow-fish Whose chiefe delight in grauell is In right she cannot me despise Because so low mine Empire lies For I could tell how Natures store Of Maiesty appeareth more In waters then in all the rest Of Elements It seem'd herbest To giue the waues most strength and power For they doe swallow and deuoure The earth the waters quench and kill The flames of fire and mounting still Vp in the aire are seene to be As challenging a Seignorie Within the heauens and to be one That should haue like dominion They be a seeling and a floore Of clouds caus'd by the vapours store Arising from them vitall spirit By which all things their life inherit From them is stopped kept asunder And what 's the reason else of Thunder Of lightnings flashes all about That with such violence breake out Causing such troubles and such iarres As with it selfe the world had warres And can there any thing appeare More wonderfull then in the aire Congealed waters oft to spie Continuing pendant in the Skie Till falling downe in haile or snow They make those mortall wights below To runne and euer helpe desire From his for Element the fire Which fearing then to come abroad Within doores maketh his aboad Or falling downe oft time in raine Doth giue greene Liueries to the plaine Make Shepheards Lambs fit for the dish And giueth nutriment to fish Which nourisheth all things of worth The earth
leaues vp bound â—nd she directed how to cure the wound â—ith thanks made home-wards longing still to see â—h'effect of this good Hermits Surgerie â—here carefully her sonne laid on a bed Enriched with the bloud he on it shed â—e washes dresses bindes his wound yet sore â—hat grieu'd it could weepe bloud for him no more Now had the glorious Sunneâ—ane â—ane vp his Iune And all the lamps of heau'n inlightned bin â—ithin the gloomy shades of some thicke Spring â—â—d Philomel gan on the Haw-thorne sing Whâ—lst euery beast at rest was lowly laid â—he outrage done vpon a silly Maid â—â—l things were husht each bird slept on his bough â—â—d night gaue rest to him day tyr'd at plough Each beast each bird and each day-toyling wight Receiu'd the comfort of the silent night Free from the gripes of sorrow euery one Except poore Philomel and Doridon She on a Thorne sings sweet though sighing strain He on a couch more soft more sad complaines Whole in-penâ— thoughts him long time hauing paâ— He sighing wept weeping thus complained Sweet Philomela then he heard her sing I doe not enuy thy sweet carolling But doe admire thee that each euen and morrow Canst carelesly thus sing away thy sorrow Would I could doe so too â— and euer be In all my woes still imitating thee But I may not attaine to that for then Such most vnhappy miserable men Would 〈◊〉 with Heauen and imitate the Sunnâ— Whose golden beames in exhalation Though drawn from Fens or other grounds impâ— Turne all to fructifying nouriture When we draw nothing by our Sun like eyes That euer turnes to mirth but miseries Would I had neuer seene except that â—he Who made me wish so loue to looke on me Had Colin Clout yet 〈◊〉 but he is gone That best on earth could tune a louers mone Whose sadder Tones inforc'd the Rocks to weepe And laid the greatest griefes in quiet sleepe Who when he sung as I would doe to mine His truest loues to his faire Rosalâ—ne â—ntiâ—'d each Shepherds eare to heare him play â—nd rapt with wonder thus admiring say Thrice happy plaines if plaines thrice happy may be Where such a Shepherd pipes to such a Lady Who made the Lasses long to sit downe neere him And woo'd the Riuers froÌ„ their Springs to heare him Heauen rest thy Soule if so a Swaine may pray And as thy workes liue here liue there for aye Meane while vnhappy I shall still complaine Loues cruell wounding of a seely Swaine Two nights thus past the Lilly-handed Morne Saw Phoebus stealing dewe from Ceres Corne. The mounting Larke daies herauld got on wing Bidding each bird chuse out his bough and sing The lofty Treble sung the little Wren Robin the Meane that best of all loues men The Nightingale the Tenor and the Thrush The Counter-tenor sweetly in a bush And that the Musicke might be full in parts Birds from the groues flew with right willing hearts But as it seem'd they thought as doe the Swaines Which tune their Pipes on sack'd Hibernia's plaines There should some droaning part be therefore will'd Some bird to flie into a neighb'ring field In Embassie vnto the King of Bees To aid his partners on the flowres and trees Who condiscending gladly flew along To beare the Base to his well-tuned song Thâ— Crow was willing they should be beholding For his deepe voyce but being hoarse with skolding He thus lends aide vpon an Oake doth climbe And nodding with his head so keepeth time O true delight enharboring the brests Of those sweet creatures with the plumy crests Had Nature vnto man such simplesse giuen He would like Birds befarre more neere to heauen But Doridon well knew who knowes no lesse Mans compounds haue o'er thrown his simplenesse Noone-tide the Morne had wood and she gan yeeld When Doridon made ready for the field Goes sadly forth a wofull Shepherds Lad Drowned in teares his minde with griefe yclad To ope his fold and let his Lamkins out Full iolly flocke they seem'd a well fleec'd rout Which gently walk'd before he sadly pacing Both guides and followes them towards their grazing When from a Groue the Wood-Nymphs held full deare Two heauenly voyces did intreat his eare And did compell his longing eyes to see What happy wight enioy'd such harmonie Which ioyned with fiue more and so made seauen Would parallel in mirth the Spheares of heauen To haue a sight at first he would not presse For feare to interrupt such happinesse But kept aloofe the thicke growne shrubs among Yet so as he might heare this wooing Song F. FIe Shepherds Swaine why sitst thou all alone Whil'st other Lads are sporting on the leyes R. Ioy may haue company but Griefe hath none Where pleasure neuer came sports cannot please F. Yet may you please to grace our this daies sport Though not an actor yet a looker on R. A looker on indeede so Swaines of sort Cast low take ioy to looke whence they are thrown F. Seeke ioy and finde it R. Griefe doth not minde it BOTH Then both agree in one Sorrow doth hate To haue a mate True griefe is still alone F. Sad Swaine areade if that a Maid may aske What cause so great effects of griefe hath wrought R. Alas Loue is not hid it weares no maske To view 't is by the face conceiu'd and brought F. The cause I grant the causer is not learned Your speech I doe entreat about this taske R. If that my heart were seene 't would be discerned And Fida's name found grauen on the caske F. Hath Loue young Remond moued R. 'T is Fida that is loued BOTH Although 't is said that no men Will with their hearts Or goods chiefe parts Trust either Seas or Women F. How may a Maiden be assur'd of loue Since falshood late in euerie Swaine excelleth R. When protestations faile time may approue Where true affection liues where falshood dwelleth F. The truest cause elects a Iudge as true Fie how my sighing my much louing telleth R. Your loue is fixt in one whose heart to you Shall be as constancy which ne'er rebelleth F. None other shall haue grace R. None else in my heart place BOTH Goe Shepherds Swaines and wiue all For Loue and Kings Are two like things Admitting no Corriuall As when some Malefactor iudg'd to die For his offence his Execution nye Casteâ—h his sight on states vnlike to his And weighs his ill by others happinesse So Doridon thought euery stare to be Further from him more neere felicitie O blessed sight where such concordance meets Where truth with truth and loue with liking greets Had quoth the Swain the Fates giuen me some measure Of true delights inestimable treasure I had beene fortunate but now so weake My bankrupt heart will be inforc'd to breake Sweet Loue that drawes on earth a yoake so euen Sweet life that imitates the blisse of heauen Sweet death they needs must haue who so vnite That two distinct make one Hermaphrodite Sweâ—t
loue sweet life sweet death that so doe meet On earth in death in heauen be euer sweet Let all good wishes euer wait vpon you And happinesse as hand-maid tending on you Your loues within one centre meeting haue One houre your deaths your corps possesse one graue Youâ— names still greene thus doth a Swaine implore Till time and memory shall be no more Herewith the couple hand in hand arose And tooke the way which to the sheep-walke goes And whil'st that Doridon their gate look'd on His dogge disclos'd him rushing forth vpon A well fed Deere that trips it o'er the Meade As nimbly as the wench did whilome tread On Ceres dangling eares or Shaft let goe By some faire Nymph that beares Diana's Bowe When turning head he not a foot would sturre Scoâ—ning the barking of a Shepheards curre So should all Swaines as little weigh their spite VVho at their songs doe bawle but dare not bite Remond that by the dogge the Master knew Came backe and angry bade him to pursue Dory quoth he if your ill-tuter'd dogge Haue nought of awe then let him haue a clogge Doe you not know this seely timorous Deere As vsuall to his kinde hunted whilcare The Sunne not ten degrees got in the Signes Since to our Maides here gathering Columbines She weeping came and with her head low laid In Fida's lap did humbly begge for aide VVhereat vnto the hounds they gaue a checke And sauing her might spie about her necke A Coller hanging and as yet is seene These words in gold wrought on a ground of greene Maidens since'tis decreed a Maid shall haue me Keepe me till he shall kill me that must saue me But whence she came or who the words concerne VVe neither know nor can of any learne Vpon a pallat she doth he at night Neere Fida's bed nor will she fâ—om her sight Vpon her walkes she all the day attends And by her side she trips where ere she wends Remond replide the Swaine if I haue wrong'd Fida in ought which vnto her belong'd I sorrow for 't and truelie doe protest As yet I neuer heard speech of this Beast Nor was it with my will or if it were Is it not lawfull we should chase the Deere That breaking our inclosures euery morne Are found at feed vpon our crop of corne Yet had I knowne this Deere I had not wrong'd Fida in ought which vnto her belong'd I thinke no lesse quoth Remond but I pray Whither walkes Doridon this Holy-day Come driue your sheepe to their appointed feeding And make you one at this our merry meeting Full many a Shepherd with his louely Lasse Sit telling tales vpon the clouer grasse There is the merry Shepherd of the hole Theâ—ot Piers Nilkin Duddy Hobbinoll Alexis Siluan Teddy of the Glen Râ—wly and Perigot here by the Fen With many more I cannot reckon all That meeâ— to solemnize this festiuall I grieue not at their mirth said Doridon Yet had there beene of Feasts not any one Appointed or commanded you will say Where there 's Content 't is euer Holy-day Leâ—ue further talke quoth Remond let 's be gone I le helpe you with your sheepe the time drawes on Fida will call the Hinde and come with vs. Thus went they on and Remond did discusse Their cause of meeting till they won with pacing The circuit chosen for the Maidens tracing It was a Roundell seated on a plaine Thaâ— stood as Sentinell vnto the Maine Enuiron'd round with Trees and many an Arbour Wherein melodious birds did nightly harbour And on a bough within the quickning Spring Would be a teaching of their young to sing Whose pleasing Noates the tyred Swaine haue made To steale a nap at noone-tide in the shade Nature her selfe did there in triumph ride And made that place the ground of all her pride Whose various flowres deceiu'd the rasher eye In taking them for curious Tapistrie A siluer Spring forth of a rocke did fall Thaâ— in a drought did serue to water all Vpon the edges of a grassie banke A tufâ— of Trees grew circling in a ranke As if they seem'd their sports to gaze vpon Or stood as guard against the winde and Sunne So faire so fresh so greene so sweet a ground The piercing eyes of heauen yet neuer found Here Doridon all ready met doth see Oh who would not at such a meeting be Where he might doubt who gaue to other grace Whether the place the Maids or Maids the place Here gan the Reede and merry Bag-pipe play Shrill as a Thrush vpon a Morne of May A rurall Musicke for an heauenly traine And euery Shepherdesse danc'd with her Swaine As when some gale of winde doth nimbly take A faire white locke of wooll and with it make Some prettie driuing here it sweepes the plaine There staies here hops there mounts and turns again Yet all so quicke that none so soone can say That now it stops or leapes or turnes away So was their dancing none look'd thereupon But thought their seuerall motions to be one A crooked measure was their first election Because all crooked tends to best perfection And as I weene this often bowing measure Was chiefly framed for the womens pleasure Though like the rib they crooked are and bending Yet to the best of formes they aime their ending Next in an I their measure made a rest Shewing when Loue is plainest it is best Then in a Y which thus doth Loue commend Making of two at first one in the end And lastly closing in a round do enter Placing the lusty Shepherds in the center About the Swaines they dancing seem'd to roule As other Planets round the Heauenly Pole Who by their sweet aspect or chiding frowne Could raise a Shâ—pherd vp or cast him downe Thus were they circled till a Swaine came neere And sent this song vnto each Shepherds eare The Note and voyce so sweet that for such mirth The Gods would leaue the heauens dwell on earth HAppy are you so enclosed May the Maids be still disposed In their gestures and their dances So to grace you with intwining That Enuy wish in such combining Fortunes smile with happy chances Here it seemes as if the Graces Measur'd out the Plaine in traces In a Shepherdesse disguising Are the Spheares so nimbly turning Wandring Lamps in heauen burning To the eye so much intising Yes Heauen meanes to take these thither And adde one ioy to see both dance together Gentle Nymphes be not refusing Loues neglect is times abusing They and beauty are but lent you Take the one and keepe the other Loue keepes fresh what age doth smother Beauty gone you will repent you 'T will be said when yee haue proued Neuer Swaines more truly loued O then flye all nice behauiour Pitty faine would as her dutie Be attending stâ—ll on beautie Let her not be out of fauour Disdaine is now so much rewarded That Pitty weepes since she is vnregarded The measure and the Song here being ended Each Swain
with feare Seeke for their safetie some into the dike Some in the hedges drop and others like The thick-growne corne as for their hiding best And vnder turfes or grasse most of the rest That of a flight which couer'd all the graine Not one appeares but all or hid or slaine So by Heröes were we led of yore And by our drums that thundred on each shore Stroke with amazement Countries farre and neere Whilst their Inhabitants like Heards of Deere By kingly Lyons chas'd fled from our Armes If any did oppose instructed swarmes Of men immail'd Fate drew them on to be A greater Fame to our got Victory But now our Leaders want those Vessels lye Rotting like houses through ill husbandry And on their Masts where oft the Ship-boy stood Or siluer Trumpets charm'd the brackish Flood Some wearied Crow it set and daily seene Their sides in stead of pitch calk'd ore with greene Ill hap alas haue you that once were knowne By reaping what was by IberiÌ„a sowne By bringing yealow sheaues from out their plaine Making our Barnes the store-house for their graine When now as if we wanted land to till Wherewith we might our vselesse Souldiers fill Vpon their Hatches where halfe-pikes were borne In euery chinke rise stems of bearded corne Mocking out idle times that so haue wrought vs Or putting vs in minde what once they brought vs. Beare with me Shepherds if I doe digresse And speake of what our selues doe not professe Can I behold a man that in the field Or at a breach hath taken on his Shield More Darts then euer Roman that hath spent Many a cold December in no Tent But such aâ— Earth and Heauen make that hath beene Except in Iron Plates not long time sâ—ene Vpon whose body may be plainly told More wounds then his lanke purse doth almes-deeâ— hol Oâ— can I see this man aduentring all Be onely grac'd with some poore Hospitall Or may be worse intreating at his doore For some reliefe whom he secur'd before And yet not shew my griefe First may I learne To see and yet forget how to discerne My hands neglectfull be at any need Or to defend my body or to feed Ere I respect those times that rather giue him Hundreds to punish then one to relieue him As in an Euening when the gentle ayre Breaâ—hes to the sullen night a soft repaire I oft haue set on Thames sweet banke to heare My Friend with his sweet touch to charme mine eare When he hath plaid as well he can some straine Thaâ— likes me streight I aske the same againe And he as gladly granting strikes it o're With some sweet relish was forgot before I would haue beene content if he would play In that one straine to passe the night away But fearing much to doe his patience wrong Vnwillingly haue ask'd some other song So in this diffring Key though I could well A many houres but as few minutes tell Yet lest mine owne delight might iniure you Though loath so soone I take my Song anew Yet as when I with other Swaines haue beene Invited by the Maidens of our greene To wend to yonder Wood in time of yeare When Cherry-trees inticing burdens beare He that with wreathed legs doth vpwards goe Pluckes not alone for those which stand below But now and then is seene to picke a few To please himselfe as well as all his crew Or if from where he is he doe espie Some Apricocke vpon a bough thereby Which ouerhangs the tree on which he stands Climbs vp and striues to take it with his hands So if to please my selfe I somewhat sing Let it not be to you lesse pleasuring No thirst of glory tempts me for my straines Be fit poore Shepherds on the lowly Plaines The hope of riches cannot draw from me One line that tends to seruile flatterie Nor shall the most in titles on the earth Blemish my Muse with an adulterate birth Nor make me lay pure colours on a ground Where nought substantiall can be euer found No such as sooth a base and dunghill spirit With attributes fit for the most of merit Cloud their free Muse as when the Sun doth shine On straw and durt mixt by the sweating Hyne It nothing gets from heapes so much impure But noysome steames that doe his light obscure My free-borne Muse will not like Danae be Won with base drosse to clip with slauery Nor end her choiser Balme to worthlesse men Whose names would dye but for some hired pen No â—f I praise Vertue shall draw me to it And not a base procurement make me doe it What now I sing is but to passe away A tedious houre as some Musitians play Or make another my owne griefes bemone Or to be least alone when most alone In this can I as oft as I will choose Hug sweet content by my retired Muse And in a study finde as much to please As others in the greatest Pallaces Each man that liues according to his powre On what he loues bestowes an idle houre In stead of Hounds that make the woodded hils Talke in a hundred voyces to the Rils I like the pleasing cadence of aline Strucke by the consort of the sacred Nine In lieu of Hawkes the raptures of my soule Transcend their pitch and baser earths controule For running Horses Contemplation flyes With quickest speed to win the greatest prize For courtly dancing I can take more pleasure To heare a Verse keepe time and equall measure For winning Riches seeke the best directions How I may well subdue mine owne affections For raising stately piles for heires to come Here in this Poem I erect my toombe And time may be so kinde in these weake lines To keepe my Name enroll'd past his that shines In guilded Marble or in brazen leaues Since Verse preserues when Stone Brasse deceiues Or if as worthlesse Time not lets it liue To those full dayes which others Muses giue Yet I am sure I shall be heard and sung Of most seuerest eld and kinder young beyond my daies and maugre Enuies strife Adde to my name some houres beyond my life Such of the Muses are the able powres And since with them I spent my vacant houres I finde nor Hawke nor Hound nor other thing Turnies nor Reuels pleasures for a King Yeeld more delight for I haue ofâ— possest As much in this as all in all the rest And that without expence when others oft With their vndoings haue their pleasures bought On now my loued Muse and let vs bring Thetis to heare the Câ—râ—ist Michael sing And after him to see a 〈◊〉 vnfold The Tragedie of DR 〈◊〉 leaues of gold Then heare another GREENVILS name relate Which â—imes succeeding shall perpetuate And make those two the Pillers great of Fame Beyond whose worths shall neuer sound a Name Nor Honour in her euerlasting story More deeper graue for all ensuing glory New Thetis staies to heare the Shepherds tell Where Arthur met his death and Mordred
rest inioyes that well inioyes himselfe Had some one told thee thus or thou bethought thee Of inward helpe thy sorrow had not brought thee To weigh misfortune by anothers good Nor leaue thy seat to range about the wood Stay where thou art turne where thou wert before Light yeelds small comfort noâ— hath darknesse more A wooddy hill there stood at whose low feeâ— Two goodly streames in one broad channell meet Whose fretfull waues beaâ—ing against the hill Did all the bottome with soft muttrings fill Here in a nooke made by another mount Whose stately Oakes are in no lesse account For height or spreading then the proudest be That from Oëta looke on Thessaly Rudely o're hung there is a vaulted Caue That in the day as sullen shadowes gaue As Euening to the woods An vncouth place Where Hags and Goblins might retire a space And hated now of Shepherdâ— since there lieâ— The corps of one lesse louing Deities Then we affected him that neuer lent Hiâ— hand to ought but to our detriment A man that onely liu'd to liue no more And di'd still to be dying Whose chiefe store Of vertue was his hate did not pursue her Because he onely heard of her not knew her That knew no good but onely that his sight Saw euery thing had still his oppositâ— And euer this his apprehension caught That what he did was best the other naught That alwaies lou'd the man that neuer lou'd And hated him whose hate no death had mou'd That politique at fitting time and season Could hate the Traitor and yet loue the Treason That many a wofull heart ere his decease In peeces tore to purchase his owne peace Who neuer gaue his almes but in this fashion To salue his credit more then for saluation Who on the names of good-men euer fed And most accursed sold the poore for bread Right like the Pitch-tree from whose any limbe Comes neuer twig shall be the seed of him The Muses scorn'd by him laugh at his fame And neuer will vouchsafe to speake his Name Let no man for his losse one teare let fall But perish with him his memoriall Into this 〈◊〉 the God of Shepherdâ— went The Trees in grones the Books in tâ—areâ—â—ament His fatall chance the Brookes that whilome lept To heare him play while his fairâ— Mistresse slept Now left their 〈◊〉 and such wanton moods And with loud clamours 〈◊〉 the neighbring woods There spent hâ— most of might but when the day Drew from the earth her pitchie vaile away When all the â—â—owry plaines with Carols â—â—ng That by the mounting Larke were shâ—illy sung When dusky mists roâ—e from the crystall floods And darknesse no where raign'd but in the woods Pan left the Caue and now intends to finde The sacred place where lay his loue 〈◊〉 A plot of earth in whose chill armes was laid As much perfection as had euer Maide If curious Nature had but taken care To make more lasting what she made so faire Now wanders Pan the arched Groues and hils Where Faâ—erâ—es often daâ—â—'d and Shepherds quils In sweet contentions pass'd the tedious day Yet being early in his vnknowne way Met not a Shepherd nor on all the Plaine A Flocke then feeding saw nor of his traine One iolly Satyre stirring yet abroad Of whom he might inquire this to the load Of his affliction addes Now he inuokes Those Nymphs in mighty For rests that with Oakes Haue equall Pates each with her seuerall Tree Receiuing birth and ending Destinie Cals on all Powres intreats that he might haue But for his Loue the knowledge of her graue That since the Fates had tane the Iem away He might but see the Carknet where it lay To doe fit right to such a part of mold Couering so rare a piece that all the Gold Or Diamond Earth can yeeld for value ne're Shall match the treasure which was hidden there A hunting Nymph awakned with his mone That in a bowre neere-hand lay all alone Twining her small armes round her slender waste That by no others vs'd to be imbrac'd Got vp and knowing what the day before Was guiltie of she addes not to his store As many simply doe whose friends so crost They more afflict by shewing what is lost But bad him follow her He as she leads Vrgeth her hast So a kinde mother treads Earnest distracted where with bloud defil'd She heares lyes dead her deere and onely childe Mistrust now wing'd his feer then raging ire For Speed comes euer lamely to Desire Delayes the stones that waiting Suiters grind By whom at Court the poore mans cause is sign'd Who to dispatch a suit will not deferre To take death for a ioynt Commissioner Delay the Wooers bane Reuenges hate The plague to Creditors decaid estate The Test of Patience of our Hopes the Racke That drawes them forth so long vntill they cracke Vertues best benefactor in our times One that is set to punish great mens crimes She that had hindred mighty Pan a while Now steps aside and as ore-flowing Nyle Hid from Clymene's sonne his recking head So from his rage all opposition fled Giuing him way to reach the timelesse Toombe Of Natures glory for whose ruthlesse doome When all the Graces did for mercy pleade And Youth and Goodnesse both did intercede The Sons of Earth if liuing had beene driuen To heape on hils and warre anew with heauen The Shepherds which he mist vpon the Downes Here meets he with for from the neighbring Townes Maidens and Men resorted to the graue To see a wonder more then time e're gaue The holy Priests had told them long agone Amongst the learned Shepherds there was one So giuen to pietie and did adore So much the name of Pan that when no more He breadth'd those that to ope his heart began Found written there with gold the name of Pan. Which vnbeleeuing man that is not mou'd To credit ought if not by reason prou'd And ties the ouer-working powre to doe Nought otherwise then Nature ceacheth to Held as most fabulous Not inly seeing The hand by whom we liue and All haue being No worke for admirable doth intend Which Reason hath the powre to comprehend And Faith no merit hath from heauen lent Where humane reason yeelds experiment Till now they durst not trust the Legend old Esteeming all not true their Elders told And had not this last accident made good The former most in vnbeliefe had stood But Fame that spread the bruit of such a wonder Bringing the Swaine of places farre a sunder To this selected plot now famous more Then any Groue Mount Plaine had bin before By relicke vision buriall or birth Oâ— Anchoresse or Hermit yet on earth Out of the Maideâ—s bed of endlesse rest Shewes them a Tree new growne so fairely drest With spreading armes and curled top that Ioue Ne're brauer saw in his Dâ—dâ—nian Groue The hart-like leaues oft each with other pyle As doe the hard scales of the Crocodyle And none on
did couer But prithee Ferriman direct my Spright Where that blacke Riuer runs that Lethe hight That I of it as other Ghosts may drinke And neuer of the world or Loue more thinke The Swaine perceiuing by her words ill sorted That she was wholly from her selfe transported And fearing lest those often idle fits Might cleane expell her vncollected wits Faire Nymph said he the powers aboue deny So faire a Beauty should so quickly die The Heauens vnto the World haue made a loane And must for you haue interest Three for One Call backe your thoughts ore-cast with dolours night Do you not see the day the heauens the light Doe you not know in Plutoes darksome place The light of heauen did neuer shew his face Do not your pulses beat y' are warme haue breath Your sense is rapt with feare but not with death I am not Charon nor of Plutoes host Nor is there flesh and bloud found in a Ghost But as you see a seely Shepheards swaine Who though my meere reuenues be the traine Of milk-white sheepe yet am I ioyd as much In sauing you O who would not saue such As euer was the wandring youth of Greece That brought from Colchos home the golden Pleece The neuer-too-much-praised faire Marine Hearing those words beleeu'd her eares and eyne And knew how she escaped had the flood By meanes of this young Swaine that neere her stood Whereat for griefe she gan againe to faint Redoubling thus her cryes and sad complaint Alas and is that likewise barr'd from me Which for all persons else lies euer free Will life nor death nor ought abridge my paine But liue still dying dye to liue againe Then most vnhappy I which finde most sure The wound of Loue neglected is past cure Most cruell God of Loue if such there be That still to my desires art contrarie Why should I not in reason this obtaine That as I loue I may be lou'd againe Alas with thee too Nature playes her parts That fram'd so great a discord tweene two harts One flyes and alwayes doth in hate perseuer The other followes and in loue growes euer Why dost thou not extinguish cleane this flame And plac't on him that best deserues the fame Why had not I affected some kinde youth Whose euery word had beene the word of Truth Who might haue had to loue and lou'd to haue So true a Heart as I to Celand gaue For Psyches loueâ— if beautie gaue thee birth Or if thou hast attractiue power on earth Dame Venus sweetest Childe requite this loue Or Fate yeeld meanes my soule may hence remoue Once seeing in a spring her drowned eyes O cruell beautie cause of this she cryes Mother of Loue my ioyes most fatall knife That workst her death by whom thy selfe hast life The youthfull Swaine that heard this louing Saint So oftentimes to poure forth such complaint Within his heart such true affection prais'd And did perceiue kinde loue and pittie rais'd His minde to sighs yea beautie forced this That all her griefe he thought was likewise his And hauing brought her what his lodge affords Sometime he wept with her sometime with words Would seeke to comfort when alas poore elfe He needed then a comforter himselfe Daily whole troopes of griefe vnto him came For her who languish'd of another flame If that she sigh'd he thought him lou'd of her When 't was another saile her wind did stirre But had her sighs and teares beene for this Boy Her sorrow had beene lesse and more her ioy Long time in griefe he hid his loue-made paines And did attend her walkes in woods and plaines Bearing a fuell which her Sun-like eies Enflam'd and made his heart the sacrifice Yet he sad Swaine to shew it did not dare And she lest he should loue nie dy'd for feare She euer-wailing blam'd the powers aboue That night nor day giue any rest to Loue. He prais'd the Heauens in silence oft was mute And thought with teares and sighs to winne his sute Once in the shade when she by sleepe repos'd And her cleere eies twixt her faire lids enclos'd The Shepheard Swaine began to hate and curse That day vnfortunate which was the nurse Of all his sorrowes He had giuen breath And life to her which was his cause of death O Aesops Snake that thirstest for his bloud From whom thy selfe receiu'dst a certaine good Thus oftentimes vnto himselfe alone Would he recount his griefe vtter his mone And after much debating did resolue Rather his Grandame earth should cleane inuolue His pining bodie ere he would make knowne To her what Tares Loue in his breast had sowne Yea he would say when griefe for speech hath cride 'T is better neuer aske than be denide But as the Queene of Riuers fairest Thames That for her buildings other flouds enflames With greatest enuie Or the Nymph of Kent That stateliest Ships to Sea hath euer sent Some baser groome for lucres hellish course Her channell hauing stopt kept backe her sourâ—e Fill'd with disdaine doth swell aboue her mounds And ouerfloweth all the neighb'ring grounds Angry she teares vp all that stops her way And with more violence runnes to the Sea So the kinde Shepheards griefe which long vppent Grew more in power and longer in extent Forth of his heart more violently thrust And all his vow'd intentions quickly burst Marina hearing sighs to him drew neere And did intreat his cause of griefe to heare But had'â—st knowne her beautie was the sting That caused all that instant sorrowing Silence in bands her tongue had stronger kept And sh 'ad not ask'd for what the Shepheard wept The Swaine first of all times this best did thinke To shew his loue whilst on the Riuers brinke They sate alone then thought hee next would moue her With sighs and teares true tokens of a Louer And since she knew what helpe from him she found When in the Riuer she had else beene drown'd He thinketh sure she cannot but grant this To giue reliefe to him by whom she is By this incited said Whom I adore Sole Mistresse of my heart I thee implore Doe not in bondage hold my freedome long And since I life or death hold from your tongue Suffer my heart to loue yea dare to hope To get that good of loues intended scope Grant I may praise that light in you I see And dying to my selfe may liue in thee Faire Nymph surcease this death-alluring languish So rare a beautie was not borne for anguish Why shouldst thou care for him that cares not for thee Yea most vnworthy wight seemes to abhorre thee And if he be as you doe here paine forth him He thinkes you best of beauties are not worth him That all the ioies of Loue will not quite cost For all lou'd freedome which by it is lost Within his heart such selfe-opinion dwels That his conceit in this he thinkes excels Accounting womens beauties sugred baits That neuer catch but fooles with their deceits Who of himselfe
fame Meer greater Springs yet keepe thy name May neuer Eueâ— noâ— the Tode Within thy bankes make their abode Taking thy iourney from the Sea Maist thou ne'er happen in thy way On Niter or on Brimstone Mine To spoile thy taste this Spring of thine Let it of nothing taste but earth And salt conceiued in their birth Be euer fresh Let no man dare To spoile thy Fish make locke or ware But on thy Margent still let dwell Those flowers which haue the sweetest smell And let the dust vpon thy strand Become like Tagus golden sand Let as much good heride to thee As thou hast fauour shew'd to mee Thu said in gentle paces they remoue And hastned onward to the shadie Groue Where both arriu'd and hauing found the Rocke Saw how this precious waâ—eâ— it did locke As he whom Auarice possesseth most Drawne by necessitie vnto his â—â—st Doth drop by peece-meale downe his prison'd gold And seemes vnwilling to let goe his hold So the strong rocke the water long time stops And by degrees lets it fall downe in drops Like hoording huswiues that doe mold their food And keepe from others what doth them no good The drops within a Cesterne fell of stone Which fram'd by Nature Art had neuer one Halfe part so curious Many spells then vsing The waterâ— Nymph twixt Marines lips infusing Part of this water she might straight perceiue How soone her troubled thoughts began to leaâ—e Her Loue-swolne-breast and that her inward flame Was cleane asswaged and tho very name Of Celandine forgotten did scarce know If there were such a thing as Loue or no. And sighing therewithall threw in the aire All former loue all sorrow all despaire And all the former causes of hâ—r mone Did there with burie in obliâ—â—on Then mustring vp her thoughts growne vagabonds Prest to releeue her inward bleeding wounds She had as quickly all things past forgotten As men doe Monarchs that in earth 〈…〉 As one new borne she seem'd so al discerning Though things long learned are the longst vnlearning Then walk'd they to a Groue but neere at hand Where fierie Titan had but small command Because the leaues conspiring kept his beames For feare of hurting when hee 's in extreames The vnder flowers which did enrich the ground With sweeter sents than in Arabia found The earth doth yeeld which they through pores exhale Earths best of odours th'Aromaticall Like to that smell which oft our sense 〈◊〉 Within a field which long vnplowed â—ies Somewhat before the setting of the Sunne And where the Raine-bow in the Horizon Doth pitch her tips on as when in the prime The earth being troubled with a drought long time The hand of Heauen his spungie Clouds doth straine And throwes into her lap a showre of raine She sendeth vp conceiued from the Sunne A sweet perfume and exhalation Nor all the Ointments brought from Delos I le Nor from the confines of seuen-headed Nile Nor that brought whence Rhaenicians haue abodes Nor Cyprus wilde Vine-flowers nor that of Rhodes Nor Roses-oile from Naples Capua Safâ—â—on consected in Gilician Noâ— thâ—â— of Quinces nor of Marioram That euer from the I le of Coos came Nor these nor any else though ne'er so rare Could with this place for sweetest smels compare There stood the Elme whose shade so mildly dim Doâ—h nourish all that groweth vnder him Cypresse that like Piramides runne topping And hurt the least of any by their dropping The Alder whose sat shadow nourisheth Each Plant set neere to him long flourisheth The heauie-beaded Plane-tree by whose shade The grasse growes thickest men are fresher made The Oaks that best endures the Thunder-shocks The euerlasting Ebene Cedar Box. The Oliue that in Wamscot neuer cleaues The amorous Vine which in the Elme still weaues The Lotus Iuniper where wormes ne'er enter The Pyne with whom men through the Ocean venter The warlike Yâ—wgh by which more then the Lance The strong-arm'd English spiâ—iâ—s conquer'd France Amongst the râ—st the Tamariske there stood For Huswiues bosomes onely knowne most good The cold-place-louing Biroh and Seruis tree The Walnut louing vales and Mulbury The Maple Ashe that doe delight in Fountaines Which haue their currents by the sides of Mountains The Laâ—â—ell Mirtle â—uy Date which hold Their leaues all Winter be it ne'er so cold The Firre that oftentimes doth Rosin drop The Beech that scales the Welkin with his top All these and thousand more within this Groue By all the industry of Nature strouâ— To frame on Harbour that might keepe within it The best of beauties that the world hath in it Hero enâ—ring at the entrance of which shroud The Sâ—nne 〈◊〉 angry hid him in a cloud As raging that a Groue should from his sight Locke vp a beauty whence himselfe had light The flowers pull'd in their heads as being sham'd Their beauties by the others were defam'd Neâ—re to this Wood there lay a pleasant Mead Where Fairies often did their Measures tread Which in the Meadow made such circles geene As if with Garlands it had crowned beene Or like the Circle where the Signes we tracke And learned Shepherds call 't the Zodiacke Within one of these rounds was to be seene A Hillocke rise where oft the Fairy-Queene Atâ—wy-light sate and did command her Elues To pinch those Maids that had not swept their shelues And further if by Maidens ouer-sight Within doores water were not brought at night Or if they spread no Table set no Bread They should haue nips from toe vnto the head And for the Maid that had perform'd each thing She in the Water-paile bade leaue a Ring Vpon this Hill there sat a louely Swaine As if that Nature thought it great disdaine That he should so through her his Genius told him Take equall place with Swaines since she did hold him Her chiefest worke and therefore thought it fit That with inferiours he should neuer fit Narcissus change sure Ouid cleane mistooke He â—y'd not looking in a Crystall brooke But as those which in emulation gaze He pinde to death by looking on this face When he stood fishing by some Riuers brim The fish would leape more for a sight of him Then for the flie The Eagle highest bred Was taking him once vp for Ganimed The shag-haird Satyres and the tripping Fawnes With all the troope that frolicke on the Lawnes Would come and gaze on him as who should say They had not seene his like this many a day Yea Venus knew no difference twixt thâ—se twaine Saue Adon was a Hunter this a Swaine The woods sweet Queristers from spray to spray Would hop them neerer him and then there stay Each ioying greatly from his little hart That they with his sweet Reed might beare a part This was the Boy the Poets did mistake To whom bright Cynthia so much loue did make And promis'd for his loue no scornfull eyes Should euer see her more in horried guize But she at his command would as of dutie Become as full of
any stirring ayre His eares were strucken deafe when he came nie To heare the Widowes or the Orphans crie His eyes encircled with a bloody chaine With poaring in the blood of bodies slaine His mouth exceeding wide from whence did flie Vollies of execrable blasphemie Baâ—ning the Heauens and he that rideth on them Dâ—â—'d vengeance to the teeth to fall vpon him Like Scythian Wolues or men of wit bereauen Which howle and shoot against the lights of Heauen His hands if hands they were like some dead corse With digging vp his buried ancestors Making his Fathers Tombe and sacred shrine The trough wherein the Hog-heard fed his Swine And as that Beast hath legs which Shepherds feare Ycleep'd a Badger which our Lambs doth teare One long the other short that when he runs Vpon the plaines he halts but when he wons On craggy Rocks or steepy stils we see Noneruns more swift nor easier then he Such legs the Monster had one sinew shrunke That in the plaines he reel'd as being drunke And halted in the paths to Vertue tending And therefore neuer durst be that way bending But when he came on carued Monuments Spiring Colosses and high raised rents He past them o're quicke as the Easterne winde Sweepes through a Meadow or a nimble Hinde Or Satyre on a Lawne or skipping Roe Or well-wing'd Shaft forth of a Parthian bow His body made still in consumptions rife A miserable prison for a life Riot he hight whom some curs'd Fiend did raise When like a Chaos were the nights and daies Got and brought vp in the Cymerian Clime Where Sun nor Moon nor daies nor nights do time As who should say they scorn'd to shew their faces To such a Fiend should seeke to spoile the Graces At sight whereof Fida nigh drown'd in feare Was cleane dismaid when he approched neare Nor durst she call the Deere nor whistling winde her Fearing her noise might make the Monster finde her Who slily came for he had cunning learn'd him And seiz'd vpon the Hinde ere she discern'd him Oh how she striu'd and strugled euery nerue Is prest at all assaies a life to serue Yet soone we lose what we might longer keepe Were not Preuention commonly a sleepe Maids of this Monsters brood be fearefull all What to the Hinde may hap to you befall Who with her feet held vp in stead of hands And teares which pittie from the Rocke commands She sighes and shrikes weeps and looks vpon him Alas she sobs and many a groane throwes on him With plaints which might abate a Tyrants knife She begs for pardon and entreats for life The hollow caues resound her moanings neere it That heart was flint which did not grieue to heare it The high topt Firres which on that mountaine keep Haue euer since that time beene seene to weepe The Owle till then 't is thought full well could sing And tune her voyce to euery bubling Spring But when she heard those plaints then forth she yode Out of the couert of an Iuy rod And hollowing for aide so strain'd her throat That since she cleane forgot her former noat A little Robin sitting on a tree In dolefull noats bewail'd her Tragedie An Aspe who thought him stout could not dissemble But shew'd his feare and yet is seene to tremble Yet Cruelty was deafe and had no sight In ought which might gain-say the appetite But with his teeth rending her throat asunder Besprinkl'd with her blood the greene grasse vnder And gurmundizing on her flesh and blood He vomiting returned to the Wood. Ryot but newly gone as strange a vision Though farre more heauenly came in apparition As that Arabian bird whom all admire Her exequies prepar'd and funerall fire Burnt in a flame conceiued from the Sun And nourished with slips of Cynamon Out of her ashes hath a second birth And flies abroad a wonderment on earth So from the ruines of this mangled Creature Arose so faire and so diuine a featuâ—e That Enuâ— for her heart would doat vpon her Heauen could not chuse but be enamour'd on her Were I a Starre and she a second Spheare I de leaue the other and be fixed there Had faire Arachne wrought this Maidens haire When she with Pallas did for skill compare Minerua's worke had neuer beene esteem'd But this had beene more rare and highly deem'd Yet gladly now she would reuerse her doome Weauing this haire within a Spiders Loome Vpon her fore-head as in glory sate Mercy and Maiesty for wondring at As pure and simple as Albania's snow Or milke-white Swans which stem the streams of Poe Like to some goodly fore-land bearing out Her haire the tufts which fring'd the shoare abouâ— And lest the man which sought those coasts might slip Her eyes like Stars did serue to guide the ship Vpon her front heauens fairest Promontory Delineated was th' Authentique Story Of those Elect whose sheepe at first began To nibble by the springs of Canaan Out of whose sacred loynes brought by the stem Of that sweet Singer of Ierusalem Came the best Shepherd euer flocks did keepe Who yeelded vp his life to saue his sheepe O thou Eterne by whom all beings moue Giuing the Springs beneath and Springs aboue Whose Finger doth this Vniuerse sustaine Bringing the former and the latter raine Who dost with plenty Meads and Pastures fill By drops distill'd like dew on Hormon Hill Pardon a silly Swaine who farre vnable In that which is so rare so admirable Dares on an Oaten-pipe thus meanly sing Her praise immense worthy a siluer string And thou which through the Desart and the Deepe Didst lead thy Chosen like a flocke of sheepe As sometime by a Starre thou guidedst them Which fed vpon the plaines of Bethelem So by thy sacred Spirit direct my quill When I shall sing ought of thy Holy hill That times to come when they my rymes rehearse May wonder at me and admire my Verse For who but one rapt in Coelestiall fire Can by his Muse to such a pitch aspire That from aloft he might behold and tell Her worth whereon an iron Pen might dwell When she was borne Nature in sport began To learne the cunning of an Artizan And did Vermilion with a white compose To mocke her selfe and paint a Damaske Rose But scorning Nature vnto Art should seeke She spilt her colours on this Maidens cheeke Her mouth the gate from whence all goodnesse came Of power to giue the dead a liuing name Her words embalmed in so sweet a breath That made them triumph both on Time and Death Whose fragrant sweets since the Camelion knew And tasted of he to this humor grew Left other Elements held this so rare That since he neuer feeds on ought but Ayre O had I Virgils verse or Tullies Tongue Or raping numbers like the Thracian's Song I haue a Theame would make the Rocks to dance And surly Beasts that through the Desart prance Hie from their Caues and euery gloomy den To wonder at the
but as much As one poore drop hath left to ease his heart Why should he keepe it since the time doth call That he ne'er better can bestow it in If so he feares That others teares In greater number greatest prizes winne Know nâ—ne giues more then he which giueth all Then he which hath but one poore teare in store O let him spend that drop and weepe no more Why flowes not Helicon beyond her strands Is Henry dead and doe the Muses sleepe Alas I see each one amazed stands Shallow foords mutter silent are the deepe Faine would they tell their griefes but know not where All are so full nought can augment their store Then how should they Their griefes display To men so cloâ—d they â—aine would heare no more Though blaming those whose plaints they cannot heare And with this wish their passions I allow May that Muse neuer speake that 's silent now Is Henry dead alas and doe I liue To sing a Scrich-owles Note that he is dead If any one a fitter Theame can giue Come giue it now or neuer to be read Buâ— let him see it doe of horror tast Anguish destruction could it rend in sunder With fearefull grones The senselesse stones Yet should we hardly be enforc'd to wonder Ouâ— former griefes would so exceed their last Time cannot make our sorrowes ought compleater Nor adde one griefe to make our mourning greater England was ne'er ingirt with waues till now Till now it held part with the Continent Aye me some one in pitty shew me how I might in dolefull numbers so lament That any one which lou'd him hated me Might dearely loue me for lamenting him Alas my plaint In such constraint Breaks forth in rage that though my passions swimme Yeâ— are they drowned ere they landed be Imperfect lines O happy were I hurld And cut from life as England from the world O happier had we beene if we â—ad beene Neuer made happie by enioying thee Where hath the glorious eye of heauen seene A spectacle of greater miserie Time turne thy course and bring againe the Spring Breake Natures lawes search the records of old If ought befell Might paralell Sad Britain's case weepe Rocks and Heauen behold What Seas of sorrow she is plunged in Where stormes of woe so mainly haue beset her She hath no place for worse nor hope for better Britaine was whilome knowne by more then fame To be one of the Ilands fortunate What franticke man would giue her now that name Lying so rufull and disconsolate Hath not her watry Zone in murmuring Fill'd euery shoare with Ecchoes of her crie Yes Thetis raues And bids her waues Bring all the Nymphes within her Emperie To be assistant in her sorrowing See where they sadly sit on Isis shore And rend their haires as they would ioy no more Isis the glory of the Westerne world When our Heroë honour'd Essex dy'd Strucken with wonder backe againe she hurld And sill'd her banckes with an vnwoonted Tyde As if she stood in doubt if it were so And for the certaintie had turn'd her way Why doe not now Her waues reflow Poor Nymph her sorrowes will not let her stay Or flâ—es to tell the world her Countries woe Or cares not to come backe perhaps as showing Our teares should make the flood not her reflowing Sometimes a Tyrant held the reynes of Rome Wishing to all the City but one head That all at once might vndergoe his doome And by one blow from life be seuered Fate wisht the like on England and 't was giuen O miserable men enthral'd to Fate Whose heauy hand That neuer sâ—and The misery of Kingdomes ruinate Miâ—ding to leaue her of all ioyes bereauen With one sad blow Alas can worser fall Hath giuen this little Ile her Funerall O come yee blessed Impes of Memory Ereâ—â— a new Parnassus on his graue There tune your voices to an Elegy The saddest Note that ere Apollo gaue Let euery Accent make the sâ—ander by Keepe time vnto your Song with dropping teares Till drops that fell Haue made a well To swallow him which still vnmoued heares And though my selfe proue senselesse of your cry Yet gladly should my light of life grow diâ— To be iâ—tomb'd in teares are wept for him When last he sickned then we first began To tread the Labyrinth of Woe about And by degrees we further inward ran Hauing his thread of life to guide vs out But Destinie no sooner saw vs enter Sad Sorrowes Maze immured vp in night Where nothing dwels But cryes and yels Throwne from the hearts of men depriu'd of light When we were almost come into the Center Fate cruelly to barre our ioyes returning Cut off our Thread and left vs all in mourning If you haue seene at foot of some braue hill Two Springs arise and delicately trill In gentle chidings through an humble dale Where tufty Daizies nod at euery gale And on the bankes a Swaine with Lawrell crown'd Marying his sweet Notes with their siluer sound When as the spongy clouds swolne big with water Throw their conception on the worlds Theater Downe from the hils the rained waters roare Whilst euery leafe drops to augment their store Grumbling the stones fall o'er each others backe Rending the greene turfes with their Cataract And through the Meadowes run with such a noise That taking from the Swaine the fountaines voice Inforce him leaue their margent and alone Couple his base Pipe with their baser Tone Know Shepherdesse that so I lent an eare To those sad wights whose plaints I told whileare But when this goodly Lady gan addresse Her heauenly voyce to sweeten heauinesse It drown'd the rest as torrents little Springs And strucken mute at her great sorrowings Lay still and wondred at her pitious mone Wept at her griefes and did forget their owne Whilst I attentiue â—aâ—e and did impart Teares when they wanted drops and from a hart As hiâ— in sorrow as e'er creature wore Lent thrilling grones to such as had no more Had wise Vlysses who regardlesse flung Along the Ocean when the Syrens sung Pass'd by and seene her on the sea torne cleeues Waile her lost Loue while Neptunes watry Theeues Durst not approach for Rockes to see her face He would haue hazarded his Grecian race Thrust head long to the shore and to her eyes Offer'd his Vessell as a Sacrifice Or had â—lie Syrens on a neighbour shore Heard in what raping Notes she did deplore Her buried Glory they had left their shelues And to come neere her would haue drown'd them Now silence lock'd the organs of that voyce Whereat each merry Syluan wont reioyce When with a bended knee to her I came And did impart my griefe and hateâ— name But first a pardon begg'd iâ— that my cause So much constrain'd me as to breake the Lawes Of her wish'd sequestration or ask'd Bread To saue a life from her whose life was dead But lawlesse famine selfe-consuming hunger Alas compel'd me had I stayed
strong 〈◊〉 When if a Carriers 〈◊〉 be brought vnto him His Mans â—an hold his â—oor whilst 〈…〉 him Remorce was so inforc'd to binde him stronger Because his faults requiâ—â—d infliction longer Then any 〈◊〉 prest wighâ— which many a day Since 〈…〉 himselfe had past that way When all the cruell tormentâ— he had burne Galâ—ed with chaines and on the 〈◊〉 high 〈◊〉 Pinching with glowing pincers his owne heart All â—ame and restlesse full of woundâ— and smart He 〈◊〉 Posterne 〈◊〉 â—o inward hiâ—s And from the gate a two-fold path describe One leading vp a hill Repentance way And as more worthy on the right hand lay The other head-long steepe and lik'ned well Vnto the path which tendeth downe to hellâ— All steps that thither went shew'd no returning The port to paines and to eternall mourning Where certaine Death liu'd in an Ebon chaire The soules blacke homicide meager Despaire Had his abodes there gainst the craggie rocks Some dasht their 〈…〉 with relentlesse 〈◊〉 Others on trees ô most accursed elites Are fastening knots so to vndâ—â— themselues Here one in sinne not daring to appeare At Mercies seat with one 〈◊〉 or â—eare Within 〈…〉 was 〈…〉 an eye That vnto God it might for 〈…〉 cry There from a Rocke a 〈…〉 newly fell All torne in peeces to goâ— whole to Hell Here with a sleepie Potion one thinkes fit To graspt with death but 〈…〉 know 〈…〉 There in â— gool◠〈◊〉 their liues 〈◊〉 And die in water to reuiue in fire Here hangs the bloud upon the guiltlesse stones There wormes 〈…〉 Here lyes and 〈…〉 Without 〈◊〉 her liâ—â—s of 〈…〉 Scattring the ground and as 〈…〉 As they at vertue spurâ—ed in the world Fye haplesse wretch ô that 〈…〉 Measur'st Gods mercy by thine owne deseruing Which cry'st distrustfull of the power of 〈◊〉 My sinnes are greater then can be forgiueâ— Which still are ready 〈…〉 At euery stripe of worldly miserie O learne thou in whose 〈◊〉 the Dragon liâ—kâ—s Gods Mercy 〈◊〉 is o'erall hiâ— workes Know he is pitifull apt to forgiue Would not a sinners death but that he liue O euer euer rest vpon that word Which doth assure thee though his two edg'd Sword Be drawne in Iustice gainst thy sinfull soule To separate the rotten from the whole Yet if a sacrifice of prayer be sent him He will not strike or if he strike repent him Let none despaire for cursed Iudas sinne Was not so much in yeelding vp the King Of life to death as when he thereupon Wholy dispair'd of Gods remission 〈◊〉 long doubting stood which way were best To leade his steps at last preferring rest As foolishly he thought before the paine Was to be past ere he could well attaine The high-built Palace 〈◊〉 aduenture on Thaâ— path which led to 〈◊〉 confusion When sodainly a voice as sweet as 〈◊〉 With words diuine began entice his 〈◊〉 Whereat as in a rapture on the ground 〈…〉 lay and all his senses 〈◊〉 A time of rest onely that facultie Which neuer can be seene nor euer dye That in the essence of an endlesse Nature Doâ— sympathize with the All-good Creator That onely wak'd which cannot be inâ—err'd And from a heauenly Quire this diâ—ty heard Vaine man doe not mistrust Of heauen winning Nor though the most vniust Despaire for sinning God will be seene his sentence changing If he behold thee wicked wayes estranging Climbe vp where pleasures dwell In flowry Allies And taste the liuing â—ell That decks the Vallies Faire Metanoia is attending To crowne thee with those ioyes which know 〈◊〉 ending Herewith on leaden wings Slâ—â—pe from him flew When on his arme he rose and sadly threw Shrill acclamationâ— while an hollow caue Or hanging hill or heauen 〈◊〉 answer gaue O sacred Essence lightning me this houre How may I lightly stilâ— thy great Power Eccâ— Power Power but of whence vnder the green-wood spray Or liu'st in heaâ—'n say Eccâ— In Heauens 〈◊〉 In heauens aye â— tell may I it obtaine By almes by fasting prayer by paine Ecch. By paine Shew me the paine it shall be vndergone I to mine end will still goe on Ecch. Goe on But whither On Shew me the place the time What if the Mountain I do climbe Ecch. Doe climbe Is that the way to ioyes which still endure O bid my soule of it be sure Ecch. Be sure Then thus assured doe I climbe the hill Heauen be my guide in this thy will Ecch. I will As when a maid taught from her mother wing To tune her voyce vnto a siluer string When she should run she rests rests when should run And ends her lesson hauing now begun Now misseth she her stop then in her song And doing of her best she still is wrong Begâ—ns againe and yet againe strikes false Then in a chafe forsakes her Virginals And yet within an houre she tries anew That with her daily paines Arts chiefest due She gaines that charming skill and can no lesse Taâ—e the fierce walkers of the wildernesse Then that Oâ—agrin Harpist for whose lay Tigers with hunger pinde and left their pray So Riot when he gan to climbe the hill Here maketh haste and there long standeth still Now getteth vp a step then fals againe Yet not despairing all his nerues doth straine To clamber vp a new then slide his feet And downe he comes but giues not ouer yet For with the maid he hopes a time will be When merit shall be linkt with industry Now as an Angler melancholy standing Vpon a greene banke yeelding roome for landing A wrigling yellow worme thrust on his hooke Now in the midst he throwes then in a nooke Here puls his line there throwes it in againe Mâ—ndeth his Corke and Bait but all in vaine He long stands viewing of the curled streame At last a hungry Pike or well-growne Breame Snatch at the worme and hasting fast away He knowing it a Fish of stubborne sway Puls vp his rod but soft as hauing skill Wherewith the hooke fast holds the Fishes gill Then all his line he freely yeeldeth him Whilst furiously all vp and downe doth swim Th'insnared Fish here on the top doth sâ—ud There vnderneath the banks then in the mud And with his franticke fits so scares the shole That each one takes his hyde or starting hole By this the Pâ—ke cleane wearied vnderneath A Willow lyes and pants if Fishes breath Wherewith the Angler gently puls him to him And least his haste might happen to vndoe him Layes downe his rod then takes his line in hand And by degrees getting the Fish to land Walkes to another Poole at length is winner Of such a dish as serues him for his dinner So when the Climber halfe the way had got Musing he stood and busily gan plot How since the mount did alwaies steeper tend He might with steps secure his iourney end At last as wandring Boyes to gather Nuts A hooked Pole he from a Hasell cuts Now throwes it here then there to take some hold But bootlesse
and in vaine the rockie mold Admits no cranny where his Hasell-hooke Might promise him a step till in a nooke Somewhat aboue his reach he hath espide A little Oake and hauing often tride To catch a bough with standing on his toe Or leaping vp yet not preuailing so Ho◠〈…〉 towards the little 〈◊〉 The 〈…〉 His â—ole vnto 〈…〉 his drawing The early rising 〈…〉 Leauing the greene â—ough â—â—yes a boâ—â— the Rocke Whilst 〈…〉 to him flocke And now within his 〈…〉 With one hand on â—ly 〈◊〉 he hold 〈…〉 And with the 〈◊〉 grasping first the 〈◊〉 A pretty bough he â—n his 〈…〉 Then to his girdâ—â— be making 〈◊〉 the hooâ—â— His other hand another bough hâ—t bâ—ooke His first â— third and that another giuâ—â— To bring him to the place where 〈…〉 Then as a nimble Sqâ—irrill from the wood Ranging the hedâ—es for his Filberdâ—ood â—ood Sits peartly on a bough his browne Nuts cracking And from the shell the sweet white kernell â—aking Till with their crookeâ— and bags 〈…〉 Boyes To share with him come with so 〈…〉 That he is forc'd to leaue a Nut nigh broke And for his life leape to a neighbour 〈◊〉 Thence to a Beech thence to a row of Aâ—hes Whilst th'row the Qâ—agmires and red water plashes The Boyes run dabling thorow thicke and thin One teares his hose another breakes his 〈◊〉 This torne and â—atter'd hath with 〈…〉 Goâ— by the Bryers and that hath lost his shooe This drops his band that head-long 〈◊〉 for haste Another â—ries behinde for being last With sticks and stones 〈…〉 a sounding hollow The little foole with no small sport they follow Whilst he fro◠〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 from spray to spray Gets to the wood and hides him in his Dray Such shiâ—â— mâ—de Ryâ—t ere he could get vp And so from bough to bough he won the top Though hindâ—â—◠〈◊〉 for euer comming there Were often â—hrâ—t vpon him by Dispaire Now at hi◠〈◊〉 the staâ—ely mountaine lay And with a gladsome eye began suruay What perils he had â—rod on since the time His weary feâ—â— and armes â—ssâ—id to climbe When with a humble voyce withouten feare Though he look'd wilde and ouer grown with haire A gentle Nymph in russet course array Comes and directs him onward in his way First brings she him into a goodly Hall Faire yet not beautified with Minerall But in a carelesse Art and artlesse care Made loose neglect more louely farre then rare Vpon the floore â—ypau'd with Marble slate With Sack-cloth cloth'd many in ashes sate And round about the wals for many yeares Hung Crystall Vials of repentant teares And Books of vowes and many a heauenly deed Lay ready open for each one to read Some were immured vp in little sheads There to contemplate Heauen and bid their Beads Others with garments thin of Cammels-haire With head and armes and legs and feet all bare Were singing Hymnes to the Eternall Sagâ— For sa 〈◊〉 from their Pilgrimage Some with a whip their pamper'd bodies beat Others in fasting liue and seldome 〈◊〉 But as those Trees which doe in Indiâ— grow And call'd of elder Swaineâ— full long agoe The Sun and Moones faire Trees full goodly deight And 〈…〉 challenging their height Hauing no helpe to ouer looke braue Towers From coole refreshing dâ—w or drisling showers Wheâ— as the Earth as oftentimes i◠〈◊〉 Is interpos'd â—wixt Saâ—â— and Nights pale Queenâ— Or whâ—â— the Mooneâ—â—clipseth â—â—clipseth Titans light The Trees all comfortlesse rob'd of their sight Weepe liquid drops which plentifully shooâ— Along the outward baâ—ke downe to the root And by their owne shed teares they euer flourish So their own sorrowes their owne ioyes doe nourish And so within this placefull many a wight Did make his teares his food both day and night And had it ganted from th' Almighty great To swim th'row them vnto his Mercy-sâ—â—s Faire Metaâ—aiâ— in a chaiâ—e of earth With count'nance sad yet sadnesse promis'd mirth Sate vail'd in coursest weeds of Cammels hayre Inriching pouertie yet neuer â—aire Waâ— like to her nor since the world begun A louelier Lady kist the glorious Sun For her the God of Thunder mighty great Whose Foot-stoole is the Earth and Heauen his Seaâ— Vnto a man who from hiâ— crying birth Went on still shunning what he carried 〈◊〉 VVhen he could walke no further for his graue Nor could step ouer but he there must haue A seat to rest when he would faine gâ—â—on But age in euery nerue in euery bone For â—ad his passage for her salte hath heauen Fill'd vp the graue and made his path so euen That fifteene courses had the bright Steeds run And he was weary 〈◊〉 his course was done For scorning her the Courts of Kings which throw A proud raâ—â—'d pinnacle to rest the Crow And on a Plaine out bâ—aue a neighbour Rocke In stout resistance of a Tempests shockâ— For her contempt heauen reiâ—ing his disasters Haue made these Towers but piles to burne their masters To her the lowly Nymph Humblessâ— hight Brought aâ— her office this deformed wight To whom the Lady courteous semblance shewes And pittying his estate in sacred thewes And Letters worthily yâ— leâ—p'd diuine Resolu'd t' instruct him but her discipline She knew of true effect would surely misse Except 〈◊〉 first his Metamorphosis Should cleane exile and knowing that his birth VVas to inherit reason though on earâ—h Some VVitch had thus transform'd him by her skill Expert in changing euen the very will In few dayes labours with continuall prayer A sacrifice transcends the buâ—ome ayre His gâ—isly shape his soule deformed feature His hâ—rrid lookes worse then a sauage creature By Metanoiâ—'s hand from heauen began Receiue their sentence of diuorce from man And as a louely Maiden pure and chaste VVith naked Iuâ—ie necke and gowne vnlac'd VVithin her chamber when the day is fled Makes poore her garments to enrich her bed First 〈◊〉 she off her lilly silken gowne That â—rikeâ— for sorrow aâ— she layes it downe And with her armes graceth a VVast coat fine Imbracing her as it would ne'er vntwine Her 〈◊〉 haire in snaring beholders She next permits to waue about her shoulders And â—â—ough-she cast it backe the silken slips Still forward steale and hang vpon her lips VVhereat she sweetly angry with her laces Bindes vp the wanton loâ—ks in curious â—races VVhilst twisting with her ioynts each haire long lingers As loâ—h to be inchain'd but with her fingers Then on her head a dressing like a Crowne Her breasts all bare her Kirâ—le slipping downe And all things off which rightly euer be Call'd the foule-faire markes of our miserie Except her last which enuiously doth seize her Least any eye partake with it in pleasure Prepares for sweetest rest while Siluans greet her And longingly the down-bed swels to meet her So by degrees his shape all brutish vilde Fell from him as loose-skin from some yong childe In lieu whereof a man-like shape appeares And gallant youth scarce skill'd in
quicke senses and with raptures sweet Make her affection with your cadence meet And if her gracefull tongue admire one straine It is the best reward my Pipe would gaine In lieu whereof in Laurell-worthy rimes Her Loue shall liue vntill the end of times And spight of age the last of dayes shall see Her Name embalm'd in sacred Poesie Sadly alone vpon the aged rocks Whom Thetis grac'd in washing oft their locks Of branching Sampire sate the Maid o'retaken With sighes and teares vnfortunate forsaken And with a voice that floods froÌ„ rocks would borrow She thus both wept and sung her noates of sorrow Iâ— Heauen be deafe and will not heare my cries But addes new daies to adde new miseries Heare then ye troubled Waues and flitting Gales That coole the bosomes of the fruitfull Vales Lend one a flood of teares the other winde To weepe and sigh that Heauen is so vnkinde But if ye will not spare of all your store One teare or sigh vnto a wretch so poore Yet as ye trauell on this spacious Round Through Forrests Mountains or the Lawny ground If 't happ ' you see a Maid weepe forth her woe As I haue done Oh bid her as ye goe Not lauish teares for when her owne are gone The world is flinty and will lend her none If this be eke deni'd O hearken then Each hollow vaulted Rocke and crooked Den And if within your sides one Eccho be Let her begin to rue my destinie And in your cleâ—ts her plainings doe not smother But let that Ecchoâ—each â—each it to another Till round the world in sounding coombe and plaine The last of them tell it the first againe Of my sad Fate so shall they neuer lin But where one ends another still begin Wretch that I am my words I vainly waste Eccho of all woes onely speake the last And that 's enough for should she vtter all As at Medusa's head each heart would fall Into a â—linty substance and repine At no one griefe except as great as mine No carefull Nurse would wet her watchfull eye When any pang should gripe her infantry Nor though to Nature it obedience gaue And kneeld to doe her Homage in the graue Would she lament her suckling from her torne Scaping by death those torments I haue borne This sigh'd she wept low leaning on her hand Hâ—r briny teares downe rayning on the sand Which seene by them that sport it in the Seas Oh Dolphins backes the faire Nerâ—ides They came on shore and slily as they fell Conuai'd each teare into an Oyster-shell And by some power that did affect the Girles Transform'd those liquid drops to orient Pearles And strew'd them on the shore for whose rich prize In winged Pines the Roman Colonies Flung through the deepe Abysse to our white rocks For Iems to decke their Ladyes golden lockes Who valew'd them as highly in their kinds As those the Sun-burnt Aethiopian finds Long on the shore distrest Marina lay For he that ope's the pleasant sweets of May Beyond the Noon-stead so farre droue his teame That Haruest-folkes with curds and clouted creame With cheese and butter cakes and cates enow That are the Yeomans from the yoake or Cowe On sheafes of corne were at their noonshuns close Whilst by them merrily the Bag-pipe goes Ere from her hand she lifted vp her head Where all the Graces then inhabited When casting round her ouer-drowned eyes So haue I seene a Iem of mickle price Roule in a Scallop-shell with water fild She on a marble rocke at hand behild In Characters deepe cut with Iron stroke A Shepherds moane which read by her thus spoke Glide soft ye siluer Floods And euery Spring Within the shady Woods Let no Bird sing Nor from the Groue a Turtle Doue Be seene to couple with her loue But silence on each Dale and Mountaine dwell Whilst WILLY bids his friend and ioy Farewell But of great Thetis traine Yee Mermaids faire That on the shores doe plaine Your Sea-greene haire As ye in tramels knit your locks Weepe yee and so inforce the rocks In heauy murmures through the broad shores tell How WILLY bade his friend and ioy Farewell Cease cease yee murdring winds To moue a waue But if with troubled minds You seeke his graue Know 't is as various as your selues Now in the deepe then on the shelues His coffin toss'd by fish and surges fell Whilst WILLY weepes and bids all ioy Farewell Had he Arion like Beene iudg'd to drowne Hee on his Lute could strike So rare a sowne A thousand Dolphins would haue come And ioyntly striue to bring him home But he on Ship-boord dide by sicknesse fell Since when his WILLY bade all ioy Farewell Great Neptune heare a Swaine His Coffin take And with a golden chaine Por pittie make It fast vnto a rocke neere land Where eu'ry calmy morne I le stand And ere one sheepe out of my fold I tell Sad WILLY'S Pipe shall bid his friend Farewell Ah heauy Shepherd who so ere thou be Quoth faire Marina I doe pitty thee For who by death is in a true friend crost Till he be earth he halfe himselfe hath lost More happy deeme I thee lamented Swaine Whose body lies among the scaly traine Since I shall neuer thinke that thou canst dye Whilst WILLY liues or any Poetry For well it seemes in versing he hath skill And though he ayded from the sacred Hill To thee with him no equall life can giue Yet by his Pen thou maist for euer liue With this a beame of sudden brightnesse flyes Vpon her face so dazeling her cleere eyes That neither flowre nor grasse which by her grew She could discerne cloath'd in their perfect hue For as a Wag to sport with such as passe Taking the Sun-beames in a Looking-glasse Conuayes the Ray into the eyes of one Who blinded either stumbles at a stone Or as he dazeled walkes the peopled streets Is ready iustling euery man he meets So then Apollo did in glory cast His bright beames on a rocke with gold enchast And thence the swift reflection of their light Blinded those eyes The chiefest Stars of night When streight a thick-swolne Cloud as if it sought In beauties minde to haue a thankfull thought Inuail'd the lustre of great Titans Carre And she beheld from whence she sate not farre Cut on a high-brow'd Rocke in laid with gold This Epitaph and read it thus enrold In dâ—pth of waues long hath ALEXIS slept So choicest Iewels are the closest kept Whose death the land had seene but it appeares To counterâ—aile his losse men wanted teares So here he lyes whose Dirge each Mermaid sings For whom the Clouds weepe raine the Earth her springs Her eyes these lines acquainted with her minde Had scarcely made when o're the hill behinde She heard a woman cry Ah well-a-day What shall I doe goe home or flye or stay Admir'd Marina rose and with a pace As gracefull as the Goddesses did trace O're stately Ida when fond Paris doome
euery Rill Sent vp their vapours to attend her will These pitchie curtains drew 'twixt earth heauen And as Nights Chariot through the ayre was driuen Clamour grew dumb vnheard was Shepheards song And silence girt the Woods no warbling tongue Talk'd to the Eccho Satyres broke their dance And all the vpper world lay in a trance Onely the curled streames soft chidings kept And little gales that from the greene leafe swept Dry Summers dust in fearefull whisp'rings stir'd As loth to waken any singing Bird. Darknesse no lesse then blinde Cimmerian Of Famines Caue the full possession wan Where lay the Shepherdesse in wrapt with night The wished garment of a mournfull wight Here silken slumbers and refreshing sleepe Were seldome found with quiet mindes those keepe Not with disturbed thoughts the beds of Kings Are neuer prest by them sweet rest inrings The tyred body of the swarty Clowne And oftner lies on flocks then softest downe Twice had the Cocke crowne and in Cities strong The Bel-mans dolefull noyse and carefull song Told men whose watchfull eyes no slumber hent What store of houres theft-guilty night had spent Yet had not Morpheus with this Maiden been As fearing Limos whose impetuous teen Kept gentle rest from all to whom his Caue Yeelded inclosure deadly as the graue But to all sad laments left her forlorne In which three watches she had nie outworne Faire siluer-footed Thetis that time threw Along the Ocean with a beautious crew Of her attending Sea-nymphs Ioues bright Lamps Guiding from Rocks her Chariots Hippocamps A iourney onely made vnwares to spye If any Mighties of her Empery Opprest the least and forc'd the weaker sort To their designes by being great in Court O! should all Potentates whose higher birth Enroles their titles other Gods on earth Should they make priuate search in vaile of night For cruell wrongs done by each Fauorite Here should they finde a great one paling in A meane mans land which many yeeres had bin His charges life and by the others heast The poore must starue to feed a scuruy beast If any recompence drop from his fist His time 's his owne the mony what he list There should they see another that commands His Farmers Teame from furrowing his lands To bring him stones to raise his building vast The while his Tenants sowing time is past Another spending doth his rents inhance Or gets by tricks the poores inheritance But as a man whose age hath dim'd his eyes Vseth his Spectacles and as he pryes Through them all Characters seeme wondrous faire Yet when his glasses quite remoued are Though with all carefull heed he neerly looke Cannot perceiue one tittle in the Booke So if a King behold such fauourites Whose being great was being Parasites With th' eyes of fauour all their actions are To him appearing plaine and regular But let him lay his sight of grace aside And see what men he hath so dignifide They all would vanish and not dare appeare Who Atom-like when their Sun shined cleare Danc'd in his beame but now his rayes are gone Of many hundred we perceiue not one Or as a man who standing to descry How great floods farre off run and vallies lye Taketh a glasse prospectiue good and true By which things most remote are full in view If Monarchs so would take an Instrument Of truth compos'd to spie their Subiects drent In foule oppression by those high in seat Who care not to be good but to be great In full aspect the wrongs of each degree Would lye before them and they then would see The diuellish Polititian all conuinces In murdring Statesmen and in poisning Princes The Prelate in pluralities asleepe Whilst that the Wolfe lies preying on his sheepe The drowsie Lawyer and the false Atturnies Tire poore mens purses with their life-long-iournies The Country Gentleman from 's neighbours hand Forceth th' inheritance ioynes land to land And most insatiate seekes vnder his rent To bring the worlds most spacious continent The â—awning Citizen whose loue 's bought dearest Deceiues his brother when the Sun shines clearest Gets borrowes breakes le ts in and stops out light And liues a Knaue to leaue his sonne a Knight The griping Farmer hoords the seed of bread Whilst in the streets the poore lye famished And â—ree there 's none from all this worldly strife Except the Shepherds heauen-blest happy life But stay sweet Muse forbeare this harsher straine Keepe with the Shepherds leaue the Satyres veine Coupe not with Beares let Icarus alone To scorch himselfe within the torrid Zone Let Phaeton run on Ixion fall And with an humble stiled Pastorall Tread through the vallies dance about the streames The â—owly Dales will yeeld vs Anadems To shade our temples 't is a worthy meed No better girlond seekes mine Oaten Reed Let others climbe the hils and to their praise Whilst I sit girt with Flowers be crown'd with Bayes Shew now faire Muse what afterward became Of great Achilles Mother She whose name The Mermaids sing and tell the weeping strand A brauer Lady neuer tript on land Except the euer-liuing Fayerie Queene Whose vertues by her Swaine so written beene That time shall call her high enhanced story In his rare song The Muses chiefest glory So mainly Thetis droue her siluer throne Inlaid with pearles of price and precious stone For whose gay purchase she did often make The scorched Negro diue the briny Lake That by the swiftnesse of her Chariot wheels Scouring the Maine as well-built English Keels She of the new-found World all coasts had seene The shores of Thessaly where she was Queene Her brother Pontus waues imbrac'd with those Moeotian fields and vales of Tenedos Streit Hellespont whose high-brow'd cliffes yet sound The mournfull name of young Leander drown'd Then with full speed her Horses doth she guide Through the Aegaean Sea that takes a pride In making difference twixt the fruitfull lands Europe and Asia almost ioyning hands But that she thrusts her billowes all afront To stop their meeting through the Hellespont The Midland Sea so swiftly was she scouring The Adriaticke gulfe braue Ships deuouring To Padus siluer streame then glides she on Enfamoused by rekelesse Phaëton Padas that doth beyond his limits rise When the hot Dog-starre raines his maladies And robs the high and ayre-inuading Alpes Of all their Winter-suits and snowie scalpes To drowne the leuel'd lands along his shore And make him swell with pride By whom of yore The sacred Heliconian Damsels sate To whom was mighty Pindus consecrate And did decree neglecting other men Their height of Art should flow from Maro's pen. And pratling Eccho's euermore should long For repetition of sweet Naso's song It was inacted here in after dayes What wights should haue their temples crown'd with Bayes Learn'd Ariosto holy Petrachs quill And Tasso should ascend the Muses hill Diuinest Bartas whose enriched soule Proclaim'd his Makers worth should so enroule His happy name in brasse that Time nor Fate Thaâ— swallow
then it was wont this side the plaine Belike they meane since my best friend must die To shed their siluer drops as he goes by Not all this day here nor in comming hither Heard I the sweet Birds tune their Songs together Except one Nightingale in yonder Dell Sigh'd a sad Elegie for Philocel Neere whom a Wood-Doue kept no small adoe To bid me in her language Doe so too The Weathers bell that leads our flocke around Yeelds as me thinkes this day a deader sound The little Sparrowes which in hedges creepe Ere I was vp did seeme to bid me weepe If these doe so can I haue feeling lesse That am more apt to take and to expresse No let my owne tunes be the Mandrakes grone If now they tend to mirth when all haue none My pritty Lad quoth Thetis thou dost well To feare the losse of thy deere Philocel But tell me Siâ—e what may that Shepherd be Or if it lye in vs to set him free Or if with you yond people touch'd with woe Vnder the selfe same load of sorrow goe Faire Queene replide the Swaine one is the cause That moues our griefe those kind shepherds draws To yonder rocke Thy more then mortall spirit May giue a good beyond our power to merit And therefore please to heare while I shall tell The haplesse Fate of hopelesse Philocel Whilome great Pan the Father of our flocks Lou'd a faire lasse so famous for her locks That in her time all women first begun To lay their looser tresses to the Sun And theirs whose hew to hers was not agreeing Were still roll'd vp as hardly worth the seeing Fondly haue some beene led to thinke that Man Musiques invention first of all began From the dull Hammers stroke since well we know From sure tradition that hath taught vs so Pan sitting once to sport him with his Fayre Mark'd the intention of the gentle ayre In the sweet sound her chaste words brought along Fram'd by the repercussion of her tongue And from that harmony begun the Art Which others though vniustly doe impart To bright Apollo from a meaner ground A sledge or parched nerues meane things to found So rare an Art on when there might be giuen All earth for matter with the gyre of heauen To keepe her slender fingers from the Sunne Pan through the pastures oftentimes hath run To plucke the speckled Fox-gloues from their stem And on those fingers neatly placed them The Hony-suckles would he often strip And lay their sweetnesse on her sweeter lip And then as in reward of such his paine Sip from those cherries some of it againe Some say that Nature while this louely Maid Liu'd on our plaines the teeming earth araid With Damaske Roses in each pleasant place That men might liken somewhat to her face Others report Venus afraid her sonne Might loue a mortall as he once had done Preferr'd an earnest sute to highest Ioue That he which bore the winged shafts of loue Might be debarr'd his sight which sute was sign'd And euer since the God of Loue is blinde Hence is't he shoots his shafts so cleane awry Men learne to loue when they should learne to dye And women which before to loue began Man without wealth loue wealth without a man Great Pan of his kinde Nymph had the imbracing Long yet too short a time For as in tracing These pithfull Rushes such as are aloft By those that rais'd them presently are brought Beneath vnseene So in the loue of Pan For Gods in loue doe vndergoe as man She whose affection made him raise his song And for her sport the Satyres rude among Tread wilder measures then the frolike guests That lift their light heeles at Lyeus feasts Shee by the light of whose quick-turning eye He neuer read but of felicitie She whose assurance made him more then Pan Now makes him farre more wretched then a man For mortals in their losse haue death a friend When gods haue losses but their losse no end It chanc'd one morne clad in a robe of gray And blushing oft as rising to betray Intic'd this louely Maiden from her bed So when the Roses haue discouered Their taintlesse beauties flyes the early Bee About the winding Allies merrily Into the Wood and 't was her vsuall sport Sitting where most harmonious Birds resort To imitate their warbling in a quill Wrought by the hand of â—an which she did fill Halfe full with water and with it hath made Thâ— Nightingale beneath a sullen shade To chant her vtmost Lay nay to inuent New notes to passe the others instrument And harmelesse soule ere she would leaue that strife Sung he blast song and ended with her life So gladly chusing as doe other some Rather to dye then liue and be o're come But as in Autumne when birds cease their noateâ— And stately Forrests d'on their yealow coates When Ceres golden locks are nearely shorne And mellow fruit from trees are roughly torne A little Lad set on a banke to shale The ripened Nuts pluck'd in a wooddy Vale Is â—riglâ—ed thence of his deare life 〈◊〉 By some wilde Bull lowd bellowing for the heard So while the Nymph did earnestly contest Whether the Birds or she recorded best A Rauenous Wolfe bent eager to his prey Rush'd from a theeuish brake and making way The twined Thornes did crackle one by one As if they gaue her warning to be gone A rougher gale bent downe the lashing boughes To beat the beast from what his hunger vowes When she amaz'd rose from her haplesse seat Small is resistance where the feare is great And striuing to be gone with gaping â—awes The Wolfe pursueâ— and as his rending pawes Were like to seise a Holly bent betweene For which good deed his leaues are euer greene Saw you a lusty Mastiue at the stake Throwne from a cunning Bull more fiercely make A quicke returne yet to preuent the goare Or deadly bruize which he escap'd before Winde here and there nay creepe if rightly bred And proffring otherwhere fight still at head So though the stubborn boughes did thrust him back For Nature loath so rate a Iewels wracke Seem'd as she here and there had plash'd a treâ— If possible to hinder Destiny The sauage Beast foaming with anger flyes More fiercely then before and now he tries By sleights to take the Maid as I haue seene A nimble Tumbler on a burrow'd greene Bend cleane awry his course veâ— giue a checke And throw himselfe vpon a Rabbets necke For as he hoâ—ly chas'd the Loue of Pan A heard of Deere out of a thicket ran To whom he quickly turn'd as if he meant To leaue the Maid but when she swiftly bent Her race downe to the Plaine the swifter Deere He so one forsooke And now was got so neere That all in vaine she turned to and fro As well she could but not preuailing so Breathlesse and weary calling on her Loue With fearefull shrikes that all the Ecchoes moue To call him to she
against all throes of Fate would stand Acknowledge it his deed and so afford A passage to his heart for Iustice sword Rather then by her losse the world should be Despiz'd and scorn'd for loosing such as she Now with a vow of secrecy from both Inforcing mirth he with them homewards go'th And by the time the shades of mighty woods Began to turne them to the Easterne Floods They thither got where with vndaunted heart He welcomes both and freely doth impart Such dainties as a Shepherds cottage yeeldâ— Tane from the fruitfull woods and fertile fields No way distracted nor disturb'd at all And to preuent what likely might befall His truest Caelia in his apprehending Thus to all future care gaue finall ending Into their cup wherein for such sweet Girles Nature would Myriades of richest Pearles Dissolue and by her powrefull simples striue To keepe them still on earth and still aliue Our Swaine infus'd a powder which they dranke And to a pleasant roome set on a banke Neere to his Coaâ— where he did often vse At vacant houres to entertaine his Muse. Brought them and seated on a curious bed Till what he gaue in operation sped And rob'd them of his sight and him of theirs Whose new inlightning will be quench'd with teares The Glasse of Time had well nye spent the Sand It had to run ere with impartiall hand Iustice must to her vpright Ballance take him Which he afraid it might too soone forsake him Began to vse as quickly as perceiue And of his Loue thus tooke his latest leaue Caelia thou fairest creature euer eye Beheld or yet put on mortalitie Caelia that hast but iust so much of earth As makes thee capable of death Thou birth Of euery Vertue life of euery good Whose chastest sports and daily taking food Is imitation of the highest powres Who to the earth lend seasonable showres That it may beare we to their Altars bring Things worthy their accept our offering I the most wretched creature euer eye Beheld or yet put on mortalitie Vnhappy Philocel that haue of earth Too much to giue my sorrowes endlesse birth The spring of sad misfortunes in whom lyes No blisse that with thy worth can sympathize Clouded with woe that hence will neuer flit Till death eternall night grow one with it I as a dying Swan that sadly sings Her moanfull Dirge vnto the siluer springs Which carelesse of her Song glide sleeping by Without one murmure of kinde Elegie Now stand by thee and as a Turtles maâ—e With lamentations inarticulate The neere departure from her loue bemones Spend these my bootlesse sighes and â—illing grones Here as a man by Iustice doome exilde To Coasts vnknowne to Desarts rough and wilde Stand I to take my latest leaue of thee Whose happy and heauen-making company Might I enioy in Libia's Continent Were blest fruition and not banishment First of those Eyes that haue already tane Their leaue of me Lamps fitting for the Phane Of heauens most powre which might ne're expire But be as sacred as the Vestall fire Then of those plots where halfe-Ros'd Lillies be Not one by Art but Natures industry From which I goe as one excluded from The taintlesse flowres of blest Elixium Next from those Lips I part and may there be No one that shall hereafter second me Guiltlesse of any kisses but their owne Their sweets but to themselues to all vnknowne For should our Swaines diuulge what sweeâ—â— there be Within the Sea-clipt bounds of Britanie We should not from inuasions be exempted But with that prize would all the world be tempted Then from her heart ô no! let that be neuer For if I part from hence I dye for euer Be that the Record of my loue and name Be that to me as is the Phoenix flame Creating still anew what Iustice doome Must yeeld to dust and a forgotten toombe Let thy chaste loue to me as shadowes run In full extent vnto the setting Sun Meet with my fall and when that I am gone Backe to thy selfe retyre and there grow one If to a second light thy shadow be Let him still haue his ray of loue from me And if as I that likewise doe decline Be mine or his or else be his and mine But know no other nor againe be sped She dyes a virgin that but knowes one bed And now from all at once my leaue I take With this petition that when thou shalt wake My teares already spent may serue for thine And all thy sorrowes be excus'd by mine â—ea rather then my losse should draw on hers Heare Heauen the suit which my sad soule prefers Let this her slumber like Obliuions streame Make her beleeue our loue was but a dreame Let me be dead in her as to the earth Ere Nature loose the grace of such a birth Sleepe thou sweet soule from all disquiet free And since I now beguile thy destinie Let after patience in thy brest arise To giue his name a life who for thee dies He dyes for thee that worthy is to dye Since now in leauing that sweet harmonie Which Nature wrought in thee he drawes not to him Enough of sorrow that might streight vndoe him And haue for meanes of death his parting hence So keeping Iustice still in Innocence Here staid his tongue and teares anew began Parting knowes more of griefe then absence can And with a backward pace and lingring eye Left and for euer left their company By this the curs'd Informer of the deede With wings of mischiefe and those haue most speed Vnto the Priests of Pan had made it knowne And though with griefe enough were thither flown With strict command the Officers that be As hands of Iustiâ—â— in her each decree Those vnto iudgement brought him where accus'd That with vnhappy hand he had abus'd The holy Tree and by the oath of him Whose eye beheld the separated limb All doubts dissolu'd quicke iudgement was â—warded And but last night that hiâ—her strongly guarded This morne he should be brought from yond â—oâ—k Where euery houre new store of mourners flocke He should be head-long throwne too hard a doome To be depriu'd of life and dead of toombe This is the cause faire Goddesse that appeares Before you now clad in an old mans teares Which willingly flow out and shall doe more Then many Winters haue seene heretofore But Father quoth she let me vnderstand How you are sure that it was Caelia's hand Which rent the branch and then if you can tell What Nymph it was which neere the lonely Dell Your shepherd succour'd Quoth the good old man The last time in her Orbe pale Cynthia ran I to the prison went and from him knew Vpon my vow what now is knowne to you And that the Lady which he found distrest Is Pida call'd a Maid not meanly blest By heauens endowments and. Alas â— but see Kinde Philocel ingirt with miserie More strong then by his bonds is drawing nigh The place appointed for
now learne to dye It is a lesson hard if we discerne it Yet none is borne so soone as bound to learne it Vnpartiall Fate layes ope the Booke to vs And let vs con it still imbracing thus We may it perfect haue and goe before Those that haue longer time to read it oâ—re And we had need begin and not delay Forâ—tis our turne to read it first to day Helpe when I misse and when thou art in doubt I le be thy prompter and will helpe thee out But see how much I erre vaine Metaphor And elocution Destinies abhorre Could death be staid with words or won with teares Or mou'd with beauty oâ— with vnripe yeeres Sure thou could'st doe 't this Rose this Sun-like eye Should not so soone be quell'd so quickly dye But we must dye my Loue not thou alone Nor onely I but both and yet but one Nor let vs grieue for we are marryed thus And haue by death what life denied vs. It is a comfort from him more then due Death seuers many but he couples few Life is a Flood that keepes vs from our blisse The Ferriman to waft vs thither is Death and none else the sooner we get o're Should we not thanke the Ferriman the more Oâ—hers intreat him for a passage hence And groane beneath their griefes and impotence Yet mercilesse he lâ—ts those longer stay And sooner takes the happy man away Some little happinesse haue thou and I Since we shall dye before we wish to dye Should we here longer liue and haue our dayes As full in number as the most of these And in them meet all pleasures may betide We gladly might haue lin'd and patient dyde When now our fewer yeeres made long by cares That without age can snow downe siluer haires Make all affirme which doe our griefes discry We patiently did liue and gladly dye The difference my Loue that doth appeare Betwixt our Fates and theirs that see vs here Is onely this the high-all-knowing powre Conceales from them but tels vs our last houre For which to Heauen we far-farre more are bound Since in the houre of death we may be found By its prescience ready for the hand That shall conduct vs to the Holy-land When those from whom that houre conceal'd is may Euen in their height of Sinne be tane away Besides to vs Iustice a friend is knowne Which neither lets vs dye nor liue alone That we are forc'd to it cannot be held Who feares not Death denies to be compell'd O that thou wert no Actor in this Play My sweetest Caelia or diuorc'd away From me in this ô Nature I confesse I cannot looke vpon her heauinesse Without betraying that infirmitie Which at my birth thy hand bestow'd on me Would I had dide when I receiu'd my birth Or knowne the graue before I knew the earth Heauens I but one life did receiue from you And must so short a loane be paid with two Cannot I dye but like that brutish stem Which haue their best belou'd to dye with them O let her liue some blest powre heare my cry Let Caelia liue and I contented dye My Philocel quoth she neglect these throes Aske not for me nor adde not to my woes Can there be any life when thou art gone Nay can there be but desolation Art thou so cruell as to wish my stay To wait a passage at an vnknowne day Or haue me dwell within this Vale of woe Excluded from those ioyes which thou shalt know Enuie not me that blisse I will assay it My loue deserues it and thou canst not stay it Iustice then take thy doome for we intend Except both liue no life one loue one end Thus with embraces and exhorting other With teare-dew'd kisses that had powre to smother Their foft and ruddy lips close ioyn'd with either That in their deaths their soules might meet together With prayers as hopefull as sincerely good Expecting death they on the Cliffes edge stood And lastly were by one oft forcing breath Throwne from the Rocke into the armes of death Faire Thetis whose command the waues obey Loathing the losse of so much worth as they Was gone before their fall and by her powre The Billowes mercilesse vs'd to deuoure And not to saue she made to swell vp high Euen at the instant when the tragedy Of those kinde soules should end so to receiue them And keepe what crueltie would faine bereaue them Her hest was soone perform'd and now they lay Imbracing on the surface of the Sea Void of all sense a spectacle so sad That Thetis nor no Nymph which there she had Touch'd with their woes could for a while refraine But from their heauenly eyes did sadly raine Such showres of teares so powrefull since diuine That euer since the Sea doth taste of Bryne With teares thus to make good her first intent She both the Louers to her Chariot hent Recalling Life that had not cleerely tane Full leaue of his or her more curious Phane And with her praise sung by these thankfull paire Steer'd on her Coursers swift as fleeting ayre Towards her Pallace built beneath the Seas Proud of her iourney but more proud of these By that time Night had newly spred her robe Ouer our halfe-part of this massie Globe She won that famous I le which Ioue did please To honour with the holy Druydes And as the Westerne side she stript along Heard and so staid to heare this heauy Song O Heauen what may I hope for in this Caue A Graue But who to me this last of helpes shall retch A Wretch Shall none be by pittying so said a wight Yes Night Small comfort can befall in heauy plight To me poore Maid in whose dâ—stresses be Nor hope nor helpe nor one to pittie me But a cold Graue a Wretch and darksome Night To digge that Graue what fatall thing appeares Thy Teares What Bell shall ring me to that bed of ease Rough Seas And who for Mourners hath my Fate assign'd Each Winde Can any be debarr'd from such I finde When to my last Rites Gods no other send To make my Graue for Knell or mourning friend Then mine own Teares rough Seas gusts of Wind. Teares must my graue dig but who bringeth those Thy Woes What Monument will Heauen my body spare The Ayre And what the Epitaph when I am gone Obliuion Most miserable I and like me none Both dying and in death to whom is lent Nor Spade nor Epitaph nor Monument Excepting Woes Ayre and Obliuion The end of this gaue life vnto a grone As if her life and it had beene but one Yet she as carelesse of reseruing either If possible would leaue them both together It was the faire Marina almost spent With griefe and feare of future famishment For haplesse chance but the last rosie morne The willing Redbrest flying through a Thorne Against a prickle gor'd his tender side And in an instant so poore creature dyde Thetis much mou'd with those sad notes she heard