The Poetical Works of William Basse :: :: University of Virginia Library

To the Noble and Fayre Assemblies, the harmonious Concourse of Muses, and their Joviall entertainer, my right Generous Friend, Master Robert Dover, upon Cotswold.

1

You faire assemblies that renowne
These Mountaines with th' Olimpick sport,
And Sisters sweete, that make this downe
Parnassus like, by your resort,
Since Shepheards of each neighbour'd Towne,
Enamour'd of your rare report
Their honours to this meeting bring,
Yee looke your Swaine his part should sing.

2

For Songs as sweete, as hallowes deepe,
Deserves the sport, whose harmelesse ends

108

Are to helpe Nature life to keepe,
And second Love, in joyning friends;
That neither breakes the loosers sleepe,
Nor winner home Triumphing sends;
Where none, a little gold so spent,
Nor Time more pretious, need repent.

3

Where no vaine Card, nor witching dy,
Doth Gamster strip of lands or clothes;
No impious mouth makes blushing sky
Reverberate with thundring oathes;
Nor Earth's neate face doth slubber'd lie
In foule excesse, that nature loathes:
Furies that Masque in shapes of sport,
And, sted of lengthning, cut life short.

4

But where men meet, not for delight
So much, as for delight to meete;
And where, to use their Pastime right,
They make it not so great, as sweete;
Where Love doth, more then gaine, invite,
Hands part at last as first they greete;
And loosers none, where all that's plaid
With friendship won may not be weigh'd.

5

Where horse not for his price doth ride,
More then his truth (a match as faire);

109

And Grey-hound is for Coller tride,
More then for death of harmlesse Hare;
And kennells pack't, that how they cry'd,
Not what they kill'd, men may declare;
For hunters most heroyick are they,
That seeke the prise and shun the prey.

6

Where bountifull horizons give
Vs shepheards leave, that walke on foote,
As long to see the Leurett live,
As hee that rides with bloodie boote:
Where Cinthias horne, and Floras sive,
Give Viletts breath, and Cowslipps roote;
And Lillies chaste, by chaster treades
Of Damsells, more perfume their Beds.

7

Brave DOVER, from whose Ioviall hand
Their yearely Life these revells take,
In mid'st whereof doth shining stand
Thy Castle built for solace sake,
Which is so well with vertue man'd,
That vice dare no approaches make:

110

Still may thy ports all good retaine,
And Ordnance batter all thats' vaine.

8

The Sun the day will then delay,
Still more to view thy Troupes so sweete;
The Earth will lay with carpets gay
Her bosome for their gentle feete;
Aprill and May strive which of they
Most freshly shall thee yeerely meete:
And learned Nymphs by Stower sing
As by the Pegasean Spring.

9

For, of all honour to thy sport,
Tis not the least that thou didst chuse
To furnish thy renowned Fort
With straines of every gentle Muse;
For by the power of their report
New ages still doe old peruse,
Forbidding Time, or Hate, to kill
Deeds, honest, sav'd by honest quill.

10

Enough of this, the slendrest Oate
That Mirth hath to your Mountaine brought:

111

But Muses just from Shepheards throate
Except no more then they have taught,
But now, if Art will lend a noate
Where shee has borrowed many a thought,
To Pipe, or Lyre, or Violl strung,
Which others reade, let mee bee sung.

—dulcia sunt que
Rarius eveniunt solatia—

William Basse.