The complete works of John Lyly :: :: University of Virginia Library

The complete works of John Lyly

now for the first time collected and edited from the earliest quartos with life, bibliography, essays, notes and index by R. Warwick Bond

Lyly, John (1554?-1606)

III.

CERTAINE ENGLISHE Verses, presented vnto the Queenes most excellent Maiestie, by a Courtier: In ioy of the most happie disclosing, of the most dangerous conspiracies pretended by the late executed Traitours, against her royall person, and the whole Estate.

POEMS

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451

The Poets speech at her Maiesties departure.

O see sweet Cynthia, how the watry gods,
Which ioyd of late to view thy glorious beames,
At this retire doe waile and wring their hands,
Distilling from their eyes, salt showrs of teares,
To bring in winter with their wet lament:
For how can Sommer stay, when Sunne departs?

See where Syluanus sits, and sadly mournes,
To thinke that Autumn with his withered wings
Will bring in tempest, when thy beames are hence:
For how can sommer stay, when Sunne departs?

See where those Graces, and those Howrs of heau'n
Which at thy comming sung triumphall songs,
And smoothd the way, and strewd it with sweet flowrs,
Now, if they durst, would stop it with greene bowes,
Least by thine absence the yeeres pride decay:
For how can sommer stay, when Sunne departs?

Leaves fal, grasse dies, beasts of the wood hang head,
Birds cease to sing, and euerie creature wailes,
To see the season alter with this change:
For how can sommer stay, when Sunne departs?

O, either stay, or soone returne againe,
For sommers parting is the countries paine.