The Complete Works of Sir Philip Sidney :: :: University of Virginia Library

As I my litle Flock on Ister Bancke,
(A Litle Flock, but well my Pype they couthe)
Did pyping Leade, the Sunne allredy sancke,
Beyonde oure Worlde, and ere I gatt my Boothe,
Eche thinge with Mantle black, the Night did soothe.
Saving the Glowe worme whiche woulde Curteous bee,
Of that smalle Lighte ofte watching Sheepeherdes see.

The Wellkyn had full nigardly inclosde,
In Coffer of Dymme Clowdes his sillver groates,
(Yclipped Starres) eche thing to Rest disposde,
The Caves were full, the Mountaynes voyde of Goates,
The Byrdes eyes closde, closde up theyre Chirping Notes,
As for the Nightingale, wood Musick Kinge,
(Yt August was) hee daynde not then to singe.

238

Amydd my Sheepe, thoughe I sawe noughte to feare,
Yet, (for I no thing sawe) I feared sore,
Then founde I whiche thinge ys a charge to beare,
For, for my Sheepe I feared mickle more,
Then ever for my self, synce I was bore,
I satt mee downe, (for so to goo ne coulde)
And sange unto my Sheepe, least stray they shoulde.

The Songe I sange oulde Languette had mee taughte,
Languette the Shepehearde best swifte Ister knewe,
For Clerckly reade, and hating what ys naughte,
His faythfull harte, Cleane mowthe and handes as trewe,
With his sweete skill, my skilless youthe hee drewe,
To have a feeling Taste of hym that sittes,
Beyonde the Heaven, farre more beyonde oure wittes.

Hee sayde the Musick best thilke Powers pleasde,
Was Jumpp Concorde betweene oure witt and will,
Where Highest notes to godlynes are Raysde,
And Lowest sinck not downe to Jott of yll,
With oulde true Tales hee wonte my eares to fille,
Howe Shepeherdes did of yore, howe nowe they thryve,
Spoylling theyre Flock, or while tuixt them they stryve.

Hee lyked mee, butt pittyed Lustfull yowthe,
His good stronge Staffe my slippery yeares up bore,
Hee still hopte well, bycause I Loved truthe,
Till forste to parte, with harte and eyes even sore,
The worthy Coredens hee gave mee ore,
But thus in Okes trewe shade recoumpted hee,
Whiche now in Nightes deepe shade Sheepe, hearde of mee,

Suche maner tyme there was, what tyme I nott,
When all this Earthe this Dām or Moulde of oures,
Was onely won'de with suche as Beastes begott
Unknowne as then were they that buylden Towers,
The Cattell wylde or tame in natures Bowers,
Might freely Ronne, or Rest as seemed them.
Man was not Man theyre Dwellinges in to hemm,

239

The Beastes had sure some Beastly pollicy,
For, no thinge can Indure where order nys;
For once the Lyon by the Lambe did lye,
The fearefull Hynde the Leoperd did kisse,
Hurtles was Tygers pawe, and Serpentes hisse,
This thincke I well the Beastes with Corage cladd,
Lyke Senators a harmeles Empire had.

At whiche whether the others did repyne,
(For Envye harboureth moste in feeblest hartes)
Or that they all to Chaunging did enclyne,
(As even in Beastes theyre Dāmes leave Chaunging partes)
The Multitude to Jove a Sute impartes,
With Naying, Blaying, Braying and Barking,
Roaring and Howling, for to have a Kinge.

A Kinge, in Language theyres they sayde they woulde,
(For then theyre Language was a perfect speeche)
The Byrdes likewyse with Chirpes and pyinge coulde,
Chackling and Chattering that of Jove beseeche,
Onely the Owle warnde them not to seeche
So hastely that, whiche they woulde Repent
But, sawe they woulde, and hee to Dezertes went.

Jove, wysely sayde, (For wysdome wysely sayes)
O Beastes take heede what yow of mee desyer,
Rulers will thincke all thinges made them to please,
And soone forgett the Swincke Due to theyre hyer,
But, (synce yow will) parte of my Heavenly fyer,
I will yow lende, The Rest youre selves must give,
That yt bothe seene and felt may with yow live.

Full glad they were, and tooke the Naked Sprite,
Whiche streight the earthe yclothed in his Clay,
The Lyon, Harte, the Ounce gave active Mighte,
The Horse good shape, The Sparrow Lust to play,
Nightingale voyce, entysing Songes to say,
Elephant gave a perfect memory,
And Parret redy toungue that to apply.

240

The Foxe gave Crafte, the Dogg gave flattery,
Asse, patience, the Moulle a worcking thoughte,
Ægle hye Looke, Wolffe secrett Crewelty,
Monkye sweete Breathe, the Cowe her fayre eyes broughte,
The Ermion whitest skynne spotted with noughte.
The Sheepe mylde seeming face, Clyming the Beare,
The Stagg did give the harme eschewing feare.

The Beare her sleightes the Catt his Melancholy,
Ante Industry, and Cony skill to buylde,
Cranes Order, Storckes to bee apearing Holy,
Cameleon ease to Chaunge, Duck ease to yeelde,
Crockadile teares whiche mighte bee falsly speelde,
Ape greate thinge gave, thoughe hee did mooving stand,
The Instrument of Instrumentes the hand.

Eche other Beast lykewyse his present bringes,
And (but they Drad theyre Prince they ofte should want,)
They all Consented were to give hym winges,
And ay more Awe towardes hym for to plante,
To theyre owne Worcke this priviledg they graunte,
That from thence forthe to all eternity,
No Beaste shoulde freely speake, but onely hee.

Thus Man was made, thus Man theyre Lorde became,
Who at the first wanting or hyding pryde,
Hee did to Beastes best use his Cunning frame,
With water, Drincke, herbes, meate, and naked hyde,
And Fellowlyke lett his Dominyon slyde,
Not in his sayinge (saying I.) but Wee.
As yf hee ment his Lordshipp Comōn bee.

But when his seate so Rooted hee had founde,
That they now skilde not, howe from hym to wende,
Then gan in giltles Earthe full many a wounde,
Iron to seeke, whiche ageanst yt self shoulde bende,
To teare the Bowells that good Corne should sende,
But yet the Comōn Damm̄ none did bemone,
Bycause (thoughe hurt) they never heard her grone.

241

Then gan̄ hee factions in the Beastes to breede,
Where helping weyker sorte, the Nobler Beastes,
As Tygres, Leoperdes, Beares and Lyons seede,
Disdaynd with this in Dezertes soughte theyre Restes,
Where famyn, Raven, toughte theyre hongry Chestes,
Thus Craftely hee forced them to do yll,
Whiche beeyng done hee afterwardes woulde kill.

For Murder done, whiche never earst was seene,
By those greate Beastes, as for the weykers good,
Hee Chose them selves his Guarders for to bee,
Geanst those of mighte of whome in feare they stood,
As Horse and Dogg not greate but gentle blood,
Blythe were the Com̄ons Cattle of the Feelde,
Tho, when they sawe theyre Foen of greatnes kilde.

But, they or spent, or made of sclender mighte,
Then quickly did theyre meaner Cattell fynde,
The greate Beames gon̄ the Howse on shoulders lighte,
For by and by, the Horse fayre Bittes did bynde,
The Dogg was in a Collar toughte his kynde,
As for the gentle Byrdes like Case mighte Rewe,
When Faulcon they and Gosshauke sawe in Mewe.

Worste fell to smallest Byrdes, and meanest Hearde,
Who now his owne full like his owne hee usde,
Yet first but woolle, or Fethers of hee tearde,
And when they were well usde to bee abusde,
For hongry Throate theyre flessh with Teethe hee brusde
At Lengthe for glutton taste hee did them kill,
At last for sporte theyre silly Lyves did spill.

But, yet, O Man, Rage not beyond thy neede,
Deeme yt no prayse to swell in Tyranny,
Thow arte of Blood, Joye not to make thinges bleede.
Thow fearest Deathe, thincke they are loathe to dye
A Playnte of guiltles Hurte dothe pearse the skye,
And yow pore Beastes in pacyence byde youre hell,
Or know youre strengthes and then yow shall doo well.

242

Thus did I singe and pype Eighte solempne howers,
To Sheepe whome Love, not knowledge made to heare,
Now Fancyes Fittes, now Fortunes balefull stowers.
But then I homeward Calde my Lambkyns Dere,
For to my Dymmed Eyes began to appeare,
The Night, growne oulde, her Black heade waxen graye
Sure Sheepeheardes signe, that Morne woulde soone fetch day.

Finis.