Poems On several Occasions, and Translations Wherein The First and Second books of Virgil's Aeneis are attempted, In English. By Tho. Fletcher |
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CHRIST Born.
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 | Poems On several Occasions, and Translations |  |
133
CHRIST Born.
A Pastoral.
Attend, ye Shepherds, to my rural Song;
Rural, but sweet, and with high matter fraught
My Meditation, while full of Thought
From Fairfield's ever hospitable Seat;
Great in it self, but in it's Owners more.
(Swains must not flatter, but may give just Praise)
To aged Severn's rocky Shore I walk,
And roam the Fields, heedless of any Path.
For so I use, a poor contented Swain.
Sweet are the Fields to them who early walk,
And pleasant sounds from far the murm'ring Sea.
Rural, but sweet, and with high matter fraught
My Meditation, while full of Thought
From Fairfield's ever hospitable Seat;
Great in it self, but in it's Owners more.
(Swains must not flatter, but may give just Praise)
To aged Severn's rocky Shore I walk,
And roam the Fields, heedless of any Path.
For so I use, a poor contented Swain.
Sweet are the Fields to them who early walk,
And pleasant sounds from far the murm'ring Sea.
Attend, ye Shepherds, to my rural Song,
Safe are your Flocks; nor tedious is my Verse.
Safe are your Flocks; nor tedious is my Verse.
134
Disdaining humble Furzes and low Shrubs,
Fond Shepherds wanton Loves, and sordid Cares;
To higher Thoughts I tune my Past'ral Reed:
Such as Sicilian Muse of old ne'er joyn'd
To oaten Pipe; nor he who Mantua bred,
Nor could: tho' sweeter far his Lays than mine.
I the great Shepherd sing, whose wond'rous Birth
Angelic Quires to humble Shepherds sung.
An arduous, but not improper, Task,
Since all to Shepherds and their Flocks confin'd.
Fond Shepherds wanton Loves, and sordid Cares;
To higher Thoughts I tune my Past'ral Reed:
Such as Sicilian Muse of old ne'er joyn'd
To oaten Pipe; nor he who Mantua bred,
Nor could: tho' sweeter far his Lays than mine.
I the great Shepherd sing, whose wond'rous Birth
Angelic Quires to humble Shepherds sung.
An arduous, but not improper, Task,
Since all to Shepherds and their Flocks confin'd.
Attend ye Shepherds to my rural Song,
Safe are your Flocks; nor tedious is my Verse.
Safe are your Flocks; nor tedious is my Verse.
In Bethlem's verdant Pastures, round their Folds
Shepherds by Night their careful Watches kept,
Fearless of Blastings, Dews and midnight Cold:
So great their Love of Flocks or Thirst of Gain.
By chance together they had pitch'd their Folds,
Protected safer thus by mutual Aid;
Where, after each had walk'd his nightly Rounds,
They met; and, as befell, mix'd various Chat;
Yet not of am'rous Toys, or female Guiles;
But with wise Talk deceiv'd the Hours of Night.
What mean, said one (and round he tuckt his Cloak
Close to his Breast, as bent on long Discourse)
VVhat mean the People, who on tiptoe stand
Expecting the Deliv'rer, who should come,
And rescue Israel from long Servitude?
For so I heard, when to the Temple late
I drove my tender Lambs, meek Offerings.
These careful Watches then we need not keep,
Tame Wolves and Lambs shall then together play,
Lions with fearless Kids; so 'tis foretold.
Shepherds by Night their careful Watches kept,
Fearless of Blastings, Dews and midnight Cold:
So great their Love of Flocks or Thirst of Gain.
By chance together they had pitch'd their Folds,
Protected safer thus by mutual Aid;
135
They met; and, as befell, mix'd various Chat;
Yet not of am'rous Toys, or female Guiles;
But with wise Talk deceiv'd the Hours of Night.
What mean, said one (and round he tuckt his Cloak
Close to his Breast, as bent on long Discourse)
VVhat mean the People, who on tiptoe stand
Expecting the Deliv'rer, who should come,
And rescue Israel from long Servitude?
For so I heard, when to the Temple late
I drove my tender Lambs, meek Offerings.
These careful Watches then we need not keep,
Tame Wolves and Lambs shall then together play,
Lions with fearless Kids; so 'tis foretold.
Attend, ye Shepherds, to my rural Song,
Safe are your Flocks; nor tedious is my Verse.
Safe are your Flocks; nor tedious is my Verse.
Are now the years fulfill'd? is this the time
VVhere our inspired Prophets have foretold,
A Branch of Jesse, sprung from David's Loyns,
His Father's Scepter shall resume, and rule
All Nations; and whose Reign shall never end?
Sure when he comes, we shall not be forgot,
For David was a Shepherd ere a King.
Come when he will, two of my fattest Lambs
Shall, as a Vow, on th' holy Altars bleed.
Thus talk'd the Swain, and he much more had talk'd
Ev'n till the Morning Star and Day arose:
But suddenly a glorious Glare of Light
Surpriz'd the sleeping Field: a glorious Light
Bright as the mid-day Sun, when from the Crab
He stares with glowing Eyes on the parch'd Earth;
Then Shepherds, lead your Flocks beneath the Shade,
Or to some Silver stream; for Heat breeds Thirst,
VVhere our inspired Prophets have foretold,
136
His Father's Scepter shall resume, and rule
All Nations; and whose Reign shall never end?
Sure when he comes, we shall not be forgot,
For David was a Shepherd ere a King.
Come when he will, two of my fattest Lambs
Shall, as a Vow, on th' holy Altars bleed.
Thus talk'd the Swain, and he much more had talk'd
Ev'n till the Morning Star and Day arose:
But suddenly a glorious Glare of Light
Surpriz'd the sleeping Field: a glorious Light
Bright as the mid-day Sun, when from the Crab
He stares with glowing Eyes on the parch'd Earth;
Then Shepherds, lead your Flocks beneath the Shade,
Or to some Silver stream; for Heat breeds Thirst,
Attend, ye Shepherds, to my rural Song;
Safe are your Flocks; nor tedious is my Verse.
Safe are your Flocks; nor tedious is my Verse.
137
Rest, rest again, ye Sheep, 'tis a false Day;
Rest, till Day break indeed, and Night be gone.
Amidst the Glory was an Angel seen,
And thus he spake: Cease, Shepherps, cease to fear:
To you, from the Eternal I am sent,
VVith Tidings sent, which ye shall joy to hear,
Ye and all Nations: for this Day is born
Your Saviour; David's long expected Son.
And lest ye doubt, strait hence to Bethlem go,
There in a Manger, humble Cradle, lies
The smiling Babe; go ye, and see him there.
VVhile thus he spake, a Quire of Angels came
VVasting thro' Air, and hovering on Wing
Chanted Celestial Hymns; and Glory sung
To him that sits on the Eternal Throne,
On the Earth Peace, and good Will toward Men,
Rest, till Day break indeed, and Night be gone.
Amidst the Glory was an Angel seen,
And thus he spake: Cease, Shepherps, cease to fear:
To you, from the Eternal I am sent,
VVith Tidings sent, which ye shall joy to hear,
Ye and all Nations: for this Day is born
Your Saviour; David's long expected Son.
And lest ye doubt, strait hence to Bethlem go,
There in a Manger, humble Cradle, lies
The smiling Babe; go ye, and see him there.
VVhile thus he spake, a Quire of Angels came
VVasting thro' Air, and hovering on Wing
Chanted Celestial Hymns; and Glory sung
To him that sits on the Eternal Throne,
On the Earth Peace, and good Will toward Men,
Attend, ye Shepherds, to my rural Song;
Safe are your Flocks; nor tedious is my Verse.
Safe are your Flocks; nor tedious is my Verse.
138
They joyful went, and going, much they talk'd
Of what they saw, and what they were to see.
VVhy this to us, said they, of all Mankind?
Sure Heav'n is partial to the Shepherds Life,
Since righteous Abel first acceptance found;
Our great Lawgiver kept his Father's Sheep
And David from his Fold was call'd to reign:
No Wolf, nor Thief, ye Sheep, infest your Folds,
But rest in Peace untill your Swains return.
Of what they saw, and what they were to see.
VVhy this to us, said they, of all Mankind?
Sure Heav'n is partial to the Shepherds Life,
Since righteous Abel first acceptance found;
Our great Lawgiver kept his Father's Sheep
And David from his Fold was call'd to reign:
No Wolf, nor Thief, ye Sheep, infest your Folds,
But rest in Peace untill your Swains return.
| Poems On several Occasions, and Translations | |