Diana of George of Montemayor :: :: University of Virginia Library

Neere to the riuer bankes, with greene
And pleasant trees on euery side,
Where freest mindes would most haue beene,
That neuer felt braue Cupids pride,
To passe the day and tedious how'rs
Amongst those painted meades and flow'rs.

A certaine Shepheard full of woe
(Syrenus call'd) his flockes did feede,
Not sorowfull in outward showe,
But troubled with such greefe indeede,
As cruell loue is wont t'impart
Vnto a painfull louing hart.

This Shepherd euery day did die
For loue he to Diana bare,
A Shepherdesse so fine perdie,
So liuely yoong and passing faire,
Excelling more in beautious feature,
Then any other humane creature.

Who had not any thing, of all
She had, but was extreme in her,
For meanely wise none might her call,
Nor meanely faire, for he did erre,
If so he did: but should deuise
Her name of passing faire and wise.

Fauours on him she did bestowe,
Which if she had not, then (be sure)
He might haue suffred all that woe,
Which afterwards he did endure
When he was gone, with lesser paine,
And at his comming home againe.

For when in deede the hart is free
From suffring paine or torments smart,
If wisedome doth not ouersee,
And beareth not the greater part,
The smallest greefe and care of minde
Doth make it captiue to their kinde.

Neere to a riuer swift and great
(That famous Ezla had to name)
The carefull Shepherd did repeate
The feares he had by absence blame,
Which he suspect, where he did keepe
And feede his gentle lambes and sheepe.

And now sometimes he did behold
His Shepherdesse, that thereabout
Was on the mountaines of that old
And ancient Leon, seeking out
From place to place the pastures best,
Her lambes to feede, her selfe to rest.

And sometimes musing, as he lay,
(When on those hils she was not seene)
Was thinking of that happy day,
When Cupid gaue him such a Queene
Of beautie, and such cause of ioy,
Wherein his minde he did imploy.

Yet saide (poore man) when he did see
Himselfe so sunke in sorrowes pit,
The good that loue hath giuen mee
I onely doe imagine it:
Bicause this neerest harme and trouble
Hereafter I should suffer double.

The Sunne, for that it did decline,
The carelesse man did not offend
With firie beames, which scarce did shine,
But that which did of loue depend,
And in his hart did kindle fire
Of greater flames and hot desire.

Him did his passions all inuite,
The greene leaues blowne with gentle winde,
Cristalline streames with their delite,
And Nightingales were not behinde,
To helpe him in this louing verse,
Which to himselfe he did rehearse.