University of Virginia Library

[And are you there old Pas? in troth I ever thought]

Nico. Dorus.
Nico.
And are you there old Pas? in troth I ever thought,
Among us all we should find out some thing of nought.

Pas.
And I am here the same, so mote I thrive and thee,
Despairde in all this flocke to find a knave, but thee.

Nico.
Ah now I see, why thou art in thy selfe so blind:
Thy gray-hood hides the thing, that thou despairst to find.

Pas.
My gray-hood is mine owne, all be it be but gray,
Not like the scrippe thou stol'ste, while Dorcas sleeping lay.

Nico.
Mine was the scrippe: but thou, that seeming raid with love,
Didst snatch from Cosmas hand her greeny wroughtē glove.

Pas.
Ah foole; so Courtiers do. But who did lively skippe,
When for a treene-dish stolne, thy father did thee whippe?

Nico.
In deed the witch thy dam her crouch from shoulder spred,
For pilfring Lalus lambe, with crouch to blesse thy head.

Pas.
My voice the lambe did winne, Menalcas was our judge:
Of singing match was made, whence he with shame did trudge.

Nico.
Couldst thou make Lalus flie? so nightingales avoide,
When with the kawing crowes their musicke is annoide.

Pas.
Nay like to nightingales the other birds give eare:
My pipe and song made him both pipe and song forsweare.

Nico.
I thinke it well: such voice would make one musicke hate:
But if I had bene there, th'adst met another mate.

Pas.
Another sure as is a gander from a goose:
But still when thou dost sing, me thinkes a colt is loose.

Nico.
Well aimed by my hat: for as thou sangst last day;
The neighbours all did crie, alas what asse doth bray?

Pas.
But here is Dicus old; let him then speake the woord,
To whether with best cause the Nymphes faire flowers affoord.

Nico.
Content: but I will lay a wager hereunto,
That profit may ensue to him that best can do.
I have (and long shall have) a white great nimble cat,
A king upon a mouse, a strong foe to the rat,
Fine eares, long taile he hath, with Lions curbed clawe,
Which oft he lifteth up, and stayes his lifted pawe,
Deepe musing to himselfe, which after-mewing showes,
Till with lickt beard, his eye of fire espie his foes.
If thou (alas poore if) do winne, then winne thou this,
And if I better sing, let me thy Cosma kisse.

Pas.
Kisse her? now mayst thou kisse. I have a better match;
A prettie curre it is; his name iwis is Catch,
No eare nor taile he hath, least they should him disgrace,
A ruddie haire his cote, with fine long spectled face:
He never musing standes, but with himselfe will play
Leaping at every flie, and angrie with a flea:
He eft would kill a mouse, but he disdaines to fight,
And makes our home good sport with dauncing bolt upright.
This is my pawne; the price let Dicus judgement show:
Such oddes I willing lay; for him and you I know.

Dicus.
Sing then my lads, but sing with better vaine then yet,
Or else who singeth worst, my skill will hardly hit.

Nico.
Who doubts but Pas fine pipe againe will bring
The auncient prayse to Arcad shepheards skill?
Pan is not dead, since Pas beginnes to sing.

Pas.
Who evermore will love Apollos quill,
Since Nico doth to sing so widely gape?
Nico his place farre better furnish will.

Nico.
Was not this he, who did for Syrinx scape
Raging in woes teach pastors first to plaine?
Do you not heare his voice, and see his shape?

Pas.
This is not he that failed her to gaine,
Which made a Bay, made Bay a holy tree:
But this is one that doth his musicke staine.

Nico.
O Faunes, O Fairies all, and do you see,
And suffer such a wrong? a wrong I trowe,
That Nico must with Pas compared be?

Pas.
O Nymphes, I tell you newes, for Pas you knowe:
While I was warbling out your woonted praise,
Nico would needes with Pas his bagpipe blowe.

Nico.
If never I did faile your holy-dayes,
With daunces, carols, or with barlybreake:
Let Pas now know, how Nico makes the layes.

Pas.
If each day hath bene holy for your sake,
Unto my pipe, O Nimphes, helpe now my pipe,
For Pas well knowes what layes can Nico make.

Nico.
Alas how oft I looke on cherries ripe,
Me thinkes I see the lippes my Leuca hath,
And wanting her, my weeping eyes I wipe.

Pas.
Alas, when I in spring meete roses rathe,
And thinke from Cosmas sweet red lips I live,
I leave mine eyes unwipte my cheekes to bathe.

Nico.
As I of late, neer bushes usde my sive,
I spied a thrush where she did make her nest,
That will I take, and to my Leuca give.

Pas.
But long have I a sparrow gailie drest,
As white as milke, and comming to the call,
To put it with my hand in Cosmas brest.

Nico.
I oft doo sue, and Leuca saith, I shall,
But when I did come neere with heate and hope,
She ranne away, and threw at me a ball.

Pas.
Cosma once said, she left the wicket ope,
For me to come, and so she did: I came,
But in the place found nothing but a rope.

Nico.
When Leuca dooth appeare, the Sunne for shame
Dooth hide himselfe: for to himselfe he sayes,
If Leuca live, she darken will my fame.

Pas.
When Cosma doth come forth, the Sun displaies
His utmost light: for well his witte doth know,
Cosmas faire beames emblemish much his raies.

Nico.
Leuca to me did yester-morning showe
In perfect light, which could not me deceave,
Her naked legge, more white then whitest snowe.

Pas.
But yesternight by light I did receave
From Cosmas eyes, which full in darkenes shine,
I sawe her arme, where purest Lillies cleave.

Nico.
She once starke nak'd did bathe a little tine;
But still (me thought) with beauties from her fell,
She did the waters wash, and make more fine.

Pas.
She once, to coole her selfe, stood in a well,
But ever since that well is well besought,
And for Rose-water sould of rarest smell.

Nico.
To rivers banke, being on walking brought,
She bad me spie her babie in the brooke,
Alas (said I) this babe dooth nurce my thought.

Pas.
As in a glasse I held she once did looke,
I said, my hands well paide her for mine eyes,
Since in my hands selfe goodly sight she tooke.

Nico.
O if I had a ladder for the skies,
I would climbe up, and bring a prettie starre,
To weare upon her neck, that open lies.

Pas.
O if I had Apollos golden carre,
I would come downe, and yeeld to her my place,
That (shining now) she then might shine more farre.

Nico.
Nothing (O Leuca) shall thy fame deface,
While shepheards tunes be heard, or rimes be read,
Or while that shepheards love a lovely face.

Pas.
Thy name (O Cosma) shall with praise be spread,
As farre as any shepheards piping be:
As farre as Love possesseth any head.

Nico.
Thy monument is layd in many a tree,
With name engrav'd: so though thy bodie die,
The after-folkes shall wonder still at thee.

Pas.
So oft these woods have heard me Cosma crie,
That after death, to heav'n in woods resound,
With Echoes help, shall Cosma, Cosma flie.

Nico.
Peace, peace good Pas, thou weeriest even the ground
With sluttish song: I pray thee learne to blea,
For good thou mayst yet proove in sheepish sound.

Pas.
My father hath at home a prettie Jay,
Goe winne of him (for chattering) praise or shame:
For so yet of a conquest speake thou may.

Nico.
Tell me (and be my Pan) the monsters name,
That hath foure legs, and with two onely goes,
That hath foure eyes, and onely two can frame.

Pas.
Tell me (and Phœbus be) what monster growes
With so strong lives, that bodie cannot rest
In ease, untill that bodie life forgoes.

Dicus.
Enough, enough: so ill hath done the best,
That since the having them to neither's due,
Let cat and dog fight which shall have both you.