Times Cvrtaine Drawne :: :: University of Virginia Library

The game's a-foot: see how the Huntsmen run,
Each capps his Hound, but chiefely Corydon;
Still goes the voice on him, nor doth it rest,
Till it disperse it selfe from East to West:
To it Western-Huntsman to it,
Prize is thine, great Pan doth know it,
Who vouchsaf'd to lend his eye,
And his Eare vnto the Cry.

Blaze not the fame-spred chace of Marathon,
Of hillie Oeta, heathie Calidon,
For th'chearefull coasts of peacefull Albyon,
May show New-market, Roiston, Maribon;
And boast as much vpon their game
As any one could doe of them,
And amongst their Doggs not one
Could match matchlesse Corydon.

Cease Poets cease, so much to dote vpon
The straines of Linus, Orpheus, Amphyon;
What could they doe our Huntsmen cannot doe,
moue rocks, tame Tygres, make woods harken too!
This they can doe, and more if need
Make our heards surcease to feed,
Hills to answer to the Plaine
Woods to ecco them againe.

Nay, what is more, succeeding times may sing,
That these delights were followed by a King,
And such a King whose knowledge did descry
That he was nurst by winged Mercury:
Great must this pleasure needes be then,
That is esteemed by such men,
Whose opinion ought to stand
For a Maxime in the Land.

And if we should make choyce of any sense
To giue content, none hath like excellence
Vnto the eare, for it instructs vs how
What's fit know, to heare, to speake, to doe:
And yet we haue both eye and eare
As equally confined there;
As if Nature these did cull
For to make our sport more full.

And for their habit, as it seemes to me,
They weare their Mothers earths owne liuery,
Most comely and least gaudy; as before
Our fig-leau'd Parents in the Garden wore.

Thus may we see, if we will see,
There's none ha's like antiquitie,
When the first, as forc'd with shame
weau'd them greene, and wore the same.

To proue of what esteeme these Woodmen were
It's said that Ioue became a Forrester,
And thought no colour could more mouing be,
To gaine the loue of flame-scorch'd Semele;
Then in a youthfull greene araid
To sue for loue-vnto the Maid,
Though (fond Girle) this would not doe
Till he came in glory too.

The Delian Votresse with her Nimph-like traine
Follow their Hounds till that the game be slaine,
Where speckled Ibis, mennal'd Dorcas lead,
And bloody Rugg with Rhesus coupled;
Make hot pursuit and hold the chace
Treble, Meane, countertenure, base,
Different size and different note
Some cold-sented others hote.

Thus eye, eare, habit, colour, and esteeme
Makes this delight, as it hath euer beene
Princely, where Pan himselfe daigns to descend
To cheere his care, and for no other end.
Happy you Siluanes that abide,
Where such true royall Huntsmen ride,
Who awhile doe leaue the Court
In the Lawns to haue some sport.

But all too long I keepe from Corydon,
Who heaues our capps, and whom we call vpon;
Vant Western-Huntsmen, you may iustly vant,
Of Dragon, Corydon, and Millesant:
For such three Hounds South scarce can show,
For sent, for speede, and making too;
On then Huntsmen, brauely on,
Capp and crack on Corydon.

FINIS.