Scillaes Metamorphosis: Enterlaced with the vnfortunate loue of Glaucus VVhereunto is annexed the delectable discourse of the discontented Satyre: with sundrie other most absolute Poems and Sonnets. Contayning the detestable tyrannie of Disdaine, and Comicall triumph of Constancie: Verie fit for young Courtiers to peruse, and coy Dames to remember. By Thomas Lodge |
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In praise of the Countrey life.
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 | Scillaes Metamorphosis: Enterlaced with the vnfortunate loue of Glaucus |  |
In praise of the Countrey life.
Most happie blest the man that midst his countrie bowersWithout suspect of hate, or dread of enuious tongue
May dwell among his owne: not dreading fortunes lowres,
Farre frō those publique plagues that mightie men hath stoong:
Whose libertie and peace is neuer sold for gaine,
Whose words doo neuer sooth a wanton princes vaine.
Incertaine hopes, and vowes, doo neuer harme his thought,
And vaine desires doo shunne the place of his repose;
He weepes no yeares misspent, nor want of that he sought,
Nor reapes his gaine by words, nor builds vpon suppose:
The stormes of troubled Sea do neuer force his fears,
Nor Trumpets sound dooth chang his sleepes, or charme his ears,
Ambitions neuer build within his constant minde,
A cunning coy deceipt his soule dooth not disguise,
His firme and constant faith corruptions neuer blind,
He neuer waits his weale from princes wandring eyes:
But liuing well content with euerie kinde of thing,
He is his proper court, his fauor, and his King.
Vaine hopes, and fatall feares (the courtiers common foes)
(Afraid by his foresight) doo shun his piercing eye:
And naught but true delight acquaints him where he goes,
No high attempts to winne; but humble thoughts and deeds,
The verie fruites and flowers that spring from vertues seeds.
(O deities diuine) your Godheads I adore
That haunt the hils, the feelds, the forrests and the springs,
That make my quiet thoughts contented with my store,
And fixe my hopes on heauen, and not on earthly things;
That driue me from desires, (in view of courtly strife,)
And drawe me to commend the fields and countrie life.
My thoughts are now enclosde within my proper land,
And if my bodie sleepe my minde dooth take his rest,
My simple zeale and loue my dangers doo withstand,
The mornings pleasant ayer inuites me from my nest,
If wether wax too warme I seeke the silent shade,
If frosts afflict, I striue for warmth by hunters trade.
Although my biding home be not imbost with gold,
And that with cunning skill my chambers are not drest,
(Whereas the curious eye my sundrie sights behold)
Yet feedes my quiet lookes on thousand flowers at least,
The treasures of the plaine, the beauties of the spring,
Made rich with Roses sweete and euerie pleasant thing.
Amidst the pallace braue puft vp with wanton showes
Ambicions dwell, and there false fauors finde disguise,
There lodge consuming cares that hatch our common woes:
Amidst our painted feelds the pleasant Fayrie lies,
And all those powers diuine that with vntrussed tresses,
Contentment, happie loue, and perfect sport professes.
So liuing, naught remaines my solace to betray;
I heare the pleasant birds record their sacred straines,
When at the mornings rise they blesse the springing day:
The murmuring fountains noise from out the marble vaines,
Are pleasing to mine eares: whilst with a gentill fall
They fleete from hie, and serue to wet the meads withall.
When neb to neb they ioyne, in fluttering of their wings,
And in their roundelaies with kisses seale their loues?
Then wondering at the gifts which happie nature brings;
What sport is it to sleepe and slumber by a well,
Whose fleeting falls maks show, some louely tale to tell?
Oh what content to see amidst the darkesome night
(When as the setting sonne hath left the moone in place)
The Nimphes amidst the vales and groues to take delight,
To dance, to leap, to skip, with sweet and pleasant grace,
To giue greene gownes in sport, and in their tripping make
By force of footing all the springing grasse to quake.
Their daunces brought to end, I lift my lookes one hie
To see the horned moone, and deskant on her hew
Cleere siluer shining bright, and eftsoones then think I
Vpon that hapie chance the Latmian shepheard knew:
Then doo I wish my selfe as faire a friend as she,
But watching I desire she might disport with me.
Thus midst the silent night my selfe I doo content:
Then when as Phœbus beames our Hemisphere enflames,
A thousand change of sports for pleasure I inuent,
And feast my quiet thoughts with sundrie pleasant games,
Now angle I awhile, then seek I for the chace,
And straight my limerods catch the Sparrows on the place.
I like, and make some loue: but yet in such a sort
That naught but true delight my certaine sute pursues;
My libertie remaines, and yet I reape the sport,
Nor can the snares of loue my heedefull thoughts abuse:
But when I would forgoe, I haue the power to flie,
And stand aloofe and laugh, while others starue and die.
My sweete and tender flocks (my faithfull feeld compeers)
You forrests, hoults, and groues, you meads & mountaines hie,
Be you the witnesses of my contented yeares:
And you O sacred powers vouchsafe my humble crie,
And during all my daies, doe not these ioyes estrange;
But let them still remaine, and graunt no other change.
Finis.
| Scillaes Metamorphosis: Enterlaced with the vnfortunate loue of Glaucus | |