Daphnis and Chloe Excellently describing the weight of affection, the simplicitie of loue, the purport of honest meaning, the resolution of men, and disposition of Fate, finished in a Pastorall, and interlaced with the praises of a most peerlesse Princesse, wonderfull in Maiestie, and rare in perfection, celebrated within the same Pastorall, and therefore termed by the name of The Shepheards Holidaie. By Angell Daye |
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[Since first thy soile O countrie Pan I knewe] |
 | Daphnis and Chloe |  |
[Since first thy soile O countrie Pan I knewe]
Since first thy soile O countrie Pan I knewe,Since on the dales my sheepe long time I fed,
Of all these valleis where the Nymphes do tread.
Since first thy groues and pleasant shadie topps,
Thy christall springs and scituate hie prospects,
The sacred dewes which from the braunches drops.
That fresh Pomonæ on thy groundes erects:
Since all these pleasures thousands mo then one
My auntient yeares partaked haue ere this
The mightie Ioue doth know wherein alone,
I haue repozd the somme of all my blis.
To Tytirus not all the yeaned lammes,
Nor of his flock a rich encrease to gaine,
Ne sporting hops of young kiddes by their dams,
Are halfe so pleasing or to him so faine
As are (Eliza blisfull maiden Queene)
The sweete recorde of all thy happie daies,
Those thoughts to me, full oft haue gladsome beene,
And on these ioies consist my shepheards laies,
O happie soile long happie maiest thou stand
So sacred be thy mountaines and thy groues
So be the walkes of that thy pleasant land,
Frequented eft with store of fatted droues,
Let be thy glorie like the shining sonne
That glides as far as doth the whirling sphere,
And as the course from whence the riuers ronne
That through the earth a compasse round do beare.
First faile the skies first Phœbus cease to raunge
First christal dewes back to your springs returne
First heate and cold desist your daily chaunge,
And let the fire leaue of his force to burne,
Let Phœbe first by night her wandring staie
And darkened be to vs the starrie pole,
Let Phaeton lose againe the milkie waie
And fishes leaue to swimme within the poole,
Cease birdes to flie cease Philomene thy song
And yearely spring that yeldes of fruites encrease,
And ycie drops that dangling vnder song,
Ere Brutus soile, thou seate of mightie kings,
The antient race of haughtie princes peeres,
Ere from thy lappe the slippe whence honor springs,
By this default do loose the sway it beares,
Ere thou the glorie of the present rule,
And honor tied long since to thy desert,
Thy stately conquests neere that didst recule
With cloked guile doost seeke for to insert,
But waste thy glory with the mightiest powres
And stay thine honor on the greatest fame,
And selfe-same time that al things els deuoures,
Renue thy faith, and yeeld thee glorious name,
As faire thy fate as are thy happie yeares,
As firme thy seate as euer Princes was,
Great be thy sway as any strength that reares
The mightiest force that euer man did pas:
And fairest thou of al the Nymphs that haunt
These sacred walkes, in which we shepheards wone,
So Ioue vouchsafe our springs of thee may vaunt,
As erst before our fertile fieldes haue done.
| Daphnis and Chloe | |