 | Englands Helicon |  |
The Sheepheard Arsilius, his Song to his Rebeck.
Now Loue and Fortune turne to me againe,And now each one enforceth and assures
A hope, that was dismayed, dead, and vaine:
And from the harbour of mishaps assures
A hart that is consum'd in burning fire,
With vnexpected gladnes, that admires
My soule to lay a-side her mourning tire,
And sences to prepare a place for ioy,
Care in obliuion endlesse shall expire.
For euery greefe of that extreame annoy,
Which when my torment raign'd, my soule (alas)
Did feele, the which long absence did destroy,
Fortune so well appayes, that neuer was
So great the torment of my passed ill:
As is the ioy of this same good I passe.
Returne my hart, sursaulted with the fill
Of thousand great vnrests, and thousand feares:
Enioy thy good estate, if that thou will,
And wearied eyes, leaue off your burning teares,
For soone you shall behold her with delight,
For whom my spoiles with glorie Cupid beares.
By making heere and there your thoughts estray:
Tell me, what will you feele before her sight?
Hence solitarinesse, torments away,
Felt for her sake, and wearied members cast
Of all your paine, redeem'd this happie day.
O stay not time, but passe with speedie hast,
And Fortune hinder not her comming now,
O God, betides me yet this greefe at last?
Come my sweete Sheepheardesse, the life which thou
(Perhaps) didst thinke was ended long agoe,
At thy commaund is readie still to bow.
Comes not my Sheepheardesse desired so?
O God, what if she's lost, or if she stray
Within this vvood, where trees so thick doo grow
Or if this Nimph that lately went away,
Perhaps forgot to goe and seeke her out:
No, no, in (her) obliuion neuer lay.
Thou onely art my Sheepheardesse, about
Whose thoughts my soule shall finde her ioy and rest
Why comm'st not then to assure it from doubt?
O seest thou not the Sunne passe to the West?
And if it passe, and I behold thee not:
Then I my wonted torments will request
And thou shalt waile my hard and heauie lot.
FINIS.
Bar. Yong.
| Englands Helicon | |