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The Sheepheard Arsilcus replie to Syrenus Song.
O let that time a thousand moneths endure,
Which brings from heauen the sweet and siluer showers,
And ioyes the earth (of comfort late depriued)
With grasse and leaues, fine buds, and painted flowers.
Ecchoe, returne vnto the vvoods obscure.
Ring foorth the Sheepheards Songs in loue contriued.
Let old loues be reuiued,
Which angry Winter buried but of late,
And that in such a state
My soule may haue the full accomplishment
Of ioy and sweet content.
And since fierce paines and greefes thou doost controule:
Good Loue, doo not forsake my inward soule.
Which brings from heauen the sweet and siluer showers,
And ioyes the earth (of comfort late depriued)
With grasse and leaues, fine buds, and painted flowers.
Ecchoe, returne vnto the vvoods obscure.
Ring foorth the Sheepheards Songs in loue contriued.
Let old loues be reuiued,
Which angry Winter buried but of late,
And that in such a state
My soule may haue the full accomplishment
Of ioy and sweet content.
And since fierce paines and greefes thou doost controule:
Good Loue, doo not forsake my inward soule.
Presume not (Sheepheards) once to make you merrie,
With springs, and flowers, or any pleasant Song,
(Vnlesse mild Loue possesse your amorous breasts)
If you sing not to him, your Songs doo wearie,
Crowne him with flowers, or else ye doo him wrong,
And consecrate your Springs to his behests.
I to my Sheepheardesse
My happy loues with great content doo sing.
And flowers to her doo bring.
And sitting neere her by the Riuer side,
Enioy the braue Spring-tide.
Since then thy ioyes such sweetnes dooth enroule:
Good Loue, doo not forsake my inward soule.
With springs, and flowers, or any pleasant Song,
(Vnlesse mild Loue possesse your amorous breasts)
If you sing not to him, your Songs doo wearie,
Crowne him with flowers, or else ye doo him wrong,
And consecrate your Springs to his behests.
I to my Sheepheardesse
My happy loues with great content doo sing.
And flowers to her doo bring.
And sitting neere her by the Riuer side,
Enioy the braue Spring-tide.
Since then thy ioyes such sweetnes dooth enroule:
Good Loue, doo not forsake my inward soule.
The wise (in auncient time) a God thee nam'd,
Seeing that with thy power and supreame might,
Thou didst such rare and mighty wonders make:
For thee a hart is frozen and enflam'd,
A foole thou mak'st a wise man with thy light,
The coward turnes couragious for thy sake.
The mighty Gods did quake
At thy commaund: To birds and beasts transformed,
Great Monarches haue not scorned
To yeeld vnto the force of beauties lure:
Such spoiles thou doost procure
With thy braue force, which neuer may be tould:
With which (sweet Loue) thou conquer'st euery soule.
Seeing that with thy power and supreame might,
Thou didst such rare and mighty wonders make:
For thee a hart is frozen and enflam'd,
A foole thou mak'st a wise man with thy light,
The coward turnes couragious for thy sake.
The mighty Gods did quake
At thy commaund: To birds and beasts transformed,
Great Monarches haue not scorned
To yeeld vnto the force of beauties lure:
Such spoiles thou doost procure
With thy braue force, which neuer may be tould:
With which (sweet Loue) thou conquer'st euery soule.
In other times obscurely I did liue
But with a drowsie, base, and simple kinde
Of life, and onely to my profit bend me:
To thinke of Loue my selfe I did not giue,
Or for good grace, good parts, and gentle minde,
Neuer did any Sheepheardesse commend me.
But crowned now they send me
A thousand Garlands, that I wone with praise,
In wrastling dayes by dayes,
In pitching of the barre with arme most strong,
And singing many a Song.
After that thou didst honour, and take hould
Of my (sweet Loue) and of my happy soule.
But with a drowsie, base, and simple kinde
Of life, and onely to my profit bend me:
To thinke of Loue my selfe I did not giue,
Or for good grace, good parts, and gentle minde,
Neuer did any Sheepheardesse commend me.
But crowned now they send me
A thousand Garlands, that I wone with praise,
In wrastling dayes by dayes,
In pitching of the barre with arme most strong,
And singing many a Song.
After that thou didst honour, and take hould
Of my (sweet Loue) and of my happy soule.
What greater ioy can any man desire,
Then to remaine a Captiue vnto Loue:
And haue his hart subiected to his power?
And though sometimes he tast a little sower
By suffering it, as mild as gentle Doue
Yet must he be, in hew of that great hire
Whereto he dooth aspire:
If Louers liue afflicted and in paine,
Let them with cause complaine
Of cruell fortune, and of times abuse,
And let not them accuse
Thee (gentle-Loue) that dooth with blisse enfould
Within thy sweetest ioyes each liuing soule.
Then to remaine a Captiue vnto Loue:
And haue his hart subiected to his power?
And though sometimes he tast a little sower
By suffering it, as mild as gentle Doue
Yet must he be, in hew of that great hire
Whereto he dooth aspire:
If Louers liue afflicted and in paine,
Let them with cause complaine
Of cruell fortune, and of times abuse,
Thee (gentle-Loue) that dooth with blisse enfould
Within thy sweetest ioyes each liuing soule.
Behold a faire sweete face, and shining eyes,
Resembling two most bright and twinkling starres,
Sending vnto the soule a perfect light:
Behold the rare perfections of those white
And Iuorie hands, from greefes most surest barres
That mind wherein all life and glory lyes,
That ioy that neuer dyes,
That he dooth feele, that loues and is beloued,
And my delights approoued,
To see her pleas'd, whose loue maintaines me heere,
All those I count so deere,
That though sometimes Loue dooth my ioyes controule:
Yet am I glad he dwels within my soule.
Resembling two most bright and twinkling starres,
Sending vnto the soule a perfect light:
Behold the rare perfections of those white
And Iuorie hands, from greefes most surest barres
That mind wherein all life and glory lyes,
That ioy that neuer dyes,
That he dooth feele, that loues and is beloued,
And my delights approoued,
To see her pleas'd, whose loue maintaines me heere,
All those I count so deere,
That though sometimes Loue dooth my ioyes controule:
Yet am I glad he dwels within my soule.
FINIS.
Bar. Yong.
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