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Alanius the Sheepheard, his dolefull Song, complayning of Ismeniaes crueltie.
No more (ô cruell Nimph,) now hast thou prayed
Enough in thy reuenge, prooue not thine ire
On him that yeelds, the fault is now appayed
Vnto my cost: Now mollifie thy dire
Hardnes, and brest of thine so much obdured:
And now raise vp (though lately it hath erred,)
A poore repenting soule, that in the obscured
Darknes of thy obliuion lyes enterred.
For it falls not in that, that should commend thee:
That such a Swaine as I may once offend thee.
Enough in thy reuenge, prooue not thine ire
On him that yeelds, the fault is now appayed
Vnto my cost: Now mollifie thy dire
Hardnes, and brest of thine so much obdured:
And now raise vp (though lately it hath erred,)
A poore repenting soule, that in the obscured
Darknes of thy obliuion lyes enterred.
For it falls not in that, that should commend thee:
That such a Swaine as I may once offend thee.
If that the little Sheepe with speede is flying
From angry Sheepheard (with his words afrayed)
And runneth here and there with fearefull crying,
And with great griefe is from the flock estrayed:
But when it now perceiues that none doth follow,
And all alone, so farre estraying mourneth,
Knowing what danger it is in, with hollow
And fainting bleates, then fearefull it returneth
Vnto the flock, meaning no more to leaue it:
Should it not be a iust thing to receaue it?
From angry Sheepheard (with his words afrayed)
And runneth here and there with fearefull crying,
And with great griefe is from the flock estrayed:
But when it now perceiues that none doth follow,
And all alone, so farre estraying mourneth,
Knowing what danger it is in, with hollow
And fainting bleates, then fearefull it returneth
Vnto the flock, meaning no more to leaue it:
Should it not be a iust thing to receaue it?
Lift vp those eyes (Ismenia) which so stately
To view me, thou hast listed vp before me,
That liberty, which was mine owne but lately,
Giue me againe, and to the same restore me:
And that mild hart, so full of loue and pittie,
Which thou didst yeeld to me, and euer owe me;
Behold (my Nimph) I was not then so wittie
To know that sincere loue that thou didst shew me:
Now wofull man, full well I know and rue it,
Although it was too late before I knew it.
To view me, thou hast listed vp before me,
That liberty, which was mine owne but lately,
Giue me againe, and to the same restore me:
And that mild hart, so full of loue and pittie,
Which thou didst yeeld to me, and euer owe me;
Behold (my Nimph) I was not then so wittie
To know that sincere loue that thou didst shew me:
Now wofull man, full well I know and rue it,
Although it was too late before I knew it.
How could it be (my enemie?) say, tell me,
How thou (in greater fault and errour being
Then euer I was thought) should'st thus repell me?
And with new league and cruell title seeing
Thy faith so pure and worthy to be changed?
And what is that Ismenia, that dooth bind it
To loue, whereas the same is most estranged,
And where it is impossible to finde it?
But pardon me, if heerein I abuse thee:
Since that the cause thou gau'st me dooth excuse me.
How thou (in greater fault and errour being
Then euer I was thought) should'st thus repell me?
And with new league and cruell title seeing
Thy faith so pure and worthy to be changed?
And what is that Ismenia, that dooth bind it
To loue, whereas the same is most estranged,
And where it is impossible to finde it?
But pardon me, if heerein I abuse thee:
Since that the cause thou gau'st me dooth excuse me.
But tell me now, what honour hast thou gayned,
Auenging such a fault by thee committed,
And there-vnto by thy occasion trayned?
What haue I done, that I haue not acquitted?
Or what excesse that is not amply payed,
Or suffer more, that I haue not endured?
What cruell minde, what angry breast displayed,
With sauage hart, to fiercenes so adiured?
Would not such mortall griefe make milde and tender:
But that, which my fell Sheepheardesse dooth render?
Auenging such a fault by thee committed,
And there-vnto by thy occasion trayned?
What haue I done, that I haue not acquitted?
Or what excesse that is not amply payed,
What cruell minde, what angry breast displayed,
With sauage hart, to fiercenes so adiured?
Would not such mortall griefe make milde and tender:
But that, which my fell Sheepheardesse dooth render?
Now as I haue perceaued well thy reasons,
Which thou hast had, or hast yet to forget me,
The paines, the griefes, the guilts of forced treasons,
That I haue done, wherein thou first didst set me:
The passions, and thine eares and eyes refusing
To peare and see me, meaning to vndoe me:
Cam'st thou to know, or be but once perusing
Th'vnsought occasions, which thou gau'st vnto me:
Thou should'st not haue where-with to more torment me:
Nor I to pay the fault my rashnes lent me.
Which thou hast had, or hast yet to forget me,
The paines, the griefes, the guilts of forced treasons,
That I haue done, wherein thou first didst set me:
The passions, and thine eares and eyes refusing
To peare and see me, meaning to vndoe me:
Cam'st thou to know, or be but once perusing
Th'vnsought occasions, which thou gau'st vnto me:
Thou should'st not haue where-with to more torment me:
Nor I to pay the fault my rashnes lent me.
FINIS.
Bar. Yong.
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