 | The Works in Verse and Prose of Nicholas Breton
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Pastor Primus.
Tell mee all yee shepheards swaines,
On Mineruas Mountaine plaines:
Yee that onely sit and keepe
Flockes (but of the fairest sheepe)
Did you see this blesséd day,
Faire Aglaia walke this way?
If yee did oh tell me then,
If yee bee true meaning men:
How shee fareth with her health,
All the world of all your wealth:
Say a truth, and say no more:
Did yee euer see before,
Such a shepherdesse as shee?
Can there such another bee?
Euer did your eies beholde,
Pearles, or pretious stones in golde,
Or the Starres in Phœbus skies,
Sparkle like her sunny eyes?
Doe but truth, and truth confesse:
Is she not that shepheardesse,
That in state of beauties stay,
Caries all the praise away?
Tell me truly, shepehard, tell,
On your plaines did euer dwell,
Such a peereles paragon,
For pure eyes to looke vpon?
Oh the chaste commaunding kindnes,
That disswades affection's blindenes!
Settes it not your hearts on fire?
Yet forbiddes yee to aspire.
Doth it not coniure your sences,
That yee fall not in offences?
Hath shee not that wit diuine,
That doth all your wittes refine.
And doth limite loue his measure,
That he purchase no displeasure.
Hath shee not your spirits wrought,
In obedience to her thought,
Where your hearts vnto her eye,
In a kinde of Simpathie,
Frame the best conceited fashion,
Of a blesséd fancie's passion,
Which may neuer passe that ace,
That may keepe you in her grace?
O yee truest harted creatures!
In the truest kindest natures
Who, when all your thought assemble,
Neuer doe in one dissemble:
In loue's beauties honour's face,
Let Aglaia be your grace.
| The Works in Verse and Prose of Nicholas Breton
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