The Eglogs of the Poet B. Mantuan Carmelitan, Turned into English Verse, & set forth with the Argument to euery Egloge by George Turbervile Gent. ANNO. 1567.
Imprinted at London in Pater noster Rovve, at the signe of the Marmayde, by Henrie Bynneman.
To the right worshipful and his good Vncle, Maister HVGH BAMFILD Esquier, GEORGE TVRBERVILE vvisheth Nestors yeares, vvith all good fortune.
WORSHIPFVL, as desire not altogither to be idle and vvaste the golden Time (the rarest of all Ievvels) procurde me to vndertake the translation of this Poet: so Nature, vvith your sundrie curtesies bestovved on me vvithout hope of recompence at any time, enforced me (for vvant of better vvay to shevve my good meaning) to dedicate to you this rude and slender Booke, translated into our mother tongue. Hoping that as I haue not vvronged the Poet in any poynt in my translation, or impairde his credite vvith the Latins, in forcing him to speake vvith an English mouth contrary to his nature and kinde: so neyther that I haue ministred you occasion to myslike vvith me for dedication of the same to you: a man vvhose benefites I may and vvill endeuour to requite, but shall neuer [Page] be able to rid my score of his good turnes, or cancell the obligation of hys many and infinite curtesies. If a man be bound by all meanes that he may to gratifie hys vvell deseruing friendes: then may not I quiet my selfe and be at silence till I haue deuised the requital of some part of your friendships, by some slender gift, such as my Fortune and present chaunce vvill permit me to exhibite vnto you. And none can I fynde, eyther more agreeing vnto my state, or fitter for your vvorship, than this nevv translated Poet. Whose title though at the first perhaps shall seeme ouerrude and barbarous (for EGLOGS are altogither of the Countrey affaires) yet doubt I not but that both the matter shal be found pleasant, and the style agreable to the Latin phrase. I do not mystrust but MANTVANS Shephierds vvill vse the matter vvith such dyscretion, and so set their rusticke Pipes in tune, as you vvill rather cō mend their melodie, than myslike their audacitie: that being Countrymen dare vndertake to tel their tales before you, and reason of so many and seueral matters as in these Eglogs they do. They vvere not in that age such siellie sottes as our Shephierdes are novve a dayes, onely hauing Reason by Experience to prate of their Pastures, and folde and vnfolde their flockes: But these fellovves, vvhome the Poet and I haue here brought in, vvere vvell able both to moue the doubtful cause, and (if neede vvere) to discide the proponed case. They not only knevve the Calfe from the Lambe, the Woulfe from the Mastife, [Page] but had reason to knovv the dyfference tvvixt Tovvne and Countrey, the oddes betvvixt Vice and Vertue, and other thinges needefull and appertayning to the life of man. Wherfore (Vncle) as I shal craue you to accepte this my slender gift, vndertaking the Patronage and Defence of the same: So shall I request the Gods to allovve you the aged Nestors yeares, vvith no mysseaduenture in al your life.
Your Nephewe and daylie Orator George Turbervile.
To the Reader.
HAVING TRANSLAted this Poet (gētle Reader) although basely and with barren pen, thought it not good nor friendly to wythhold it frō thée: knowing of olde thy wonted curtesie in pervsing Bookes, and discretion in iudging them without affection. I shal think my paynes passing well imployed if yu shew thy accustomed fauoure to this Booke, which I haue nowe forced to a new and forraine Language from that it was.
Though I haue altered the tong, I trust I haue not chaunged the Authors meaning or sense in any thing: but played the part of a true interpretor, obseruing that which we terme Decorum in eche respect, as far as the Peete and our mother tong wold giue me leaue. For as y• conference betwixt Shephierds is familiar stuffe & homely: so haue I shapt my stile and tempred it with suche common and ordinarie phrase of speach as Countreymen do vse in their assaires: alway [Page] minding the saying of Horace, whose sentence I haue thus englished.
To set a Manlie heade vpon a Horses necke,
And all the lims vvith diuers plumes of diuers hue to decke,
Or paint a vvomans face aloft to open shovve,
And make the Picture ende in fish, vvith scaly skinne belovve
I thinke (my friendes) vvould cause you laugh and smile to see
Hovv yl these yl compacted things and members vvould agree.
For in déede, he that shall trāslate a shephierds tale, and vse the talke and stile of an Heroicall personage, expressing the siellie mans meaning with loftie thundering words: in my simple iudgement ioynes (as Horace sayth) a Horses necke and a mans hed togither. For as the one were monstrous to sée, so were the other too fonde and foolish to reade. Wherfore I haue (I say) vsed the common country Phrase, according to the person of the speakers in euery Egloge, as though in déede the man him selfe shoulde tell his tale. And the soner to let thée vnderstand the matter contained in euery treatise, [Page] I haue (I hope to thy good lyking) foreset the Argument. If there be any thing herein that thou shalt happē to myslike, neyther blame the learned Poet, nor cō troll the clownish Shephierd (good Reader) but me that presumde rashely to offer so vnworthie matter to thy suruay. But if thou fansy or like wel with ought contained herein, commend Mantuan, extoll the Shephierd: sufficeth me to auoyd scotte frée from slaunderous snare. If I gaine thy good wil, I haue the guerdon of my trauile. Thus presuming vpon thy pacience in perusing this Booke, thy vncorrupte Iudgemente in condemning & allowing the same, I ende my Preface, crauing thée to len [...] quiet eare to Fortunatus and the rest of his companions.
George Turbervile.
¶The first Egloge of Mantuan, intituled FAVSTVS.
The Argument:
AS Shepheards custome is
when they do meete yfeare,
To talke of this or that,
and tell the newes they heare:
So Fortunatus craues
of Faustus to begin
Of auncient loues to treate,
whilst flocks a feeding byn.
When friendly Faustus sawe
his earnest friends request:
To tale of honest loue
the Shepheard him addrest.
The speakers names.
- Fortunatus.
- Faustus.
Fortunatꝰ
FRend Faustus, pray thée, since our flock
in shade and pleasaunt vale
Doth chewe the cudde: of auncient loue
let vs begin to tale.
[Page] Least if by hap vnhappy sléepe
our senses should begyle,
Some sauage beast in sprouted corn [...]
our cattell catch the while:
For many such about the fields
do lurking lye in wayte.
Wherfore to watch is better far
than sléepe in my conceyte
[...]austus.
This place, this self same shady bushe
that shrowds vs from the heate,
Knows how I haue bē cloyd with cares
and Cupids coales ytreat
These .iiij. yeares space, or .ij. at least
if I remember well.
But synce we are at leasure both,
and pleasaunt is to tell:
I will begin the whole discourse
and shewe thée how it fell.
Here I, whilst in my tender youth
of cattell should had care,
Would spread my garmēt on the soyle,
and bolte vpright would stare
Into the open Skyes alofte:
with d [...]lefull drops of bryne
And heauy playnt recounting of
this curssed fate of myne.
[Page 2] No pleasure I in quiet tooke,
no labour did delight
My penstue brest, my Sense was dull,
quight buried was my Sprite:
As is the stomacke of the sicke
whom no good taste allures
Of lothsome meate, nor patients mynd
to appetite procures.
Delight of Musicke was heresie,
for Pipe I did not passe
Compacted of vnegall quilles,
my bowe but lothsome was.
The slyng & hound were hateful both,
no pleasure I did put.
In foulyng then, twas yrkesom eke
with knyfe to cracke the Nut.
To make the bulrushe basquet, or
to guyle the fishe with gyn,
Or searche y• brakes for bréeding byrds
I forced not a pyn.
Palester playes, and casting lots
with finger I ne wayd:
Nor former games that pleasant were
ere I this grief assayd.
Wilde grapes to gather was a gall,
and Strawberries to pull.
that hauyng beake as full
Of foode as it can hold, when she
retourns from hir repast
And sées hir yonglings borne away,
she waxeth all agast:
And from the byll downe fals the bayte,
hir heart begyns to quayle,
And to the neighbour bushe she flies
hir cruell haps to wayle
For broud so lately borne away.
Or as the gallant cowe
That hauyng loste hir louing calfe
in field begins to lowe.
And hauing filld the place with noyse
and crying out a good:
Repaires to shade and eates no grasse
nor dips hir flaps in floud.
But why do I with long discourse
thy lystnyng eares offend?
This processe makes me both my tyme
and words in waste to spend.
This is the summe of all my tale,
it grieu'd my weary sprite
That miser I with these myne eyes
did sée the lothsome light.
[Page 3] And if thou longyng for to learne
the whole effect, shouldst say:
Who (Faustus) to these dredfull rockes
did thée compell I pray?
Frind (Fortunatus) I will shewe
the very trouth to thée.
My little girle that Galla hight
had so entrapped mée
With feature of hir friendly face
and lookes of louyng eye,
As in hir crafty cobweb doth
Arachne catche the flye.
For why hir ruddy chéekes did striue
with Corall for their hue:
A pretty round and fully face,
a séemely fight to viewe.
And of hir eyes though one there were
that stode in little stéede;
Yet when I did recompte hir yeares
and passyng shape in déede:
I did mislyke Dianas face,
I sayd hir feature was
Not worth a rushe, my Galla did
hir blasing beautie passe.
Fortunatꝰ.
Loue (Faustus) blynds the senses sore,
it guiles the gazing eyes:
[Page] It rea [...]es the fréedome from the minde
of man in monstrous wyfe.
It doth bewitch our weakned sprites.
I verily suppose
Some Hellishe Impe doth force this fire
and fowly ouerthrowes
And out of h [...]ke doth heaue our harts:
Loue is not as they say
A heauenly God, but bitter gall,
and errour from the way.
Faustus
Besides I had no hope at all
my wisshed good to gayne:
Though she (good heart) did rue my case,
and pitied Faustus payne,
And by hir becks, & wanton wyncks
hir flame appeared playn [...].
For what soeuer way she went
(a cru [...]ll canckred mate):
Hir married Sister hir en [...]de
and followde Gall [...] gate.
The hard and churlish Mother eke
vpon the Wench did watch:
Eche thing did hinder myne intent.
Euen as the Cat to catch
The pretty, perte, & prickeard Monse
obserues with earnest eye
[Page 4] The clouen cranie, and the beast
on bacon flitche doth prie
Fortunatus,
The porred paunch and stuffed maw
commendeth fasting much:
And they that are not dry, at those
that long for lycour grutche.
Faustꝰ
Twas time with crooked sythe to sheare
the corne that grewe in fielde,
The Barly all about the landes
a golden gleame did yelde.
The Mother (as the custome is)
came with hir Daughters both,
To gather vp the shatered sheaues
which reaper ouergoth.
For she wiste nothing of our Loue,
or made as though she had
Not knowen a white therof: I thinke
she was not halfe so made
But that she found it well ynough,
and did dissemble sore:
For she in déede (I stand assurde)
had vnderstoode before
Hir daughter had a Leueret tane
in paune of my good will:
A payre of stocke Dooues eke she had
to kepe or else to kill.
Fortunatusꝰ.
[Page]The wāt of wealth good nurture marrs
the poore is prone to fall:
He slydes into the snare of shine
and is to vices thrall.
Faustꝰ.
The virgin gathering vp hir grips,
came after me a pace,
With open breast and naked foote
and sléeuelesse armes, in case
As fittest was for scorching heate
and sommers scalding blase,
With wreathed bough about hir brows
to kepe hir heauty bright:
For cause the heate wil hurt the hue
and make it swarth to sight,
In sorte that Louers neuer will
conceiue therof delight.
And euer as she did approche
my shattred sheafe I shooke:
And as from out my fift it fell
that vp my Minion tooke.
For women neyther can conceale
their griefs and wasting gléede,
Nor conquer cares, ne yet defer
the same till time of néede:
Such lightnesse rayns in thē by kind
as out it shall with spéede.
Fortunatꝰ
[Page 5]Who so doth loue is light God wotte,
not womankinde alone,
But very they that déemed are
to sitte in Pallas throne,
And wisedoms gaudy garland weare
about their tryed hed:
Yea those of poudred purple that
and Senate robes are sped.
Whom I in stately sorte haue séene
like Royall Kings to walke,
And earst in proud presumptuous sorte
about the streates to stalke.
And thou perhaps affectiond so
werte madder of the twayne,
And lighter eke: thou shattredst corne,
she tooke it vp agayne.
Thou gau'st y• graine y• she receiu'd,
I pray thée tell me now
Which was the wysest of the both,
the littell trull or thou?
Speake on, for talke is it that must
dryue sléepe from heauy brow.
Faust [...]
The angry Beldam looking backe
with shriueled visage prates,
And cride why (Galla) whither goest?
why doest thou leaue thy mates?
[Page] Come hither (Galla) here among
the Alder boughes I haue
Founde out a pleasant shady plotte
from Phoebus flames to saue
Our ouerchaufed limmes with heate,
the whisling ayre doth cause
The trembling leaues to make a noyse,
tis beste here right to pause.
O hatefull words to Faustus eares:
go gentle winds I pray
And beare (quod I) with nymble gale
this curssed sounde away.
If any Shepherd bring his flocke
into a fertile vayne,
And will not let them féede their fill
but dryue them backe agayne,
Or hauyng fedde, will stay the streame
and neuer let them drinke,
But force them to forgoe the floud:
wouldst thou not surely thinke
That man to be a monster fell
and natures cruell foe,
And stony hearted that could vse
his sielly cattle soe?
That voyce to me more griefull was
than Iunos husbands threats,
[Page 6] Whē down he flings his flasshing flaks,
and earth with Imber beats.
I would not, but I could not choose
but backward cast myne eye:
And Galla looking vnder brow,
gan out of hand reply.
She bent hir friendly blincks as fast,
and rold hir eyes aside:
Which by and by the chiding Dame
by spitefull fortune spide.
And call'd vpon the wanton Wench:
but Galla bent the more
To worke, refusde to lend an eare
to hir that chid so sore.
As she with foote pursude my pace,
so did she eke in hart:
Then I full like a craftie childe,
(for Loue ministers art
And doth instructe his thrals with dole)
would often sing a song,
And often on the Reapers crie,
and haruest folks among.
A crafty cloake to make the Dame
and wedded Sister léeue
That Galla to theyr cleping cries
no eare at all did géeue.
[Page] With sythe I shore adoun the briers,
for that I would be sure
The pricks to Gallas tender féete
no domage should procure.
Fortunatꝰ
Who so doth loue (no doubt) is slaue
and follows (like a thrall
Inchaynde) his chosen Maistresse foote
till yoke his necke do gall.
Swéete blowes to beare he is compeld
vpon his beastly corse,
He bides the goade, and like an Oxe
doth drawe the plough perforce.
Faustꝰ
And thou as far as I can learne,
haste felte Cupidos darte.
Fortunatꝰ
Tushe tys a common euill, who hath
not played some frantike parte?
Faustus
This paynfull pleasure of the mind,
this surged venom grewe
From day to day to more and more,
more cruell twas to viewe.
Euen as the heate of Phoebus flames
augment their scortching blast:
And partching powre frō lesse to more,
till nine of clocke be past.
I wore agaste tyke one that was
of late berefte his wits,
[Page 7] Besides my selfe (no doubt) I was,
and rackte with fruious fits.
Vnmindfull beast I was become,
I took no nightly rest:
Twas easie eke to know my grief,
The browe bewrayes the brest.
Which thing as sones my Father spide,
more gentle he became
Than earste, for that him self had felte
the force of Cupids flame.
And knew therof the burden well
how heauy twas to beare:
Wherfore in courteous sorte he sayde.
Sonne Faustus bannishe feare,
And tell thy father what thou aylste,
and hidden haste in harte:
(Vnhappy boy) this face declares
that thou haste felt the darte
Of Loue, come off, and take no shame
but tell me how thou fare:
Bewraye to me thy pensiue thought
that bréedes this cutting care.
Fortunatꝰ
Yea, though the father checke his child
and vse a bended browe,
His mynd is frindlier than his face,
he loues him well ynowe.
Fortunatus.
[Page]I seing that my Sire became
so courteous, out of hand
Confest the matter, and declarde
how thoe the case did stand.
I crau'd his helpe, he straight behight
that he would do his best:
And so (or eare the winter frost
with glare the ground opprest)
The kinsfolk and the Father had
betrothde the Mayd to mée.
But she and I could neuer deale
alone, but some would sée
And warely watch what coyle we kept:
I was a Tantal right,
I stode amyd the water, but
I could not drinke a whit.
O Lord how often leauing plough
and Oxen all alone,
When she was sole at home, haue I
vnto hir mothers gone?
I would deuise excuses store,
the plough tayle, or the yoake,
The share, y• chaynes, y• spittestaffe eke
my subtill craft to cloake.
And all at Mother lawes I fette,
I could not want a iotte,
[Page 8] But yet (good Wench) hir company
I could not haue God wotte.
I was not slack to doe my due,
to fish, to foule, to hunte:
I t [...]oe began and practisde feates
t [...]at I of yore was wonte.
What soeuer was my lucke to catche,
what game so ere I kilde,
To mother lawes I bore, and was
surmisde a courteous childe.
At midnight once (as promis was
betwixte the Wench and mée)
I came vnto hir Mothers house,
in hope to had some glée:
The Dogges (not sléepy then) at dore
some théese surmisde to bée.
With open iawes on me they ranne,
I leapte a hedge in hast.
And so with much adde escapde
the curssed Curres at last:
With such deuises all the colde
and Winter time we past.
The Spring was come, y• groues were gréene,
the vine began to spread:
The ploughman Barly gan to sow,
for Wheat had taken head.
[Page] Lamperydes those glistring foules
with glowing wings did flie,
Which did declare to husbandmen
that haruest tyme was nie.
Behold, the mariage days was come,
a wedded wight I was:
What néede so many words? at night
to bed in post we passe.
A wisshed time to both God wotte,
my Barke with blessed blast
And merrie gale of winde vnto
the hauen came at last.
Then with a slaughtred Oxe two day
we kepte a solemne feast,
And vnderneath a spreading trét
the tables were addrest.
Oenophilus was there, on whom
full fraught with Bacchus wares
And making sporte, with willing eyes
the whole assemble stares.
With pipe was Tonius eke at hand,
who after meate to showe
His skill, the paynted bagpipe raught,
and gan theron to blowe.
His alie chéekes with blasting breath
full wide he made to stroute,
[Page 9] When he began to puffe the pipe,
he stared all aboute,
And listed vp his bittle browes,
and from his lungs full off,
He drew his winde to fill the bagge,
that being stuffed tost,
And broosed with his elbow downe,
did yelde his sounde aloft.
With finger frisking here and there,
as he was piping aye:
He call'd the youth from table, and
inuited them to play,
And hoppe about the open stréetes,
and daunce away the day.
There are since that thrée winters past,
fourth Sommer comes in place:
I sée if any good day there bée,
it flies away apace.
Is nothing pleasant in this worlde
but passeth by in hast:
But hatefull happes and vilest things
we sée doe longest last.
Fortunatꝰ.
O Fauste, doest sée? to yonder vine,
the flocke doth go with spéede,
Wherfore least we be taxed sore,
tis time to trudge in déede.
¶The .ij. Egloge entituled FORTVNATVS.
The Argument.
THe pranks that Padus playde
in breaking downe his bounds,
And how he had dismayde
men, shepe, and pasture grounds,
His Faustus tale to quite,
here Fortunatus gan:
And after to recite
the fonde affects of man.
Of mad Amyntas loue
and passing rage to tell,
For other mens behoue
this zealous shepheard fell.
The speakers names.
- Faustus.
- Fortunatus.
Faustus
HOw hapt (my frēd) you com so late?
a wéeke is past and gone:
What bred thy stay? annoyes thy shepe
the soyle they féede vpon?
Fortunatꝰ.
[Page 10]O Faustus, Pade the floud that fletes
and runnes alongst our grounds
Was woxen egall with the banks:
it had so past his bounds,
That we not forcyng on our flocks,
for priuate profits sake
And common safetie were constraynde
both day and night to make
A Bay to beate the waters backe
and cause them to recoyle,
For feare lest Padus wold haue drownd
and ouerflowne our soyle.
Faustus.
Yea Padus sundry times when he
doth swell aboue his banks,
(As Tityrus can witnesse well)
playes many spitefull pranks.
Fortunatus.
Euen as thou sayst, perhaps he doth,
when out of meane and tyme
He boyles by force of Sommer blase,
and boue the banke doth clyme.
But now the yeare requires the same,
for from the frosty hills
The Winter snow descendeth downe:
The Mount with water fills
The slacked flouds, and doth discharge
him selfe: the floud as fast
[Page] Conuayes his burden and the waues
to gultching Seas doth cast.
They play the part that men are wont:
for when the heauy packe,
Doth pinche our linunes, we cast it on
our néedy neighbours backe.
Fortunatꝰ.
But now the cha [...]ll hath reuokde
his spoutyng spring agayne.
Faustus.
O Fortunatus (wonder tis
and moustrous thing to sayne)
Though Padus doe decrease, our lake
with greater sourge doth swell:
The Citie swinunes alost the streame,
a straungie tale to tell.
The vaultes and sellars ditches are,
in whirries men resort
Vnto the barrells, drawers haue
a ioily glée and sport,
To goe by water with their Iacks
and fetche the wyne away
By bottels full, that earst full drie
in secrete sellar lay.
On Townish men (though happy they
appeare to open sight)
Yet many times vnhappy haps,
and cruell chaunces light.
Fortunatus.
[Page 11]From euery pleasure doth aryse
displeasure in the ende:
And aye from euery blessed happe
doth balefull lucke depende.
Faustus.
Thus much of Padus hath ben tolde,
now let's recite our Loue:
Since friendly Venus thervnto
in eche respect doth moue.
The weather is full warme we see,
the soyle is gréene to viewe:
The foules about the field do syng,
now euery thing doth mewe,
And shiftes his rustie winter robe.
Fortunatꝰ.
Thou haste in shepheards verse
Declarde thy loue, but I will gyn
anothers to reherse,
(A shepherd whō thou knowst full wel)
to make it playne in sight
What force there rests in Venus flame,
and shewe hir stately might.
Amyntas poore (God wotte) and borne
vnluckie vnder signe:
Six calues of egall age possest,
and had as many kine.
Whome as he draue to pasture with
a Bull that father was
[Page] To all the hierd: It was his chaunce.
by Coytus to passe.
A place where Myncius with his cleare
and siluer chanell flowes
And swiftly all the grassy soyle
and meadowes ouergoes.
A Castell new with battled walls
there faceth on the floode:
High raysed vp that Coyte hight,
and on the marishe stoode.
Here resting him by Riuers side
where grew a goodly vine,
That wt his boughs did shade ye bāks
and waters passing fine,
He stayde to earth the gliding Fish
with baited hooke and line.
I was Haruest time, y• scorching beams
of scalding Phoebus rayes
Had singde the soyle, the Nightingale
had layde aside hir layes.
The ground was withred in such wyse
as neither flocke coulde féede
Theron by day, nor deawe was left
for Grassehoppers at néede,
By night to moist their crikyng chaps.
Here whylst he spent the tyde
[Page 12] About the Riuer, and this fonde
and vayne deuise applyde.
The Bull first vexed with the Waspe,
and next with curres they say,
And last by filching Souldiers meane
was quite conuayde away,
Not to be found in field. Which when
the Boy had vnderstoode,
He gat hym to a Mountayne by
and cried out a good
For Bull vnhaply lost of late,
and all the countrey sought
With gréedy gazing eye. But when
he sawe it booted nought
And that his payne could not preuaile:
his bended Bowe he tooke,
And painted Quiuer full of shafts
and for his beast gan looke
Through woods wher was no haunted path,
through euery flock & fold,
Through pastures eke to sée where he
his Bullocke might behold.
About Benacus bankes he went,
and Mountes with Oliue trée
Beset, and places where both Figge
and Vine was gréene to see.
[Page] At length a haughtie hill he hent,
where did a Chappell stande
Of Sulphur, and from thence he cast
his eies about the lande,
And ouer viewde Benacus bounds,
and all the countrey rounde,
To sée where in that coast there were
his Bullock to be founde.
It was Sainct Peters day by course
and custome of the yere,
The youth of euery village by,
at after noone was there:
And vnderneath a gréenysh Elme
that shadowed all the soyle,
At sounde of pleasant countrey pipe
they dauncde, and kept a royle,
Faustus
The country Cloines can not be tan [...]de
by any kinde of arte,
Vnquiet they delight in sweate:
when Priest hath done his parte,
And mornyng Prayers ended are,
the Holy day (when all
Should ceasse from toyle) impaciēt they
of rest and hunger, fall
To fillyng of their gréedy mawes
and tossyng of the cup:
[Page 13] And hye to daunce, as soone as mynstreil
gyns to pype it vp:
They treade it tricksie vnder trée,
one skippes as he were mad,
An other iumpes as twere an Oxe
vnto the Aultar lad.
The sacred soyle (that synne it were
to turne with toyling share,
And cut with crooked culter) they
can not endure to spare:
But friske theron like frātike fooles
vnwieldy wights (God wot)
With leaden legs and heauy héeles
about the Churchyarde trot.
And all the day do crie and laugh,
and lay their lips to pot.
Fortuna.
Thou dolt, why dost thou chat of this?
thy selfe a rustike borne:
The maners of the countrey Cloines,
and rustike route doest scorne.
Thou dost thy self cōdemne withall,
thou art thy proper foe.
Faustus.
Tushe of Amyntas let vs chat,
let all these matters go.
I spake it but in sporte (my friende)
I trust you take it so.
[Page] He stayde, and leaning gaynst his staffe
ymade of Acer tree,
Did stint from trauaile till the heate
might somwhat swaged bée.
O most vnhappy haplesse youth,
in shade a greater flash
Will seaze thy corps: shut vp thine eyes
least whilst Diana wash
Hir louely limmes in siluer streame
thou naked hir espie:
Or lende a listning eare vnto
the Syrens when they crie.
Thy lucke with Narcisce heauy lore,
may well compared bée:
For whilst in Well he sought to slake
his thirst, the more was hée
(Vnlucky lad) with drought attachde:
so whilst thou doest deuise
This outward heate to flée, an inwarde
flame doth thée surprise.
How much had better bene (I pray)
and happier for thée,
(Vnlesse the fatall Gods would had
thy destnie so to bée)
To thy remainder flocke in fielde
to haue returned backe,
[Page 14] And kepte thy Kye, and let alone
the Bull that was a lacke:
And taken in good part the losse
of that one beast alone,
Than thus, in séeking nought to finde
thy self to haue forgone.
Faustus.
Oh Friende, who is not wise become
when things are at the wurst?
Tis naught to giue aduise in fine
that should bene had at furst.
Fortunatꝰ.
The counsell that comes after all
thyngs are dispatcht at last,
Is like a showre of rayne that falls
when sowing time is past.
Among the rest of all the route
a passing proper Lasse,
A white haird trull of twenty yeares
or néere aboute there was:
In stature passyng all the rest,
a gallant Girle for hewe:
To be cōpard with Townish Nimphs
so faire she was to viewe.
Hir forhead cloth with gold was purlde
a little here and theare:
With copper claspe about hir necke
a kerchiefe did she weare.
[Page] That reached to hir breast and paps:
the Wench about hir wast,
A gallant gaudy ribande had
that girte hir body fast.
In Peticote of countrey stuffe
Mockadoe like, she goes:
I was plaited braue, y• length was such
it hoong nie to hir toes.
As soone as hir the youth had spide,
he perisht by and by:
By sight he sucked in the flame,
and meane of wanton eye:
He swallowde vp the blinding fyre,
and in his belly plast
The coles that neither waues could quēch
nor rainie imber wast,
No not inchātmēts, witches words,
it cloong so close and fast.
Forgetful he of former flocke,
and damage done with waues,
Was all imaged with this flash,
at night he nought but raues.
The season that for quiet sléepe
by nature poynted was,
In bitter plaintes and cruell cries,
this burning Boy did passe.
[Page 15] I sundry times for pities sake
his growing flame to stay,
And stop the frantike furie, would
to hym full often say:
O lamentable lad, what God
hath forcde thée thus to fare?
But sure it was no worke of Gods
that bred this bitter care.
Nay rather twas the cruelst impe,
and spitefulst fiende of hell,
Of those with Lucifer that from
the skies to dungeon fell,
That nine dayes space were tumbling downe:
I pray thée make me show
And call to mynde where euer yet
thou any man dydst know
By foolish loue aduauncde to wealth,
or any office borne:
Or raisde by meanes therof his house,
or stufft his barnes with corne?
Dydst euer any knowe that hath
therby enlargde his bounds:
Increaste his flocke, or for his hierd,
ygotten fruitful grounds?
Among so many countreys tell
me, if thou heardst of one,
[Page] At any tyme through all the earth
I thinke was neuer none.
There are that to their bloudy boordes
our crushed bodies beare,
And butcherlike (with gréedy téeth)
our rented corses teare.
There are, I say, whom spit full fiends
vnto suche practise dryue:
Yet is there no such kynde of men
so cruell here alyue:
No countrey is so barbarous,
is none so sauage seckte,
As doth not hate the womans loue
and fansies fonde reiecte.
Thence brawles ar bred, thēce chidings come,
thence broiling warre & strife
Yea often eke with sheading bloud
the cruell losse of life.
By meanes therof are Cities sackt,
and Bulwarks beate to grounde:
Moreouer Lawes and sacred Bookes
in yron chaines ybounde,
Forbid and giue vs charge to flée
in any case this Loue:
With words expresly Cupide they
and all his toyes disproue.
[Page 16] Amyntas had no sooner heard
the name of Lawes rehearst,
But aunswered (for in Citie he
a Boy was fostred earst)
Thou goest about to farre surmount
by giuing this aduise
The Catos both, and to be thought
both circumspect and wise.
This errour and this madnesse beares
eche where a cruell swaye:
Man flattreth with him self, and would
be counted crafty, aye
A creature able to forsee:
yet many a snare and gin
And ditche that he him selfe hath delu'de
the Miser falleth in.
He first was frée, but to his necke
him selfe did frame the yoke:
In seruile chaine him selfe he bounde,
and bands of fréedome broke.
So weightie are those Lawes (my selfe
haue séene the Bookes ere this)
As neither predecessours, nor
our selues can kepe ywis:
Nor aftercommers shall obserue
the meanyng of the same.
[Page] Behold the foolish wit of man,
that thinkes such feate to frame,
As to the heauens to aspire:
and hopes at length to get
Among the glistryng starres aloft
a stately roome and seate.
Perhaps when life is lost, he shall
into a foule conuarte:
And then his feathred soule with wyngs
to welkin shall departe.
And then (quod I) what brawle is this?
since God dyd so deuise
The lawes, twere fowle offence for mā
his statutes to despise.
Faustus.
These are debates of great affaires
and weighty things in déede.
Faustꝰ.
Wott'st thou what kind of mā I was?
though ragged be my wéede,
And I a rustike now to sée:
then both in force and mynde
And lookes, I was a roysting lad.
Thou shouldst not lightly fynde
A shepeheard to be matchte with me.
Faustus.
And yet if bolte vpright
Thou stalke with countnance cast aloft
thou wilt appeare in sight,
[Page 17] A second Marius to be:
let Barbar shaue thy face
With razer, and in countenance thou
wilt matche with Carbos grace.
Fortunatꝰ.
Amyntas would like aunswer make
when I his follie blamde:
But to procéede: when God had man
in perfect figure framde,
He did repine therat and thought
the pleasures he allowde
Too passing were: and did restrayne
our lust with law, and bowde
Our Rebell minds with new decrées:
as Horsemen vse to tie
Theyr iades with brakes about ye iawes
for feare they goe awrie.
Herein Loue maks me shew my minde,
and fansie fréely tell:
Who so debarres his wife to goe
in common doth not well,
But enuious may accompted be.
But yet this spitefull hate
The cloake of honest custome doth
in some respect abate.
For whilst ech man vnto him self
(not forcing common good)
[Page] Reseru'd his priuate ioyes, and to
his marriage bargain stood.
A common custome is incrochte
that Honestie is hight,
Good fayth to make such pieuish lawes
twas mad and foolish spight.
A hatefull thing is Loue (God wotte)
and pleasure spitefull eke.
Then I no longer daring to
the Youth athwarte to speake,
Shooke of the raging wanton Boy
that séemde berefte of sense:
And on my former voyage I
eftsone departed thence.
Faustus.
Séest how this vile Affection fonde
our inwarde eyes of mynd
Shutts vp in such despiteous sorte,
and makes vs men so blinde,
As headlong we to errors runns
and to deceiptfull snare:
Till tyme we bée in wilfull trappe
and nipt with cutting care?
Fortunatꝰ.
Oh, dost thou sée (frend Faustus) how
the pitchy cloudes vpon
Mount Baldus to a cluster goe,
and ioyne them selues in one?
[Page 18] It hayles, for feare our cattell bée
dispersed, let's bée gone.
¶The .iij. Egloge entituled FAVSTVS.
The Argument.
THe Tylmans wearye toyle
and troublous life he splayes:
And laste Amyntas cruell foyle
by franticke Loue bewrayes.
The speakers names.
- Faustus.
- Fortunatus.
Faustus
THe hayle (my friend) from Baldus mount
that yesterdaye did fall
(We thank the Gods, y• saue our corn)
anoyde vs nought at all.
But Harculus reported hath
and bruted here a fame:
That in the coast was much a doe
from whence he lately came.
Verona fieldes were pestred sore,
the cattell with the folde:
[Page] The Shepecots & the Barnes the haile
(as he half wéeping tolde)
Hath ouerwhelmde & layd on ground,
and in such sorte defast:
As all good hope that husbands had
is quite berefte and past.
For Cattle is the onely wealth
that Country men enioy,
And Pasture ground that subiect is
to this and like anoy.
The Citizens haue heaped hoords
and coffers full of pence:
That safely vnder locke do lurke
and néede no other fence.
No hayle can hurt, no force of frost
theyr coffred coyne can marre:
No crusshing yse, nor stormy cloudes
that in the Welkin warre.
I wote not who doth rule the winds,
and beares the swinging swaye
Among the fell tempestuous Skyes:
I wote not what to saye.
I know not, no nor though I did,
that knowledge would suffise:
I dare to speak. But what? shall I
for such an enterprise
[Page 19] Be here aliue tormented thus?
if Gods (as men reporte)
The Skies do gouerne from aboue
and rule in such a sorte:
I thinke they force not on the paynes
and troublous toyles of man.
Sée how with dayly sweate of brow
we get as wel's we can
A slender liuing (God he knowes)
behold what cruell paynes
The sielly Shepherd for his flocke,
his babes and spouse sustaynes.
With too much heate in Sōmer cloyde,
in Winter nipte with colde:
The Raynie dayes vpon the ground
we sléepe in Shepecots olde.
And eyther thousand mischiefs of
the soyle our cattell spill:
Or Cooth, and dayly vile disease
and thousand daungers kill.
The filtching Théefe doth watch y• fold,
the Woulfe doth lye in wayte:
The Souldier eke that far excels
the Woulfe for such deceyte.
Yea though with dayly trade and toyle
our hands well hardened be,
[Page] And full of knobby hils our fistes,
though visage swart to sée,
Though staring bée the beard to view
and shryu'led eke the skyn:
One showre of hayl with sodayn whis [...]
makes all not worth a pyn.
And this by Gods themselues is done,
to whom we Shepheards wée
Do crouche at sacred Altar stone
with twyfold bended knée,
and offer holly candles vp.
I wote not what this Pietie
and Clemency doth meane,
That stelly vs poore Sepheards spoyles
of all our substance cleane,
And wraps vs in a thousand ylls
that thincke no hurt at all.
Faustus.
Oh (Fortunatus) our offence
procures these plages to fall.
And light vpon our hatefull heads
that well deserue the same:
The iudgement of our God is iust,
he not deserueth blame.
Fortuna.
What heynous fact of ours I pray?
did wée his death conspire?
Faustus.
[Page 20]For brawles, thefte, anger, baudy life,
and lies we haue this hyre.
Fortunatꝰ.
What haue the good deserued then?
all are not ill alyke:
Yet all at once with egall scourge
the hatefull Hag doth stryke.
Faustus.
Oh vyle offence, so euill to thincke
of God is heynous cryme:
Wherfore omitting néedlesse things
not to be knowen, in tyme,
Amyntas troubles let's repeate
and cares endurde of olde,
Which wée of force by triall know,
let them I say be tolde
Afreshe. For Loue a practise is
full common now a dayes:
A dayly trade which ouertmuch
the tender youth assayes.
Fortunatus.
Friend, (mourning, & such like affects)
do ouerthrow the hart,
And plages the mynd: hée tels a wofull
tale that tasteth smarte.
Faustus.
Well may a man debate of things
as state and time require,
But not of such as hée ne knewe:
So Cosmas did aspire
[Page] To be accompted wise and graue.
Fortuna.
Thou doest (friend Faustus) well
And wisely: wherfore let's begin
well knowen Loues to tell.
Remaynes of good Amyntas rage
and latter fate to rue,
And that vnhappy chaunce of his
with bitter teares pursue.
I sawe,
Narratio.
as I by fortune pasteftsone that way agayne,
The man inradge: and taking ruth
of sielly Louers payne,
Bespake him as I earst had done.
O wilfull wight (quod I)
That with this fatall venom vyle
besotted so doest lie,
Of whom the people haue their talke
and babble euery day,
Hast thou not yet putte fansies fonde
and folish thought away?
But buried déepe in Loue dost lie?
what? wilt thou spoyle both thée
And thyne, thy Cattell and thy Coote
as earst did Sampson hée
That Gyant huge that halde the house
and roofe vpon his hed?
[Page 21] When crooked lymping age shall com [...]
and braue Iuuenta fled,
(If Fates allow thée olde to bée)
who will relieue thée than
Poore, idle, drouste, senselesse wight,
and féeble forcelesse man,
All these (vnlesse vntimely death
preuente) with Age will growe.
Go to, hast home, be ware and wise,
and whither thou dost goe
Take héede, & shunne the place where hurt
may fortune to arise:
Be ware (I say) thy future state
foresée with carefull eyes.
Discerne the path thou mindst to pace,
and fixe thou fast in minde
That man in womans pleasures and
delights is not assinde
To wast away his youthfull Prime.
For why the foolish toy
And wicked lust of wanton Loue
doth tender age annoy.
Euen I that Cattell haue good store
and milke and chéese ynow,
Lyue hardly, and do weare away
the world with sweate of brow
[Page] And much adoe God wote. For why
our fields did fayle of late,
Such néede doth raygne in euery plae
we are at beggars state.
So many heauy happes we haue,
such mischiefs dayly light,
Such crabbed lucke as all the world
is now in piteous plight.
Giue eare to things not heard alone
or spred by bruted fame,
Nor many yeares agoe betyde,
my self haue séene the same:
And at this day do dayly viewe,
the proufe doth now appears.
As custome is, in Month of May
I earst my Shéepe did sheare,
And thréescore pounds of passing wooll
betyme to sale did sette:
But now a dayes I thought alike
like gaynes therby to gette,
And scarce could kepe my flock aliue
and Winter fodder bie,
In frost and snow the cruell wante
of pasture to supplie.
Oh Lord (Amyntas) how my folke
shall lyue I know not I.
[Page 22] Who so doth loue, vnto his Lasse
must many presents sende:
But thou whom scarce a house to dwel
would cruell Fortune lende:
Where day & night is want of wealth
and lacke of golden sée:
How canst thou shift to send thy Trull
ought that may gratefull bée?
Eare this suffisde vnto a Mayde
ten appels gay to bring,
A Garland freshe of fragrant floures,
a Neast of byrdes to syng.
I knew when in as great a price
the countrie maydes did holde
A Garland as a better gyfte:
but now from grasse to golde
They are ascended, Loue is now
become a stately thing:
The auncient custome is decayde
new lawes do dayly spring
As touching trade of gréedy Loue,
they gape for greater gayne.
With angry brow and lowring looke
repleate with foule disdayne
To me perswading thus bespake
Amyntas. Friend (quod hée)
[Page] Friend Fortunatus, if thou long
to purchase ease to mée
And wisshed comfort to reduce,
allow me that I Loue:
That onely thing my crankred griefe
and gripings may remoue.
The rest thou babblest torments are,
this furie wil not stinte
Nor rooted be from out my heart.
Within my breast the printe
And Image of the Virgin sits.
With me shée soiournes aye:
With me shée goes & makes retourne,
when I retourne by daye.
At night with me shée lodgeth eke
and sléepes in self same bed.
She hath so seazde vpon my bones,
my marrow, heart, and hed,
As neuer may she well departe
till lyfe these lymmes hath fled.
And as, what tyme a tender slippe
cutte from a forraine trée
Is grafte into another stocke
their natures ioyned bée,
And so by growth become as one:
euen so the Virgins grace
[Page 23] And Image of hir comely looke
and Idol of hir face
Was planted déepe within my brest,
our harts became as one,
Both one our mynds, the difference
twixt hir and me was none.
One sense, one soule did serue vs both
our lymmes so lincked were.
Oh happy I, if when my corse
shall deade be plac'd on Bere,
And fatall Sisters shrid my twist
and finger close myne eye,
I might twixt those hir lilly armes
and pappes in bosome lye:
With heauy hed when soule were past
and liuely line ycutte,
That she these dying eyes of mine
mougth with hir finger shutte.
And might with shrill and doleful voyce
bewéepe my heauy fate:
And poure hir christall teares adowne
for losse of louing mate.
Wher to the blessed Fields that are
alloted to the good
I after life do passe: or forcde
downe to the Stygian flood
[Page] And fiery streame of Phlegeton
those freatting fitts abyde:
Mée neyther payne withouten thée
nor pleasure shall betyde.
O Dryads, and yea sacred Nimphs
of floures that haue the care,
O Sire Syluanus that doest rule
where pleasant arbours are:
I pray you garde amyd your mounts,
and shady vales belowe
The swéete and smellyng floures that
within your circuits growe,
(The beautie of the Country fields
and queachy Groues we haue)
Do hedge your boūds frō féeding flocks
the floury soyle to saue.
Reserue (I pray you) them tyll néede
to decke the Herse withall
Of my swéete wench whē she by stroke
of dreadfull death shall fall.
Then, then let all y• ground be strowde,
let garlands then be plide:
At tyme of death aud buriall of
my Loue hir Herse to hide.
Pierides the pensiue Nimphes
at hand shall then be preste,
[Page 24] With wéeping eyes lamenting of
the Graue so gayly dreste.
And shall insculpe these wofull words
vpon the Marble stone,
Of after comers to be read
when we are past and gone.
Here buryed lyes a Laste
that wanted nought at all
Saue that she cruell was,
a sacred Saynt to call.
Oh Virgin if so great a fire
did burn within thy bones
By thousand Scyllas and as many
Charybds I at ones
Would swym to thée to bréed thy ease:
thou feller than a snake
Dost flée thy friend. But what néede I
so much adoe to make?
And blame y• wight? she knows me not.
No doubt if so the mayde
Had vnderstanding what I were,
she would procure myne ayde.
There can not be a brasen breast
where doth such feature flow:
But yet we muste not ouermuch
beléeue the flattring brow.
Faustus.
[Page]For often vnder smothest skin
doth lurke a cankred minde:
And vnder friendly forhead is
a hatefull heart to finde.
I will goe talke and let hir witte
of this my hidden fire.
But oh, if she should wrie hir lookes,
and barre me my desire:
To tears my Christal eyes would soone
conuert as you should sée,
My wofull breast to sobbyng sighes
transformed straight would bée.
And though she hate me (cruell) aye
and flée hir friend apace:
Yet me this wasting care will still
pursue in euery place.
Fare well ye Phisicke artes, for I
am not to be recurde:
Adiew ye eke to fetche from Hell
the soules that are invrde
With Magicke verse & Witches call,
(vngodly thing to léeue)
Farewell ye all that vaynely hope
with bootelesse wordꝭ ye géeue,
The stéelie mindes of Gods to wrest:
for now I sée the Skyes
[Page 25] Are cruell foes of mine and will
not bende for all my cries.
Impacient furie drawes me on,
it doth me good alone
To range the hills, and wāder through
the woods and caues vnknowne
The doutful dens of dredful Beasts.
Him speaking thus I thought
And went about with friendly words
to wrest, but all for nought.
The curelesse woūd by no means cā
to perfect state be brought
He myd the silent Night amids
the fields would rangle aye:
In bushy Launds with waking eyes
he walkt at créeke of day.
The Wilding was his onely foode,
the Crab he vsde to crash:
And with a draught of water he
his thirstie iawes did wash
And was therwith right well content.
At length vnhappie Lad
When he his many wofull cryes
and schritches yelled had,
When tearelesse woxe his wasted eyes
and drie for want of wette,
[Page] When he with oft reboundyng sobbes
his bulke had all to bette:
Came gentle Death, and quiet brought
to his vnquiet stay.
The Carcas dead and brethlesse Corps
that there vnterred lay
Withouten honor of the graue
the Sauage beasts by night,
And gréedy tyring filthy Foules
by day deuoured quight.
Faustus.
Oh murreyn vile and fatall ginne,
that with thy venomde darts
The bulks of men doest pierce, & poysned
shafts our mortall harts,
And makst vs brutish séeme to sight,
no bet than sauage are.
What cuppe of Circes, or Calipso
might with this compare?
What drench might Stix, or Phlegetō,
or Furies worsse deuise?
O doltes that Loue accompt a God,
O blynde and bleared eyes.
Is God a Nature hurtfull? No.
Where euer he doth wonne,
He ruthfull is to man, and doth
no yll, of dexter doome.
Fortunatus.
[Page 26]Oh Wofull wretched Boy that in
thy tender yeares didst die:
What time y• thou wert born what starres
bare sway in swinging Skie?
What part of welkin wrought thy wo?
that didst deserue no yll?
What curssed corner of the Heauens
did thée vntimely kill?
Yet was not all the Heauen thy foe,
thou couldst as well as wée
With Oaten quill and pleasant pipe
make ioily game and glée.
Had not this ouer hasty death
thy life so soone opprest,
Thou hadst deseru'de Pernassus crowne
and Laurell with the best.
No better Tytirus (belou'de
of his Alexis) roong
Of cruell fight, of dreadfull warre,
and of his tillage soong
Than thou: for why thy timely ripe
capacitie was knowne
To vs, it did presage what fruite
in time thou wouldst haue sowne.
No vulgar triall of thy skill,
and towarde witte was séene:
[Page] It well declarde if thou hadst liude
what thou wouldst after bene.
Now moughtst thou ben accōpted thou
the glory and the praise
Of all our soyle, not such a one
did liue in these our dayes.
Thée Padus, and with wéeping browes
our Myncius did lament,
Yea Nimphs thēselues: as Hebrus earst
for Orpheus was bedrent
With trickling showrs of falling tears.
The maister shepheards all
Did rue thy death as Daphnis earst
was pitieo for his fall.
Thée all the Champion fields aboute,
both hill and vale doe crie:
And all the Pasture grounds did lift
their clamours to the skie.
O Shepheardes with swéete smellyng floures
bestrow his bitter graue:
The song of Priest and fuming Cense,
(Oh, yearely) let him haue.
Ye Poets eke eternall rest
wish to his graued Ghost.
Faustus
But what? (Amyntas) thou doest lodge
in farre a better coast
[Page 27] Than wée, in Fields for happy soules
allotted thou doest wonne:
And we below in Earth bewaile
thy Clipse of life begonne.
Fortunatꝰ
I knew we should lament to day,
for yesternight I sawe
Such cruell sights amid my sléepe,
as bred my present awe.
But now you sée the night is come,
descending of the Sunne
In Cloude declares y• showrs at hād,
wherfore tis time to runne
To fold our flock. And Faustus thus
my wofull Tale is done.
¶The .iiij. Egloge entituled ALPHVS.
The Argument.
HEre Ianus shews the Goate was lost,
he telles the curssed Fate
And doth bewray the Bedlam Boyes
vnhappy frantike state.
[Page] And by the way good Alphus he
to quite his fellowes payne:
The kinde of woman doth depaint
and makes their maners playne.
Let neuer honest Lucrece lowre,
let no good Grisell grutch:
For neither Alphus here, nor I
the modest matrone toutch.
We nippe the cruell cankred crue
with beautie that allure,
And hauing thralde the miser, seeke
no salue his sore to cure:
But take delight with scornefull chere
and face of foule disdaine
Like Vipers vile to sowe the seedes
of our fast springing payne.
Those, those ar thei that Mātuā means
those Alphus doth declare:
And I (the Poet to explane)
those Dames no whit will spare.
The speakers names.
- Alphus.
- Ianus.
Alphus.
MOre leane (Oh Ianus) séemes thy Goate
than ere he was of yore:
[Page 28] For lusty he his hornes ere this
into the Welkin bore.
But grouelyng now on ground he lies
with lyther lolling eares,
He smelles to grasse, to touch the herbs
at length of lips he feares.
Ianus.
He droupes, and of his drouping doth
a pleasant iest arise:
Which loke how oft I mind, doth make
me laugh with smyling eyes.
As yet it is not spread abroade,
but when the brute is blowne,
And that through euery countrey is
this pleasant story knowne:
Then all y• world wil laugh therat
Alphus.
(O Ianus) thou ere this
Werte wont to tell a mery iest
in merriest wise ywis,
And with a swéete delighting voyce:
Wherfore I pray thée now
Declare me why the Goat doth droupe,
and tell how fell it how?
Ianus.
God is my iudge twas neuer faynde
of me, but done in dede,
And lately too: But shall I tell
the tale withouten méede?
[Page] And chatte for nought & wast'my wind?
Nay, what wilt giue to mée?
What shall I haue for telling of
this iest beglarde with glée?
Alphus.
O friende, when so the Nightingale
(that Philomela hight)
Hath built hir nest, and sitts a broode
I will thy trauaile quight.
Ianus.
Who so doth make such rash behests
by dayly proufe we sée
Performes not pacted promise, but
his touch is wont to flée.
Alphus.
Nay, who so lends such light beliefe
distrust doth beare in breast.
But for you shall be sure that I
nill play the guilefull guest,
Take here a pledge of promise made
and bargaine earst by mée:
Take here (I say) from out my case
two Flights that farre will flée.
Ianus.
I will begyn: O sacred Nimphs
Parnasides I pray
Do moue your iawes, & guide my tong
that I may well display
My welbeloued Goates mishap
and misaduenture fell:
[Page 29] And graūt that Alphus Nightingale
may hatche hir yonglings well
That I may haue that he behight
for this good tale I tell.
With pennie I a Lad did hire
my little flocke to kéepe:
Narrati [...]
I g [...]ue him charge and ouersight
of all my fléezie shéepe.
He kepte both Kids and females eke,
and Ramme goates too with care:
And ouerlook'd my flocke that I
the Stripling could not spare.
Till time at last by Fortune he
a pretty Mayden sawe,
(That hither came of purpose bent
at water place to drawe
Such water as suffisde hir tourne)
and liked hir so well
As he (good Boy) by feature of
hir face to fansie fell.
And from that tyme and dolefull day
so dumpish he became,
As lesse regarde he had of shéepe,
(the greater was his shame)
Lesse forced he since that the foldes
and quight berest of witte
[Page] He séemde: So déepe within his brest
the Virgins shape did sitte.
When hée on bed to quiet nap
his weary limmes did lay:
Where sléeping he or waking were
twas very harde to say.
For when he was wide waking he
such frantike coyle would kéepe,
As though (his reason quite bereft)
his wittes were gone to sléepe.
So dreamyng was this Boy to sight,
so lumpishe wore the Lad:
In sort, that gazers on surmisde
that he no senses had.
This Boy bent to refresh (I say)
his ouertyred mynde
With sportyng play, about the hornes
with twig this Goate did bynde
Among the thickest of the briers
and bushy Laundes belowe:
And so to passe away the time
away the Boy dyd goe.
(And now .iiij. days are past and gone)
thus hée the Goate did tie:
The strongnesse of the Wyth & hardnesse
of the Hornes to trie.
[Page 30] Meanewhile the woods he went about
and raungde the bushes rounde,
To sée where that within the place
mought any birds be founde.
The Mayde resorted to his thought
and vndercrept his heart:
The comely countnance of the Trull
coulde neuer thence depart,
Nor beautie of hir bourly breast
his musyng mynde forgoe,
The parts not to be namde he rollde
within his bulke belowe.
Meanewhile the Sunne had lodgde his light,
that stelly sotted Mome
Vnmyndfull of his hamperde beast
afielde, came late to home.
Amid the night he callde to minde
that foolishe fact of his:
And thinking to go loose the Goate
in all the hast he rise.
And whilst with fearefull foote he pac [...]de
through Dampes as darke as Hell,
Where lay much chaffe & rotten straw,
into a Dyke he fell:
A place of purpose made to take
the sauage Beasts by night,
[Page] A hollow vault and dungeon déepe
to stéepe for any wight
Once beyng in to clamber vp.
Thus was the Goate by him
Fast boūd with twigs, the Page in pit
ycaught and dungeon dim.
No Shepheard kept the beasts as then,
twas well néere thrée a clocke:
I musde, and went my selfe about
and numbred all the flocke.
I missd the Goate, and maruelde much
what of the heast became,
I sought about the flelds: at last
I calde the Boy by name.
(I tell but truth) I stode in feare
least he by Magike meane
And Sorcerie had ben raisde to Skies,
and Goate dispatched cleane.
For Hags and Witches by report
are caught amids the night
Much like, and far to Banquets borne
quite out of cry and sight.
This dreading, I to Pasture grounde
did bring my shéepe at last
To féede their fills, and whilst that I
did wander all agast
[Page 31] In irkesome shades and vgglie nookes,
and entred in the Groue:
I hearde a farre the braying of
my Goate, and how he stroue
With punching hornes & pushyng pate
against the Wyth a good
I plainly sawe, and how he bette
the Bushe gainst which he stoode.
This gastfull thing affrighted me,
and monstrous sight to viewe
Vnlooked for. But when at length
my sielly Beast I knew
And bolder woxe, I went me in
among the brakes in hast:
With hooke I hewde the brēbles downe
and bushy briers at last.
As late in euening home I hide,
all rounde about the fielde
A girnyng route of grinning folkes
by fortune I behelde.
Approching néerer to the preasse
mée eche began to gréete
As soone's they knew what man I was,
and friendly did entreate.
Lo here (quod they) O Ianus is
a little Lad of thine
[Page] Tane vp a Woulfe his denne of late
a déepe and daungerous Myne.
He wandring late about the Dounes
did happen (to his payne)
Vpon this caue, but now both Goate
and he be founde agayne.
The Goate that had this cruell hap
as yet vnlusty is:
But yet the foolish Boy of both
most frantike is ywis.
The Virgin hearyng that the Lad
did loue hir passyng well:
Eftsoone as proude as Pecocke woxe
and with disdayne did swell.
And makyng wise she had not wiste
the cares he did indure,
Pretended honest lyfe the more
the striplyng to allure.
And to increase hir beautie more
she deckes both face and breast
In finest wise, and in hir gate
hir lookes to ground she keast.
Thus Foxelike she with simple shewe
and séemyng to the eyes,
In double breast and subtill heart
hir craftie meaning plyes.
[Page 32] These are the tricks that women vse,
this is the sleightfull ginne:
These are the cruell weapons that
the myndes of men do winne.
Thus hoping he his Gallant girle
to conquere at the last,
His wages scornde, and plide his loue,
and follows hir in hast.
Wherfore now leauing Cart & plough
and Oxen all alone,
To Shepheards toyle I will retourne.
Frayle youth (the more the mone)
Is vassall to this furie fell
and to this folly thrall:
It wanders rounde about this coast,
and ouerturneth all.
Alphus.
Lo, sée what Witte can not deuise
by Fortune comes to thought:
O wondrous chaunce, O happy happe
that this to mynde hath brought.
O famous iest for two months space
well able glée to make:
Good faith for thée the Nightingale
now sitts a broode in brake.
But that which thou of subtill sleight
of crafty Lasse did syng,
[Page] What Vmber earst of womans guile
hath wrote, to mynde doth bring.
Ianus.
O tell vs Vmbers merry Verss,
if thou hast ought in store
Nowe out withall: they say he wrote
a stately style of yore.
Alphus.
Tis as thou tellst, but for my tale
what recompence remaines?
What thāks shal I? what guerdon haue
for vndertaken paines?
Ianus.
Go to, Ill stande to bargayne made
kepe thou those dartes of myne.
Alphus.
O Ianus, whilst I goe behynde
that yonder sedge, repine
Not thou to driue along my flocke
but force them onwarde still,
For feare leaft in my absence they
the neighbour Vine do spill.
Ianus.
O Ramme I say, that for thy hornes
the Diuell doest represent,
To enter in the Vine thou aye
with cankred mynde arte bent.
Thou neuer wilt be ware and wise,
tyll from thy forhead I
With cruell yron for the nones
doe reaue thée eyther eye:
[Page 33] And make thē leaue that pieuish pate
and horned head of thine:
Will not a hundred Acres serue
but thou must to the vine?
Alphus.
Oh, now at my retourne I haue
reuokte to minde somewhat
Of those self things we mētiond earst,
of all I can not chat.
But Vmber wyst of erie thing,
that man by wysdome knowes:
The Skie, ye Stars, ye ground, ye winds,
the Sea, the flouds that flowes.
The Foūtayns eke & spouting springs,
at Rhodop he hath bene:
Epyrps fiery mountaynes he
and Ossa earst hath sene.
The soyle of Fraunce, and Araris,
both Rhodan, Tyber, Pade:
And out of curious Gréeke he hath
his Latin myter mate.
A worthy wight for eyther speach,
and skilde in eyther tong,
As wel's the best that euer yet
hath: Latin verses song.
Him specially the lerned Gréekes
repined sore to sée
our Countreyman to béew.
His doctrine and his trade of life
good Candid followed aye
That dwels hereby, he skilfull is
he shall declare the waye
And ready path to vs: meanewhile
let Shephierles vs assay
With ioylie blast of puffing breath
on Oten Pipe to play.
But first of all I pray the Nimphs
here pre [...]t bein place:
But chiefe [...], for they say
she hath the [...] grace.
These W [...]n are a seruile secte,
Narratio
curst, cruell, [...] with pride:
Reiecting lawes, refusing meane,
from reason wandring wide.
They frorm the boundes of better life,
extremes are best in price:
What they attempt is rashly done
and quite without aduice.
A Woman eyther not prouoke
like Leade full l [...]pish [...]
Or being once [...] vp, too fa [...]
about hir thing [...] she hies.
[Page 34] Aye Winterlike, a frowning cheare
and frostie face she beares:
Euen as the Dogge with cruel starre
the singed soile that seares.
She neuer kéepes the golden meane:
for eyther passing well
She loues thée, or with mortall hate
pursues thy ghost to Hell.
If graue she couet for to séeme,
too grimme becoms hir grace:
She powteth then and fiercely frownes.
But if with friendly face
She long to looke, hir grauitie
is banisht out of place,
Those lookes demure and Matrone like
leude laughter hath in chace.
Straight Giglot like she waxeth light,
she grins with childish cheare:
In smyling brow a Whorish mirth
doth shiningly appeare.
She sobs, she laughs, right wise she is
as franticke as a Hare:
Opprest wt trēbling feare she quakes
and yet too much doth dare.
She will, she will not, euer so
hir thoughtes contrary are.
[Page] Vnconstant, light, vayne, chatting, and
a double tong doth beare,
Presūptuous, threatfull, thirsting blood,
disdaynfull erye wheare.
Vile, gréedy, catching, quareling aye
and strouting full of hate:
Of light beliefe, and bent to lies,
impatient of hir state.
A costely charge, to quaffing gyuen,
rashe, bitter, iesting, lighte,
Ambitious, Soceresse, brothell baude,
with supersticion fright,
Too laasie, gréedy gutted, and
to Lechers lust inclynde:
Sweet mowthde, venerious, wanton, of
too nice and dayntie kynde.
To flattry bente and paynting of
hir face with forrayne freake:
She kéepes in cankred hart hir hate
till tyme she may awreake
And be auenged of hir foe,
vnfaythfull thanklesse eake.
Malicious, hastie in reuenge,
bolde, bedlam, wrangling wight,
A rebell, stubborne, stiffe as stake.
She takes a greate delight
[Page 35] To cast in téeth hir olde good tournes:
if any hir accuse
Of guyltie crime, with Tragike voyce
hir selfe she will excuse.
She mumbles to hir self, she stirres
debate, she forceth nought
Of promise made, she friendship scorns,
and euer hath in thought
Hir priuate gayne and no mans else:
she iestes, she flatters aye
She tels thy counsell, and as she
thy secretes doth bewray
With bitter scoffe she payes thée home,
she triflyng newes doth spredde
Among the people, and doth adde
to euery tale a shredde,
And of a hillocke makes a mount.
She doth dissemble sore,
She makes in wise, and beares in hand
and learned hath of yore
Vntruthes and leasings to deuise,
to craft she wants no art:
She wots well how to euery chaunce
hir countnance to conuart.
Man can not well auoyde hir guile,
nor shunne hir foxely drifts:
[Page] So many are hir mischeous crafts,
so sundry are hir shifts,
And subtile sleights hir craft to cloake.
Yea and put case that thou
With present eye beholde hir feates,
yet she with shamelesse brow
Will dare excuse committed crimes:
by cloaking craft she can
And double dealing of the minde
delude the Sense of Man.
We wotte not how to credit ought
that hir reporte doth blow:
And yet if she would haue vs thinke
that all she sayes is so,
We can not but beléeue the same,
she driues vs to affie:
Hereto examples may persuade.
What curssed crime to trie
Hath not a Woman had the heart
and ventrous hand of yore?
Tarpeia to hir countrey foes,
(that mortall hatred bore
To Romaine state) the Capitoll
did yéelde, in hope to haue
The Iewels that about the wrests
of Souldiers glistred braue.
[Page 36] Medea with hir babes bloud
imbrued hir beastly handes,
Faire Helen thousand Barges brought
vnto Aegean sandes.
For Minos loue (hir fathers foe)
whome Scylla did pursue,
She rest the Princes Purple locke,
and from hir countrey flewe.
Hir Brother beastly Byblis lou'd,
with Father Myrrha lay:
Semyramis that aged Quéene
of Babylon (they say)
Hir sonne King Ninus out of kinde
did fansie (fleshly Dame:)
Eriphile at siege of Thebes
(to hir eternall shame)
For golden Owch betrayde hir Spouse
Amphiaraus hight:
King Danaus daughters did to death
their husbandes in a night.
The Thracian Wiues wt cruell clūbes
the Poet Orpheus rent:
Pasiphae that wanton Wench
(to worke hir fowle intent)
In Mynos absence closde in Cowe,
was couerde of a Bull:
[Page] Hippolit Phaedria went about
from honest life to pull.
Rebecca Isaac did deceiue,
and blearde his aged eyes:
And hid the sonne that Iacob hight
in Goates long hairy flyse.
The curssed Deianira gaue
vnto hir manly féere
The fatall venome, he (good man)
did bye the shirt to déere.
Hippodame beguylde hir sire,
and stopt his vitall breath
By matche with Pelops, and procurde
therby his hasty death.
Lauynia wrought the Troians woe,
and bredde a broyle in fielde:
Hir Turnus would haue had to wife,
Aeneas would not yéelde.
Achilles chieftaine of the Gréekes
from battaile Brysis draue:
Duke Agamemnon all inragde
with Chrysis beautie braue
Did freate and fume in furious wise
and felt Apollos wrath:
And curssed Eue from blessed fieldes
mankinde expelled hath.
[Page 39] Beléeue me (Shephierdes) for I sweare
by Gods that haue the care
Of Countrey soyle: If you wil haue
your Cattle well to fare,
Your Pastures fitte for féeding Flocks
and wanting all dysease,
If hooe you haue of shéepe, of peace,
of life and quiet ease:
Abandon all these foolish Girles,
let wanton Wenches goe,
Do from your shéepcots shift away
all Women lesse and moe.
Let Thestilis and Phillis walke,
beare Galathea grudge:
Force you Neera nought at all,
let fine Lycoris trudge.
Oh, make me showe what woman ere
went downe to darksome Hell,
And came frō thence, or tidings brought
from such as there do dwell?
Eurydice might haue returnde
if she had had the wit,
And come from shade to sunne againe,
to light from lothsome Pit.
Proserpine eke whome Pluto stole
and had conuayde away,
[Page] Hir wearie mother Ceres shunnde
with griefly King to stay.
But good Aeneas shapt retowre,
and Orpheus did the léeke:
Alcydes eke that Champion stout
and thrice renoumed Gréeke.
Duke Theseus and the brothers both,
of whome one quailes his foes
With fight on horssebacke, tother aye
on foote to wrestling goes.
And our Redéemer, highest GOD,
whence life and comforte flowes,
Went downe to Hell, and rose againe
as all the worlde knowes.
These (Shephierds) these are mysteries
to be obseru'd of you:
By nature Man and kinde is bent
all filthie things t'eschue.
Infamous places most delight
and fansie Womans minde.
Euen as the Seaman driuen on
the Rockes with waue and winde,
Knowes how the daungers to declare
vnto his other Mates:
So he f [...]ll well of former happes
and future chaunce debates,
[Page 38] And tells what Fortune will befal
by likelyhode at the least:
Whose wasted yeares haue planted wit
within his aged breast.
If siellie Foules the Eagle flie,
if Buckes the net do shunne,
If bleaing Lambs auoide the Woulfe,
if Diere from Dogge do runne:
Then (Shephierd) oh why dost not thou
from Womans flattrie flée:
And trudge from hir with spéedie flight
that so anoyeth thée?
As ruthfull they as Crocodile,
or beast Hyena hight.
The viler mischiefe they pretende
when to the outward sight
The deawe their chéekes wt trickling teares,
and vse their swéetest rall:
Then they conspire thy cruell death
(fell Monsters) most of all.
O Shephierd shun the Womans looke
and flie hir fléering face:
For harling nets and hurtfull ginnes
are pight in beauties place.
Repose no trust in manly force,
in prowesse or in might,
[Page] Trust not Duke Perseus glittring shield
that made yt sturdy Knight
Of fell Medusas crawling Snakes
to byde the vgly sight.
Earst many Monsters haue subdude
and gastly Giants quelde:
Huge Cities sackt, and in their handes
whole Seas and Hauens helde.
With flowing fieldes and haughty hils
that séemde to touch the Skie:
And other some haue wonne y• spurres
for noble Chiualrie.
Yet those that valiantly atchieude
and did these feates of fame
And conquerde all, a Woman hath
(the more these Princes shame)
As Captiues caught, & brought to yoke.
That Shephierd that was King,
And wore the Lions hairy spoile
and warrde with weakefull sling:
And eke his some that worthy Prince
King Salomon by name
The sacred Temple (Syon clept)
who first of all did frame:
And Sampson he whome neuer man
could deale withall in fielde,
[Page 39] All these (I say) for all their force
to Womans yoake did yéelde.
Lesse hurtes the fiery flashing flake,
lesse raggie Rockes anoy,
And lesse the Gleaue that Adam did
expell from heauenly ioy:
Lesse spoiles the spitefull stéely Speare
and dreadfull darte of Death,
That quite cuts off the line of life
and reaues the vitall breath,
Than woman doth our daylie foe:
who neuer well content
With beauties beames y• Nature gaue,
doth aye with care inuent
A thousand meanes to make it more
and fairer to the eyes.
A golden glistring Fillet to
hir forhead she applies,
With Purple hue hir paalie chéekes
she paintes and daylie dies.
By Arte hir lockes she settes in place
and deckes and dils hir pate:
By Arte she tempers all hir lookes,
by Arte she guides hir gate.
She runs before with s [...]udding skips
th [...] louing man to lure
[Page] And bring to place for follie fitte:
although she looke demure
And giue the nay, with all hir heart
she would on him bestow
His suite, she striues, but gladly would
be conquerde of the foe.
A Woman to the Northeast winde
may well compared bée,
That gathers vp the cloud and straight
doth force the same to flée
Abrode by guilefull puffe againe
and bitter windie blast:
So she allures, and then she lowres
vpon hi [...] Loue at last.
By tryall I that finde it true
do will thée to beware
(Whilst yet thou mayst) the lothsome tricks
that in these Women are.
But homely they by nature are,
by Arte they waxen braue:
By day 'tis all the worke they doe,
their dreames thereof they haue.
They pluck off haires where néede requires,
they wash, they paint & sléeke:
They cham [...]er, purle, anoint and smooth
and practise other léeke.
[Page 40] Deceyte they are from toppe to toe,
all craft and trifling toyes:
All stufft with venome rancke and vile,
that gazers on anoyes.
Of Glasse she takes hir counsell aye
for ought she puts in vre:
By viewe thereof she learues to moue
hir lippes and lookes de [...]re.
She learnes to craft by gaze of Glasse,
to smyle with flattring glose:
She wags hir hench that hangs behind
and shoulders as she goes.
What meanes that bare & naked breast
and open clyft a hie
That makes the double path be [...]wixt
the dangling Dugs to lie?
Nought else (good fayth) but for y• force
of poyson should oppresse
The Sense the more, & Stygian flame
within the heart increase.
These are the Rocks of retchlesse Age,
and Syrts that threaten wracke:
These Scyllas and Charybdes are
the cordes of Youth to cracke.
These are y• Foules that Harpeis hight
that with their fylth deftle
[Page] The chamber, parler, boord and streafe,
and makes the temple [...]vile,
Pollute the path, the Champion fields,
the Sea, the floud, the hill,
These gastly Gorgons are that earst
in Lybie land did kill,
And that with mōstrous glowing lookes
to Stones did men conuarte,
And wrested Nature from hir kinde
by cruell curssed Arte.
Thus by the way (as you haue heard)
the learned Vmbers verse
Recy [...]ed is, and we are they
that did the Ryme reherse.
Which if you déeme excessiue long,
remember that the blame
Is in she thing it selfe, the Verse
doth not deserue the same.
The Verse is not so long, as is
these Womens franticke fitte.
O noble aged famous wight
(of wha [...]e for worthy witte
The boasting Vmbria brags & vauntes,
and Tyber neighbour place
Thereto) 'twas not without desert
that Martiall Romaine race
[Page 41] Of thée accompted earst so well:
The noble Citie knewe
Thy passing wit and pleasaunt vaine.
The learned Muses rue
Both Gréekes and Latines thy decease.
I wish thy corps in graue
With ease to lie, and golden soule
in Skies his seate to haue.
¶The .v. Egloge entituled CANDIDVS.
The Argument.
SI [...]uanus seems to muse
at Poets ydle life:
Himselfe not ouer hastie yet
by gift to ease their griefe.
But Candid (Poet poore)
bewailes the present time:
Wherin the Learned loathed are,
and such as maken Rime.
Siluanus wealthie was
well storde of stuffe at home:
But carefull Candid want of goodes
enforcde abrode to rome.
[Page] But yet for all his toyle
and trauayle long sustaynde:
For all his learned vaine in Verse
no whit this Poet gaynde.
Which makes the man the more
gainst wealthie wights to warre:
For somewhat he deserude to finde
that trauaylde had so farre.
The speakers names.
- Siluanus.
- Candidus.
Siluanus.
O Candid, thou ere this
didst vse a common trade,
With vs to féede thy flocke a fielde
and Pipe in pleasaunt shade.
To chat in merry wise,
and wrestle now and than:
But now me thinkes thou art become
another kinde of man.
As though thou didst both loath
the Shephierdes and their soyle:
Thou fléest the fieldes, & scornst to sing,
a sléepie dumpish droile.
Candidus.
You that at home haue store
of goodly housholde stuffe,
[Page 42] Whose Kie haue dangling Vdders downe
and morning Milke ynouffe:
Whose flockes do fill the paile
euen to the vpper brimme,
Whose Hierds do make y• croked Cans
with whashing whay to swimme:
Whose boord [...]s with Bankets braue
and fattie Feastes do reake,
In commendation of a Verse
and praise of Poets speake.
If ought be well deuisde
you giue a chearefull crie:
And to the hearing of the same
a pleasaunt eare applie.
Vaine praise and painted wordes
in recompence you giue:
Meanewhile y• shepherd hunger sterude▪
in thirst and colde doth li [...]e.
Siluanus.
Can he not both attend
his flocke, and otherwhile
At vacant time make Verses, and
all cankred cares exile?
And wast his dayes in sport,
and leade his life at lust
As best contents his liking minde?
Candidus.
No (friend) a Shephierd must
[Page] All laysure time vnto
his Cattle well implie,
Trot out in hast, retourne in poast,
and bout his matters hie:
Kéepe off the barking Woulfe,
close vp his flocke in folde,
Buie strawe and fodder to sustaine
his Beasts from Winter colde:
For meate and drinke puruey,
no leysure time remaines.
A Verse it is a stately thing
and craues a cruell paines,
And all the braine (Siluanus) beates,
and stirring Senses straines.
Both these are weighty woorkes
and ouermuch for me:
When I haue soong I am full drie,
my lippes ypartched be,
And no man giues me drinke:
some other scoffe a good,
And say, me thinks your cloake is thin,
your haire grows through your hood:
Your hose are crackt at knée,
your bearde is bristled sore.
Now naked Trées vnuested are,
the frostie hils are hore.
[Page 43] I chaufe, I sorrow eke,
and daylie do disdaine:
The cost of néedefull cates consumes
and weares away my gaine,
Both Wooll and Cattle male.
We kéepe the females aye,
But for they fostred are with milke
we make nor chéese nor whaye,
They drie the strouting Tets.
It yrks me of my witte
(If any lodge within my Skull)
and skill a Verse to writte.
It loathes me of my life
this cruell chaunce to sée,
That none of all the shining Starres
is friendly light to me.
Thou wotist full well that I
for nought these many dayes
Haue soong, I wanted fewe good things
as then: now Youth decayes,
And limping Age is at
another kinde of stay
Which now encrocheth on apace,
it reaues our wealth away.
Then strength begins to faile,
no lucres hope remaines.
[Page] Then must we vse our gotten goodes,
and wast our coffred gaynes.
Wherfore now time requires
and bids vs looke about:
Sée how the Ant a little beast
(I put thée out of doubt)
But circumspect and wise,
in Sommer drags to Caue
And hides the Graine in hole, his life
in Winter time to saue.
And, least the Corne should sproute
and so escape his might,
The buried graine with gréedy mouth
this siellie Beast doth bite.
Siluanus.
They say there are that knowe
what Fortune shall betide
By Starres that rule at time of birth,
and they do thus decide.
The Poets they were wont
to Mercure to assigne,
And noble Péeres are vnder Ioue
whose soueraigne Scepters shine.
Them mightie Ioue allowes
the Golde and Kingly seate:
Mercurius giues those other wit,
tong, harpe and Verses feate.
[Page 44] That is thy lotted hap,
why doest thou gape for pelfe?
God doth dystribute néedefull things
as he doth sée himselfe
What is for our auaile:
wherefore accept thy share
And liue content, resigne the rest
to vs that wealthie are.
Candidus.
Thou riches hast at will,
I Verse and Poets trade:
Why crau'st thou then my Verse, & dost
anothers bowndes inuade?
Siluanus.
I reaue thée not thy Muse,
nor ought that 'Phoebus gaue:
But to thy Musicke for to lende
an eare, is all I craue.
Candidus.
Then if thou long so much
to heare my pleasaunt voice,
(Siluanus) reason is, that with
thy wealth I should reioice.
Siluanus.
He at my wealth doth ioy
that loues both me and mine:
The spitefull man hates me, and at
my welfare doth repine.
Candidus.
Yea, then as well thou mayst
in absence take delight
[Page] Ynough of this my Muse, and so
thy friendship I requite.
For Verses are the feast
and iuncket of the eare,
Chéese serues to féede the tasting iawes
in steade of better cheare.
Wherfore if thou desire
to feast thine eares with sound:
Then set my chaps a worke with cates,
for so thou standest bound
By loue, and law of God,
so pitie doth persuade.
God giues not al his giftes to one,
but in such sorte hath made
His lawes of kinde, that none
can finde suffising powre
Within him selfe to serue his tourne,
but at some néedefull howre
He standes in want of helpe
and of some forraine ayde:
And that is it that doth conioyne,
and euer yet hath stayde
In league of lasting loue
all kindes of forraine wightes:
The French, the Maure, the Italian, &
the worthy Spanish Knightes.
[Page 45] Then let vs ioyne yfeare,
and lincke at last in one
Those starres that at eche others birth
and day of being shone.
Cause Iupiter to be
my faithfull friend at néede,
And thou shalt haue Mercurius helpe
if he may stande in stéede.
Thou shalt not want his Hat,
his twigge, or Lute to play:
Alcydes knot thou shalt commaunde,
which fewe can tell the way
Or none at all to looze,
so doubtfull is the drift:
Yea whisking wings & all thy limmes
into the Skies to lift.
Siluanus.
Good faith, me thinks thou telst
a vaine and trifling tale:
Your ouermany words declare
your tong is tipt with Ale.
You count it vaine that doth
your riches wrong a whit.
But if to heare my merrie Muse
you haue so great delight:
Do ease my drousie dumpes,
and myst of carefull minde:
[Page] For Verses craue a quiet breast
and ioyfull heart by kinde.
I woxen am of late
much like the skirring Kite,
Whome cruell colde and hunger cloyes,
a slowe vnlustie wight.
All scalie is my Skinne,
my lippes are passing drie:
For lacke of licour at my néede
I am at point to die.
In stable not a Beast,
in cloase no Corne to sée:
No crosse in pouch, and wouldst y• haue
me voide of care to bée?
Such Physike doth not serue
nor sitting is to ease
Me (stellie Miser) of my griefe
and gryping fowle dysease.
Make merrie me, do cloath
my bare and naked bones,
Relieue my Age, and thou shalt sée
me making Verse atones:
I out of hand will sing
and pipe in pleasaunt wise.
A house that stored is with wealth
where trash and treasure lies,
[Page 46] Doth cruell cares exile
and banish dumpes away.
A Sellar full, Foldes stuft with flockes,
Pots full as ere they may:
A Flaggon full to brimme,
as much as it can holde,
Barne full, fatte Cattle, and a Pursse
puft vp with peysing Golde,
These make the merry minde.
Then pleasaunt 'tis to wake
The Winter nights, and with a sticke
at fiers side to make
Good sport with streking of
the Asshes furrowise:
And roast the Chestnutte that yrakt
in scalding imber lies.
And with an alie Cruse
the cruell thirst to quell,
And pleasaunt tales among a route
of spinning Trulls to tell.
For Vergil (by report)
Mecoenas bearing sway,
The Countrey, Oxen, [...]oyle and eke
the Martiall warrs did splay
Aloft in lustie tune,
and strake with stately Verse
[Page] The starry Skies, his Musike did
the haughtie Heauens pierce.
Good luck and store of wealth
allowde him fluent vaine:
Vs stellie, poore and patched soules
the Muses do disdaine.
To vs that Gruell suppe
with gréedy gaping gumme,
As leane as rakes, the God of skil,
Apollo scornes to come.
Siluanus.
O friend if hoped hap
suffising wealth allowe
To me, I will procure release
of cares that cl [...]y thée nowè.
Candidus.
Siluanus would thy will
did counteruaile thy might,
And thou wert bent as well as thou
art able me to quite
From present poore estate.
I neyther long to haue
The fluent wealth of Co [...]s, 'tis
no silken cloake I craue.
No roabe of Purple staine
or Die that came from Tyre,
Nor costly cates of mighty Kings,
nor Bankets I desire.
[Page 47] Not Aesops daintie dish
or warlike [...]Pallas shielde,
Nor battled buildings raised hie
that Romaine [...]ero helde.
(I minde it well that I
of Vmber learned this)
I craue attire and vittailes in
a thacched Coate ywis.
So that I were assurde
of that till life did blinne:
Giue me [...]Pythagors homely fare,
and Codrus garments thinne.
I often times haue had
the hap to hit on such
That offred haue to me ere this
in painted words as much,
But nought they did in deede:
my hope consistes in thee
Alone, and in none other man.
If thou once false with mée,
Quite off is cut my hope:
with Nightingall I may
Shut vp my Pipes till next retourne
of Spring, and leaue my lay,
As one withouten speach:
then wil [...]t be time to [...]
[Page] My weapon on the poast, and watch
dischargde, the dore to shutte.
Siluanus.
O Candid thou at Rome
ere this (I know) hast béene:
The sacred Senate there thou hast
and holie Fathers séene.
Where are so many States
and store of learned braynes,
There may a man enritch him soone,
there restes the Poets gaynes.
Candidus.
No sure, thou art begylde,
thou thinkst I long for pelfe:
So wéenes the Woulfe that other eate
the meate he mowthes him selfe.
And thou haste this conceyte
that other treade the way
And crosse the path that thou doest pace,
thus doest thou seeme to say.
A pittance would suffize,
I couet not to flowe:
O let me liue withouten care,
the Romaine Court I knowe.
O (Siluan) what auayles
that place so poore a Wight?
Augus [...] [...] agoe is deade,
in dampe or darksome night
[Page 48] He woons and stayes in Hell.
If Rome do ought expende.
[...]Tis trif [...]es, Rome receyues the golde,
and woords for ware doth lende.
Alas, for now alone
at Rome doth money raigne:
Dame VER [...]VE liues a weary life,
e [...]lde she bydes the paine.
Ech man doth bid vs hope
and looke for good at last:
We gnawe on Trust, [...]tis slender foode,
we were as good to fast.
Siluanus.
Display some dreadfull fielde,
pen actes of woorthie Péeres,
Write wreakefull War [...]s of wrathfull [...] Kings:
repaire to such as stéeres
And are the stay of Realmes,
and wielde the princelie Mace:
Thou shalt haue lucke to light on some
that pitie will thy case.
Candidus.
T [...]sh, sooner shall I finde
a checke or scossing taunt:
Of Poets men as much accompt
as stewes they daylie haunt.
Why then (Siluanus) doest
thou stirre my chaused witte?
Siluanus.
[Page]Such filthie wordes to speake it is
not for a Poet fitte.
Candidus.
I can none other choose
but very sooth to say:
But if thou faine wouldst haue y• truth
to be concealde, do stay
Thy tong from mouing me,
and leaue while things be well.
Siluanus.
What 'tis not one to stirre to wrath,
and good aduice to tell.
Candidus.
Of counsayle I am storde,
my budget is but bare:
How should a néedy Poet Wars
and kingly Campes declare?
That hath not once so much
good here below the Sunne,
As knife to cut his Pipe, and cause
the breath by holes to runne?
Beholde the handle of
my Whittle how it waggs
By loosenesse of the pinnes: sée howe
the edge is all in iaggs
And toothed like a sawe:
but these are slender things,
The lacke of meate and drinke is it
that me so vilely wrings.
[Page 49] Good counsell somewhat mends
the matter when it cooms:
But that aduice that fruitelesse is
our shaken Senses nooms.
It breakes the busie braine,
it weakes the wearie witte.
For Péeres small friendships to bestow
me thinks is nothing fitte:
And they do flatte refuse
great guerdens to forgoe.
Besides our Princes now a dayes
accompt of Verses so,
As Borias blast of leaues,
with wh [...]ff [...]ng force that slie:
Or Lybicke winde with stormie pusse
that on the Seas doth lie.
As frost doth force the V [...]ne
whome cruell it doth cut.
The [...]esars they their tickling ioyes
in swéete delights so put,
(Vnmindefull of their states)
and ydle life imbrace:
As Verses they will none that séeme
their vices to deface.
Thence slow the wanton Rymes,
this makes that Poets nowe
[Page] Of childish Venus chat so ofte
they wotte neare what nor how:
Of tauntes and scolding scoffe,
of beastly bellie cheare,
Of sluggish trade, infamous actes,
which too reprochfull were
And vile offence for one
that honest is to write.
But those that earst with hardy hande,
and courage stout did fight,
That vsed valiaunt armes
and dealt with deadly blade,
Not glutted with the gréedie Golde,
haue more of Poets made:
And lou [...]d the loftie Muse
and Verse of stately stile.
Those Martial Kings that foylde y• foe
with haughtie hand erewhile,
Extolde the haughtie Pen
that did their battails blase:
But straight assoone as warlike wights
and Vertue fled the place,
The Poets could not write,
Inuention fainted thoe:
The learned lost their brains, the floud
of Versing wared lowe,
[Page 50] To wracke went worthy workes.
If now a dayes of fame
Be any liuing that by warres
hath gotte a gallant name:
He forceth nought at all
of after commers praise,
Renoume of forraine land he scornes
content with present dayes,
(Quite glutted with good fame)
and laude that they allowe,
Whome he doth hourely sée with eye
and viewes with daylie browe.
A sauage man outright
he loues no learned skill,
Or else of much desired golde
can neuer haue his fill:
But drowned lies in mucke
and filthie Metals mire,
Quite crusht with cares as Mydas was
with gréedie goldes desire.
Besides with Princes are
a rude and rusticke route,
A spitefull sect: The flattring guest,
the counterfaiting Loute
Whose iestures maken glée,
the baudie merchaunt eake,
[Page] And he, that what so ere he sayes,
to please the eare doth speake.
Then he that playes on Stage,
the iangling Iester to:
Next him y• mate that hunts y• Whoore,
and other thousandes moe
That hate the Poet, and
are Vertues deadlie foes:
Expell him from the Princes Court.
Much like as when the Crowes
Haue lothsome Carraine founde
and sée the Carcas lie:
They driue frō thence both Foule and Beast,
not letting them come nie.
Againe some Poets are
so out of wreason rash,
As (blockish beastes) they dare to make
too fonde and soolish trash.
And all to féede the eares
and humours of the Péeres,
Yea such as force no whit of [...]ame.
For Poets eke there stéeres
A kinde of frantick moode
and madnesse of the braynes:
These (but I wotte not what it is
that therevnto constraynes)
[Page 51] Will Poets be in hast
and taken so abrode,
As soone as once they haue in Pipe
of h [...]elow Hemlocke blowde.
Well thinke they of them selues,
vpon their bookes they bost
Vile Fooles and sielly Sotts vntaught,
not fitte to rule the rost:
Foreséeyng nought at all
foreright and witlesse men.
Who so accustomde is to lende
an eare vnto theyr Pen
And foolish tedious tales,
doe déeme there is no choice,
But all are wise alike: and this
is it that ba [...]res the vo [...]ce
Of learned men in deede,
for that he knowes not howe
To iudge the better from the worsse,
[...] from the Sowe.
O C [...]ndid. I protest
Siluanus.
by Heauenly powers on hie,
And haughtie Gods of Olympe hill
that wi [...]ld she scudding Skye:
That I (if on my sayles
there light a blessed blast)
[Page] Will séeke to further thée in tin [...]e,
and be thy helpe at last.
Meanewhile content thy selfe
and champe on hope with me:
Till better fortune shall allowe
my friendlier fates to be.
Candidus.
If so thou meane me well,
I wish thée like againe.
Siluanus.
Yes fayth wyth all my heart and minde,
the proufe shall make it plaine,
Within a little space.
Candidus.
Farewell thou churlish Chuffe,
Pray God thou neuer mayst returne
that neuer hast ynouffe.
Would all thou handlest mought (as Mydas did of yore)
Be Golde, for cause thou setst of Golde
more than of Vertue store.
¶The .vj. Egloge entituled CORNIX.
The Argument.
HOwe Countrey differs from the Towne
here Cornix he recites:
He girdes the foolish sotted Sectes,
and gainst the witlesse writes.
The speakers names.
- Cornix.
- Fulica.
Cornix.
THe wrathfull Winter snowes,
fell Boreas blasts do blowe,
The ysicles from houses hang:
The man that earst did sowe
And tillde his stonie soile,
hath let a fielde his plowe,
And takes his ease: the wearie ground
it selfe doth slumber nowe.
The Shephierd hauing shutte
his dores, and caught his cloake
Kéepes house: Neaera eke doth sitte
at home in smothering smoake
At Chimnie nooke, and plies
hir pottage Pot apace:
[Page] [...]arst Sommer for his scalding heate,
(when Sommer was in place)
That was so much myslikte,
is now commended sore:
And Winter hated is of vs
for whom we wisht before.
Fulica.
All present pleasure we
but little worth estéeme,
Surpassyng that which is to come (the hoped good) we déeme:
Euen so the farther off the light
the more the light doth séeme.
Cornix.
Eche Tune and ery Age
his pleasure bryngs with it:
Sée how the Countrey boyes vnkempt
in patched garments knit,
Reioyce at slaughter time
when Piggs do go to Potte,
They fill the Bladder full of Beanes,
and hauing tide a knotte
They rattell it a good:
an other whiles withall
Close [...]sted they theyr Elbows ioyne
and soote the flying ball.
And thus the Winter colde
with trottyng here and there,
[Page 53] And frosty time with cour [...]ng of
the Countrey ball they weare.
Yet wée farre better here
in Chimnies like to burne
Istretcht in Strawe, do wast the time
whilst milke to crudde doth turne.
Fulica.
The Winter doth forshew
the poore and néedefull plight.
We youthes are such a retchlesse route
as do not wey a white
The aftertime to come:
In Sommer carelesse we
Do lead our liues not minding what
the Winter is wont to bée,
And all our pence the Piper hath
for making merry glée.
When Borias makes retourne
from Scythian frosty bounde
And bared trées with battred boughes
and leaues ylayde in grounde
Bewray where byrds haue bredde
and hatcht their chickens earst:
Poore naked soules our shoulders, back,
ribbs, féete with colde are pierst.
Our foli [...]e Winter wries,
more wise the Townish be,
[Page] That heape their hoordes of wealth at home
furrde downe beneath y• knée.
The Foxe the bellie wraps,
the stomacke gardes the Shéepe:
With help of speckled Libart eke
away the colde they kéepe.
We Countrie men are Sottes
Cornix.
and Fooles of erie age,
But not alone we witlesse are:
for why a madder rage
In Citizens doth raigne.
But Lady FORTVNE is
A Damme to them, she séemes to vs
a Mother lawe ywis.
This Stepdamme sterne doth deale
with vs in cruell sorte:
They now a dayes are coumpted mad
that beare the baser porte.
But once allowe me wealth,
let me haue riches store:
Then I am best in all the towne,
I shall goe all before.
Then will my tale be hearde,
I shall be masterd aye:
Then crooke they knées, the caps go off,
and marke what euer way
[Page 54] I passe, the people crouch:
my counsell then they séeke
Both poore & rich, the wealthy snudge,
the saged Fathers eke.
Fulica.
O Cornix, 'tis not Chaunce
that bréedes this Witte in Man,
But 'tis the minde: nor maken vs
this Fortune wealthy can.
'Tis God that giues the goods
as earst Amyntas sayde:
'Tis easy riches to attaine
if he do stande our ayde.
Cornix.
Nay Fortune is a God,
no doubt therof I haue.
But what was it Amyntas tolde?
of thée his tale I craue.
For he was knowne a man
of quicke and sharper braine
Than diuers are, wherfore I would
heare his good verdite fayne.
But yet before thou hast
that wise discourse begunne:
Vnto the Foldes to sée our Flocks
I pray thée (Fulike) runne.
Trudge, and returne in haste,
for after colde (thou knowst)
[Page] A fitte of heate more welcome is,
packe and retire in post.
Fulica.
Vp to my knée doth reache
the thicke vnthawed snowe,
Scarse houses beare the weight [...]erof:
the Ouen that bakes the dowe,
Hath at the very toppe
great lumpes therof that lyes,
And vp into a picked poynt
it clymes in Pilier wyse.
Cornix.
Fill vp the Racke with hay
that came of latter share:
Do stoppe the elouen clif [...]s with straw,
if so the walles doe stare
Or gape in any place:
and ere thou hither come,
Besmeare the thresholde round about
with slime and bullocke lome.
For nothyng more annoyes
or banes a Beast than colde.
What? art thou com? what means this hast?
'tis more than vse of olde.
Fulica.
Fie, Winter nippes me sore,
this frost doth make me frette:
The greatest comfort in the earth
is, both in colde and heate,
[Page 55] To hugge in reakyng hay,
and when the colde is past
In stiflyng straw to stretch our stumps
and limmes on mow to cast.
Cornix.
Goe to, be [...]yn to tell
how Towne and Countrey trade
Do swarue, the odds display thou here.
Fulica.
Thus good Amyntas made
The diffrence twixt these two.
What time the worlde began
Narrati [...]
And things as yet were newly framde,
then GOD did linke a Man
With woman aye to liue,
and marride them yfeare
He willde the Man to get the Babes,
the Woman babes to beare:
And taught them how they should
theyr children eke beget.
At first they [...]yde theyr busynesse well,
and did theyr taske [...]set.
Woulde so they had done still,
and let the fruite alone:
And neuer tasted of that trée
the Apple grewe vpon.
The Woman wore a dame,
both Boy and Wench she bore:
[Page] And yearely so by like increase
with men the earth did store.
When fiftene yeares were past,
GOD came again that way
And there he found the Woman whilst
she gan hir babes aray.
Him she dyscride a farre,
as she at thresholde sate.
(This while was Adam gone a fielde
this Womans wedded Mate.
He carelesse fed his flocke,
as then was no mystrust
Of falshode twixt the man and wife.
But when that growing lust
Made manie marri'ge knots:
then false they gan to play,
They knockt the Goate about the pate
and reft his hornes away
To graffe on Husbandes heade:
then iealous séede begonne
To take his roote in Husbandes breast,
he doubted of his Sonne.
For men that false a boorde
themselues are wont to play,
Mystrust their wiues will goe about
their auncient debtes to pay.)
[Page 56] Herewith the Mother blusht,
and bare hir selfe in hande
So manie babes would ouermuch
against his liking stand,
And make hir be suspect
of too much wanton lust:
She ranne and hid me some in hay,
and some in chaffe she thrust.
In came the mightie GOD,
and hauing blest the place
Sayd: Woman fetch me all thy babes
that I may sée their face.
The Mother brought the biggst
and let the lesser lie:
GOD likt them well. As men are wont
(as daylie proufe doth trie)
Of Foules and senting Houndes
to like the eldest best.
First to the senior of his Sonnes
thus spake the GOD and blest.
Take thou this kinglie Mace, supplie a Resars roome:
Vnto the second brother Armes,
and made him Mars his groome.
Be thou a Duke (quod he)
and daunt thy foes in fight:
[Page] And then at last he shewde out Roddes
and Axe to open sight,
With Twigs of tender Vine
and noble Romai [...]e dar [...]e:
And Offices gan deale about
to euery Babe a part.
Wherwith the Mother glad
to sée hir Sonnes ex [...]o [...]de,
Ranne in, and fetcht out all hir broode,
and sayd: Thou God beholde
These are my belly fruite,
these in my wombe I bare
As well as those: vouchsafe to let
these haue some part of share.
Their bristled pates were white
with chaffe, the strawe it hoong
About their armes, and spider webbs
that to the wattles cloong.
Those likte him nought at all
not one he fanside well,
But frowning sayd: Auaunt you Gi [...]es,
of mowe and mould you smell.
Take you the goryng Goade
and countrey punchyng pricke:
Take you the spitting Spade in hande,
and Garden setting sticke.
[Page 57] To you the Culter longs,
the Yoake and other trash:
You shall be Ploughmen, Carters yo [...],
with Whip to giue the lash.
You shall be Shephi [...]rdes you,
haycutters, delue the soile:
You shall be Seamen, Cowardes eke,
turmoilde with endlesse toile.
But yet among you all
we do appoint that some
Shall leaue the clownish Countrey life
and to the Towne shall come.
As Puddingmakers, Cookes,
the Butchers, Piewiues eake:
And other such like sluttish Artes
of whome I doe not speake:
That wonted are to sweate
and at the Coales to burne,
Like Drudges wasting all their dayes
to serue their maisters turne:
This done, the mightie GOD
departed from the Skies.
Thus twixt the Towne & Country did
the differe [...]ce first arise.
Thus were the Clowns ymade, as good
Amyntas doth deuise.
Cornix.
[Page]If he had ought sayde well
I would haue marueld much:
He was a Townish man, and they
do euer beare a grutch
And byte with bitter scoffe
vs poore and Countrey soules,
'Tis all the worke they haue to do,
aye vs the Towne controls.
Yea, they will nothing shame
against the Gods to iest,
Deuising trifles like to this.
Art thou so plaine a gest
And stuft with Pudding so
and hast thy belly full,
As that thy selfe art toutcht herein
can neuer pierce thy skull?
This nippe is euen a taunt:
but let vs for a space
Vnto the follies of the Towne
conuert our Countrey face,
And iudge of all their déedes:
least thou surmize perhaps
That they are wyser vnto whome
the people vaile their caps:
And such as daylie goe
in Golde and Purple wéede,
[Page 58] Than we that homelie Rustickes are
and simple men in déede.
I sundrié times haue séene
men cladde in costly geare
Like Princes bout the Market square
and ietting here and theare:
Quite hungersteru'd at home
and Kitchins voide of Cookes,
As poore as Iob, when all was weyd [...]
for all their loftie lookes.
What follie more than this?
to beare of wealth a face,
And be a néedie Begger yet
for all the painted case?
Men but beguile themselues
in vsing this deuise.
Yea more than that, my selfe haue séene
the Office fathers wise
That beare the onely sway
(O vile and filthi [...] crime)
Whilst they themselues wil liue at ease
and leudly waste the time:
Set out their wiues to hire
and daughters to be solde:
What can be worsse? or fowler fact?
what more to be controlde?
Fulica.
[Page]Put case they can not finde
another way to liue?
Cornix.
No? did not GOD as many handes
and other Senses giue
To them, as vnto vs?
yes. Then I pray thée tell
The very reason (Fulick) why
they can not liue as well?
Nay, more than that are some
that practize daylie feate
To come by wealth by vaine deuise
as neuer man could get.
With iuice of sappie hearbes
they rubbe and burnish Brasse,
In hope to make it Golde in time,
and bring their willes to passe
In wresting Nature cleane
and chaunging kinde by skill:
They puffe the coales in pensiue care
with swarth and smoakie gyll.
Another studies harde
and plies inchauntments sore,
In hope to finde some hidden vaine
of Golde, vnknowne before
That lurkes in dampe of ground
and hollowe Vault belowe,
[Page 59] And playes the Witch, but nothing gaines
as proufe doth plainly showe.
What vainer toye than this?
what leude or lighter iest?
Bycause they would auoide the ploughmans
life that is the best,
They practize euery feate,
attempting euery thing:
They ofte begin, but neuer ought
to good effect can bring.
They euer turne and wende
and kepe a daylie coile,
To kepe them from the carefull Carte
and tilling of the soile.
By Money loane and Vse
of filthie Fulckers trade,
(That Vsurie may well be termde)
infamous shiftes be made.
They practize force and fraude,
and double dealing aye:
They lay their wilie hookes for wealth,
deuising day by day
A meane to mount to state
and Honours tickle throne.
Whilst we Shéepe, Goates & flockes do f [...]ede
and let such trickes alone:
[Page] They kéepe their sowring Haukes,
they foster barcking Houndes,
They haue their footecloth Nags to ride
about their Pasture groundes.
Of Munkies much they make
and other Apish toyes:
This is the onely trade they vse,
these are the Townish ioyes.
The Rusticke Cattle kéepes,
the Townsman Currs and Kites:
I pray thée iudge which is the best
of theirs or our delightes?
Which most with Worship standes?
which brings the greater game?
Fulica.
If so our trade be bett' than theirs,
then how should they attaine
Such store of stamped Coine,
and Riches as they haue?
How come they by that daintie fare?
how by those garmentes braue?
Cornix.
How man? By slipper craft,
by pelting pilfring shiftes:
By subtile fetches of the minde,
by double diuelish driftes.
What (madman) dost not sée
how vs they daylie wring
[Page 60] In cruell wise? If of our wordes
(a vile and beastilie thing)
They take aduauntage once
and catch vs in a trippe:
We shall be sure to féele the smart
and byde the lashing whippe.
They déeme a godlie déede
to take vs in the snare:
And this is all their whole deuise,
their studie and their care.
Fulica.
Whie? Howe befalls that thou
the Citie knowst so well?
Cornix.
Howe? This I learned earst while I
my milke was wont to sell,
And had my female Goates
within the Citie wall,
I oasted at a Bakers house,
he knewe their manners all.
He was a craftie Childe,
and with his yron would
Goe cut the doawe, and nip the loaues
when Maidens gan to mould.
He, as he wist their wile
and knewe their craftie trade,
Sayd, that the Citie was a Hell.
A whole discourse he made
[Page] Of their vnthriftie liues
that in the towne did wonne:
And tolde me, that to filtch at first
himselfe had there begonne.
In Cities other are
with beastly baudie rule
That wast the wealth their Grandsires gaue
and plying of the Cule.
They haue their minion Trulls
and wanton fleshly Froes:
Oh, what more filthie can be founde
than is the life of those?
(Pray) where is Whordome vsde?
Manslaughter and Vprore?
Beare these in Cities not the sway,
and euer did of yore?
Where lodge those Kings that séeke
their Crownes by losse of bloode?
And force their subiects to the death
that in their quarrell stoode?
Where wo [...]ne the warly wights
that with such desperat hartes
Obiect themselues to fearfull foe
and dint of deadlie dartes?
For slender wages they
do hazard life and all:
[Page 61] What madnesse more thā theirs that so
do séeke for sodaine fall?
Of life they lesse accompt
than of a blast of fame.
And what is glorie, praise, or laude?
what Worship? Honours name?
What giddie peoples voice
and brute of foolish braines?
All dies and weares away with time,
death all this trumperie staines,
All sodainly do flitte
as light when Sunne doth dimme.
And they that hauing wealth at Land
vpon the Surge will swimme,
And leaue their Countrey coast
are folish wights I trowe:
He wants his witts that will af [...]ie
in windes and water so.
Who so hath store of wealth
and vseth not the same,
Is mad I thinke: But yet of all
that man is most to blame
That liues a Misers life
and ouerharde doth fare,
And heapes his treasure in a hoorde
and all for Sonne to spare:
[Page] And leaues the thing vndone
(which he mought compasse well)
For children that shall after come
when he is deade in Hell.
All such as number starres
and meddle with the Skies,
And those that calke the dayes of birth,
and thinke they can comprise
By skill to scan the fate
to man that shall betide,
Are verie fooles: But from his wits
yet he is farder wide
The nature of the Gods
that doth ensearch to knowe,
And dares vpon so great a light
his little eyes to throwe.
Farre better is our faith:
for Townsmen euer looke
To haue a Reason, else they will
scarce credit any booke.
Bare wordes we soone beléeue
that are of Countrey stampe,
And at the sacred Altar set
vp many a light and Lampe.
The Cytizens are harde
of faith, and neuer blinne
[Page 62] To search the secrets of the Gods:
whome if it were no sinne
To descant of so much,
but that we ought to knowe
Their natures, then thēselues they mought
vnto our Senses showe.
But sithens they would haue
their secret kinde vnknowne:
What meane we to enquire of Gods
and let them not alone?
Our charitie b [...]sides
the Townish zeale excéedes.
For holie men that serue the Church
and weare the sacred wéedes,
What store of meate get they
which goe from place to place,
Of vs that in the Countrey dwell
within a little space?
I Bargeis lode haue seene
of Graine and goodly Corne
Brought from the countrie to y• towne,
we aye such zeale haue borne.
Another sect of Sottes
and foolish men there are:
As pett [...]e Foggers, barking Buggs
and Pleaders at the barre,
[Page] Well skilde to scrape for coine
euen Tirants in their trade:
For fée they sell their helping hand,
for money they are made
The wrongfull case to pleade:
they make theyr chiefest gaine
By letting Causes longer hang
than néede or lawe constraine
Within the cruell Court
where matters are to heare,
And what at one Court day mought end,
they linger on a yeare.
Physitions eke there are
from place to place that ride
On Mullets, that full often strike
the vaines that are denide,
And minister amisse,
and for dyseases frame
(Whose kind they neuer knew before
a certaine terme and name.
And they (though Arte they want
and lack good Physicks skill)
Haue lawfull leaue to vere the sicke,
yea Patientes eke to kill.
And those that Office beare
and swinge the chiefest sway,
[Page 63] The more authoritie they haue
the more they runne astray.
The madder waxen they
once placde in Rulers roome.
O, what of holie Gouernours
and Fathers is becoome,
Of whome our Elders earst
by fier sitting tolde?
Nowe all is gone to spitefull wracke
that hath bene séene of olde.
The Temples are defaste,
the poore do make complaint,
The widows wéepe & wring their hāds
with too much griefe attaint.
And what should be the cause
that things are at this hande?
The onely reason is for that
that Lust for Lawe doth stande.
Fulica.
Fie (Cornix) fle, your rage
beyonde all reason goes:
Thou all men dost condemne alike.
What (man) thou must suppose
That of the Townish some
are good, in Citie dwell
Some honest men that leade their liues
and get their riches well.
[Page] I haue forgot the name,
but sure thereof I stande,
Nie Balearia liues no Snake,
all venome voides the lande.
No Owle in Creta cries,
no Horsse of Gelding runnes
On mount Aegeria: nor no ho-nest
man in Citie wunnes.
Fulica.
An honest man is scarce,
in Countrey and in Towne:
And vertue is as rare a thing
as any may be foune.
Cornix.
O Fulick thou art mad,
that takst their partie so:
Eche one that in the Citie dwels
is thy vndoubted foe.
They shaue vs close to skinne,
they pill and make vs bare:
They force vs first to filtch, and then
our neckes they do not spare.
They wey not they a whit
though we to Gallowes goe,
They tye vs vp in hampring corde
on trée to féede the Crowe.
If we haue ought that likes
their fansie or their lust,
[Page 64] They thinke to wring it frō our hands,
it is both good and iust.
They plucke away our plumes
and feathers one by one:
They neuer linne to scrape our goodes
till all our wealth be gone.
Which if we chaunce to sée,
excuses then are had:
But so we sée not when 'tis done,
they will denie like mad
They neuer toke away
one iote but was their owne:
No wrong they do estéeme the Theft
to be that is vnknowne.
Thus all the wealth they haue
and mucke that lies in mowe
By our sustained toile they gat
and sweate of painfull browe.
Fulica.
Nay, now you farre excéede
the bounds of meane and right.
Cornix.
O Fulicke, Townish shameful prancks
infect the worlde quite.
What makes in Sommer time
so many rotten shoures?
Such thundring flakes, winde, flouds & haile,
as from the Heauen poures?
[Page] I yet remember I
haue séene the ground to quake:
The haughtie roofes of houses fall,
and Pillerpostes to shake:
The Sunne obscurde with darke
amid the shining day:
And in the night the Moone ydimde
and Starrelight tane away.
Howe chaunst that stinking wéedes
the graine do ouer g [...]e,
And wilde and barraine Oates oppresse
the hoped Haruest so?
How hapt the Goate inuades
and tramples downe the Vine?
That smelling flours in spring are spilt,
and Garden goods do pine?
All these mistehappes by meane
of ciuill Townish yll
Befall: and moe in time (I feare)
thereby such myschieues will.
Whence come these rash vproares?
whence springs this battails broile,
That brings with it all kind of plagues
that so annoy the soile?
The Citie is the head
and Fountaine whence it flowes.
[Page 65] Lycaon hée that cruell Woulfe
(whome all the wordle knowes)
From Citie did discende:
Deucalion (with his make
Good Pyrrha) was a Countrieman.
'Twas for Lycaons sake
That all the earth was drownde,
Deucalion peasde the waue:
Lycaon murthred many men,
Deucalion man did saue:
He toke them from the earth,
this brought them life againe.
If euer Fire should wast the worlde
(as some affirme it plaine)
That mischief shall descend
from Towne and Citie sure:
Their vile and filthy liuing will
those cruell plagues procure.
Fulica.
O Cornix, leaue to talke,
I heare the boyes to call
For pottage, (lest I be deceiude)
if ought be left, it shall
At after dinner bee
debated and discust:
Now let vs plie the paunch, the houre
declares to meate we must.
¶The .vij. Egloge entituled POLLVX.
The Argument.
HEre Galbula extols
the Shephierds to the Skie:
And tels how Pollux did conuer [...]
that sawe the Sainct with eie.
The speakers names.
- Alphus.
- Galbula.
WHat thinkst thou Galbula? sir Pollux passing fine
In piping earst (I wotte not howe)
inspirde with powre deuine
Forwent his Pipe, his Wéede,
his charge of Beasts, his Mates,
And hooded (as the Lapwings are
with crists vpon their pates)
Foure dayes agoe himselfe
to holie house did yelde.
Some think that whilst his flock he fed
alone in open fielde,
He sawe some godlie shape
from Héauen to appeare,
[Page 66] (The rest I haue forgot) but what
thinkst thou? I long to heare.
Galbula.
As Sages sayde, when God
eche creature gan to make,
(No trifles I will tell, but such
of yore as Vmber spake)
Both Clownish countrey wights
and Shephierdes he ordainde:
The Tylman tough, vnmilde, in ciuill
nurture neuer trainde,
Much like the lumpish clay
that Culter doth controll:
The Shephierd of a softer kinde
a sielly hurtlesse soule.
As simple as the Shéepe,
deuoide of wrathfull gall,
The Shéepe that yelds the milk, & likes
his kéeper aye withall.
From flocke to Altare he
would bring when so he came
Sometime a Shéepe, a fatted Calfe,
sometime a sucking Lambe.
To Gods their honour due
he gaue with good intent:
His seruice so preuailde with them,
he so their Godheads bent,
[Page] As since the time the worlde
created was and made,
Vnto this houre most gratefull was
to Gods the Shephierds trade.
And more than this, he callde
Assyrians a sort,
(Their names through care I haue forgot
to Mace and Kingly port,
That Shephierds were afore:
who garnisht braue in Golde
And purple roabes, proude countries oft
in battaile haue controlde.
That Paris that behelde
thrée Goddesses in Ide,
With Paris eke the Syre that would
haue forc'd his sonne to haue dide,
A Shephierd was. When Moy
ses fearde with heauenly fyre
Came barefoote through the fieldes to sée
the signe with great desyre,
A shephierd then he was
and lately come from floud.
Apollo (as a bannisht man)
in Grece did thinke it good
His Godhead layde aside
a Shephierds charge to take,
[Page 67] And so th' Amphrisian fields to walke
and Bowe and shafts forsake.
Those sacred Angels eke
when Christ in Oxen stall
Was born, forspake for shephierds sake
that he would be a thrall.
And Shephierds being taught
the miracles diuine
Of heauenly birth, did first beholde
the thundring Impe with eyen.
The mightie Infant gaue
the Shephierds libertie
Before the wise and royall Kings
in Cradle him to sée.
A Shephierd he him selfe
disdained not to call,
Those men he termed Shéepe that simple
were and méeke withall.
And least you thinke I lie,
from Citie home againe
To Countrie as I came, In Church
I redde them painted plaine.
There portrayde are the Beasts
and little Lambes that lie
On soile beside their dames. A hugie
troupe from mountains hie
[Page] Of Gods on horsseback cōmes,
their Diademes do blaze
With glittring Golde, this sight doth make
the passers by to gaze.
No maruell then if Gods
appearde to Pollux sight:
In Villages, in Shéepe and home
lie Shéepecots they delight:
GOD is a guest to simple men,
the haughtie he doth spite.
Alphus.
Thou telst the truth, I wish
the fieldes as hurtlesse bée
Vnto your Beasts. The Asse, the rack,
and Bullocke I did sée.
I call to minde the route
that thither f [...]ockt apace,
Me thinkes I sée the Kings of Inde
that brought their gifts in place.
One thing I craue, what kinde
of shape did Pollux sée?
And if thou knowst it (Galbula)
do daine to tell it mée.
Galbula.
I knowe it well, and will
rehearse the storie true,
A worthie fact to tell or heare
for all men to ensue.
[Page 68] The froward Father, and
the Stepdame full of pride,
Had pressed Pollux necke with y [...]ake
vneasie to abide,
In tender yeares when youth
swée [...]e pleasures doth persuade:
But when he fealt his force to faile
through such a weary trade,
And sawe no Arte preuailde
their rigor to relent,
He thought it best to runne away:
and thus to flight ybent
His onely let was this,
he lou'd impatiently.
For doting loue (a common fault)
doth Youth accompany.
Loue of it selfe is strong,
the violence doth passe.
He went: At parture (these complaints
to me he wonted was
His dolours to declare)
with mourneful voice he spake:
Wilt thou (O Virgin) shead thy teares
for such a traytors sake?
And when thou séest thy selfe
by Louer so betrayde,
[Page] Wilt thou bewaile the want of him
that such a pranke hath playde?
Wilt thou thy cruell Friend
remember in distresse?
Or shall that louyng breast of thine
a chillie colde possesse?
That breast that hath prouokt [...]
so many wéeping eyes,
Wilt thou wax wanfor grief? wilt thou
sende sighings to the Skies?
I sée the Virgins eyes,
hir eares, hir painted hart.
Alas may any cunning now
conceale my secrete smart?
A double dolour doth
distraine my troubled minde,
Hir griefe and my distresse: my woe
to waile is me assignde,
But not to hir: my fire
more couertly doth burne.
You Gods (I trust) will hir preserue
in health till my returne.
That after my exile
when I shall backe retire,
Our loue may haue a good successe
ere youthfull yeares expire.
[Page 69] Thus talking he did passe,
and would haue turnde againe:
Such loue had bleard the boy, such fr [...]n-
sie broylde in youthfull braine.
But now the Dice were cast,
decréed was the flight,
He vnderneath a Popple trée
sate downe a wofull wight.
Beholde a Virgin crowde
with Garlande he did sée,
Hir face, hir eyes, and habite were
Nymphlike in eche degrée.
She did approche, and thus
the sorie boy bespake.
(Swéet Lad) where wilte thou wander now?
thy purposde pathes forsake.
Alas thou wottst not where
this way woulde bring thée streight,
Yet darst thou goe to places straunge:
and thinking no deceipt
To lurke in grassie fielde,
eche perill thou neglectst,
All safe thou déemst, & that which likes
thée best, thou most respectst
Like vnaduised youth.
The Adder knit in knot,
[Page] And lurking in the grasse doth bite
the man that sawe him not.
Th 'vnware is soone begilde.
The Infant dares assay
Withouten dreade in burning Coales
with tender handes to play,
And thinkes it but a sport
vntill he féele the fire.
This Countrie traines the Passengers
at first with swéete desire,
And proffers pleasures rife
with ioyes excéeding all:
But entred once, foreséeing not
the hurte that may befall,
It setts a thousand snares
and planteth perills more.
This path as soone as you haue past,
that hill you sée before
Leades to a shadie wood
where cruell beasts do dwell,
To dungeons déepe and lothsom va [...]ts,
as blacke as any Hell.
And who so is intrapt
shal thence retire no more:
For first he hath a fillet swarth
and vaile his eyes before.
[Page 70] Then drawne about the wood
through sharpe and shrubby thornes,
To Monster he transformed is:
and whilst his tongue he turnes
And thinks to speake, he howles,
and coueting vpright
To go, he groueling créepes on foure,
the heauens are barrd his sight.
Beneath a Valley darke,
a Pit with waters blake
Doth stand, and then a mountayn huge
doth ouerlooke the Lake.
Thus drawne to stinkyng Styx,
is headlong downe yeast
Into the filthy foorde, the Sinke
doth swallowe him in hast:
Thus damnde to Styx in shade
for aye he must abyde.
Alas, how many Shephierds through
these dotyng fitts haue dyde?
And perisht with theyr flocks?
but I am busie still
As one vntirde, to shewe the way
and wrest thée from the yll.
Wherfore do way delayes
and flie the flattring dore
[Page] That traines to death, go séeke the coast
that leades to secrete shore,
Against th'Idalian floods where Carmelus is séene,
To lift his head aloft to Skies
bedeckt with Garlande gréene.
To auncient fathers first
this Hill gaue dwellings good,
As caues and houses made of trées
within a brushy wood.
From thence Religion first
deriu'd his ofspring tooke,
And came amongst your hills, as from
his head, the running brooke,
And from one Grandsire as
do many Nephews sproute.
In those same woods, where Béechyboughes
are growing all about,
Where fattie Pix doth sweate
and Terebynth doth shed
His glewlike gum, and clammie iuyce.
There after thou hast led
A happie hurtlesse life
deuoide of vile offence:
Then into places euer gréene
and flourishing from thence
[Page 71] I will aduaunce thée streight,
a better lodge to dwell:
Immortall shalt thou waxen then,
and (marke what tale I tell)
Thou shalt as fellowe made
vnto the heauenly States,
Get vp aboue the starres, and haue
the Nimphs vnto thy mates,
Both Hamadriads and
the hillie Orcads hight,
And Napes. Ladies that in swéetes
and Garlands doe delight:
With lawfull leaue to haue y• Skies
both vp and downe in sight.
Thus hauing tolde hir tale
to Skie the Virgin flewe.
Thē Pollux sware his mind was turnd,
and heart ychangde a new
Forwent his furies fitte.
Euen as the firie flash
Is quencht, whē Padus with his streame
the frying fields doth wash:
So parted cruell Loue,
that earst his Arrowes shot
At him (good youth) that striuing would
those colde hote fitts forgot:
[Page] And so good Pollux he
to silent Cloyster came.
Alphus.
Yea mary, Gods some men inspire,
that looke not for the same,
But they with other wroth
and causelesse angry bée.
Galbula.
Such powre haue Gods on vs as on
our sielly shéepe haue wée.
This knowledge will suffice
vs simple Countrie clownes:
Let them contende for greater witte
that weare the Scarlet gownes
And in the Citie woonne.
Thus person Ianus tolde
Returnde from towne, and sayd he saw [...]
it writte in storie olde.
Alphus.
Nowe goes the Sunne to glade
he toucheth top of hills,
Wherfore that wée with him depart
his wented parting wills.
O Galbula get vp
those trinkets on thy backe
The Scrippe is light, the bottle light,
no payne to beare the packe.
For though the burthen way
yet is it good to beare,
[Page 72] Do that, and I will fetch our flockes,
for nowe the day doth weare.
¶The .viij. Egloge entituled RELIGIO.
The Argument.
TWo Shephierds met yfeare,
one likt the Mountaines most,
And tother did commend the Vale
aboue the Hillie coast.
The praise of Pollux Sainct
is intermingled here,
And sacred feasts, with holie dayes
that happen in the yere.
The speakers names.
- Candidus.
- Alphus.
O Alphus, now the scortched groun [...]
doth thirst, bycause the Sunne
Is in the hiest point of Heauen
that he is wont to runne.
[Page] Wherfore vnto the hanging hills
this present time persuades
To driue our flocks where Deaw is rise
and Mountes do cast their shades.
Alphus.
Yea, yea, I sée the hills afarre
and haughtie Mountains hie:
But (to be plaine) what of the hills
to make I know not I.
For from my Cradle custome was
with mée to féede my shéepe
In Vale belowe, by riuers side
to dwell, and flocke to kéepe.
Upon the hillie grounde (I pray)
what kinde of corn doth sproute?
Candidus.
O simle siellie witted lobbe,
O plaine and pieuish loute,
That aye hast dwelt by damping flouds
and filthie Fennes belowe,
Much like the Gnats that haunt y• lakes
where brushe and rubbish growe,
And where the sluttish vermin cause
a sauour like to hell,
And stifling stinke in durtie dikes,
and Marrish deapth to dwell.
Wher is of frogs, gnats, flies & wormes
and other like good store,
[Page 73] Among the Willowes, Alderboughes
and rotten Réedes, with more
Than I can name: and yet dost thou
thus dare to mocke the Hills
And make so small accompt of them?
From whence (I pray thée) trills good friend
The spouting Spring? and where
is marble quarre yfounde
That builds y• Church? where grows y•
in vale or hillie ground.
What soile brings forth the lofty mast?
where growes the Phisicke grasse?
And herbes to cure diseases fell,
if not in hillie place?
I sundry tunes on Baldus mount
the Bearefoote gathred haue,
Which Goates diseasde from force of death
is ready way to saue:
As Aegon earst to me declarde
when he did geld at Spring
His sowes & lambe [...], he taught me that
as sure and soueraine thing.
Take here (quod he) the pass [...]gst heart▪
that euer grew on grounde.
And further tell me (pray thée) where
are Chesnuts to be founde
[Page] More plentuous than on Hills aloft?
where greater store of Mast?
There ar both groues & pasture groūds:
there I haue broke my fast
With Pie full many a time and oft,
and fattie gruell eate,
There are the sturdie Children borne
bolde youthes in my conceate,
Brode footed Lads wt shoulders square,
well brawned armes and strong,
All hairy, handed harde, whose backes
no weight can lightly wrong.
From thence come lustie Mariners,
that sayle the marble Seas,
Are none more fitte for Towne affaires
or Citie than are these.
Where thou wilt haue thy Cattell cut,
or séeling timber fellde,
Or Stables varmde, the Priuie cleansd
or staying stoppe that helde
The filth, remou [...]d from where it lay
and bred a lothsome smell,
Or men by Ladders to descende
to Vaultes as darke as Hell:
These, these, are they that do the feate,
their witts are passing good,
[Page 74] And they are of excéeding force
and lustie strength by th Roode.
But what shall néede so many woords?
all toyle they take in hande:
Waite in the Kitchin, make the Fire,
cast on the Chimney brande,
Turne broch [...]n cūning wise, make clean
and purge the loouer hole,
For smoke to passe, beare gutts & tripes
to riuer in a Bole,
Swepe filthie floore with Birchē broome,
but most I meruaile how
They run with burthen on their backes
and neuer séeme to bowe.
They are bred vp among the Rockes
and mid the Mountaines woonne▪
Like Goates into the crooked Caues
of sauage Beasts they roonne.
Beside this, eake the way is short
from top of Hills to Skie,
Up to the azure cloudes they reach:
and some do stande so hie
As verily I déeme they touche
the golden starres welnie
They say there is a place where as
the Sunne from Sea doth rise,
[Page] Which (if I well remember) séemes
vnto our mortall eyes
Euen with his head to touch y• Moone,
and that there liu [...]d a man:
But afterward when gréedy Lust
and licorous lips began
To tast the fruite that was forbid,
and that he eate vp all
The Apples, kéeping none for God
when he for fruite did [...]all,
This Glutton was expelde the place
not suffred there to dwell.
This makes that holie fathers like
the lofty Hills so well,
And there do choose them quiet stayes
to leade their lyues in rest:
As Carthuse witnesse can full well,
Carmelus, Gargans crest,
Laureta, Athos, Lauern, Syne,
Soractis picked pate,
And Nursis thou that famous art
for aged Fathers fate.
And good Gamalula, whose head
so turretlike doth stande,
Beset with Béeche and other trées
that grow about the lande.
[Page 75] As for the rest I ouerpasse,
for why I do not mynde
In this my tale to compasse all.
The Gods of stately kynde
Do oft frequent the hilly holtes,
when downe in vale below
Dwel Ducks, Didopper, Bitour, Goose
Kite, Shag, and other moe.
Alphus.
Among the Pleasures of the hills
whereof you speake so much,
How chauncde that you do nothing here
the Vine and Haruest touch?
And yet those two are chiefest stayes
and aydes in life of Man.
Candidus.
Those Mountain lads from rocky hills
come hither nowe and than
To buye our Corne in market place,
Grym wights all grymde with dust,
As rough as hogs, as leane as rakes
raggd, leaping at a crust.
The dwellers shewe the places kinde
and what his nature is.
But that you spake of Sacred vse
and Mountaine holynis
Hath brought vnto my mynde agayne of Pollux what is sayd.
Alphus.
[Page]O Candid, if thou canst declare
What Goddesse 'tis, what Mayde,
Say on, for that wherof we gan
to chatte, is all in vaine:
More better were of holie trade
to talke, and greater gaine.
Candidus.
That Galbula that earst was wont
with thée his flocke to féede,
Could fully haue instructed thée
in thy demaunde with spéede.
Alphus.
Of Pollux much was sayd before,
but yet no worde was spoke
There of the Nymph, nor did I then
him thervnto prouoke.
But now this talke of Church affaires
and holie sacred things
(For sure they best deserue the praise)
to my remembrance brings.
Candidus.
She was no Driad Nimph perdie
that in the woods doth woonne:
She was no Muse of those that boute Lybethris Mount doth roonne.
Nor any of those Orcades
that haunt the hills on hie:
But Mother shée to Mightie GOD
pescended from the Skie.
[Page 76] To bring a peace to such as in
distresse and trouble lie.
Dame Tethys is hir wayting mayde, and lady Ceres eke
Attendes hir traine, and Aeole he
that by his force doth breake
And bridles wrath of waiward windes
that in his prison are.
Hir God hath plast aboue the Sunne
and golden glistring starre
Aboue Cassiope the fayre,
and hath adornde hir head
And sacred front with twice six Signes
that hir enuiron spread:
And more than that, the watrie Moone
that shewes hir face by night
Full vnderneth hir godly foote
his prouidence hath pight.
Alphas.
O Candid, wonders thou declarste
which Shephierds neuer knew,
What is that Tethys tell me, and Cassiops glittring hewe?
What is that Aeole that in denne
doth bridle blustring winde?
What be those fierie Stoads? thou tellst
great meruai [...]es, rare to finde.
Candidus.
[Page]Some part of them bée starres in déede,
some part names founde of olde.
All which when Pollux had to me
in largest maner tolde,
Into the Temple ledde me forth
and fayde: This Sacred Wall
That here thou viewst, is able well
to make thée shewe of all.
The wall was painted ful of Signes
and Figures all about,
All I remember not, my braine
is weake, 'tis quickly out:
Scarce this I bore away, for all
I ofte reuolud the same,
And did recompt within my hea [...]
eche thing, and ery name.
For sundry times for to recompt
a thing in couert brest
All Phisicke farre excells, I déeme
that feate to be the best.
That Virgin can from darkned Skies,
the duskie cloudes remoue,
She can to partched corne giue drinke
to make the Haruest proue.
And when hir pleasure is, she can
cause springs in fields to rise,
[Page 77] And when hir list represse the same
againe in wondrous wise.
She can (if be hir pleasure) make
the baraine soile and grounde
As fatte as any pasture, and
make it with grayne abounde.
When Scorpius in his darksome lodge
and hellish house receiues
The olde Saturnus frosty starres,
that worldly things bereaues
Of blissefull state, this Virgin can
inforce to kepe no coyle:
The rattlyng hayle shall nothing noye
the Corne vpon the soyle.
The house shall neuer fall by fyre
or wasted be with flame:
For now they say, the Skies procure
and angrie starres the same.
Oh, if this Virgin be disposde,
she can make all things sure,
If she be frendly, corne shall fill
the barnes, she can procure
Eche beast to bring a twinne to light
to glad the maisters minde,
Yea and she list, although the shéepe
be drie and notte by kinde,
[Page] She can enforce with twink of eye
and becke of friendly browe
The dugge to strout with milke, y• back
with wooll, and Lambes ynowe.
She can remoue all vile disease
that noyes the hurtlesse Beast,
She can tell how to cure the flocke
with any griefe opprest.
Now néedlesse is to follow Pan
or any rusticke Saint:
Which auncient folks did honour so,
with follies mist attaint.
I sawe about the Altare of
this Virgin, sucking Kid,
Ploughs, Oxen, Shéepe, & Ianus Goat,
and written there I spid
In table that at Altar hoong this Verse: Here Ianus hee
That lost his Goate, for Goate yfoūd
doth offer this to thee.
And whilste I red this writte on wall
with knée on marble stone
Ga [...] Pollux pray before the Are
and Virgin call vpon.
He sayd: O Goddesse that preserust
both Towne and Countrey well
[Page 78] I pray that Padus boue his banks
and limites may not swell.
And that no Fayrie sucke by night
our babes in our armes,
Nor that such Heggs about our coast
may rangle with their charmes.
O Goddesse fauour husbandmen,
the wastfull Want destroy
That is our daylie foe, and doth
our pasture grounds anoye.
O Goddesse, when the Winter coms
and we haue sowne our séede,
Sende downe some pleasant showres of raine
to moist the soile at néede
Lest creping wormes, and vermine vile
in yeare that is to come
Do gnaw y• corne with marring mouth
and lothsome little gumme.
From Borias blast defende the Fig,
from cruell Crane the Beanes,
The Haruest corne from gréedie Géese
ybred in Marrish Fennes.
The Oxe from spitting Adders iawes,
from Fore and Théefe the Shéepe,
From Locust Coales & Leltis leaues,
the Vine in Winter kéepe.
[Page] The flock & folde from Woulfes deceit,
the corne from burning blast,
The dogs from madnesse, towns frō fire
and thundring bolts yeast.
The legge of Bacon from the Mouse,
the Gāmon from the wight
That kepes the Campe, and in the fielde
doth dayly vse to fight.
From Palmer, and the slouthfull: Oh,
I haue welnie forgot
The rest, perhaps recitall of
the former Verse will not
Be hurtfull, but reduce to minde
what I had thought to say:
Wherfore I will begin agayne,
where I right now did stay.
The legge of Bacon from the Mouse
the Gāmon from the wight
That kéepes the Campe, and in the field
doth dayly vse to fyght.
From Palmer and the slouthful Snaile
the Gardens gréene as Grasse.
Séest (Alphus) what a Verse can do?
now is it come to passe
As earst I thought it would in déede,
remembrance is renewde.
[Page 79] O Virgin saue from thunders rore
A sillie shep hierdes simple requ [...]st.
the Drinke we lately brewde.
Kepe wel the blossomd Ewes from cold,
the Calues from stinging Flie.
The Hogs frō squince & swelling throte
so that they may not die.
That Ploughmens labour be not lost
O Goddesse do thy best,
Let not the Hyues of Hony Bées
by Hornets be opprest.
Ne let the Lynet spill the Hirce
or Myllet séedes destroy,
Nor briers, by renting of the wooll
ere sheare tyme, shéepe anoy.
Let not the hangyng burre sticke fast
vpon the hairie fleese
That makes the flocke pildnecked, and
his couering coate to leese.
O Goddesse that dost gouerne men
and hast of children care,
O Goddesse ease to laboryng wights
and suche as byde the care.
The salue to such as are diseasde,
of flockes the chiefest stay.
I thée beseche to yelde a becke
to this that I do say.
[Page] This prayer deuoutly Pollux made
the whilst I leande my backe
Vnto a poast, and stayde my foote
against a staffe, it stacks
Within my braine that he had sayd,
his wordes I noted well,
I plaste the processe in my brest
that he before did tell.
Alphus.
How thinkst thou Candid is't not right
and reason that we should
To Pollux yelde some gift for prayers
and Sacred tale he tolde?
For sure by suche deuotion
our richesse are preseru'd.
Candidus.
What els? somewhat we must bestow,
for somewhat he deseru'd.
Alphus.
What shal we giue? by th [...] Roode a Calf
is costly to [...]orgoe,
We either will a Lambe, or Hare,
or Goose on him bestowe.
Candidus.
The time instructeth what to giue.
at Winter serues the Hare,
When [...]or the Snowe he can no [...] ▪
the Goofe we best may spare
At latter end of Haruest time
when Sommer weares away
[Page 80] The Filberd, Appels, clustred Grapes
about Midsommer day.
The sucking Kids, and bleating Lambs
at entring of the Spring.
For then if rotten haye by chaunce
auoide them any thing,
Or any thou so weake espie,
as nether well can liue,
Nor butcher in the market place
for him will money giue,
(The gifte will be accepted well)
that Lambe of all the rest
Bestow (I say) to make a friende
with him I compt it best.
Let Pollux haue it for his paines
and solemne tale ytolde.
He after dinner when that I
from him departed would,
Gaue me such Verses as he founde
writte in some auncient booke
Of holy Virgins solemne feastes:
and said, I pray thée looke
Vpon this geare when so by happe
thou art with care opprest,
Recount this medcine of the minde
and fixe it fast in brest.
Then in remembrance of this Virgin
let the youth begin
And aged eke with siluer haires,
to triumph and be glad,
For then she left the earth and to
the Skies hir iourney had.
The foure and twenteth after that
is holy day anewe,
This Virgins birth day makes y• church
and altars (this is true)
With taper light to shine like fire
and glister all with flame:
Then doth y• Priest new offrings make,
the time requires the same.
Then Libra makes returne in hast
to cause the Sommer night
To be full equall with the day
and so appeare in sight.
The men of Pycen waxen glad on Adrianus flood
Then come Illyrians, Chaons eke and Thuscans with their good
And ware to sell for gréedy gayne, from Vmbria other some,
By troupes to offer vp their gifts:
and hauing prayde a time,
Vp to the statelie mountaine they
in flockes togither clime.
And when the Sunne doth enter in
his house that bends the Bowe
By shorter course, and bitter frosts
anoy the soile belowe,
Shut vp in Cloister close she did
the mightie God conceaue,
Which contemplation from hir head
did worldly thoughts bereaue.
Hir proper parents she forgot,
so much on God she thought.
And when that Phoe [...]us flées the Bow [...]
whose string is bent so tought,
And gins vnto the lodging colde
of horned Goate to goe:
Then let both man and woman on
with garments best to showe,
And let them kéepe that sacred day
high holy feast, wherin
With sacred séede that aged Sire
did fill his wife within.
[Page] For in that day aboue the rest
she did conceiue the childe
That washt away the sinne that woulde
all mortall men defilde.
When Sol the moistie harbour of Aquarius vnderglides,
At point to bring the Spring about:
then go you gallant brides
And Matrons, set the Altars ful
of torch and taper light,
Cast cense in flame to make a fume
bring candles blasing bright,
Make pompe as great as ere you can.
This Lady brought a bed
Hir little Babe hath borne to church
and hath full happly sped.
When he the Captaine of the hierd
with glittring fléece of golde
(I meane the Ramme) begins to quite
the earth from Winter colde,
And brings the gentle fitts of heate
and pleasant puffes of winde
Allowing day more houres than night,
as is the Sommers kinde,
Let Gabriell then the Angell come
and do his message right,
That Holie day the Thuscans all
from Mountains makes descend [...]
And Arnycols procureth to the Florence Church to wende.
And then (for why the Virgin was
not long before they say,
Espousde) becomes vnwedded maide [...]
to celebrate the day.
When Phebus vnder farthest point
of crawling Crabbe doth goe,
And Dogge approching brings disease,
and makes the feuers growe:
[...]epe holie eke that sacred tide,
with incense cast in fyre,
for Mary then from mother of Iohn
did home agayne retire.
About the stonie Altars hang
to either damme a share
(In token of your ioyfull hearts) of Lady Ceres ware.
The Corne that first was ripe in fields,
and gan to change his hewe,
Do offer that (I say) to them
that Mothers are to view.
[Page] This Pollux taught: for walking he
amid the Mountaines hie
A fielde to folde, did chaunce to cast
his raunging eyes to Skie
In cleare and quiete starrie night:
and sawe by fortune there
The order of the Heauens, and how
the starres disposed were.
And more than these bisides ywis:
but fast declining Sunne
Will not permit as now we should
prolong our talke begunne.
¶The .ix. Egloge entituled FALCO.
The Argument.
HERE Faustul hauing throughly tryde
the nature of the Romaine ground:
The vilenesse of the soyle, and Shephierds
filthy manners doth expound.
The speakers names.
- Faustulus.
- Candidus.
Faustulus.
[Page 83]O Candid howe befals
that thou from natiue home
A wight exilde in forraine land
and strangie Realme dost rome?
For here no Pastures are
nor Fountaines to be found,
No safe Shéepecoates, no shrouding shades,
to kéepe the cattle sound.
Candidus.
Thus (Faustul) stands the case, one Coridon that in
These quarters kept his flock, and by
that meane great wealth did win,
Draue me to déeme that here
amyd these Mountaines was
Most pleasant Pasture for my Shéepe,
and holsome vaine of grasse.
But sithens now I sée
and plainly viewe with eye,
The barren ground & Pastures pielde,
soile rockie, Fountaines drie,
It yrks me that I came
so rashly out of dore,
The iourneys long, and leauing of
my Countrey grieues me sore.
Faustulus.
Well since it was thy happe
in safetie to attaine
[Page] The Latine Pastures, I would craue
(if thou wilt take the paine)
To my poore house to come,
of fellowship do so,
I haue [...]ewe akers here of lande
to liue vpon, no mo
Than poorely will maintaine
my lowe and néedie state:
But such as 'tis, take parte I pray
let runne in common rate.
Perhaps some better hap
and fortune will befall.
For Chaunce resembles much a blast
of winde, to wauering thrall.
Come to my sedgie Coate
till raging heate be past,
And whilst the flock layd downe on soile
do chewe the Cud full fast.
Do way the Shéepecrooke, sit
thée downe and tipple square:
We néede to drinke, by drinke we shall
auoide this scorching care.
Take thou the Cruse in hande,
for after drinke (they say)
The tale with better grace is tolde
it better goes away.
Candidus.
[Page 84]What mad man would in such
a heate refuse the Cup?
Faustulus.
Yea, Wine doth quel the cruell thirst
if it be tippled vp.
Wine doth diminish care
and dolours of the minde:
As wine bréedes friendships, so it doth
augment the strength by kinde.
Candidus.
This Countrey hath good Grapes,
if so they here do growe.
Fill out againe, the former draught
is but a tast you knowe.
The seconde weates the iawes,
the third doth coole the rage
Of burning mouth, the fourth wt thirst
a cruel warre doth wage.
The fift full fiercely fights,
the sixt doth conquer aye,
The seauenth triumphs, Oenophilus
earst so was wont to say.
Candidus.
'Tis wisdome to incline
and followe sounde aduise,
'Tis for the profite to giue eare
to aged Fathers wise.
Now thirst is conquerd well,
yet naythelesse my harte
[Page] Is pensiue aye, & thoughtful care
augments my wonted smart.
Faustulus.
As thirst is banisht, so
the minde shall purchase ease:
Fill out the licour of the Grape,
drincke fréely if you please.
This Physick is to driue
the heart pangs out of place.
Rome to abandon cruell cares
this Medcine vsde like ease.
Candidus.
All toile and trauaile craues
a time of rest and stay,
Let bottle stande, and stoppe him close
to kéepe the Flies away.
The day is nothing wette,
not deawie is the night,
Which makes that forrage cā not grow
but is consumed quight.
Fell famine, crueil toile,
with heate of scortching aire
Haue made the Cattle passing leane,
and brought them in dispaire
Of euer being fat:
scarce can they drawe their winde,
Their guts are clung to emptie skinne,
the bones sticke out behinde.
[Page 85] This Ramme that beate the Woulfe
with horne and bounsing brow,
Is weaker than a Shéepe, a Lambe
doth passe his courage now.
Thus much the Crow declarde
with holy sacred bill:
But I was ouerhastly bent
to followe raging will.
Scarce was I [...]ut of dore
but he was straight at hande,
And bringing yll abodement, gan
on houses top to stande
Upon the lefter side,
and with an angrie beake
With open signe of fell myss [...]hap
aloude began to squeake
O most vnhappie beast,
that wonted wert of yore
When on our soile thou feddst, to bring
of Milke and Cattle store,
Nowe séeking Pastures newe,
more kindely strength dost misse
By wearie trauaile, than by foode
thou gained hast ywisse.
Here both we faint yfeare,
thou with thy slender fare,
[Page] And I poore wight in sunder crusht
with cruel girding care.
Now is our countrey stuft
with wealth: what Medow grounds
Haue we? What pastures gréene as léeke
within our Countrey bounds?
O merrie ioyfull soile,
and fertile fieldes to sée,
Where aye is Corne vpon the grounde
and where fresh riuers bée
Aye passing through the Townes
and Burroughs where we woonne,
And where through erie Village and
eche Garden flouds do roonne.
This makes the goodly flocks
and Pasture fieldes so fatte.
When crabbed Cancer rules, and men
do plie the threshing batte,
And scortching Iulie scaldes:
the fieldes do flourish gréene,
The Apples grow in euery hedge.
amid the brakes are séene
Swéete smelling floures euery where
and pleasaunt to the nose,
In euery bush there standes on stalke
of euery hue a Rose.
[Page 86] O pleasant shade of Groues
and sound of trembling leaues,
Which earst (I minde) with thée I had
among the shadie greaues.
Where we the Turtles plaint
and Swallowes songs did heare
And Philome [...]as sundrie tunes,
when Locusts first appeare,
That make the Groues to ring
with shrill and shrieking cries,
The aire that shooke the leauie boughs from Eurus did arise.
Aloft our heads the trée that Cornus hight there hangde,
Whose boistrous armes were all about
with Berries brauely spangde.
I sitting on the grounde
sawe how the beasts did sporte,
And tender Lambs with hurtlesse horns
did fight in friendly sorte.
And when that sleepe was past,
or staring to the Skies.
I blewe my Pipe, or else did sing
what best I mought deuise.
Another while I would
layd gruffe vpon the g [...]sse,
[Page] Pluck Strawberies frō slender stalke [...]
the time away to passe.
Faustulus.
Then happie was thy life,
thou wert a blessed wight,
But of that friendly Fortune thou
didst take no greate delight.
Thou scorndst that present state,
a worsse not hauing tride,
And that procurde that Fortune so
away from thée did glide.
When so it coms againe,
(if euer thou haue the happe)
Euen as the braunches of the Vine
the propping poastes do lappe,
And them enuiron growe
fasc clasping them about:
So catch hir with thy hands, and caught
let hir no way get out.
She goes and makes returne,
and often chaungeth hue:
Much like the Heggs that by reporte
about the Mountaines flue,
And rangled in [...]he darke
and shadie Mist of night.
And as this Fortune shifts hir lookes,
and chops and chaungeth sight,
[Page 87] So wandring is hir minde,
méere iestings are hir ioyes:
Looke what she gaue she takes againe,
no reason, all in toyes.
The man that feares the worst,
or warely lookes about,
She scornes and as an abiect hates,
she shuts the Dastard out.
Candidus.
As oft as we to minde
do call our Countrey soile
We can not paciently endure
this wofull wearie toil [...].
But whether run my wits
that am tormented thus?
To double present woe do I
now think on former blisse?
Now merrie May is come,
the Vine is gréene to viewe,
Now Corne hath taken eire, Pomegranats
are of golden hiewe.
Eche where the bushes smell,
the Elder trées are white
Within our Countrey, al about both Pade and Mince in sight.
But here yet scarcely do
the Groues begin to bood,
[Page] And if so be that in the spring
the ground be dead, by th'Roo [...]
What will it do when force
of Winter coms in place,
And soile is clad with frostie clothes
or scalding Sommers blase?
Yet here are hierds of beastes
with flick and finest skin,
vpon whose boistrous brauned neckes
the yoake hath neuer bin:
Whose sorheads hardned are
with double horne to sée,
No doubt, vnlesse they fed agood,
they could not lightly bée
Deawlapped so before
with dangles hanging downe.
Fausculus.
These beasts whose lostis heads & lokes
are lifted hie from groune,
And haue such spindle shankes
and goe with lostie gates:
Deuoure vp all, first grasse, and then
they make the boughs their cates.
With vpward reaching iawes
and gréedie gaping chappe,
They chew the chiefest pasture groūds
and trées in sunder snappe.
[Page 88] This weake and siellie beast
that only feedes on grasse
That growes on groūd, doth fast ful oft
in Pastures bare as glasse.
Candidus.
What néedes such lauish talke?
all liuing things of kind
Haue this condition, aye the small
the great his foe doth finde.
The Lambe is praie to Woulfe,
to Eagle gentle Doues,
The Delphin hunts the hurttesse fish
that in the wallowe moues.
How coms this geare about?
a monstrous thing it is.
This place, if from aloft thou looke
will séeme to be ywis
Good pasture ground and fine,
as full of grasse as néedes:
But how much néerer that you come,
the more appeare the wéedes,
Then shewes the filth his kinde,
then plainly 'tis discride.
Faustulus.
Rome is to men as to the birds
the Owle with visage wide,
She sits vpon a stocke,
and like a stately Quéene
[Page] With loftie berks she cals a farre
the Birds that nie hir béene.
The route suspecting nought
togither come apace,
They maruell at hir picked eares
and gastly glewing face,
And at hir Monstrous head
and crooked bending byll:
Whilst thus (I say) they hoppe abou [...]
not minding any yll,
From spring to sprig, from bough
to bough, from trée to trée,
Some thread [...] are with limed lace,
with twigs some other bée
Ycaught: thus all as pray
vnto the Broach do goe.
Candidus.
O this is passing, nothing can
he better sayde I trowe.
But sée how yonder Snake
with crooked crawling pace
Glides on the grauell ground, and a [...]
he commeth to thy place
With shirstie gaping iawes
and tong infectes the aire.
Faustulus.
O Candid minde well what I say,
let to thy breast repaire,
[Page 89] What time thou wandrest in the wood
thine eyes defende
And garde with hat, for bushie thornes
their poinant pricks pretende
To noy thy face, and if
thou take not great good héede
The crooked hanging brimbles will
rent off thy crooked wéede.
Do not away thy Crooke,
haue bosome full of stones,
Least some newe vnexpected foe
oppresse thée for the nones.
Put on thy Cokers eke
and stirteps to beware,
The bushie Groues are ful of Snakes,
with bite they bréede our care,
In daylie hazard of our liues,
and now the Sommer makes
Their poysoned Venom ranckle sore
where so by chaunce it takes.
A thousand Wolues there be,
as many Foxes here
Belowe in bottome of the Vale,
that do not yet appere.
And (monstrous thing to speake)
my selfe haue séene with eye
[Page] Men Woulflie shape and manners put
in proufe and practize I,
That with their flocks haue dealt
too cruelly in déede,
And all imbrude with slaughter of
their beasts they forst to bléede.
The neighbour places laugh,
nor feare the cruell spoile,
Nor once will go about to stoppe
this gréedie bloudie broile.
And oftentimes appeare
fell vglie shapes to sight,
Which earth by influence vile brings forth,
sometime the Dogs do fight
And vse such cruell rage,
as farre they do surpasse
The tyrannie of bloudie Wolues:
that route that rampire was
And garde to flocks of yore,
put on a wrathfull minde,
And slay the siellie Cattle that
their fortune is to finde.
In Aegypt men report
they honourd certaine beasts
And sundrie coumpted Gods to be
with pompe and solemne feasts.
[Page 90] That superstition was
deseruing lesser blame
Than ours, for we to euery beast
a seuerall Altar frame:
A thing contrary quite
to God, and lawes of kinde.
For he ordainde a man as heade
and chiefe of brutish kinde.
And sundrie times the hote
and scalding Sommers rayes
And plagie yeare approcheth fast,
that euery beast decayes
About the open fieldes:
the sucking Lambe that cries
At deade Dams teate himselfe with vile
disease on sodaine dies.
Euen vnderneath the yoake
the Oxen léese their breath,
And as they trauaile in the way
yelde life to cruell death.
No reason in the plague,
no Phys [...]cke to aslake
This venome vile, and poysonde filth:
but house from house doth take
Infection of the same,
and drinkes vp deadly sore,
[Page] And dayly so contagion of
this poyson growes to more.
This plague kils lightly no
fell sauage bluddie beast,
The yong ones prosper too too well,
the Wolues make gladsome feast
And rend with ruthlesse chaps
our siellie cattle that
But lately dide, and by our losse
thus Wolues do waxen fat.
Candidus.
Alas vnhappie I,
what rash and foolish moode
Drewe me? who so doth credit fame,
I think him mad and wood.
Of Romaine hils I heard, of stately Tyber eake,
And men of goodlie Romaine roofes
and buildings earst did speake.
I out of hand had great
desire to sée the same,
And leade my life within a soile
that was of such a name.
With halfe my hierd I came
(a mad man in my thought)
For whie with me both Tent and all
my Shephierds trinckets brought
[Page 91] Throughout the Mountaines hie,
Pailes, Pans ymade of brasse,
With Caldrons, Chéesefat eke, and all
the rest that fittest was
For making of the Chéese▪
and so it was my hap
To lose my troublous trauaile and
my charges at a clap.
Alas what shall I doe?
which way my selfe conuart?
The hoped pleasures are denied,
there are in erie parte
So many daungerous haps,
so sundrie perils prest,
As I am driuen vnto my Coate
againe to take my rest:
Constrainde of force to say
and graunt it ill begunne,
The toile I toke in hand of late
by heate of scalding sunne,
By wearie trauaile home to slocks
I am enforst to runne.
Alas vnhappie hierd,
O Shephierd yll accurst,
More better had it bene for thée
if thou hadst staide at furst
[Page] At home in natiue soile,
and there haue waxen olde
(Than thither to haue rashly come)
wher thou moughtst haue bē bold
In countrey well beknowne of thée,
and coast excéeding colde:
And Padus banckes about, and Athesis too strayde,
Or there wher Myncius twhart y• fields
and Pastures runnes vnstaide.
Or else where Abdua with
his siluer chanel flowes
To haue remainde, and fed thy hierde
with swéete and holsome bowes.
Faustulus.
This light beliefe of thine,
both thée and me beguiles,
For I haue séene those gréedie wights
that longd to climbe erewhiles
And sate in pleasures mount,
from praised goods to slip,
Nor could escape: Experience
causeth men beware the whip.
The warie children trie
and wisely looke about,
Nor follow ery liked thing
though braggers boast it out.
[Page 92] Now chiefest things theyr laude
and earned praise do want,
That were of yore right worthy same,
(all these I néedes must graunt)
Whose names alone remaine: as Lune and Adria eake,
And Saluya with auncient Troie of whome did Vmber speake.
But (as I sayd) the names
are now aliue and left,
The rest ingratefull wasting Time
and fretting Age hath re [...]t.
Though now of lesser laude
and praise our Countrey bée,
Yet better is the thing perhaps.
Eche man aliue doth sée
And knowes what great renoume Rome euer had ere this:
The fame (good fayth) as yet remaines,
the auncient gaine begis
And profit is supprest.
Those flouds that earst did flowe
Atwhart the fields and Pasture groūds,
finde lacke of licour nowe.
Drie are the Wellie vaines,
the moisture quite is gone,
[Page] No cloud doth shoure, nor Tyber glides
the gasping fieldes vppon.
Time auncient Conduites hath
and leaden Pipes defast,
The Towres are in decay: wherfore
hence hence (my Goates) in hast.
Here woons but famine nowe,
here want of wealth doth raigne:
Yet here (they say) doth dwell, and we
our selues haue séene it plaine
A Shephierd, one that of the Falcon, Falco hight,
Well storde of [...]léezie Shéepe, for Pasture
grounds a wealthie wight.
That in his Songs excels
the antique Poets, and
The skilfull Orpheus that both woods
and rockes about the land
By sorce of Musike drew,
the rest of Romaine race
He so [...]arre doth surpasse (a straunge
and monstrous vgglie case)
As Padus Tybers streame, and Abdua Macras flood,
The Willow Bulrush, Thistle Rose,
the Seawéedes Popple wood.
[Page 93] We thinke him not vnlike
that noble worthie might
Whose Altars Maro made to shine
twelue dayes with sacred light.
This Shephrerd kepes his fluck [...],
with farre more watchfull care
Than Argus did that in his head
a hundreth watchmen bare.
And Daphnis not alone, but that Apollo take
That fed Admetus hierd in Thessale
soile as Poets speake.
Well worthie to succéede
and take the charge in hand
Of Fisher that forewent his nets,
and kept his Shéepe at land.
He knowes the way to garde
his cattle, how to driue
Diseases from infected flocke,
and saue his Lambs aliue:
Moist eke the Pasture groundes,
giue grasse, let riu [...]rs goe,
And reconcile the mightie Ioue,
abandon théeuish foe.
Beate off the barking Woulfe,
that séekes the beasts to kill.
But if he once restraine
his fauour and his grace,
Driue thou away the hierde, and haste
to séeke a better place.
FINIS.
IMPRINTED AT LONdon in Pater noster Roe, at the signe of the Marmayde, by Henry Bynneman.
ANNO DOMINI. 1567.
- Leaf. 1. side. 1. line. 12. for flock reade flocks
- Leafe. 14. side. 1. line. 11. Fortunatus. The counsell reade The counsell
- Ibid. line. 16. for Among the reade Fortunatus. Among the
- Leafe. 20. side. 1. line. 20. for (mourning reade mourning and in the same line for affects) reade affects
- Leaf. 24. side. 2. line. 25. word read words
- Leaf. 26. side. 1. line. 14. his reade this
- Leaf. 29. side. 1. line. 8. geue reade gaue
- Leaf. 38. side. 2. line. 21. for weakeful reade wreakefull
- Leaf. 40. side. 2. line. 3. for makes reade make & for temple reade temples
- Leaf. 52. side. 1. line. 11. Boreas reade Borias
- Leaf. 57. side. 2. line. 23. for from reade to
- Leaf. 63. side. 2. line. 2. I reade Cornix. I
- Leaf. 64. side. 2. line. 11. for ouergoe reade ouergrowe.
- Leaf. 68. side. 2. lin. 3. for painted panting
- Leafe. 69. side. 1. line. 4. for fran-reade frensie & line. 5. leaue out sie
- Leaf. 75. side. 2. line. 2. for O Candid reade Alphus. O Candid
- Leaf. 85. side. 2. line. 24. euery reade eche
- Leaf. 88. side. 2. line. 23. for thy reade the