Many other such like common calamities he rehearsed, which happened in other countries, both nigh to this realm and far off, where the Church of Rome hath most authority. And therefore [he] concluded the surest way to be, that every man should judge examine and amend himself; and embrace believe and truly follow the Word of GOD; and earnestly to pray to GOD to turn away from us his deserved wrath and indignation; whereof this his terrible work is a most certain warning, if we repent not unfeignedly. The which GOD grant may come to pass in all estates and degrees, to the glory of His name, and to our endless comfort in CHRIST our Saviour. Amen. GOD save the Queen. [Illustration] [Illustration] SIX IDILLIA, THAT IS, SIX SMALL, OR PETTY, POEMS, OR ÆGLOGUES, chosen out of the right famous Sicilian Poet THEOCRITUS, And translated into English verse. _Dum defluat amnis._ [Illustration] PRINTED At Oxford by IOSEPH BARNES. 1588. E. D. Libenter hic, et omnis exantlabitur Labor, in tuæ spem gratiæ. [HORACE, _Epodes_ i. 23-24.] SIX IDILLIA chosen out of the famous Sicilian Poet THEOCRITUS, and translated into English verse. THE EIGHTH IDILLION. Argument. MENALCAS a Shepherd and DAPHNIS a Neatherd, two Sicilian Lads, contending who should sing best, pawn their Whistles; and choose a Goatherd to be their Judge: who giveth sentence on DAPHNIS his side. The thing is imagined to be done in the Isle of Sicily, by the sea-shore. Of whose singing, this Idillion is called _Bucoliastæ_, that is, "Singers of a Neatherd's Song." _BUCOLIASTÆ._ DAPHNIS, MENALCAS, Goatherd. WITH lovely Neatherd DAPHNIS on the hills, they say, Shepherd MENALCAS met upon a summer's day: Both youthful striplings, both had yellow heads of hair; In whistling both, and both in singing skilful were. MENALCAS first, beholding DAPHNIS, thus bespake: MENALCAS. "Wilt thou in singing, Neatherd DAPHNIS, undertake To strive with me? For I affirm that, at my will, I can thee pass!" Thus DAPHNIS answered on the hill. DAPHNIS. "Whistler MENALCAS, thou shalt never me excel In singing, though to death with singing thou should'st swell!" MENALCAS. "Then wilt thou see, and something for the victor wage?" DAPHNIS. "I will both see, and something for the victor gage!" MENALCAS. "What therefore shall we pawn, that for us may be fit?" DAPHNIS. "I'll pawn a calf; a wennell lamb lay thou to it!" MENALCAS. "I'll pawn no lamb: for both my Sire and Mother fell Are very hard; and all my sheep at e'en they tell." DAPHNIS. "What then? What shall he gain that wins the victory?" MENALCAS. "A gallant Whistle which I made with notes thrice three, Joined with white wax, both e'en below and e'en above; This will I lay! My father's things I will not move!" DAPHNIS.