To shew it selfe but neare her seate,
No Lilly is so bould, 30
Except to shade her from the heate,
Or keepe her from the colde:
_Gorbo._ Through yonder vale as I did passe,
Descending from the hill,
I met a smerking bony lasse,
They call her _Daffadill_:
Whose presence as along she went,
The prety flowers did greet,
As though their heads they downward bent,
With homage to her feete. 40
And all the shepheards that were nie,
From toppe of euery hill,
Vnto the vallies lowe did crie,
There goes sweet _Daffadill_.
_Gorbo._ I gentle shepheard, now with ioy
Thou all my flockes dost fill,
That's she alone kind shepheards boy,
Let vs to _Daffadill_.
_From Eclogue ix_
_Motto._ Tell me thou skilfull shepheards swayne,
Who's yonder in the vally set?
_Perkin._ O it is she whose sweets do stayne,
The Lilly, Rose, or violet.
_Motto._ Why doth the Sunne against his kind,
Stay his bright Chariot in the skies,
_Perkin._ He pawseth almost stroken blind,
With gazing on her heauenly eies:
_Motto._ Why doe thy flocks forbeare their foode,
Which somtyme was their chiefe delight, 10
_Perkin._ Because they neede no other good,
That liue in presence of her sight:
_Motto._ How com those flowers to florish still,
Not withering with sharpe winters breath?
_Perkin._ She hath robd nature of her skill,
And comforts all things with her breath:
_Motto._ Why slide these brookes so slow away,
As swift as the wild Roe that were,
_Perkin._ O muse not shepheard that they stay,
When they her heauenly voice do heare. 20
_Motto._ From whence com all these goodly swayns
And lonely nimphs attir'd in greene,
_Perkin._ From gathering garlands on the playnes,
To crowne thy _Siluia_ shepheards queen.
_Motto._ The sun that lights this world below,
Flocks, Brooks and flowers, can witnesse bear,
_Perkin._ These shepheards, and these nymphs do know,
Thy _Syluia_ is as chast, as fayre.
_From Eclogue ix_
_Rowland._ Of her pure eyes (that now is seen)
_Chorus._ Help vs to sing that be her faithful swains
_Row:_ O she alone the shepheards Queen,
_Cho:_ Her Flocke that leades,
The goddesse of these medes,
These mountaines and these plaines.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account