Nay ev’n unto her home he oft would go, Where bold and hurtless many play he tries; Her parents liking well it should be so, For simple goodness shined in his eyes: Then did he make her laugh in spite of woe So as good thoughts of him in all arise; While into none doubt of his love did sink, For not himself to be in love did think. This “sad shepherd” held himself towards Urania according to the usual custom and manner of lovers in such cases. For glad desire, his late embosom’d guest, Yet but a babe, with milk of sight he nurst: Desire the more he suckt, more sought the breast Like dropsy-folk, still drink to be athirst; Till one fair ev’n an hour ere sun did rest, Who then in Lion’s cave did enter first, By neighbors pray’d, she went abroad thereby At _Barley-break_ her sweet swift foot to try. Never the earth on his round shoulders bare A maid train’d up from high or low degree, That in her doings better could compare Mirth with respect, few words with courtesie, A careless comeliness with comely care, Self-guard with mildness, sport with majesty Which made her yield to deck this shepherd’s band: And still, believe me, Strephon was at hand. Then couples three be straight allotted there, They of both ends the middle two do fly; The two that in mid-place, Hell,[9] called were, Must strive with waiting foot, and watching eye, To catch of them, and them to Hell to bear, That they, as well as they, Hell may supply Like some which seek to salve their blotted name With other’s blot, till all do taste of shame. There you may see, soon as the middle two Do coupled towards either couple make, They false and fearful do their hands undo, Brother his brother, friend doth his friend forsake, Heeding himself, cares not how fellow do, But of a stranger mutual help doth take: As perjured cowards in adversity, With sight of fear, from friends to fremb’d[10] doth fly, The game being played out with divers adventurers All to second _Barley-break_ again are bent. During the second game, Strephon was chased by Urania. Strephon so chased did seem in milk to swim; He ran, but ran with eye o’er shoulder cast, More marking her, than how himself did go, Like Numid’s lions by the hunters chased, Though they do fly, yet backwardly do glow With proud aspect, disdaining greater haste: What rage in them, that love in him did show; But God gives them instinct the man to shun, And he by law of _Barley-break_ must run. Urania caught Strephon, and he was sent by the rules of the sport to the condemned place, with a shepherdess, named Nous, who affirmed ---------it was no right, for his default, Who would be caught, that she should go-- But so she must. And now the third assault Of _Barley-break_.------