The Eglogs of the Poet B. Mantuan Carmelitan, Turned into English Verse, & set forth with the Argument to every eclogue by George Turbervile Gent. ANNO. 1567.  
Imprinted at London in Pater noster Row, at the sign of the mermaid, by Henry Bynneman.   

To the right worshipful and his good Uncle, Master HUGH BAMFILD Esquire, GEORGE TURBERVILE wisheth Nestor's years, with all good fortune.  
WORSHIPFUL, as desire not altogether to be idle and waste the golden Time (the rarest of all jewels) procured me to undertake the translation of this Poet: so Nature, with your sundry courtesies bestowed on me without hope of recompense at any time, enforced me (for want of better way to show my good meaning) to dedicate to you this rude and slender Book, translated into our mother tongue. Hoping that as I have not wronged the Poet in any point in my translation, or impaired his credit with the Latins, in forcing him to speak with an English mouth contrary to his nature and kind: so neither that I have ministered you occasion to mislike with me for dedication of the same to you: a man whose benefits I may and will endeavour to requite, but shall never be able to rid my score of his good turns, or cancel the obligation of his many and infinite courtesies. If a man be bound by all means that he may to gratify his well deserving friends: then may not I quiet myself and be at silence till I have devised the requital of some part of your friendships, by some slender gift, such as my Fortune and present chance will permit me to exhibit unto you. And none can I find, either more agreeing unto my state, or fit for your worship, than this new translated Poet. Whose title though at the first perhaps shall seem overrude and barbarous (for EGLOGS are altogether of the Country affairs) yet doubt I not but that both the matter shall be found pleasant, and the style agreeable to the Latin phrase. I do not mistrust but MANTVANS' shepherds will use the matter with such discretion, and so set their rustic Pipes in tune, as you will rather commend their melody, than mislike their audacity: that being Countrymen dare undertake to tell their tales before you, and reason of so many and several matters as in these Eglogs they do. They were not in that age such siellie sots as our Shephierdes are now a days, only having Reason by Experience to prate of their Pastures, and fold and unfold their flocks: But these fellows, whom the Poet and I have here brought in, were well able both to move the doubtful cause, and (if need were) to decide the proponed case. They not only knew the Calf from the Lamb, the Wolf from the Mastiff, but had reason to know the difference twixt Town and Country, the odds betwixt Vice and Virtue, and other things needful and appertaining to the life of man. Wherefore (Uncle) as I shall crave you to accept this my slender gift, undertaking the Patronage and Defence of the same: So shall I request the Gods to allow you the aged Nestor's years, with no mysseaduenture in all your life.  
Your Nephew and daily Orator George Turbervile.   

To the Reader.  
HAVING TRANSLAted this Poet (gentle Reader) although basely and with barren pen, thought it not good nor friendly to wythhold it from thee: knowing of old thy wont courtesy in perusing Books, and discretion in judging them without affection. I shall think my pains passing well employed if thou show thy accustomed favour to this Book, which I have now forced to a new and foreign Language from that it was.  
Though I have altered the tongue, I trust I have not changed the Author's meaning or sense in any thing: but played the part of a true interpreter, observing that which we term Decorum in each respect, as far as the Peete and our mother tongue would give me leave. For as the conference betwixt shepherds is familiar stuff & homely: so have I shaped my style and tempered it with such common and ordinary phrase of speech as Countrymen do use in their assaires: always minding the saying of Horace, whose sentence I have thus englished.  
To set a Manly head upon a Horse's neck,  
And all the limbs with divers plumes of divers hue to deck,  
Or paint a woman's face aloft to open show,  
And make the Picture end in fish, with scaly skin below  
I think (my friends) would cause you laugh and smile to see  
How ill these ill compacted things and members would agree.  
For in deed, he that shall translate a shephierds' tale, and use the talk and style of an Heroical parsonage, expressing the siellie man's meaning with lofty thundering words: in my simple judgement joins (as Horace saith) a Horse's neck and a man's head together. For as the one were monstrous to see, so were the other too fond and foolish to read. Wherefore I have (I say) used the common country Phrase, according to the person of the speakers in every eclogue, as though in deed the man himself should tell his tale. And the sooner to let thee understand the matter contained in every treatise, I have (I hope to thy good liking) foreset the Argument. If there be any thing herein that thou shalt hap to mislike, neither blame the learned Poet, nor control the clownish Shephierd (good Reader) but me that presumed rashly to offer so unworthy matter to thy survey. But if thou fancy or like well with aught contained herein, commend Mantuan, extol the Shephierd: sufficeth me to avoid scotte free from slanderous snare. If I gain thy good will, I have the guerdon of my travail. Thus presuming upon thy patience in perusing this Book, thy uncorrupt judgement in condemning & allowing the same, I end my Preface, craving thee to len● quiet ear to Fortunatus and the rest of his companions.  
George Turbervile.   

¶ The first eclogue of Mantuan, entitled FAUSTUS.  
The Argument:  
AS shepherds custom is  
when they do meet yfeare,  
To talk of this or that,  
and tell the news they hear:  
So Fortunatus craves  
of Faustus to begin  
Of ancient loves to treat,  
whilst flocks a feeding been.  
When friendly Faustus saw  
his earnest friends request:  
To tale of honest love  
the Shepherd him addressed.  

The speakers names.  
Fortunatus.  
Faustus.   Fortunatus 
Friend Faustus, pray thee, since our flock  
in shade and pleasant vale  
Doth chew the cud: of ancient love  
let us begin to tale.  
Lest if by hap unhappy sleep  
our senses should beguile,  
Some savage beast in sprouted corn●  
our cattle catch the while:  
For many such about the fields  
do lurking lie in wait.  
Wherefore to watch is better far  
than sleep in my conceit  Faustus. 
This place, this self same shady bush  
that shrouds us from the heat,  
Knows how I have been cloyed with cares  
and Cupid's coals ytreat  
These four years space, or two at least  
if I remember well.  
But since we are at leisure both,  
and pleasant is to tell:  
I will begin the whole discourse  
and show thee how it fell.  
Here I, whilst in my tender youth  
of cattle should had care,  
Would spread my garment on the soil,  
and bolt upright would stare  
Into the open Skies aloft:  
with doleful drops of brine  
And heavy plaint recounting of  
this cursed fate of mine.  
No pleasure I in quiet took,  
no labour did delight  
My penstue breast, my Sense was dull,  
quite buried was my Spirit:  
As is the stomach of the sick  
whom no good taste allures  
Of loathsome meat, nor patient's mind  
to appetite procures.  
Delight of Music was heresy,  
for Pipe I did not pass  
Compacted of unegal quills,  
my bow but loathsome was.  
The sling & hound were hateful both,  
no pleasure I did put.  
In fouling then, 'twas yrkesom eke  
with knife to crack the Nut.  
To make the bulrush basquet, or  
to guile the fish with begin,  
Or search the brakes for breeding birds  
I forced not a pin.  
Palester plays, and casting lots  
with finger I ne weighed:  
Nor former games that pleasant were  
ere I this grief assayed.  
Wild grapes to gather was a gall,  
and Strawberries to pull.  
I mourned as Tereus' wife is wo●te,  
that having beak as full  
Of food as it can hold, when she  
retourns from her repast  
And sees her younglings borne away,  
she waxeth all aghast:  
And from the bill down falls the bait,  
her heart begins to quail,  
And to the neighbour bush she flies  
her cruel haps to wail  
For broud so lately borne away.  
Or as the gallant cow  
That having lost her loving calf  
in field gins to low.  
And having filled the place with noise  
and crying out a good:  
Repairs to shade and eats no grass  
nor dips her  in flood.  
But why do I with long discourse  
thy lystning ears offend?  
This process makes me both my time  
and words in waste to spend.  
This is the sum of all my tale,  
it grieved my weary spirit  
That miser I with these mine eyes  
did see the loathsome light.  
And if thou longing for to learn  
the whole effect, shouldst say:  
Who (Faustus) to these dreadful rocks  
did thee compel I pray?  
Friend (Fortunatus) I will show  
the very troth to thee.  
My little girl that Galla hight  
had so entrapped me  
With feature of her friendly face  
and looks of loving eye,  
As in her crafty cobweb doth  
Arachne catch the fly.  
For why her ruddy cheeks did strive  
with Coral for their hue:  
A pretty round and fully face,  
a seemly fight to view.  
And of her eyes though one there were  
that stood in little steed;  
Yet when I did recount her years  
and passing shape in deed:  
I did mislike Diana's face,  
I said her feature was  
Not worth a rush, my Galla did  
her blazing beauty pass.  Fortunatus. 
Love (Faustus) blynds the senses sore,  
it guiles the gazing eyes:  
It rea●es the freedom from the mind  
of man in monstrous wife.  
It doth bewitch our weakened spirits.  
I verily suppose  
Some Hellish Imp doth force this fire  
and foully overthrows  
And out of h●ke doth heave our hearts:  
Love is not as they say  
A heavenly God, but bitter gall,  
and error from the way.  Faustus 
Besides I had no hope at all  
my wished good to gain:  
Though she (good heart) did rue my case,  
and pitied Faustus pain,  
And by her becks, & wanton wyncks  
her flame appeared plain.  
For what soever way she went  
(a cruel cankered mate):  
Her married Sister her ensude  
and followed Gallas gate.  
The hard and churlish Mother eke  
upon the Wench did watch:  
Each thing did hinder mine intent.  
Even as the Cat to catch  
The pretty, part, & prick-eared Monse  
observes with earnest eye  
The cloven cranny, and the beast  
on bacon flitch doth pry  Fortunatus, 
The porred paunch and stuffed maw  
commendeth fasting much:  
And they that are not dry, at those  
that long for liquor grudge.  Faustus 
Twas time with crooked sith to shear  
the corn that grew in field,  
The Barley all about the lands  
a golden gleam did yield.  
The Mother (as the custom is)  
came with her Daughters both,  
To gather up the shatered sheaves  
which reaper overgoth.  
For she wist nothing of our Love,  
or made as though she had  
Not known a white thereof: I think  
she was not half so made  
But that she found it well enough,  
and did dissemble sore:  
For she in deed (I stand assured)  
had understood before  
Her daughter had a Leveret ta'en  
in pawn of my good will:  
A pair of stock doves eke she had  
to keep or else to kill.  Fortunatusus. 
The want of wealth good nurture mars  
the poor is prone to fall:  
He slides into the snare of shine  
and is to vices thrall.  Faustus. 
The virgin gathering up her grips,  
came after me a pace,  
With open breast and naked foot  
and sleeveless arms, in case  
As fittest was for scorching heat  
and summers scalding blaze,  
With wreathed bough about her brows  
to keep her heauty bright:  
For cause the heat will hurt the hue  
and make it swarth to sight,  
In sort that Lovers never will  
conceive thereof delight.  
And ever as she did approach  
my shattered sheaf I shook:  
And as from out my fift it fell  
that up my Minion took.  
For women neither can conceal  
their griefs and wasting gléede,  
Nor conquer cares, ne yet defer  
the same till time of need:  
Such lightness reins in them by kind  
as out it shall with speed.  Fortunatus 
Who so doth love is light God wot,  
not womankind alone,  
But very they that deemed are  
to sit in Pallas throne,  
And wisdoms gaudy garland wear  
about their tried head:  
Yea those of powdered purple that  
and Senate robes are sped.  
Whom I in stately sort have seen  
like Royal Kings to walk,  
And erst in proud presumptuous sort  
about the streets to stalk.  
And thou perhaps affectiond so  
wert madder of the twain,  
And lighter eke: thou shattredst corn,  
she took it up again.  
Thou gav'st the grain that she received,  
I pray thee tell me now  
Which was the wisest of the both,  
the little trull or thou?  
Speak on, for talk is it that must  
drive sleep from heavy brow.  Faust●● 
The angry Beldame looking back  
with shriveled visage prates,  
And cried why (Galla) whither goest?  
why dost thou leave thy mates?  
Come hither (Galla) here among  
the Alder boughs I have  
Found out a pleasant shady plot  
from Phoebus' flames to save  
Our overchaufed limbs with heat,  
the whistling air doth cause  
The trembling leaves to make a noise,  
'tis best here right to pause.  
O hateful words to Faustus ears:  
go gentle winds I pray  
And bear (quoth I) with nimble gale  
this cursed sound away.  
If any Shepherd bring his flock  
into a fertile vain,  
And will not let them feed their fill  
but drive them back again,  
Or having fed, will stay the stream  
and never let them drink,  
But force them to forego the flood:  
wouldst thou not surely think  
That man to be a monster fell  
and natures cruel foe,  
And stony hearted that could use  
his sielly cattle so?  
That voice to me more griefful was  
than junos' husbands threats,  
When down he flings his flashing flaks,  
and earth with Imber beats.  
I would not, but I could not choose  
but backward cast mine eye:  
And Galla looking under brow,  
'gan out of hand reply.  
She bent her friendly blincks as fast,  
and rolled her eyes aside:  
Which by and by the chiding Dame  
by spiteful fortune spied.  
And called upon the wanton Wench:  
but Galla bent the more  
To work, refused to lend an ear  
to her that chid so sore.  
As she with foot pursued my pace,  
so did she eke in heart:  
Then I full like a crafty child,  
(for Love ministers art  
And doth instruct his thralls with dole)  
would often sing a song,  
And often on the Reapers cry,  
and harvest folks among.  
A crafty cloak to make the Dame  
and wedded Sister leave  
That Galla to their cleping cries  
no ear at all did give.  
With sith I shore adoun the briars,  
for that I would be sure  
The pricks to Gallas tender feet  
no damage should procure.  Fortunatus 
Who so doth love (no doubt) is slave  
and follows (like a thrall  
Inchaind) his chosen Mistress foot  
till yoke his neck do gall.  
Sweet blows to bear he is compelled  
upon his beastly corpse,  
He bides the goad, and like an Ox  
doth draw the plough perforce.  Faustus 
And thou as far as I can learn,  
haste felt Cupidos' dart.  Fortunatus 
Tush 'tis a common evil, who hath  
not played some frantic part?  Faustus 
This painful pleasure of the mind,  
this surged venom grew  
From day to day to more and more,  
more cruel 'twas to view.  
Even as the heat of Phoebus' flames  
augment their scorching blast:  
And parching power from less to more,  
till nine of clock be past.  
I wore aghast tike one that was  
of late bereft his wits,  
Besides myself (no doubt) I was,  
and rack with fruious fits.  
Unmindful beast I was become,  
I took no nightly rest:  
Twas easy eke to know my grief,  
The brow bewrays the breast.  
Which thing as sons my Father spied,  
more gentle he became  
Than erst, for that himself had felt  
the force of Cupid's flame.  
And knew thereof the burden well  
how heavy 'twas to bear:  
Wherefore in courteous sort he said.  
Son Faustus banish fear,  
And tell thy father what thou aylste,  
and hidden haste in heart:  
(Unhappy boy) this face declares  
that thou haste felt the dart  
Of Love, come off, and take no shame  
but tell me how thou far:  
Bewray to me thy pensive thought  
that breeds this cutting care.  Fortunatus 
Yea, though the father check his child  
and use a bended brow,  
His mind is frindlier than his face,  
he loves him well enough.  Fortunatus. 
I seeing that my Sire became  
so courteous, out of hand  
Confessed the matter, and declared  
how though the case did stand.  
I craved his help, he strait behight  
that he would do his best:  
And so (or ear the winter frost  
with glare the ground oppressed)  
The kinsfolk and the Father had  
betrothde the Maid to me.  
But she and I could never deal  
alone, but some would see  
And warily watch what coil we kept:  
I was a Tantal right,  
I stood amid the water, but  
I could not drink a whit.  
O Lord how often leaving plough  
and Oxen all alone,  
When she was sole at home, have I  
unto her mothers gone?  
I would devise excuses store,  
the plough tail, or the yoke,  
The share, the chains, the spittestaffe eke  
my subtle craft to cloak.  
And all at Mother laws I fet,  
I could not want a jot,  
But yet (good Wench) her company  
I could not have God wot.  
I was not slack to do my due,  
to fish, to foul, to hunt:  
I t●oe began and practised feats  
t●at I of yore was wont.  
What soever was my luck to catch,  
what game so ere I killed,  
To mother laws I bore, and was  
surmised a courteous child.  
At midnight once (as promise was  
betwixt the Wench and me)  
I came unto her Mother's house,  
in hope to had some glee:  
The Dogs (not sleepy then) at door  
some thief surmised to be.  
With open jaws on me they ran,  
I leapt a hedge in haste.  
And so with much add escaped  
the cursed Curs at last:  
With such devices all the cold  
and Winter time we passed.  
The Spring was come, the groves were green,  
the vine began to spread:  
The ploughman Barley 'gan to sow,  
for Wheat had taken head.  
Lamperydes those glistering fowls  
with glowing wings did fly,  
Which did declare to husbandmen  
that harvest time was nigh.  
Behold, the marriage days was come,  
a wedded wight I was:  
What need so many words? at night  
to bed in post we pass.  
A wished time to both God wot,  
my Bark with blessed blast  
And merry gale of wind unto  
the haven came at last.  
Then with a slaughtered Ox two day  
we kept a solemn feast,  
And underneath a spreading trét  
the tables were addressed.  
Oenophilus was there, on whom  
full fraught with Bacchus' wares  
And making sport, with willing eyes  
the whole assemble stars.  
With pipe was Tonius eke at hand,  
who after meat to show  
His skill, the painted bagpipe reached,  
and 'gan thereon to blow.  
His alley cheeks with blasting breath  
full wide he made to stroute,  
When he began to puff the pipe,  
he stared all about,  
And listed up his bittle brows,  
and from his lungs full off,  
He drew his wind to fill the bag,  
that being stuffed tossed,  
And bruised with his elbow down,  
did yield his sound aloft.  
With finger frisking here and there,  
as he was piping aye:  
He called the youth from table, and  
invited them to play,  
And hop about the open streets,  
and dance away the day.  
There are since that three winters past,  
fourth Summer comes in place:  
I see if any good day there be,  
it flies away apace.  
Is nothing pleasant in this world  
but passeth by in haste:  
But hateful haps and vilest things  
we see do longest last.  Fortunatus. 
O Fauste, dost see? to yonder vine,  
the flock doth go with speed,  
Wherefore least we be taxed sore,  
'tis time to trudge in deed.   

¶ The two eclogue entitled FORTUNATUS.  
The Argument.  
THe pranks that Padus played  
in breaking down his bounds,  
And how he had dismayed  
men, sheep, and pasture grounds,  
His Faustus tale to quite,  
here Fortunatus 'gan:  
And after to recite  
the fond affects of man.  
Of mad Amyntas' love  
and passing rage to tell,  
For other men's behove  
this zealous shepherd fell.  

The speakers names.  
Faustus.  
Fortunatus.   Faustus 
HOw happed (my friend) you come so late?  
a week is past and gone:  
What bred thy stay? annoys thy sheep  
the soil they feed upon?  Fortunatus. 
O Faustus, Pade the flood that fletes  
and runs alongst our grounds  
Was waxen equal with the banks:  
it had so past his bounds,  
That we not forcing on our flocks,  
for private profits sake  
And common safety were constrained  
both day and night to make  
A Bay to beat the waters back  
and cause them to recoil,  
For fear lest Padus would have drowned  
and overflown our soil.  Faustus. 
Yea Padus sundry times when he  
doth swell above his banks,  
(As Tityrus can witness well)  
plays many spiteful pranks.  Fortunatus. 
Even as thou sayest, perhaps he doth,  
when out of mean and time  
He boils by force of Summer blaze,  
and 'bove the bank doth climb.  
But now the year requires the same,  
for from the frosty hills  
The Winter snow descendeth down:  
The Mount with water fills  
The slacked floods, and doth discharge  
himself: the flood as fast  
Conveys his burden and the waves  
to gultching Seas doth cast.  
They play the part that men are wont:  
for when the heavy pack,  
Doth pinch our linunes, we cast it on  
our needy neighbours back.  Fortunatus. 
But now the cha●●ll hath revokde  
his spouting spring again.  Faustus. 
O Fortunatus (wonder tis  
and moustrous thing to say)  
Though Padus do decrease, our lake  
with greater sourge doth swell:  
The City swinunes aloft the stream,  
a straungie tale to tell.  
The vaults and sellars ditches are,  
in whirries men resort  
Unto the barrels, drawers have  
a joily glee and sport,  
To go by water with their jacks  
and fetch the wine away  
By bottles full, that erst full dry  
in secret cellar lay.  
On Townish men (though happy they  
appear to open sight)  
Yet many times unhappy haps,  
and cruel chances light.  Fortunatus. 
From every pleasure doth arise  
displeasure in the end:  
And aye from every blessed hap  
doth baleful luck depend.  Faustus. 
Thus much of Padus hath been told,  
now let's recite our Love:  
Since friendly Venus thereunto  
in each respect doth move.  
The weather is full warm we see,  
the soil is green to view:  
The fowls about the field do sing,  
now every thing doth mewe,  
And shifts his rusty winter rob.  Fortunatus. 
Thou haste in shepherds verse  
Declared thy love, but I will begin  
another's to rehearse,  
(A shepherd whom thou know'st full well)  
to make it plain in sight  
What force there rests in Venus' flame,  
and show her stately might.  
Amyntas' poor (God wot) and borne  
unlucky under sign:  
Six calves of equal age possessed,  
and had as many kine.  
Whom as he drove to pasture with  
a Bull that father was  
To all the herd: It was his chance.  
by Coytus to pass.  
A place where Myncius with his clear  
and silver channel flows  
And swiftly all the grassy soil  
and meadows overgoes.  
A Castle new with battled walls  
there faceth on the flood:  
High raised up that Coyte hight,  
and on the marsh stood.  
Here resting him by rivers side  
where grew a goodly vine,  
That with his boughs did shade the banks  
and waters passing fine,  
He stayed to earth the gliding Fish  
with baited hook and line.  
I was Harvest time, y● scorching beams  
of scalding Phoebus' rays  
Had singed the soil, the Nightingale  
had laid aside her lays.  
The ground was withered in such wise  
as neither flock could feed  
thereon by day, nor dew was left  
for grasshoppers at need,  
By night to moist their criking chaps.  
Here whilst he spent the tide  
About the River, and this fond  
and vain devise applied.  
The Bull first vexed with the Wasp,  
and next with curs they say,  
And last by filching Soldiers mean  
was quite conveyed away,  
Not to be found in field. Which when  
the Boy had understood,  
He got him to a Mountain by  
and cried out a good  
For Bull unhaply lost of late,  
and all the country sought  
With greedy gazing eye. But when  
he saw it booted nought  
And that his pain could not prevail:  
his bended Bow he took,  
And painted Quiver full of shafts  
and for his beast 'gan look  
Through woods where was no haunted path,  
through every flock & fold,  
Through pastures eke to see where he  
his Bullock might behold.  
About Benacus banks he went,  
and Mounts with Olive tree  
Beset, and places where both Fig  
and Vine was green to see.  
At length a haughty hill he hent,  
where did a Chapel stand  
Of Sulphur, and from thence he cast  
his eyes about the land,  
And over viewed Benacus bounds,  
and all the country round,  
To see where in that coast there were  
his Bullock to be found.  
It was Saint Peter's day by course  
and custom of the year,  
The youth of every village by,  
at after noon was there:  
And underneath a gréenysh Elm  
that shadowed all the soil,  
At sound of pleasant country pipe  
they danced, and kept a roil,  Faustus 
The country Cloines can not be tongue  
by any kind of art,  
Unquiet they delight in sweat:  
when Priest hath done his part,  
And morning Prayers ended are,  
the Holy day (when all  
Should cease from toil) impatient they  
of rest and hunger, fall  
To filling of their greedy maws  
and tossing of the cup:  
And high to dance, as soon as mynstreil  
begins to pipe it up:  
They tread it tricksy under tree,  
one skips as he were mad,  
An other jumps as 'twere an Ox  
unto the Altar lad.  
The sacred soil (that sin it were  
to turn with toiling share,  
And cut with crooked coulter) they  
can not endure to spare:  
But frisk thereon like frantic fools  
unwieldy wights (God wots)  
With leaden legs and heavy heels  
about the Churchyard trot.  
And all the day do cry and laugh,  
and lay their lips to pot.  Fortuna. 
Thou dolt, why dost thou chat of this?  
thyself a rustic borne:  
The manners of the country Cloines,  
and rustic rout dost scorn.  
Thou dost thyself condemn withal,  
thou art thy proper foe.  Faustus. 
Tush of Amyntas let us chat,  
let all these matters go.  
I spoke it but in sport (my friend)  
I trust you take it so.  
He stayed, and leaning 'gainst his staff  
maked of Acer tree,  
Did stint from travail till the heat  
might somewhat suaged be.  
O most unhappy hapless youth,  
in shade a greater flash  
Will seize thy corpse: shut up thine eyes  
lest whilst Diana wash  
Her lovely limbs in silver stream  
thou naked her espy:  
Or lend a listening ear unto  
the Sirens when they cry.  
Thy luck with Narcisce heavy lore,  
may well compared be:  
For whilst in Well he sought to slake  
his thirst, the more was he  
(Unlucky lad) with drought attachde:  
so whilst thou dost devise  
This outward heat to flee, an inward  
flame doth thee surprise.  
How much had better been (I pray)  
and happier for thee,  
(Unless the fatal Gods would had  
thy destiny so to be)  
To thy remainder flock in field  
to have returned back,  
And kept thy Kine, and let alone  
the Bull that was a lack:  
And taken in good part the loss  
of that one beast alone,  
Than thus, in seeking nought to find  
thyself to have foregone.  Faustus. 
Oh Friend, who is not wise become  
when things are at the worst?  
Tis nought to give advise in fine  
that should been had at furst.  Fortunatus. 
The counsel that comes after all  
things are dispatched at last,  
Is like a shower of rain that falls  
when sowing time is past.  
Among the rest of all the rout  
a passing proper Lass,  
A white haired trull of twenty years  
or near about there was:  
In stature passing all the rest,  
a gallant Girl for hew:  
To be compared with Townish Nymphs  
so fair she was to view.  
Her forehead cloth with gold was purlde  
a little here and there:  
With copper clasp about her neck  
a kerchief did she wear.  
That reached to her breast and paps:  
the Wench about her waist,  
A gallant gaudy ribande had  
that girt her body fast.  
In Petticoat of country stuff  
Mockadoe like, she goes:  
I was plaited brave, the length was such  
it hung nigh to her toes.  
As soon as her the youth had spied,  
he perished by and by:  
By sight he sucked in the flame,  
and mean of wanton eye:  
He swallowde up the blinding fire,  
and in his belly placed  
The coals that neither waves could quench  
nor rainy imber waist,  
No not enchantments, witches words,  
it clung so close and fast.  
Forgetful he of former flock,  
and damage done with waves,  
Was all imaged with this flash,  
at night he nought but raves.  
The season that for quiet sleep  
by nature pointed was,  
In bitter plaints and cruel cries,  
this burning Boy did pass.  
I sundry times for pity's sake  
his growing flame to stay,  
And stop the frantic fury, would  
to him full often say:  
O lamentable lad, what God  
hath forced thee thus to far?  
But sure it was no work of Gods  
that bred this bitter care.  
Nay rather 'twas the cruelest imp,  
and spitefulst fiend of hell,  
Of those with Lucifer that from  
the skies to dungeon fell,  
That nine days space were tumbling down:  
I pray thee make me show  
And call to mind where ever yet  
thou any man didst know  
By foolish love advauncde to wealth,  
or any office borne:  
Or raised by means thereof his house,  
or stuffed his barns with corn?  
Didst ever any know that hath  
thereby enlarged his bounds:  
Increaste his flock, or for his herd,  
ygotten fruitful grounds?  
Among so many countries tell  
me, if thou heardst of one,  
At any time through all the earth  
I think was never none.  
There are that to their bloody boards  
our crushed bodies bear,  
And butcherlike (with greedy teeth)  
our rented corpses tear.  
There are, I say, whom spit full fiends  
unto such practice drive:  
Yet is there no such kind of men  
so cruel here alive:  
No country is so barbarous,  
is none so savage seckte,  
As doth not hate the woman's love  
and fancies fond reject.  
Thence brawls are bred, thence chide come,  
thence broiling war & strife  
Yea often eke with shedding blood  
the cruel loss of life.  
By means thereof are Cities sacked,  
and Bulwarks beat to ground:  
Moreover Laws and sacred Books  
in iron chains ybound,  
Forbidden and give us charge to flee  
in any case this Love:  
With words expressly Cupid they  
and all his toys disprove.  
Amyntas had no sooner heard  
the name of Laws rehearsed,  
But answered (for in City he  
a Boy was fostered erst)  
Thou goest about to far surmount  
by giving this advise  
The Catoes both, and to be thought  
both circumspect and wise.  
This error and this madness bears  
each where a cruel sway:  
Man flattereth with himself, and would  
be counted crafty, aye  
A creature able to foresee:  
yet many a snare and gin  
And ditch that he himself hath delu'de  
the Miser falleth in.  
He first was free, but to his neck  
himself did frame the yoke:  
In servile chain himself he bound,  
and bands of freedom broke.  
So weighty are those Laws (my self  
have seen the Books ere this)  
As neither predecessors, nor  
ourselves can keep iwis:  
Nor aftercomers shall observe  
the meaning of the same.  
Behold the foolish wit of man,  
that thinks such feat to frame,  
As to the heavens to aspire:  
and hopes at length to get  
Among the glistering stars aloft  
a stately room and seat.  
Perhaps when life is lost, he shall  
into a foul convert:  
And then his feathered soul with wings  
to welkin shall depart.  
And then (quoth I) what brawl is this?  
since God did so devise  
The laws, 'twere fowl offence for man  
his statutes to despise.  Faustus. 
These are debates of great affairs  
and weighty things in deed.  Faustus. 
Wott'st thou what kind of man I was?  
though ragged be my weed,  
And I a rustic now to see:  
then both in force and mind  
And looks, I was a roisting lad.  
Thou shouldst not lightly find  
A shepherd to be matched with me.  Faustus. 
And yet if bolt upright  
Thou stalk with countenance cast aloft  
thou wilt appear in sight,  
A second Marius to be:  
let Barbar shave thy face  
With razor, and in countenance thou  
wilt match with Carbo's grace.  Fortunatus. 
Amyntas would like answer make  
when I his folly blamed:  
But to proceed: when God had man  
in perfect figure framed,  
He did repine thereat and thought  
the pleasures he allowed  
Too passing were: and did restrain  
our lust with law, and bowed  
Our Rebel minds with new decrees:  
as Horsemen use to tie  
Their jades with brakes about the jaws  
for fear they go awry.  
Herein Love makes me show my mind,  
and fancy freely tell:  
Who so debars his wife to go  
in common doth not well,  
But envious may accounted be.  
But yet this spiteful hate  
The cloak of honest custom doth  
in some respect abate.  
For whilst each man unto himself  
(not forcing common good)  
Reserved his private joys, and to  
his marriage bargain stood.  
A common custom is incrochte  
that Honesty is height,  
Good faith to make such peevish laws  
'twas mad and foolish spite.  
A hateful thing is Love (God wot)  
and pleasure spiteful eke.  
Then I no longer daring to  
the Youth athwart to speak,  
shook of the raging wanton Boy  
that seemed bereft of sense:  
And on my former voyage I  
eftsoon departed thence.  Faustus. 
Seest how this vile Affection fond  
our inward eyes of mind  
Shutts up in such despiteous sort,  
and makes us men so blind,  
As headlong we to errors runs  
and to deceitful snare:  
Till time we be in wilful trap  
and nipped with cutting care?  Fortunatus. 
Oh, dost thou see (friend Faustus) how  
the pitchy clouds upon  
Mount Baldus to a cluster go,  
and join themselves in one?  
It hails, for fear our cattle be  
dispersed, let's be gone.   

¶ The three eclogue entitled FAUSTUS.  
The Argument.  
THe Tylmans weary toil  
and troublous life he splayes:  
And last Amyntas cruel foil  
by frantic Love bewrays.  

The speakers names.  
Faustus.  
Fortunatus.   Faustus 
THe hail (my friend) from Baldus mount  
that yesterday did fall  
(We thank the Gods, that save our corn)  
annoyed us nought at all.  
But Harculus reported hath  
and bruited here a fame:  
That in the coast was much a do  
from whence he lately came.  
Verona fields were pestered sore,  
the cattle with the fold:  
The Shepecots & the Barns the hail  
(as he half weeping told)  
Hath overwhelmed & laid on ground,  
and in such sort defaced:  
As all good hope that husbands had  
is quite bereft and passed.  
For Cattle is the only wealth  
that Country men enjoy,  
And Pasture ground that subject is  
to this and like annoy.  
The Citizens have heaped hoards  
and coffers full of pence:  
That safely under lock do lurk  
and need no other fence.  
No hail can hurt, no force of frost  
their coffred coin can mar:  
No crushing ice, nor stormy clouds  
that in the Welkin war.  
I wot not who doth rule the winds,  
and bears the swinging sway  
Among the fell tempestuous Skies:  
I wot not what to say.  
I know not, no nor though I did,  
that knowledge would suffice:  
I dare to speak. But what? shall I  
for such an enterprise  
Be here alive tormented thus?  
if God's (as men report)  
The Skies do govern from above  
and rule in such a sort:  
I think they force not on the pains  
and troublous toils of man.  
See how with daily sweat of brow  
we get as well's we can  
A slender living (God he knows)  
behold what cruel pains  
The sielly Shepherd for his flock,  
his babes and spouse sustains.  
With too much heat in Summer cloyed,  
in Winter nipt with cold:  
The Raynie days upon the ground  
we sleep in Shepecots old.  
And either thousand mischiefs of  
the soil our cattle spill:  
Or Cooth, and daily vile disease  
and thousand dangers kill.  
The filching Thief doth watch the fold,  
the Wolf doth lie in wait:  
The Soldier eke that far excels  
the Wolf for such deceit.  
Yea though with daily trade and toil  
our hands well hardened be,  
And full of knobby hills our fists,  
though visage swart to see,  
Though staring be the beard to view  
and shryu'led eke the skin:  
One shower of hail with sudden whis●  
makes all not worth a pin.  
And this by Gods themselves is done,  
to whom we Shepherds we  
Do crouch at sacred Altar stone  
with twyfold bended knee,  
and offer holy candles up.  
I wot not what this Piety  
and Clemency doth mean,  
That stelly us poor Sepheards' spoils  
of all our substance clean,  
And wraps us in a thousand ills  
that think no hurt at all.  Faustus. 
Oh (Fortunatus) our offence  
procures these plagues to fall.  
And light upon our hateful heads  
that well deserve the same:  
The judgement of our God is just,  
he not deserveth blame.  Fortuna. 
What heinous fact of ours I pray?  
did we his death conspire?  Faustus. 
For brawls, theft, anger, bawdy life,  
and lies we have this hire.  Fortunatus. 
What have the good deserved then?  
all are not ill alike:  
Yet all at once with equal scourge  
the hateful Hag doth strike.  Faustus. 
Oh vile offence, so evil to think  
of God is heinous crime:  
Wherefore omitting needless things  
not to be known, in time,  
Amyntas troubles let's repeat  
and cares endured of old,  
Which we of force by trial know,  
let them I say be told  
afresh. For Love a practice is  
full common now a days:  
A daily trade which overtmuch  
the tender youth assays.  Fortunatus. 
Friend, (mourning, & such like affects)  
do overthrow the heart,  
And plagues the mind: he tells a woeful  
tale that tasteth smart.  Faustus. 
Well may a man debate of things  
as state and time require,  
But not of such as he ne knew:  
So Cosmas did aspire  
To be accounted wise and grave.  Fortuna. 
Thou dost (friend Faustus) well  
And wisely: wherefore let's begin  
well known Loves to tell.  
Remains of good Amyntas' rage  
and latter fate to rue,  
And that unhappy chance of his  
with bitter tears pursue.  
I saw, 
Narratio.  as I by fortune past  
eftsone that way again,  
The man inradge: and taking ruth  
of sielly lovers pain,  
Bespoke him as I erst had done.  
O wilful wight (quoth I)  
That with this fatal venom vile  
besotted so dost lie,  
Of whom the people have their talk  
and babble every day,  
Hast thou not yet put fancies fond  
and foolish thought away?  
But buried deep in Love dost lie?  
what? wilt thou spoil both thee  
And thine, thy cattle and thy Coote  
as erst did Samson he  
That Giant huge that halde the house  
and roof upon his head?  
When crooked limping age shall com●  
and brave Iwenta fled,  
(If Fates allow thee old to be)  
who will relieve thee than  
Poor, idle, drouste, senseless wight,  
and feeble forceless man,  
All these (unless untimely death  
prevent) with Age will grow.  
Go to, hast home, be ware and wise,  
and whither thou dost go  
Take heed, & shun the place where hurt  
may fortune to arise:  
Be ware (I say) thy future state  
foresee with careful eyes.  
Discern the path thou mindst to pace,  
and fix thou fast in mind  
That man in woman's pleasures and  
delights is not assigned  
To waste away his youthful Prime.  
For why the foolish toy  
And wicked lust of wanton Love  
doth tender age annoy.  
Even I that cattle have good store  
and milk and cheese enough,  
Live hardly, and do wear away  
the world with sweat of brow  
And much ado God wot. For why  
our fields did fail of late,  
Such need doth reign in every plae  
we are at beggar's state.  
So many heavy haps we have,  
such mischiefs daily light,  
Such crabbed luck as all the world  
is now in piteous plight.  
Give ear to things not heard alone  
or spread by bruited fame,  
Nor many years ago betide,  
myself have seen the same:  
And at this day do daily view,  
the proof doth now appears.  
As custom is, in Month of May  
I erst my Sheep did shear,  
And threescore pounds of passing wool  
betime to sale did set:  
But now a days I thought alike  
like gains thereby to get,  
And scarce could keep my flock alive  
and Winter fodder buy,  
In frost and snow the cruel want  
of pasture to supply.  
Oh Lord (Amyntas) how my folk  
shall live I know not I.  
Who so doth love, unto his Lass  
must many presents send:  
But thou whom scarce a house to dwell  
would cruel Fortune lend:  
Where day & night is want of wealth  
and lack of golden see:  
How canst thou shift to send thy Trull  
ought that may grateful be?  
Ear this sufficed unto a Maid  
ten apples gay to bring,  
A Garland fresh of fragrant flowers,  
a Nest of birds to sing.  
I knew when in as great a price  
the country maids did hold  
A Garland as a better gift:  
but now from grass to gold  
They are ascended, Love is now  
become a stately thing:  
The ancient custom is decayed  
new laws do daily spring  
As touching trade of greedy Love,  
they gape for greater gain.  
With angry brow and lowering look  
replete with foul disdain  
To me persuading thus bespoke  
Amyntas. Friend (quoth he)  
Friend Fortunatus, if thou long  
to purchase ease to me  
And wished comfort to reduce,  
allow me that I Love:  
That only thing my crankred grief  
and gripings may remove.  
The rest thou babblest torments are,  
this fury will not stint  
Nor rooted be from out my heart.  
Within my breast the print  
And Image of the Virgin sits.  
With me she sojourns aye:  
With me she goes & makes return,  
when I return by day.  
At night with me she lodgeth eke  
and sleeps in self same bed.  
She hath so seized upon my bones,  
my marrow, heart, and head,  
As never may she well depart  
till life these limbs hath fled.  
And as, what time a tender slip  
cut from a foreign tree  
Is graft into another stock  
their natures joined be,  
And so by growth become as one:  
even so the Virgin's grace  
And Image of her comely look  
and Idol of her face  
Was planted deep within my breast,  
our hearts became as one,  
Both one our minds, the difference  
twixt her and me was none.  
One sense, one soul did serve us both  
our limbs so linked were.  
Oh happy I, if when my corpse  
shall dead be placed on Bear,  
And fatal Sister's shrid my twist  
and finger close mine eye,  
I might twixt those her lily arms  
and paps in bosom lie:  
With heavy head when soul were past  
and lively line ycutte,  
That she these dying eyes of mine  
mougth with her finger shut.  
And might with shrill and doleful voice  
bewéepe my heavy fate:  
And pour her crystal tears adown  
for loss of loving mate.  
Where to the blessed Fields that are  
allotted to the good  
I after life do pass: or forced  
down to the Stygian flood  
And fiery stream of Phlegeton  
those fretting fits abide:  
Me neither pain withouten thee  
nor pleasure shall betide.  
O Dryads, and yea sacred Nymphs  
of flowers that have the care,  
O Sire Sylvanus that dost rule  
where pleasant arbours are:  
I pray you guard amid your mounts,  
and shady vales below  
The sweet and smelling flowers that  
within your circuits grow,  
(The beauty of the Country fields  
and queachy Groves we have)  
Do hedge your bounds from feeding flocks  
the floury soil to save.  
Reserve (I pray you) them till need  
to deck the Hearse withal  
Of my sweet wench when she by stroke  
of dreadful death shall fall.  
Then, then let all the ground be strewed,  
let garlands then be plied:  
At time of death and burial of  
my Love her Hearse to hide.  
Pierideses the pensive Nymphs  
at hand shall then be pressed,  
With weeping eyes lamenting of  
the Grave so gaily dressed.  
And shall insculp these woeful words  
upon the Marble stone,  
Of after comers to be read  
when we are past and gone.  
Here buried lies a last  
that wanted nought at all  
Save that she cruel was,  
a sacred Saint to call.  
Oh Virgin if so great a fire  
did burn within thy bones  
By thousand Scylla's and as many  
Charybds I at ones  
Would swim to thee to breed thy ease:  
thou feller than a snake  
Dost flee thy friend. But what need I  
so much ado to make?  
And blame the wight? she knows me not.  
No doubt if so the maid  
Had understanding what I were,  
she would procure mine aid.  
There can not be a brazen breast  
where doth such feature flow:  
But yet we must not overmuch  
believe the flattering brow.  Faustus. 
For often under smoothest skin  
doth lurk a cankered mind:  
And under friendly forehead is  
a hateful heart to find.  
I will go talk and let her wit  
of this my hidden fire.  
But oh, if she should wry her looks,  
and bar me my desire:  
To tears my Crystal eyes would soon  
convert as you should see,  
My woeful breast to sobbing sighs  
transformed strait would be.  
And though she hate me (cruel) aye  
and flee her friend apace:  
Yet me this wasting care will still  
pursue in every place.  
Far well ye Physic arts, for I  
am not to be recured:  
Adieu ye eke to fetch from Hell  
the souls that are enured  
With Magic verse & Witches call,  
(ungodly thing to leave)  
Farewell ye all that vainly hope  
with bootless words ye give,  
The steely minds of Gods to wrest:  
for now I see the Skies  
Are cruel foes of mine and will  
not bend for all my cries.  
Impatient fury draws me on,  
it doth me good alone  
To range the hills, and wander through  
the woods and caves unknown  
The doubtful dens of dreadful Beasts.  
Him speaking thus I thought  
And went about with friendly words  
to wrest, but all for nought.  
The cureless wound by no means can  
to perfect state be brought  
He mid the silent Night amids  
the fields would wrangle aye:  
In bushy Lands with waking eyes  
he walked at creek of day.  
The Wilding was his only food,  
the Crab he used to crash:  
And with a draft of water he  
his thirsty jaws did wash  
And was therewith right well content.  
At length unhappy Lad  
When he his many woeful cries  
and schritches yelled had,  
When tearless wox his wasted eyes  
and dry for want of wet,  
When he with oft rebounding sobs  
his bulk had all to bet:  
Came gentle Death, and quiet brought  
to his unquiet stay.  
The Carcase dead and brethlesse Corpse  
that there unterred lay  
Withouten honour of the grave  
the Savage beasts by night,  
And greedy tiring filthy Fowls  
by day devoured quite.  Faustus. 
Oh murrain vile and fatal gin,  
that with thy venomed darts  
The bulks of men dost pierce, & poisoned  
shafts our mortal hearts,  
And mak'st us brutish seem to sight,  
no bet than savage are.  
What cup of Circe's, or Calypso  
might with this compare?  
What drench might Styx, or Phlegeton,  
or Furies worse devise?  
O dolts that Love account a God,  
O blind and bleared eyes.  
Is God a Nature hurtful? No.  
Where ever he doth won,  
He ruthful is to man, and doth  
no ill, of dexter doom.  Fortunatus. 
Oh Woeful wretched Boy that in  
thy tender years didst die:  
What time that thou wert born what stars  
bare sway in swinging Sky?  
What part of welkin wrought thy woe?  
that didst deserve no ill?  
What cursed corner of the Heavens  
did thee untimely kill?  
Yet was not all the Heaven thy foe,  
thou couldst as well as we  
With Oaten quill and pleasant pipe  
make joily game and glee.  
Had not this over hasty death  
thy life so soon oppressed,  
Thou hadst deserved Parnassus crown  
and Laurel with the best.  
No better Tytirus (beloved  
of his Alexis) rung  
Of cruel fight, of dreadful war,  
and of his tillage song  
Than thou: for why thy timely ripe  
capacity was known  
To us, it did presage what fruit  
in time thou wouldst have sown.  
No vulgar trial of thy skill,  
and toward wit was seen:  
It well declared if thou hadst lived  
what thou wouldst after been.  
Now moughtst thou been accounted thou  
the glory and the praise  
Of all our soil, not such a one  
did live in these our days.  
Thee Padus, and with weeping brows  
our Myncius did lament,  
Yea Nymphs themselves: as Hebrus erst  
for Orpheus was bedrent  
With trickling showers of falling tears.  
The master shepherds all  
Did rue thy death as Daphnis erst  
was pitieo for his fall.  
Thee all the Champion fields about,  
both hill and vale do cry:  
And all the Pasture grounds did lift  
their clamours to the sky.  
O shepherds with sweet smelling flowers  
bestrow his bitter grave:  
The song of Priest and fuming Cense,  
(Oh, yearly) let him have.  
Ye Poets eke eternal rest  
wish to his graved Ghost.  Faustus 
But what? (Amyntas) thou dost lodge  
in far a better coast  
Than we, in Fields for happy souls  
allotted thou dost won:  
And we below in Earth bewail  
thy Eclipse of life begun.  Fortunatus 
I knew we should lament to day,  
for yesternight I saw  
Such cruel sights amid my sleep,  
as bred my present awe.  
But now you see the night is come,  
descending of the Sun  
In Cloud declares the showers at hand,  
wherefore 'tis time to run  
To fold our flock. And Faustus thus  
my woeful Tale is done.   

¶ The four eclogue entitled ALPHUS.  
The Argument.  
HEre janus shows the Goat was lost,  
he tells the cursed Fate  
And doth bewray the Bedlam Boys  
unhappy frantic state.  
And by the way good Alphus he  
to quite his fellows pain:  
The kind of woman doth depaint  
and makes their manners plain.  
Let never honest Lucrece lower,  
let no good grisel grudge:  
For neither Alphus here, nor I  
the modest matron touch.  
We nip the cruel cankered crew  
with beauty that allure,  
And having thralled the miser, seek  
no salve his sore to cure:  
But take delight with scornful cheer  
and face of foul disdain  
Like Vipers vile to sow the seeds  
of our fast springing pain.  
Those, those are they that Mantuam means  
those Alphus doth declare:  
And I (the Poet to explain)  
those Dames no whit will spare.  

The speakers names.  
Alphus.  
janus.   Alphus. 
MOre lean (Oh janus) seems thy Goat  
than ere he was of yore:  
For lusty he his horns ere this  
into the Welkin bore.  
But grovelling now on ground he lies  
with lyther lolling ears,  
He smells to grass, to touch the herbs  
at length of lips he fears.  janus. 
He droops, and of his drooping doth  
a pleasant jest arise:  
Which look how oft I mind, doth make  
me laugh with smile eyes.  
As yet it is not spread abroad,  
but when the brute is blown,  
And that through every country is  
this pleasant story known:  
Then all the world will laugh thereat  Alphus. 
(O janus) thou ere this  
Wert wont to tell a merry jest  
in merriest wise iwis,  
And with a sweet delighting voice:  
Wherefore I pray thee now  
Declare me why the Goat doth droop,  
and tell how fell it how?  janus. 
God is my judge 'twas never feigned  
of me, but done in deed,  
And lately too: But shall I tell  
the tale withouten meed?  
And chat for nought & wast'my wind?  
Nay, what wilt give to me?  
What shall I have for telling of  
this jest beglarde with glee?  Alphus. 
O friend, when so the Nightingale  
(that Philomela hight)  
Hath built her nest, and sits a brood  
I will thy travail quite.  janus. 
Who so doth make such rash behests  
by daily proof we see  
Performs not pacted promise, but  
his touch is wont to flee.  Alphus. 
Nay, who so lends such light belief  
distrust doth bear in breast.  
But for you shall be sure that I  
nill play the guileful guest,  
Take here a pledge of promise made  
and bargain erst by me:  
Take here (I say) from out my case  
two Flights that far will flee.  janus. 
I will begin: O sacred Nymphs  
Parnasides I pray  
Do move your jaws, & guide my tongue  
that I may well display  
My well-beloved goats mishap  
and misadventure fell:  
And grant that Alphus Nightingale  
may hatch her younglings well  
That I may have that he behight  
for this good tale I tell.  
With penny I a Lad did hire  
my little flock to keep: 
Narrati●   
I g●ue him charge and oversight  
of all my fléezie sheep.  
He kept both Kids and females eke,  
and Ram goats too with care:  
And ouerlooked my flock that I  
the Stripling could not spare.  
Till time at last by Fortune he  
a pretty Maiden saw,  
(That hither came of purpose bend  
at water place to draw  
Such water as sufficed her turn)  
and liked her so well  
As he (good Boy) by feature of  
her face to fancy fell.  
And from that time and doleful day  
so dampish he became,  
As less regard he had of sheep,  
(the greater was his shame)  
Less forced he since that the folds  
and quite bearest of wit  
He seemed: So deep within his breast  
the Virgin's shape did sit.  
When he on bed to quiet nap  
his weary limbs did lay:  
Where sleeping he or waking were  
'twas very hard to say.  
For when he was wide waking he  
such frantic coil would keep,  
As though (his reason quite bereft)  
his wits were gone to sleep.  
So dreaming was this Boy to sight,  
so lumpish wore the Lad:  
In sort, that gazers on surmised  
that he no senses had.  
This Boy bend to refresh (I say)  
his overtyred mind  
With sporting play, about the horns  
with twig this Goat did bind  
Among the thickest of the briars  
and bushy Lands below:  
And so to pass away the time  
away the Boy did go.  
(And now four days are past and gone)  
thus he the Goat did tie:  
The strongness of the With & hardness  
of the Horns to try.  
Meanwhile the woods he went about  
and raungde the bushes round,  
To see where that within the place  
mought any birds be found.  
The Maid resorted to his thought  
and undercrept his heart:  
The comely countenance of the Trull  
could never thence departed,  
Nor beauty of her burly breast  
his musing mind forego,  
The parts not to be named he rollde  
within his bulk below.  
Meanwhile the Sun had lodged his light,  
that stelly sotted Mome  
Unmindful of his hampered beast  
afielde, came late to home.  
Amid the night he called to mind  
that foolish fact of his:  
And thinking to go lose the Goat  
in all the hast he rise.  
And whilst with fearful foot he pac●de  
through Damps as dark as Hell,  
Where lay much chaff & rotten straw,  
into a Dyke he fell:  
A place of purpose made to take  
the savage Beasts by night,  
A hollow vault and dungeon deep  
to steep for any wight  
Once being in to clamber up.  
Thus was the Goat by him  
Fast bound with twigs, the Page in pit  
ycaught and dungeon dim.  
No Shepherd kept the beasts as then,  
'twas well near three a clock:  
I mused, and went myself about  
and numbered all the flock.  
I missed the Goat, and maruelde much  
what of the hest became,  
I sought about the flelds: at last  
I called the Boy by name.  
(I tell but truth) I stood in fear  
lest he by Magic mean  
And Sorcery had been raised to Skies,  
and Goat dispatched clean.  
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 ground  
did bring my sheep at last  
To feed their fills, and whilst that I  
did wander all aghast  
In irksome shades and ugly nooks,  
and entered in the Grove:  
I heard a far the braying of  
my Goat, and how he strove  
With punching horns & pushing pate  
against the With a good  
I plainly saw, and how he bet  
the Bush 'gainst which he stood.  
This ghastful thing affrighted me,  
and monstrous sight to view  
Unlooked for. But when at length  
my sielly Beast I knew  
And bolder wox, I went me in  
among the brakes in haste:  
With hook I hewed the brembles down  
and bushy briars at last.  
As late in evening home I hide,  
all round about the field  
A girning rout of grinning folks  
by fortune I beheld.  
Approaching nearer to the press  
me each began to greet  
As soone's they knew what man I was,  
and friendly did entreat.  
Lo here (quoth they) O janus is  
a little Lad of thine  
Ta'en up a Wolf his den of late  
a deep and dangerous Mine.  
He wandering late about the Dounes  
did happen (to his pain)  
Upon this cave, but now both Goat  
and he be found again.  
The Goat that had this cruel hap  
as yet unlusty is:  
But yet the foolish Boy of both  
most frantic is iwis.  
The Virgin hearing that the Lad  
did love her passing well:  
Eftsoon as proud as Peacock wox  
and with disdain did swell.  
And making wise she had not wist  
the cares he did endure,  
Pretended honest life the more  
the stripling to allure.  
And to increase her beauty more  
she decks both face and breast  
In finest wise, and in her gate  
her looks to ground she keast.  
Thus Foxelike she with simple show  
and seeming to the eyes,  
In double breast and subtle heart  
her crafty meaning plies.  
These are the tricks that women use,  
this is the sleightfull gin:  
These are the cruel weapons that  
the minds of men do win.  
Thus hoping he his Gallant girl  
to conquer at the last,  
His wages scorned, and plied his love,  
and follows her in haste.  
Wherefore now leaving Cart & plough  
and Oxen all alone,  
To shepherds toil I will return.  
Frail youth (the more the moan)  
Is vassal to this fury fell  
and to this folly thrall:  
It wanders round about this coast,  
and overturneth all.  Alphus. 
Lo, see what Wit can not devise  
by Fortune comes to thought:  
O wondrous chance, O happy hap  
that this to mind hath brought.  
O famous jest for two months' space  
well able glee to make:  
Good faith for thee the Nightingale  
now sits a brood in brake.  
But that which thou of subtle sleight  
of crafty Lass did sing,  
What Umber erst of woman's guile  
hath wrote, to mind doth bring.  janus. 
O tell us umbers merry Verss,  
if thou hast aught in store  
Now out withal: they say he wrote  
a stately style of yore.  Alphus. 
Tis as thou tellest, but for my tale  
what recompense remains?  
What thanks shall I? what guerdon have  
for undertaken pains?  janus. 
Go to, Ill stand to bargain made  
keep thou those darts of mine.  Alphus. 
O janus, whilst I go behind  
that yonder sedge, repine  
Not thou to drive along my flock  
but force them onward still,  
For fear left in my absence they  
the neighbour Vine do spill.  janus. 
O Ram I say, that for thy horns  
the Devil dost represent,  
To enter in the Vine thou aye  
with cankered mind art bend.  
Thou never wilt be ware and wise,  
till from thy forehead I  
With cruel iron for the nonce  
do reave thee either eye:  
And make them leave that peevish pate  
and horned head of thine:  
Will not a hundred Acres serve  
but thou must to the vine?  Alphus. 
Oh, now at my return I have  
revokte to mind somewhat  
Of those self things we mentioned erst,  
of all I can not chat.  
But Umber wist of erie thing,  
that man by wisdom knows:  
The Sky, the Stars, the ground, the winds,  
the Sea, the floods that flows.  
The fountains eke & spouting springs,  
at Rhodop he hath been:  
Epyrps fiery mountains he  
and Ossa erst hath seen.  
The soil of France, and Araxis,  
both Rhodan, Tiber, Pade:  
And out of curious Greek he hath  
his Latin mitre mate.  
A worthy wight for either speech,  
and skilled in either tongue,  
As well's the best that ever yet  
hath: Latin verses song.  
Him specially the learned Greeks  
repined sore to see  
Arcadians, Thrace and Thessatie  
our Countryman to béew.  
His doctrine and his trade of life  
good Candid followed aye  
That dwells hereby, he skilful is  
he shall declare the way  
And ready path to us: meanwhile  
let Shephierles us assay  
With jolly blast of puffing breath  
on Oaten Pipe to play.  
But first of all I pray the Nymphs  
here pre●●t bein place:  
But chief 〈◊〉, for they say  
she hath the 〈◊〉 grace.  
These W●●●n are a servile sect, 
Narratio   
cursed, cruel, 〈◊〉 with pride:  
Rejecting laws, refusing mean,  
from reason wandering wide.  
They frorm the bounds of better life,  
extremes are best in price:  
What they attempt is rashly done  
and quite without advice.  
A Woman either not provoke  
like Lead full l●●pish 〈◊〉  
Or being once 〈◊〉 up, too fa●  
about her things she hies.  
Ay Winterlike, a frowning cheer  
and frosty face she bears:  
Even as the Dog with cruel star  
the singed soil that sears.  
She never keeps the golden mean:  
for either passing well  
She loves thee, or with mortal hate  
pursues thy ghost to Hell.  
If grave she covet for to seem,  
too grim becomes her grace:  
She powteth then and fiercely frowns.  
But if with friendly face  
She long to look, her gravity  
is banished out of place,  
Those looks demure and Matron like  
lewd laughter hath in chase.  
Strait Giglot like she waxeth light,  
she grins with childish cheer:  
In smile brow a Whorish mirth  
doth shiningly appear.  
She sobs, she laughs, right wise she is  
as frantic as a Hare:  
Oppressed with trembling fear she quakes  
and yet too much doth dare.  
She will, she will not, ever so  
her thoughts contrary are.  
Unconstant, light, vain, chatting, and  
a double tongue doth bear,  
Presumptuous, threatfull, thirsting blood,  
disdainful erye where.  
Vile, greedy, catching, quarreling aye  
and strutting full of hate:  
Of light belief, and bend to lies,  
impatient of her state.  
A costly charge, to quaffing given,  
rash, bitter, jesting, light,  
Ambitious, Soceresse, brothel bawd,  
with superstition fright,  
Too laasie, greedy gutted, and  
to Lechers lust inclined:  
Sweet mowthde, venereous, wanton, of  
too nice and dainty kind.  
To flattery bent and painting of  
her face with foreign freak:  
She keeps in cankered heart her hate  
till time she may awreake  
And be avenged of her foe,  
unfaithful thankless eke.  
Malicious, hasty in revenge,  
bold, bedlam, wrangling wight,  
A rebel, stubborn, stiff as stake.  
She takes a great delight  
To cast in teeth her old good turns:  
if any her accuse  
Of guilty crime, with Tragic voice  
herself she will excuse.  
She mumbles to herself, she stirs  
debate, she forceth nought  
Of promise made, she friendship scorns,  
and ever hath in thought  
Her private gain and no man's else:  
she jests, she flatters aye  
She tells thy counsel, and as she  
thy secrets doth bewray  
With bitter scoff she pays thee home,  
she trifling news doth spread  
Among the people, and doth add  
to every tale a shred,  
And of a hillock makes a mount.  
She doth dissemble sore,  
She makes in wise, and bears in hand  
and learned hath of yore  
Untruths and leasings to devise,  
to craft she wants no art:  
She wots well how to every chance  
her countenance to convert.  
Man can not well avoid her guile,  
nor shun her foxely drifts:  
So many are her mischievous crafts,  
so sundry are her shifts,  
And subtle sleights her craft to cloak.  
Yea and put case that thou  
With present eye behold her feats,  
yet she with shameless brow  
Will dare excuse committed crimes:  
by cloaking craft she can  
And double dealing of the mind  
delude the Sense of man..  
We wot not how to credit aught  
that her report doth blow:  
And yet if she would have us think  
that all she says is so,  
We can not but believe the same,  
she drives us to affy:  
Hereto examples may persuade.  
What cursed crime to try  
Hath not a Woman had the heart  
and venturous hand of yore?  
Tarpeia to her country foes,  
(that mortal hatred bore  
To Roman state) the Capitol  
did yield, in hope to have  
The jewels that about the wrists  
of Soldiers glistered brave.  
Medea with her babe's blood  
imbrued her beastly hands,  
Fair Helen thousand Barges brought  
unto Aegean sands.  
For Minos' love (her father's foe)  
whom Scylla did pursue,  
She rest the Prince's Purple lock,  
and from her country flew.  
Her Brother beastly Byblis loved,  
with Father Myrrah lay:  
Semiramis that aged Queen  
of Babylon (they say)  
Her son King Ninus out of kind  
did fancy (fleshly Dame:)  
Eriphile at siege of Thebes  
(to her eternal shame)  
For golden Owch betrayed her Spouse  
Amphiaraus hight:  
King Danaus' daughters did to death  
their husbands in a night.  
The Thracian Wives with cruel clumbes  
the Poet Orpheus rent:  
Pasiphae that wanton Wench  
(to work her fowl intent)  
In Minos absence closed in Cow,  
was covered of a Bull:  
Hippolit Phaedria went about  
from honest life to pull.  
Rebecca Isaac did deceive,  
and blearde his aged eyes:  
And hide the son that jacob hight  
in Goats long hairy flyse.  
The cursed Deianira gave  
unto her manly fear  
The fatal venom, he (good man)  
did buy the shirt to dear.  
Hippodame beguiled her sire,  
and stopped his vital breath  
By match with Pelops, and procured  
thereby his hasty death.  
Lavynia wrought the Troyans' woe,  
and bred a broil in field:  
Her Turnus would have had to wife,  
Aeneas would not yield.  
Achilles' chieftain of the Greeks  
from battle Brysis drove:  
Duke Agamemnon all enraged  
with Chrysis beauty brave  
Did fret and fume in furious wise  
and felt Apollo's wrath:  
And cursed Eve from blessed fields  
mankind expelled hath.  
Believe me (Shephierdes) for I swear  
by Gods that have the care  
Of Country soil: If you will have  
your Cattle well to far,  
Your Pastures fit for feeding Flocks  
and wanting all disease,  
If hooe you have of sheep, of peace,  
of life and quiet ease:  
Abandon all these foolish Girls,  
let wanton Wenches go,  
Do from your shéepcots shift away  
all Women less and more.  
Let Thestilis and Phillis walk,  
bear Galathea grudge:  
Force you Neera nought at all,  
let fine Lycoris trudge.  
Oh, make me show what woman ere  
went down to darksome Hell,  
And came from thence, or tidings brought  
from such as there do dwell?  
Eurydice might have returned  
if she had had the wit,  
And come from shade to sun again,  
to light from loathsome Pit.  
Proserpina eke whom Pluto stole  
and had conveyed away,  
Her weary mother Ceres shunnde  
with griefly King to stay.  
But good Aeneas shaped retowre,  
and Orpheus did the leek:  
Alcides eke that Champion stout  
and thrice renowned Greek.  
Duke Theseus and the brothers both,  
of whom one quails his foes  
With fight on horseback, other aye  
on foot to wrestling goes.  
And our Redeemer, highest GOD,  
whence life and comfort flows,  
Went down to Hell, and rose again  
as all the world knows.  
These (shepherds) these are mysteries  
to be observed of you:  
By nature Man and kind is bend  
all filthy things t'escheweschew.  
Infamous places most delight  
and fancy Woman's mind.  
Even as the Seaman driven on  
the Rocks with wave and wind,  
Knows how the dangers to declare  
unto his other Mates:  
So he f●ll well of former haps  
and future chance debates,  
And tells what Fortune will befall  
by likelihood at the least:  
Whose wasted years have planted wit  
within his aged breast.  
If siellie Foules the Eagle fly,  
if Bucks the net do shun,  
If bleaing Lambs avoid the Wolf,  
if Diere from Dog do run:  
Then (Shephierd) oh why dost not thou  
from Woman's flattery flee:  
And trudge from her with speedy flight  
that so anoyeth thee?  
As ruthful they as Crocodile,  
or beast Hyena hight.  
The viler mischief they pretend  
when to the outward sight  
The dew their cheeks with trickling tears,  
and use their sweetest rall:  
Then they conspire thy cruel death  
(fell Monsters) most of all.  
O Shephierd shun the Woman's look  
and fly her fleering face:  
For harling nets and hurtful gins  
are pight in beauty's place.  
Repose no trust in manly force,  
in prowess or in might,  
Trust not Duke Perseus glittering shield  
that made that sturdy Knight  
Of fell Medusa's crawling Snakes  
to bide the ugly sight.  
Erst many Monsters have subdued  
and ghastly Giants quelled:  
Huge Cities sacked, and in their hands  
whole Seas and Havens held.  
With flowing fields and haughty hills  
that seemed to touch the Sky:  
And other some have won the spurs  
for noble Chivalry.  
Yet those that valiantly achieved  
and did these feats of fame  
And conquered all, a Woman hath  
(the more these Prince's shame)  
As Captives caught, & brought to yoke.  
That Shephierd that was King,  
And wore the Lion's hairy spoil  
and warred with weakefull sling:  
And eke his some that worthy Prince  
King Solomon by name  
The sacred Temple (Zion cleped)  
who first of all did frame:  
And Samson he whom never man  
could deal withal in field,  
All these (I say) for all their force  
to Woman's yoke did yield.  
Less hurts the fiery flashing flake,  
less raggy Rocks annoy,  
And less the Gleave that Adam did  
expel from heavenly joy:  
Less spoils the spiteful stéely Spear  
and dreadful dart of Death,  
That quite cuts off the line of life  
and reaves the vital breath,  
Than woman doth our daily foe:  
who never well content  
With beauty's beams the Nature gave,  
doth aye with care invent  
A thousand means to make it more  
and fairer to the eyes.  
A golden glistering Fillet to  
her forehead she applies,  
With Purple hue her paalie cheeks  
she paints and daily dies.  
By Art her locks she sets in place  
and decks and dils her pate:  
By Art she tempers all her looks,  
by Art she guides her gate.  
She runs before with s●udding skips  
th● loving man to lure  
And bring to place for folly fit:  
although she look demure  
And give the nay, with all her heart  
she would on him bestow  
His suit, she strives, but gladly would  
be conquered of the foe.  
A Woman to the North-east wind  
may well compared be,  
That gathers up the cloud and strait  
doth force the same to flee  
Abroad by guileful puff again  
and bitter windy blast:  
So she allures, and then she lowers  
upon hi● Love at last.  
By trial I that find it true  
do will thee to beware  
(Whilst yet thou mayst) the loathsome tricks  
that in these Women are.  
But homely they by nature are,  
by Art they waxen brave:  
By day 'tis all the work they do,  
their dreams thereof they have.  
They pluck off hairs where need requires,  
they wash, they paint & sléeke:  
They cham●er, pearl, anoint and smooth  
and practise other leek.  
Deceit they are from top to toe,  
all craft and trifling toys:  
All stuffed with venom rank and vile,  
that gazers on annoys.  
Of Glass she takes her counsel aye  
for aught she puts in ure:  
By view thereof she learues to move  
her lips and looks de●●re.  
She learns to craft by gaze of Glass,  
to smile with flattering gloze:  
She wags her hench that hangs behind  
and shoulders as she goes.  
What means that bare & naked breast  
and open clyft a high  
That makes the double path betwixt  
the dangling Dugs to lie?  
Nought else (good faith) but for the force  
of poison should oppress  
The Sense the more, & Stygian flame  
within the heart increase.  
These are the Rocks of reckless Age,  
and Syrts that threaten wrack:  
These Scylla's and Charybdis are  
the cords of Youth to crack.  
These are the Foules that Harpeis' height  
that with their filth deftle  
The chamber, parlour, board and streafe,  
and makes the temple●vile,  
Pollute the path, the Champion fields,  
the Sea, the flood, the hill,  
These ghastly Gorgon's are that erst  
in Lybie land did kill,  
And that with monstrous glowing looks  
to Stones did men convartes,  
And wrested Nature from her kind  
by cruel cursed Arte.  
Thus by the way (as you have heard)  
the learned umbers verse  
Recited is, and we are they  
that did the Rhyme rehearse.  
Which if you deem excessive long,  
remember that the blame  
Is in she thing itself, the Verse  
doth not deserve the same.  
The Verse is not so long, as is  
these women's frantic fit.  
O noble aged famous wight  
(of wha●e for worthy wit  
The boasting Vmbria brags & vaunts,  
and Tiber neighbour place  
Thereto) 'twas not without desert  
that Martial Roman race  
Of thee accounted erst so well:  
The noble City knew  
Thy passing wit and pleasant vain.  
The learned Muses rue  
Both Greeks and Latins thy decease.  
I wish thy corpse in grave  
With ease to lie, and golden soul  
in Skies his seat to have.   

¶ The .v. eclogue entitled CANDIDUS.  
The Argument.  
SI●uanus seems to muse  
at Poets idle life:  
Himself not over hasty yet  
by gift to ease their grief.  
But Candid (Poet poor)  
bewails the present time:  
Wherein the Learned loathed are,  
and such as maken Rhyme.  
Silvanus' wealthy was  
well stored of stuff at home:  
But careful Candid want of goods  
enforced abroad to rome.  
But yet for all his toil  
and travail long sustained:  
For all his learned vain in Verse  
no whit this Poet gained.  
Which makes the man the more  
'gainst wealthy wights to war:  
For somewhat he deserved to find  
that travailed had so far.  

The speakers names.  
Silvanus.  
Candidus.   Silvanus. 
O Candid, thou ere this  
didst use a common trade,  
With us to feed thy flock a field  
and Pipe in pleasant shade.  
To chat in merry wise,  
and wrestle now and than:  
But now me thinks thou art become  
another kind of man.  
As though thou didst both loath  
the Shephierdes and their soil:  
Thou fléest the fields, & scorn'st to sing,  
a sleepy dampish droil.  Candidus. 
You that at home have store  
of goodly household stuff,  
Whose Kie have dangling Udders down  
and morning Milk ynouffe:  
Whose flocks do fill the pail  
even to the upper brim,  
Whose Hierds do make the crooked Cans  
with whashing whey to swim:  
Whose boards with Banquets brave  
and fatty Feasts do reek,  
In commendation of a Verse  
and praise of Poets speak.  
If ought be well devised  
you give a cheerful cry:  
And to the hearing of the same  
a pleasant ear apply.  
Vain praise and painted words  
in recompense you give:  
Meanwhile the shepherd hunger sterude▪  
in thirst and cold doth li●e.  Silvanus. 
Can he not both attend  
his flock, and otherwhile  
At vacant time make Verses, and  
all cankered cares exile?  
And wast his days in sport,  
and lead his life at lust  
As best contents his liking mind?  Candidus. 
No (friend) a Shephierd must  
All leisure time unto  
his Cattle well imply,  
Trot out in haste, return in post,  
and 'bout his matters high:  
Keep off the barking Wolf,  
close up his flock in fold,  
buy straw and fodder to sustain  
his Beasts from Winter cold:  
For meat and drink purvey,  
no leisure time remains.  
A Verse it is a stately thing  
and craves a cruel pains,  
And all the brain (Silvanus) beats,  
and stirring Senses strains.  
Both these are weighty works  
and overmuch for me:  
When I have song I am full dry,  
my lips ypartched be,  
And no man gives me drink:  
some other scoff a good,  
And say, me thinks your cloak is thin,  
your hair grows through your hood:  
Your hose are cracked at knee,  
your beard is bristled sore.  
Now naked Trees unuested are,  
the frosty hills are door.  
I chaufe, I sorrow eke,  
and daily do disdain:  
The cost of needful cates consumes  
and wears away my gain,  
Both Wool and Cattle male.  
We keep the females aye,  
But for they fostered are with milk  
we make nor cheese nor whey,  
They dry the strutting Tets.  
It irks me of my wit  
(If any lodge within my Skull)  
and skill a Verse to writ.  
It loathes me of my life  
this cruel chance to see,  
That none of all the shining Stars  
is friendly light to me.  
Thou wot full well that I  
for nought these many days  
Have song, I wanted few good things  
as then: now Youth decays,  
And limping Age is at  
another kind of stay  
Which now encroacheth on apace,  
it reaves our wealth away.  
Then strength gins to fail,  
no lucre's hope remains.  
Then must we use our gotten goods,  
and waste our coffred gains.  
Wherefore now time requires  
and bids us look about:  
See how the Ant a little beast  
(I put thee out of doubt)  
But circumspect and wise,  
in Summer drags to Cave  
And hides the Grain in hole, his life  
in Winter time to save.  
And, lest the Corn should sprout  
and so escape his might,  
The buried grain with greedy mouth  
this siellie Beast doth bite.  Silvanus. 
They say there are that know  
what Fortune shall betide  
By Stars that rule at time of birth,  
and they do thus decide.  
The Poets they were wont  
to Mercure to assign,  
And noble Peers are under jove  
whose sovereign Sceptres shine.  
Them mighty jove allows  
the Gold and Kingly seat:  
Mercurius gives those other wit,  
tongue, harp and Verses feat.  
That is thy lotted hap,  
why dost thou gape for pelf?  
God doth distribute needful things  
as he doth see himself  
What is for our avail:  
wherefore accept thy share  
And live content, resign the rest  
to us that wealthy are.  Candidus. 
Thou riches hast at will,  
I Verse and Poet's trade:  
Why crav'st thou then my Verse, & dost  
another's bounds invade?  Silvanus. 
I reave thee not thy Muse,  
nor aught that ‛ Phoebus' gave:  
But to thy Music for to lend  
an ear, is all I crave.  Candidus. 
Then if thou long so much  
to hear my pleasant voice,  
(Silvanus) reason is, that with  
thy wealth I should rejoice.  Silvanus. 
He at my wealth doth joy  
that loves both me and mine:  
The spiteful man hates me, and at  
my welfare doth repine.  Candidus. 
Yea, then as well thou mayst  
in absence take delight  
Enough of this my Muse, and so  
thy friendship I requite.  
For Verses are the feast  
and iuncket of the ear,  
Cheese serves to feed the tasting jaws  
in stead of better cheer.  
Wherefore if thou desire  
to feast thine ears with sound:  
Then set my chaps a work with cates,  
for so thou standest bound  
By love, and law of God,  
so pity doth persuade.  
God gives not all his gifts to one,  
but in such sort hath made  
His laws of kind, that none  
can find sufficing power  
Within himself to serve his turn,  
but at some needful hour  
He stands in want of help  
and of some foreign aid:  
And that is it that doth conjoin,  
and ever yet hath stayed  
In league of lasting love  
all kinds of foreign wights:  
The French, the Maure, the Italian, &  
the worthy Spanish Knights.  
Then let us join yfeare,  
and link at last in one  
Those stars that at each others birth  
and day of being shone.  
Cause jupiter to be  
my faithful friend at need,  
And thou shalt have Mercurius help  
if he may stand in steed.  
Thou shalt not want his Hat,  
his twig, or Lute to play:  
Alcides knot thou shalt command,  
which few can tell the way  
Or none at all to looze,  
so doubtful is the drift:  
Yea whisking wings & all thy limbs  
into the Skies to lift.  Silvanus. 
Good faith, me thinks thou tellest  
a vain and trifling tale:  
Your overmany words declare  
your tongue is tipped with Ale.  
You count it vain that doth  
your riches wrong a whit.  
But if to hear my merry Muse  
you have so great delight:  
Do ease my drowsy dumps,  
and mist of careful mind:  
For Verses crave a quiet breast  
and joyful heart by kind.  
I woxen am of late  
much like the skirring Kite,  
Whom cruel cold and hunger cloys,  
a slow unlusty wight.  
All scaly is my Skin,  
my lips are passing dry:  
For lack of liquor at my need  
I am at point to die.  
In stable not a Beast,  
in close no Corn to see:  
No cross in pouch, and wouldst y● have  
me void of care to be?  
Such Physic doth not serve  
nor sitting is to ease  
Me (stellie Miser) of my grief  
and griping fowl disease.  
Make merry me, do cloth  
my bare and naked bones,  
Relieve my Age, and thou shalt see  
me making Verse at once:  
I out of hand will sing  
and pipe in pleasant wise.  
A house that stored is with wealth  
where trash and treasure lies,  
Doth cruel cares exile  
and banish dumps away.  
A Cellar full, folds stuffed with flocks,  
Pots full as ere they may:  
A Flagon full to brim,  
as much as it can hold,  
Barn full, fat Cattle, and a Purse  
puffed up with peysing Gold,  
These make the merry mind.  
Then pleasant 'tis to wake  
The Winter nights, and with a stick  
at fires side to make  
Good sport with streking of  
the Ashes furrowise:  
And roast the chestnut that yrakt  
in scalding imber lies.  
And with an alley Cruse  
the cruel thirst to quell,  
And pleasant tales among a rout  
of spinning Trulls to tell.  
For Vergil (by report)  
Maecenas bearing sway,  
The Country, Oxen, ●oyle and eke  
the Martial wars did splay  
Aloft in lusty tune,  
and struck with stately Verse  
The starry Skies, his Music did  
the haughty Heavens pierce.  
Good luck and store of wealth  
allowed him fluent vain:  
Us stellie, poor and patched souls  
the Muses do disdain.  
To us that Gruel sup  
with greedy gaping gum,  
As lean as rakes, the God of skill,  
Apollo scorns to come.  Silvanus. 
O friend if hoped hap  
sufficing wealth allow  
To me, I will procure release  
of cares that cl●y thee nowè.  Candidus. 
Silvanus would thy will  
did countervail thy might,  
And thou wert bend as well as thou  
art able me to quite  
From present poor estate.  
I neither long to have  
The fluent wealth of Co●●s, 'tis  
no silken cloak I crave.  
No robe of Purple stain  
or Die that came from tire,  
Nor costly cates of mighty Kings,  
nor Banquets I desire.  
Not Aesop's dainty dish  
or warlike ●Pallas shield,  
Nor battled buildings raised hie  
that Roman ●ero held.  
(I mind it well that I  
of Umber learned this)  
I crave attire and victuals in  
a thacched Coat iwis.  
So that I were assured  
of that till life did blinne:  
Give me ●Pythagors homely fare,  
and Codrus garments thin.  
I often times have had  
the hap to hit on such  
That offered have to me ere this  
in painted words as much,  
But nought they did in deed:  
my hope consists in thee  
Alone, and in none other man.  
If thou once false with me,  
Quite off is cut my hope:  
with Nightingale I may  
Shut up my Pipes till next return  
of Spring, and leave my lay,  
As one withouten speech:  
then wildt be time to 〈◊〉  
My weapon on the post, and watch  
discharged, the door to shut.  Silvanus. 
O Candid thou at Rome  
ere this (I know) hast been:  
The sacred Senate there thou hast  
and holy Fathers seen.  
Where are so many States  
and store of learned brains,  
There may a man enrich him soon,  
there rests the Poet's gains.  Candidus. 
No sure, thou art beguiled,  
thou thinkest I long for pelf:  
So weens the Wolf that other eat  
the meat he mowthes himself.  
And thou haste this conceit  
that other tread the way  
And cross the path that thou dost pace,  
thus dost thou seem to say.  
A pittance would suffice,  
I covet not to flow:  
O let me live withouten care,  
the Roman Court I know.  
O (Sylvan) what avails  
that place so poor a Wight?  
Augus●●● 〈◊〉 ago is dead,  
in damp or darksome night  
He wons and stays in Hell.  
If Rome do aught expend.  
●Tis trifles, Rome receives the gold,  
and words for ware doth lend.  
Alas, for now alone  
at Rome doth money reign:  
Dame VIRTUE lives a weary life,  
e●●lde she bides the pain.  
Each man doth bid us hope  
and look for good at last:  
We gnaw on Trust, ●tis slender food,  
we were as good to fast.  Silvanus. 
Display some dreadful field,  
pen acts of worthy Peers,  
Writ wreakful War●s of wrathfully Kings:  
repair to such as steers  
And are the stay of Realms,  
and wield the princely Mace:  
Thou shalt have luck to light on some  
that pity will thy case.  Candidus. 
T●sh, sooner shall I find  
a check or scossing taunt:  
Of Poet's men as much account  
as stews they daily haunt.  
Why then (Silvanus) dost  
thou stir my chaused wit?  Silvanus. 
Such filthy words to speak it is  
not for a Poet fit.  Candidus. 
I can none other choose  
but very sooth to say:  
But if thou feign wouldst have the truth  
to be concealed, do stay  
Thy tongue from moving me,  
and leave while things be well.  Silvanus. 
What 'tis not one to stir to wrath,  
and good advice to tell.  Candidus. 
Of counsel I am stored,  
my budget is but bare:  
How should a needy Poet Wars  
and kingly Camps declare?  
That hath not once so much  
good here below the Sun,  
As knife to cut his Pipe, and cause  
the breath by holes to run?  
Behold the handle of  
my Whittle how it wags  
By looseness of the pings: see how  
the edge is all in iaggs  
And toothed like a saw:  
but these are slender things,  
The lack of meat and drink is it  
that me so vilely wrings.  
Good counsel somewhat mends  
the matter when it cooms:  
But that advice that fruitless is  
our shaken Senses nooms.  
It breaks the busy brain,  
it weaks the weary wit.  
For Peers small friendships to bestow  
me thinks is nothing fit:  
And they do flat refuse  
great guerdens to forego.  
Besides our Princes now a days  
account of Verses so,  
As Borias' blast of leaves,  
with whiffing force that sly:  
Or Lybicke wind with stormy puss  
that on the Seas doth lie.  
As frost doth force the V●ne  
whom cruel it doth cut.  
The caesars they their tickling joys  
in sweet delights so put,  
(Unmindful of their states)  
and idle life embrace:  
As Verses they will none that seem  
their vices to deface.  
Thence slow the wanton Rhymes,  
this makes that Poets now  
Of childish Venus' chat so oft  
they wot near what nor how:  
Of taunts and scolding scoff,  
of beastly belly cheer,  
Of sluggish trade, infamous acts,  
which too reproachful were  
And vile offence for one  
that honest is to write.  
But those that erst with hardy hand,  
and courage stout did fight,  
That used valiant arms  
and dealt with deadly blade,  
Not glutted with the greedy Gold,  
have more of Poets made:  
And lou●d the lofty Muse  
and Verse of stately style.  
Those Martial Kings that foiled the foe  
with haughty hand erewhile,  
extolleth the haughty Pen  
that did their battles blaze:  
But strait assoon as warlike wights  
and Virtue fled the place,  
The Poets could not write,  
Invention fainted thou:  
The learned lost their brains, the flood  
of Versing warred low,  
To wrack went worthy works.  
If now a days of fame  
Be any living that by wars  
hath got a gallant name:  
He forceth nought at all  
of after comers praise,  
Renown of foreign land he scorns  
content with present days,  
(Quite glutted with good fame)  
and laud that they allow,  
Whom he doth hourly see with eye  
and views with daily brow.  
A savage man outright  
he loves no learned skill,  
Or else of much desired gold  
can never have his fill:  
But drowned lies in muck  
and filthy Metals mire,  
Quite crushed with cares as Midas was  
with greedy golds desire.  
Besides with Princes are  
a rude and rustic rout,  
A spiteful sect: The flattering guest,  
the counterfeiting Lout  
Whose gestures maken glee,  
the bawdy merchant eke,  
And he, that what so ere he says,  
to please the ear doth speak.  
Then he that plays on Stage,  
the jangling jester to:  
Next him the mate that hunts the Whore,  
and other thousands more  
That hate the Poet, and  
are Virtues deadly foes:  
Expel him from the Princes Court.  
Much like as when the Crows  
Have loathsome Carrion found  
and see the Carcase lie:  
They drive from thence both Fowl and Beast,  
not letting them come nigh.  
Again some Poets are  
so out of wreason rash,  
As (blockish beasts) they dare to make  
too fond and soolish trash.  
And all to feed the ears  
and humours of the Peers,  
Yea such as force no whit of ●ame.  
For Poets eke there steereth  
A kind of frantic mood  
and madness of the brains:  
These (but I wot not what it is  
that thereunto constrains)  
Will Poets be in haste  
and taken so abroad,  
As soon as once they have in Pipe  
of h●●elow Hemlock blood.  
Well think they of themselves,  
upon their books they boast  
Vile Fools and sielly Sots untaught,  
not fit to rule the roast:  
Foreseeing nought at all  
foreright and witless men.  
Who so accustomed is to lend  
an ear unto their Pen  
And foolish tedious tales,  
do deem there is no choice,  
But all are wise alike: and this  
is it that ba●res the vo●ce  
Of learned men in deed,  
for that he knows not how  
To judge the better from the worse,  
〈◊〉 from the Sow.  
O Candid. I protest  Silvanus. 
by Heavenly powers on high,  
And haughty Gods of Olympe hill  
that wield she scudding Sky:  
That I (if on my sails  
there light a blessed blast)  
Will seek to further thee in tin●e,  
and be thy help at last.  
Meanwhile content thyself  
and champ on hope with me:  
Till better fortune shall allow  
my friendlier fates to be.  Candidus. 
If so thou mean me well,  
I wish thee like again.  Silvanus. 
Yes faith with all my heart and mind,  
the proof shall make it plain,  
Within a little space.  Candidus. 
Farewell thou churlish chuff,  
Pray God thou never mayst return  
that never hast ynouffe.  
Would all thou handlest mought (as Midas did of yore)  
Be Gold, for cause thou setst of Gold  
more than of Virtue store.   

¶ The uj eclogue entitled CORNIX.  
The Argument.  
How Country differs from the Town  
here Cornix he recites:  
He girds the foolish sotted Sects,  
and 'gainst the witless writes.  

The speakers names.  
Cornix.  
Fulica.   Cornix. 
THe wrathful Winter snows,  
fell Boreas' blasts do blow,  
The ysicles from houses hang:  
The man that erst did sow  
And tillde his stony soil,  
hath let a field his plough,  
And takes his ease: the weary ground  
itself doth slumber now.  
The Shephierd having shut  
his doors, and caught his cloak  
Keeps house: Neaera eke doth sit  
at home in smothering smoke  
At Chimney nook, and plies  
her pottage Pot apace:  
●arst Summer for his scalding heat,  
(when Summer was in place)  
That was so much myslikte,  
is now commended sore:  
And Winter hated is of us  
for whom we wished before.  Fulica. 
All present pleasure we  
but little worth esteem,  
Surpassing that which is to come (the hoped good) we deem:  
Even so the farther off the light  
the more the light doth seem.  Cornix. 
Each Tune and ery Age  
his pleasure brings with it:  
See how the Country boys unkempt  
in patched garments knit,  
Rejoice at slaughter time  
when Pigs do go to Pot,  
They fill the Bladder full of beans,  
and having tied a knot  
They rattle it a good:  
an other whiles withal  
Close ●●sted they their Elbows join  
and soot the flying ball.  
And thus the Winter cold  
with trotting here and there,  
And frosty time with cour●●ng of  
the Country ball they wear.  
Yet we far better here  
in chimneys like to burn  
Istretcht in Straw, do waste the time  
whilst milk to crud doth turn.  Fulica. 
The Winter doth forshew  
the poor and needful plight.  
We youths are such a reckless rout  
as do not weigh a white  
The aftertime to come:  
In Summer careless we  
Do lead our lives not minding what  
the Winter is wont to be,  
And all our pence the Piper hath  
for making merry glee.  
When Borias makes return  
from Scythian frosty bound  
And bared trees with battered boughs  
and leaves ylayde in ground  
Bewray where birds have bred  
and hatched their chickens erst:  
Poor naked souls our shoulders, back,  
ribs, feet with cold are pierced.  
Our foli●e Winter wries,  
more wise the Townish be,  
That heap their hoards of wealth at home  
furrde down beneath the knee.  
The Fox the belly wraps,  
the stomach guards the Sheep:  
With help of speckled Libart eke  
away the cold they keep.  
We Country men are Sots  Cornix. 
and Fools of erie age,  
But not alone we witless are:  
for why a madder rage  
In Citizens doth reign.  
But Lady FORTUNE is  
A Dam to them, she seems to us  
a Mother law iwis.  
This Stepdamme stern doth deal  
with us in cruel sort:  
They now a days are counted mad  
that bear the base port.  
But once allow me wealth,  
let me have riches store:  
Then I am best in all the town,  
I shall go all before.  
Then will my tale be heard,  
I shall be mastered aye:  
Then crook they knees, the caps go off,  
and mark what ever way  
I pass, the people crouch:  
my counsel than they seek  
Both poor & rich, the wealthy snudge,  
the saged Fathers eke.  Fulica. 
O Cornix, 'tis not Chance  
that breeds this Wit in Man,  
But 'tis the mind: nor maken us  
this Fortune wealthy can.  
'Tis God that gives the goods  
as erst Amyntas said:  
'Tis easy riches to attain  
if he do stand our aid.  Cornix. 
Nay Fortune is a God,  
no doubt thereof I have.  
But what was it Amyntas told?  
of thee his tale I crave.  
For he was known a man  
of quick and sharper brain  
Than divers are, wherefore I would  
hear his good verdict fain.  
But yet before thou hast  
that wise discourse begun:  
Unto the Folds to see our Flocks  
I pray thee (Fulike) run.  
Trudge, and return in haste,  
for after cold (thou know'st)  
A fit of heat more welcome is,  
pack and retire in post.  Fulica. 
Up to my knee doth reach  
the thick unthawed snow,  
Scarce houses bear the weight ●●erof:  
the Oven that bakes the dough,  
Hath at the very top  
great lumps thereof that lies,  
And up into a picked point  
it climes in Pilier wise.  Cornix. 
Fill up the Rack with hay  
that came of latter share:  
Do stop the eloven cliffs with straw,  
if so the walls do stare  
Or gape in any place:  
and ere thou hither come,  
Besmear the threshold round about  
with slime and bullock lome.  
For nothing more annoys  
or banes a Beast than cold.  
What? art thou come? what means this haste?  
'tis more than use of old.  Fulica. 
Fie, Winter nips me sore,  
this frost doth make me fret:  
The greatest comfort in the earth  
is, both in cold and heat,  
To hug in reaking hay,  
and when the cold is passed  
In stifling straw to stretch our stumps  
and limbs on mow to cast.  Cornix. 
Go to, be●yn to tell  
how Town and Country trade  
Do serve, the odds display thou here.  Fulica. 
Thus good Amyntas made  
The difference twixt these two.  
What time the world began 
Narrati●   
And things as yet were newly framed,  
than GOD did link a Man  
With woman aye to live,  
and married them yfeare  
He willed the Man to get the Babes,  
the Woman babes to bear:  
And taught them how they should  
their children eke beget.  
At first they ●●yde their business well,  
and did their taske●set.  
Would so they had done still,  
and let the fruit alone:  
And never tasted of that tree  
the Apple grew upon.  
The Woman wore a dame,  
both Boy and Wench she bore:  
And yearly so by like increase  
with men the earth did store.  
When fifteen years were passed,  
GOD came again that way  
And there he found the Woman whilst  
she 'gan her babe's array.  
Him she dyscride a far,  
as she at threshold sat.  
(This while was Adam gone a field  
this Woman's wedded Mate.  
He careless fed his flock,  
as then was no mistrust  
Of falsehood twixt the man and wife.  
But when that growing lust  
Made many marri'ge knots:  
then false they 'gan to play,  
They knocked the Goat about the pate  
and reft his horns away  
To graff on husbands head:  
then jealous seed begun  
To take his root in husbands breast,  
he doubted of his Son.  
For men that false a board  
themselves are wont to play,  
mistrust their wives will go about  
their ancient debts to pay.)  
Herewith the Mother blushed,  
and bore herself in hand  
So many babes would overmuch  
against his liking stand,  
And make her be suspect  
of too much wanton lust:  
She ran and hid me some in hay,  
and some in chaff she thrust.  
In came the mighty GOD,  
and having blessed the place  
Said: Woman fetch me all thy babes  
that I may see their face.  
The Mother brought the biggst  
and let the lesser lie:  
GOD liked them well. As men are wont  
(as daily proof doth try)  
Of Fowls and scenting Hounds  
to like the eldest best.  
First to the signior of his Sons  
thus spoke the GOD and blessed.  
Take thou this kingly Mace, supply a Resars' room:  
Unto the second brother Arms,  
and made him Mars his groom.  
Be thou a Duke (quoth he)  
and daunt thy foes in fight:  
And then at last he showed out Rods  
and Axe to open sight,  
With Twigs of tender Vine  
and noble Roman dar●e:  
And Offices 'gan deal about  
to every Babe a part.  
Wherewith the Mother glad  
to see her sons ex●o●de,  
Ran in, and fetched out all her brood,  
and said: Thou God behold  
These are my belly fruit,  
these in my womb I bore  
As well as those: vouchsafe to let  
these have some part of share.  
Their bristled pates were white  
with chaff, the straw it hung  
About their arms, and spider webs  
that to the wattles clung.  
Those liked him nought at all  
not one he fanside well,  
But frowning said: Avaunt you Gi●es,  
of mow and mould you smell.  
Take you the goring Goad  
and country punching prick:  
Take you the spitting Spade in hand,  
and Garden setting stick.  
To you the Coulter longs,  
the Yoke and other trash:  
You shall be Ploughmen, Carters yo●,  
with Whip to give the lash.  
You shall be Shephi●rdes you,  
haycutters, delve the soil:  
You shall be Seamen, Cowards eke,  
turmoiled with endless toil.  
But yet among you all  
we do appoint that some  
Shall leave the clownish Country life  
and to the Town shall come.  
As Puddingmakers, Cooks,  
the Butchers, Piewives eke:  
And other such like sluttish Arts  
of whom I do not speak:  
That wont are to sweat  
and at the Coals to burn,  
Like Drudges wasting all their days  
to serve their masters turn:  
This done, the mighty GOD  
departed from the Skies.  
Thus twixt the Town & Country did  
the difference first arise.  
Thus were the Clowns maked, as good  
Amyntas doth devise.  Cornix. 
If he had aught said well  
I would have marveled much:  
He was a Townish man, and they  
do ever bear a grudge  
And bite with bitter scoff  
us poor and Country souls,  
'Tis all the work they have to do,  
aye us the Town controls.  
Yea, they will nothing shame  
against the Gods to jest,  
Devising trifles like to this.  
Art thou so plain a gest  
And stuffed with Pudding so  
and hast thy belly full,  
As that thyself art toutcht herein  
can never pierce thy skull?  
This nip is even a taunt:  
but let us for a space  
Unto the follies of the Town  
convert our Country face,  
And judge of all their deeds:  
lest thou surmise perhaps  
That they are wiser unto whom  
the people vail their caps:  
And such as daily go  
in Gold and Purple weed,  
Than we that homely Rustics are  
and simple men in deed.  
I sundrié times have seen  
men clad in costly gear  
Like Princes 'bout the Market square  
and jetting here and there:  
Quite hungersterued at home  
and Kitchens void of Cooks,  
As poor as job, when all was weyde  
for all their lofty looks.  
What folly more than this?  
to bear of wealth a face,  
And be a needy Beggar yet  
for all the painted case?  
Men but beguile themselves  
in using this devise.  
Yea more than that, myself have seen  
the Office father's wise  
That bear the only sway  
(O vile and filthy crime)  
Whilst they themselves will live at ease  
and lewdly waste the time:  
Set out their wives to hire  
and daughters to be sold:  
What can be worse? or fouler fact?  
what more to be controlled?  Fulica. 
Put case they can not find  
another way to live?  Cornix. 
No? did not GOD as many hands  
and other Senses give  
To them, as unto us?  
yes. Then I pray thee tell  
The very reason (Fulick) why  
they can not live as well?  
Nay, more than that are some  
that practise daily feat  
To come by wealth by vain devise  
as never man could get.  
With juice of sappy herbs  
they rub and burnish Brass,  
In hope to make it Gold in time,  
and bring their wills to pass  
In wresting Nature clean  
and changing kind by skill:  
They puff the coals in pensive care  
with swarth and smoky gyll.  
Another studies hard  
and plies enchantments sore,  
In hope to find some hidden vain  
of Gold, unknown before  
That lurks in damp of ground  
and hollow Vault below,  
And plays the Witch, but nothing gains  
as proof doth plainly show.  
What vainer toy than this?  
what lewd or lighter jest?  
Because they would avoid the ploughman's  
life that is the best,  
They practise every feat,  
attempting every thing:  
They oft begin, but never ought  
to good effect can bring.  
They ever turn and wend  
and keep a daily coil,  
To keep them from the careful Cart  
and tilling of the soil.  
By Money loan and Use  
of filthy Fulckers' trade,  
(That Usury may well be termed)  
infamous shifts be made.  
They practise force and fraud,  
and double dealing aye:  
They lay their wily hooks for wealth,  
devising day by day  
A mean to mount to state  
and Honours tickle throne.  
Whilst we Sheep, Goats & flocks do f●ede  
and let such tricks alone:  
They keep their souring Hawks,  
they foster barking Hounds,  
They have their foot-cloth Nags to ride  
about their Pasture grounds.  
Of Monkeys much they make  
and other Apish toys:  
This is the only trade they use,  
these are the Townish joys.  
The Rustic Cattle keeps,  
the Townsman Curs and Kites:  
I pray thee judge which is the best  
of theirs or our delights?  
Which most with Worship stands?  
which brings the greater game?  Fulica. 
If so our trade be bet ' than theirs,  
then how should they attain  
Such store of stamped Coin,  
and Riches as they have?  
How come they by that dainty fare?  
how by those garments brave?  Cornix. 
How man? By slipper craft,  
by pelting pilfering shifts:  
By subtle fetches of the mind,  
by double devilish drifts.  
What (madman) dost not see  
how us they daily wring  
In cruel wise? If of our words  
(a vile and beastilie thing)  
They take advantage once  
and catch us in a trip:  
We shall be sure to feel the smart  
and bide the lashing whip.  
They deem a godly deed  
to take us in the snare:  
And this is all their whole devise,  
their study and their care.  Fulica. 
Why? How befalls that thou  
the City know'st so well?  Cornix. 
How? This I learned erst while I  
my milk was wont to sell,  
And had my female Goats  
within the City wall,  
I oasted at a Baker's house,  
he knew their manners all.  
He was a crafty Child,  
and with his iron would  
Go cut the doawe, and nip the loaves  
when Maidens 'gan to mould.  
He, as he witted their wile  
and knew their crafty trade,  
Said, that the City was a Hell.  
A whole discourse he made  
Of their unthrifty lives  
that in the town did won:  
And told me, that to filch at first  
himself had there begun.  
In Cities other are  
with beastly bawdy rule  
That wast the wealth their Grandsires gave  
and plying of the Cule.  
They have their minion Trulls  
and wanton fleshly Froes:  
Oh, what more filthy can be found  
than is the life of those?  
(Pray) where is Whoredom used?  
Manslaughter and Uproar?  
Bear these in Cities not the sway,  
and ever did of yore?  
Where lodge those Kings that seek  
their Crowns by loss of blood?  
And force their subjects to the death  
that in their quarrel stood?  
Where worn the warly wights  
that with such desperate hearts  
Object themselves to fearful foe  
and dint of deadly darts?  
For slender wages they  
do hazard life and all:  
What madness more than theirs that so  
do seek for sudden fall?  
Of life they less account  
than of a blast of fame.  
And what is glory, praise, or laud?  
what Worship? Honour's name?  
What giddy people's voice  
and brute of foolish brains?  
All dies and wears away with time,  
death all this trumpery stains,  
All suddenly do flit  
as light when Sun doth dim.  
And they that having wealth at Land  
upon the Surge will swim,  
And leave their Country coast  
are foolish wights I trow:  
He wants his wits that will affy  
in winds and water so.  
Who so hath store of wealth  
and useth not the same,  
Is mad I think: But yet of all  
that man is most to blame  
That lives a Miser's life  
and overharde doth far,  
And heaps his treasure in a hoard  
and all for Son to spare:  
And leaves the thing undone  
(which he mought compass well)  
For children that shall after come  
when he is dead in Hell.  
All such as number stars  
and meddle with the Skies,  
And those that calk the days of birth,  
and think they can comprise  
By skill to scan the fate  
to man that shall betide,  
Are very fools: But from his wits  
yet he is farther wide  
The nature of the Gods  
that doth ensearch to know,  
And dares upon so great a light  
his little eyes to throw.  
far better is our faith:  
for Townsmen ever look  
To have a Reason, else they will  
scarce credit any book.  
Bare words we soon believe  
that are of Country stamp,  
And at the sacred Altar set  
up many a light and Lamp.  
The Citizens are hard  
of faith, and never blinne  
To search the secrets of the Gods:  
whom if it were no sin  
To descant of so much,  
but that we ought to know  
Their natures, than themselves they mought  
unto our Senses show.  
But sithence they would have  
their secret kind unknown:  
What mean we to inquire of Gods  
and let them not alone?  
Our charity besides  
the Townish zeal exceeds.  
For holy men that serve the Church  
and wear the sacred weeds,  
What store of meat get they  
which go from place to place,  
Of us that in the Country dwell  
within a little space?  
I Bargeiss load have seen  
of Grain and goodly Corn  
Brought from the country to the town,  
we aye such zeal have borne.  
Another sect of Sots  
and foolish men there are:  
As pett●e Foggers, barking Bugs  
and Pleaders at the bar,  
Well skilled to scrape for coin  
even Tyrants in their trade:  
For fee they sell their helping hand,  
for money they are made  
The wrongful case to plead:  
they make their chiefest gain  
By letting Causes longer hang  
than need or law constrain  
Within the cruel Court  
where matters are to hear,  
And what at one Court day mought end,  
they linger on a year.  
Physicians eke there are  
from place to place that ride  
On Mullets, that full often strike  
the veins that are denied,  
And minister amiss,  
and for diseases frame  
(Whose kind they never knew before  
a certain term and name.  
And they (though Art they want  
and lack good Physics skill)  
Have lawful leave to vere the sick,  
yea Patientes eke to kill.  
And those that Office bear  
and swinge the chiefest sway,  
The more authority they have  
the more they run astray.  
The madder waxen they  
once placed in Ruler's room.  
O, what of holy Governors  
and Fathers is become,  
Of whom our Elders erst  
by fire sitting told?  
Now all is gone to spiteful wrack  
that hath been seen of old.  
The Temples are defaced,  
the poor do make complaint,  
The widows weep & wring their hands  
with too much grief attaint.  
And what should be the cause  
that things are at this hand?  
The only reason is for that  
that Lust for Law doth stand.  Fulica. 
Fie (Cornix) i'll, your rage  
beyond all reason goes:  
Thou all men dost condemn alike.  
What (man) thou must suppose  
That of the Townish some  
are good, in City dwell  
Some honest men that lead their lives  
and get their riches well.  
I have forgot the name,  
but sure thereof I stand,  
Nie Balearia lives no Snake,  
all venom voids the land.  
No Owl in Creta cries,  
no Horse of Gelding runs  
On mount Aegeria: nor no honest  
man in City wunnes.  Fulica. 
An honest man is scarce,  
in Country and in Town:  
And virtue is as rare a thing  
as any may be foune.  Cornix. 
O Fulick thou art mad,  
that tak'st their party so:  
Each one that in the City dwells  
is thy undoubted foe.  
They shave us close to skin,  
they pill and make us bare:  
They force us first to filch, and then  
our necks they do not spare.  
They weigh not they a whit  
though we to Gallows go,  
They tie us up in hampring cord  
on tree to feed the Crow.  
If we have aught that likes  
their fancy or their lust,  
They think to wring it from our hands,  
it is both good and just.  
They pluck away our plumes  
and feathers one by one:  
They never lin to scrape our goods  
till all our wealth be gone.  
Which if we chance to see,  
excuses than are had:  
But so we see not when 'tis done,  
they will deny like mad  
They never took away  
one jot but was their own:  
No wrong they do esteem the Theft  
to be that is unknown.  
Thus all the wealth they have  
and muck that lies in mow  
By our sustained toil they got  
and sweat of painful brow.  Fulica. 
Nay, now you far exceed  
the bounds of mean and right.  Cornix. 
O Fulicke, Townish shameful pranks  
infect the world quite.  
What makes in Summer time  
so many rotten showers?  
Such thundering flakes, wind, floods & hail,  
as from the Heaven pours?  
I yet remember I  
have seen the ground to quake:  
The haughty roofs of houses fall,  
and Pillerpostes to shake:  
The Sun obscured with dark  
amid the shining day:  
And in the night the Moon ydimde  
and Starlight ta'en away.  
How chanced that stinking weeds  
the grain do over g●e,  
And wild and barren Oats oppress  
the hoped Harvest so?  
How happed the Goat invades  
and tramples down the Vine?  
That smelling flowers in spring are spilled,  
and Garden goods do pine?  
All these mistehappes by mean  
of civil Townish ill  
Befall: and more in time (I fear)  
thereby such mischiefs will.  
Whence come these rash uproars?  
whence springs this battles broil,  
That brings with it all kind of plagues  
that so annoy the soil?  
The City is the head  
and Fountain whence it flows.  
Lycaon he that cruel Wolf  
(whom all the world knows)  
From City did descend:  
Deucalion (with his make  
Good Pyrrha) was a Countryman.  
'Twas for Lycaon's sake  
That all the earth was drowned,  
Deucalion peasde the wave:  
Lycaon murdered many men,  
Deucalion man did save:  
He took them from the earth,  
this brought them life again.  
If ever Fire should waste the world  
(as some affirm it plain)  
That mischief shall descend  
from Town and City sure:  
Their vile and filthy living will  
those cruel plagues procure.  Fulica. 
O Cornix, leave to talk,  
I hear the boys to call  
For pottage, (lest I be deceived)  
if ought be left, it shall  
At after dinner be  
debated and discussed:  
Now let us ply the paunch, the hour  
declares to meat we must.   

¶ The vij eclogue entitled POLLUX.  
The Argument.  
HEre Galbula extols  
the shepherds to the Sky:  
And tells how Pollux did conuer●  
that saw the Saint with eye.  

The speakers names.  
Alphus.  
Galbula.   
WHat thinkest thou Galbula? sir Pollux passing fine  
In piping erst (I wot not how)  
inspired with power divine  
forewent his Pipe, his Weed,  
his charge of Beasts, his Mates,  
And hooded (as the Lapwings are  
with crists upon their pates)  
Four days ago himself  
to holy house did yield.  
Some think that whilst his flock he fed  
alone in open field,  
He saw some godly shape  
from Héaven to appear,  
(The rest I have forgot) but what  
thinkest thou? I long to hear.  Galbula. 
As Sages said, when God  
each creature 'gan to make,  
(No trifles I will tell, but such  
of yore as Umber spoke)  
Both Clownish country wights  
and Shephierdes he ordained:  
The Tylman tough, unmild, in civil  
nurture never trained,  
Much like the lumpish clay  
that Coulter doth control:  
The Shephierd of a softer kind  
a sielly hurtless soul.  
As simple as the Sheep,  
devoid of wrathful gall,  
The Sheep that yields the milk, & likes  
his keeper aye withal.  
From flock to Altar he  
would bring when so he came  
Sometime a Sheep, a fatted Calf,  
sometime a sucking Lamb.  
To Gods their honour due  
he gave with good intent:  
His service so prevailed with them,  
he so their Godheads bend,  
As since the time the world  
created was and made,  
Unto this hour most grateful was  
to Gods the Shephierds' trade.  
And more than this, he called  
Assyrians a sort,  
(Their names through care I have forgot  
to Mace and Kingly port,  
That shepherds were afore:  
who garnished brave in Gold  
And purple robes, proud countries oft  
in battle have controlled.  
That Paris that beheld  
three Goddesses in Ide,  
With Paris eke the Sire that would  
have forced his son to have died,  
A Shephierd was. When Moy  
says feared with heavenly fire  
Came barefoot through the fields to see  
the sign with great desire,  
A shephierd than he was  
and lately come from flood.  
Apollo (as a banished man)  
in Grece did think it good  
His Godhead laid aside  
a shepherds charge to take,  
And so th' Amphrisian fields to walk  
and Bow 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 shepherds being taught  
the miracles divine  
Of heavenly birth, did first behold  
the thundering Imp with eyen.  
The mighty Infant gave  
the Shephierds' liberty  
Before the wise and royal Kings  
in Cradle him to see.  
A Shephierd he himself  
disdained not to call,  
Those men he termed Sheep that simple  
were and meek withal.  
And lest you think I lie,  
from City home again  
To Country as I came, In Church  
I red them painted plain.  
There portrayed are the Beasts  
and little Lambs that lie  
On soil beside their dames. A hugy  
troop from mountains hie  
Of Gods on horsseback comes,  
their Diadems do blaze  
With glittering Gold, this sight doth make  
the passers by to gaze.  
No marvel then if Gods  
appeared to Pollux sight:  
In Villages, in Sheep and home  
lie Shéepecots they delight:  
GOD is a guest to simple men,  
the haughty he doth spite.  Alphus. 
Thou tellest the truth, I wish  
the fields as hurtless be  
Unto your Beasts. The Ass, the rack,  
and Bullock I did see.  
I call to mind the rout  
that thither flocked apace,  
Me thinks I see the Kings of Ind  
that brought their gifts in place.  
One thing I crave, what kind  
of shape did Pollux see?  
And if thou know'st it (Galbula)  
do deign to tell it me.  Galbula. 
I know it well, and will  
rehearse the story true,  
A worthy fact to tell or hear  
for all men to ensue.  
The froward Father, and  
the Stepdame full of pride,  
Had pressed Pollux neck with y●ake  
uneasy to abide,  
In tender years when youth  
swée●e pleasures doth persuade:  
But when he felt his force to fail  
through such a weary trade,  
And saw no Art prevailed  
their rigour to relent,  
He thought it best to run away:  
and thus to flight ybent  
His only let was this,  
he loved impatiently.  
For doting love (a common fault)  
doth Youth accompany.  
Love of itself is strong,  
the violence doth pass.  
He went: At parture (these complaints  
to me he wont was  
His dolours to declare)  
with mournful voice he spoke:  
will thou (O Virgin) shed thy tears  
for such a traitors sake?  
And when thou seest thyself  
by Lover so betrayed,  
Wilt thou bewail the want of him  
that such a prank hath played?  
Wilt thou thy cruel Friend  
remember in distress?  
Or shall that loving breast of thine  
a chilly cold possess?  
That breast that hath prouokt●  
so many weeping eyes,  
Wilt thou wax wanfor grief? wilt thou  
send sighings to the Skies?  
I see the Virgin's eyes,  
her ears, her painted heart.  
Alas may any cunning now  
conceal my secret smart?  
A double dolour doth  
distrain my troubled mind,  
Her grief and my distress: my woe  
to wail is me assigned,  
But not to her: my fire  
more covertly doth burn.  
You Gods (I trust) will her preserve  
in health till my return.  
That after my exile  
when I shall back retire,  
Our love may have a good success  
ere youthful years expire.  
Thus talking he did pass,  
and would have turned again:  
Such love had bleared the boy, such fr●n-  
fren-sie broiled in youthful brain.  
But now the Dice were cast,  
decreed was the flight,  
He underneath a Popple tree  
sat down a woeful wight.  
Behold a Virgin crowd  
with Garland he did see,  
Her face, her eyes, and habit were  
Nymphlike in each degree.  
She did approach, and thus  
the sorry boy bespoke.  
(Sweet Lad) where wilt thou wander now?  
thy purposed paths forsake.  
Alas thou wottst not where  
this way would bring thee straight,  
Yet darest thou go to places strange:  
and thinking no deceit  
To lurk in grassy field,  
each peril thou neglect'st,  
All safe thou déemst, & that which likes  
thee best, thou most respectst  
Like unadvised youth.  
The Adder knit in knot,  
And lurking in the grass doth bite  
the man that saw him not.  
Th' unware is soon beguiled.  
The Infant dares assay  
Withouten dread in burning Coals  
with tender hands to play,  
And thinks it but a sport  
until he feel the fire.  
This Country trains the Passengers  
at first with sweet desire,  
And proffers pleasures rife  
with joys exceeding all:  
But entered once, foreseeing not  
the hurt that may befall,  
It sets a thousand snares  
and planteth perils more.  
This path as soon as you have past,  
that hill you see before  
Leads to a shady wood  
where cruel beasts do dwell,  
To dungeons deep and loathsome va●ts,  
as black as any Hell.  
And who so is entrapped  
shall thence retire no more:  
For first he hath a fillet swarth  
and vail his eyes before.  
Then drawn about the wood  
through sharp and shrubby thorns,  
To Monster he transformed is:  
and whilst his tongue he turns  
And thinks to speak, he howls,  
and coveting upright  
To go, he groveling creeps on four,  
the heavens are barred his sight.  
Beneath a Valley dark,  
a Pit with waters black  
Doth stand, and then a mountain huge  
doth overlook the Lake.  
Thus drawn to stinking Styx,  
is headlong down yeast  
Into the filthy ford, the Sink  
doth swallow him in haste:  
Thus damned to Styx in shade  
for aye he must abide.  
Alas, how many shepherds through  
these doting fits have died?  
And perished with their flocks?  
but I am busy still  
As one untirde, to show the way  
and wrest thee from the ill.  
Wherefore do way delays  
and fly the flattering door  
That trains to death, go seek the coast  
that leads to secret shore,  
Against th' Idalian floods where Carmelus is seen,  
To lift his head aloft to Skies  
bedecked with Garland green.  
To ancient fathers first  
this Hill gave dwellings good,  
As caves and houses made of trees  
within a brushy wood.  
From thence Religion first  
derived his offspring took,  
And came amongst your hills, as from  
his head, the running brook,  
And from one Grandsire as  
do many Nephews sprout.  
In those same woods, where Béechyboughes  
are growing all about,  
Where fatty Pix doth sweat  
and Terebynth doth shed  
His glewlike gum, and clammy juice.  
There after thou hast led  
A happy hurtless life  
devoid of vile offence:  
Then into places ever green  
and flourishing from thence  
I will advance thee straight,  
a better lodge to dwell:  
Immortal shalt thou waxen then,  
and (mark what tale I tell)  
Thou shalt as fellow made  
unto the heavenly States,  
Get up above the stars, and have  
the Nymphs unto thy mates,  
Both Hamadriads and  
the hilly Orcads hight,  
And Napes. Ladies that in sweets  
and Garlands do delight:  
With lawful leave to have the Skies  
both up and down in sight.  
Thus having told her tale  
to Sky the Virgin flew.  
Then Pollux swore his mind was turned,  
and heart ychangde a new  
forewent his fury's fit.  
Even as the fiery flash  
Is quenched, when Padus with his stream  
the frying fields doth wash:  
So parted cruel Love,  
that erst his Arrows shot  
At him (good youth) that striving would  
those cold hot fits forgot:  
And so good Pollux he  
to silent Cloister came.  Alphus. 
Yea marry, God's some men inspire,  
that look not for the same,  
But they with other wroth  
and causeless angry be.  Galbula. 
Such power have Gods on us as on  
our sielly sheep have we.  
This knowledge will suffice  
us simple Country clowns:  
Let them contend for greater wit  
that wear the Scarlet gowns  
And in the City won.  
Thus person janus told  
Returned from town, and said he saw●  
it writ in story old.  Alphus. 
Now goes the Sun to glade  
he toucheth top of hills,  
Wherefore that we with him departed  
his wented parting wills.  
O Galbula get up  
those trinkets on thy back  
The Scrip is light, the bottle light,  
no pain to bear the pack.  
For though the burden way  
yet is it good to bear,  
Do that, and I will fetch our flocks,  
for now the day doth wear.   

¶ The eight eclogue entitled RELIGIO.  
The Argument.  
TWo shepherds met yfeare,  
one liked the Mountains most,  
And other did commend the Vale  
above the Hilly coast.  
The praise of Pollux Saint  
is intermingled here,  
And sacred feasts, with holy days  
that happen in the year.  

The speakers names.  
Candidus.  
Alphus.   
O Alphus, now the scorched groun●  
doth thirst, because the Sun  
Is in the highest point of Heaven  
that he is wont to run.  
Wherefore unto the hanging hills  
this present time persuades  
To drive our flocks where Dew is rise  
and Mounts do cast their shades.  Alphus. 
Yea, yea, I see the hills afar  
and haughty Mountains hie:  
But (to be plain) what of the hills  
to make I know not I.  
For from my Cradle custom was  
with me to feed my sheep  
In Vale below, by rivers side  
to dwell, and flock to keep.  
Upon the hilly ground (I pray)  
what kind of corn doth sprout?  Candidus. 
O simle siellie witted lobbe,  
O plain and peevish lout,  
That aye hast dwelled by damping floods  
and filthy Fens below,  
Much like the Gnats that haunt the lakes  
where brush and rubbish grow,  
And where the sluttish vermin cause  
a savour like to hell,  
And stifling stink in dirty dikes,  
and Marish depth to dwell.  
Where is of frogs, gnats, flies & worms  
and other like good store,  
Among the Willows, Alderboughes  
and rotten reeds, with more  
Than I can name: and yet dost thou  
thus dare to mock the Hills  
And make so small account of them?  
From whence (I pray thee) trills good friend  
The spouting Spring? and where  
is marble quarre yfound  
That builds the Church? where grows y●  
in vale or hilly ground.  
What soil brings forth the lofty mast?  
where grows the Physic grass?  
And herbs to cure diseases fell,  
if not in hilly place?  
I sundry tunes on Baldus mount  
the Bearefoote gathered have,  
Which Goats diseased from force of death  
is ready way to save:  
As Aegon erst to me declared  
when he did geld at Spring  
His sows & lambe●, he taught me that  
as sure and sovereign thing.  
Take here (quoth he) the pass●●gst heart▪  
that ever grew on ground.  
And further tell me (pray thee) where  
are Chestnuts to be found  
More plenteous than on Hills aloft?  
where greater store of Mast?  
There are both groves & pasture grounds:  
there I have broke my fast  
With Pie full many a time and oft,  
and fatty gruel eat,  
There are the sturdy Children borne  
bold youths in my conceit,  
Broad footed Lads with shoulders square,  
well brawned arms and strong,  
All hairy, handed hard, whose backs  
no weight can lightly wrong.  
From thence come lusty Mariners,  
that sail the marble Seas,  
Are none more fit for Town affairs  
or City than are these.  
Where thou wilt have thy cattle cut,  
or seeling timber fellde,  
Or Stables varmde, the Privy cleansed  
or staying stop that held  
The filth, remould from where it lay  
and bred a loathsome smell,  
Or men by Ladders to descend  
to Vaults as dark as Hell:  
These, these, are they that do the feat,  
their wits are passing good,  
And they are of exceeding force  
and lusty strength by th' Rood.  
But what shall need so many words?  
all toil they take in hand:  
Wait in the Kitchen, make the Fire,  
cast on the Chimney brand,  
Turn broach ●n cunning wise, make clean  
and purge the lover hole,  
For smoke to pass, bear guts & tripes  
to river in a Bole,  
Sweep filthy floor with Birchen broom,  
but most I marvel how  
They run with burden on their backs  
and never seem to bow.  
They are bred up among the Rocks  
and mid the Mountains won▪  
Like Goats into the crooked Caves  
of savage Beasts they roonne.  
Beside this, eke the way is short  
from top of Hills to Sky,  
Up to the azure clouds they reach:  
and some do stand so high  
As verily I deem they touch  
the golden stars welnie  
They say there is a place where as  
the Sun from Sea doth rise,  
Which (if I well remember) seems  
unto our mortal eyes  
Even with his head to touch the Moon,  
and that there liu●d a man:  
But afterward when greedy Lust  
and liquorous lips began  
To taste the fruit that was forbid,  
and that he eat up all  
The Apples, keeping none for God  
when he for fruit did ●all,  
This Glutton was expelled the place  
not suffered there to dwell.  
This makes that holy fathers like  
the lofty Hills so well,  
And there do choose them quiet stays  
to lead their lives in rest:  
As Carthuse witness can full well,  
Carmelus, Gargans' crest,  
Laureta, Athos, Lavern, Sign,  
Soractis picked pate,  
And Nursis thou that famous art  
for aged Father's fate.  
And good Gamalula, whose head  
so turretlike doth stand,  
Beset with beech and other trees  
that grow about the land.  
As for the rest I overpass,  
for why I do not mind  
In this my tale to compass all.  
The Gods of stately kind  
Do oft frequent the hilly holtes,  
when down in vale below  
Dwell Ducks, Didopper, Bitour, Goose  
Kite, Shag, and other more.  Alphus. 
Among the Pleasures of the hills  
whereof you speak so much,  
How chanced that you do nothing here  
the Vine and Harvest touch?  
And yet those two are chiefest stays  
and aids in life of man..  Candidus. 
Those Mountain lads from rocky hills  
come hither now and than  
To buy our Corn in market place,  
Grim wights all grymde with dust,  
As rough as hogs, as lean as rakes  
raggd, leaping at a crust.  
The dwellers show the places kind  
and what his nature is.  
But that you spoke of Sacred use  
and Mountain holynis  
Hath brought unto my mind again of Pollux what is said.  Alphus. 
O Candid, if thou canst declare  
What Goddess 'tis, what Maid,  
Say on, for that whereof we 'gan  
to chat, is all in vain:  
More better were of holy trade  
to talk, and greater gain.  Candidus. 
That Galbula that erst was wont  
with thee his flock to feed,  
Can fully have instructed thee  
in thy demand with speed.  Alphus. 
Of Pollux much was said before,  
but yet no word was spoke  
There of the Nymph, nor did I then  
him thereunto provoke.  
But now this talk of Church affairs  
and holy sacred things  
(For sure they best deserve the praise)  
to my remembrance brings.  Candidus. 
She was no Driad Nymph perdie  
that in the woods doth won:  
She was no Muse of those that bout Lybethris Mount doth run.  
Nor any of those Orcades  
that haunt the hills on high:  
But Mother she to Mighty GOD  
pescended from the Sky.  
To bring a peace to such as in  
distress and trouble lie.  
Dame Tethys is her waiting maid, and lady Ceres eke  
Attends her train, and Aeole he  
that by his force doth break  
And bridles wrath of wayward winds  
that in his prison are.  
Her God hath placed above the Sun  
and golden glistering star  
Above Cassiope the fair,  
and hath adorned her head  
And sacred front with twice six Signs  
that her environ spread:  
And more than that, the watery Moon  
that shows her face by night  
Full underneath her godly foot  
his providence hath pight.  Alphas. 
O Candid, wonders thou declarste  
which shepherds never knew,  
What is that Tethys tell me, and Cassiops' glittering hew?  
What is that Aeole that in den  
doth bridle blustering wind?  
What be those fiery Stoads? thou tellest  
great marvels, rare to find.  Candidus. 
Some part of them be stars in deed,  
some part names found of old.  
All which when Pollux had to me  
in largest manner told,  
Into the Temple led me forth  
and said: This Sacred Wall  
That here thou viewst, is able well  
to make thee show of all.  
The wall was painted full of Signs  
and Figures all about,  
All I remember not, my brain  
is weak, 'tis quickly out:  
Scarce this I bore away, for all  
I oft revolud the same,  
And did recount within my hea●  
each thing, and ery name.  
For sundry times for to recount  
a thing in covert breast  
All Physic far excels, I deem  
that feat to be the best.  
That Virgin can from darkened Skies,  
the dusky clouds remove,  
She can to parched corn give drink  
to make the Harvest prove.  
And when her pleasure is, she can  
cause springs in fields to rise,  
And when her list repress the same  
again in wondrous wise.  
She can (if be her pleasure) make  
the barren soil and ground  
As fat as any pasture, and  
make it with grain abound.  
When Scorpius in his darksome lodge  
and hellish house receives  
The old Saturnus frosty stars,  
that worldly things bereaves  
Of blissful state, this Virgin can  
enforce to keep no coil:  
The rattling hail shall nothing noye  
the Corn upon the soil.  
The house shall never fall by fire  
or wasted be with flame:  
For now they say, the Skies procure  
and angry stars the same.  
Oh, if this Virgin be disposed,  
she can make all things sure,  
If she be friendly, corn shall fill  
the barns, she can procure  
Each beast to bring a twin to light  
to glad the masters mind,  
Yea and she list, although the sheep  
be dry and not by kind,  
She can enforce with twink of eye  
and beck of friendly brow  
The dug to strut with milk, the back  
with wool, and Lambs enough.  
She can remove all vile disease  
that 'noys the hurtless Beast,  
She can tell how to cure the flock  
with any grief oppressed.  
Now needless is to follow Pan  
or any rustic Saint:  
Which ancient folks did honour so,  
with follies missed attaint.  
I saw about the Altar of  
this Virgin, sucking Kid,  
Ploughs, Oxen, Sheep, & janus Goat,  
and written there I spid  
In table that at Altar hung this Verse: Here janus he  
That lost his Goat, for Goat yfound  
doth offer this to thee.  
And whilst I read this writ on wall  
with knee on marble stone  
Ga● Pollux pray before the Are  
and Virgin call upon.  
He said: O Goddess that preserust  
both Town and Country well  
I pray that Padus 'bove his banks  
and limits may not swell.  
And that no Fairy suck by night  
our babes in our arms,  
Nor that such Heggs about our coast  
may wrangle with their charms.  
O Goddess favour husbandmen,  
the wasteful Want destroy  
That is our daily foe, and doth  
our pasture grounds annoy.  
O Goddess, when the Winter comes  
and we have sown our seed,  
Send down some pleasant showers of rain  
to moist the soil at need  
Lest creeping worms, and vermin vile  
in year that is to come  
Do gnaw the corn with marring mouth  
and loathsome little gum.  
From Borias' blast defend the Fig,  
from cruel Crane the Beans,  
The Harvest corn from greedy Geese  
ybred in Marish Fens.  
The Ox from spitting Adders jaws,  
from fox and Thief the Sheep,  
From Locust Coals & Leltis' leaves,  
the Vine in Winter keep.  
The flock & fold from wolves deceit,  
the corn from burning blast,  
The dogs from madness, towns from fire  
and thundering bolts yeast.  
The leg of Bacon from the Mouse,  
the Gammon from the wight  
That keeps the Camp, and in the field  
doth daily use to fight.  
From Palmer, and the slothful: Oh,  
I have welnie forgot  
The rest, perhaps recital of  
the former Verse will not  
Be hurtful, but reduce to mind  
what I had thought to say:  
Wherefore I will begin again,  
where I right now did stay.  
The leg of Bacon from the Mouse  
the Gammon from the wight  
That keeps the Camp, and in the field  
doth daily use to fight.  
From Palmer and the slothful Snail  
the Gardens green as Grass.  
Seest (Alphus) what a Verse can do?  
now is it come to pass  
As erst I thought it would in deed,  
remembrance is renewed.  
O Virgin save from thunders roar 
A silly shephierdes simple request.   
the Drink we lately brewed.  
Keep well the blossomed Ewes from cold,  
the Calves from stinging Flie.  
The Hogs from squince & swelling throat  
so that they may not die.  
That Ploughmens labour be not lost  
O Goddess do thy best,  
Let not the Hives of Honey Bees  
by Hornets be oppressed.  
Ne let the Lynet spill the Hirce  
or Myllet seeds destroy,  
Nor briars, by renting of the wool  
ere shear time, sheep annoy.  
Let not the hanging burr stick fast  
upon the hairy fleece  
That makes the flock pildnecked, and  
his covering coat to lose.  
O Goddess that dost govern men  
and hast of children care,  
O Goddess ease to labouring wights  
and such as bide the care.  
The salve to such as are diseased,  
of flocks the chiefest stay.  
I thee beseech to yield a beck  
to this that I do say.  
This prayer devoutly Pollux made  
the whilst I leaned my back  
Unto a post, and stayed my foot  
against a staff, it stacks  
Within my brain that he had said,  
his words I noted well,  
I placed the process in my breast  
that he before did tell.  Alphus. 
How thinkest thou Candid is't not right  
and reason that we should  
To Pollux yield some gift for prayers  
and Sacred tale he told?  
For sure by such devotion  
our richesses are preserved.  Candidus. 
What else? somewhat we must bestow,  
for somewhat he deserved.  Alphus. 
What shall we give? by th● Rood a Calf  
is costly to forgo,  
We either will a Lamb, or Hare,  
or Goose on him bestow.  Candidus. 
The time instructeth what to give.  
at Winter serves the Hare,  
When ●or the Snow he can no●▪  
the Goofe we best may spare  
At latter end of Harvest time  
when Summer wears away  
The filbert, apples, clustered Grapes  
about Midsummer day.  
The sucking Kids, and bleating Lambs  
at entering of the Spring.  
For then if rotten hay by chance  
avoid them any thing,  
Or any thou so weak espy,  
as neither well can live,  
Nor butcher in the market place  
for him will money give,  
(The gift will be accepted well)  
that Lamb of all the rest  
Bestow (I say) to make a friend  
with him I count it best.  
Let Pollux have it for his pains  
and solemn tale ytolde.  
He after dinner when that I  
from him departed would,  
Gave me such Verses as he found  
writ in some ancient book  
Of holy Virgins solemn feasts:  
and said, I pray thee look  
Upon this gear when so by hap  
thou art with care oppressed,  
Recount this medicine of the mind  
and fix it fast in breast.  
What time the Sun the Lion leaue● and Virgo entries in,  
Then in remembrance of this Virgin  
let the youth begin  
And aged eke with silver hairs,  
to triumph and be glad,  
For than she left the earth and to  
the Skies her journey had.  
The four and twentieth after that  
is holy day anew,  
This Virgin's birth day makes the church  
and altars (this is true)  
With taper light to shine like fire  
and glister all with flame:  
Then doth the Priest new offerings make,  
the time requires the same.  
Then Libra makes return in haste  
to cause the Summer night  
To be full equal with the day  
and so appear in sight.  
The men of Pycen waxed glad on Adrianus flood  
Then come Illyrians, Chaons' eke and Tuscans with their good  
And ware to sell for greedy gain, from Vmbria other some,  
Venetians, men of Sicill to Lauretum temple come  
By troops to offer up their gifts:  
and having prayed a time,  
Up to the stately mountain they  
in flocks together climb.  
And when the Sun doth enter in  
his house that bends the Bow  
By shorter course, and bitter frosts  
annoy the soil below,  
Shut up in Cloister close she did  
the mighty God conceive,  
Which contemplation from her head  
did worldly thoughts bereave.  
Her proper parents she forgot,  
so much on God she thought.  
And when that Phoe●us fleeth the Bow●  
whose string is bend so taught,  
And gins unto the lodging cold  
of horned Goat to go:  
Then let both man and woman on  
with garments best to show,  
And let them keep that sacred day  
high holy feast, wherein  
With sacred seed that aged Sire  
did fill his wife within.  
For in that day above the rest  
she did conceive the child  
That washed away the sin that would  
all mortal men defiled.  
When Sol the moisty harbour of Aquarius underglides,  
At point to bring the Spring about:  
then go you gallant brides  
And Matrons, set the Altars full  
of torch and taper light,  
Cast cense in flame to make a fume  
bring candles blazing bright,  
Make pomp as great as ere you can.  
This Lady brought a bed  
Her little Babe hath borne to church  
and hath full haply sped.  
When he the Captain of the herd  
with glittering fleece of gold  
(I mean the Ram) gins to quite  
the earth from Winter cold,  
And brings the gentle fits of heat  
and pleasant puffs of wind  
Allowing day more hours than night,  
as is the summers kind,  
Let Gabriel then the Angel come  
and do his message right,  
Declaring tidings to the Nymph that made the Nymph affright.  
That Holy day the Tuscans all  
from Mountains makes descends  
And Arnycols procureth to the Florence Church to wend.  
And then (for why the Virgin was  
not long before they say,  
Espoused) becomes unwedded maiden  
to celebrate the day.  
When Phoebus under farthest point  
of crawling Crab doth go,  
And Dog approaching brings disease,  
and makes the fevers grow:  
●epe holy eke that sacred tide,  
with incense cast in fire,  
for Mary then from mother of john  
did home again retire.  
About the stony Altars hang  
to either dam a share  
(In token of your joyful hearts) of Lady Ceres' ware.  
The Corn that first was ripe in fields,  
and 'gan to change his hew,  
Do offer that (I say) to them  
that Mothers are to view.  
This Pollux taught: for walking he  
amid the Mountains hie  
A field to fold, did chance to cast  
his ranging eyes to Sky  
In clear and quiet starry night:  
and saw by fortune there  
The order of the Heavens, and how  
the stars disposed were.  
And more than these besides iwis:  
but fast declining Sun  
Will not permit as now we should  
prolong our talk begun.   

¶ The ix eclogue entitled FALCO.  
The Argument.  
HERE Faustul having thoroughly tried  
the nature of the Roman ground:  
The vileness of the soil, and shepherds  
filthy manners doth expound.  

The speakers names.  
Faustulus.  
Candidus.   Faustulus. 
O Candid how befalls  
that thou from native home  
A wight exiled in foreign land  
and strangie Realm dost roam?  
For here no Pastures are  
nor Fountains to be found,  
No safe Shéepecoates, no shrouding shades,  
to keep the cattle sound.  Candidus. 
Thus (Faustul) stands the case, one Coridon that in  
These quarters kept his flock, and by  
that mean great wealth did win,  
Drove me to deem that here  
amid these Mountains was  
Most pleasant Pasture for my Sheep,  
and wholesome vain of grass.  
But sithence now I see  
and plainly view with eye,  
The barren ground & Pastures pielde,  
soil rocky, Fountains dry,  
It irks me that I came  
so rashly out of door,  
The journeys long, and leaving of  
my Country grieves me sore.  Faustulus. 
Well since it was thy hap  
in safety to attain  
The Latin Pastures, I would crave  
(if thou wilt take the pain)  
To my poor house to come,  
of fellowship do so,  
I have ●ewe acres here of land  
to live upon, no more  
Than poorly will maintain  
my low and needy state:  
But such as 'tis, take part I pray  
let run in common rate.  
Perhaps some better hap  
and fortune will befall.  
For Chance resembles much a blast  
of wind, to wavering thrall.  
Come to my sedgy Coat  
till raging heat be past,  
And whilst the flock laid down on soil  
do chew the Cud full fast.  
Do way the Shéepecrooke, sit  
thee down and tipple square:  
We need to drink, by drink we shall  
avoid this scorching care.  
Take thou the Cruse in hand,  
for after drink (they say)  
The tale with better grace is told  
it better goes away.  Candidus. 
What mad man would in such  
a heat refuse the Cup?  Faustulus. 
Yea, Wine doth quell the cruel thirst  
if it be tippled up.  
Wine doth diminish care  
and dolours of the mind:  
As wine breeds friendships, so it doth  
augment the strength by kind.  Candidus. 
This Country hath good Grapes,  
if so they here do grow.  
Fill out again, the former draft  
is but a taste you know.  
The second weates the jaws,  
the third doth cool the rage  
Of burning mouth, the fourth with thirst  
a cruel war doth wage.  
The fift bookful fiercely fights,  
the sixth doth conquer aye,  
The seventh triumphs, Oenophilus  
erst so was wont to say.  Candidus. 
'Tis wisdom to incline  
and follow sound advise,  
'Tis for the profit to give ear  
to aged Fathers wise.  
Now thirst is conquered well,  
yet natheless my heart  
Is pensive aye, & thoughtful care  
augments my wont smart.  Faustulus. 
As thirst is banished, so  
the mind shall purchase ease:  
Fill out the liquor of the Grape,  
drink freely if you please.  
This Physic is to drive  
the heart pangs out of place.  
Rome to abandon cruel cares  
this Medicine used like ease.  Candidus. 
All toil and travail craves  
a time of rest and stay,  
Let bottle stand, and stop him close  
to keep the Flies away.  
The day is nothing wet,  
not dewy is the night,  
Which makes that forage can not grow  
but is consumed quite.  
Fell famine, cruel toil,  
with heat of scorching air  
Have made the Cattle passing lean,  
and brought them in despair  
Of ever being fat:  
scarce can they draw their wind,  
Their guts are clung to empty skin,  
the bones stick out behind.  
This Ram that beat the Wolf  
with horn and bouncing brow,  
Is weaker than a Sheep, a Lamb  
doth pass his courage now.  
Thus much the Crow declared  
with holy sacred bill:  
But I was overhastly bend  
to follow raging will.  
Scarce was I ●ut of door  
but he was strait at hand,  
And bringing ill abodement, 'gan  
on houses top to stand  
Upon the lefter side,  
and with an angry beak  
With open sign of fell myss●hap  
aloud began to squeak  
O most unhappy beast,  
that wont wert of yore  
When on our soil thou feddst, to bring  
of Milk and Cattle store,  
Now seeking Pastures new,  
more kindly strength dost miss  
By weary travail, than by food  
thou gained haste iwis.  
Here both we faint yfeare,  
thou with thy slender fare,  
And I poor wight in sunder crushed  
with cruel girding care.  
Now is our country stuffed  
with wealth: what Meadow grounds  
Have we? What pastures green as leek  
within our Country bounds?  
O merry joyful soil,  
and fertile fields to see,  
Where aye is Corn upon the ground  
and where fresh rivers be  
Ay passing through the Towns  
and Burroughs where we won,  
And where through erie Village and  
each Garden floods do run.  
This makes the goodly flocks  
and Pasture fields so fat.  
When crabbed Cancer rules, and men  
do ply the threshing bat,  
And scorching julie scalds:  
the fields do flourish green,  
The Apples grow in every hedge.  
amid the brakes are seen  
Sweet smelling flowers every where  
and pleasant to the nose,  
In every bush there stands on stalk  
of every hue a Rose.  
O pleasant shade of Groves  
and sound of trembling leaves,  
Which erst (I mind) with thee I had  
among the shady greavess.  
Where we the Turtles plaint  
and Swallows songs did hear  
And Philome●as sundry tunes,  
when Locusts first appear,  
That make the Groves to ring  
with shrill and shrieking cries,  
The air that shook the levy boughs from Eurus did arise.  
Aloft our heads the tree that Cornus hight there hanged,  
Whose boisterous arms were all about  
with Berries bravely spanged.  
I sitting on the ground  
saw how the beasts did sport,  
And tender Lambs with hurtless horns  
did fight in friendly sort.  
And when that sleep was past,  
or staring to the Skies.  
I blewe my Pipe, or else did sing  
what best I mought devise.  
Another while I would  
laid gruffe upon the g●●sse,  
Pluck Strawberries from slender stalke●  
the time away to pass.  Faustulus. 
Then happy was thy life,  
thou wert a blessed wight,  
But of that friendly Fortune thou  
didst take no great delight.  
Thou scorndst that present state,  
a worse not having tried,  
And that procured that Fortune so  
away from thee did glide.  
When so it comes again,  
(if ever thou have the hap)  
Even as the branches of the Vine  
the propping posts do lap,  
And them environ grow  
fasc clasping them about:  
So catch her with thy hands, and caught  
let her no way get out.  
She goes and makes return,  
and often changeth hue:  
Much like the Heggs that by report  
about the Mountains slew,  
And wrangled in ●he dark  
and shady Mist of night.  
And as this Fortune shifts her looks,  
and chaps and changeth sight,  
So wandering is her mind,  
mere jestings are her joys:  
Look what she gave she takes again,  
no reason, all in toys.  
The man that fears the worst,  
or warily looks about,  
She scorns and as an abject hates,  
she shuts the Dastard out.  Candidus. 
As oft as we to mind  
do call our Country soil  
We can not patiently endure  
this woeful weary toil●.  
But whether run my wits  
that am tormented thus?  
To double present woe do I  
now think on former bliss?  
Now merry May is come,  
the Vine is green to view,  
Now Corn hath taken heir, Pomegranates  
are of golden hiewe.  
Each where the bushes smell,  
the Elder trees are white  
Within our Country, all about both Pade and Mince in sight.  
But here yet scarcely do  
the Groves begin to bood,  
And if so be that in the spring  
the ground be dead, by th'Roo●  
What will it do when force  
of Winter comes in place,  
And soil is clad with frosty clothes  
or scalding Summers blaze?  
Yet here are hierds of beasts  
with flick and finest skin,  
upon whose boisterous brauned necks  
the yoke hath never been:  
Whose sorheads hardened are  
with double horn to see,  
No doubt, unless they fed a good,  
they could not lightly be  
Deawlapped so before  
with dangles hanging down.  Fausculus. 
These beasts whose lostis heads & looks  
are lifted high from groune,  
And have such spindle shanks  
and go with lofty gates:  
Devour up all, first grass, and then  
they make the boughs their cates.  
With upward reaching jaws  
and greedy gaping chap,  
They chew the chiefest pasture grounds  
and trees in sunder snap.  
This weak and siellie beast  
that only feeds on grass  
That grows on ground, doth fast full oft  
in Pastures bare as glass.  Candidus. 
What needs such lavish talk?  
all living things of kind  
Have this condition, aye the small  
the great his foe doth find.  
The Lamb is pray to Wolf,  
to Eagle gentle Doves,  
The Delphin hunts the hurttesse fish  
that in the wallow moves.  
How comes this gear about?  
a monstrous thing it is.  
This place, if from aloft thou look  
will seem to be iwis  
Good pasture ground and fine,  
as full of grass as needs:  
But how much nearer that you come,  
the more appear the weeds,  
Then shows the filth his kind,  
then plainly 'tis descried.  Faustulus. 
Rome is to men as to the birds  
the Owl with visage wide,  
She sits upon a stock,  
and like a stately Queen  
With lofty berks she calls a far  
the Birds that nigh her been.  
The rout suspecting nought  
together come apace,  
They marvel at her picked ears  
and ghastly glueing face,  
And at her Monstrous head  
and crooked bending bill:  
Whilst thus (I say) they hop abou●  
not minding any ill,  
From spring to sprig, from bough  
to bough, from tree to tree,  
Some thread●● are with limed lace,  
with twigs some other be  
Ycaught: thus all as pray  
unto the Broach do go.  Candidus. 
O this is passing, nothing can  
he better said I trow.  
But see how yonder Snake  
with crooked crawling pace  
Glides on the gravel ground, and a●  
he cometh to thy place  
With shirstie gaping jaws  
and tongue infects the air.  Faustulus. 
O Candid mind well what I say,  
let to thy breast repair,  
What time thou wanderest in the wood  
thine eyes defend  
And guard with hat, for bushy thorns  
their poignant pricks pretend  
To noy thy face, and if  
thou take not great good heed  
The crooked hanging brimbles will  
rend off thy crooked weed.  
Do not away thy Crook,  
have bosom full of stones,  
Lest some new unexpected foe  
oppress thee for the nonce.  
Put on thy Cokers eke  
and stirteps to beware,  
The bushy Groves are full of Snakes,  
with bite they breed our care,  
In daily hazard of our lives,  
and now the Summer makes  
Their poisoned Venom rankle sore  
where so by chance it takes.  
A thousand Wolves there be,  
as many Foxes here  
Below in bottom of the Vale,  
that do not yet appear.  
And (monstrous thing to speak)  
myself have seen with eye  
Men Woulflie shape and manners put  
in proof and practise I,  
That with their flocks have dealt  
too cruelly in deed,  
And all imbrued with slaughter of  
their beasts they forced to bleed.  
The neighbour places laugh,  
nor fear the cruel spoil,  
Nor once will go about to stop  
this greedy bloody broil.  
And oftentimes appear  
fell ugly shapes to sight,  
Which earth by influence vile brings forth,  
sometime the Dogs do fight  
And use such cruel rage,  
as far they do surpass  
The tyranny of bloody Wolves:  
that rout that rampire was  
And guard to flocks of yore,  
put on a wrathful mind,  
And slay the siellie Cattle that  
their fortune is to find.  
In Egypt men report  
they honoured certain beasts  
And sundry counted Gods to be  
with pomp and solemn feasts.  
That superstition was  
deserving lesser blame  
Than ours, for we to every beast  
a several Altar frame:  
A thing contrary quite  
to God, and laws of kind.  
For he ordained a man as head  
and chief of brutish kind.  
And sundry times the hot  
and scalding summers rays  
And plaguy year approacheth fast,  
that every beast decays  
About the open fields:  
the sucking Lamb that cries  
At dead Dam's teat himself with vile  
disease on sudden dies.  
Even underneath the yoke  
the Oxen lose their breath,  
And as they travail in the way  
yield life to cruel death.  
No reason in the plague,  
no Physic to aslake  
This venom vile, and poisoned filth:  
but house from house doth take  
Infection of the same,  
and drinks up deadly sore,  
And daily so contagion of  
this poison grows to more.  
This plague kills lightly no  
fell savage bloody beast,  
The young ones prosper too too well,  
the Wolves make gladsome feast  
And rend with ruthless chaps  
our siellie cattle that  
But lately died, and by our loss  
thus Wolves do waxed fat.  Candidus. 
Alas unhappy I,  
what rash and foolish mood  
Drew me? who so doth credit fame,  
I think him mad and wood.  
Of Roman hills I heard, of stately Tiber eke,  
And men of goodly Roman roofs  
and buildings erst did speak.  
I out of hand had great  
desire to see the same,  
And lead my life within a soil  
that was of such a name.  
With half my herd I came  
(a mad man in my thought)  
For why with me both Tent and all  
my shepherds trinkets brought  
Throughout the Mountains hie,  
Pails, Pan's maked of brass,  
With cauldrons, Chéesefat eke, and all  
the rest that fittest was  
For making of the Cheese▪  
and so it was my hap  
To lose my troublous travail and  
my charges at a clap.  
Alas what shall I do?  
which way myself convert?  
The hoped pleasures are denied,  
there are in erie part  
So many dangerous haps,  
so sundry perils priest,  
As I am driven unto my Coat  
again to take my rest:  
Constrained of force to say  
and grant it ill begun,  
The toil I took in hand of late  
by heat of scalding sun,  
By weary travail home to slocks  
I am enforced to run.  
Alas unhappy herd,  
O Shephierd ill accursed,  
More better had it been for thee  
if thou hadst staid at furst  
At home in native soil,  
and there have waxen old  
(Than thither to have rashly come)  
where thou moughtst have been bold  
In country well beknowne of thee,  
and coast exceeding cold:  
And Padus banks about, and Athesis too strayed,  
Or there where Myncius twhart the fields  
and Pastures runs unstaide.  
Or else where Abdua with  
his silver channel flows  
To have remained, and fed thy hierde  
with sweet and wholesome bows.  Faustulus. 
This light belief of thine,  
both thee and me beguiles,  
For I have seen those greedy wights  
that longed to climb erewhiles  
And sat in pleasures mount,  
from praised goods to slip,  
Nor could escape: Experience  
causeth men beware the whip.  
The wary children try  
and wisely look about,  
Nor follow ery liked thing  
though bragger's boast it out.  
Now chiefest things their laud  
and earned praise do want,  
That were of yore right worthy same,  
(all these I needs must grant)  
Whose names alone remain: as Lune and Adria eke,  
And Saluya with ancient Troy of whom did Umber speak.  
But (as I said) the names  
are now alive and left,  
The rest ingrateful wasting Time  
and fretting Age hath re●t.  
Though now of lesser laud  
and praise our Country be,  
Yet better is the thing perhaps.  
Each man alive doth see  
And knows what great renown Rome ever had ere this:  
The fame (good faith) as yet remains,  
the ancient gain begis  
And profit is suppressed.  
Those floods that erst did flow  
Atwhart the fields and Pasture grounds,  
find lack of liquor now.  
Dry are the Wellie veins,  
the moisture quite is gone,  
No cloud doth shower, nor Tiber glides  
the gasping fields upon.  
Time ancient Conduits hath  
and leaden Pipes defaced,  
The Towers are in decay: wherefore  
hence hence (my Goats) in haste.  
Here wons but famine now,  
here want of wealth doth reign:  
Yet here (they say) doth dwell, and we  
ourselves have seen it plain  
A Shephierd, one that of the Falcon, Falco hight,  
Well stored of ●léezie Sheep, for Pasture  
grounds a wealthy wight.  
That in his Songs excels  
the antic Poets, and  
The skilful Orpheus that both woods  
and rocks about the land  
By source of Music drew,  
the rest of Roman race  
He so far doth surpass (a strange  
and monstrous ugly case)  
As Padus Tiber's stream, and Abdua Macras flood,  
The Willow Bulrush, Thistle Rose,  
the Seawéedes Popple wood.  
We think him not unlike  
that noble worthy might  
Whose Altars Maro made to shine  
twelve days with sacred light.  
This Shephrerd keeps his fluck●,  
with far more watchful care  
Than Argus did that in his head  
a hundredth watchmen bare.  
And Daphnis not alone, but that Apollo take  
That fed Admetus hired in Thessale  
soil as Poets speak.  
Well worthy to succeed  
and take the charge in hand  
Of Fisher that forewent his nets,  
and kept his Sheep at land.  
He knows the way to guard  
his cattle, how to drive  
Diseases from infected flock,  
and save his Lambs alive:  
Moist eke the Pasture grounds,  
give grass, let rivers go,  
And reconcile the mighty jove,  
abandon thievish foe.  
Beat off the barking Wolf,  
that seeks the beasts to kill.  
O Candid here make thy abode if so be Falcos' will:  
But if he once restrain  
his favour and his grace,  
drive thou away the hierde, and haste  
to seek a better place.  
FINIS.   

IMPRINTED AT LONdon in Pater noster Roe, at the sign of the mermaid, by Henry Bynneman.  
ANNO DOMINI. 1567.   


Leaf. 1. side. 1. line. 12. for flock read flocks  
Leaf. 14. side. 1. line. 11. Fortunatus. The counsel read The counsel  
Ibid. line. 16. for Among the read Fortunatus. Among the  
Leaf. 20. side. 1. line. 20. for (mourning read mourning and in the same line for affects) read affects  
Leaf. 24. side. 2. line. 25. word read words  
Leaf. 26. side. 1. line. 14. his read this  
Leaf. 29. side. 1. line. 8. give read gave  
Leaf. 38. side. 2. line. 21. for weakeful read wreakful  
Leaf. 40. side. 2. line. 3. for makes read make & for temple read temples  
Leaf. 52. side. 1. line. 11. Boreas read Borias'  
Leaf. 57 side. 2. line. 23. for from read to  
Leaf. 63. side. 2. line. 2. I read Cornix. I  
Leaf. 64. side. 2. line. 11. for overgo read overgrowe.  
Leaf. 68 side. 2. lin. 3. for painted panting  
Leaf. 69. side. 1. line. 4. for fran-reade frenzy & line. 5. leave out sie  
Leaf. 75. side. 2. line. 2. for O Candid read Alphus. O Candid  
Leaf. 85. side. 2. line. 24. every read each  
Leaf. 88 side. 2. line. 23. for thy read thee