DAMETAS' MADRIGAL,

IN PRAISE OF HIS DAPHNIS.

TUNE on my pipe, the praises of my Love!
Love fair and bright!

Fill earth with sound, and airy heavens above,
Heavens, Jove's delight,

With DAPHNIS' praise!

To pleasant Tempe groves and plains about,
Plains, Shepherds' pride!
Resounding echoes of her praise ring out!
Ring far and wide

My DAPHNIS praise!

When I begin to sing, begin to sound!
Sound loud and shrill!

Do make each note unto the skies rebound!
Skies calm and still,

With DAPHNIS' praise!

Her Tresses are like wires of beaten gold!
Gold bright and sheen!

Like NISUS' golden hair, that SCYLLA polled!
SCYLL. o'erseen,

Through MINOS' love.

Her Eyes like shining lamps, in midst of night!
Night dark and dead;

Or as the stars, that give the seamen light!
Light for to lead

Their wand'ring ships.

Amidst her Cheeks, the rose and lily strive,

Lily snow-white;

When their contend doth make their colour thrive, Colour too bright

For Shepherds' eyes!

Her Lips like scarlet of the finest dye!
Scarlet blood-red.

Teeth white as snow, which on the hills doth lie,
Hills overspread
By winter's force.

Her Skin as soft as is the finest silk!
Silk soft and fine:

Of colour like unto the whitest milk!
Milk of the kine

Of DAPHNIS' herd.

As swift of Foot as is the pretty roe!
Roe swift of pace,

When yelping hounds pursue her to and fro;
Hounds fierce in chase,

To 'reave her life.

Cease, tongue! to tell of any more compares!
Compares too rude!

APHNIS' deserts and beauty are too rare!
Then here, conclude

Fair DAPHNIS' praise!

A FICTION, HOW CUPID MADE A NYMPH

WOUND HERSELF WITH HIS ARROWS.

It chanced, of late, a Shepherd's Swain,
That went to seek a strayèd sheep,

Within a thicket, on the plain,

Espied a dainty Nymph asleep.

Her golden hair o'erspread her face,
Her careless arms abroad were cast,
Her quiver had her pillow's place,

Her breast lay bare to every blast.

The Shepherd stood, and gazed his fill!
Nought durst he do! nought durst he say!
When chance, or else perhaps his will,
Did guide the God of Love that way.

The crafty boy, that sees her sleep,

Whom, if She waked, he durst not see,
Behind her closely seeks to creep,
Before her nap should ended be.

There come; he steals her shafts away;
And puts his own into their place:

Ne dares he any longer stay;

But, ere She wakes, hies hence apace.

Scarce was he gone, when She awakes,
And spies the Shepherd standing by;
Her bended bow in haste She takes,
And at the simple Swain lets fly.

Forth flew the shaft, and pierced his heart,
That to the ground he fell with pain;

Yet up again forthwith he start,

And to the Nymph he ran amain.

Amazed to see so strange a sight,

She shot! and shot! but all in vain: The more his wounds, the more his might! Love yielded strength, in midst of pain.

Her angry eyes are great with tears,

She blames her hands! She blames her skill! The bluntness of her shafts She fears; And try them on herself She will!

'Take heed, sweet Nymph! Try not the shaft!
Each little touch will prick the heart!
Alas, thou know'st not CUPID's craft!
Revenge is joy; the end is smart!'

Yet try She will, and prick some bare!
Her hands were gloved; and, next to hand,

Was that fair breast, that breast so rare!
That made the Shepherd senseless stand.

That breast She pricked; and, through that breast,
Love finds an entry to her heart.
At feeling of this new-come guest,

Lord! how this gentle Nymph doth start!

She runs not now! She shoots no more!
Away She throws both shafts and bow!
She seeks for that She shunned before!

She thinks the Shepherd's haste too slow!
Though mountains meet not; Lovers may!
So others do; and so do they!

The God of Love sits on a tree,

And laughs, that pleasant sight to see.

TO TIME.

ETERNAL Time, that wasteth without waste!
That art, and art not! diest, and livest still!
Most slow of all; and yet of greatest haste!
Both ill, and good; and neither good, nor ill!
How can I justly praise thee, or dispraise!
Dark are thy nights; but bright and clear thy days!

Both free and scarce, thou giv'st and tak'st again!
Thy womb, that all doth breed, is tomb to all!
Whatso by thee hath life, by thee is slain!

From thee, do all things rise; by thee, they fall! Constant, inconstant, moving, standing still; WAS, IS, SHALL BE, do thee both breed and kill.