V Eftsoones her shallow ship away did slide, More swift then swallow sheres the liquid skye, Or winged canvas with the wind to fly : For it was taught the way which she would have, VI And all the way the wanton Damsell found 40 45 Of which a store-house did with her remaine: 50 VII And other whiles vaine toyes she would devize, 55 60 VIII Her light behaviour and loose dalliaunce Nor care of vow'd revenge and cruell fight, Of malice in the calme of pleasaunt woman-kind. IX Diverse discourses in their way they spent ; Mongst which Cymochles of her questioned Both what she was, and what that usage ment, Which in her cott she daily practizèd? 'Vaine man,' (saide she) that wouldest be reckonèd A straunger in thy home, and ignoraunt. Of Phædria, (for so my name is red) Of Phædria, thine owne fellow servaunt ; For thou to serve Acrasia thy selfe doest vaunt. X In this wide Inland sea, that hight by name The Idle lake, my wandring ship I row, That knowes her port, and thither sayles by ayme, Ne care, ne feare I how the wind do blow, Or whether swift I wend, or whether slow: Both slow and swift alike do serve my tourne; 90 81 ΧΙ Whiles thus she talked, and whiles thus she toyd, Whose pleasaunce she him shewd, and plentifull great store. XII It was a chosen plott of fertile land, ΙΟΟ No daintie flowre or herbe that growes on grownd, 105 No arborett with painted blossomes drest. And smelling sweete, but there it might be fownd To bud out faire, and throwe her sweete smels al arownd. XIII No tree whose braunches did not bravely spring; No braunch whereon a fine bird did not sitt ; No bird but did her shrill notes sweetely sing; Trees, braunches, birds, and songs, were framèd fitt ENG. POEMS-4 IIO 115 XIV Thus when shee had his eyes and sences fed With false delights, and fild with pleasures vayn, Into a shady dale she soft him led, And layd him downe upon a grassy playn; And her sweete self without dread or disdayn Where soone he slumbred fearing not be harmd: XV 'Behold, O man! that toilesome paines doest take, The flowrs, the fields, and all that pleasaunt growes, How they them selves doe thine ensample make, Whiles nothing envious nature them forth throwes Out of her fruitfull lap; how no man knowes. They spring, they bud, they blossome fresh and faire, And decke the world with their rich pompous showes; Yet no man for them taketh paines or care, Yet no man to them can his carefull paines compare. XVI 'The lilly, Lady of the flowring field, The flowre-deluce, her lovly Paramoure, Bid thee to them thy fruitlesse labors yield, And soone leave off this toylsome weary stoure: Loe, loe! how brave she decks her bounteous boure, Therein to shrowd her sumptuous Belamoure; XVII Why then doest thou, O man! that of them all And waste thy joyous howres in needelesse paine, Who shall him rew that swimming in the maine Will die for thirst, and water doth refuse? Refuse such fruitlesse toile, and present pleasures chuse.' XVIII By this she had him lullèd fast asleepe, That of no worldly thing he care did take: 145 150 155 Then she with liquors strong his eies did steepe, So she him lefte, and did her selfe betake And now is come to that same place where first she wefte. SIR PHILIP SIDNEY 1554-1586 A DITTY My true love hath my heart, and I have his, 160 5 |