Classic Poem

Therion chalenged Espilus to sing with him, speaking these sixe verses:

THERION.

Come, Espilus, come, now declare thy skill,
Shew how thou canst deserue so brave desire;
Warme well thy wits, if thou wilt win her will,
For water cold did neuer promise fire:
Great, sure is she, on whom our hopes do liue,
Greater is she who must the iudgement giue.
But Espilus, as if he had bene inspired with the Muses, began forthwith to sing; whereto his fellow-shepheards set in with their recorders, which they bare in their bags like pipes; and so of Therion's side did the foresters, with the cornets they wore about their neckes, like huntinghornes in baudrikes.

ESPILUS .

Tune vp, my voice, a higher note I yeeld,
To high conceipts the song must needes be high:
More high then stars, more firme then flintie field,
Are all my thoughts, in which I liue or die.
Sweete soule, to whom I vowèd am a slaue,
Let not wild woods so great a treasure haue.

THERION .

The highest note comes oft from basest mind,
As shallow brookes do yeeld the greatest sound;
Seeke other thoughts thy life or death to find;
Thy stars be fal'n, plow'd is thy flintie ground.
Sweete soule, let not a wretch that serueth sheepe
Among his flocke so sweete a treasure keepe.

ESPILUS .

Two thousand sheepe I haue as white as milke,
Though not so white as is thy louely face;
The pasture rich, the wool as soft as silke,
All this I giue, let me possesse thy grace.
But still take heede, lest thou thyselfe submit
To one that hath no wealth, and wants his wit

THERION .

Two thousand deere in wildest woods I haue;
Them can I take, but you I cannot hold:
He is not poore who can his freedome saue;
Bound but to you, no wealth but you I would.
But take this beast, if beasts you feare to misse,
For of his beasts the greatest beast he is.

ESPILUS , kneeling to the Queen .

Iudge you, to whom all beautie's force is lent.

THERION .

Iudge you of Loue, to whom all loue is bent.