English

ECLOG. I.

It was the time faithfull Halcyone ,
Once more enjoying new-liv'd Ceyx bed,
Had left her young birds to the wavering sea,
Bidding him calm his proud white-curled head,
And change his mountains to a champian lea;
The time when gentle Flora's lover reignes,
Soft creeping all along green Neptunes smoothest plains;

2

When haplesse Thelgon (a poore fisher-swain)
Came from his boat to tell the rocks his plaining:

CANT. XII.

The shepherds guarded from the sparkling heat
Of blazing aire, upon the flowrie banks,
(Where various flowers damask the fragrant seat,
And all the grove perfume) in wonted ranks
Securely sit them down, and sweetly play:
At length thus Thirsil ends his broken lay,
Lest that the stealing night his later song might stay.

2

Thrice, oh thrice happie shepherds life and state,
When Courts are happinesse unhappie pawns!

CANT. XI.

The early Morn lets out the peeping day,
And strew'd his paths with golden Marygolds:
The Moon grows wanne, and starres flie all away,
Whom Lucifer locks up in wonted folds,
Till light is quencht, and heav'n in seas hath flung
The headlong day: to th' hill the shepherds throng,
And Thirsil now began to end his task and song.

2

Who now (alas!) shall teach my humble vein,
That never yet durst peep from covert glade;

CANT. X.

The Shepherds to the woodie mount withdrew,
Where th' hillock seats, shades yeeld a canopie;
Whose tops with violets di'd all in blue
Might seem to make a little azure skie:
And that round hill, which their weak heads maintain'd,
A lesser Atlas seem'd, whose neck sustain'd
The weight of all the heav'ns, which sore his shoulders pain'd.

2

And here and there sweet Primrose scattered,
Spangling the blue, fit constellations make:

CANT. IX.

1

The Bridegroom Sunne, who late the Earth had spous'd,
Leaves his star-chamber; early in the East
He shook his sparkling locks, head lively rouz'd,
While Morn his couch with blushing roses drest;
His shines the Earth soon latcht to gild her flowers:
Phosphor his gold-fleec't drove folds in their bowers,
Which all the night had graz'd about th' Olympick towers.

2

The cheerfull Lark, mounting from early bed,

CANT. VI.

1

The houres had now unlockt the gate of day,
When fair Aurora leaves her frosty bed,
Hasting with youthfull Cephalus to play,
Unmaskt her face, and rosie beauties spread:
Tithonus silver age was much despis'd.
Ah! who in love that cruel law devis'd,
That old love's little worth, and new too highly priz'd?

2

The gentle shepherds on an hillock plac'd,
(Whose shadie head a beechie garland crown'd)

CANT. V.

By this the old nights head (grown hoary gray)
Foretold that her approaching end was neare;
And gladsome birth of young succeeding day
Lent a new glory to our Hemispheare:
The early swains salute the infant ray;
Then drove the dammes to feed, the lambes to play:
And Thirsil with nights death revives his morning lay.

2

The highest region in this little Isle
Is both the Islands and Creatours glorie:

CANT. II.

Declining Phaebus , as he larger grows,
(Taxing proud folly) gentler waxeth still;
Never lesse fierce, then when he greatest shows;
When Thirsil on a gentle rising hill
(Where all his flock he round might feeding view)
Sits down, and circled with a lovely crue
Of Nymphs & shepherd-boyes, thus 'gan his song renew;

2

Now was this Isle pull'd from that horrid main,
Which bears the fearfull looks and name of death;

CANT. I. STAN. I.

The warmer Sun the golden Bull outran,
And with the Twins made haste to inne and play:
Scatt'ring ten thousand flowres, he new began
To paint the world, and piece the length'ning day:
(The world more aged by new youths accrewing)
Ah wretched man this wretched world pursuing,
Which still grows worse by age, & older by renewing!

2

The shepherd-boyes, who with the Muses dwell,
Met in the plain their May-lords new to chuse,

No more of rapine and its wasted plains,
Its stolen victims and unhallowed gains,
Its Christian merchants, and the brigands bold
Who wage their wars and do their work for gold.
No more of horrors sick'ning to the heart
Commercial murders and the crowded mart;
The living cargoes and the constant trace
Of pain and anguish in each shrunken face!
Far from the city and its tainted breath,
Its moral plague and atmosphere of death;
The grave of freedom, honesty, and truth,
The haunt of folly and its shoals for youth.