Classic Poem

NICO .

And are you there, old Pas! in troth, I euer thought,
Among us all we should find out some thing of nought.

PAS .

And I am here the same, so mote I thriue and thee,
Despairde in all this flocke to find a knaue but thee.

NICO .

Ah, now I see why thou art in thy selfe so blind:
Thy gray-hood hides the thing that thou despairst to find.

PAS .

My gray-hood is mine owne, all be it be but gray;
Not like the scrippe thou stol'st while Dorcas sleeping lay.

NICO .

Mine was the scrippe; but thou, that seeming raid with loue,
Didst snatch from Cosma's hand her greeny wroughten gloue.

PAS .

Ah, foole; so courtiers do. But who did liuely skippe,
When for a treene-dish stolne thy father did thee whippe?

NICO .

Indeed, the witch thy dam her crouch from shoulder spred,
For pilfring Lalus' lambe, with crouch to blesse thy head.

PAS .

My voice the lambe did winne, Menalcas was our iudge:
Of singing match was made, whence he with shame did trudge.

NICO .

Couldst thou make Lalus flie? so nightingales auoide
When with the kawing crowes their musicke is annoide.

PAS .

Nay, like to nightingales the other birds giue eare;
My pipe and song made him both pipe and song forsweare.

NICO .

I thinke it will: such voice would make one musicke hate;
But if I had bene there, th'adst met another mate.

PAS .

Another sure as is a gander from a goose;
But still, when thou dost sing, me thinkes a colt is loose.

NICO .

Well aimed, by my hat; for as thou sangst last day,
The neighbors all did crie, Alas, what asse doth bray?

PAS .

But here is Dicus old: let him, then, speake the woord,
To whether with best cause the Nymphes faire flowers affoord.

NICO .

Content; but I will lay a wager hereunto,
That profit may ensue to him that best can do.
I have, and long shall have, a white great nimble cat,
A king vpon a mouse, a strong foe to the rat;
Fine eares, long taile he hath, with lion's curbed clawe,
Which oft he lifteth vp, and stayes his lifted pawe,
Deepe musing to himselfe, which after-mewing shewes,
Till, with lickt beard, his eye of fire espie his foes.
If thou (alas poore if!) do winne, then winne thou this;
And if I better sing, let me thy Cosma kisse.

PAS .

Kisse her? Now mayst thou kisse — I haue a better match;
A prettie curre it is, his name iwis is Catch;
No eare nor taile he hath, least they should him disgrace,
A ruddie haire his cote, with fine long spectled face:
He neuer musing standes, but with himselfe will play,
Leaping at euery flie, and angrie with a flea:
He eft would kill a mouse, but he disdaines to fight,
And makes our home good sport with dauncing bolt vpright.
This is my pawne, the price let Dicus iudgement show:
Such oddes I willing lay, for him and you I know.

DICUS .

Sing, then, my lads; but sing with better vaine then yet,
Or else who singeth worst my skill will hardly hit.

NICO .

Who doubts but Pas' fine pipe againe will bringe
The auncient prayse to Arcad shepheards' skill?
Pan is not dead, since Pas beginnes to sing.

PAS .

Who euermore will loue Apollo's quill,
Since Nico doth to sing so widely gape?
Nico his place farre better furnish will.

NICO .

Was not this he who did for Syrinx scape,
Raging in woes, teach pastors first to plaine?
Do you not heare his voice and see his shape?

PAS .

This is not he that failed her to gaine,
Which, made a bay, made bay a holy tree;
But this is one that doth his musicke staine.

NICO .

O Faunes, O Fairies all, and do you see
And suffer such a wrong? a wrong, I trowe,
That Nico must with Pas compared be.

PAS .

O Nymphes, I tell you newes, for Pas you knowe:
While I was warbling out your woonted praise,
Nico would needes with Pas his bag-pipe blowe.

NICO .

If neuer I did faile your holy-dayes
With daunces, carols, or with barlybreake,
Let Pas now know how Nico makes the layes.

PAS .

If each day hath bene holy for your sake,
Vnto my pipe, — O Nimphes, helpe now my pipe,
For Pas well knowes what layes can Nico make.

NICO .

Alas, how oft I looke on cherries ripe,
Me thinkes I see the lippes my Leuca hath,
And wanting her, my weeping eyes I wipe.

PAS .

Alas, when I in springe meete roses rathe,
And thinke from Cosma's sweet red lips I liue,
I leaue mine eyes vnwipte, my cheekes to bathe.

NICO .

As I of late neer bushes vsde my siue,
I spied a thrush where she did make her nest
That will I take, and to my Leuca giue.

PAS .

But long haue I a sparrow gailie drest,
As white as milke, and comming to the call,
To put it with my hand in Cosma's brest.

NICO .

I oft doo sue, and Leuca saith I shall;
But when I did come neere with heate and hope,
She ranne away, and threw at me a ball.

PAS .

Cosma once said she left the wicket ope,
For me to come; and so she did: I came,
But in the place found nothing but a rope.

NICO .

When Leuca dooth appeare, the sunne for shame
Dooth hide himselfe; for to himselfe he sayes,
If Leuca liue, she darken will my fame.

PAS .

When Cosma doth come forth, the sun displaies
His vtmost light; for well his witte doth know
Cosma's faire beames emblemish much his raies.

NICO .

Leuca to me did yester-morning showe,
In perfect light, which could not me deceaue,
Her naked legge, more white then whitest snowe.

PAS .

But yester-night, by light I did receaue
From Cosma's eyes, which full in darkenes shine,
I sawe her arme, where purest lillies cleaue.

NICO .

She once starke nak'd did bathe a little tine;
But still, me thought, with beauties from her fell,
She did the waters wash, and make more fine.

PAS .

She once, to coole her selfe, stood in a well;
But euer since that well is well besought,
And for rose-water sould of rarest smell.

NICO .

To riuer's banke being on walking brought,
She bad me spie her babie in the brooke.
Alas, said I, this babe dooth nurce my thought.

PAS .

As in a glasse I held she once did looke,
I said, my hands well paide her for mine eyes,
Since in my hands' selfe goodly sight she tooke.

NICO .

O, if I had a ladder for the skies,
I would climbe vp, and bring a prettie starre,
To weare vpon her necke, that open lies.

PAS .

O, if I had Apollo's golden carre,
I would come downe, and yeeld to her my place,
That, shining now, she then might shine more farre.

NICO .

Nothing, O Leuca, shall thy name deface,
While shepheards' tunes be heard, or rimes be read,
Or while that shepheards loue a louely face.

PAS .

Thy name, O Cosma, shall with praise be spread
As farre as any shepheards piping be,
As farre as Loue possesseth any head.

NICO .

Thy monument is layd in many a tree,
With name engrau'd; so, though thy bodie die,
The after-folkes shall wonder still at thee.

PAS .

So oft these woods haue heard me Cosma crie,
That after death, to heau'n in woods' resound,
With Echoe's help, shall Cosma Cosma flie.

NICO .

Peace, peace, good Pas; thou weeriest euen the ground
With sluttish song: I pray thee learne to blea,
For good thou mayst yet prooue in sheepish sound.

PAS .

My father hath at home a prettie iay;
Goe winne of him, for chattering, praise or shame;
For so yet of a conquest speake thou may.

NICO .

Tell me (and be my Pan) the monsters's name
That hath foure legs, and with two onely goes;
That hath foure eyes, and onely two can frame.

PAS .

Tell me (and Phaebus be) what monster growes
With so strong liues, that bodie cannot rest
In ease, vntill that bodie life forgoes.

DICUS .

Enough, enough; so ill hath done the best,
That since the hauing them to neither's due,
Let cat and dog fight which shall haue both you.