Classic Poem

Amarillis A late
and too loving Bride
Sad that her deare mate
should part from her side,
and greeving to want
what only shee loves,
did follow unseene
her freind to the groves,
and seeking her sheapherd
in every shade
first meeting his voyce
over heard what hee sayd.
Thou Joy of my Life
first love of my youth
thou safest of pleasures
and fullest of trueth,
thou purest of Nimphs
and never more fayre
breath this way and coole mee
thou pittying ayre,
come hether and houer
on every parte
thou life of my sence
and joy of my hart.
Poor Amarillis
assoone as her feares
the wordes of the sheapheard
Convay'd to her eares
her handes and her eyes
to heaven doeth move
as full of her greefe
as before of her love:
beleeving her sheapheard
had made this fond prayer
to some rivall Nimph
and not to the ayre.
Shee sayes in her selfe
ah too too unkind
whom neither thy vowes
nor my loyalty bind
these woodes could not shew thee
such trueth without Art
these deserts have taught thee
soe savage A hart
bend hether thyne Arrowes
if they seeke a prey
or if you seeke love
then this is the way:
The sheapheard who heard
the leaves as she mov'd
makes ready A shaft
to shoote in the wood
and sending an Arrow
not guided by sight
doeth peirce the poore Nimph
with the too cruell flight,
shee pardons, but prays him
though never soe fayre
her place may bee never
succeeded by Aire.
The sheapheard confused
with his terrible fate
the woodes and the aire
and himselfe hee doeth hate
he sweares that hee wooed
but the breath of the wind
and that Amarillis
was then in his mynd:
shee heares the mistake
he curses his dart
shee dyes in her lymbs
revived in her hart: