Classic Poem

What suddayne change hath dark't of late,
The glory of th' Arcadian state?
The fleecy flockes refuse to feede;
The lambes to play, the ewes to breede.
The Altars smoake, the offringes burne,
Till Jack & Tom doe safe returne.

The spring neglects his course to keepe,
The ayre with mightie stormes doth weepe;
The prety birdes disdaine to singe,
The meades to swell, the woodes to springe.
The mountaynes droppe, the fountaynes mourne,
Till Jack and Tom doe safe returne.

What may it bee, that mooves this woe,
Whose want affectes Arcadia soe?
The hope of Greece, the proppe of artes,
Was princely Jacke, the Joy of heartes.
And Tom was to our royall Pan,
The chiefest Swayne, and truest man.

The lofty toppes of Menalus,
Did shake with winde from Hesperus,
Whose sweete delicious ayre did fly,
Through all the boundes of Arcadie.
Which moov'd a vayne in Jacke and Tom,
To see the coast, it issued from.

The winde was love; the Princes stout
To Pages turnes; but who can doubt,
(Where equall fortune love procures,
And æquall love successe assures,)
But venturous Jacke will bring to Greece,
The best of price, the Golden fleece.

Love is a world of many Spaynes,
Where coldest hilles and hottest playnes,
With barren rockes and fertill feelds
By turne despayre and comfort yeelds.
But who can doubt of prosperous luck,
Where love and fortune doth conduct?

Thy grandsire, godsire, father too,
Were thyne examples so to doe.
Their brave attempts in heate of love,
France, Scotland, Denmarke did approve.
So Jacke and Tom doe nothing new
When love and fortune they pursue.

Kinde shepheards that have lov'd them long,
Bee not too rashe in censuring wrong:
Correct your feares, leave of to mourne,
The heavens shall favour their returne.
Committ the care to Regall Pan,
Of Jack his sonne, and Tom his man.