Where Shepheards have no greater grief then love: Ah then, ah then,

If countrie loves such sweet desires gaine,

What Lady would not love a Shepheard Swaine.

Upon his couch of straw he sleeps as sound,
As doth the king upon his bed of downe,

More sounder too :

For cares cause kings full oft their sleepe to spill, Where weary Shepheards lye and snort their fill: Ah then, ah then,

If country loves such sweet desires gaine,

What Lady would not love a Shepheard Swaine.

Thus with his wife he spends the yeare as blyth, As doth the king at every tyde or syth ;

And blyther too:

For kings have warres and broyles to take in hand, Where Shepheards laugh, and love upon the land. Ah then, ah then,

If countrie loves such sweet desires gaine,

What Lady would not love a Shepheard Swaine?

MAESIA'S SONG

SWEET are the thoughts that sauour of content, the quiet mind is richer than a crowne,

Sweet are the nights in carelesse slumber spent, the poore estate scornes fortunes angrie frowne. Such sweete content, such minds, such sleep, such blis

beggers inioy, when Princes oft do mis.

syth] time.

inioy] enjoy.

The homely house that harbors quiet rest, the cottage that affoords no pride nor care, The meane that 'grees with Countrie musick best,

the sweet consort of mirth and musicks fare, Obscured life sets downe a type of blis,

a minde content both crowne and kingdome is.

SEPHESTIA'S SONG TO HER CHILD

WEEPE not my wanton, smile vpon my knee,
When thou art olde ther's griefe inough for thee.
Mothers wagge, pretie boy,

Fathers sorrow, fathers ioy.
When thy father first did see
Such a boy by him and mee,
He was glad, I was woe,
Fortune changde made him so,
When he left his pretie boy,

Last his sorrowe, first his ioy.
Weepe not my wanton, smile vpon my knee :
When thou art olde ther's griefe inough for thee.
Streaming teares that neuer stint,

Like pearle drops from a flint
Fell by course from his eyes,
That one anothers place supplies :
Thus he grieud in euerie part,
Teares of bloud fell from his hart,
When he left his pretie boy,

Fathers sorrow, fathers ioy.

Weepe not my wanton, smile vpon my

knee :

When thou art olde ther's griefe inough for thee.

changde] changed.

The wanton smilde, father wept :
Mother cride, babie lept:

More he crowde, more we cried ;
Nature could not sorowe hide.
He must goe, he must kisse
Childe and mother, babie blisse :
For he left his pretie boy,

Fathers sorowe, fathers ioy,

Weepe not my wanton, smile vpon my knee: When thou art olde ther's griefe inough for thee.

DORON'S DESCRIPTION OF SAMELA

LIKE to Diana in her Summer weede
Girt with a crimson roabe of brightest die,

goes faire Samela.

Whiter than be the flockes that straggling feede, When washt by Arethusa's Fount they lie : is faire Samela.

As faire Aurora in her morning gray
Deckt with the ruddie glister of her loue,
is faire Samela.

Like louelie Thetis on a calmed day,.
Whenas her brightnesse Neptunes fancie moue,
shines faire Samela.
Her tresses gold, her eyes like glassie streames,
Her teeth are pearle, the breasts are yuorie

of faire Samela.

Her cheekes like rose and lilly yeeld foorth gleames, Her browes bright arches framde of ebonie:

Thus faire Samela.

whenas] when.

moue] move.

yuorie] ivory.

Passeth faire Venus in her brauest hiew,
And Iuno in the shew of maiestie,

O PERFITE Light, quhilk schaid away,
The darkenes from the light,

And set a ruler ou'r the day,
Ane vther ou'r the night.

Thy glorie when the day foorth flies,
Mair vively dois appeare,
Nor at midday vnto our eyes
The shining sun is cleare.

The shaddow of the earth anon,
Remooves and drawes by,
Sine in the East, when it is gon,

Appeares a clearer sky.

Quhilk Sunne perceaves the little larks,
The lapwing and the snyp,

And tunes their sangs like nature's clarks,
Ou'r midow, mure, and stryp.

Bot euerie bail'd nocturnall beast,
Na langer may abide

They hy alway baith maist and least,
Them selues in house to hide.

They dread the day fra thay it see,
And from the sight of men.
To saits, and couars fast they flee,
And Lyons to their den.

Oure Hemisphere is poleist clein,
And lightened more and more,
While everie thing be clearely sein
Quhilk seemed dim before.

Except the glistering astres bright,
Which all the night were cleere,
Offusked with a greater light,

Na langer dois appeare.

The golden globe incontinent
Sets vp his shining head,
And ou'r the earth and firmament,
Displayes his beims abread.

For ioy the birds with boulden throts,
Agains his visage shein,

Takes vp their kindelie musicke nots,
In woods and gardens grein . . .

The passenger from perrels sure,
Sangs gladly foorth the way :
Breife, euerie liuing creature,
Takes comfort of the day . . .

Offusked] darkened.

bright.

boulden] swollen.

shein]

L