Inning, And E'R We Fully Get The End We Lose Of Our Beginning. Our Pollicies So Peevish Are, That With Themselues They Wrangle, And Many Times Become The Snare That Soonest Vs Intangle; For That The Loue We Beare Our Friends Though Nere So Strongly Grounded, Hath In It Certaine Oblique Ends If To The Bottome Sounded: Our Owne Well Wishing Making It, A Pardonable Treason; For That Is Deriud From Witt, And Vnderpropt With Reason. For Our Deare Selues Beloued Sake (Euen In The Depth Of Passion) Our Center Though Our Selues We Make, Yet Is Not That Our Station; For Whilst Our Browes Ambitious Be And Youth At Hand Awayts Vs, It Is A Pretty Thing To See How Finely Beautie Cheats Vs, And Whilst With Tyme We Tryfling Stand To Practise Antique Graces Age With A Pale And Withered Hand Drawes Furowes In Our Faces. When They Which So Desirous Were Before To Hear Her Sing; Desirous Are Far More To Haue Her Cease; And Call To Haue Her Stayd For She To Much Alredy Had Bewray'D. And As The Thrice Three Sisters Thus Had Grac'D Their Celebration, And Themselues Had Plac'D Vpon A Violet Banck, In Order All Where They At Will Might View The Festifall The Nimphs And All The Lusty Youth That Were At This Braue Nimphall, By Them Honored There, To Gratifie The Heauenly Gerles Againe Lastly Prepare In State To Entertaine Those Sacred Sisters, Fairely And Confer, On Each Of Them, Their Prayse Particular And Thus The Nimphes To The Nine Muses Sung. When As The Youth And Forresters Among That Well Prepared For This Businesse Were, Become The Chorus, And Thus Sung They There. Nimphes. Clio Then First Of Those Celestiall Nine That Daily Offer To The Sacred Shryne, Of Wise Apollo; Queene Of Stories, Thou That Vindicat'St The Glories Of Passed Ages, And Renewst Their Acts Which Euery Day Thou Viewst, And From A Lethargy Dost Keepe Old Nodding Time, Else Prone To Sleepe. Chorus. Clio O Craue Of Phoebus To Inspire Vs, For His Altars With His Holiest Fire, And Let His Glorious Euer-Shining Rayes Giue Life And Growth To Our Elizian Bayes. Nimphes. Melpomine Thou Melancholly Maid Next, To Wise Phoebus We Inuoke Thy Ayd, In Buskins That Dost Stride The Stage, And In Thy Deepe Distracted Rage, In Blood-Shed That Dost Take Delight, Thy Obiect The Most Fearfull Sight, That Louest The Sighes, The Shreekes, And Sounds Of Horrors, That Arise From Wounds. Chorus. Sad Muse, O Craue Of Phoebus To Inspire Vs For His Altars, With His Holiest Fire, And Let His Glorious Euer-Shining Rayes Giue Life And Growth To Our Elizian Bayes. Nimphes. Comick Thalia Then We Come To Thee, Thou Mirthfull Mayden, Onely That In Glee And Loues Deceits, Thy Pleasure Tak'St, Of Which Thy Varying Scene That Mak'St And In Thy Nimble Sock Do'St Stirre Loude Laughter Through The Theater, That With The Peasant Mak'St The Sport, As Well As With The Better Sort. Chorus. Thalia Craue Of Phoebus To Inspire Vs For His Alters With His Holyest Fier; And Let His Glorious Euer-Shining Rayes Giue Life, And Growth To Our Elizian Bayes. Nimphes. Euterpe Next To Thee We Will Proceed, That First Sound'St Out The Musick On The Reed, With Breath And Fingers Giu'Ng Life, To The Shrill Cornet And The Fyfe. Teaching Euery Stop And Kaye, To Those Vpon The Pipe That Playe, Those Which Wind-Instruments We Call Or Soft, Or Lowd, Or Greate, Or Small, Chorus. Euterpe Aske Of Phebus To Inspire, Vs For His Alters With His Holyest Fire And Let His Glorious Euer-Shining Rayes Giue Life And Growth To Our Elizian Bayes. Nimphes. Terpsichore That Of The Lute And Lyre, And Instruments That Sound With Cords And Wyere, That Art The Mistres, To Commaund The Touch Of The Most Curious Hand, When Euery Quauer Doth Imbrace His Like In A True Diapase, And Euery String His Sound Doth Fill Toucht With The Finger Or The Quill. Chorus. Terpsichore, Craue Phebus To Inspire Vs For His Alters With His Holyest Fier And Let His Glorious Euer-Shining Rayes Giue Life And Growth To Our Elizian Bayes. Nimphes. Then Erato Wise Muse On Thee We Call, In Lynes To Vs That Do'St Demonstrate All, Which Neatly, With Thy Staffe And Bowe, Do'St Measure, And Proportion Showe; Motion And Gesture That Dost Teach That Euery Height And Depth Canst Reach, And Do'St Demonstrate By Thy Art What Nature Else Would Not Impart. Chorus. Deare Erato Craue Phebus To Inspire Vs For His Alters With His Holyest Fire, And Let His Glorious Euer-Shining Rayes, Giue Life And Growth To Our Elizian Bayes. Nimphes. To Thee Then Braue Caliope We Come Thou That Maintain'St, The Trumpet, And The Drum; The Neighing Steed That Louest To Heare, Clashing Of Armes Doth Please Thine Eare, In Lofty Lines That Do'St Rehearse Things Worthy Of A Thundring Verse, And At No Tyme Are Heard To Straine, On Ought That Suits A Common Vayne. Chorus. Caliope, Craue Phebus To Inspire, Vs For His Alters With His Holyest Fier, And Let His Glorious Euer-Shining Rayes, Giue Life And Growth To Our Elizian Bayes. Nimphes. Then Polyhymnia Most Delicious Mayd, In Rhetoricks Flowers That Art Arayd, In Tropes And Figures, Richly Drest, The Fyled Phrase That Louest Best, That Art All Elocution, And The First That Gau'St To Vnderstand The Force Of Wordes In Order Plac'D And With A Sweet Deliuery Grac'D. Chorus. Sweet Muse Perswade Our Phoebus To Inspire Vs For His Altars, With His Holiest Fire, And Let His Glorious Euer Shining Rayes Giue Life And Growth To Our Elizian Bayes. Nimphes. Lofty Vrania Then We Call To Thee, To Whom The Heauens For Euer Opened Be, Thou Th' Asterismes By Name Dost Call, And Shewst When They Doe Rise And Fall Each Planets Force, And Dost Diuine His Working, Seated In His Signe, And How The Starry Frame Still Roules Betwixt The Fixed Stedfast Poles. Chorus. Vrania Aske Of Phoebus To Inspire Vs For His Altars With His Holiest Fire, And Let His Glorious Euer-Shining Rayes Giue Life And Growth To Our Elizian Bayes. The Fourth Nimphall Cloris And Mertilla. Chaste Cloris Doth Disclose The Shames Of The Felician Frantique Dames, Mertilla Striues T' Apease Her Woe, To Golden Wishes Then They Goe. Mertilla. Why How Now Cloris, What, Thy Head Bound With Forsaken Willow? Is The Cold Ground Become Thy Bed? The Grasse Become Thy Pillow? O Let Not Those Life-Lightning Eyes In This Sad Vayle Be Shrowded, Which Into Mourning Puts The Skyes, To See Them Ouer-Clowded. Cloris. O My Mertilla Doe Not Praise These Lampes So Dimly Burning, Such Sad And Sullen Lights As These Were Onely Made For Mourning: Their Obiects Are The Barren Rocks With Aged Mosse O'R Shaded; Now Whilst The Spring Layes Forth Her Locks With Blossomes Brauely Braded. Mertilla. O Cloris, Can There Be A Spring, O My Deare Nimph, There May Not, Wanting Thine Eyes It Forth To Bring, Without Which Nature Cannot: Say What It Is That Troubleth Thee Encreast By Thy Concealing, Speake; Sorrowes Many Times We See Are Lesned By Reuealing. Cloris. Being Of Late Too Vainely Bent And But At Too Much Leisure; Not With Our Groves And Downes Content, But Surfetting In Pleasure; Felicia'S Fields I Would Goe See, Where Fame To Me Reported, The Choyce Nimphes Of The World To Be From Meaner Beauties Sorted; Hoping That I From Them Might Draw Some Graces To Delight Me, But There Such Monstrous Shapes I Saw, That To This Houre Affright Me. Throw The Thick Hayre, That Thatch'D Their Browes, Their Eyes Vpon Me Stared, Like To Those Raging Frantique Froes For Bacchus Feasts Prepared: Their Bodies, Although Straight By Kinde, Yet They So Monstrous Make Them, That For Huge Bags Blowne Vp With Wind, You Very Well May Take Them. Their Bowels In Their Elbowes Are, Whereon Depend Their Panches, And Their Deformed Armes By Farre Made Larger Than Their Hanches: For Their Behauiour And Their Grace, Which Likewise Should Haue Priz'D Them, Their Manners Were As Beastly Base As Th' Rags That So Disguisd Them; All Anticks, All So Impudent, So Fashon'D Out Of Fashion, As Blacke Cocytus Vp Had Sent Her Fry Into This Nation, Whose Monstrousnesse Doth So Perplex, Of Reason And Depriues Me, That For Their Sakes I Loath My Sex, Which To This Sadnesse Driues Me. Mertilla. O My Deare Cloris Be Not Sad, Nor With These Furies Danted, But Let These Female Fooles Be Mad, With Hellish Pride Inchanted; Let Not Thy Noble Thoughts Descend So Low As Their Affections; Whom Neither Counsell Can Amend, Nor Yet The Gods Corrections: Such Mad Folks Ne'R Let Vs Bemoane, But Rather Scorne Their Folly, And Since We Two Are Here Alone, To Banish Melancholly, Leaue We This Lowly Creeping Vayne Not Worthy Admiration, And In A Braue And Lofty Strayne, Lets Exercise Our Passion, With Wishes Of Each Others Good, From Our Abundant Treasures, And In This Iocund Sprightly Mood: Thus Alter We Our Measures. Mertilla. O I Could Wish This Place Were Strewd With Roses, And That This Banck Were Thickly Thrumd With Grasse As Soft As Sleaue, Or Sarcenet Euer Was, Whereon My Cloris Her Sweet Selfe Reposes. Cloris. O That These Dewes Rosewater Were For Thee, These Mists Perfumes That Hang Vpon These Thicks, And That The Winds Were All Aromaticks, Which, If My Wish Could Make Them, They Should Bee. Mertilla. O That My Bottle One Whole Diamond Were, So Fild With Nectar That A Flye Might Sup, And At One Draught That Thou Mightst Drinke It Vp, Yet A Carouse Not Good Enough I Feare. Cloris. That All The Pearle, The Seas, Or Indias Haue Were Well Dissolu'D, And Thereof Made A Lake, Thou There In Bathing, And I By To Take Pleasure To See Thee Cleerer Than The Waue. Mertilla. O That The Hornes Of All The Heards We See, Were Of Fine Gold, Or Else That Euery Horne Were Like To That One Of The Vnicorne, And Of All These, Not One But Were Thy Fee. Cloris. O That Their Hooues Were Iuory, Or Some Thing, Then The Pur'St Iuory Farre More Christalline, Fild With The Food Wherewith The Gods Doe Dine, To Keepe Thy Youth In A Continuall Spring. Mertilla. O That The Sweets Of All The Flowers That Grow, The Labouring Ayre Would Gather Into One, In Gardens, Fields, Nor Meadowes Leauing None, And All Their Sweetnesse Vpon Thee Would Throw. Cloris. Nay That Those Sweet Harmonious Straines We Heare, Amongst The Liuely Birds Melodious Layes, As They Recording Sit Vpon The Sprayes, Were Houering Still For Musick At Thine Eare. Mertilla. O That Thy Name Were Caru'D On Euery Tree, That As These Plants Still Great, And Greater Grow, Thy Name Deare Nimph Might Be Enlarged So, That Euery Groue And Coppis Might Speake Thee. Cloris. Nay Would Thy Name Vpon Their Rynds Were Set, And By The Nimphes So Oft And Lowdly Spoken, As That The Ecchoes To That Language Broken Thy Happy Name Might Hourely Counterfet. Mertilla. O Let The Spring Still Put Sterne Winter By, And In Rich Damaske Let Her Reuell Still, As It Should Doe If I Might Haue My Will, That Thou Mightst Still Walke On Her Tapistry; And Thus Since Fate No Longer Time Alowes Vnder This Broad And Shady Sicamore, Where Now We Sit, As We Haue Oft Before; Those Yet Vnborne Shall Offer Vp Their Vowes. The Fift Nimphall Claia, Lelipa, Clarinax A Hermit. Of Garlands, Anadems, And Wreathes, This Nimphall Nought But Sweetnesse Breathes, Presents You With Delicious Posies, And With Powerfull Simples Closes. Claia. See Where Old Clarinax Is Set, His Sundry Simples Sorting, From Whose Experience We May Get What Worthy Is Reporting. Then Lelipa Let Vs Draw Neere, Whilst He His Weedes Is Weathering, I See Some Powerfull Simples There That He Hath Late Bin Gathering. Hail Gentle Hermit, Iove Thee Speed, And Haue Thee In His Keeping, And Euer Helpe Thee At Thy Need, Be Thou Awake Or Sleeping. Clarinax. Ye Payre Of Most Celestiall Lights, O Beauties Three Times Burnisht, Who Could Expect Such Heauenly Wights With Angels Features Furnisht; What God Doth Guide You To This Place, To Blesse My Homely Bower? It Cannot Be But This High Grace Proceeds From Some High Power; The Houres Like Hand-Maids Still Attend, Disposed At Your Pleasure, Ordayned To Noe Other End But To Awaite Your Leasure; The Deawes Drawne Vp Into The Aer, And By Your Breathes Perfumed, In Little Clouds Doe Houer There As Loath To Be Consumed: The Aer Moues Not But As You Please, So Much Sweet Nimphes It Owes You, The Winds Doe Cast Them To Their Ease, And Amorously Inclose You. Lelipa. Be Not Too Lauish Of Thy Praise, Thou Good Elizian Hermit, Lest Some To Heare Such Words As These, Perhaps May Flattery Tearme It; But Of Your Simples Something Say, Which May Discourse Affoord Vs, We Know Your Knowledge Lyes That Way, With Subiects You Haue Stor'D Vs. Claia. We Know For Physick Yours You Get, Which Thus You Heere Are Sorting, And Vpon Garlands We Are Set, With Wreathes And Posyes Sporting: Lelipa. The Chaplet And The Anadem, The Curled Tresses Crowning, We Looser Nimphes Delight In Them, Not In Your Wreathes Renowning. Clarinax. The Garland Long Agoe Was Worne, As Time Pleased To Bestow It, The Lawrell Onely To Adorne The Conquerer And The Poet. The Palme His Due, Who Vncontrould, On Danger Looking Grauely, When Fate Had Done The Worst It Could, Who Bore His Fortunes Brauely. Most Worthy Of The Oken Wreath The Ancients Him Esteemed, Who In A Battle Had From Death Some Man Of Worth Redeemed. About His Temples Grasse They Tye, Himselfe That So Behaued In Some Strong Seedge By Th' Enemy, A City That Hath Saued. A Wreath Of Vervaine Herhauts Weare, Amongst Our Garlands Named, Being Sent That Dreadfull Newes To Beare, Offensiue Warre Proclaimed. The Signe Of Peace Who First Displayes, The Oliue Wreath Possesses: The Louer With The Myrtle Sprayes Adornes His Crisped Tresses. In Loue The Sad Forsaken Wight The Willow Garland Weareth: The Funerall Man Befitting Night, The Balefull Cipresse Beareth. To Pan We Dedicate The Pine, Whose Slips The Shepherd Graceth: Againe The Ivie And The Vine On His, Swolne Bacchus Placeth. Claia. The Boughes And Sprayes, Of Which You Tell, By You Are Rightly Named, But We With Those Of Pretious Smell And Colours Are Enflamed; The Noble Ancients To Excite Men To Doe Things Worth Crowning, Not Vnperformed Left A Rite, To Heighten Their Renowning: But They That Those Rewards Deuis'D, And Those Braue Wights That Wore Them By These Base Times, Though Poorely Priz'D, Yet Hermit We Adore Them. The Store Of Euery Fruitfull Field We Nimphes At Will Possessing, From That Variety They Yeeld Get Flowers For Euery Dressing: Of Which A Garland Ile Compose, Then Busily Attend Me. These Flowers I For That Purpose Chose, But Where I Misse Amend Me. Clarinax. Well Claia On With Your Intent, Lets See How You Will Weaue It, Which Done, Here For A Monument I Hope With Me, You'Ll Leaue It. Claia. Here Damaske Roses, White And Red, Out Of My Lap First Take I, Which Still Shall Runne Along The Thred, My Chiefest Flower This Make I: Amongst These Roses In A Row, Next Place I Pinks In Plenty, These Double Daysyes Then For Show, And Will Not This Be Dainty. The Pretty Pansy Then Ile Tye Like Stones Some Chaine Inchasing, And Next To Them Their Neere Alye, The Purple Violet Placing. The Curious Choyce, Clove Iuly-Flower, Whose Kinds Hight The Carnation For Sweetnesse Of Most Soueraine Power Shall Helpe My Wreath To Fashion. Whose Sundry Cullers Of One Kinde First From One Root Derived, Them In Their Seuerall Sutes Ile Binde, My Garland So Contriued; A Course Of Cowslips Then I'Ll Stick, And Here And There Though Sparely The Pleasant Primrose Downe Ile Prick Like Pearles, Which Will Show Rarely: Then With These Marygolds Ile Make My Garland Somewhat Swelling, These Honysuckles Then Ile Take, Whose Sweets Shall Helpe Their Smelling: The Lilly And The Flower Delice, For Colour Much Contenting, For That, I Them Doe Only Prize, They Are But Pore In Senting: The Daffadill Most Dainty Is To Match With These In Meetnesse; The Columbyne Compar'D To This, All Much Alike For Sweetnesse. These In Their Natures Onely Are Fit To Embosse The Border, Therefore Ile Take Especiall Care To Place Them In Their Order: Sweet-Williams, Campions, Sops-In-Wine One By Another Neatly: Thus Haue I Made This Wreath Of Mine, And Finished It Featly. Lelipa. Your Garland Thus You Finisht Haue, Then As We Haue Attended Your Leasure, Likewise Let Me Craue I May The Like Be Friended. Those Gaudy Garish Flowers You Chuse, In Which Our Nimphes Are Flaunting, Which They At Feasts And Brydals Vse, The Sight And Smell Inchanting: A Chaplet Me Of Hearbs Ile Make Then Which Though Yours Be Brauer, Yet This Of Myne I'Le Vndertake Shall Not Be Short In Fauour. With Basill Then I Will Begin, Whose Scent Is Wondrous Pleasing, This Eglantine I'Le Next Put In, The Sense With Sweetnes Seasing. Then In My Lauender I'Le Lay, Muscado Put Among It, And Here And There A Leafe Of Bay, Which Still Shall Runne Along It. Germander, Marieram, And Tyme Which Vsed Are For Strewing, With Hisop As An Hearbe Most Pryme Here In My Wreath Bestowing. Then Balme And Mynt Helps To Make Vp My Chaplet, And For Tryall, Costmary That So Likes The Cup, And Next It Penieryall Then Burnet Shall Beare Vp With This Whose Leafe I Greatly Fansy, Some Camomile Doth Not Amisse, With Sauory And Some Tansy, Then Heere And There I'Le Put A Sprig Of Rosemary Into It Thus Not Too Little Or Too Big Tis Done If I Can Doe It. Clarinax. Claia Your Garland Is Most Gaye, Compos'D Of Curious Flowers, And So Most Louely Lelipa, This Chaplet Is Of Yours, In Goodly Gardens Yours You Get Where You Your Laps Haue Laded; My Symples Are By Nature Set, In Groues And Fields Vntraded. Your Flowers Most Curiously You Twyne, Each One His Place Supplying. But These Rough Harsher Hearbs Of Mine, About Me Rudely Lying, Of Which Some Dwarfish Weeds There Be, Some Of A Larger Stature, Some By Experience As We See, Whose Names Expresse Their Nature, Heere Is My Moly Of Much Fame, In Magicks Often Vsed, Mugwort And Night-Shade For The Same But Not By Me Abused; Here Henbane, Popy, Hemblock Here, Procuring Deadly Sleeping, Which I Doe Minister With Feare, Not Fit For Each Mans Keeping. Heere Holy Veruayne, And Heere Dill, Against Witchcraft Much Auailing. Here Horhound Gainst The Mad Dogs Ill By Biting, Neuer Failing. Here Mandrake That Procureth Loue, In Poysning Philters Mixed, And Makes The Barren Fruitfull Proue, The Root About Them Fixed. Inchaunting Lunary Here Lyes In Sorceries Excelling, And This Is Dictam, Which We Prize Shot Shafts And Darts Expelling, Here Saxifrage Against The Stone That Powerfull Is Approued, Here Dodder By Whose Helpe Alone, Ould Agues Are Remoued Here Mercury, Here Helibore, Ould Vlcers Mundifying, And Shepheards-Purse The Flux Most Sore, That Helpes By The Applying; Here Wholsome Plantane, That The Payne Of Eyes And Eares Appeases; Here Cooling Sorrell That Againe We Vse In Hot Diseases: The Medcinable Mallow Here, Asswaging Sudaine Tumors, The Iagged Polypodium There, To Purge Ould Rotten Humors, Next These Here Egremony Is, That Helpes The Serpents Byting, The Blessed Betony By This, Whose Cures Deseruen Writing: This All-Heale, And So Nam'D Of Right, New Wounds So Quickly Healing, A Thousand More I Could Recyte, Most Worthy Of Reuealing, But That I Hindred Am By Fate, And Busnesse Doth Preuent Me, To Cure A Mad Man, Which Of Late Is From Felicia Sent Me. Claia. Nay Then Thou Hast Inough To Doe, We Pity Thy Enduring, For They Are There Infected Soe, That They Are Past Thy Curing. The Sixt Nimphall Silvivs, Halcivs, Melanthvs. A Woodman, Fisher, And A Swaine This Nimphall Through With Mirth Maintaine, Whose Pleadings So The Nimphes Doe Please, That Presently They Giue Them Bayes. Cleere Had The Day Bin From The Dawne, All Chequerd Was The Skye, Thin Clouds Like Scarfs Of Cobweb Lawne Vayld Heauen'S Most Glorious Eye. The Winde Had No More Strength Then This, That Leasurely It Blew, To Make One Leafe The Next To Kisse, That Closly By It Grew. The Rils That On The Pebbles Playd, Might Now Be Heard At Will; This World They Onely Musick Made, Else Euerything Was Still. The Flowers Like Braue Embraudred Gerles, Lookt As They Much Desired, To See Whose Head With Orient Pearles, Most Curiously Was Tyred; And To It Selfe The Subtle Ayre, Such Souerainty Assumes, That It Receiu'D Too Large A Share From Natures Rich Perfumes. When The Elizian Youth Were Met, That Were Of Most Account, And To Disport Themselues Were Set Vpon An Easy Mount: Neare Which, Of Stately Firre And Pine There Grew Abundant Store, The Tree That Weepeth Turpentine, And Shady Sicamore. Amongst This Merry Youthfull Trayne A Forrester They Had, A Fisher, And A Shepheards Swayne A Liuely Countrey Lad: Betwixt Which Three A Question Grew, Who Should The Worthiest Be, Which Violently They Pursue, Nor Stickled Would They Be. That It The Company Doth Please This Ciuill Strife To Stay, Freely To Heare What Each Of These For His Braue Selfe Could Say: When First This Forrester (Of All) That Silvius Had To Name, To Whom The Lot Being Cast Doth Fall, Doth Thus Begin The Game. Silvius. For My Profession Then, And For The Life I Lead, All Others To Excell, Thus For My Selfe I Plead; I Am The Prince Of Sports, The Forrest Is My Fee, He'S Not Vpon The Earth For Pleasure Liues Like Me; The Morne No Sooner Puts Her Rosye Mantle On, But From My Quyet Lodge I Instantly Am Gone, When The Melodious Birds From Euery Bush And Bryer, Of The Wilde Spacious Wasts, Make A Continuall Quire; The Motlied Meadowes Then, New Vernisht With The Sunne Shute Vp Their Spicy Sweets Vpon The Winds That Runne, In Easly Ambling Gales, And Softly Seeme To Pace, That It The Longer Might Their Lushiousnesse Imbrace: I Am Clad In Youthfull Greene, I Other Colour, Scorne, My Silken Bauldrick Beares My Beugle, Or My Horne, Which Setting To My Lips, I Winde So Lowd And Shrill, As Makes The Ecchoes Showte From Euery Neighbouring Hill: My Doghooke At My Belt, To Which My Lyam'S Tyde, My Sheafe Of Arrowes By, My Woodknife At My Syde, My Crosse-Bow In My Hand, My Gaffle Or My Rack To Bend It When I Please, Or It I List To Slack, My Hound Then In My Lyam, I By The Woodmans Art Forecast, Where I May Lodge The Goodly Hie-Palm'D Hart, To Viewe The Grazing Heards, So Sundry Times I Vse, Where By The Loftiest Head I Know My Deare To Chuse, And To Vnheard Him Then, I Gallop O'R The Ground Vpon My Wel-Breath'D Nag, To Cheere My Earning Hound. Sometime I Pitch My Toyles The Deare Aliue To Take, Sometime I Like The Cry, The Deep-Mouth'D Kennell Make, Then Vnderneath My Horse, I Staulke My Game To Strike, And With A Single Dog To Hunt Him Hurt, I Like. The Siluians Are To Me True Subiects, I Their King, The Stately Hart, His Hind Doth To My Presence Bring, The Buck His Loued Doe, The Roe His Tripping Mate, Before Me To My Bower, Whereas I Sit In State. The Dryads, Hamadryads, The Satyres And The Fawnes Oft Play At Hyde And Seeke Before Me On The Lawnes, The Frisking Fayry Oft When Horned Cinthia Shines Before Me As I Walke Dance Wanton Matachynes, The Numerous Feathered Flocks That The Wild Forrests Haunt Their Siluan Songs To Me, In Cheerefull Dittyes Chaunte, The Shades Like Ample Sheelds, Defend Me From The Sunne, Through Which Me To Refresh The Gentle Riuelets Runne, No Little Bubling Brook From Any Spring That Falls But On The Pebbles Playes Me Pretty Madrigals. I' Th' Morne I Clime The Hills, Where Wholsome Winds Do Blow, At Noone-Tyde To The Vales, And Shady Groues Below, T'Wards Euening I Againe The Chrystall Floods Frequent, In Pleasure Thus My Life Continually Is Spent. As Princes And Great Lords Haue Pallaces, So I Haue In The Forrests Here, My Hall And Gallery The Tall And Stately Woods, Which Vnderneath Are Plaine, The Groues My Gardens Are, The Heath And Downes Againe My Wide And Spacious Walkes, Then Say All What Ye Can, The Forrester Is Still Your Only Gallant Man. He Of His Speech Scarce Made An End, But Him They Load With Prayse, The Nimphes Most Highly Him Commend, And Vow To Giue Him Bayes: He'S Now Cryde Vp Of Euery One, And Who But Onely He, The Forrester'S The Man Alone, The Worthyest Of The Three. When Some Then Th' Other Farre More Stayd, Wil'D Them A While To Pause, For There Was More Yet To Be Sayd, That Might Deserve Applause, When Halcius His Turne Next Plyes, And Silence Hauing Wonne, Roome For The Fisher Man He Cryes, And Thus His Plea Begunne. Halcius. No Forrester, It So Must Not Be Borne Away, But Heare What For Himselfe The Fisher First Can Say, The Chrystall Current Streames Continually I Keepe, Where Euery Pearle-Pau'D Foard, And Euery Blew-Eyd Deepe With Me Familiar Are; When In My Boate Being Set, My Oare I Take In Hand, My Augle And My Net About Me; Like A Prince My Selfe In State I Steer, Now Vp, Now Downe The Streame, Now Am I Here, Now Ther, The Pilot And The Fraught My Selfe; And At My Ease Can Land Me Where I List, Or In What Place I Please, The Siluer-Scaled Sholes, About Me In The Streames, As Thick As Ye Discerne The Atoms In The Beames, Neare To The Shady Banck Where Slender Sallowes Grow, And Willows Their Shag'D Tops Downe T'Wards The Waters Bow I Shove In With My Boat To Sheeld Me From The Heat, Where Chusing From My Bag, Some Prou'D Especiall Bayt, The Goodly Well Growne Trout I With My Angle Strike, And With My Bearded Wyer I Take The Rauenous Pike, Of Whom When I Haue Hould, He Seldome Breakes Away Though At My Lynes Full Length, Soe Long I Let Him Play Till By My Hand I Finde He Well-Nere Wearyed Be, When Softly By Degrees I Drawe Him Vp To Me. The Lusty Samon To, I Oft With Angling Take, Which Me Aboue The Rest Most Lordly Sport Doth Make, Who Feeling He Is Caught, Such Frisks And Bounds Doth Fetch, And By His Very Strength My Line Soe Farre Doth Stretch, As Draws My Floating Corcke Downe To The Very Ground, And Wresting At My Rod, Doth Make My Boat Turne Round. I Neuer Idle Am, Some Tyme I Bayt My Weeles, With Which By Night I Take The Dainty Siluer Eeles, And With My Draughtnet Then, I Sweepe The Streaming Flood, And To My Tramell Next, And Cast-Net From The Mud, I Beate The Scaly Brood, Noe Hower I Idely Spend, But Wearied With My Worke I Bring The Day To End: The Naijdes And Nymphes That In The Riuers Keepe, Which Take Into Their Care, The Store Of Euery Deepe, Amongst The Flowery Flags, The Bullrushes And Reed, That Of The Spawne Haue Charge (Abundantly To Breed) Well Mounted Vpon Swans, Their Naked Bodys Lend To My Discerning Eye, And On My Boate Attend, And Dance Vpon The Waues, Before Me (For My Sake) To Th' Musick The Soft Wynd Vpon The Reeds Doth Make And For My Pleasure More, The Rougher Gods Of Seas From Neptune'S Court Send In The Blew Neriades, Which From His Bracky Realme Vpon The Billowes Ride And Beare The Riuers Backe With Euery Streaming Tyde, Those Billowes Gainst My Boate, Borne With Delightfull Gales, Oft Seeming As I Rowe To Tell Me Pretty Tales, Whilst Ropes Of Liquid Pearle Still Load My Laboring Oares, As Streacht Vpon The Streame They Stryke Me To The Shores: The Silent Medowes Seeme Delighted With My Layes, As Sitting In My Boate I Sing My Lasses Praise, Then Let Them That Like, The Forrester Vp Cry, Your Noble Fisher Is Your Only Man Say I. This Speech Of Halcius Turn'D The Tyde, And Brought It So About, That All Vpon The Fisher Cryde, That He Would Beare It Out; Him For The Speech He Made, To Clap Who Lent Him Not A Hand, And Said T'Would Be The Waters Hap, Quite To Put Downe The Land. This While Melanthus Silent Sits, (For So The Shepheard Hight) And Hauing Heard These Dainty Wits, Each Pleading For His Right; To Heare Them Honor'D In This Wise, His Patience Doth Prouoke, When For A Shepheard Roome He Cryes, And For Himselfe Thus Spoke. Melanthus. Well Fisher You Haue Done, And Forrester For You Your Tale Is Neatly Tould, S'Are Both'S To Giue You Due, And Now My Turne Comes Next, Then Heare A Shepherd Speak: My Watchfulnesse And Care Giues Day Scarce Leaue To Break, But To The Fields I Haste, My Folded Flock To See, Where When I Finde, Nor Woolfe, Nor Fox, Hath Iniur'D Me, I To My Bottle Straight, And Soundly Baste My Throat, Which Done, Some Country Song Or Roundelay I Roate So Merrily; That To The Musick That I Make, I Force The Larke To Sing Ere She Be Well Awake; Then Baull My Cut-Tayld Curre And I Begin To Play, He O'R My Shephooke Leapes, Now Th'One, Now Th'Other Way, Then On His Hinder Feet He Doth Himselfe Aduance, I Tune, And To My Note, My Liuely Dog Doth Dance, Then Whistle In My Fist, My Fellow Swaynes To Call, Downe Goe Our Hooks And Scrips, And We To Nine-Holes Fall, 0 At Dust-Point, Or At Quoyts, Else Are We At It Hard, All False And Cheating Games, We Shepheards Are Debard; Suruaying Of My Sheepe If Ewe Or Wether Looke As Though It Were Amisse, Or With My Curre, Or Crooke I Take It, And When Once I Finde What It Doth Ayle, It Hardly Hath That Hurt, But That My Skill Can Heale; And When My Carefull Eye, I Cast Vpon My Sheepe I Sort Them In My Pens, And Sorted Soe I Keepe: Those That Are Bigst Of Boane, I Still Reserue For Breed, My Cullings I Put Off, Or For The Chapman Feed. When The Euening Doth Approach I To My Bagpipe Take, And To My Grazing Flocks Such Musick Then I Make, That They Forbeare To Feed; Then Me A King You See, I Playing Goe Before, My Subiects Followe Me, My Bell-Weather Most Braue, Before The Rest Doth Stalke, The Father Of The Flocke, And After Him Doth Walke My Writhen-Headed Ram, With Posyes Crowned In Pride Fast To His Crooked Hornes With Rybands Neatly Ty'D And At Our Shepheards Board That'S Cut Out Of The Ground, My Fellow Swaynes And I Together At It Round, With Greencheese, Clouted Cream, With Flawns, And Custards, Stord, Whig, Sider, And With Whey, I Domineer A Lord, When Shering Time Is Come I To The Riuer Driue, My Goodly Well-Fleec'D Flocks: (By Pleasure Thus I Thriue) Which Being Washt At Will; Vpon The Shering Day, My Wooll I Foorth In Loaks, Fit For The Wynder Lay, Which Vpon Lusty Heapes Into My Coate I Heaue, That In The Handling Feeles As Soft As Any Sleaue, When Euery Ewe Two Lambes, That Yeaned Hath That Yeare, About Her New Shorne Neck A Chaplet Then Doth Weare; My Tarboxe, And My Scrip, My Bagpipe, At My Back, My Sheephooke In My Hand, What Can I Say I Lacke; He That A Scepter Swayd, A Sheephooke In His Hand, Hath Not Disdaind To Haue, For Shepheards Then I Stand; Then Forester And You My Fisher Cease Your Strife I Say Your Shepheard Leads Your Onely Merry Life, They Had Not Cryd The Forester, And Fisher Vp Before, So Much: But Now The Nimphes Preferre, The Shephard Ten Tymes More, And All The Ging Goes On His Side, Their Minion Him They Make, To Him Themselues They All Apply'D, And All His Partie Take; Till Some In Their Discretion Cast, Since First The Strife Begunne, In All That From Them There Had Past None Absolutly Wonne; That Equall Honour They Should Share; And Their Deserts To Showe, For Each A Garland They Prepare, Which They On Them Bestowe, Of All The Choisest Flowers That Weare, Which Purposly They Gather, With Which They Crowne Them, Parting There, As They Came First Together. The Seuenth Nimphall Florimel, Lelipa, Naijs, Codrvs A Feriman. The Nimphes, The Queene Of Loue Pursue, Which Oft Doth Hide Her From Their View: But Lastly From Th' Elizian Nation, She Banisht Is By Proclamation. Florimel. Deare Lelipa, Where Hast Thou Bin So Long, Was'T Not Enough For Thee To Doe Me Wrong; To Rob Me Of Thy Selfe, But With More Spight To Take My Naijs From Me, My Delight? Yee Lazie Girles, Your Heads Where Haue Ye Layd, Whil'St Venus Here Her Anticke Prankes Hath Playd? Lelipa. Nay Florimel, We Should Of You Enquire, The Onely Mayden, Whom We All Admire For Beauty, Wit, And Chastity, That You Amongst The Rest Of All Our Virgin Crue, In Quest Of Her, That You So Slacke Should Be, And Leaue The Charge To Naijs And To Me. Florimel. Y'Are Much Mistaken Lelipa, 'Twas I, Of All The Nimphes, That First Did Her Descry, At Our Great Hunting, When As In The Chase Amongst The Rest, Me Thought I Saw One Face So Exceeding Faire, And Curious, Yet Vnknowne That I That Face Not Possibly Could Owne. And In The Course, So Goddesse Like A Gate, Each Step So Full Of Maiesty And State; That With My Selfe, I Thus Resolu'D That She Lesse Then A Goddesse (Surely) Could Not Be: Thus As Idalia, Stedfastly I Ey'D, A Little Nimphe That Kept Close By Her Side I Noted, As Vnknowne As Was The Other, Which Cupid Was Disguis'D So By His Mother. The Little Purblinde Rogue, If You Had Seene, You Would Haue Thought He Verily Had Beene One Of Diana'S Votaries So Clad, He Euery Thing So Like A Huntresse Had: And She Had Put False Eyes Into His Head, That Very Well He Might Vs All Haue Sped. And Still They Kept Together In The Reare, But As The Boy Should Haue Shot At The Deare, He Shot Amongst The Nimphes, Which When I Saw, Closer Vp To Them I Began To Draw; And Fell To Hearken, When They Naught Suspecting, Because I Seem'D Them Vtterly Neglecting, I Heard Her Say, My Little Cupid Too'T, Now Boy Or Neuer, At The Beuie Shoot, Haue At T