But I love and I love, and who thinks you?
The finest lass that ever you knew:

Which makes me sing when I should cry
Heigho! for love I die.

Anon.

LXI

THE SHEPHERD'S LASS

My Love is neither young nor old,
Nor fiery-hot nor frozen-cold,
But fresh and fair as springing-briar
Blooming the fruit of love's desire:
Not snowy-white nor rosy-red,
But fair enough for shepherd's bed;
And such a love was never seen
On hill or dale or country green.

Anon.

LXII

A WELCOME

Welcome, welcome! do I sing,
Far more welcome than the spring;
He that parteth from you never,
Shall enjoy a spring for ever.

He that to the voice is near

Breaking from your iv'ry pale,
Need not walk abroad to hear
The delightful nightingale.
Welcome, welcome.

DAMELUS' SONG OF HIS DIAPHENIA

He that looks still on your eyes,
Though the winter have begun
To benumb our arteries,

Shall not want the summer's sun.

Welcome, welcome .

He that still may see your cheeks,

Where all rareness still

Is a fool if e'er he seeks

Other lilies, other roses.

reposes,

Welcome, welcome.

He to whom your soft lip yields,

And perceives your breath in kissing,

All the odours of the fields

Never, never shall be missing.

Welcome, welcome .

He that question would anew

What fair Eden was of old,

Let him rightly study you,

And a brief of that behold.

Welcome, welcome

Wm. Browne.

LXIII

DAMELUS' SONG OF HIS DIAPHENIA

DIAPHENIA like the daffadowndilly,

White as the sun, fair as the lily,

Heigh ho, how I do love thee!

I do love thee as my lambs

Are beloved of their dams

How blest were I if thou wouldst prove me!

55

Diaphenia like the spreading roses,

That in thy sweets all sweets encloses,
Fair sweet, how I do love thee!

I do love thee as each flower

Loves the sun's life-giving power,

For death, thy breath to life might move me.

Diaphenia, like to all things blessèd
When all thy praises are expressed,

Dear joy, how I do love thee!
As the birds do love the spring,
Or the bees their careful king:

Then in requite, sweet virgin, love me!

H. Constable.

LXIV

SAMELA

LIKE to Diana in her summer weed,

Girt with a crimson robe of brightest dye,
Goes fair Samela.

Whiter than be the flocks that straggling feed
When wash'd by Arethusa fount they lie,
Is fair Samela.

As fair Aurora in her morning grey,
Deck'd with the ruddy glister of her love
Is fair Samela ;

Like lovely Thetis on a calmèd day

Whenas her brightness Neptune's fancies move, Shines fair Samela.

A DITTY

Her tresses gold, her eyes like glassy streams,
Her teeth are pearl, the breasts are ivory
Of fair Samela.

Her cheeks like rose and lily yield forth gleams;
Her brows bright arches framed of ebony:
Thus fair Samela

Passeth fair Venus in her bravest hue,
And Juno in the show of majesty :
For she's Samela.

Pallas in wit, all three, if you will view,
For beauty, wit, and matchless dignity,

Yield to Samela.

R. Greene.

LXV

A DITTY

IN PRAISE OF ELIZA, QUEEN OF THE SHEPHERDS

SEE where she sits upon the grassy green,
O seemly sight!

Yclad in scarlet, like a maiden Queen,
And ermines white :

Upon her head a crimson coronet
With Damask roses and Daffadillies set:
Bay leaves between,

And Primroses green,

Embellish the sweet Violet.

Tell me, have ye beheld her angelic face
Like Phoebe fair?

Her heavenly haviour, her princely grace,
Can ye well compare?

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The Red rose medled1 with the White yfere,2
In either cheek depeinten lively cheer:
Her modest eye,

Her majesty,

Where have you seen the like but there?

I saw Calliope speed her to the place
Where my goddess shines;

And after her the other Muses trace
With their violines.

Bin they not bay-branches which they do bear
All for Eliza in her hand to wear?

So sweetly they play,

And sing all the way,

That it a heaven is to hear.

Lo, how finely the Graces can it foot
To the instrument:

They dancen deftly, and singen soot 3

In their merriment.

Wants not a fourth Grace to make the dance even? Let that room to my Lady be given.

She shall be a Grace,

To fill the fourth place,

And reign with the rest in heaven.

Bring hither the Pink and purple Columbine,
With Gillyflowers;

Bring Coronations, and Sops-in-wine
Worn of Paramours:

1 Mixed. 2 Together. 3 Sweet. 4 Carnations.