Through thicke and thinne, all night, all day, she driued,
Withouten comfort, companie or guide,
Her plaints and teares with euery thought reuiued,
She heard and saw her greefes, but nought befide,
But when the funne his burning chariot diued
In Thetis waue, and wearie teame vntide,
On Iordans fandie banks her course the staid,
At laft, there downe the light, and downe the laid,
Her teares, her drinke; her food, her forrowings,
This was her diet that vnhappie night:
But fleepe (that fweet repofe and quiet brings)
To ease the greefes of difcontented wight,
Spred foorth his tender, soft, and nimble wings,
In his dull armes foulding the virgin bright;
And loue, his mother, and the graces kept
Strong watch and warde, while this faire Ladie
flept.
The birds awakte her with their morning fong,
Their warbling muficke pearst her tender eare,
The murmuring brookes and whistling windes
The ratling boughes, and leaves, their parts did
Her eies vnclos'd beheld the groues along
Of swaines and fhepherd groomes, that dwellings
And that sweet noife, birds, winds, and waters
Prouokte againe the virgin to lament,
Her plaints were interrupted with a sound,
That feem'd from thickest bushes to proceed,
Some iolly fhepherd fung a luftie round,
And to his voice had tun'd his oaten reed;
Thither fhe went, an old man there the found,
(At whofe right hand his little flock did feed)
Sat making baskets, his three fonnes among,
That learn'd their fathers art, and learn'd his
fong.
Beholding one in fhining armes appeare
The feelie man and his were fore difmaid; .
But fweet Erminia comforted their feare,
Her ventall vp, her visage open laid,
You happie folke, of heau'n beloued deare,
Work on (quoth fhe) vpon your harmleffe traid,
Thefe dreadfull armes I beare no warfare bring
To your sweet toile, nor those sweet tunes you
fing.
But father, fince this land, these townes and
Deftroied are with fword, with fire and spoile,
How may it be unhurt, that you and yours
In fafetie thus, applie your harmleffe toile?
My fonne (quoth he) this pore estate of ours
Is euer fafe from ftorme of warlike broile
This wilderneffe doth vs in fafetie keepe,
No thundring drum, no trumpet breakes our
Леере.
Haply iuft heau'ns defence and shield of right,
Doth loue the innocence of fimple fwains,
The thunderbolts on highest mountains light,
And feld or neuer ftrike the lower plaines :
So kings haue caufe to feare Bellonaes might,
Not they whose sweat and toile their dinner gaines,
Nor ever greedie foldier was' entised
By pouertie, neglected and despised.
O pouertie, chefe of the heau'nly brood,
Dearer to me than wealth or kingly crowne!
No wish for honour, thirst of others good,
Can moue my hart, contented with mine owne :
We quench or thirft with water of this flood,
Nor fear we poifon fhould therein be throwne:
These little flocks of fheepe and tender goates
Giue milke for food, and wooll to make us
We little wish, we need but little wealth,
From cold and hunger vs to cloath and feed;
Thefe are my sonnes, their care perferues from
ftealth
Their fathers flocks, nor fervants moe I need:
Amid thefe groues I walke oft for my health,
And to the fishes, birds and beastes giue heed,
How they are fed, in forreft, fpring and lake,
And their contentment for enfample take.
Time was (for each one hath his doting time,
These filuer locks were golden treffes than)
That countrie life I hated as a crime,
And from the forrefts sweet contentment ran,
To Memphis stately pallace would I clime,
And there became the mightie Caliphes man,
And though I but a fimple gardner weare,
Yet could I marke abuses, fee and heare.
Entifed on with hope of future gaine,
I fuffred long what did my foule displease;
But when my youth was fpent, my hope was vaine,
I felt my native ftrength at last decrease;
I gan my loffe of luftie yeeres complaine,
And wifht I had enjoy'd the countries peace;
I bod the court farewell, and with content
My later age here have I quiet fpent.
While thus he fpake, Erminia husht and still
His wife difcourfes heard, with great attention,
His fpeeches graue thofe idle fancies kill,
Which in her troubled foule bred fuch diffention;
After much thought reformed was her will,
Within those woods to dwell was her intention,
Till fortune fhould occafion new afford,
To turne her home to her defired Lord.
She faid therefore, O fhepherd fortunate!
That troubles fome didft whilom feele and proue,
Yet liueft now in this contented state,
Let my mishap thy thoughts to pitie moue,
To entertaine me as a willing mate
In fhepherds life, which I admire and loue;
Within these pleafant groues perchance my hart,
Of her discomforts, may vnload some part.
If gold or wealth of most esteemed deare,
If iewels rich, thou diddeft hold in prife,
Such ftore thereof, fuch plentie haue I seen,
As to a greedie minde might well fuffice:
With that downe trickled many a filuer teare,
Two christall streames fell from her watrie eies;
Part of her fad misfortunes than she told,
And wept, and with her wept that shepherd old.
17. With
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