And he, that strives to touch a starre,
oft stombles at a strawe.

Alsoone may shepheard clymbe to skye
that leades in lowly dales,
As goteherd prowd, that, sitting hye,
upon the Mountaine sayles.
My seely sheepe like well belowe,
they neede not Melampode,
For they bene hale enough, I trowe,
and liken their abode ;

But if they with thy Gotes should yede,
they soone myght be corrupted,
Or like not of the frowie fede,
or with the weedes be glutted.
The hylls where dwelled holy saints
I reverence and adore,
Not for themselfe, but for the sayncts
Which han be dead of yore.
And nowe they bene to heaven forewent,

their good is with them goe; Their sample onely to us lent, That als we mought doe soe. Shepheards they weren of the best, and lived in lowlye leas;

And, sith theyr soules bene now at rest,

why done we them disease ? Such one he was (as I have heard

old Algrind often sayne)

*

That whilome was the first shepheard, and lived with little gayne:

And meeke he was, as meeke mought be,

simple as simple sheepe;

Humble, and like in eche degree the flocke which he did keepe.

Often he used of hys keepe

a sacrifice to bring,

Now with a Kidde, now with a sheepe, the Altars hallowing.

So lowted he unto hys Lord,
such favour couth he fynd,
That sithens never was abhord
the simple shepheards kynd.
And such, I weene, the brethren were
that came from Canaän,
The brethren twelve, that kept yfere
the flockes of mighty Pan.
But nothing such thilke shephearde was
whom Ida hyll dyd beare,
That left hys flocke to fetch a lasse,
whose love he bought to[o] deare;
For he was proude, that ill was payd,
(no such mought shepheards be)
And with lewde lust was overlayd;
tway things doen ill agree.

But shepheard mought be meeke and mylde,

well-eyed, as Argus was,

With fleshly follyes undefyled,

and stoute as steede of brasse.

Sike one (sayd Algrin[d]) Moses was, that sawe his makers face,

His face, more cleare then Christall glasse,

and spake to him in place.

This had a brother (his name I knewe)

the first of all his cote,

A shepheard trewe, yet not so true
as he that earst I hote.

Whilome all these were lowe and lief,
and loved their flocks to feede;
They never stroven to be chiefe,
and simple was theyr weede:
But now (thanked be God therefore)
the world is well amend
Their weedes bene not so nighly wore;
such simplesse mought them shend:
They bene yclad in purple and pall,
so hath theyr god them blist;

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They reigne and rulen over all,

and lord it as they list;

Ygyrt with belts of glitterand gold.

(mought they good sheepeheards bene ?)

Theyr Pan theyr sheepe to them has sold,

I saye as some have seene.

For Palinode (if thou him ken)

yode late on Pilgrimage

To Rome, (if such be Rome) and then he sawe thilke misusage;

For shepeheards (sayd he) there doen leade, as Lordes done other where ;

Their sheepe han crustes, and they the bread;

the chippes, and they the chere:

They han the fleece, and eke the flesh,

(O, seely sheepe the while!)

The corne is theyrs, let other thresh,

their handes they may not file. They han great stores and thriftye stockes,

great freendes and feeble foes ;

What neede hem caren for their flocks,

theyr boyes can looke to those. These wisards weltre in welths waves,

pampred in pleasures deepe; They han fatte kernes, and leany knaves,

their fasting flockes to keepe. Sike mister men bene all misgone,

they heapen hylles of wrath;

Sike syrlye shepheards han we none, they keepen all the path.

Mor. Here is a great deale of good matter lost for lacke of telling :

Now, sicker, I see thou doest but clatter, harme may come of melling.

Thou medlest more then shall have thanke, to wyten shepheards welth;

When folke bene fat, and riches rancke, it is a signe of helth.

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But say me, what is Algrin[d], he

that is so oft bynempt?

Thom. Hee is a shepheard great in gree.

but hath bene long ypent.

One daye hee sat upon a hyll,

(as now thou wouldest me;

But I am taught, by Algrin [d]s ill,

to love the lowe degree);

For sitting so with bared scalpe,

an Eagle sored hye,

That, weening his whyte head was chalke, a shell fish downe let flye :

Shee weend the shell fish to have broake, but therewith bruzd his brayne;

So now, astonied with the stroke,

he lyes in lingring payne.

Mor. Ah! good Algrin [d]! his hap was ill,

but shall be better in time.

Now farwell, shepheard, sith thys hyll thou hast such doubt to climbe.

THOMALINS EMBLEME.

In medio virtus.

MORRELLS EMBLEME.

In summo fælicitas.

220

230 AUGUST.

ÆGLOGA OCTAVA.

ARGUMENT.

Is this Æglogue is set forth a delectable controversie, made in imitation of that in Theocritus: whereto also Virgile fashioned his third and seventh Eglogue. They chose for umpere of their strife, Cuddie, a neatheards boye; who, having ended their cause, reciteth also himselfe a proper song, whereof Colin, he sayth, was Authour.

ELL me, Perigot, what shalbe the game, Wherefore with myne thou dare thy musick matche?

Or bene thy Bagpypes renne farre out of frame?

Or hath the Crampe thy joynts benomd with ache? Per. Ah! Willye, when the hart is ill assayde, How can Bagpipe or joynts be well apayd? Wil. What the foule evill hath thee so bestadde? Whilom thou was peregall to the best, And, wont to make the jolly shepeheards gladde, With pyping and dauncing didst passe the rest. 10 Per. Ah! Willye, now I have learnd a newe daunce; My old musick mard by a new mischaunce. Wil. Mischiefe mought to that mischaunce befall, That so hath raft us of our meriment.

But reede me what payne doth thee so apall;

Or lovest thou, or bene thy younglings miswent ? Per. Love hath misled both my younglings and mee; I pyne for payne, and they my payne to see.