COLIN CLOUTS

COME HOME AGAINE.

BY ED. SP.

1595.

TO THE RIGHT WORTHY AND NOBLE KNIGHT

SIR WALTER RALEIGH,

CAPTAINE OF HER MAIESTIES GUARD, LORD WARDEIN OF THE STANNERIES, AND LIEUTENANT OF

THE COUNTIE OF CORNWALL.

SIR,

THAT you may see that I am not alwaies ydle as yee thinke, though not greatly well occupied, nor altogither undutifull, though not precisely officious, I make you present of this simple Pastorall, unworthie of your higher conceipt for the meanesse of the stile, but agreeing with the truth in circumstance and matter. The which I humbly beseech you to accept in part of paiment of the infinite debt, in which I acknowledge my selfe bounden unto you for your singular favours, and sundrie good turnes, shewed to me at my late being in England; and with your good countenance protect against the malice of evill mouthes, which are alwaies wide open to carpe at and misconstrue my simple meaning. I pray continually for your happinesse. From my house of Kilcolman, the 27. of

December.

1591. [rather perhaps 1595.]

Yours ever humbly,

ED. SP.

COLIN CLOUTS

COME HOME AGAINE.*

THE shepheards boy (best knowen by that name)
That after Tityrus first sung his lay,

Laies of sweet love, without rebuke or blame,
Sate (as his custome was) upon a day,
Charming1 his oaten pipe unto his peres,
The shepheard swaines that did about him play:
Who all the while, with greedie listfull eares,
Did stand astonisht at his curious skill,

Like hartlesse deare, dismayd with thunders sound.
At last, when as he piped had his fill,

He rested him: and, sitting then around,
One of those groomes (a iolly groome was he,

5

10

*"In the year 1595, Spenser published Colin Clouts come Home againe, a sort of pastoral, giving an account of his return to England, of his presentation to Queen Elizabeth, and of several persons attached to the court. It might be highly interesting at the time it was written, but its chief interest is now lost. It possesses nothing striking, either in character or description, to attract a modern reader."— Retrospective

Review.

As ever piped on an oaten reed,
And lov'd this shepheard dearest in degree,
Hight1 Hobbinol;) gan thus to him areed.

4

"Colin, my liefe,2 my life, how great a losse
Had all the shepheards nation by thy lacke!
And I, poore swaine, of many, greatest crosse!
That, sith thy Muse first since thy turning backe
Was heard to sound as she was wont on hye,
Hast made us all so blessed and so blythe.
Whilest thou wast hence, all dead in dole did lie:
The woods were heard to waile full many a sythe,5
And all their birds with silence to complaine:
The fields with faded flowers did seem to mourne,
And all their flocks from feeding to refraine:
The running waters wept for thy returne,
And all their fish with languor did lament:
But now both woods and fields and floods revive,

Sith 3 thou art come, their cause of merriment,
That us, late dead, hast made againe alive :
But were it not too painefull to repeat
The passed fortunes, which to thee befell
In thy late voyage, we thee would entreat,
Now at thy leisure them to us to tell.”

To whom the shepheard gently answered thus ;
"Hobbin, thou temptest me to that I covet:
For of good passed newly to discus,
By dubble usurie doth twise renew it.
And since I saw that angels blessed eie,
Her worlds bright sun, her heavens fairest light,

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1 Hight, called.

2 Liefe, dear.

3 Sith, since.
4 Dole, grief.

5 Sythe, time.

Ver. 15. — Hobbinol.] This is Spenser's friend, Gabriel Harvey.