His face, more clear then crystal glass,
And spake to him in place.
This had a brother, (his name I knew,)
The first of all his cote,'

A shepherd true, yet not so true

As he that erst2 I hote.s
Whilome all these were low and lief,"

And lov'd their flocks to feed;
They never stroven to be chief,
And simple was their weed:6
But now (thankéd be God therefore!)
The world is well amend,
Their weeds be not so nighly? wore;

Such simplesse might them shend!8
They be yclad in purple and pall,
So hath their God them blist;

They reign and rulen over all,
And lord it as they list;

Ygirt with belts of glitt' ring gold,
(Might they good shepherds been!)
Their Pan their sheep to them has sold,
I say as some have seen.

For Palinode (if thou him ken)

Yode9 late on pilgrimage

To Rome, (if such be Rome,) and then
He saw thilk 10 misusage;

For shepherds (said he) there doen lead,
As lords done other where;

Their sheep have crusts, and they the bread;
The chips," and they the cheer:

They have the fleece, and eke the flesh,

(O seely 12 sheep the while!)

The corn is theirs, let others thresh,

Their hands they may not file.18

1 Learned

men.

Farmers.

3 Servants.

4 Kind of

men.

• Gone

astray.

• Truly. 'Meddling.

• Blame.

• Named.

10 Degree.

11 Pent, confined.

They have great store and thrifty stocks,
Great friends and feeble foes;
What need them caren for their flocks,

Their boys can look to those.

These wisards' welter in wealth's waves,

Pamper'd in pleasures deep;

They have fat kerns,2 and leany knaves,3
Their fasting flocks to keep.

Sike mister men1 be all misgone,5
They heapen hills of wrath;

Such surly shepherds have we none,
They keepen all the path.

MOR. Here is a great deal of good matter
Lost for lack of telling;

Now sicker I see thou dost but clatter,
Harm may come of melling."

Thou meddlest more than shall have

thank,

To witen shepherds' wealth;

When folk be fat, and riches rank,

It is a sign of health.

But say me, what is Algrind, he

That is so oft benempt?9

THOм. He is a shepherd great in gree,10

But hath been long ypent:

One day he sat upon a hill,

As now thou wouldest me;

11

But I am taught, by Algrind's ill,

To love the low degree;

For sitting so with bared scalp,

An eagle* soared high,

That, weening his white head was chalk,

A shell-fish down let fly;

'An eagle:' the same story is told of the death of Eschylus.

193

200

210

220

She ween'd the shell-fish to have broke,

But therewith bruis'd his brain;

So now, astonied with the stroke,

He lies in lingering pain.

MOR. Ah! good Algrind! his hap was ill,

But shall be better in time.

Now farewell, shepherd, sith this hill

Thou hast such doubt to climb.

PALINODE'S EMBLEM.

In medio virtus.

(Virtue dwells in the middle place.)
MORRELL'S EMBLEM.

In summo felicitas.
(Happiness in the highest.)

225

230

AUGUST.

EGLOGA OCTAVA.

ARGUMENT.

In this Eglogue is set forth a delectable controversy, made in imitation of that in Theocritus: whereto also Virgil fashioned his third and seventh glogue. They chose for umpire of their strife, Cuddy, a neat-herd's boy; who, having ended their cause, recitetà also himself a proper song, whereof Colin he saith was author.

WILLIE.

PERIGOT.

WILLIE.

CUDDIE.

TELL me, Perigot, what shall be the

game,

Wherefore with mine thou dare thy music match?

Or be thy bagpipes run far out of frame?

2 In good

condi

tion.

Or hath the cramp thy joints benumb'd with ache?1 Affected. PER. Ah! Willie, when the heart is.ill assay'd,1 How can bagpipe or joints be well apaid ?2 WIL. What the foul evil hath thee so bestad? Whilome3 thou was peregall to the best,

3 Former

ly.

* Equal.

1 Tell. 2 Gone astray.

3 Truly, and alas.

• Much. Afraid.

5 Bowl.

• Ware. 'Engraved.

And wont to make the jolly shepherds glad,

With piping and dancing didst pass the rest.
PER. Ah! Willie, now I have learn'd a new dance;
My old music marr'd by a new mischance.
WIL. Mischief might to that mischance befall,
That so hath reft us of our merriment;

But rede1 me what pain doth thee so appal;

20

Or lovest thou, or be thy younglings miswent ?2
PER. Love hath misled both my younglings and me;
I pine for pain, and they my pain to see.
WIL. Perdie, and wellaway!3 ill may they thrive;
Never knew I lover's sheep in good plight:
But and if in rhymes with me thou dare strive,
Such fond fastasies shall soon be put to flight.
PER. That shall I do, though mochell worse I far'd:
Never shall be said that Perigot was dar'd.°
WIL. Then lo, Perigot, the pledge which I plight,
A mazer5 ywrought of the maple warre,
Wherein is enchased many a fair sight

Of bears and tigers, that maken fierce war;
And over them spread a goodly wild vine,
• Intwin- Entrail'd with a wanton ivy twine.
Thereby is a lamb in the wolvës jaws;

ed.

9 Also. 40 Is not.

But see, how fast runneth the shepherd swain
To save the innocent from the beast's paws,
And here with his sheephook hath him slain.
Tell me, such a cup hast thou ever seen?
Well might it beseem any harvest queen.
PER. Thereto9 will I pawn yonder spotted lamb;
Of all my flock there n'is1o such another,
For I brought him up without the dam;

10

But Colin Clout reft me of his brother,
That he purchas'd of me in the plain field;
Sore against my will was I forc'd to yield.

30

40

WIL. Sicker,1 make like account of his brother; 43 1 Truly. But who shall judge the wager won or lost?

PER. That shall yonder herdgroom2 and none other, Herds

Which over the pease hitherward doth post.
WIL. But, for the sunbeam so sore doth us beat,
Were not better to shun the scorching heat?
PER. Well agreed, Willie; then set thee down, swain;
Such a song never heardest thou but Colin sing. 50
CUD. 'Gin, when ye list, ye jolly shepherds twain;
Such a judge, as Cuddie, were for a king.
PER. 'It fell upon a holy eve,

WIL. Hey, ho, holiday!

PER. When holy Fathers wont to shrieve;
WIL. Now ginneth this roundelay.
PER. Sitting upon a hill so high,

WIL. Hey, ho, the high hill!

PER. The while my flock did feed thereby;
WIL. The while the shepherd self did spill;3
PER. I saw the bouncing Bellibone,
WIL. Hey, ho, Bonnibell!

gray,

PER. Tripping over the dale alone;
WIL. She can trip it very well.
PER. Well decked in a frock of
WIL. Hey, ho, gray is greet!4
PER. And in a kirtle of green saye,5
WIL. The green is for maidens meet.
PER. A chapelet on her head she wore,
WIL. Hey, ho, chapelet!

PER. Of sweet violets therein was store,
WIL. She sweeter than the violet.
PER. My sheep did leave their wonted food,
WIL. Hey, ho, seely sheep!

PER. And gaz'd on her as they were wood,"
WIL. Wood as he that did them keep.

man.

60 Spoil, in

70

jure.

• Mourn

ing.

Silk.

❝ Simple. Mad.