The poets vvillow: or, The passionate shepheard with sundry delightfull, and no lesse passionate sonnets: describing the passions of a discontented and perplexed louer. Diuers compositions of verses concording as well with the lyricke, as the Anacreonticke measures; neuer before published ...

To Dorinda. Elegie. 2.

Disdainefull girle that hates thy louer most, Playing the tyrant with thy beauteous face, Seeming as wonne, when thou art neerest lost, Clouding thy beautie with a foule disgrace, Since blacke disdaine enioyes the cheefest place, Conceiue remorse, lest thou remorselesse die Thine acts the authors of thy miserie.

How manie times and oft haue I profesd Vnto thy beautie ceremoniall loue? What vowes, what hests haue beene by me expresd Farre more then Adon in Idalias groue, More then the solemne hests of Turtle doue? The verie Pellicane is not more true Vnto her brood, then I would be to you.

Yet thou contemns my loue, and in despite Of me and of my loue, fleeres in my face: O will not heauen this crueltie requite, And dispossesse thee of an Angels place? Grac'd with more beauty then with beauties grace, Expect reuenge for heauens reueng'd will be Of such vow-breaking miscreants as thee.

Wast not enough to scorne me for my want, But thou must cherish me with fained loue; And then triumph, and ore my ruins taunt? In constant minion that doest change and moue The ball of thy affection, to approue, Some goulden Asse perchance that will admire Not halfe so much thy selfe, as thy attire.

Some goulden calfe of Horeb will appeare, First of his house: decended from a bagg Of rustie gould, and he will call thee dere Respectiue Ladie: then his head hee'l wagge, And sweare by ••••••c••ow pin of his summer-••••ng He loues thee derely, thou must be his bride, Since store of angels guard him on each side.

Thou must haue waxen tapers wrought in gould, Thy beads of purest Amber earth can yeeld, Thou must not tread vpon polluted mould, Nor walke abroad into the open field, Without thine estridge taile to be thy shield, Thy drinke must Nectar be, and thou must eate Such meate, as for thy diuine powers is meete.

Thy rusticke groome that talks of saluing sheepe, Of wether-gals, and of the next yeeres dearth, Will thee Dorinda like a Ladie keepe, And feede thee with the dainties of the earth, Replenished with pastures yeelding mirth: For euery shepherd with his shepherds crooke, Will striue who may most on thy beautie looke

Heere will be Mopsus with his waineskot face, There Damon with his trull will thee attend, Then will old Acmon come with wearie pace, And Melibeus hee's thy husbands friend, Leaning vpon his staffe, will homeward send For some meane gift, some cheese cake to diuide Amongst the bride-maid•• & their courtly bride.

Among the rest thy Vulcane will be there, Smeered with seacole, comely ••or his color, And will begin to tie thy glittering ••aire In tresses of pure gould: which are made fowler

By his irreuerend hands: where some controler Will curbe his bouldnesse: am I bould (quoth he) To touch those haires that doe belong to me?

No minion, no, you must not now partake The gaudie fashions of a giddie braine, But you must leaue them for your husbands sake, And vse those tender parts to rurall paine, To yeeld vnto your spouse a double gaine, For rest assur'd Dorinda there be some, Doe marrie you for after hopes to come.

And be resolu'd though such protest they loue, Calling the heauens to record: they will be Such as perfidious Tereus: and will proue The verie ruine of your progenie, And bring your state in time to miserie: Then will you wish (but wishes come too late) You had but wist the end of your estate.

But why Dorinda should I mention thee? Why should I name Dorinda, that's vntrue, A faith infringer, who affected me And then forsooke me; how should I renew, the sad memoriall which I had of you? But with a pensiue heart, a sigh, a grone, To intimate how I am left alone.

Come all ye wood-gods and adorne my brow, With a poore willow garland, to expresse The liuely colors of a tragicke show, The true proportion of my pensiuenesse, Remote from comfort, frought with heauinesse, Where we will sing, though singing be vnfit, And euery wood-nimph shall shed teares to it.

Come to my cell, and we will goe together, Vnto Dorindas Nuptials, where will be Great store of rurall swaines com'd flocking thither A perfect relish of sweete ha••monie: Where we may well Dorindas beautie see: And see her dance laualto in that measure, As needes must yeelde to all contented pleasure.

And I haue Friends there that will helpe to place Vs, in a roome contented, to s••ruiew, The polishd colors of her curious face, Which though they doe my pensiue woes renew Yet am I blest in that transparent shew Of glorie and renowme, which ioind together Enforce all shepherds to come flocking thether.

Thus will we talke and prattle of her beautie, VVith Epithetes well fitting her deserts, And I will tender to her shrine my duetie,

With offer of my loue and of my heart, Of which she doth possesse the cheifest part: That she would daine for to accept that prise, We consecrate to her transpercing eies.