Englands Helicon. Or The Muses harmony.

¶The Shepheard Eurymachus to his faire Shep∣heardesse Mirimida.

VVHen Flora proud in pompe of all her flowers sate bright and gay: And gloried in the dewe of Iris showers, and did display Her mantle checquer'd all with gaudie greene, Then I alone A mournfull man in Ericine was seene.

With folded armes I trampled through the grasse, Tracing as he That held the Throne of Fortune brittle glasse, And loue to be Like Fortune fleeting, as the restlesse winde Mixed with mists Whose dampe doth make the clearest eyes grow blinde.

Thus in a maze, I spied a hideous flame, I cast my sight, And sawe where blithely bathing in the same With great delight

A worme did lie, wrapt in a smoakie sweate: And yet twas strange, It carelesse lay, and shrunk not at the heate.

I stood amaz'd, and wondring at the sight, while that a dame, That shone like to the heauens rich sparkling light, Discourst the same, And said, My friend, this worme within the fire: Which lyes content, Is Ʋenus worme, and represents desire.

A Salamander is this princely beast, Deck'd with a Crowne, Giuen him by Cupid as a gorgeous creast, Gainst Fortunes frowne. Content he lyes, and bathes him in the flame, And goes not forth, For why, he cannot liue without the same.

As he, so Louers liue within the fire Of feruent loue: And shrinke not from the flame of hote desire, Nor will not moue From any heate that Ʋenus force imparts: But lie content, Within a fire, and waste away their harts.

Vp flew the Dame, and vanish'd in a cloud, But there stood I, And many thoughts within my minde did shroud My loue: for why I felt within my heart a scorching fire, And yet as did The Salamander, twas my whole desire.

FINIS.

Ro. Greene.