Neere to the River banks, with greene
And pleasant trees on every side,
Where freest minds would most have beene,
That never felt brave Cupids pride,
To passe the day and tedious howers:
Amongst those painted meades and flowers.
A certaine Sheepheard full of woe,
Syrenus call’d, his flocks did feede:
Not sorrowfull in outward show,
But troubled with such greefe indeede,
As cruell Love is wont t’impart
Unto a painefull loving hart.
This Sheepheard every day did die,
For love he to Diana bare:
A Sheepheardesse so fine perdie,
So lively, young, and passing faire,
Excelling more in beauties feature:
Then any other humane creature.
Who had not any thing, of all
She had, but was extreame in her,
For meanely wise none might her call,
Nor meanely faire, for he did erre
If so he did: but should devise
Her name of passing faire and wise.
Favours on him she did bestow,
Which if she had not, then be sure
He might have suffered all that woe
Which afterward he did endure
When he was gone, with lesser paine:
And at his comming home againe.
For when indeede the hart is free
From suffering paine or torments smart:
If wisedome dooth not over-see
And beareth not the greatest part;
The smallest greefe and care of minde:
Dooth make it captive to their kinde.
Neere to a River swift and great,
That famous Ezla had to name:
The carefull Sheepheard did repeate
The feares he had by absence blame,
Which he suspect where he did keepe:
And feede his gentle Lambs and Sheepe.
And now sometimes he did behold
His Sheepheardesse, that there about
Was on the mountaines of that old
And auncient Leon, seeking out
From place to place the pastures best:
Her Lambs to feede, her selfe to rest.
And sometimes musing, as he lay,
When on those hills she was not seene:
Was thinking of that happie day,
When Cupid gave him such a Queene
Of beautie, and such cause of joy:
Wherein his minde he did imploy.
Yet sayd (poore man) when he did see
Him selfe so sunke in sorrowes pit:
The good that Love hath given me,
I onely doo imagine it,
Because this neerest harme and trouble:
Heereafter I should suffer double.
The Sunne for that it did decline,
The carelesse man did not offend
With fierie beames, which scarce did shine,
But that which did of love depend,
And in his hart did kindle fire:
Of greater flames and hote desire.
Him did his passions all invite,
The green leaves blowne with gentle winde:
Christaline streames with their delight,
And Nightingales were not behinde,
To helpe him in his loving verse:
Which to himselfe he did rehearse.
(Bartholomew Young)
More Poetry from Bartholomew Young:
Bartholomew Young Poems based on Topics: Love, Joy & Excitement, Desire, Fire, Youth, Wisdom & Knowledge, Flowers, Name, Pride, Mind- The Sheepheard Arsileus Replie to Syrenus Song (Bartholomew Young Poems)
- Syernus Song to Eugerius (Bartholomew Young Poems)
- The Sheepheard Firmius His Song (Bartholomew Young Poems)
- The Sheepheard Carillo His Song (Bartholomew Young Poems)
- Arsileus His Caroll, For Joy of the New Mariage, Betweene Syrenus and Diana (Bartholomew Young Poems)
- The Sheepheard Delicius His Dittie (Bartholomew Young Poems)
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Based on Topics: Love Poems, Mind Poems, Joy & Excitement Poems, Youth Poems, Name Poems, Flowers Poems, Fire Poems, Wisdom & Knowledge Poems, Pride Poems, Desire PoemsBased on Keywords: leon, carelesse, sheepe, beames, feede, hote, imploy, feares, wisedome, behinde, neere
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