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In frostie nights doe shine, where Gupid skips.
Her rubie lips with praise shall not be vouch’t,
But onely touch’t, and kist of mine againe:
Her necke so plaine, and smooth, nothing doth owe
Vnto the snowe, for pure vnspotted white.
What els (O spite) her wrongfull garments grudge
To shew, I iudge, that nature made each part
With such braue art, as neuer humane eies
Did see the like, or heauenly thought deuise.

Whilste God Apollo wandreth in her praise,
Daphne with hastie foote doth flie away.
Which when he did perceiue, these wordes in vaine
(Continuing still his speech) to her did say.

O thou the skies that dost excell, stay, stay;
Fly not away so fast, thy friend I am:
So flies the lambe from rauening woolfe away,
The Hart againe, of cruell death afraid,
With hart dismaid doth from the Lion flie;
The doues doe hie them from their praying king
With trembling wing, so each thing here belowe
Flies from his foe: But Loue that burnesApollo
Doth make him follow thee with friendly pace:
O see each place, whereon thy feete doe tread,
With thornes bespread, vnworthily to beare them.
The stones doe weare them like the shauing file:
Then stay a while, and haste not so I pray.
Sharpe is the way, and I for nothing would
My following should make thee (faire Nymph) to fall.
I pray thee, all I may, to moderate
Thy hastie gate, and I with milder pace,
To saue thy face from hurt, will follow thee.
Oh didst thou see, and know but who it is,
That mooueth his great l ue vnto thee so,
Thou wouldst I knowe not flie, but tarie still
To knowe my will, and thinke that thou wert blest
To be possest of such a Lord so high.
I dwell not I, in this poore harren hill,
Though heere I kill wilde beastes for my delight:
I hold by right, as much as Tanais streames,
And Titans beames doe see, where they arise:
This I despise, but onely for thy sake,
Where thou didst take thy beauties first of all.
Which countrie shall be reard vnto the skies
In all mens eies, vvith fame and dignitie:
And lou’d of me, more then th’Imperiall seate
Of heauen so great, from vvhence faire Nymph I came.