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And that they may no profit to me make,
That March may come with rigour, to their harme,
And sheds and sheltor want to keepe them warme,
If euer any wicked thought had past
My loue, but what was honest, cleene, and chaste.
The Iuniper oile may neuer helpe my flockes,
With lothsome mangie being ouerrun,
Milke faile my sheepe, decay my countrie stockes
And little kid by hunger be vndone:
And let my masty lay him downe to sleepe,
So that the woolfe doth kill him, and my sheepe,
If in my loue I euer had inuention
Of wickednes, bad thought, or bad intention.
But thinke not that my loue so chaste and pure,
Without the slaine of vaine and wanton thought,
And louing so sincerely, and so sure,
From vertue of mine owne proceedeth not:
Onely from her alone it is proceeding,
That no foule thought doth suffer to be breeding:
Dishonest motions in a fleshly soule
Her modest sight most brauely doth controule.
For plainly, and not vainly, I suspect,
That if some boldface yonker did bewray
His wanton loue, or did to her detect
His thoughts, that did from honestie estray,
In looking on her onely, I durst sweare,
His wordes would freeze within his mouth for feare,
And that he could not onely speake for shame,
But neuer durst againe presume the same.
If in this song I purposed to touch
Her honestie, and vertues to explaine,
I knowe I am not worthy for so much,
When thousand bookes cannot the same containe:
And more, that once I somewhat sung, and saide
Before, and that my voice was then afraide,
For being so base: Now must it erre, as lately,
Since that her praise is growne more high and stately.
Then louing, as you see, with such successe,
I doe not feare disfauours any whit,
Musing alone on my faire Shepherdesse,
Fauours doe come by heapes, my minde to fit,
And so of her I neuer beg, nor craue them,
But in this sort continually I haue them:
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