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Arsileus.
O Let that time a thousand monthes endure,
Which brings from heauen the sweete and siluer showres,
And ioies the earth (of comforts late depriued)
With grasse and leaues, fine buds, and painted flowres:
Eccho returne vnto the woods obscure,
Ring foorth the Shepherds songs in loue contriued:
Let olde loues be reuiued,
Which angrie winter buried hath of late:
And that in such a state
My soule may haue the full accomplishment
Of ioy and sweete content:
And since fierce paines and greefes thou dost controule,
Good loue doe not forsake my inward soule.
Presume not (Shepherds) once to make you mery
With springs, and flowres, or any pleasant song,
(Vnlesse milde loue possesse your amorous brestes)
If you sing not to him, your songs doe werie,
Crowne him with flowres, or else ye doe him wrong,
And consecrate your springs to his behestes:
I to my Shepherdesse
My happie loues with great content doe sing,
And flowres to her doe bring.
And sitting neere her by the riuer side,
Enioy the braue springtide.
Since then thy ioies such sweetnesse doe enroule,
Good loue doe not forsake my inward soule.
The wise in ancient times a God thee nam’d,
Seeing that with thy power and supreme might
Thou didst such rare and mighty woonders make:
For thee a hart is frozen and inflam’d,
A foole thou mak’st a wise man with thy light,
The coward turnes couragious for thy sake:
The mighty Gods did quake
At thy commaund: To birdes and beasts transformed:
Great monarches haue not scorned
To yeeld vnto the force of beauties lure:
Such spoiles thou dost procure
With thy braue force, which neuer may be toulde
With which (sweete loue) thou conqu’rest euery soule.
In other times obscurely I did liue
But with a drowsie, base, and simple kinde
Of life, and onely to my profit bend me:
To thinke of loue my selfe I did not giue,
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