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To purge their springs, and fanctify their grounds,
The fimple shepherds learned I the mean,
And fov'reign fimples to their use I found,

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Their teeming ewes to help when they did yean; Which when again in fummer time they share, Their wealthy fleece my cunning did declare.

In their warm cotes, whilst they have foundly flept,

And pafs'd the night in many a pleasant bower, On the bleak mountains I their flocks have kept,

And bid the brunt of many a cruel shower;
Warring with beafts, in fafety mine to keep,
So true was I, and careful of
my sheep.

Fortune and time, why tempted you me forth, 55 With those your flattering promises of grace,

Fickle, fo falfely to abufe my worth,

And now to fly me, whom I did embrace? Both that at first encourag'd my defire,

Lastly against me lewdly do conspire.

Or nature, did'st thou prodigally wafte
Thy gifts on me unfortunateft fwain,
Only thereby to have thyself disgrac'd ?

Virtue, in me why wert thou plac'd in vain? If to the world predeftined a prey,

Thou wert too good to have been cast away.

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There's not a grove that wond'reth not my woe,
Nor not a river weeps not at my tale,
I hear the echoes (wand'ring to and fro)

Refound my grief through every hill and dale; The birds and beafts yet in their fimple kind 71 Lament for me, no pity else that find.

None else there is gives comfort to my grief,
Nor my mishaps amended with my moan,
When heaven and earth have shut up all relief, 75
Nor care avails what cureless now is grown:
And tears I find do bring no other good,
But as new fhowers increase the rifing flood.

When on an old tree, under which ere now
He many a merry roundelay had fung,
Upon a leafless canker-eaten bough,

His well tun'd bag-pipe carelessly he hung: And by the fame his sheep-hook, once of price, That had been carv'd with many a rare device.

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He call'd his dog, (that fome time had the praise) Whitefoot, well known to all that keep the plain,

That

many a wolf had worried in his days,

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A better cur there never followed swain; Which, though as he his master's forrows knew, Wag'd his cut tail, his wretched plight to rue. 90

Poor cur, quoth he, and him therewith did stroke; Go to your cote, and there thyself repose, Thou with thine age, my heart with forrow broke. Be gone, ere death my restless eyes do close ; The time is come thou must thy master leave, 95 Whom the vile world shall never more deceive.

With folded arms thus hanging down his head,
He gave a groan, his heart in funder cleft,
And, as a stone, already seemed dead

Before his breath was fully him bereft :
The faithful swain here lastly made an end,
Whom all good shepherds ever shall defend.

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SONNET.

BY WILLIAM SHAKSPEARE.

WHEN fortie winters fhall befeige thy brow,

And digge deep trenches in thy beauties field, Thy youthes proud liuery, fo gaz'd on now,

Will be a totter'd weed of fmal worth held : Then, being askt, where all thy beautie lies, Where all the treasure of thy lufty daies ; To say within thine owne deepe-funken eyes,

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'Were' an all-eating fhame, and thriftleffe praife. How much more praise deseru'd thy beauties vfe,

If thou couldst answere, this faire child of mine Shall fum my count, and make my old excuse! Proouing his beautie by fucceffion thine.

This were to be new made when thou art ould, And fee thy blood warme when thou feel'st it could.

Born 1564; dyed 1616.

V. 8. where.

ON HIS MISTRESS, THE QUEEN OF BOHEMIA.

BY SIR HENRY WOTTON, KT.*

You meaner beauties of the night,
That poorly fatisfie our eyes,
More by your number, than your light,
You common people of the skies,

What are you when the Sun fhall rife?

You curious chanters of the wood,

That warble forth dame Natures lays,
Thinking your voices understood,

By your weak accents, what's your praise
When Philomel her voice fhall raife?

You violets, that first appear,

By your pure purple mantles known, Like the proud virgins of the year,

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II

As if the fpring were all your own,
What are you when the Rofe is blown?

*Born 1568; dyed 1639.

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