¶ The Sheepheard to his chosen Nimph. +Printed as the ‘Fourth Song’ of Astrophil and Stella (1591), pp. 49-50; The Countess of Pembroke’s Arcadia (1598), pp. 549-51. Another copy in O: Rawl. Poet. 85, c. 1590, fol. 42-2v. For a later musical setting for this lyric, see Musical Settings . Author: Sir Philip Sidney. Structure (May/Ringler): 54: 9×6, aabb4troch.CC8
O Nely ioy, now heere you are, Fit to heare and ease my care: Let my whispring voyce obtaine, Sweet reward for sharpest paine. (5) Take me to thee, and thee to me, No, no, no, no, my Deere, let be.
Night hath clos’d all in her cloke, Twinkling starres Loue-thoughts prouoke, Daunger hence good care dooth keepe (10) Iealousie it selfe dooth sleepe. Take me to thee, and thee to me: No, no, no, no, my Deere, let be.
Better place no wit can finde, Cupids yoake to loose or binde, (15) These sweet flowers on fine bed too, +Duncan-Jones suggests that these are ‘embroidered on a coverlet, since the scene is happening indoors’. Vs in their best language woo, Take me to thee, and thee to me: No, no, no, no, my Deere, let be.
This small light the Moone bestowes, (20) Serues thy beames but to enclose, So to raise my hapfortune more hie, Feare not else, none can vs spie. Take me to thee, and thee to me: No, no, no, no, my Deare, let be.
