¶ The Shepheards sorrow for his Phæbes disdaine. +See Phoenix Nest , ‘Oh woods unto your walks my body hies’ *. Author: Ignoto, attributed to Thomas Lodge in Phoenix Nest . Structure (May/Ringler): 36: 6×6 abccab10
O H Woods vnto your walkes my body hieshurries , To loose the trayterous bonds of tyring Loue, Where trees, where hearbs, where flowers, Their natiue moisture poures (5) From forth their tender stalkes, to helpe mine eyes, Yet their vnited teares may nothing moue.
When I behold the faire adorned tree, +the bay or laurel alluding to the story of Daphne and Apollo, see glossary ; the tree which Petrarch often used as a symbol for Laura; see also John Dickenson, Greene in Conceipt , (1598), who voices the popular idea that ‘the bay tree alone is neuer hurt by lightening’. See also John Bodenham, Belvedere , (1600), and Lodge, Catharos. Diogenes in his Singularitie , (1591), and A Strange Metamorphosis of Man, transformed into a Wildernesse (attributed to Brathwaite), (1634), sig. H12. Which lightnings force and Winters frost resists, Then Daphnes ill betide, (10) And Phæbus lawlesse pride Enforce me say, euen such my sorrowes be: For selfe disdaine in Phæbes heart consists.
If I behold the flowers by morning teares Looke louely sweete: Ah then forlorne I crie (15) Sweete showers for Memnon shed, +Lines 13-15: ‘morning teares … shed’: In Metamorphoses , Aurora, goddess of dawn, sheds tears for her son Memnon (who has been killed by Achilles), which become the morning dew. For other uses of this figure see ‘The Shepherd’s Ode’, 19: ‘her sweet sonne’ *; and The Phoenix Nest , ‘Oh woods vnto your walks my bodie hies’, 15. ‘Sweete showres for Memnon’. *All flowers by you are fed. Whereas my pitteous plaint that still appeares, Yeelds vigour to her scornes, and makes me die.
When I regard the pretty glee-full bird, +The nightingale; Rollins points out ‘glee-full’ should be ‘gree-full’, see glossary (20) With teare-full (yet delightfull) notes complaine: I yeeld a terror with my teares. And while her musicke wounds mine eares, Alas say I, when will my notes afford Such like remorce, who still be-weepe my paine?
(25) When I behold vpon the leafelesse bough The haplesse bird lament her Loues depart:
