Now th’Ayre is sweeter then sweet Balme, And Satyressatyrs daunce about the Palme, Now earth with verdure newly dightvegetation newly dressed, cultivated , (10) Giues perfect signes of her delight.
O beauteous Queene, &c.
Now birds recordrecite new harmonie, And trees doe whistle melodie, Now euery thing that Nature breedes, (15) doth clad it selfe in pleasant weedesdress, garments .
O beauteous Queene, &c.
FINIS. Tho. Watson.
¶ Colin Cloutes mournfull Dittie for the death of Astrophell. +printed as the ‘Proem’ to Astrophel. A Pastorall Elegie vpon the death of the most Noble and valorous Knight, Sir Philip Sidney’ published alongside Colin Clouts Come Home Again (1595), sig. E3; Spenser, Shorter Poems , p. 373. ‘Colin Clout’ is the pastoral persona adopted by Spenser. Author: Edmund Spenser. Structure (May/Ringler): 18: 3×6 sx
S Hepheards that wontwont, accustomed on pipes of Oaten Reedeshepherd’s pipe, traditional pastoral instrument , Oft-times to plainelament your Loues concealed smart; And with your pitteous Layesshort lyric poems intended to be sung haue learn’d to breedegenerate Compassion in a Country-Lasses hart: (5) Harken ye gentle Shepheards to my Song, And place my dolefull plaintsorrowful lament your plaints among.
To you alone I sing this mournfull verse, The mournfulst verse that euer man heard tell: To you whose softned hearts it may impierCe (10) With dolours dartpiercing pain of sorrow for death of Astrophell. To you I sing, and to none other wightperson : For well I wot, my rimes beene rudely dightknow that my rhymes, verses are roughly made, composed .
