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¶ Alanius the Shepheard, his dolefull Song, complayning
of Ismeniaes crueltie. +Printed in Yong, Diana (1598), pp. 24-5. The title of the poem reworks the sentence that prefaces the song ‘ Alanius to the tune of his Fiddle by this dolefull song began to complaine of Ismenias crueltie’. A version of this song is also in Thomas Wilson’s 1596 translation of Diana of which an autograph copy of the first book survives, L: Add. 18638. Author: Bartholomew Yong. Structure (May/Ringler): 60: 6×10 ababcdcdee11

N O more (O cruell Nimph,) now hast thou prayed Enough in thy reuenge, prouetest, demonstrate  not thine ireanger, wrath On him that yeelds, the fault is now appayedapayed, satisfied Vnto my cost: Now mollifie thy dire  Hardnes, and brest of thine so much obduredfortified, hardened : And now raise vp (though lately it hath erred,) A poore repenting soule, that in the obscured Darknes of thy obliuion lyes enterredinterred, laid in a grave, buried . For it falls not in that, that should commend thee:  That such a Swaine as I may once offend thee. 

If that the little Sheepe with speede is flying From angry Shepheard (with his words afrayedafraid; affrayed, startled ) And runneth here and there with fearefull crying, And with great griefe is from the Flock estrayed:  But when it now perceiues that none doth follow, And all alone, so farre estraying mourneth, Knowing what danger it is in, with hollow And fainting bleates, then fearefull it returneth Vnto the Flock, meaning no more to leaue it:  Should it not be a iust thing to receaue it? 

Lift vp those eyes ( Ismenia ) which so stately To view me, thou hast lifted vp before me, That liberty, which was mine owne but lately, Giue me againe, and to the same restore me:  And that mild heart, so full of loue and pittie, Which thou didst yeeld to me, and euer owe me; 