EnglandsHelicon B2r

[B2r]

THEORELLO.

¶ A Sheepheards Edillion. +

Y Ou Sheepheards which on hillocks sit, like Princes in their throanes: And guide your flocks, which else would flityour flocks of little ones: (5) Good Kings haue not disdained it, but Sheepheards haue beene named: +A sheepe-hooke is a Scepter fit, for people well reclaimed. The Sheepheards life so honour’d is and praised: (10) That Kings lesse happy seeme, though higher raised.
The Sommer Sunne hath guilded faire, with morning rayes the mountaines: The birds doo caroll in the ayre, and naked Nimphs in Fountaines. (15) The Siluanes in their shagged haire, with Hamadriades trace: The shadie Satires + make a Quiere,which rocks with Ecchoes grace. All breathe delight, all solace in the season: (20) Not now to sing, were enemie to reason.
Cosma + my Loue, and more then so, the life of mine affections: Nor life alone, but Lady too, and Queene of their directions. (25) Cosma my Loue, is faire you know, and which you Sheepheards know not: Is ( Sophi said) thence called so, but names her beauty showe not, Yet hath the world no better name then she: (30) And then the world, no fairer thing can be.
The Sunne vpon her fore-head stands, (or iewell Sunne-like glorious,)