¶ Tityrus to his faire Phillis. +Printed in the eclogue by I.D. (John Dickenson), The Shepheard’s Complaint (1596), sig. C2. It is prefaced by ‘Passing along, and viewing many trees, whose gorgeous branches garnished with rurall pompe, and the pride of Syluanus, did somewhat darken the ground with a spatious shade: not farre from the rest, I espied a Myrtle tree, and approching did read written neere vnto the top, thus’: Vnder this tree faire Phyllis did relent, And Tityrus receiud his first content. a little vnderneath that, thus: Faire Queene of loue to whom this tree belongs, Next Phyllis, thou shalt grace the shepheards songs. And vnderneath that againe, thus: Apolloes laurel to this tree shall yeeld, For Phillis deems the Myrtle cheefe in Field. And on the other side of the tree thus: Author: John Dickenson. Structure (May/Ringler): 10: ab10c4troch.ab10c4troch.dd10ee4troch.
T HE silly Swainesimple shepherd whose loue breedes discontent, Thinkes death a trifle, life a loathsome thing, Sad he lookes, sad he lyes: But when his Fortunes mallice doth relent, (5) Then of loues sweetnes he will sweetly sing, thus he liues, thus he dies. Then Tityrus whom Loue hath happy made, Will rest thrice happy in this Mirtle shade. For though Loue at first did greeue him: (10) yet did Loue at last releeue him.
FINIS. I. D.
¶ Shepheard. +Like preceding poem, printed in the eclogue book by I.D. (John Dickenson), The Shepheard’s Complaint , (c.1596), sig. B4v, in which ‘Sheepheard’ is a speech-tag, not a title, and heads the poetic dialogue between the shepherd and the shepherdess and follows her song which is prefaced by: ‘The Shepheardesse glad to heare her swaine in this pleasant moode, could not dissemble her discouered affection, nor conceale that which she had already opened: thus therefore she did replie, consorting with him in one key, and consenting in one thought. Author: John Dickenson. Structure (May/Ringler): 6: aa10b4c6d4c6
S Weet thrallenslavement , first step to Loues felicitie, Shepheardesse. Sweete thrallenslavement , no stop to perfect libertie. Hee. O life. Shee. what life? (5)Hee. Sweet life. Shee. No life more sweet: Hee. O Loue. Shee. What loue? Hee. Sweet loue. Shee. No loue more meetefitting, appropriate .