¶ Faire Phillis and her Sheepheard. +In one copy of the book (L: C.39.e.48) a seventeenth-century hand adds after the title ‘tune of crimson ueluet’, for this tune see Ballad Tunes . Author: ‘I. G.’ unidentified, possibly John Grange, author of The Golden Aphroditis (1577). Structure (May/Ringler): 99: 1×19, 4×20, abcdabcdee6f8gg6f8hh6i8jj6i8
S Hepheard, saw you not my faire louely Phillis, Walking on this Mountaine, or on yonder plaine? (5) She is gone this way to Dianaes Fountaine, and hath left me wounded, with her high disdaine. Aye me, she is faire, And without compare. (10) Sorrow come and sit with me: +See Brittons Bowre of Delights (1591), sig. C3: ‘Epitaph on the death of a noble Gentleman’, ‘Sorrow come sit thee downe, and sigh and sob thy fill.’ Loue is full of feares, +Proverbial: ‘Love is full of fear (trouble)’, Tilley, Proverbs , L507. Loue is full of teares, Loue without these cannot be. Thus my passions paine me, (15) For my loue hath slaine me, Gentle Shepheard beare a part: Pray to Cupids mother , For I know no other that can helpe to ease my smartpain .
(20) Shepheard, I haue seene thy faire louely Phillis Where her flocks are feeding, by the Riuers side: Oh, I must admire (25) she so farre exceeding In surpassing beautie, should surpasse in pride.