The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Faithful Shepherdess
by Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher

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Title: The Faithful Shepherdess
The Works of Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher (Vol. 2 of 10).

Author: Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher

Release Date: April 30, 2004 [EBook #12222]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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THE FAITHFUL SHEPHERDESS

The Works of Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher (Vol. 2 of 10)

_Actus Primus. Scena Prima._

_Enter_ Clorin _a shepherdess, having buried her Love in an Arbour._

Hail, holy Earth, whose cold Arms do imbrace
The truest man that ever fed his flocks
By the fat plains of fruitful _Thessaly_,
Thus I salute thy Grave, thus do I pay
My early vows, and tribute of mine eyes
To thy still loved ashes; thus I free
My self from all insuing heats and fires
Of love: all sports, delights and jolly games
That Shepherds hold full dear, thus put I off.
Now no more shall these smooth brows be begirt
With youthful Coronals, and lead the Dance;
No more the company of fresh fair Maids
And wanton Shepherds be to me delightful,
Nor the shrill pleasing sound of merry pipes
Under some shady dell, when the cool wind
Plays on the leaves: all be far away,
Since thou art far away; by whose dear side
How often have I sat Crown'd with fresh flowers
For summers Queen, whil'st every Shepherds Boy
Puts on his lusty green, with gaudy hook,
And hanging scrip of finest Cordevan.
But thou art gone, and these are gone with thee,
And all are dead but thy dear memorie;
That shall out-live thee, and shall ever spring
Whilest there are pipes, or jolly Shepherds sing.
And here will I in honour of thy love,
Dwell by thy Grave, forgeting all those joys,
That former times made precious to mine eyes,
Only remembring what my youth did gain
In the dark, hidden vertuous use of Herbs:
That will I practise, and as freely give
All my endeavours, as I gain'd them free.
Of all green wounds I know the remedies
In Men or Cattel, be they stung