Classic Poem

S HEPARDES hoe! Shepards hoe!
harkes how Phillis calles thee! La: La: La:
Philis hoe: Phillis hoe!
" shall I lose my Phillis? noe, noe, noe! "
" what ailes thee Shepard [that thou] looke soe sadd?
where is thy louely lasse shold make thee gladd? "
" ay me! my m istres s proues vntrue,
& my louely lasse bidds me adew! "

" Shepards, ffye! Sheperds, ffye!
doe not wrong thy lasse, & noe cause whye. "
" Phillis noe, Phillis noe!
but if shee proue light in loue, Ile let her goe. "
thus wee poore mayds must beare the blame,
w hi ch inconstant men deserue the same.
if ought be ill, tis our amisse,
but a womans word is noe iudge in this

" Come away! Come away!
see! the louelye lasse tripps ore the lay "
" lett her goe! lett her goe!
neuer more shall my loue say mee noe "
" ffye shepard! thou thy loue dost wrong!
ffor maides, the dare not doe amidst a throng. "
" O, beg I did but one pore kisse;
but shee w i th coy disdaine said noe by Iys. "

" Ielous loue, Ielous loue,
herafter doth vnconstant proue. "
" many ffind, many ffind
women & their words are like the winde.
men sweare the loue, & do pr o test;
but when a woman sweares, shee doth but Iest
who Iestes w i th loue, playes w i th a bayte
tha t doth wound the hart w i th slye deceipte. "

" Shepards swaine, Shepards swaine,
let thy lasse inioy thy loue againe!
Iff maids pray, if maids pray,
women in their wants will haue noe nay;
thus women they must learne to wooe,
when men fforgetts what nature bidds them do "
" if women wooe, tis much abuse,
tho cuningly they coyne a coy excuse. "

" Haples shee, hapless shee
tha t doth loue soe base a swaine as thee! "
" happye I, happye I:
tha t ffortune haue such ffolly for to fflye!
base minds to basenes still will fflee,
but honor in an honored hart doth lye.
tho base, my mind true honor brings;
[w]ee shepards in our loues are as coy as Kings. "