Their stolen children, so to make them free
From dying flesh and dull mortality.

By this fair font hath many a shepherd sworn
And give away his freedom, many a troth

Been plight, which neither envy, nor old Time,
Could ever break, with many a chaste kiss given
In hope of coming happiness: by this

Fresh fountain many a blushing maid

Hath crowned the head of her long-loved shepherd With gaudy flowers, whilst he happy sung

Lays of his love and dear captivity.

The Faithful Shepherdess.

THE GOD OF THE RIVER RISES WITH AMORET IN HIS ARMS.

(River-god sings.)

WHAT powerful charms my streams do bring

Back again unto their spring,

With such force, that I, their god,
Three times striking with my rod,
Could not keep them in their ranks !
My fishes shoot into the banks;
There's not one that stays and feeds,
All have hid them in the weeds-
Here's a mortal almost dead,
Fallen into my river-head,
Hallowed so with many a spell,
That till now none ever fell.
"Tis a female young and clear,
Cast in by some ravisher;
See upon her breast a wound,

On which there is no plaister bound:

Yet she's warm, her pulses beat,
'Tis a sign of life and heat.
If thou be'st a virgin pure,

I can give a present cure.
Take a drop into thy wound
From my watery locks, more round
Than orient pearl, and far more pure
Than unchaste flesh may endure.—
See, she pants, and from her flesh
The warm blood gushes out afresh :
She is an unpolluted maid;
I must have this bleeding staid.
From my banks I pluck this flower
With holy hand, whose virtuous power
Is at once to heal and draw.-

The blood returns. I never saw

A fairer mortal. Now doth break

Her deadly slumber : Virgin, speak.

Am. Who hath restored my sense, given me new breath,

And brought me back out of the arms of death? River-god. I have healed thy wounds.

Am.

Ah me!

River-god. Fear not him that succoured thee:

I am this fountain's god! Below

My waters to a river grow,

And 'twixt two banks with osiers set,

That only prosper in the wet,

Through the meadows do they glide,

Wheeling still on every side,
Sometimes winding round about,
To find the even'st channel out.
And if thou wilt go with me,
Leaving mortal company,

In the cool streams shalt thou lie,
Free from harm as well as I.

I will give thee for thy food
No fish that useth in the mud:

But trout and pike, that love to swim
Where the gravel from the brim

Through the pure streams may be seen:
Orient pearl, fit for a queen,

Will I give thy love to win,
And a shell to keep them in.
Not a fish in all the brook
That shall disobey thy look:

But, when thou wilt, come sliding by,
And from thy white hand take a fly.
And to make thee understand
How I can my waves command,
They shall bubble whilst I sing
Sweeter than the silver string.

SONG.

Do not fear to put thy feet

Naked in the river, sweet:

Think not leech, or newt, or toad,

Will bite thy foot, when thou hast trod:
Nor let the water, rising high,

As thou wad'st in, make thee cry
And sob; but ever live with me,
And not a wave shall trouble thee!

The Faithful Shepherdess.

THE CONQUESTS OF EROS.

HEAR ye, ladies that despise

What the mighty Love has done.
Fear examples and be wise:

Fair Calisto was a nun:

Leda, sailing on the stream,
To deceive the hopes of man,
Love accounting but a dream,
Doted on a silver swan:

Danae in a brazen tower,

Where no love was, loved a shower.

Hear ye, ladies that are coy,

What the mighty Love can do.

Fear the fierceness of the boy,

The chaste moon he makes to woo:

Vesta, kindling holy fires,

Circled round about with spies,

Never dreaming loose desires,
Doting at the altar dies;
Ilion in a short hour higher,

He can build, and once more fire.

Valentinian.

SLEEP.

CARE-CHARMING Sleep, thou easer of all woes,
Brother to Death, sweetly thyself dispose
On this afflicted prince: fall like a cloud
In gentle showers; give nothing that is loud
Or painful to his slumbers; easy, light,

And as a purling stream, thou son of Night,

I

Pass by his troubled senses: sing his pain
Like hollow murmuring wind or gentle rain.
Into this prince, gently, O gently slide,

And kiss him into slumbers like a bride!

Valentinian.