COLIN CLOVTS come home againe.

He fhepheards boy (beft knowen by that name)

That after Tityrus firft fung his lay, Laies of fweet loue, without rebuke or blame,

Sate (as his cuftome was) vpon a day,

Charming his oaten pipe vnto his peres,
The fhepheard fwaines, that did about him play:
Who all the while with greedie liftfull eares,
Did ftand aftonifht at his curious skill,

Like hartleffe deare, difmayed with thunders found.
At laft when as he piped had his fill,

He rested him: and fitting then around,
One of those groomes (a iolly groome was he,
As euer piped on an oaten reed,

And lou'd this fhepheard deareft in degree,
Hight Hobbinol) gan thus to him areed.

Colin my liefe, my life, how great a loffe
Had all the fhepheards nation by thy lacke?
And I poore fwaine of many greatest croffe :
That fith thy Mufe firft fince thy turning backe

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With that they all gan throng about him neare,
With hungrie eares to heare his harmonie:
The whiles their flocks deuoyd of dangers feare,
Did round about them feed at libertie.

One day (quoth he) I fat, (as was my trade)
Vnder the foote of Mole that mountaine hore,
Keeping my sheepe amongst the cooly shade,
Of the greene alders by the Mullaes fhore:
There a ftraunge fhepheard chaunft to find me out,
Whether allured with my pipes delight,
Whose pleasing found yfhrilled far about,
Or thither led by chaunce, I know not right :
VVhom when I asked from what place he came,
And how he hight, himselfe he did ycleepe,
The shepheard of the Ocean by name,

And faid he came far from the main-fea deepe.
He fitting me befide in that same shade,
Prouoked me to plaie fome pleasant fit,
And when he heard the muficke which I made,
He found himselfe full greatly pleafd at it:
Yet æmuling my pipe, he tooke in hond.
My pipe before that æmuled of many,
And plaid theron; (for well that skill he cond)
Himselfe as fkilfull in that art as any.

He pip'd, I fung; and when he sung, I piped,
By chaunge of turnes, each making other mery,
Neither enuying other, nor enuied,

So piped we, vntill we both were weary,

There interrupting him, a bonie swaine, That Cuddy hight, him thus atweene befpake: And/fhould it not thy readie course restraine, I would requeft thee Colin, for my fake,

бо

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