The Palmer’s Ode

Olde Menalcas on a day,
As in field this shepheard lay,
Tuning of his oten pipe,
Which he hit with manie a stripe;
Said to Coridon that hee
Once was yong and full of glee,
Blithe and wanton was I then:
Such desires follow men.
As I lay and kept my sheepe,
Came the God that hateth sleepe,
Clad in armour all of fire,
Hand in hand with Queene Desire:
And with a dart that wounded nie,
Pearst my heart as I did lie:
That when I wooke I gan sweare,
Phillis beautie palme did beare.
Vp I start, foorth went I,
With hir face to feede mine eye:
Then I saw Desire sit,
That my heart with Loue had hit,
Laying foorth bright Beauties hookes.
To intrap my gazing lookes.
Loue I did and gan to woe;
Pray and sigh, all would not doe:
Women when they take the toy
Couet to be counted coy.
Coy she was, and I gan court,
She thought Loue was but a sport.
Profound Hell was in my thought,
Such a paine Desire had wrought,
That I sued with sighes and teares,
Still ingrate she stopt her eares,
Till my youth I had spent,
Last a passion of Repent,
Tolde me flat that Desire,
Was a brond of Loues fire,
Which consumeth men in thrall,
Vertue, youth, wit, and all.
At this sawe backe I start,
Bet Desire from my hart,
Shooke of Loue and made an oth,
To be enemie to both.
Olde I was when thus I fled,
Such fond toyes as cloyde my head.
But this I learn’d at Vertues gate,
The way to good is neuer late.