Hobbinol's Ditty in praise of Eliza, Queen of the Shepherds

Ye dainty nymphs that in this blessed brook
Do bathe your breast.
Forsake your watery bowers, and hither look
At my request;
And you, fair virgins that on Parnass dwell,
Whence floweth Helicon the learn'd well;
Help me to blaze
Her worthy praise,
Who in her sex doth all excel.

Of fair Eliza be your silver song,
That bless'd wight.
The flower of virgins; may she flourish long
In princely plight:
For she is Syrinx daughter, without spot,
Which Pan the shepherds' god on her begot:
So sprung her grace
Of heavenly race.
No mortal blemish may her blot.

See where she sits upon the grassy green,
O seemly sight!
Yclad in scarlet, like a maiden-queen,
And ermines white:
Upon her head a crimson coronet,
With daffodils and damask roses set:
Bay leaves between.
And primroses green.
Embellish the sweet violet.

Tell me, have ye beheld her angel's face,
Like Phoebe fair?
Her heavenly haviour, her princely grace,
Can well compare:
The red-rose medled, and the white yfere,
In either cheek depeincten lively cheer.
Her modest eye,
Her majesty.
Where have you seen the like but there?

I saw Phoebus thrust out his golden head
On hr to gaze:
But when he saw how broad her beams did spread
It did him maze.
He blush'd to see another sun below,
Ne durst again his fiery face outshow:
Let him, if he dare,
His brightness compare
With hers, to have the overthrow. b.

Show thyself, Cynthia, with thy silver rays.
And be not abash'd;
When she the beams of her beauty displays.
Oh! how art thou dash'd!
But I'll not match her with Latona's seed;
Such folly great sorrow to Niobe did breed,
Now is she a stone.
And makes deadly moan.
Warning all other to take heed.

Pan may be proud that ever he begot
Such a Bellibone:
And Syrinx rejoice that ever was her lot
To bear such a one.
Soon as my younglings cry for the dam.
To her will I offer a milk-white lamb.
She is my goddess plain,
And I her shepherd-swain,
Albe for-swonk and for-swat I am.

I see Calliope speed her to the place
Where my goddess shines:
And after her the other Muses trace
With their violines.
Bin they not bay-branches, which they do bear,
All for Eliza in her hand to wear?
So sweetly they play,
And sing all the way,
That it a heaven is to hear.

Lo, how finely the Graces can it foot
To the instrument!
They dancen deftly, and singen soot
In their merriment.
Wants not a fourth Grace to make the dance even?
Let that room to my lady be given.
She shall be a grace
To fill the fourth place,
And reign with the rest in heaven. tc.

And whither runs this bevy of ladies bright.
Ranged in a row?
They been all Ladies of the Lake behight
That unto her go.
Chloris, that is the chief nymph of all.
Of olive-branches bears a coronal.
Olives been for peace.
When wars do surcease,
Such for a princess been principal.

Bring hither the pink and purple columbine.
With gillyflowers;
Bring sweet carnations, and sops-in-wine.
Worn of paramours.
Strew me the ground with daffadowndillies,
And cowslips, and king-cups, and loved lilies.
The pretty paunce
And the chevisaunce
Shall watch with the fair fleur-delice.

" Ye shepherd's daughters that dwell on the green.
Hie you there apace;
Let none come there but such as virgins been,
To adorn her Grace;
And when you come whereas she is in place,
See that your rudeness do not you disgrace:
Bind your fillets fast,
And gird on your waist.
For more fineness, with a tawdry lace.

Now rise up, Eliza, decked as thou art
In royal ray:
And now ye dainty damsels may depart
Each one her way.
I fear I have troubled your troops too long:
Let dame Eliza thank you for her song.
And if you come hither
When damsons I gather,
I will part them all, you among.