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CHLORIS,
or
The Complaint of the
passionate despised
Shepherd.
By WILLIAM SMITH.
Imprinted at London,
By EDMUND BOLLIFANT.
1596.
To the most excellent and learned
Shepherd COLIN CLOUT
[i.e., EDMUND SPENSER]
COLIN, my dear and most entire beloved, | |
| My Muse audacious stoops her pitch to thee! | |
| Desiring that thy patience be not moved | |
| By these rude lines, written here you see. | |
| Fain would my Muse, whom cruel Love hath wronged, | 5 |
| Shroud her love-labours under thy protection! | |
| And I myself, with ardent zeal, have longed | |
| That thou mightst know, to thee my true affection. | |
| Therefore, good COLIN, graciously accept | |
| A few sad Sonnets which my Muse hath framed: | 10 |
| Though they but newly from the shell are crept, | |
| Suffer them not by envy to be blamed! | |
| But, underneath the shadow of thy wings, | |
| Give warmth to these young-hatchèd orphan things! | |
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| Give warmth to these young-hatchèd orphan things! | 15 |
| Which, chill with cold, to thee for succour creep. | |
| They of my study are the budding springs: | |
| Longer I cannot them in silence keep. | |
| They will be gadding! sore against my mind. | |
| But, courteous Shepherd, if they run astray, | 20 |
| Conduct them, that they may the pathway find: | |
| And teach them how the Mean observe they may! | |
| Thou shalt them ken by their discording notes! | |
| Their weeds are plain, such as poor shepherds wear; | |
| Unshapen, torn, and ragged are their coats: | 25 |
| Yet forth they wandering are, devoid of fear. | |
| They which have tasted of the Muses’ spring, | |
| I hope, will smile upon the tunes they sing. W. SMITH. F I N I S. | |
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