Page:Shepheards Calendar-Crane 1898.djvu/53
APRIL. ÆGLOGA QUARTA. ARGUMENT.
This Æglogue is purposely intended to the honour and praise of our most gracious sovereign, Queen Elizabeth. The speakers hereof be Hobbinol and Thenot, two shepheards: the which Hobbinol, being before mentioned greatly to have loved Colin, is here set forth more largely, complaining him of that boy's great misadventure in love; whereby his mind was alienated and withdrawn not only from him, who most loved him, but also from all former delights and studies, as well in pleasant piping, as cunning rhyming and singing, and other his laudable exercises. Whereby he taketh occasion, for proof of his more excellency and skill in poetry, to record a song, which the said Colin sometime made in honour of her Majesty, whom abruptly he termeth Elisa.
THENOT. HOBBINOL.
THENOT.
Tell me, good Hobbinol, what gars thee greet?
What! hath some wolf thy tender lambs ytorn?
Or is thy bagpipe broke, that sounds so sweet?
Or art thou of thy loved lass forlorn?
Or be thine eyes attemper'd to the year,
Quenching the gasping furrows' thirst with rain?
Like April shower, so stream the trickling tears
Adown thy cheek, to quench thy thirsty pain.
HOB. Nor this, nor that, so much doth make me mourn,
But for the lad, whom long I lov'd so dear,
Now loves a lass that all his love doth scorn:
He, plunged in pain, his tressed locks doth tear;
Shepheard's delights he doth them all forswear;
His pleasant pipe, which made us merriment,
He wilfully hath broke, and doth forbear
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