ASTROPHEL'S SONG OF PHILLIDA AND CORYDON by NICHOLAS BRETON

FAIR in a morn, (O fairest morn!)
Was never morn so fair,
There shone a sun, though not the sun
That shineth in the air.
For of the earth, and from the earth,
(Was never such a creature!)
Did come this face (was never face
That carried such a feature).
Upon a hill, (O blessed hill!
Was never hill so blessed!)
There stood a man, (was never man
For woman so distressed):
This man beheld a heavenly view,
Which did such virtue give
As clears the blind, and helps the lame,
And makes the dead man live.
This man had hap, (O happy man!
More happy none than he;)
For he had hap to see the hap
That none had hap to see.
This silly swain, (and silly swains
Are men of meanest grace:)
Had yet the grace (O gracious guest!)
To hap on such a face.
He pity cried, and pity came,
And pitied so his pain,
As dying, would not let him die,
But gave him life again.
For joy whereof he made such mirth
As all the woods did ring;
And Pan with all his swains came forth
To hear the shepherd sing;
But such a song sung never was,
Nor shall be sung again,
Of Phillida the shepherds' queen,
And Corydon the swain.
Fair Phyllis is the shepherds' queen,
(Was never such a queen as she!)
And Corydon her only swain
(Was never such a swain as he!)
Fair Phyllis hath the fairest face
That ever eye did yet behold,
And Corydon the constant'st faith
That ever yet kept flock in fold:
Sweet Phyllis is the sweetest sweet
That ever yet the earth did yield,
And Corydon the kindest swain
That ever yet kept lambs in field.
Sweet Philomel is Phyllis' bird,
Though Corydon be he that caught her:
And Corydon doth hear her sing,
Though Phillida be she that taught her:
Poor Corydon doth keep the fields,
Though Phillida be she that owes them,
And Phillida doth walk the meads,
Though Corydon be he that mows them:
The little lambs are Phyllis' love,
Though Corydon is he that feeds them,
The gardens fair are Phyllis' ground,
Though Corydon be he that weeds them.
Since then that Phyllis only is
The only shepherd's only queen;
And Corydon the only swain
That only hath her shepherd been, --
Though Phyllis keep her bower of state,
Shall Corydon consume away?
No, shepherd, no, work out the week,
And Sunday shall be holiday.

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