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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE THREE SAD SHEPPARDESSES, GOE TO A LITTLE TABLE, WHERE THEY SINGE, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: When once the presence of a friend is gone
Last Line: Your welcome, when wee owne him as our day.
Subject(s): Grief; Love; Shepherds & Shepherdesses; Singing & Singers; Sorrow; Sadness; Songs


Cha When once the presence of a friend is gone
Not knoweing when hee'le come or stay how longe
Then griefe doth fill it selfe wth a reward
That is when passion flowes without regard.
Inn His absence makes a Chaos sure of mee
And when each one doth lookeing looke to see
They speakeing say, That I'm not I
Alas doe not name mee for I desire to dye
Ver And I your Sister can noe way goe lesse
As by my Face of palenes you may gesse
Then let us singe in Choros Anthome, pray,
To see our loved freinds, doth make our day.

The 3 Sheppardesses Sisters speakes
this in severall lines in answeare to one another.
The Shee Priest begins.
Cha: The univers mee thinks I see
Inn: In little moddle is just wee
Ver For wee're as constant to our way
Cha: As it can bee of night and day
Inn Our mallencholly that's the night
Ver And when Joyes hope then 'tis day light
Cha: Our Winter is sad thoughts dispare
Inn Soe mallencholly sighes makes Ayre
Ver Which wth feares conflicts makes a wind
Cha And after doth raine showers of kind
Inn Our couler hopes of what wee wishe
Ver Can water freize to Ices Dysh,
Cha: And passion thoughts of what wee feare
Inn: Can thaw Ice Dyshe, though nea're soe deare
Ver Our Springe is onely Joyes of thinke
Cha: Yet frosty feare doth make us shrinke
Inn Our Summer is, if that could bee
Ver Father, Brothers, for to see.
Cha: God of our love happines to say,
Your welcome, when wee owne him as our day.





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