Floras Farewel: Or,
The Shepherds Love Passion Song.
Wherein he doth greatly Complain
Because his Love was spent in vain;
To a Delicate Tune; Or, A thousand times my love commend.
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FLora farewel, I needs must go,
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for if with thee I longer stay,
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Thine eyes prevail over me so,
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I shall grow blind and loose my way.
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Fame of thy beauty and thy Fame,
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to seek for love me hither brought,
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But when in thee I found no truth,
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it was no boot for me to stay.
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Now ive ingagd by word and Oath,
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a servant to anothers will,
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Yet for thy sake would forgo both,
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wouldst thou be sure to love me still.
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But what assurance can I have,
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of thee who seeing my abuse,
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In that which Love desires to crave,
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may leave me with a just excuse.
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For thou must say, twas not thy fault,
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that thou didst so unconstant prove,
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Thou wert by mine example taught,
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to break thy Oath and leave thy Love.
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No Flora, no, I will recall
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the former words which I have spoke,
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And thou shalt have no cause at all,
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to hamper me in Cupids Yoak.
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But since thy Honour is to range,
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and that thou bearst a wavering mind,
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Like to the Moon with thee ile change.
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and turn I can with every wind.
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Henceforth blind fancy ile remove,
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and cast all sorrow from my heart,
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Young men to dye for doting love,
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I hold it but a foolish part.
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The second part to the same Tune.
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WHy should I to one love be bound,
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and fix my thoughts on none but thee
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When as a thousand may be found,
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thats far more fair and fit for me.
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Though I am but a Shepherd swain,
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my mind to me doth comfort bring,
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Feeding my flock upon a plain,
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I triumph like a petty King.
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No Female Rat shall me deceive,
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nor catch me by a crafty wild,
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Though I do love, yet I can leave,
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and will no longer be beguild.
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Flora, once more, farewel adieu,
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I so conclude my Passion song:To thy next love see that thou prove true,
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for thou hast done me double wrong.
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Fair Floras Answer to the Shep-
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herds Song,
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Wherein she shows that he
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hath done the wrong.
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FYE Shepherd, fye thou are to blame,
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to rail against me in this sort,
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Thou dost disgrace a Sweet-hearts name,
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to give thy Love a false report.
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There was a Proverb used of old,
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and now I find it is no lye,
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One tale is good till anothers cold,
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she that loves most is least set by.
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A brief Description I will tell,
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of thy favour, love and flattery;
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And how at first thou didst excel,
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with cunning tricks and pollicy.
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But O that flattering tongue of thine,
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and tempting eye sought to entice,
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And to ensnare the heart of mine,
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and bring me in fools Paradice.
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When thou at first began to Wooe,
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and with thy skill my patience tryd;
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You thought there was no more to do,
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but presently to up and ride.
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Thou saidst that I was fair and bright,
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and fitting for thy Marriage Bed;
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Thou fedst my fancy with delight,
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thinking to have my Maiden-head:
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But when thou sawst thou couldst not get
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the jem that thou distrest to have,
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My company thou didst refrain,
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like to a false dissembling Knave.
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Whereby I answered thus and said,
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to shun the cause of further strife;
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I would contain myself a Maid,
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until such time I was made a wife.
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And since you my mind have crost,
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you may bestow you as you will,
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Shephard farewel, theres nothing lost,
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I am resolvd to say so still.
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Blind Cupid with his wounding Dart,
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could never make me sorrow feel,
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Ile not lay that unto my heart,
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as others shake off with their heel.
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