FLORAs FAREWELL;
OR,
The Passionate Shepherds Love-Song.
Wherein he greatly doth complain,
Because his Love was spent in vain.
To the Tune of, 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 lose my Way.
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Fame of thy Beauty and thy Youth,
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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 stay.
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Now Im engagd by Word and Oath,
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Servant to anothers Will;
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Yet for thy Sake would forego both,
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wouldst thou besure 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 recal
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the former Words which I have spoke,
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And thou shalt have no Sense at all
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to hamper me in Cupids Yoak.
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But since thy Humour is to range,
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and that thou bearst a wavering Mind,
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Like to the Moon with thee Ill change,
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and turn I can with every Wind.
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Henceforth blind Fancy Ill remove,
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and cast all Sorrow from my Heart,
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Young Men dye for dotting Love,
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I hold it but a foolish Part.
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Why should I to one Love be bound,
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and 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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so I conclude my Passion long:
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To thy new Love see you prove true,
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for thou hast done me double Wrong.
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Fair Floras Answer to the Shepherds Song,
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Wherein she shews that he has done the Wrong.
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Fye Shepherd, fye thou art 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 told;
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she that Loves most is set by.
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A brief Description I will tell
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of my Favour, Love, and Flattery;
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And how at first thou didst excel
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with cunning Tricks and Policy.
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But oh! 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 Woo,
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and with thy Skill my Patience tryd;
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You though 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 Maden-head.
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But when thou sawst thou could not get
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the Jem that thou desirest to have,
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My Company than didst refrain,
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like to a false desembling 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 my self a Maid,
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until such time Im made a Wife.
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And since you my poor mind have crost,
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go bestow your self as you will;
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Shepherd farewell, 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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Ill not lay that unto my Heart,
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that others shake off with their Heel.
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