Page:Daphnaïda.djvu/23

 My little flocke, whom earſt I lon’d ſo well, And wont to feede with fineſt graſſe that grew, Feede ye hencefoorth on biter Astrofell, And ſtinking Smallage, and vnſauerie Rew; And when your mawes are with thoſe weeds corrupted, Be ye the pray of Wolues: ne will I rew, That with your carkaſſes wild beaſts be glutted.

Ne worſe to you my ſillie ſheepe I pray, Ne ſorer vengeance wiſh on you to fall Than to my ſelfe, for whoſe confuſde decay To careleſſe heauens I doo daylie call: But heauens refuſe to heare a wretched cry, And cruell death doth ſcorne to come at call, Or graunt his boone, that moſt deſires to dye.

The good and righteous he away doth take, To plague th’ vnrighteous which aliue remaine: But the vngodly ones he doth forſake, By liuing long to multiplie their paine: Els ſurely death ſhould be no puniſhment, As the great Iudge at firſt did it ordaine, But rather riddance from long languiſhment.

Therefore my Daphne they haue tane away; For worthie of a better place was ſhe: But me vnworthie willed here to ſtay, That with her lacke I might tormented be. Sith then they ſo haue ordred, I will pay Penance to her according their decree, And to her ghoſt doo ſeruive day by day.

For I will walke this wandring pilgrimage Throughout the world from one to other end, Rh