Page:The Romance of Nature; or, The Flower-Seasons Illustrated.djvu/99

 Here also grew the rougher-rinded Pine, The great Argoan ship's brave ornament, Whom golden Fleece did make an heavenly signe; Which coveting, with his high top's extent, To make the mountaines touch the starres divine, Decks all the forest with embellishment; And the black Holme that loves the watrie vale; And the sweete Cypresse, signe of deadly bale.

Emongst the rest the clambring Yvie grew, Knitting his wanton armes with grasping hold, Least that the Poplar happely should rew Her brother's strokes, whose boughes she doth enfold With her lythe twigs, till they the top survew, And paint with pallid greene her buds of gold. Next did the Myrtle tree to her approach, Not yet unmindful of her old reproach.

But the small birds in their wide boughs embowring, Chaunted their sundrie tunes with sweete consent; And under them a silver spring forth powring His trickling streames, a gentle murmure sent; Thereto the frogs, bred in the slimie scouring Of the moyst moores, their iarring voyces bent; And shrill grashoppers chirped them around: All which the ayrie Echo did resound.

In this so pleasaunt place the Shepheard's flocke Lay everie where, their wearie limbs to rest, On everie bush, and everie hollow rocke, Where breathe on them the whistling wind mote best; The whiles the Shepheard self, tending his stocke, Sate by the fountaine side, in shade to rest, Where gentle slumbring sleep oppressed him Displaid on ground, and seized everie lim.