XII.

HARPALUS.

AN ANCIENT ENGLISH PASTORAL.

This beautiful poem, which is perhaps the first attempt at pastoral writing in our language, is preserved among the _Songs and Sonnettes_ of the Earl of Surrey, &c., 4to. in that part of the collection which consists of pieces by _uncertain auctours_. These poems were first published in 1557, ten years after that accomplished nobleman fell a victim to the tyranny of Henry VIII.; but it is presumed most of them were composed before the death of Sir Thomas Wyatt in 1541. See Surrey's Poems, 4to. fol. 19, 49.

Tho' written perhaps near half a century before the _Shepherd's Calendar_,[380] this will be found far superior to any of those eclogues, in natural unaffected sentiments, in simplicity of style, in easy flow of versification, and all other beauties of pastoral poetry. Spenser ought to have profited more by so excellent a model.

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[Warton describes this poem as "perhaps the first example in our language now remaining of the pure and unmixed pastoral, and in the erotic species for ease of numbers, elegance of rural allusion excelling everything of the kind in Spenser, who is erroneously ranked as our earliest English bucolic." He did not, however, take into account _Robin and Makine_, which follows _Harpalus_ in this book, but was written more than half a century before it. Spenser-lovers also are not likely to agree with Percy's and Warton's summary judgments upon the _Shepherd's Calendar_.]

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Phylida was a faire mayde, As fresh as any flowre; Whom Harpalus the herdman prayde To be his paramour.

Harpalus, and eke Corin, 5 Were herdmen both yfere:[381] And Phylida could twist and spinne, And thereto sing full clere.

But Phylida was all tò coye, For Harpalus to winne: 10 For Corin was her onely joye, Who forst[382] her not a pinne.

How often would she flowers twine? How often garlandes make Of couslips and of colombine? 15 And al for Corin's sake.

But Corin, he had haukes to lure, And forced more the field:[383] Of lovers lawe he toke no cure; For once he was begilde. 20

Harpalus prevailed nought, His labour all was lost; For he was fardest from her thought, And yet he loved her most.

Therefore waxt he both pale and leane, 25 And drye as clot of clay: His fleshe it was consumed cleane; His colour gone away.

His beard it had not long be shave; His heare hong all unkempt: 30 A man most fit even for the grave, Whom spitefull love had spent.

His eyes were red and all 'forewacht;'[384][385] His face besprent with teares: It semde unhap had him long 'hatcht,' 35 In mids of his dispaires.

His clothes were blacke, and also bare; As one forlorne was he; Upon his head alwayes he ware A wreath of wyllow tree. 40

His beastes he kept upon the hyll, And he sate in the dale; And thus with sighes and sorrowes shril, He gan to tell his tale.

Oh Harpalus! (thus would he say) 45 Unhappiest under sunne! The cause of thine unhappy day, By love was first begunne.

For thou wentest first by sute to seeke A tigre to make tame, 50 That settes not by thy love a leeke; But makes thy griefe her game.

As easy it were for to convert The frost into 'a' flame; As for to turne a frowarde hert, 55 Whom thou so faine wouldst frame.

Corin he liveth carèlesse: He leapes among the leaves: He eates the frutes of thy redresse:[386] Thou 'reapst,' he takes the sheaves. 60

My beastes, a whyle your foode refraine, And harke your herdmans sounde: Whom spitefull love, alas! hath slaine, Through-girt[387] with many a wounde.

O happy be ye, beastès wilde, 65 That here your pasture takes: I se that ye be not begilde Of these your faithfull makes.[388]

The hart he feedeth by the hinde: The bucke harde by the do: 70 The turtle dove is not unkinde To him that loves her so.

The ewe she hath by her the ramme: The yong cow hath the bull: The calfe with many a lusty lambe 75 Do fede their hunger full.

But, wel-away! that nature wrought The, Phylida, so faire: For I may say that I have bought Thy beauty all tò deare. 80

What reason is that crueltie With beautie should have part? Or els that such great tyranny Should dwell in womans hart?

I see therefore to shape my death 85 She cruelly is prest;[389] To th'ende that I may want my breath: My dayes been at the best.

O Cupide, graunt this my request, And do not stoppe thine eares; 90 That she may feele within her brest The paines of my dispaires:

Of Corin 'who' is carèlesse, That she may crave her fee: As I have done in great distresse, 95 That loved her faithfully.

But since that I shal die her slave; Her slave, and eke her thrall:[390] Write you, my frendes, upon my grave This chaunce that is befall. 100

"Here lieth unhappy Harpalus By cruell love now slaine: Whom Phylida unjustly thus Hath murdred with disdaine."

FOOTNOTES:

[380] First published in 1579.

[381] [together.]

[382] [regarded.]

[383] [cared more for field sports.]

[384] Ver. 33, &c. The corrections are from ed. 1574.

[385] [overwakeful.]

[386] [care.]

[387] [pierced through.]

[388] [mates.]

[389] [ready.]

[390] [captive.]