Flora's Farewel:, 1641-1661

Anonymous

Created as an assignment for Literature and Digital Diversity, Northeastern University, Spring 2021

Flora's Farewell:

Unknown

London

1641

Transcribed from a facsimile in Early English Books Online

Flora's Farewell:Or, The Shepherd’s Love-Passion Song, wherein he greatly doth complain, because his love was spent in vain, to a delicate new Tune: or, a Thousand Times My Love Commend.

Flora farewell, I need must go,

for if with thée I longer nay,

Thine eyes prevail over me so,

I shall be blind and lore my way.

Fame of the beauty and the youth,

to seek for love me hither brought;

But when in thée I found no truth,

it was no boot to stay I thought.

Now I’m ingag’d my word and oath

a servant to another’s will;

Pet for the rake would forego both,

wouldn't thou be sure to love me still.

But what assurance can I have

of thée, who seeing mine abuse,

In that which love defires to crave,

may leave me with a just excuse.

For thou maist rap, ‘twas not the fault,

that thou didn’t to inconstant probe,

Thous wert by mine example taught,

to break the oath and leave the lobe.

No Flora no, I will recall,

the former words which I have spoke,

And thou shalt have no cause at all,

to hamper me in Cupid’s poke.

But since thy humor is to range,

and that thou bear’st a wavering mind

Like to the moon with thée He change,

and turn I can with every wind.

Henceforth blind Fancy He remove,

and cast all sorrows from my heart:

Young men to die for doting

Love,

I hold it but a foolish part.

Why should I to one love be bound,

and fix my thoughts on none but thée,

When as a thousand may be found,

that's far more fair and fit for me.

Though I am but a Shepherd’s Sloain,

my minde to me doth comfort bring,

Feeding my Flocks upon the Plain,

I tryumph like a petty king.

No Female Brat shall me deceive,

nor catch me by a crafty wilde;

Though I due love, yet I can leave,

and will no longer be begilde.

Flora, one more farewell, adelo,

I so conclud my passion song;

To the next Love see thou prove true,

for thou hast done me double wrong.

The Second part, to the Same Tune Being the Answer of fair Flora to the Shepherd’s Song; Wherein the shews that he hath done the wrong.

Fye, shepherd fie, thou art to blame

to rail against me in this sort;

Thou doft disgrace a Sweet-hearts name,

to give thy Love a faire report.

There was a Proverb used of old,

and now I find it is no lye,

One Tale is good till the other’s told,

she that loves most is least set by.

A brief Description I will tell,

of the favor, love, and flattery,

And how at first thou didst excell,

with cunning tricks and policy.

But Oh that flattering tongue of thine,

and tempting eye sought to intice,

And to insnare the heart of mine,

and bring me in fool’s Paradise.

When thou at first began to woo,

and with thy skill my patience tried,

You thought there was no more to do,

But presently get up and ride.

Thou raidst that I was fair and bright,

and fitting for the Marriage

bed,

Thou fedst my fancy with delight,

thinking to have me Maidenhead.

But when thou sawst thou couldst not gain

the Iem that thou desire to have,

My company thou didst refrain,

like to a false dissembling Knave.

Whereby I answered thus, and raid,

to shun the cause of further strife,

I would contain my self a Maid,

till such time I was made a wife.

And since that you my minde have crost,

you may bestow you as you will;

Shepherd, farewell, ther’s nothing loft

I am resolved to say so still.

Blinde Cupid, with his wounding dart

could never make me sorrows feel;

Ile not lay that unto my heart

as others shake off with the heel.

FINIS.

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