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446 THE SHEPHEARDES CALENDER
The brethren twelue, that kept yfere
the flockes of mighty Pan
But nothing such thilk shephearde was,
whom Ida hyll dyd beare,
That left hys flocke, to fetch a lasse,
whose loue he bought to deare
For he was proude, that ill was payd,
(no such mought shepheards bee) 150
And with lewde lust was ouerlayd
tway things doen ill agree
But shepheard mought be meeke and mylde,
well ejed, as Argus was,
With fleshly follyes vndefyled,
and stoute as steede of brasse
Sike one (sayd Algrtn) Mioses was,
that sawe hys makers face,
His face more cleare, then Christall glasse,
and spake to him in place 160
This had a brother, (his name I knewe)
the first of ail his cote,
A shepheard trewe, yet not so true,
as he that earst I hote
Whilome all these were lowe, and lief,
and loued their flocks to feede,
They neuer strouen to be chiefe,
and simple was theyr weede
But now (thanked be God therefore)
the world is well amend, 170
Their weedes bene not so nighly wore,
such simplesse mought them shend
They bene yclad in purple and pall,
so hath theyr god them blist,
They reigne and rulen ouer all,
and lord it, as they list
Ygyrt with belts of glitterand gold,
(mought they good sheepeheards bene)
Theyr Pan theyr sheepe tojhem has "old,
I saye as some haue seene" 180
For Palinode (if thou him ken)
yode late on Pilgrimage
To Rome, (if such be Rome) and then
he sawe thilke misusage
For shepeheards (sayd he) there doen leade,
as Lordes done other where,
Theyr sheepe han crustes, and they the bread
the chippes, and they the chere
They han the fleece, and eke the flesh,
(O seely sheepe the while) 190
The come is theyrs, let other thresh,
their hands they may not file I
GLOSSE
A Coteheard) By Gotes in scrypture be repre
sented the wicked and reprobate, whose pabtour
also must needes be such
Banck) is the seate of honor
They han great stores, and thrif tye stockes*,
great freendes and feeble foes
What neede hem caren for their flocks ?
theyr boyes can looke to those
These wisards weltre in welths waues,
pampred in pleasures deepe,
They han fatte kernes, and leany knaues,
their fasting flockes to keepe 200
Sike mister men bene all misgone,
they heapen hylles of wrath
Sike syrlye shepheards han we none,
they keepen all the path
MORRELL
Here is a great deale of good matter,
lost for lacke of telling,
Now sicker I see, thou doest but clatter
harme may come of melling
Thou medlest more, then shall haue thanke,
to wyten shcpheards welth 210
When folke bene fat, and riches rancke,
it is a signe of helth
But say me, what is Algrin he,
that is so oft bynempt
THOMALIN
He is a shepheard great in gree,
but luth bene long ypent
One daye he sat vpon a hyll,
(as now thou wouldest me
But I am taught by Algnm ill,
to loue the lowe degree) 220
For sitting so with bared scalpe,
an tgle sored hye,
That weening hys whyte head was chalke,
a shell fish downe let flye
She weend the shell fishe to haue broake,
but therewith bruzd his brayne,
So now astonied with the stroke,
he lyes in lingring payne
MORRELL
Ah good Algrin, Ins hap was ill,
but shall be better in tune 230
Now farwell shepheard, sith thys hyll
thou hast such doubt to climbe
Ihomahns Emblcme
In medio virtus
Morrelh Emblcme
In summo faelicilas
Straying heard) which wander out of the waye of
truth
Als) lor also
Clymbe) spoken of Ambition