29th MAY 1660.

[Songs and other Poems. By Alex. Brome, Gent. London, Printed for Henry
Brome, at the Gun in Ivy-Lane, 1661.

The Second Edition corrected and enlarged, 1664.

The Third Edition enlarged. London, Printed for Henry Brome, at the Star in Little Brittain, 1668.]

To my ingenious Friend Mr. BROME, on his various and excellent Poems: An humble Eglog. Written the 29 of May, 1660.

DAMAN and DORUS.

DAMAN.

Hail happy day! Dorus sit down:
Now let no sigh, nor let a frown
Lodge near thy heart, or on thy brow.
The King! the King's return'd! and now
Let's banish all sad thoughts and sing
We have our Laws, and have our King.

DORUS.

'Tis true, and I would sing, but oh!
These wars have sunk my heart so low
'Twill not be rais'd.

DAMAN.
What not this day?
Why 'tis the twenty ninth of May:
Let Rebels spirits sink; let those
That like the Goths and Vandals rose
To ruine families, and bring
Contempt upon our Church, our King,
And all that's dear to us, be sad;
But be not thou, let us be glad.
And, Dorus, to invite thee, look,
Here's a Collection in this Book,
Of all those chearful Songs, that we
Have sung so oft and merilie[1]

As we have march'd to fight the cause
Of Gods Anointed, and our Laws
Such Songs as make not the least ods
Betwixt us mortals and the Gods:
Such Songs as Virgins need not fear
To sing, or a grave Matron hear.
Here's love drest neat, and chast, and gay
As gardens in the month of May;
Here's harmony, and Wit, and Art,
To raise thy thoughts, and chear thy heart.

DORUS.

Written by whom?

DAMAN.

A friend of mine,
And one that's worthy to be thine:
A Civil Swain, that knows his times
For business, and that done makes Rhymes;
But not till then: my Friend's a man
Lov'd by the Muses; dear to Pan:
He blest him with a chearful heart:
And they with this sharp wit and Art,
Which he so tempers, as no Swain,
That's loyal, does or mould complain.

DORUS.

I wou'd fain see him:

DAMAN.

Go with me
Dorus, to yonder broad beech-tree,
There we shall meet him and Phillis,
Perrigot, and Amaryllis,
Tityrus, and his dear Clora,
Tom and Will, and their Pastora:
There wee'l dance, shake hands and sing,
We have our Laws,
God bless the King.
IZ. WALTON.

FOOTNOTES

[1] Have sung with mirth and merry-gle:—1661.

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