Halcius.
No Forrester, it so must not be borne away,
But heare what for himselfe
the Fisher first can say,
The Chrystall current Streames
continually I keepe,
Where euery Pearle-pau’d
Foard, and euery Blew-eyd deepe
With me familiar are; when
in my Boate being set,
My Oare I take in hand, my
Augle and my Net 120
About me; like a Prince my
selfe in state I steer,
Now vp, now downe the Streame,
now am I here, now ther,
The Pilot and the Fraught
my selfe; and at my ease
Can land me where I list,
or in what place I please,
The Siluer-scaled Sholes,
about me in the Streames,
As thick as ye discerne the
Atoms in the Beames,
Neare to the shady Banck where
slender Sallowes grow,
And Willows their shag’d
tops downe t’wards the waters bow
I shove in with my Boat to
sheeld me from the heat,
Where chusing from my Bag,
some prou’d especiall bayt, 130
The goodly well growne Trout
I with my Angle strike,
And with my bearded Wyer I
take the rauenous Pike,
Of whom when I haue hould,
he seldome breakes away
Though at my Lynes full length,
soe long I let him play
Till by my hand I finde he
well-nere wearyed be,
When softly by degrees I drawe
him vp to me.
The lusty Samon to, I oft
with Angling take,
Which me aboue the rest most
Lordly sport doth make,
Who feeling he is caught,
such Frisks and bounds doth fetch,
And by his very strength my
Line soe farre doth stretch, 140
As draws my floating Corcke
downe to the very ground,
And wresting at my Rod, doth
make my Boat turne round.
I neuer idle am, some tyme
I bayt my Weeles,
With which by night I take
the dainty siluer Eeles,
And with my Draughtnet then,
I sweepe the streaming Flood,
And to my Tramell next, and
Cast-net from the Mud,
I beate the Scaly brood, noe
hower I idely spend,
But wearied with my worke
I bring the day to end:
The Naijdes and Nymphes that
in the Riuers keepe,
Which take into their care,
the store of euery deepe, 150
Amongst the Flowery flags,
the Bullrushes and Reed,
That of the Spawne haue charge
(abundantly to breed)
Well mounted vpon Swans, their
naked bodys lend
To my discerning eye, and
on my Boate attend,
And dance vpon the Waues,
before me (for my sake)
To th’ Musick the soft
wynd vpon the Reeds doth make
And for my pleasure more,
the rougher Gods of Seas
From Neptune’s
Court send in the blew Neriades,
Which from his bracky Realme
vpon the Billowes ride
And beare the Riuers backe
with euery streaming Tyde, 160
Those Billowes gainst my Boate,
borne with delightfull Gales,
Oft seeming as I rowe to tell
me pretty tales,
Whilst Ropes of liquid Pearle