Here you will find the Long Poem The Faire Amarillis of poet Sir Edward Dyer
Amarillis was full fayre: The goodlyest mayde was she From the east unto the west That heaven's eye could se. To Diana at her birthe Her parents did her geve, All untouchte a mayden's lyfe Durynge her dayes to lyue: Whose beheste she constant kepte And whollye was enclynde To be free to get great prayse And win eche worthye mynde. As there was good cause enoughe So was she honored most. They that had her seene abroade At home would make their boaste. Twoe ther were that her behelde Who woulde have done so ever, Happye theye (ye happye thryse) If they had done so never Coridon and Caramell: Who longe with deere accorde Ledd their lyues, and neyther wisht Of other to be lorde: Good and sure their freendshipp was Tyll Amarillis fyne Had the powre, perhapps the will The bande for to untwyne: All the goods that eche possest Of bodye, goodes, or mynde Were employde to other's use As eche by profe did fynde: They had no cause to enuye ought The auncyent worlde's prayse Of Damo and of Pytheas And others in those dayes: But the boye, that blynded god In great despights complaynde: That one earthe alone they were That his darte quyte disdaynde: Whereupon his strongest bowe And sharpest arrowes hente And in Amarillis eyes He lyghtely pighte his tente: Where he lay, to watche both tyme And place for his avayll: For the wightes that wiste not yet What foe should them assayll: One of his two shafts was dipte In bitter sauce as gaulle, The other in a pleasant wyne And poyson myxte withall As the smacke of dyuers sauce, So dyuerslye they wroughte: By despayre the one to deathe By vague hope the other broughte. With the first was Coridon Throughe piercèd to the herte; Caramell wh' in his brest Felte of the other's smarte. Butt with gould both headed were And both wth lyke desyre, Faygne they would wth'in therre brest Hyde cloase their kyndled fyre: But wthout it must appeere That burnte so hot wthin: Harde it is the flame to hyde That it no issue win. And in tyme strange lookes began That spronge of Jelosye; Full of care, eche laye in wayghte For his felowe to descrye: In the end all freendly lookes Betweene these freendes decayde; Bothe were bente to please theselues Theire freende's case nothynge wayde. Amarillis' love was soughte With all they could deuyse, Yea wth all the power of man And prayer to the skyes: All she sawe, and herde theire moane As Aspis dothe the charme; By and by she bayed them both As guyltye of theyre harme. Now to the one she would give eare Now put the other of, Allurynge him by courteseye, And tauntynge him by scoff. But that trust by tryalls paste Made them theire doome suspende; And indeed she usèd there Where passione did offend. He had neede of store of tyme That would his pen prepare, To sett forth theire agonyes Theire dredd hope and feare. Butt in vayne they spente theire tyme, Theire labor all was lost: She was farthest from theire need Where they foreweenèd most. Coridon waxte pall and leane His younger heares torned hore; Feates of armes, the horse and hauke He left and used no more. He had founde that Amarill Soughte glorye more than love; That she forcèd not his harmes Her bewtye's power to prove. Yet he could not leave to love Butt yeeldynge to despayre, Rente his hearte, his corpes fell downe His goaste fledd to the ayre: Caramell, thoughte women kynde, Was apte to change and bowe; And beleeued, to please him selfe What fancye did allowe. Butt beleefe ne makes the cause Nor weauynge, workes the webb; In the tyde his trauayll came He tornèd in the ebb: Att the last his vayne hope, him No longer coulde sustayne; In his longynge he consumde, Lyfe coulde not him attayne. Amaryllis herde of this And pyttye moude wth all, Muche to rue so harde a happ One such faythe should befall. To Diana strayghte she hyghes Whome wayted one she founde, With a trayne of all the dames Whose chaste names Fame did sounde: Unto her in humble wyse She sayde she came to sue For that these to lyuyng thynges Myghte be transformde a newe; In her armes the goddess mylde Her darlynge softe did strayne: What is that that thou (qth she) Of me mayste not obtayne? There withall Sr Caramel A yellow flowre became: Sweete of sente and muche esteemde And Harte's ease caulde by name. Amarillis pluckte the flowre