280 Co: By falshood, or discourtesie, or why?
La: To seek in vally som cool friendly Spring.
Co: And left your fair side all unguarded Lady?
La: They were but twain, and purpos'd quick return.
Co: Perhaps fore-stalling night prevented them.
La: How easie my misfortune is to hit! Co: Imports their loss, beside the present need?
La: No less then if I should my brothers loose.
Co: Were they of manly prime, or youthful bloom?
La: As smooth as Hebe's their unrazor'd lips.

290 Co: Two such I saw, what time the labour'd Oxe In his loose traces from the furrow came, And the swink't hedger at his Supper sate; I saw them under a green mantling vine That crawls along the side of yon small hill, Plucking ripe clusters from the tender shoots, Their port was more then human, as they stood; I took it for a faery vision Of som gay creatures of the element That in the colours of the Rainbow live 300 And play i'th plighted clouds.

I was aw-strook, And as I past, I worshipt: if those you seek It were a journey like the path to Heav'n, To help you find them.

La: Gentle villager What readiest way would bring me to that place?
Co: Due west it rises from this shrubby point.
La: To find out that, good Shepherd, I suppose, In such a scant allowance of Star-light, Would overtask the best Land-Pilots art, Without the sure guess of well-practiz'd feet, 310 Co: I know each lane, and every alley green Dingle, or bushy dell of this wilde Wood, And every bosky bourn from side to side My daily walks and ancient neighbourhood, And if your stray attendance be yet lodg'd, Or shroud within these limits, I shall know Ere morrow wake, or the low roosted lark From her thatch't pallat rowse, if otherwise I can conduct you Lady to a low But loyal cottage, where you may be safe 320 Till further quest.
La: Shepherd I take thy word, And trust thy honest offer'd courtesie, Which oft is sooner found in lowly sheds With smoaky rafters, then in tapstry Halls And Courts of Princes, where it first was nam'd, And yet is most pretended: In a place Less warranted then this, or less secure I cannot be, that I should fear to change it.
Eie me blest Providence, and square my triall To my proportion'd strength.

Shepherd lead on.-- 330 The Two Brothers.
Eld.