1

YE learned sisters1, which have oftentimes

beene to me ayding, others to adorne:

Whom ye thought worthy of your gracefull rymes,

That euen the greatest did not greatly scorne

To heare theyr names sung in your simple layes,

But joyed in theyr prayse;

And when ye list your owne mishaps to mourne,

Which death, or love, or fortunes wreck did rayse,

Your string could soone to sadder tenor2 turne,

And teach the woods and waters to lament

Your dolefull dreriment3:

Now lay those sorrowfull complaints aside,

And hauing all your heads with girlands crownd,

Helpe me mine owne loves prayses to resound4,

Ne let the fame of any be envide,

So Orpheus did for his owne bride,

So I unto my selfe alone will sing,

The woods shall to me answer and my Eccho ring.

注释：1.learned sisters：博学多才的文艺九缪斯。缪斯是希腊神话中主司艺术与科学的九位古老文艺女神的总称。她们代表了通过传统音乐和舞蹈、即时代流传下来的诗歌所表达出来的神话传说。缪斯原本是守护赫利孔山泉水的水仙，属于宁芙范畴。后来人们将奥林匹斯神系中的阿波罗设立为她们的首领。缪斯女神常常出现在众神或英雄们的聚会上，轻歌曼舞，一展风采，为聚会带来愉悦与欢乐。在荷马史诗中，缪斯有时一个，有时数个赫西俄德在其《神谱》中说，她们是众神之王宙斯和提坦女神所生的九个发束金带的女儿。阿尔克曼则认为她们要比宙斯古老，是乌拉诺斯和盖亚的女儿。

2.tenor：(一时的)心情，情绪。

3.dreriment：悲伤，忧伤。

4.resound：表扬，赞美，歌颂。