1

Calme was the day, and through the trembling ayre,

Sweete breathing Zephyrus did softly play,

A gentle spirit, that lightly did delay1

Hot Titans beames, which then did glyster2 fayre:

When I whom sullein care,

Through discontent of my long fruitlesse stay

In Princes Court, and expectation vayne

Of idle hopes, which still doe fly away,

Like empty shadowes, did afflict my brayne,

Walkt forth to ease my payne

Along the shoare of silver streaming Themmes3,

Whose rutty4 Bnanke, the which his River hemmes,

Was paynted all with variable5 flowers,

And all the meades adornd with daintie gemmes,

Fir to decke maydens bowres,

And crowne their Paramours6,

Against the Brydale day, which is not long:

Sweete Themmes runne softly, till I end my song.

注释：1.delay：减轻。

2.glyster：发光；发亮；照耀。

3.Themmes：在诗歌中详细描写讲述者走出城镇，来到河边时所看到的景物，很久以来一直都是一个习惯的创作手法。文艺复兴时期英国诗人托马斯·纳什曾经创作过一首诗，名叫《情人的选择》，比斯宾塞这首诗的出版时间晚两年左右。其中纳什就模仿过这一惯例创作手法。

4.rutty：根多的；根状的。

5.variable：多样的；各种各样的。

6.Paramours：恋人，情人。