Was neuer pype of reede did better sounde.
Winter is come, that blowes the bitter blaste,
And after Winter commeth death does hast.
My little flock, that was to me so liefe:
Let me, ah lette me in your folds ye lock,
Ere the breme Winter breede you greater griefe.
Winter is come, that blowes the balefull breath,
And after Winter commeth timely death.
Adieu my deare, whose loue I bought so deare:
Adieu my little Lambes and loued sheepe,
Adieu ye Woodes that oft my witnesse were:
Adieu good Hobbinol, that was so true,
Tell Rosalind, her Colin bids her adieu.
Colins Embleme.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ab/The_Shepheardes_Calender_-_Spenser_%281579%29_-_fleuron_type_1.jpg/400px-The_Shepheardes_Calender_-_Spenser_%281579%29_-_fleuron_type_1.jpg)
GLOSSE.
Tityrus) Chaucer as hath bene oft sayd.
Lambkins) young lambes.
Als of their) Semeth to expresse Virgilsverse Pan curat oues ouiumque magistros.
Deigne) voutchsafe.
Eabinet) Colinet) diminutines.
Mazie) For they be like to a maze whence it is hard to get out agayne.
Peres) felowes and companions.
Musick) that is Poetry as Terence sayth Qui artem tractant musicam, speking of Poetes.
Derring doe) aforesayd.
Lions house) He imagineth simply that Cupid, which is loue, had his abode in the whote signe Leo, which is in middest of somer; a pretie allegory, where of the meaning is, that loue in him wrought an extraordinarie heate of lust.
His ray) which is Cupides beame or flames of Loue.
A Comete) a blasing starre, meant of beautie, which was the cause of his whote loue.
Venus) the goddesse of beauty or pleasure. Also a signe in heauen, as it is here taken. So he meaneth that beautie, which hath alwayes aspect to Venus, was the cause of all his vnquietnes in loue.
Where I was) a fine discription of the chaunge of hys lyfe and liking; for all things nowe
seemed