On Westwell Downes

William Strode 1602 – 1645



When Westwell Downes I gan to tread,
Where cleanely wynds the greene did sweepe,
Methought a landskipp there was spread,
Here a bush and there a sheepe:
 The pleated wrinkles of the face
 Of wave-swolne earth did lend such grace,
 As shadowings in Imag'ry
 Which both deceive and please the eye.

The sheepe sometymes did tread the maze
By often wynding in and in,
And sometymes round about they trace
Which milkmayds call a Fairie ring:
 Such semicircles have they runne,
 Such lynes acrosse so trymly spunne
 That sheppeards learne whenere they please
 A new Geometry with ease.

The slender food upon the downe
Is allwayes even, allwayes bare,
Which neither spring nor winter's frowne
Can ought improve or ought impayre:
 Such is the barren Eunuches chynne,
 Which thus doth evermore begynne
 With tender downe to be orecast
 Which never comes to haire at last.

Here and there twoe hilly crests
Amiddst them hugg a pleasant greene,
And these are like twoe swelling breasts
That close a tender fall betweene.
 Here would I sleepe, or read, or pray
 From early morne till flight of day:
 But harke! a sheepe-bell calls mee upp,
 Like Oxford colledge bells, to supp.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on May 03, 2023

1:00 min read
85

Quick analysis:

Scheme ABABCCDX XECXEEFF XDEDEEAX GXGEDXBB
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 1,141
Words 200
Stanzas 4
Stanza Lengths 8, 8, 8, 8

William Strode

William Strode (c. 1602 – 1645) was an English poet, Doctor of Divinity and Public Orator of Oxford University, one of the Worthies of Devon of John Prince (d.1723). more…

All William Strode poems | William Strode Books

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