WHIMS AND ODDITIES. THE PRAYSE OF IGNORANCE. AN EXTRACT FROM Aan oratioN DELIVERED BEFORE THE MOST GRAVE AND LEARNED FACULTY Of Padua, BY THE ADMirable crICHTON. Now your Clowne knoweth none of the Bokeman's troubles, and his dayes be the longer; for he doth not vault upon the fierie Pegasus, but jumpes merrilye upon old Ball, who is a cart-horse, and singeth another man's song, which hath, it may be, thirty and six verses, and a burthen withal, and goes to a tune which no man knowes but himself. Alsoe, he wooes the ruddye Cicely, which is not a Muse, but as comely a maide of fleshe as needes be, and many daintye ballades are made of their loves, as may be read in our Poets, their Pastoralls; only that therein he is called Damon, which standes for Roger, and Cicely, belike, is ycleped Sylvia, as belongs to their pas torall abodes. Where they lead soe happye life as to stir up envye in the towne's women, who would fain become Shepherdesses, by hook and by crook, and get green gownes and lay down upon the sweet verdant grass. Oh, how pleasauntly they sit all the daye long under a shady tree, to hear the young lambes; but at night they listen to the plaintive Philomell, and the gallaunts doe make them chappelets: or, if it chance to be May, they goe a Mayinge, whilst the yonge buds smell sweetlye, and the littel birdes are whistlynge and hoppinge all about. Then Roger and Cicely sit adowne under the white hawthorne, and he makes love to her in a shepherd-like waye, in the midst of her flocke. She doth not minde sheepes'-eyes. Even like Cupid and Psyche, as they are set forthe by a cunning Flemishe Limner, as hath been my hap to behold |