When Orpheus Sweetly Did Complayne

When Orpheus sweetly did complayne Upon his lute with heavy strayne How his Euridice was slayne, The trees to heare Obtayn'd an eare, And after left it off againe. At every stroake and every stay The boughs kept time, and nodding lay, And listened bending all one way: The aspen tree As well as hee Began to shake and learn'd to play. If wood could speake, a tree might heare, If wood could sound true greife so neare A tree might dropp an amber teare: If wood so well Could ring a knell The Cipres might condole the beare. The standing nobles of the grove Hearing dead wood so speak and move The fatall axe beganne to love: They envyde death That gave such breath As men alive doe saints above