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diff --git a/10602-h/10602-h.htm b/10602-h/10602-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..bc21d4b --- /dev/null +++ b/10602-h/10602-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,14993 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" +"http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=UTF-8" /> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> +<title>The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Poetical Works of Edmund Spenser, Volume 5, by Edmund Spenser</title> + +<style type="text/css"> + +body { margin-left: 20%; + margin-right: 20%; + text-align: justify; } + +h1, h2, h3, h4, h5 {text-align: center; font-style: normal; font-weight: +normal; line-height: 1.5; margin-top: .5em; margin-bottom: .5em;} + +h1 {font-size: 300%; + margin-top: 0.6em; + margin-bottom: 0.6em; + letter-spacing: 0.12em; + word-spacing: 0.2em; + text-indent: 0em;} +h2 {font-size: 150%; margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 1em;} +h3 {font-size: 130%; margin-top: 1em;} +h4 {font-size: 120%;} +h5 {font-size: 110%;} + +div.chapter {page-break-before: always; margin-top: 4em;} + +hr {width: 80%; margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 2em;} + +p {text-indent: 1em; + margin-top: 0.25em; + margin-bottom: 0.25em; } + +p.center {text-align: center; + text-indent: 0em; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; } + +p.right {text-align: right; + margin-right: 10%; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; } + +p.stanza {text-indent: 0%; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; } + +a:link {color:blue; text-decoration:none} +a:visited {color:blue; text-decoration:none} +a:hover {color:red} + +</style> + +</head> + +<body> +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 10602 ***</div> + +<h1>THE<br/> +POETICAL WORKS<br/> +OF<br/> +EDMUND SPENSER</h1> + +<h5>VOLUME V.</h5> + +<h4>M.DCCC.LX.</h4> + +<hr /> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h4>CONTENTS<br/> +OF THE FIFTH VOLUME.</h4> + +<table summary="" style=""> + +<tr> +<td> MISCELLANIES.</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> Complaints</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap01">The Ruines of Time</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap02">The Teares of the Muses</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap03">Virgils Gnat</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap04">Prosopopoia: or Mother Hubberds Tale</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap05">Ruines of Rome: by Bellay</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap06">Muiopotmos: or the Fate of the Butterflie</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap07">Visions of the Worlds Vanitie</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap08">The Visions of Bellay</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap09">The Visions of Petrarch</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap10">Daphnaida</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap11">Amoretti</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap12">Epithalamion</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap13">Prothalamion</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap14">Fowre Hymnes</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap15">Epigrams</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap16">Sonnets</a><br /><br /></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap17"><b>APPENDIX.</b></a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap18">I. Variations from the Original Editions</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap19">II. Two Letters from Spenser to Harvey</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap20">III. Index of Proper Names</a></td> +</tr> + +</table> + +<hr /> + +<h4>MISCELLANIES.</h4> + +<h3>COMPLAINTS.</h3> + +<h5>CONTAINING SUNDRIE SMALL POEMES OF THE +WORLDS VANITIE:</h5> + +<h5>WHEREOF THE NEXT PAGE MAKETH MENTION.</h5> + +<h5>BY ED. SP.</h5> + +<hr /> + +<p class="center"> +LONDON.<br/> +IMPRINTED FOR WILLIAM PONSONBIE,<br/> +DWELLING IN PAULES CHURCHYARD<br/> +AT THE SIGNE OF THE<br/> +BISHOPS HEAD.<br/> +1591. +</p> + +<hr /> + +<h5>A NOTE OF THE SUNDRIE POEMES CONTAINED IN THIS VOLUME.</h5> + +<p> +1. The Ruines of Time. +</p> + +<p> +2. The Teares of the Muses. +</p> + +<p> +3. Virgils Gnat. +</p> + +<p> +4. Prosopopoia, or Mother Hubberds Tale. +</p> + +<p> +5. The Ruines of Rome: by Bellay. +</p> + +<p> +6. Muiopotmos, or The Tale of the Butterflie. +</p> + +<p> +7. Visions of the Worlds Vanitie. +</p> + +<p> +8. Bellayes Visions. +</p> + +<p> +9. Petrarches Visions. +</p> + +<hr /> + +<h5>THE PRINTER TO THE GENTLE READER.</h5> + +<p> +Since my late setting foorth of the Faerie Queene, finding that it hath found a +favourable passage amongst you, I have sithence endevoured by all good meanes, +(for the better encrease and accomplishment of your delights,) to get into my +handes such smale poemes of the same Authors as I heard were disperst abroad in +sundrie hands, and not easie to bee come by by himselfe; some of them having +bene diverslie imbeziled and purloyned from him, since his departure over sea. +Of the which I have by good meanes gathered togeather these fewe parcels +present, which I have caused to bee imprinted altogeather, for that they al +seeme to containe like matter of argument in them, being all complaints and +meditations of the worlds vanitie, verie grave and profitable. To which effect +I understand that he besides wrote sundrie others, namelie: <i>Ecclesiastes</i> +and <i>Canticum Canticorum</i> translated, <i>A Senights Slumber, The Hell of +Lovers, his Purgatorie</i>, being all dedicated to ladies, so as it may seeme +he ment them all to one volume: besides some other pamphlets looselie scattered +abroad; as <i>The Dying Pellican, The Howers of the Lord, The Sacrifice of a +Sinner, The Seven Psalmes</i>, &c., which, when I can either by himselfe or +otherwise attaine too, I meane likewise for your favour sake to set foorth. In +the meane time, praying you gentlie to accept of these, and graciouslie to +entertaine the new Poet*, I take leave. +</p> + +<p> +[* Spenser had printed nothing with his name before the Faerie +Queene.—Ponsonby’s account of the way in which this volume was collected is +rather loose. The Ruins of Time and The Tears of the Muses were certainly +written shortly before they were published, and there can be equally little +doubt that Mother Hubberd’s Tale was retouched about the same time. C.] +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap01"></a>THE RUINES OF TIME.</h2> + +<h4>DEDICATED</h4> + +<h5>TO THE RIGHT NOBLE AND BEAUTIFULL LADIE,</h5> + +<h5>THE LA: MARIE,</h5> + +<h5>COUNTESSE OF PEMEBROOKE.</h5> + +<p class="stanza"> +Most honourable and bountifull Ladie, there bee long sithens deepe sowed in my +brest the seede of most entire love and humble affection unto that most brave +knight, your noble brother deceased; which, taking roote, began in his life +time somewhat to bud forth, and to shew themselves to him, as then in the +weakenes of their first spring; and would in their riper strength (had it +pleased High God till then to drawe out his daies) spired forth fruit of more +perfection. But since God hath disdeigned the world of that most noble spirit +which was the hope of all learned men, and the patron of my young Muses, +togeather with him both their hope of anie further fruit was cut off, and also +the tender delight of those their first blossoms nipped and quite dead. Yet, +sithens my late cumming into England, some frends of mine, which might much +prevaile with me, and indeede commaund me, knowing with howe straight bandes of +duetie I was tied to him, as also bound unto that noble house, of which the +chiefs hope then rested in him, have sought to revive them by upbraiding me, +for that I have not shewed anie thankefull remembrance towards him or any of +them, but suffer their names to sleep in silence and forgetfulnesse. Whome +chieflie to satisfie, or els to avoide that fowle blot of unthankefulnesse, I +have conceived this small Poeme, intituled by a generall name of <i>The Worlds +Ruines;</i> yet speciallie intended to the renowming of that noble race from +which both you and he sprong, and to the eternizing of some of the chiefe of +them late deceased. The which I dedicate unto your La. as whome it most +speciallie concerneth, and to whome I acknowledge my selfe bounden by manie +singular favours and great graces. I pray for your honourable happinesse, and +so humblie kisse your handes. +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Your Ladiships ever humblie at commaund, +</p> + +<p class="right"> +E.S. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3>THE RUINES OF TIME.</h3> + +<p class="stanza"> +It chaunced me on* day beside the shore<br/> +Of silver streaming Thamesis to bee,<br/> +Nigh where the goodly Verlame stood of yore,<br/> +Of which there now remaines no memorie,<br/> +Nor anie little moniment to see, 5<br/> +By which the travailer that fares that way<br/> +<i>This once was she</i> may warned be to say.<br/> + [* <i>On</i>, one.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +There, on the other side, I did behold<br/> +A Woman sitting sorrowfullie wailing,<br/> +Rending her yeolow locks, like wyrie golde 10<br/> +About her shoulders careleslie downe trailing,<br/> +And streames of teares from her faire eyes forth railing*:<br/> +In her right hand a broken rod she held,<br/> +Which towards heaven shee seemd on high to weld,<br/> + [* <i>Railing</i>, flowing.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Whether she were one of that rivers nymphes, 15<br/> +Which did the losse of some dere Love lament,<br/> +I doubt; or one of those three fatall impes<br/> +Which draw the dayes of men forth in extent;<br/> +Or th’auncient genius of that citie brent*;<br/> +But, seeing her so piteouslie perplexed, 20<br/> +I, to her calling, askt what her so vexed.<br/> + [* <i>Brent</i>, burnt.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“Ah! what delight,” quoth she, “in earthlie thing,<br/> +Or comfort can I, wretched creature, have?<br/> +Whose happines the heavens envying,<br/> +From highest staire to lowest step me drave, 25<br/> +And have in mine owne bowels made my grave,<br/> +That of all nations now I am forlorne*,<br/> +The worlds sad spectacle, and Fortunes scorne.”<br/> + [* <i>Forlorne</i>, forsaken.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Much was I mooved at her piteous plaint,<br/> +And felt my heart nigh riven in my brest 30<br/> +With tender ruth to see her sore constraint;<br/> +That, shedding teares, a while I still did rest,<br/> +And after did her name of her request.<br/> +“Name have I none,” quoth she, “nor anie being,<br/> +Bereft of both by Fates uniust decreeing. 35 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“I was that citie which the garland wore<br/> +Of Britaines pride, delivered unto me<br/> +By Romane victors which it wonne of yore;<br/> +Though nought at all but ruines now I bee,<br/> +And lye in mine owne ashes, as ye see, 40<br/> +VERLAME I was; what bootes it that I was,<br/> +Sith now I am but weedes and wastfull gras? +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“O vaine worlds glorie, and unstedfast state<br/> +Of all that lives on face of sinfull earth!<br/> +Which, from their first untill their utmost date, 45<br/> +Tast no one hower of happines or merth;<br/> +But like as at the ingate* of their berth<br/> +They crying creep out of their mothers woomb,<br/> +So wailing backe go to their wofull toomb.<br/> + [* <i>Ingate</i>, entrance, beginning.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“Why then dooth flesh, a bubble-glas of breath, 50<br/> +Hunt after honour and advauncement vaine,<br/> +And reare a trophee for devouring death<br/> +With so great labour and long-lasting paine,<br/> +As if his daies for ever should remaine?<br/> +Sith all that in this world is great or gaie 55<br/> +Doth as a vapour vanish and decaie. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“Looke backe, who list, unto the former ages,<br/> +And call to count what is of them become.<br/> +Where be those learned wits and antique sages,<br/> +Which of all wisedome knew the perfect somme? 60<br/> +Where those great warriors, which did overcome<br/> +The world with conquest of their might and maine,<br/> +And made one meare* of th’earth and of their raine?<br/> + [* <i>Meare</i>, boundary.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“What nowe is of th’Assyrian Lyonesse,<br/> +Of whome no footing now on earth appeares? 65<br/> +What of the Persian Beares outragiousnesse,<br/> +Whose memorie is quite worne out with yeares?<br/> +Who of the Grecian Libbard* now ought heares,<br/> +That over-ran the East with greedie powre,<br/> +And left his whelps their kingdomes to devoure? 70<br/> + [* <i>Libbard</i>, leopard] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“And where is that same great seven-headded beast,<br/> +That made all nations vassals of her pride,<br/> +To fall before her feete at her beheast,<br/> +And in the necke of all the world did ride?<br/> +Where doth she all that wondrous welth nowe hide? 75<br/> +With her own weight downe pressed now shee lies,<br/> +And by her heaps her hugenesse testifies. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“O Rome, thy ruine I lament and rue,<br/> +And in thy fall my fatall overthrowe,<br/> +That whilom was, whilst heavens with equall vewe 80<br/> +Deignd to behold me and their gifts bestowe,<br/> +The picture of thy pride in pompous shew:<br/> +And of the whole world as thou wast the empresse,<br/> +So I of this small Northerne world was princesse. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“To tell the beawtie of my buildings fayre, 85<br/> +Adornd with purest golde and precious stone,<br/> +To tell my riches and endowments rare,<br/> +That by my foes are now all spent and gone,<br/> +To tell my forces, matchable to none,<br/> +Were but lost labour that few would beleeve, 90<br/> +And with rehearsing would me more agreeve. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“High towers, faire temples, goodly theaters,<br/> +Strong walls, rich porches, princelie pallaces,<br/> +Large streetes, brave houses, sacred sepulchers,<br/> +Sure gates, sweete gardens, stately galleries 95<br/> +Wrought with faire pillours and fine imageries,—<br/> +All those, O pitie! now are turnd to dust,<br/> +And overgrowen with blacke oblivions rust. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“Theretoo, for warlike power and peoples store<br/> +In Britannie was none to match with mee, 100<br/> +That manie often did abie full sore:<br/> +Ne Troynovant*, though elder sister shee,<br/> +With my great forces might compared bee;<br/> +That stout Pendragon to his perill felt,<br/> +Who in a siege seaven yeres about me dwelt. 105<br/> + [* <i>Troynovant</i>, London] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“But long ere this, Bunduca, Britonnesse,<br/> +Her mightie hoast against my bulwarkes brought;<br/> +Bunduca! that victorious conqueresse,<br/> +That, lifting up her brave heroick thought<br/> +Bove womens weaknes, with the Romanes fought, 110<br/> +Fought, and in field against them thrice prevailed:<br/> +Yet was she foyld, when as she me assailed. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“And though at last by force I conquered were<br/> +Of hardie Saxons, and became their thrall,<br/> +Yet was I with much bloodshed bought full deere, 115<br/> +And prizde with slaughter of their generall,<br/> +The moniment of whose sad funerall,<br/> +For wonder of the world, long in me lasted,<br/> +But now to nought, through spoyle of time, is wasted. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“Wasted it is, as if it never were; 120<br/> +And all the rest that me so honord made,<br/> +And of the world admired ev’rie where,<br/> +Is turnd to smoake that doth to nothing fade;<br/> +And of that brightnes now appeares no shade,<br/> +But greislie shades, such as doo haunt in hell 125<br/> +With fearfull fiends that in deep darknes dwell. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“Where my high steeples whilom usde to stand,<br/> +On which the lordly faulcon wont to towre,<br/> +There now is but an heap of lyme and sand<br/> +For the shriche-owle to build her balefull bowre: 130<br/> +And where the nightingale wont forth to powre<br/> +Her restles plaints, to comfort wakefull lovers,<br/> +There now haunt yelling mewes and whining plovers. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“And where the christall Thamis wont to slide<br/> +In silver channell downe along the lee, 135<br/> +About whose flowrie bankes on either side<br/> +A thousand nymphes, with mirthfull iollitee,<br/> +Were wont to play, from all annoyance free,<br/> +There now no rivers course is to be seene,<br/> +But moorish fennes, and marshes ever greene. 140 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“Seemes that that gentle river, for great griefe<br/> +Of my mishaps which oft I to him plained,<br/> +Or for to shunne the horrible mischiefe<br/> +With which he saw my cruell foes me pained,<br/> +And his pure streames with guiltles blood oft stained,<br/> +From my unhappie neighborhood farre fled, 145<br/> +And his sweete waters away with him led. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“There also where the winged ships were seene<br/> +In liquid waves to cut their fomie waie,<br/> +And thousand fishers numbred to have been, 150<br/> +In that wide lake looking for plenteous praie<br/> +Of fish, which they with baits usde to betraie,<br/> +Is now no lake, nor anie fishers store,<br/> +Nor ever ship shall saile there anie more. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“They all are gone, and all with them is gone! 155<br/> +Ne ought to me remaines, but to lament<br/> +My long decay, which no man els doth mone,<br/> +And mourne my fall with dolefull dreriment:<br/> +Yet it is comfort in great languishment,<br/> +To be bemoned with compassion kinde, 160<br/> +And mitigates the anguish of the minde. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“But me no man bewaileth, but in game<br/> +Ne sheddeth teares from lamentable eie;<br/> +Nor anie lives that mentioneth my name<br/> +To be remembred of posteritie, 165<br/> +Save one, that maugre Fortunes iniurie,<br/> +And Times decay, and Envies cruell tort*,<br/> +Hath writ my record in true-seeming sort.<br/> + [* <i>Tort</i>, wrong] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“CAMBDEN! the nourice* of antiquitie,<br/> +And lanterne unto late succeding age 170<br/> +To see the light of simple veritie<br/> +Buried in ruines, through the great outrage<br/> +Of her owne people led with warlike rage,<br/> +CAMBDEN! though Time all moniments obscure,<br/> +Yet thy iust labours ever shall endure. 175<br/> + [* <i>Nourice</i>, nurse] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“But whie, unhappie wight! doo I thus crie,<br/> +And grieve that my remembrance quite is raced*<br/> +Out of the knowledge of posteritie,<br/> +And all my antique moniments defaced?<br/> +Sith I doo dailie see things highest placed, 180<br/> +So soone as Fates their vitall thred have shorne,<br/> +Forgotten quite as they were never borne<br/> + [* <i>Raced</i>, razed.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“It is not long, since these two eyes beheld<br/> +A mightie Prince*, of most renowmed race,<br/> +Whom England high in count of honour held, 185<br/> +And greatest ones did sue to game his grace;<br/> +Of greatest ones he, greatest in his place,<br/> +Sate in the bosom of his Soveraine,<br/> +And <i>Right and Loyall</i>** did his word maintaine.<br/> + [* I. e. the Earl of Leicester.]<br/> + [** Leicester’s motto.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“I saw him die, I saw him die as one 190<br/> +Of the meane people, and brought foorth on beare;<br/> +I saw him die, and no man left to mone<br/> +His dolefull fate that late him loved deare;<br/> +Scarse anie left to close his eylids neare;<br/> +Scarse anie left upon his lips to laie 195<br/> +The sacred sod, or requiem to saie. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“O trustlesse state of miserable men,<br/> +That builde your blis on hope of earthly thing,<br/> +And vainly thinke your selves halfe happie then,<br/> +When painted faces with smooth flattering 200<br/> +Doo fawne on you, and your wide praises sing;<br/> +And, when the courting masker louteth* lowe,<br/> +Him true in heart and trustie to you trow!<br/> + [* <i>Louteth</i>, boweth.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“All is but fained, and with oaker* dide,<br/> +That everie shower will wash and wipe away; 205<br/> +All things doo change that under heaven abide,<br/> +And after death all friendship doth decaie.<br/> +Therefore, what ever man bearst worldlie sway,<br/> +Living, on God and on thy selfe relie;<br/> +For, when thou diest, all shall with thee die. 210<br/> + [* <i>Oaker</i>, ochre, paint.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“He now is dead, and all is with him dead,<br/> +Save what in heavens storehouse he uplaid:<br/> +His hope is faild, and come to passe his dread,<br/> +And evill men (now dead) his deeds upbraid:<br/> +Spite bites the dead, that living never baid. 215<br/> +He now is gone, the whiles the foxe is crept<br/> +Into the hole the which the badger swept. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“He now is dead, and all his glorie gone,<br/> +And all his greatnes vapoured to nought,<br/> +That as a glasse upon the water shone, 220<br/> +Which vanisht quite so soone as it was sought.<br/> +His name is worne alreadie out of thought,<br/> +Ne anie poet seekes him to revive;<br/> +Yet manie poets honourd him alive. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“Ne doth his Colin, carelesse Colin Cloute, 225<br/> +Care now his idle bagpipe up to raise,<br/> +Ne tell his sorrow to the listning rout<br/> +Of shepherd groomes, which wont his songs to praise:<br/> +Praise who so list, yet I will him dispraise,<br/> +Untill he quite* him of this guiltie blame. 230<br/> +Wake, shepheards boy, at length awake for shame!<br/> + [* <i>Quite</i>, acquit.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“And who so els did goodnes by him game,<br/> +And who so els his bounteous minde did trie*,<br/> +Whether he shepheard be, or shepheards swaine,<br/> +(For manie did, which doo it now denie,) 235<br/> +Awake, and to his song a part applie:<br/> +And I, the whilest you mourne for his decease,<br/> +Will with my mourning plaints your plaint increase.<br/> + [* <i>Trie</i>, experience.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“He dyde, and after him his brother dyde,<br/> +His brother prince, his brother noble peere, 240<br/> +That whilste he lived was of none envyde,<br/> +And dead is now, as living, counted deare;<br/> +Deare unto all that true affection beare,<br/> +But unto thee most deare, O dearest Dame,<br/> +His noble spouse and paragon of fame. 245 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“He, whilest he lived, happie was through thee,<br/> +And, being dead, is happie now much more;<br/> +Living, that lincked chaunst with thee to bee,<br/> +And dead, because him dead thou dost adore<br/> +As living, and thy lost deare love deplore. 250<br/> +So whilst that thou, faire flower of chastitie,<br/> +Dost live, by thee thy lord shall never die. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“Thy lord shall never die, the whiles this verse<br/> +Shall live, and surely it shall live for ever:<br/> +For ever it shall live, and shall rehearse 255<br/> +His worthie praise, and vertues dying never,<br/> +Though death his soule doo from his bodie sever:<br/> +And thou thy selfe herein shalt also live;<br/> +Such grace the heavens doo to my verses give. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“Ne shall his sister, ne thy father, die; 260<br/> +Thy father, that good earle of rare renowne,<br/> +And noble patrone of weake povertie;<br/> +Whose great good deeds, in countrey and in towne.<br/> +Have purchast him in heaven an happie crowne:<br/> +Where he now liveth in eternall blis, 265<br/> +And left his sonne t’ensue those steps of his. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“He, noble bud, his grandsires livelie hayre,<br/> +Under the shadow of thy countenaunce<br/> +Now ginnes to shoote up fast, and flourish fayre<br/> +In learned artes, and goodlie governaunce, 270<br/> +That him to highest honour shall advaunce.<br/> +Brave impe* of Bedford, grow apace in bountie,<br/> +And count of wisedome more than of thy countie!<br/> + [* <i>Impe</i>, graft, scion.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“Ne may I let thy husbands sister die,<br/> +That goodly ladie, sith she eke did spring 275<br/> +Out of this stocke and famous familie<br/> +Whose praises I to future age doo sing;<br/> +And foorth out of her happie womb did bring<br/> +The sacred brood of learning and all honour;<br/> +In whom the heavens powrde all their gifts upon her. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“Most gentle spirite breathed from above, 281<br/> +Out of the bosome of the Makers blis,<br/> +In whom all bountie and all vertuous love<br/> +Appeared in their native propertis,<br/> +And did enrich that noble breast of his 285<br/> +With treasure passing all this worldës worth,<br/> +Worthie of heaven it selfe, which brought it forth: +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“His blessed spirite, full of power divine<br/> +And influence of all celestiall grace,<br/> +Loathing this sinfull earth and earthlie slime, 290<br/> +Fled backe too soonc unto his native place;<br/> +Too soone for all that did his love embrace,<br/> +Too soone for all this wretched world, whom he<br/> +Robd of all right and true nobilitie. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“Yet, ere his happie soule to heaven went 295<br/> +Out of this fleshlie goale, he did devise<br/> +Unto his heavenlie Maker to present<br/> +His bodie, as a spotles sacrifise,<br/> +And chose that guiltie hands of enemies<br/> +Should powre forth th’offring of his guiltles blood:<br/> +So life exchanging for his countries good. 300 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“O noble spirite, live there ever blessed,<br/> +The worlds late wonder, and the heavens new ioy;<br/> +Live ever there, and leave me here distressed<br/> +With mortall cares and cumbrous worlds anoy! 305<br/> +But, where thou dost that happines enioy,<br/> +Bid me, O bid me quicklie come to thee,<br/> +That happie there I maie thee alwaies see! +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“Yet, whilest the Fates affoord me vitall breath,<br/> +I will it spend in speaking of thy praise, 310<br/> +And sing to thee, untill that timelie death<br/> +By heavens doome doo ende my earthlie daies:<br/> +Thereto doo thou my humble spirite raise,<br/> +And into me that sacred breath inspire,<br/> +Which thou there breathest perfect and entire. 315 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“Then will I sing; but who can better sing<br/> +Than thine owne sister, peerles ladie bright,<br/> +Which to thee sings with deep harts sorrowing,<br/> +Sorrowing tempered with deare delight,<br/> +That her to heare I feele my feeble spright 320<br/> +Robbed of sense, and ravished with ioy;<br/> +O sad ioy, made of mourning and anoy! +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“Yet will I sing; but who can better sing<br/> +Than thou thyselfe thine owne selfes valiance,<br/> +That, whilest thou livedst, madest the forrests ring, 325<br/> +And fields resownd, and flockes to leap and daunce,<br/> +And shepheards leave their lambs unto mischaunce,<br/> +To runne thy shrill Arcadian pipe to heare:<br/> +O happie were those dayes, thrice happie were! +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“But now more happie thou, and wretched wee, 330<br/> +Which want the wonted sweetnes of thy voice,<br/> +Whiles thou now in Elisian fields so free,<br/> +With Orpheus, and with Linus, and the choice<br/> +Of all that ever did in rimes reioyce,<br/> +Conversest, and doost heare their heavenlie layes, 335<br/> +And they heare thine, and thine doo better praise. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“So there thou livest, singing evermore,<br/> +And here thou livest, being ever song<br/> +Of us, which living loved thee afore,<br/> +And now thee worship mongst that blessed throng 340<br/> +Of heavenlie poets and heroës strong.<br/> +So thou both here and there immortall art,<br/> +And everie where through excellent desart. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“But such as neither of themselves can sing,<br/> +Nor yet are sung of others for reward, 345<br/> +Die in obscure oblivion, as the thing<br/> +Which never was; ne ever with regard<br/> +Their names shall of the later age be heard,<br/> +But shall in rustic darknes ever lie,<br/> +Unles they mentiond be with infamie. 350 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“What booteth it to have been rich alive?<br/> +What to be great? what to be gracious?<br/> +When after death no token doth survive<br/> +Of former being in this mortall hous,<br/> +But sleepes in dust dead and inglorious, 355<br/> +Like beast, whose breath but in his nostrels is,<br/> +And hath no hope of happinesse or blis. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“How manie great ones may remembred be,<br/> +Which in their daies most famouslie did florish,<br/> +Of whome no word we heare, nor signe now see, 360<br/> +But as things wipt out with a sponge to perishe,<br/> +Because they living cared not to cherishe<br/> +No gentle wits, through pride or covetize,<br/> +Which might their names for ever memorize! +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“Provide therefore, ye Princes, whilst ye live, 365<br/> +That of the Muses ye may friended bee,<br/> +Which unto men eternitie do give;<br/> +For they be daughters of Dame Memorie<br/> +And love, the father of Eternitie,<br/> +And do those men in golden thrones repose, 370<br/> +Whose merits they to glorifie do chose. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“The seven-fold yron gates of grislie Hell,<br/> +And horrid house of sad Proserpina,<br/> +They able are with power of mightie spell<br/> +To breake, and thence the soules to bring awaie 375<br/> +Out of dread darkenesse to eternall day,<br/> +And them immortall make which els would die<br/> +In foule forgetfulnesse, and nameles lie. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“So whilome raised they the puissant brood<br/> +Of golden-girt Alcmena, for great merite, 380<br/> +Out of the dust to which the Oetaean wood<br/> +Had him consum’d, and spent his vitall spirite,<br/> +To highest heaven, where now he doth inherite<br/> +All happinesse in Hebes silver bowre,<br/> +Chosen to be her dearest paramoure. 385 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“So raisde they eke faire Ledaes warlick twinnes.<br/> +And interchanged life unto them lent,<br/> +That, when th’one diës, th’other then beginnes<br/> +To shew in heaven his brightnes orient;<br/> +And they, for pittie of the sad wayment*, 390<br/> +Which Orpheus for Eurydice did make,<br/> +Her back againe to life sent for his sake.<br/> + [* <i>Wayment</i>, lament.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“So happie are they, and so fortunate,<br/> +Whom the Pierian sacred sisters love,<br/> +That freed from bands of impacable** fate, 395<br/> +And power of death, they live for aye above,<br/> +Where mortall wreakes their blis may not remove:<br/> +But with the gods, for former verities meede,<br/> +On nectar and ambrosia do feede.<br/> + [* <i>Impacable</i>, unappeasable.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“For deeds doe die, how ever noblie donne, 400<br/> +And thoughts of men do as themselves decay;<br/> +But wise wordes taught in numbers for to runne,<br/> +Recorded by the Muses, live for ay;<br/> +Ne may with storming showers be washt away,<br/> +Ne bitter-breathing windes with harmfull blast, 405<br/> +Nor age, nor envie, shall them ever wast. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“In vaine doo earthly princes then, in vaine,<br/> +Seeke with pyramides to heaven aspired,<br/> +Or huge colosses built with costlie paine,<br/> +Or brasen pillours never to be fired, 410<br/> +Or shrines made of the mettall most desired,<br/> +To make their memories for ever live:<br/> +For how can mortall immortalitie give? +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“Such one Mausolus made, the worlds great wonder,<br/> +But now no remnant doth thereof remaine: 415<br/> +Such one Marcellus, but was torne with thunder:<br/> +Such one Lisippus, but is worne with raine:<br/> +Such one King Edmond, but was rent for gaine.<br/> +All such vaine moniments of earthlie masse,<br/> +Devour’d of Time, in time to nought doo passe. 420 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“But Fame with golden wings aloft doth flie,<br/> +Above the reach of ruinous decay,<br/> +And with brave plumes doth beate the azure skie,<br/> +Admir’d of base-borne men from farre away:<br/> +Then who so will with vertuous deeds assay 425<br/> +To mount to heaven, on Pegasus must ride,<br/> +And with sweete Poets verse be glorifide. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“For not to have been dipt in Lethe lake,<br/> +Could save the sonne of Thetis from to die;<br/> +But that blinde bard did him immortall make 430<br/> +With verses dipt in deaw of Castalie:<br/> +Which made the Easterne conquerour to crie,<br/> +O fortunate yong man! whose vertue found<br/> +So brave a trompe thy noble acts to sound. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“Therefore in this halfe happie I doo read* 435<br/> +Good Melibae, that hath a poet got<br/> +To sing his living praises being dead,<br/> +Deserving never here to be forgot,<br/> +In spight of envie, that his deeds would spot:<br/> +Since whose decease, learning lies unregarded, 440<br/> +And men of armes doo wander unrewarded.<br/> + [* <i>Read</i>, consider] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“Those two be those two great calamities,<br/> +That long agoe did grieve the noble spright<br/> +Of Salomon with great indignities,<br/> +Who whilome was alive the wisest wight: 445<br/> +But now his wisedome is disprooved quite,<br/> +For he that now welds* all things at his will<br/> +Scorns th’one and th’other in his deeper skill.<br/> + [* <i>Welds</i>, wields] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“O griefe of griefes! O gall of all good heartes!<br/> +To see that vertue should dispised bee 450<br/> +Of him that first was raisde for vertuous parts,<br/> +And now, broad spreading like an aged tree,<br/> +Lets none shoot up that nigh him planted bee.<br/> +O let the man of whom the Muse is scorned,<br/> +Nor alive nor dead, be of the Muse adorned! 455 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“O vile worlds trust! that with such vaine illusion<br/> +Hath so wise men bewitcht and overkest*,<br/> +That they see not the way of their confusion:<br/> +O vainesse to be added to the rest<br/> +That do my soule with inward griefe infest! 460<br/> +Let them behold the piteous fall of mee,<br/> +And in my case their owne ensample see.<br/> + [* <i>Overkest</i>, overcast.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“And who so els that sits in highest seate<br/> +Of this worlds glorie, worshipped of all,<br/> +Ne feareth change of time, nor fortunes threats, 465<br/> +Let him behold the horror of my fall,<br/> +And his owne end unto remembrance call;<br/> +That of like ruine he may warned bee,<br/> +And in himselfe be moov’d to pittie mee.” +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Thus having ended all her piteous plaint, 470<br/> +With dolefull shrikes shee vanished away,<br/> +That I, through inward sorrowe wexen faint,<br/> +And all astonished with deepe dismay<br/> +For her departure, had no word to say;<br/> +But sate long time in sencelesse sad affright, 475<br/> +Looking still, if I might of her have sight. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Which when I missed, having looked long,<br/> +My thought returned greeved home againe,<br/> +Renewing her complaint with passion strong,<br/> +For ruth of that same womans piteous paine; 480<br/> +Whose wordes recording in my troubled braine,<br/> +I felt such anguish wound my feeble heart,<br/> +That frosen horror ran through everie part. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +So inlie greeving in my groning brest,<br/> +And deepelie muzing at her doubtfull speach, 485<br/> +Whose meaning much I labored foorth to wreste,<br/> +Being above my slender reasons reach,<br/> +At length, by demonstration me to teach,<br/> +Before mine eies strange sights presented were,<br/> +Like tragicke pageants seeming to appeare. 490 +</p> + +<h4>I.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +I saw an Image, all of massie gold,<br/> +Placed on high upon an altare faire,<br/> +That all which did the same from farre beholde<br/> +Might worship it, and fall on lowest staire.<br/> +Not that great idoll might with this compaire, 495<br/> +To which th’Assyrian tyrant would have made<br/> +The holie brethren falslie to have praid. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +But th’altare on the which this image staid<br/> +Was (O great pitie!) built of brickle* clay,<br/> +That shortly the foundation decaid, 500<br/> +With showres of heaven and tempests worne away;<br/> +Then downe it fell, and low in ashes lay,<br/> +Scorned of everie one which by it went;<br/> +That I, it seing, dearelie did lament.<br/> + [* <i>Brickle</i>, brittle.] +</p> + +<h5>II.</h5> + +<p class="stanza"> +Next unto this a statelie Towre appeared, 505<br/> +Built all of richest stone that might bee found,<br/> +And nigh unto the heavens in height upreared,<br/> +But placed on a plot of sandie ground:<br/> +Not that great towre which is so much renownd<br/> +For tongues confusion in Holie Writ, 510<br/> +King Ninus worke, might be compar’d to it. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +But, O vaine labours of terrestriall wit,<br/> +That buildes so stronglie on so frayle a soyle,<br/> +As with each storme does fall away and flit,<br/> +And gives the fruit of all your travailes toyle 515<br/> +To be the pray of Tyme, and Fortunes spoyle,<br/> +I saw this towre fall sodainlie to dust,<br/> +That nigh with griefe thereof my heart was brust. +</p> + +<h5>III.</h5> + +<p class="stanza"> +Then did I see a pleasant Paradize,<br/> +Full of sweete flowres and daintiest delights, 520<br/> +Such as on earth man could not more devize,<br/> +With pleasures choyce to feed his cheereful sprights:<br/> +Not that which Merlin by his magicke slights<br/> +Made for the gentle Squire, to entertaine<br/> +His fayre Belphoebe, could this gardine staine. 525 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +But O short pleasure bought with lasting paine!<br/> +Why will hereafter anie flesh delight<br/> +In earthlie blis, and ioy in pleasures vaine?<br/> +Since that I sawe this gardine wasted quite,<br/> +That where it was scarce seemed anie sight; 530<br/> +That I, which once that beautie did beholde,<br/> +Could not from teares my melting eyes with-holde. +</p> + +<h5>IV.</h5> + +<p class="stanza"> +Soone after this a Giaunt came in place,<br/> +Of wondrous power, and of exceeding stature,<br/> +That none durst vewe the horror of his face; 535<br/> +Yet was he milde of speach, and meeke of nature.<br/> +Not he which in despight of his Creatour<br/> +With railing tearmes defied the Iewish hoast,<br/> +Might with this mightie one in hugenes boast; +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +For from the one he could to th’other coast 540<br/> +Stretch his strong thighes, and th’ocean overstride,<br/> +And reatch his hand into his enemies hoast.<br/> +But see the end of pompe and fleshlie pride!<br/> +One of his feete unwares from him did slide,<br/> +That downe hee fell into the deepe abisse, 545<br/> +Where drownd with him is all his earthlie blisse. +</p> + +<h5>V.</h5> + +<p class="stanza"> +Then did I see a Bridge, made all of golde,<br/> +Over the sea from one to other side,<br/> +Withouten prop or pillour it t’upholde,<br/> +But like the coloured rainbowe arched wide: 550<br/> +Not that great arche which Traian edifide,<br/> +To be a wonder to all age ensuing,<br/> +Was matchable to this in equall vewing. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +But ah! what bootes it to see earthlie thing<br/> +In glorie or in greatnes to excell, 555<br/> +Sith time doth greatest things to ruine bring?<br/> +This goodlie bridge, one foote not fastned well,<br/> +Gan faile, and all the rest downe shortlie fell,<br/> +Ne of so brave a building ought remained,<br/> +That griefe thereof my spirite greatly pained. 560 +</p> + +<h5>VI.</h5> + +<p class="stanza"> +I saw two Beares, as white as anie milke,<br/> +Lying together in a mightie cave,<br/> +Of milde aspect, and haire as soft as silke,<br/> +That salvage nature seemed not to have,<br/> +Nor after greedie spoyle of blood to crave: 565<br/> +Two fairer beasts might not elswhere be found,<br/> +Although the compast* world were sought around.<br/> + [* <i>Compast</i>, rounded.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +But what can long abide above this ground<br/> +In state of blis, or stedfast happinesse?<br/> +The cave in which these beares lay sleeping sound<br/> +Was but earth, and with her owne weightinesse 571<br/> +Upon them fell, and did unwares oppresse;<br/> +That, for great sorrow of their sudden fate,<br/> +Henceforth all worlds felicitie I hate. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Much was I troubled in my heavie spright, 575<br/> +At sight of these sad spectacles forepast,<br/> +That all my senses were bereaved quight,<br/> +And I in minde remained sore agast,<br/> +Distraught twixt feare and pitie; when at last<br/> +I heard a voyce which loudly to me called, 580<br/> +That with the suddein shrill I was appalled. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“Behold,” said it, “and by ensample see,<br/> +That all is vanitie and griefe of minde,<br/> +Ne other comfort in this world can be,<br/> +But hope of heaven, and heart to God inclinde; 585<br/> +For all the rest must needs be left behinde.”<br/> +With that it bad me to the other side<br/> +To cast mine eye, where other sights I spide. +</p> + +<h5>I.</h5> + +<p class="stanza"> +Upon that famous rivers further shore,<br/> +There stood a snowie Swan, of heavenly hiew 590<br/> +And gentle kinde as ever fowle afore;<br/> +A fairer one in all the goodlie criew<br/> +Of white Strimonian brood might no man view:<br/> +There he most sweetly sung the prophecie<br/> +Of his owne death in dolefull elegie. 595 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +At last, when all his mourning melodie<br/> +He ended had, that both the shores resounded,<br/> +Feeling the fit that him forewarnd to die,<br/> +With loftie flight above the earth he bounded,<br/> +And out of sight to highest heaven mounted, 600<br/> +Where now he is become an heavenly signe;<br/> +There now the ioy is his, here sorrow mine. +</p> + +<h5>II.</h5> + +<p class="stanza"> +Whilest thus I looked, loe! adowne the lee*<br/> +I sawe an Harpe, stroong all with silver twyne,<br/> +And made of golde and costlie yvorie, 605<br/> +Swimming, that whilome seemed to have been<br/> +The harpe on which Dan Orpheus was seene<br/> +Wylde beasts and forrests after him to lead,<br/> +But was th’harpe of Philisides** now dead.<br/> + [* <i>Lee</i>, surface of the stream.]<br/> + [** <i>Phili-sid-es</i>, Sir Philip Sidney] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +At length out of the river it was reard, 610<br/> +And borne above the cloudes to be divin’d,<br/> +Whilst all the way most heavenly noyse was heard<br/> +Of the strings, stirred with the warbling wind,<br/> +That wrought both ioy and sorrow in my mind:<br/> +So now in heaven a signe it doth appeare, 615<br/> +The Harpe well knowne beside the Northern Beare. +</p> + +<h5>III.</h5> + +<p class="stanza"> +Soone after this I saw on th’other side<br/> +A curious Coffer made of heben* wood,<br/> +That in it did most precious treasure hide,<br/> +Exceeding all this baser worldës good: 620<br/> +Yet through the overflowing of the flood<br/> +It almost drowned was and done to nought,<br/> +That sight thereof much griev’d my pensive thought.<br/> + [* <i>Heben</i>, ebony.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +At length, when most in perill it was brought,<br/> +Two angels, downe descending with swift flight, 625<br/> +Out of the swelling streame it lightly caught,<br/> +And twixt their blessed armes it carried quight<br/> +Above the reach of anie living sight:<br/> +So now it is transform’d into that starre,<br/> +In which all heavenly treasures locked are. 630 +</p> + +<h5>IV.</h5> + +<p class="stanza"> +Looking aside I saw a stately Bed,<br/> +Adorned all with costly cloth of gold,<br/> +That might for anie princes couche be red*,<br/> +And deckt with daintie flowres, as if it shold<br/> +Be for some bride, her ioyous night to hold: 635<br/> +Therein a goodly virgine sleeping lay;<br/> +A fairer wight saw never summers day.<br/> + [* <i>Red</i>, taken.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +I heard a voyce that called farre away,<br/> +And her awaking bad her quickly dight,<br/> +For lo! her bridegrome was in readie ray 640<br/> +To come to her, and seeke her loves delight:<br/> +With that she started up with cherefull sight,<br/> +When suddeinly both bed and all was gone,<br/> +And I in languor left there all alone. +</p> + +<h5>V.</h5> + +<p class="stanza"> +Still as I gazed, I beheld where stood 645<br/> +A Knight all arm’d, upon a winged steed,<br/> +The same that was bred of Medusaes blood,<br/> +On which Dan Perseus, borne of heavenly seed,<br/> +The faire Andromeda from perill freed:<br/> +Full mortally this knight ywounded was, 650<br/> +That streames of blood foorth flowed on the gras. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Yet was he deckt (small ioy to him, alas!)<br/> +With manie garlands for his victories,<br/> +And with rich spoyles, which late he did purchas<br/> +Through brave atcheivements from his enemies: 655<br/> +Fainting at last through long infirmities,<br/> +He smote his steed, that straight to heaven him bore,<br/> +And left me here his losse for to deplore. +</p> + +<h5>VI.</h5> + +<p class="stanza"> +Lastly, I saw an Arke of purest golde<br/> +Upon a brazen pillour standing hie, 660<br/> +Which th’ashes seem’d of some great prince to hold,<br/> +Enclosde therein for endles memorie<br/> +Of him whom all the world did glorifie:<br/> +Seemed the heavens with the earth did disagree,<br/> +Whether should of those ashes keeper bee. 665 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +At last me seem’d wing-footed Mercurie,<br/> +From heaven descending to appease their strife,<br/> +The arke did beare with him above the skie,<br/> +And to those ashes gave a second life,<br/> +To live in heaven, where happines is rife: 670<br/> +At which the earth did grieve exceedingly,<br/> +And I for dole was almost like to die. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +<i>L’Envoy.</i> +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Immortall spirite of Philisides,<br/> +Which now art made the heavens ornament,<br/> +That whilome wast the worldës chiefst riches. 675<br/> +Give leave to him that lov’de thee to lament<br/> +His losse by lacke of thee to heaven hent*,<br/> +And with last duties of this broken verse,<br/> +Broken with sighes, to decke thy sable herse!<br/> + [* <i>Hent</i>, taken away.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +And ye, faire Ladie! th’honor of your daies 680<br/> +And glorie of the world, your high thoughts scorne,<br/> +Vouchsafe this moniment of his last praise<br/> +With some few silver dropping teares t’adorne;<br/> +And as ye be of heavenlie off-spring borne,<br/> +So unto heaven let your high minde aspire, 685<br/> +And loath this drosse of sinfull worlds desire. +</p> + +<hr /> + +<h5>FOOTNOTES:</h5> + +<p class="stanza"> +Ver. 8.—<i>Verlame.</i> Veralam, or Verulamium, was a British and Roman +town, near the present city of St. Alban’s in Hertfordshire. Some +remains of its walls are still perceptible. H. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Ver. 64.—<i>Th’Assyrian Lyonesse.</i> These types of nations are taken +from the seventh chapter of the book of Daniel. H. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Ver. 190.—<i>I saw him die</i>. Leicester died at Cornbury Lodge, in +Oxfordshire. Todd suggests that he may have fallen sick at St. Alban’s, +and that Spenser, hearing the report in Ireland, may havo concluded +without inquiry that this was the place of his subsequent death, C. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Ver. 225.—<i>Colin Cloute.</i> Spenser himself, who had been befriended by<br/> +Leicester. H. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Ver. 239.—<i>His brother.</i> Ambrose Dudley, Earl of Warwick. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Ver. 245.—<i>His noble spouse.</i> Anne, the eldest daughter of Francis<br/> +Russell, Earl of Bedford. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Ver. 260.—<i>His sister</i>. Lady Mary Sidney. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Ver. 261.—<i>That good earle</i>, &c. This Earl of Bedford died in 1585.—<br/> +TODD. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Ver. 267.—<i>He, noble bud</i>, &c. Edward Russell, grandson of Francis +Earl of Bedford, succeeded in the earldom, his father, Francis, having +been slain by the Scots.—OLDYS. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Ver. 275.—<i>That goodly ladie</i>, &c. Lady Mary Sidney, mother of Sir<br/> +Philip Sidney and the Countess of Pembroke. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Ver. 281.—<i>Most gentle spirite.</i> Sir Philip Sidney. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Ver. 317.—<i>Thine owne sister,</i> &c. The Countess of Pembroke, to whom +this poem is dedicated. “The Dolefull Lay of Clorinda” (Vol. IV. p. +426) appears to have been written by her. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Ver. 436.—<i>Good Melibae</i>. Sir Francis Walsingham, who died April +6,1590. The <i>poet</i> is Thomas Watson.—OLDYS. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Ver. 447-455.—These lines are aimed at Burghley, who was said to have +opposed the Queen’s intended bounty to the poet. C. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Ver 491.—These allegorical representations of the vanity of exalted +position, stately buildings, earthly pleasures, bodily strength, and +works of beauty and magnificence, admit of an easy application to the +splendid career of the Earl of Leicester,—his favor and influence with +the Queen, his enlargement of Kenilworth, his princely style of living, +and particularly (IV.) his military command in the Low Countries. The +sixth of these “tragick pageants” strongly confirms this +interpretation. The two bears are Robert and Ambrose Dudley. While +Leicester was lieutenant in the Netherlands, he was in the habit of +using the Warwick crest (a bear and ragged staff) instead of his own. +Naunton, in his Fragmenta Regalia, calls him <i>Ursa Major</i>. C. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Ver. 497.—<i>The holie brethren</i>, &c. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.<br/> +Daniel, ch. iii. C. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Ver. 582-586.—A paraphrase of Sir Philip’s last words to his brother.<br/> +“Above all, govern your will and affection by the will and word of your<br/> +Creator, in me beholding the end of this world with all her vanities.”<br/> +This is pointed out by Zouch, Life of Sidney, p. 263. C. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Ver 590.—This second series of pageants is applicable exclusively to +Sir Philip Sidney. The meaning of the third and fourth is hard to make +out; but the third seems to have reference to the collection of the +scattered sheets of the Arcadia, and the publication of this work by +the Countess of Pembroke, after it had been condemned to destruction by +the author. The fourth may indeed signify nothing more than Lady +Sidney’s bereavement by her husband’s death; but this interpretation +seems too literal for a professed allegory. The sixth obviously alludes +to the splendid obsequies to Sidney, performed at the Queen’s expense, +and to the competition of the States of Holland for the honor of +burying his body. C. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +L’ENVOY: <i>L’Envoy</i> was a sort of postscript <i>sent with</i> poetical +compositions, and serving either to recommend them to the attention of +some particular person, or to enforce what we call the moral of them.— +TYRWHITT. +</p> + +<hr /> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap02"></a>THE TEARES OF THE MUSES.</h2> + +<h5>BY ED. SP.</h5> + +<p class="center"> +LONDON.<br/> +IMPRINTED FOR WILLIAM PONSONBIE,<br/> +DWELLING IN PAULES CHURCHYARD<br/> +AT THE SIGNE OF THE<br/> +BISHOPS HEAD.<br/> +1591. +</p> + +<hr /> + +<h5>TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE</h5> + +<h5>THE LADIE STRANGE.</h5> + +<p class="stanza"> +Most brave and noble Ladie, the things that make ye so much honored of +the world as ye bee are such as (without my simple lines testimonie) +are throughlie knowen to all men; namely, your excellent beautie, your +vertuous behavior, and your noble match with that most honourable Lord, +the verie paterne of right nobilitie. But the causes for which ye have +thus deserved of me to be honoured, (if honour it be at all,) are, both +your particular bounties, and also some private bands of affinitie*, +which it hath pleased your Ladiship to acknowledge. Of which whenas I +found my selfe in no part worthie, I devised this last slender meanes, +both to intimate my humble affection to your Ladiship, and also to make +the same universallie knowen to the world; that by honouring you they +might know me, and by knowing me they might honor you. Vouchsafe, noble +Lady, to accept this simple remembrance, though not worthy of your +self, yet such as perhaps by good acceptance thereof ye may hereafter +cull out a more meet and memorable evidence of your own excellent +deserts. So recommending the same to your Ladiships good liking, I +humbly take leave. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Your La: humbly ever. +</p> + +<h5>ED. SP.</h5> + +<p class="stanza"> +[Footnote: Lady Strange was Alice Spencer, sixth daughter of Sir John Spencer +of Althorpe. C.] +</p> + +<hr /> + +<h3>THE TEARES OF THE MUSES.</h3> + +<p class="stanza"> +Rehearse to me, ye sacred Sisters nine,<br/> +The golden brood of great Apolloes wit,<br/> +Those piteous plaints and sorowfull sad tine<br/> +Which late ye powred forth as ye did sit<br/> +Beside the silver springs of Helicone, 5<br/> +Making your musick of hart-breaking mone! +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +For since the time that Phoebus foolish sonne,<br/> +Ythundered, through loves avengefull wrath,<br/> +For traversing the charret of the Sunne<br/> +Beyond the compasse of his pointed path, 10<br/> +Of you, his mournfull sisters, was lamented,<br/> +Such mournfull tunes were never since invented. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Nor since that faire Calliope did lose<br/> +Her loved twinnes, the dearlings of her ioy,<br/> +Her Palici, whom her unkindly foes, 15<br/> +The Fatall Sisters, did for spight destroy,<br/> +Whom all the Muses did bewaile long space,<br/> +Was ever heard such wayling in this place. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +For all their groves, which with the heavenly noyses<br/> +Of their sweete instruments were wont to sound, 20<br/> +And th’hollow hills, from which their silver voyces<br/> +Were wont redoubled echoes to rebound,<br/> +Did now rebound with nought but rufull cries,<br/> +And yelling shrieks throwne up into the skies. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +The trembling streames which wont in chanels cleare 25<br/> +To romble gently downe with murmur soft,<br/> +And were by them right tunefull taught to beare<br/> +A bases part amongst their consorts oft;<br/> +Now forst to overflowe with brackish teares,<br/> +With troublous noyse did dull their daintie eares. 30 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +The ioyous Nymphes and lightfoote Faëries<br/> +Which thether came to heare their musick sweet,<br/> +And to the measure of their melodies<br/> +Did learne to move their nimble-shifting feete,<br/> +Now hearing them so heavily lament, 35<br/> +Like heavily lamenting from them went. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +And all that els was wont to worke delight<br/> +Through the divine infusion of their skill,<br/> +And all that els seemd faire and fresh in sight,<br/> +So made by nature for to serve their will, 40<br/> +Was turned now to dismall heavinesse,<br/> +Was turned now to dreadfull uglinesse. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Ay me! what thing on earth, that all thing breeds,<br/> +Might be the cause of so impatient plight?<br/> +What furie, or what feend, with felon deeds 45<br/> +Hath stirred up so mischievous despight?<br/> +Can griefe then enter into heavenly harts,<br/> +And pierce immortall breasts with mortall smarts? +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Vouchsafe ye then, whom onely it concernes,<br/> +To me those secret causes to display; 50<br/> +For none but you, or who of you it learnes,<br/> +Can rightfully aread so dolefull lay.<br/> +Begin, thou eldest sister of the crew,<br/> +And let the rest in order thee ensew. +</p> + +<h5>CLIO.</h5> + +<p class="stanza"> +Heare, thou great Father of the Gods on hie, 55<br/> +That most art dreaded for thy thunder darts;<br/> +And thou, our Syre? that raignst in Castalie<br/> +And Mount Parnasse, the god of goodly arts:<br/> +Heare, and behold the miserable state<br/> +Of us thy daughters, dolefull desolate. 60 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Behold the fowle reproach and open shame<br/> +The which is day by day unto us wrought<br/> +By such as hate the honour of our name,<br/> +The foes of learning and each gentle thought;<br/> +They, not contented us themselves to scorne, 65<br/> +Doo seeke to make us of the world forlorne*.<br/> + [* Forlorne, abandoned] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Ne onely they that dwell in lowly dust,<br/> +The sonnes of darknes and of ignoraunce;<br/> +But they whom thou, great love, by doome uniust<br/> +Didst to the type of honour earst advaunce; 70<br/> +They now, puft up with sdeignfull insolence,<br/> +Despise the brood of blessed Sapience. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +The sectaries* of my celestiall skill,<br/> +That wont to be the worlds chiefe ornament,<br/> +And learned impes that wont to shoote up still, 75<br/> +And grow to hight of kingdomes government,<br/> +They underkeep, and with their spredding armes<br/> +Doo beat their buds, that perish through their harmes.<br/> + [* <i>Sectaries</i>, followers.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +It most behoves the honorable race<br/> +Of mightie peeres true wisedome to sustaine, 80<br/> +And with their noble countenaunce to grace<br/> +The learned forheads, without gifts or game:<br/> +Or rather learnd themselves behoves to bee;<br/> +That is the girlond of nobilitie. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +But ah! all otherwise they doo esteeme 85<br/> +Of th’heavenly gift of wisdomes influence,<br/> +And to be learned it a base thing deeme:<br/> +Base minded they that want intelligence;<br/> +For God himselfe for wisedome most is praised,<br/> +And men to God thereby are nighest raised. 90 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +But they doo onely strive themselves to raise<br/> +Through pompous pride, and foolish vanitie;<br/> +In th’eyes of people they put all their praise,<br/> +And onely boast of armes and auncestrie:<br/> +But vertuous deeds, which did those armes first give<br/> +To their grandsyres, they care not to atchive. 96 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +So I, that doo all noble feates professe<br/> +To register and sound in trump of gold,<br/> +Through their bad dooings, or base slothfulnesse,<br/> +Finde nothing worthie to be writ, or told: 100<br/> +For better farre it were to hide their names,<br/> +Than telling them to blazon out their blames. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +So shall succeeding ages have no light<br/> +Of things forepast, nor moniments of time;<br/> +And all that in this world is worthie hight 105<br/> +Shall die in darknesse, and lie hid in slime!<br/> +Therefore I mourne with deep harts sorrowing,<br/> +Because I nothing noble have to sing. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +With that she raynd such store of streaming teares,<br/> +That could have made a stonie heart to weep; 110<br/> +And all her sisters rent* their golden heares,<br/> +And their faire faces with salt humour steep.<br/> +So ended shee: and then the next anew<br/> +Began her grievous plaint, as doth ensew.<br/> + [* <i>Rent</i>, rend.] +</p> + +<h5>MELPOMENE.</h5> + +<p class="stanza"> +O, who shall powre into my swollen eyes 115<br/> +A sea of teares that never may be dryde,<br/> +A brasen voice that may with shrilling cryes<br/> +Pierce the dull heavens and fill the ayër wide,<br/> +And yron sides that sighing may endure,<br/> +To waile the wretchednes of world impure! 120 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Ah, wretched world! the den of wickednesse,<br/> +Deformd with filth and fowle iniquitie;<br/> +Ah, wretched world! the house of heavinesse,<br/> +Fild with the wreaks of mortall miserie;<br/> +Ah, wretched world, and all that is therein! 125<br/> +The vassals of Gods wrath, and slaves of sin. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Most miserable creature under sky<br/> +Man without understanding doth appeare;<br/> +For all this worlds affliction he thereby,<br/> +And fortunes freakes, is wisely taught to beare: 130<br/> +Of wretched life the onely ioy shee is.<br/> +And th’only comfort in calamities. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +She armes the brest with constant patience<br/> +Against the bitter throwes of dolours darts:<br/> +She solaceth with rules of sapience 135<br/> +The gentle minds, in midst of worldlie smarts:<br/> +When he is sad, shee seeks to make him merie,<br/> +And doth refresh his sprights when they be werie. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +But he that is of reasons skill bereft,<br/> +And wants the staffe of wisedome him to stay, 140<br/> +Is like a ship in midst of tempest left<br/> +Withouten helme or pilot her to sway:<br/> +Full sad and dreadfull is that ships event;<br/> +So is the man that wants intendiment*.<br/> +[* <i>Intendiment</i>, understanding.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Whie then doo foolish men so much despize 145<br/> +The precious store of this celestiall riches?<br/> +Why doo they banish us, that patronize<br/> +The name of learning? Most unhappie wretches!<br/> +The which lie drowned in deep wretchednes,<br/> +Yet doo not see their owne unhappines. 150 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +My part it is and my professed skill<br/> +The stage with tragick buskin to adorne,<br/> +And fill the scene with plaint and outcries shrill<br/> +Of wretched persons, to misfortune borne:<br/> +But none more tragick matter I can finde 155<br/> +Than this, of men depriv’d of sense and minde. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +For all mans life me seemes a tragedy,<br/> +Full of sad sights and sore catastrophees;<br/> +First comming to the world with weeping eye,<br/> +Where all his dayes, like dolorous trophees, 160<br/> +Are heapt with spoyles of fortune and of feare,<br/> +And he at last laid forth on balefull beare. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +So all with rufull spectacles is fild,<br/> +Fit for Megera or Persephone;<br/> +But I that in true tragedies am skild, 165<br/> +The flowre of wit, finde nought to busie me:<br/> +Therefore I mourne, and pitifully mone,<br/> +Because that mourning matter I have none. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Then gan she wofully to waile, and wring<br/> +Her wretched hands in lamentable wise; 170<br/> +And all her sisters, thereto answering,<br/> +Threw forth lowd shrieks and drerie dolefull cries.<br/> +So rested she: and then the next in rew<br/> +Began her grievous plaint, as doth ensew. +</p> + +<h4>THALIA.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Where be the sweete delights of learnings treasure, 175<br/> +That wont with comick sock to beautefie<br/> +The painted theaters, and fill with pleasure<br/> +The listners eyes, and eares with melodie,<br/> +In which I late was wont to raine as queene,<br/> +And maske in mirth with graces well beseene? 180 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +O, all is gone! and all that goodly glee,<br/> +Which wont to be the glorie of gay wits,<br/> +Is layd abed, and no where now to see;<br/> +And in her roome unseemly Sorrow sits,<br/> +With hollow browes and greisly countenaunce 185<br/> +Marring my ioyous gentle dalliaunce. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +And him beside sits ugly Barbarisme,<br/> +And brutish Ignorance, ycrept of late<br/> +Out of dredd darknes of the deep abysme,<br/> +Where being bredd, he light and heaven does hate:<br/> +They in the mindes of men now tyrannize, 191<br/> +And the faire scene with rudenes foule disguize. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +All places they with follie have possest,<br/> +And with vaine toyes the vulgare entertaine;<br/> +But me have banished, with all the rest 195<br/> +That whilome wont to wait upon my traine,<br/> +Fine Counterfesaunce*, and unhurtfull Sport,<br/> +Delight, and Laughter, deckt in seemly sort.<br/> + [* <i>Counterfesaunce</i>, mimicry.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +All these, and all that els the comick stage<br/> +With seasoned wit and goodly pleasance graced, 200<br/> +By which mans life in his likest imáge<br/> +Was limned forth, are wholly now defaced;<br/> +And those sweete wits which wont the like to frame<br/> +Are now despizd, and made a laughing game. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +And he, the man whom Nature selfe had made 205<br/> +To mock her selfe, and truth to imitate,<br/> +With kindly counter* under mimick shade,<br/> +Our pleasant Willy, ah! is dead of late:<br/> +With whom all ioy and iolly meriment<br/> +Is also deaded, and in dolour drent**. 210<br/> + [* <i>Counter</i>, counterfeit.]<br/> + [** <i>Drent</i>, drowned.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +In stead thereof scoffing Scurrilitie,<br/> +And scornfull Follie with Contempt is crept,<br/> +Rolling in rymes of shameles ribaudrie<br/> +Without regard, or due decorum kept;<br/> +Each idle wit at will presumes to make*, 215<br/> +And doth the learneds taske upon him take.<br/> + [* <i>Make</i>, write poetry.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +But that same gentle spirit, from whose pen<br/> +Large streames of honnie and sweete nectar flowe,<br/> +Scorning the boldnes of such base-borne men,<br/> +Which dare their follies forth so rashlie throwe, 220<br/> +Doth rather choose to sit in idle cell,<br/> +Than so himselfe to mockerie to sell. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +So am I made the servant of the manie,<br/> +And laughing stocke of all that list to scorne,<br/> +Not honored nor cared for of anie, 225<br/> +But loath’d of losels* as a thing forlorne:<br/> +Therefore I mourne and sorrow with the rest,<br/> +Untill my cause of sorrow be redrest.<br/> + [* <i>Losels</i>, worthless fellows.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Therewith she lowdly did lament and shrike,<br/> +Pouring forth streames of teares abundantly; 230<br/> +And all her sisters, with compassion like,<br/> +The breaches of her singulfs* did supply.<br/> +So rested shee: and then the next in rew<br/> +Began her grievous plaint, as doth ensew.<br/> + [* I.e. the pauses of her sighs.] +</p> + +<h5>EUTERPE.</h5> + +<p class="stanza"> +Like as the dearling of the summers pryde, 235<br/> +Faire Philomele, when winters stormie wrath<br/> +The goodly fields, that earst so gay were dyde<br/> +In colours divers, quite despoyled hath,<br/> +All comfortlesse doth hide her chearlesse head<br/> +During the time of that her widowhead, 240 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +So we, that earst were wont in sweet accord<br/> +All places with our pleasant notes to fill,<br/> +Whilest favourable times did us afford<br/> +Free libertie to chaunt our charmes at will,<br/> +All comfortlesse upon the bared bow*, 245<br/> +Like wofull culvers**, doo sit wayling now.<br/> + [* <i>Bow</i>, bough.]<br/> + [** <i>Culvers</i>, doves.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +For far more bitter storme than winters stowre*<br/> +The beautie of the world hath lately wasted,<br/> +And those fresh buds, which wont so faire to flowre,<br/> +Hath marred quite, and all their blossoms blasted; 250<br/> +And those yong plants, which wont with fruit t’abound,<br/> +Now without fruite or leaves are to be found.<br/> + [* <i>Stowre</i>, violence.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +A stonie coldnesse hath benumbd the sence<br/> +And livelie spirits of each living wight,<br/> +And dimd with darknesse their intelligence, 255<br/> +Darknesse more than Cymerians daylie night:<br/> +And monstrous Error, flying in the ayre,<br/> +Hath mard the face of all that semed fayre. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Image of hellish horrour, Ignorance,<br/> +Borne in the bosome of the black abysse, 260<br/> +And fed with Furies milke for sustenaunce<br/> +Of his weake infancie, begot amisse<br/> +By yawning Sloth on his owne mother Night,—<br/> +So hee his sonnes both syre and brother hight,— +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +He, armd with blindnesse and with boldnes stout, 265<br/> +(For blind is bold,) hath our fayre light defaced;<br/> +And, gathering unto him a ragged rout<br/> +Of Faunes and Satyres, hath our dwellings raced*,<br/> +And our chast bowers, in which all vertue rained,<br/> +With brutishnesse and beastlie filth hath stained. 270<br/> + [* <i>Raced</i>, razed.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +The sacred springs of horsefoot Helicon,<br/> +So oft bedeawed with our learned layes,<br/> +And speaking streames of pure Castalion,<br/> +The famous witnesse of our wonted praise,<br/> +They trampled have with their fowle footings trade*,<br/> +And like to troubled puddles have them made. 276<br/> + [* <i>Trade</i>, tread.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Our pleasant groves, which planted were with paines,<br/> +That with our musick wont so oft to ring,<br/> +And arbors sweet, in which the shepheards swaines<br/> +Were wont so oft their pastoralls to sing, 280<br/> +They have cut downe, and all their pleasaunce mard,<br/> +That now no pastorall is to bee hard. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +In stead of them, fowle goblins and shriek-owles<br/> +With fearfull howling do all places fill,<br/> +And feeble eccho now laments and howles, 285<br/> +The dreadfull accents of their outcries shrill.<br/> +So all is turned into wildernesse,<br/> +Whilest Ignorance the Muses doth oppresse. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +And I, whose ioy was earst with spirit full<br/> +To teach the warbling pipe to sound aloft, 290<br/> +My spirits now dismayd with sorrow dull,<br/> +Doo mone my miserie in silence soft.<br/> +Therefore I mourne and waile incessantly,<br/> +Till please the heavens affoord me remedy. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Therewith shee wayled with exceeding woe, 295<br/> +And pitious lamentation did make;<br/> +And all her sisters, seeing her doo soe,<br/> +With equall plaints her sorrowe did partake.<br/> +So rested shee: and then the next in rew<br/> +Began her grievous plaint, as doth ensew. 300 +</p> + +<h4>TERPSICHORE.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Whoso hath in the lap of soft delight<br/> +Beene long time luld, and fed with pleasures sweet,<br/> +Feareles through his own fault or Fortunes spight<br/> +To tumble into sorrow and regreet,<br/> +Yf chaunce him fall into calamitie, 305<br/> +Findes greater burthen of his miserie. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +So wee, that earst in ioyance did abound,<br/> +And in the bosome of all blis did sit,<br/> +Like virgin queenes, with laurell garlands cround,<br/> +For vertues meed and ornament of wit, 310<br/> +Sith Ignorance our kingdome did confound,<br/> +Bee now become most wretched wightes on ground. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +And in our royall thrones, which lately stood<br/> +In th’hearts of men to rule them carefully,<br/> +He now hath placed his accursed brood, 315<br/> +By him begotten of fowle Infamy;<br/> +Blind Error, scornefull Follie, and base Spight,<br/> +Who hold by wrong that wee should have by right. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +They to the vulgar sort now pipe and sing,<br/> +And make them merrie with their fooleries; 320<br/> +They cherelie chaunt, and rymes at randon fling,<br/> +The fruitfull spawne of their ranke fantasies;<br/> +They feede the eares of fooles with flattery,<br/> +And good men blame, and losels* magnify.<br/> + [* <i>Losels</i>, worthless fellows.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +All places they doo with their toyes possesse, 325<br/> +And raigne in liking of the multitude;<br/> +The schooles they till with fond newfanglenesse,<br/> +And sway in court with pride and rashnes rude;<br/> +Mongst simple shepheards they do boast their skill,<br/> +And say their musicke matcheth Phoebus quill. 330 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +The noble hearts to pleasures they allure,<br/> +And tell their Prince that learning is but vaine;<br/> +Faire ladies loves they spot with thoughts impure,<br/> +And gentle mindes with lewd delights distaine;<br/> +Clerks* they to loathly idlenes entice, 335<br/> +And fill their bookes with discipline of vice.<br/> + [* <i>Clerks</i>, scholars.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +So every where they rule and tyrannize,<br/> +For their usurped kingdomes maintenaunce,<br/> +The whiles we silly maides, whom they dispize<br/> +And with reprochfull scorne discountenaunce, 340<br/> +From our owne native heritage exilde,<br/> +Walk through the world of every one revilde. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Nor anie one doth care to call us in,<br/> +Or once vouchsafeth us to entertaine,<br/> +Unlesse some one perhaps of gentle kin, 345<br/> +For pitties sake, compassion our paine,<br/> +And yeeld us some reliefe in this distresse;<br/> +Yet to be so reliev’d is wretchednesse. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +So wander we all carefull comfortlesse,<br/> +Yet none cloth care to comfort us at all; 350<br/> +So seeke we helpe our sorrow to redresse,<br/> +Yet none vouchsafes to answere to our call;<br/> +Therefore we mourne and pittilesse complaine,<br/> +Because none living pittieth our paine. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +With that she wept and wofullie waymented, 355<br/> +That naught on earth her griefe might pacifie;<br/> +And all the rest her dolefull din augmented<br/> +With shrikes, and groanes, and grievous agonie.<br/> +So ended shee: and then the next in rew<br/> +Began her piteous plaint, as doth ensew. 360 +</p> + +<h5>ERATO.</h5> + +<p class="stanza"> +Ye gentle Spirits breathing from above,<br/> +Where ye in Venus silver bowre were bred,<br/> +Thoughts halfe devine, full of the fire of love,<br/> +With beawtie kindled, and with pleasure fed,<br/> +Which ye now in securitie possesse, 365<br/> +Forgetfull of your former heavinesse,— +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Now change the tenor of your ioyous layes,<br/> +With which ye use your loves to deifie,<br/> +And blazon foorth an earthlie beauties praise<br/> +Above the compasse of the arched skie: 370<br/> +Now change your praises into piteous cries,<br/> +And eulogies turne into elegies. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Such as ye wont, whenas those bitter stounds*<br/> +Of raging love first gan you to torment,<br/> +And launch your hearts with lamentable wounds 375<br/> +Of secret sorrow and sad languishment,<br/> +Before your loves did take you unto grace;<br/> +Those now renew, as fitter for this place.<br/> + [* <i>Stounds</i>, hours.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +For I that rule in measure moderate<br/> +The tempest of that stormie passion, 380<br/> +And use to paint in rimes the troublous state<br/> +Of lovers life in likest fashion,<br/> +Am put from practise of my kindlie** skill,<br/> +Banisht by those that love with leawdnes fill.<br/> + [* <i>Kindlie</i>, natural.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Love wont to be schoolmaster of my skill, 385<br/> +And the devicefull matter of my song;<br/> +Sweete love devoyd of villanie or ill,<br/> +But pure and spotles, as at first he sprong<br/> +Out of th’Almighties bosome, where he nests;<br/> +From thence infused into mortall brests. 390 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Such high conceipt of that celestiall fire,<br/> +The base-borne brood of Blindnes cannot gesse,<br/> +Ne ever dare their dunghill thoughts aspire<br/> +Unto so loftie pitch of perfectnesse,<br/> +But rime at riot, and doo rage in love, 395<br/> +Yet little wote what doth thereto behove. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Faire Cytheree, the mother of delight<br/> +And queene of beautie, now thou maist go pack;<br/> +For lo! thy kingdoms is defaced quight,<br/> +Thy scepter rent, and power put to wrack; 400<br/> +And thy gay sonne, that winged God of Love,<br/> +May now goe prune his plumes like ruffed* dove.<br/> + [* <i>Ruffed</i>, ruffled.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +And ye three twins, to light by Venus brought,<br/> +The sweete companions of the Muses late,<br/> +From whom whatever thing is goodly thought 405<br/> +Doth borrow grace, the fancie to aggrate*,<br/> +Go beg with us, and be companions still,<br/> +As heretofore of good, so now of ill.<br/> + [* <i>Aggrate</i>, please.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +For neither you nor we shall anie more<br/> +Finde entertainment or in court or schoole: 410<br/> +For that which was accounted heretofore<br/> +The learneds meed is now lent to the foole;<br/> +He sings of love and maketh loving layes,<br/> +And they him heare, and they him highly prayse. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +With that she powred foorth a brackish flood 415<br/> +Of bitter teares, and made exceeding mone;<br/> +And all her sisters, seeing her sad mood,<br/> +With lowd laments her answered all at one.<br/> +So ended she: and then the next in rew<br/> +Began her grievous plaint, as doth ensew. 420 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +To whom shall I my evill case complaine,<br/> +Or tell the anguish of my inward smart,<br/> +Sith none is left to remedie my paine,<br/> +Or deignes to pitie a perplexed hart;<br/> +But rather seekes my sorrow to augment 425<br/> +With fowle reproach, and cruell banishment? +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +For they to whom I used to applie<br/> +The faithfull service of my learned skill,<br/> +The goodly off-spring of loves progenie,<br/> +That wont the world with famous acts to fill, 430<br/> +Whose living praises in heroick style,<br/> +It is my chiefe profession to compyle,— +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +They, all corrupted through the rust of time,<br/> +That doth all fairest things on earth deface,<br/> +Or through unnoble sloth, or sinfull crime, 435<br/> +That doth degenerate the noble race,<br/> +Have both desire of worthie deeds forlorne,<br/> +And name of learning utterly doo scorne. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Ne doo they care to have the auncestrie<br/> +Of th’old heroes memorizde anew; 440<br/> +Ne doo they care that late posteritie<br/> +Should know their names, or speak their praises dew,<br/> +But die, forgot from whence at first they sprong,<br/> +As they themselves shalbe forgot ere long. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +What bootes it then to come from glorious 445<br/> +Forefathers, or to have been nobly bredd?<br/> +What oddes twixt Irus and old Inachus,<br/> +Twixt best and worst, when both alike are dedd,<br/> +If none of neither mention should make,<br/> +Nor out of dust their memories awake? 450 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Or who would ever care to doo brave deed,<br/> +Or strive in vertue others to excell,<br/> +If none should yeeld him his deserved meed,<br/> +Due praise, that is the spur of doing well?<br/> +For if good were not praised more than ill, 455<br/> +None would choose goodnes of his owne freewill. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Therefore the nurse of vertue I am hight,<br/> +And golden trompet of eternitie,<br/> +That lowly thoughts lift up to heavens hight,<br/> +And mortall men have powre to deifie: 460<br/> +Bacchus and Hercules I raisd to heaven,<br/> +And Charlemaine amongst the starris seaven. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +But now I will my golden clarion rend,<br/> +And will henceforth immortalize no more,<br/> +Sith I no more finde worthie to commend 465<br/> +For prize of value, or for learned lore:<br/> +For noble peeres, whom I was wont to raise,<br/> +Now onely seeke for pleasure, nought for praise. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Their great revenues all in sumptuous pride<br/> +They spend, that nought to learning they may spare;<br/> +And the rich fee which poets wont divide 471<br/> +Now parasites and sycophants doo share:<br/> +Therefore I mourne and endlesse sorrow make,<br/> +Both for my selfe and for my sisters sake. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +With that she lowdly gan to waile and shrike, 475<br/> +And from her eyes a sea of teares did powre;<br/> +And all her sisters, with compassion like,<br/> +Did more increase the sharpnes of her showre.<br/> +So ended she: and then the next in rew<br/> +Began her plaint, as doth herein ensew. 480 +</p> + +<h5>URANIA.</h5> + +<p class="stanza"> +What wrath of gods, or wicked influence<br/> +Of starres conspiring wretched men t’afflict,<br/> +Hath powrd on earth this noyous pestilence,<br/> +That mortall mindes doth inwardly infect<br/> +With love of blindnesse and of ignorance, 485<br/> +To dwell in darkenesse without sovenance?*<br/> + [* <i>Sovenance</i>, remembrance.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +What difference twixt man and beast is left,<br/> +When th’heavenlie light of knowledge is put out,<br/> +And th’ornaments of wisdome are bereft?<br/> +Then wandreth he in error and in doubt, 490<br/> +Unweeting* of the danger hee is in,<br/> +Through fleshes frailtie and deceipt of sin.<br/> + [* <i>Unweeting</i>, unknowing.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +In this wide world in which they wretches stray,<br/> +It is the onelie comfort which they have,<br/> +It is their light, their loadstarre, and their day; 495<br/> +But hell, and darkenesse, and the grislie grave,<br/> +Is Ignorance, the enemie of Grace,<br/> +That mindes of men borne heavenlie doth debace. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Through knowledge we behold the worlds creation,<br/> +How in his cradle first he fostred was; 500<br/> +And iudge of Natures cunning operation,<br/> +How things she formed of a formelesse mas:<br/> +By knowledge wee do learne our selves to knowe,<br/> +And what to man, and what to God, wee owe. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +From hence wee mount aloft unto the skie, 505<br/> +And looke into the christall firmament;<br/> +There we behold the heavens great hierarchie,<br/> +The starres pure light, the spheres swift movëment,<br/> +The spirites and intelligences fayre,<br/> +And angels waighting on th’Almighties chayre. 510 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +And there, with humble minde and high insight,<br/> +Th’eternall Makers maiestie wee viewe,<br/> +His love, his truth, his glorie, and his might,<br/> +And mercie more than mortall men can vew.<br/> +O soveraigne Lord, O soveraigne happinesse, 515<br/> +To see thee, and thy mercie measurelesse! +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Such happines have they that doo embrace<br/> +The precepts of my heavenlie discipline;<br/> +But shame and sorrow and accursed case<br/> +Have they that scorne the schoole of arts divine, 520<br/> +And banish me, which do professe the skill<br/> +To make men heavenly wise through humbled will. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +However yet they mee despise and spight,<br/> +I feede on sweet contentment of my thought,<br/> +And please my selfe with mine owne self-delight, 525<br/> +In contemplation of things heavenlie wrought:<br/> +So, loathing earth, I looke up to the sky,<br/> +And being driven hence, I thether fly. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Thence I behold the miserie of men,<br/> +Which want the blis that wisedom would them breed.<br/> +And like brute beasts doo lie in loathsome den 531<br/> +Of ghostly darkenes and of gastlie dreed:<br/> +For whom I mourne, and for my selfe complaine,<br/> +And for my sisters eake whom they disdaine. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +With that shee wept and waild so pityouslie, 535<br/> +As if her eyes had beene two springing wells;<br/> +And all the rest, her sorrow to supplie,<br/> +Did throw forth shrieks and cries and dreery yells.<br/> +So ended shee: and then the next in rew<br/> +Began her mournfull plaint, as doth ensew. 540 +</p> + +<h5>POLYHYMNIA.</h5> + +<p class="stanza"> +A dolefull case desires a dolefull song,<br/> +Without vaine art or curious complements;<br/> +And squallid Fortune, into basenes flong,<br/> +Doth scorne the pride of wonted ornaments.<br/> +Then fittest are these ragged rimes for mee, 545<br/> +To tell my sorrowes that exceeding bee. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +For the sweet numbers and melodious measures<br/> +With which I wont the winged words to tie,<br/> +And make a tunefull diapase of pleasures,<br/> +Now being let to runne at libertie 550<br/> +By those which have no skill to rule them right,<br/> +Have now quite lost their naturall delight. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Heapes of huge words uphoorded hideously,<br/> +With horrid sound, though having little sence,<br/> +They thinke to be chiefe praise of poetry; 555<br/> +And, thereby wanting due intelligence,<br/> +Have mard the face of goodly poesie,<br/> +And made a monster of their fantasie. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Whilom in ages past none might professe<br/> +But princes and high priests that secret skill; 560<br/> +The sacred lawes therein they wont expresse,<br/> +And with deepe oracles their verses fill:<br/> +Then was shee held in soveraigne dignitie,<br/> +And made the noursling of nobilitie. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +But now nor prince nor priest doth her maintayne,<br/> +But suffer her prophaned for to bee 566<br/> +Of the base vulgar, that with hands uncleane<br/> +Dares to pollute her hidden mysterie;<br/> +And treadeth under foote hir holie things,<br/> +Which was the care of kesars* and of kings. 570<br/> + [* <i>Kesars</i>, emperors.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +One onelie lives, her ages ornament,<br/> +And myrrour of her Makers maiestie,<br/> +That with rich bountie and deare cherishment<br/> +Supports the praise of noble poesie;<br/> +Ne onelie favours them which it professe, 575<br/> +But is her selfe a peereles poetresse. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Most peereles Prince, most peereles Poetresse,<br/> +The true Pandora of all heavenly graces,<br/> +Divine Elisa, sacred Emperesse!<br/> +Live she for ever, and her royall p’laces 580<br/> +Be fild with praises of divinest wits,<br/> +That her eternize with their heavenlie writs! +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Some few beside this sacred skill esteme,<br/> +Admirers of her glorious excellence;<br/> +Which, being lightned with her beawties beme, 585<br/> +Are thereby fild with happie influence,<br/> +And lifted up above the worldës gaze,<br/> +To sing with angels her immortall praize. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +But all the rest, as borne of salvage brood,<br/> +And having beene with acorns alwaies fed, 590<br/> +Can no whit savour this celestiall food,<br/> +But with base thoughts are into blindnesse led,<br/> +And kept from looking on the lightsome day:<br/> +For whome I waile and weepe all that I may. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Eftsoones* such store of teares shee forth did powre,<br/> +As if shee all to water would have gone; 596<br/> +And all her sisters, seeing her sad stowre**,<br/> +Did weep and waile, and made exceeding mone,<br/> +And all their learned instruments did breake:<br/> +The rest untold no living tongue can speake. 600<br/> + [* <i>Eftsoones</i>, forthwith.]<br/> + [** <i>Stowre</i>, disturbance, trouble.] +</p> + +<hr /> + +<h5>FOOTNOTES:</h5> + +<p class="stanza"> +Ver 15—<i>Palici.</i>. The Palici were children of Jupiter and Thalia, not<br/> +Calliope. H. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Ver. 205-210.—There are sufficient reasons for believing that these +lines refer to Shakespeare. He had probably written The Two Gentlemen +of Verona, and Love’s Labor’s Lost, before the Complaints were +published (1591), and no other author had up to this time produced a +comedy that would compare with these. For a discussion of this subject, +see Collier’s Life, Chap. VII., and Knight’s Biography, pp. 344-348. C. +</p> + +<hr /> + +<h2><a name="chap03"></a>VIRGILS GNAT.</h2> + +<h5>LONG SINCE DEDICATED</h5> + +<h5>TO THE MOST NOBLE AND EXCELLENT LORD,</h5> + +<h5>THE EARLE OF LEICESTER,</h5> + +<h5>LATE DECEASED.</h5> + +<p class="stanza"> + Wrong’d, yet not daring to expresse my paine,<br/> +To you, great Lord, the causer of my care,<br/> +In clowdie teares my case I thus complaine<br/> +Unto your selfe, that onely privie are.<br/> + But if that any Oedipus unware<br/> +Shall chaunce, through power of some divining spright,<br/> +To reade the secrete of this riddle rare,<br/> +And know the purporte of my evill plight,<br/> +Let him rest pleased with his owne insight,<br/> +Ne further seeke to glose upon the text:<br/> +For griefe enough it is to grieved wight<br/> +To feele his fault, and not be further vext.<br/> + But what so by my selfe may not be showen,<br/> +May by this Gnatts complaint be easily knowen*. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +[* This riddle has never been guessed. Upton conjectures that Leicester’s +displeasure was incurred for “some kind of officious sedulity in Spenser, who +much desired to see his patron married to the Queen.” C.] +</p> + +<hr /> + +<h4>VIRGILS GNAT.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +We now have playde, Augustus, wantonly,<br/> +Tuning our song unto a tender Muse,<br/> +And, like a cobweb weaving slenderly,<br/> +Have onely playde: let thus much then excuse<br/> +This Gnats small poeme, that th’whole history 5<br/> +Is but a iest; though envie it abuse:<br/> +But who such sports and sweet delights doth blame,<br/> +Shall lighter seeme than this Gnats idle name. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Hereafter, when as season more secure<br/> +Shall bring forth fruit, this Muse shall speak to thee 10<br/> +In bigger notes, that may thy sense allure,<br/> +And for thy worth frame some fit poesie:<br/> +The golden ofspring of Latona pure,<br/> +And ornament of great Ioves progenie,<br/> +Phoebus, shall be the author of my song, 15<br/> +Playing on yvorie harp with silver strong*.<br/> + [* <i>Strong</i>, strung.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +He shall inspire my verse with gentle mood,<br/> +Of poets prince, whether he woon* beside<br/> +Faire Xanthus sprincled with Chimaeras blood,<br/> +Or in the woods of Astery abide, 20<br/> +Or whereas Mount Parnasse, the Muses brood,<br/> +Doth his broad forhead like two hornes divide,<br/> +And the sweete waves of sounding Castaly<br/> +With liquid foote doth slide downe easily.<br/> + [* <i>Woon</i>, dwell.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Wherefore ye Sisters, which the glorie bee 25<br/> +Of the Pierian streames, fayre Naiades,<br/> +Go too, and dauncing all in companie,<br/> +Adorne that god: and thou holie Pales,<br/> +To whome the honest care of husbandrie<br/> +Returneth by continuall successe, 30<br/> +Have care for to pursue his footing light<br/> +Throgh the wide woods and groves with green leaves dight. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Professing thee I lifted am aloft<br/> +Betwixt the forrest wide and starrie sky:<br/> +And thou, most dread Octavius, which oft 35<br/> +To learned wits givest courage worthily,<br/> +O come, thou sacred childe, come sliding soft,<br/> +And favour my beginnings graciously:<br/> +For not these leaves do sing that dreadfull stound*,<br/> +When giants bloud did staine Phlegraean ground; 40<br/> + [* <i>Stound</i>, time.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Nor how th’halfe-horsy people, Centaures hight,<br/> +Fought with the bloudie Lapithaes at bord;<br/> +Nor how the East with tyranous despight<br/> +Burnt th’Attick towres, and people slew with sword;<br/> +Nor how Mount Athos through exceeding might 45<br/> +Was digged downe; nor yron bands abord<br/> +The Pontick sea by their huge navy cast,<br/> +My volume shall renowne, so long since past. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Nor Hellespont trampled with horses feete,<br/> +When flocking Persians did the Greeks affray: 50<br/> +But my soft Muse, as for her power more meete,<br/> +Delights (with Phoebus friendly leave) to play<br/> +An easie running verse with tender feete.<br/> +And thou, dread sacred child, to thee alway<br/> +Let everlasting lightsome glory strive, 55<br/> +Through the worlds endles ages to survive. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +And let an happie roome remaine for thee<br/> +Mongst heavenly ranks, where blessed soules do rest;<br/> +And let long lasting life with ioyous glee,<br/> +As thy due meede that thou deservest best, 60<br/> +Hereafter many yeares remembred be<br/> +Amongst good men, of whom thou oft are blest.<br/> +Live thou for ever in all happinesse!<br/> +But let us turne to our first businesse. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +The fiery Sun was mounted now on Light 65<br/> +Up to the heavenly towers, and shot each where<br/> +Out of his golden charet glistering light;<br/> +And fayre Aurora, with her rosie heare,<br/> +The hatefull darknes now had put to flight;<br/> +When as the Shepheard, seeing day appeare, 70<br/> +His little goats gan drive out of their stalls,<br/> +To feede abroad, where pasture best befalls. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +To an high mountaines top he with them went,<br/> +Where thickest grasse did cloath the open hills:<br/> +They, now amongst the woods and thickets ment* 75<br/> +Now in the valleies wandring at their wills,<br/> +Spread themselves farre abroad through each descent;<br/> +Some on the soft greene grasse feeding their fills,<br/> +Some, clambring through the hollow cliffes on hy,<br/> +Nibble the bushie shrubs which growe thereby. 80<br/> + [* <i>Ment</i>, mingled.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Others the utmost boughs of trees doe crop,<br/> +And brouze the woodbine twigges that freshly bud;<br/> +This with full bit* doth catch the utmost top<br/> +Of some soft willow, or new growen stud**;<br/> +This with sharpe teeth the bramble leaves doth lop, 85<br/> +And chaw the tender prickles in her cud;<br/> +The whiles another high doth overlooke<br/> +Her owne like image in a christall brooke.<br/> + [* <i>Bit</i>, bite.]<br/> + [** <i>Stud</i>, stock.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +O the great happines which shepheards have,<br/> +Who so loathes not too much the poore estate 90<br/> +With minde that ill use doth before deprave,<br/> +Ne measures all things by the costly rate<br/> +Of riotise, and semblants outward brave!<br/> +No such sad cares, as wont to macerate<br/> +And rend the greedie mindes of covetous men, 95<br/> +Do ever creepe into the shepheards den. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Ne cares he if the fleece which him arayes<br/> +Be not twice steeped in Assyrian dye;<br/> +Ne glistering of golde, which underlayes*<br/> +The summer beames, doe blinde his gazing eye; 100<br/> +Ne pictures beautie, nor the glauncing rayes<br/> +Of precious stones, whence no good commeth by;<br/> +Ne yet his cup embost with imagery<br/> +Of Baetus or of Alcons vanity.<br/> + [* <i>Underlayes</i>, surpasses.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Ne ought the whelky* pearles esteemeth hee, 105<br/> +Which are from Indian seas brought far away:<br/> +But with pure brest, from carefull sorrow free,<br/> +On the soft grasse his limbs doth oft display,<br/> +In sweete spring time, when flowres varietie<br/> +With sundrie colours paints the sprincled lay**; 110<br/> +There, lying all at ease from guile or spight,<br/> +With pype of fennie reedes doth him delight.<br/> + [* <i>Whelky</i>, shelly (<i>conchea</i>).]<br/> + [** <i>lay</i>, lea.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +There he, lord of himselfe, with palme bedight,<br/> +His looser locks doth wrap in wreath of vine:<br/> +There his milk-dropping goats be his delight, 115<br/> +And fruitefull Pales, and the forrest greene,<br/> +And darkesome caves in pleasaunt vallies pight*,<br/> +Wheras continuall shade is to be seene,<br/> +And where fresh springing wells, as christall neate,<br/> +Do alwayes flow, to quench his thirstie heate. 120<br/> + [* <i>Pight</i>, placed.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +O! who can lead then a more happie life<br/> +Than he, that with cleane minde and heart sincere,<br/> +No greedy riches knowes nor bloudie strife,<br/> +No deadly fight of warlick fleete doth feare,<br/> +Ne runs in perill of foes cruell knife, 125<br/> +That in the sacred temples he may reare<br/> +A trophee of his glittering spoyles and treasure,<br/> +Or may abound in riches above measure. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Of him his God is worshipt with his sythe,<br/> +And not with skill of craftsman polished: 130<br/> +He ioyes in groves, and makes himselfe full blythe<br/> +With sundrie flowers in wilde fieldes gathered,<br/> +Ne frankincens he from Panchaea buyth:<br/> +Sweete Quiet harbours in his harmeles head,<br/> +And perfect Pleasure buildes her ioyous bowre, 135<br/> +Free from sad cares, that rich mens hearts devowre. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +This all his care, this all his whole indevour,<br/> +To this his minde and senses he doth bend,<br/> +How he may flow in quiets matchles treasour,<br/> +Content with any food that God doth send; 140<br/> +And how his limbs, resolv’d through idle leisour,<br/> +Unto sweete sleepe he may securely lend,<br/> +In some coole shadow from the scorching heat,<br/> +The whiles his flock their chawed cuds do eate. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +O Flocks, O Faunes, and O ye pleasaunt Springs 145<br/> +Of Tempe, where the countrey nymphs are rife,<br/> +Through whose not costly care each shepheard sings<br/> +As merrie notes upon his rusticke fife<br/> +As that Ascraean bard*, whose fame now rings<br/> +Through the wide world, and leads as ioyfull life; 150<br/> +Free from all troubles and from worldly toyle,<br/> +In which fond men doe all their dayes turmoyle.<br/> + [* I.e. Hesiod] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +In such delights whilst thus his carelesse time<br/> +This shepheard drives, upleaning on his batt*,<br/> +And on shrill reedes chaunting his rustick rime, 155<br/> +Hyperion, throwing foorth his beames full hott,<br/> +Into the highest top of heaven gan clime,<br/> +And the world parting by an equall lott,<br/> +Did shed his whirling flames on either side,<br/> +As the great Ocean doth himselfe divide. 160<br/> + [* <i>Batt</i>, stick] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Then gan the shepheard gather into one<br/> +His stragling goates, and drave them to a foord,<br/> +Whose caerule streame, rombling in pible stone,<br/> +Crept under mosse as greene as any goord.<br/> +Now had the sun halfe heaven overgone, 165<br/> +When he his heard back from that water foord<br/> +Drave, from the force of Phoebus boyling ray,<br/> +Into thick shadowes, there themselves to lay. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Soone as he them plac’d in thy sacred wood,<br/> +O Delian goddesse, saw, to which of yore 170<br/> +Came the bad daughter of old Cadmus brood,<br/> +Cruell Agavè, flying vengeance sore<br/> +Of King Nictileus for the guiltie blood<br/> +Which she with cursed hands had shed before;<br/> +There she halfe frantick, having slaine her sonne, 175<br/> +Did shrowd her selfe like punishment to shonne. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Here also playing on the grassy greene,<br/> +Woodgods, and Satyres, and swift Dryades,<br/> +With many Fairies oft were dauncing seene.<br/> +Not so much did Dan Orpheus represse 180<br/> +The streames of Hebrus with his songs, I weene,<br/> +As that faire troupe of woodie goddesses<br/> +Staied thee, O Peneus, powring foorth to thee,<br/> +From cheereful lookes, great mirth and gladsome glee. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +The verie nature of the place, resounding 185<br/> +With gentle murmure of the breathing ayre,<br/> +A pleasant bowre with all delight abounding<br/> +In the fresh shadowe did for them prepayre,<br/> +To rest their limbs with wearines redounding.<br/> +For first the high palme-trees, with braunches faire,<br/> +Out of the lowly vallies did arise, 191<br/> +And high shoote up their heads into the skyes. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +And them amongst the wicked lotos grew,<br/> +Wicked, for holding guilefully away<br/> +Ulysses men, whom rapt with sweetenes new, 195<br/> +Taking to hoste*, it quite from him did stay;<br/> +And eke those trees, in whose transformed hew<br/> +The Sunnes sad daughters waylde the rash decay<br/> +Of Phaëton, whose limbs with lightening rent<br/> +They gathering up, with sweete teares did lament. 200<br/> + [* <i>Hoste</i>, entertain.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +And that same tree*, in which Demophoon,<br/> +By his disloyalty lamented sore,<br/> +Eternall hurte left unto many one:<br/> +Whom als accompanied the oke, of yore 204<br/> +Through fatall charmes transferred to such an one:<br/> +The oke, whose acornes were our foode before<br/> +That Ceres seede of mortall men were knowne,<br/> +Which first Triptoleme taught how to be sowne.<br/> + [* I.e. the almond-tree.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Here also grew the rougher-rinded pine,<br/> +The great Argoan ships brave ornament, 210<br/> +Whom golden fleece did make an heavenly signe;<br/> +Which coveting, with his high tops extent,<br/> +To make the mountaines touch the starres divine,<br/> +Decks all the forrest with embellishment;<br/> +And the blacke holme that loves the watrie vale; 215<br/> +And the sweete cypresse, signe of deadly bale. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Emongst the rest the clambring yvie grew,<br/> +Knitting his wanton armes with grasping hold,<br/> +Least that the poplar happely should rew<br/> +Her brothers strokes, whose boughes she doth enfold 220<br/> +With her lythe twigs, till they the top survew,<br/> +And paint with pallid greene her buds of gold.<br/> +Next did the myrtle tree to her approach,<br/> +Not yet unmindfull of her olde reproach. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +But the small birds in their wide boughs embowring 225<br/> +Chaunted their sundrie tunes with sweete consent;<br/> +And under them a silver spring, forth powring<br/> +His trickling streames, a gentle murmure sent;<br/> +Thereto the frogs, bred in the slimie scowring<br/> +Of the moist moores, their iarring voyces bent; 230<br/> +And shrill grashoppers chirped them around:<br/> +All which the ayrie echo did resound. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +In this so pleasant place the shepheards flocke<br/> +Lay everie where, their wearie limbs to rest,<br/> +On everie bush, and everie hollow rocke, 235<br/> +Where breathe on them the whistling wind mote best;<br/> +The whiles the shepheard self, tending his stocke,<br/> +Sate by the fountaine side, in shade to rest,<br/> +Where gentle slumbring sleep oppressed him<br/> +Displaid on ground, and seized everie lim. 240 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Of trecherie or traines nought tooke he keep,<br/> +But, looslie on the grassie greene dispredd,<br/> +His dearest life did trust to careles sleep;<br/> +Which, weighing down his drouping drowsie hedd,<br/> +In quiet rest his molten heart did steep, 245<br/> +Devoid of care, and feare of all falshedd:<br/> +Had not inconstant Fortune, bent to ill,<br/> +Bid strange mischance his quietnes to spill. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +For at his wonted time in that same place<br/> +An huge great Serpent, all with speckles pide, 250<br/> +To drench himselfe in moorish slime did trace,<br/> +There from the boyling heate himselfe to hide:<br/> +He, passing by with rolling wreathed pace,<br/> +With brandisht tongue the emptie aire did gride*,<br/> +And wrapt his scalie boughts** with fell despight, 255<br/> +That all things seem’d appalled at his sight.<br/> + [* <i>Gride</i>, pierce]<br/> + [** <i>Boughts</i>, knots] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Now more and more having himselfe enrolde,<br/> +His glittering breast he lifteth up on hie,<br/> +And with proud vaunt his head aloft doth holde;<br/> +His creste above, spotted with purple die, 260<br/> +On everie side did shine like scalie golde;<br/> +And his bright eyes, glauncing full dreadfullie,<br/> +Did seeme to flame out flakes of flashing fyre,<br/> +And with sterne lookes to threaten kindled yre. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Thus wise long time he did himselfe dispace 265<br/> +There round about, when as at last he spide,<br/> +Lying along before him in that place,<br/> +That flocks grand captaine and most trustie guide:<br/> +Eftsoones more fierce in visage and in pace,<br/> +Throwing his firie eyes on everie side, 270<br/> +He commeth on, and all things in his way<br/> +Full stearnly rends that might his passage stay. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Much he disdaines that anie one should dare<br/> +To come unto his haunt; for which intent<br/> +He inly burns, and gins straight to prepare 275<br/> +The weapons which Nature to him hath lent;<br/> +Fellie he hisseth, and doth fiercely stare,<br/> +And hath his iawes with angrie spirits rent,<br/> +That all his tract with bloudie drops is stained,<br/> +And all his foldes are now in length outstrained. 280 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Whom, thus at point prepared, to prevent,<br/> +A litle noursling of the humid ayre,<br/> +A Gnat, unto the sleepie shepheard went,<br/> +And marking where his ey-lids twinckling rare<br/> +Shewd the two pearles which sight unto him lent, 285<br/> +Through their thin coverings appearing fayre<br/> +His little needle there infixing deep,<br/> +Warnd him awake, from death himselfe to keep. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Wherewith enrag’d, he fiercely gan upstart,<br/> +And with his hand him rashly bruzing slewe 290<br/> +As in avengement of his heedles smart,<br/> +That streight the spirite out of his senses flew.<br/> +And life out of his members did depart:<br/> +When, suddenly casting aside his vew,<br/> +He spide his foe with felonous intent, 295<br/> +And fervent eyes to his destruction bent. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +All suddenly dismaid, and hartles quight,<br/> +He fled abacke, and, catching hastie holde<br/> +Of a yong alder hard beside him pight,<br/> +It rent, and streight about him gan beholde 300<br/> +What god or fortune would assist his might.<br/> +But whether god or fortune made him bold<br/> +Its hard to read: yet hardie will he had<br/> +To overcome, that made him lesse adrad*.<br/> + [* <i>Adrad</i>, terrified] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +The scalie backe of that most hideous snake 305<br/> +Enwrapped round, oft faining to retire<br/> +And oft him to assaile, he fiercely strake<br/> +Whereas his temples did his creast front tyre*;<br/> +And, for he was but slowe, did slowth off shake,<br/> +And, gazing ghastly on, (for feare and yre 310<br/> +Had blent** so much his sense, that lesse he feard,)—<br/> +Yet, when he saw him slaine, himselfe he cheard.<br/> + [* <i>Tyre</i>, encircle]<br/> + [** <i>Blent</i>, blinded] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +By this the Night forth from the darksome bowre<br/> +Of Herebus her teemed* steedes gan call,<br/> +And laesie Vesper in his timely howre 315<br/> +From golden Oeta gan proceede withall;<br/> +Whenas the shepheard after this sharpe stowre**,<br/> +Seing the doubled shadowes low to fall,<br/> +Gathering his straying flocke, does homeward fare,<br/> +And unto rest his wearie ioynts prepare. 320<br/> + [* <i>Teemed</i>, harnessed in a team]<br/> + [** <i>Stowre</i>, perturbation] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Into whose sense so soone as lighter sleepe<br/> +Was entered, and now loosing everie lim,<br/> +Sweete slumbring deaw in carelesnesse did steepe,<br/> +The image of that Gnat appeard to him,<br/> +And in sad tearmes gan sorrowfully weepe, 325<br/> +With grieslie countenaunce and visage grim,<br/> +Wailing the wrong which he had done of late,<br/> +In steed of good, hastning his cruell fate. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Said he, “What have I wretch deserv’d, that thus<br/> +Into this bitter bale I am outcast, 330<br/> +Whilest that thy life more deare and precious<br/> +Was than mine owne, so long as it did last?<br/> +I now, in lieu of paines so gracious,<br/> +Am tost in th’ayre with everie windie blast:<br/> +Thou, safe delivered from sad decay, 335<br/> +Thy careles limbs in loose sleep dost display. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“So livest thou; but my poore wretched ghost<br/> +Is forst to ferrie over Lethes river,<br/> +And spoyld of Charon too and fro am tost.<br/> +Seest thou not how all places quake and quiver, 340<br/> +Lightned with deadly lamps on everie post?<br/> +Tisiphone each where doth shake and shiver<br/> +Her flaming fire-brond, encountring me,<br/> +Whose lockes uncombed cruell adders be. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“And Cerberus, whose many mouthes doo bay, 345<br/> +And barke out flames, as if on fire he fed,<br/> +Adowne whose necke, in terrible array,<br/> +Ten thousand snakes, cralling about his hed,<br/> +Doo hang in heapes, that horribly affray,<br/> +And bloodie eyes doo glister firie red, 350<br/> +He oftentimes me dreadfullie doth threaten<br/> +With painfull torments to be sorely beaten. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“Ay me! that thankes so much should faile of meed,<br/> +For that I thee restor’d to life againe,<br/> +Even from the doore of death and deadlie dreed. 355<br/> +Where then is now the guerdon of my paine?<br/> +Where the reward of my so piteous deed?<br/> +The praise of pitie vanisht is in vaine,<br/> +And th’antique faith of iustice long agone<br/> +Out of the land is fled away and gone. 360 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“I saw anothers fate approaching fast,<br/> +And left mine owne his safëtie to tender;<br/> +Into the same mishap I now am cast,<br/> +And shun’d destruction doth destruction render:<br/> +Not unto him that never hath trespást, 365<br/> +But punishment is due to the offender:<br/> +Yet let destruction be the punishment,<br/> +So long as thankfull will may it relent. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“I carried am into waste wildernesse,<br/> +Waste wildernes, amongst Cymerian shades, 370<br/> +Where endles paines and hideous heavinesse<br/> +Is round about me heapt in darksome glades.<br/> +For there huge Othos sits in sad distresse,<br/> +Fast bound with serpents that him oft invades,<br/> +Far of beholding Ephialtes tide, 375<br/> +Which once assai’d to burne this world so wide. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“And there is mournfull Tityus, mindefull yet<br/> +Of thy displeasure, O Latona faire;<br/> +Displeasure too implacable was it,<br/> +That made him meat for wild foules of the ayre: 380<br/> +Much do I feare among such fiends to sit;<br/> +Much do I feare back to them to repayre,<br/> +To the black shadowes of the Stygian shore,<br/> +Where wretched ghosts sit wailing evermore. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“There next the utmost brinck doth he abide 385<br/> +That did the bankets of the gods bewray,<br/> +Whose throat through thirst to nought nigh being dride,<br/> +His sense to seeke for ease turnes every way:<br/> +And he that in avengement of his pride,<br/> +For scorning to the sacred gods to pray, 390<br/> +Against a mountaine rolls a mightie stone,<br/> +Calling in vaine for rest, and can have none. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“Go ye with them, go, cursed damosells,<br/> +Whose bridale torches foule Erynnis tynde*,<br/> +And Hymen, at your spousalls sad, foretells 395<br/> +Tydings of death and massacre unkinde**:<br/> +With them that cruell Colchid mother dwells,<br/> +The which conceiv’d in her revengefull minde<br/> +With bitter woundes her owne deere babes to slay,<br/> +And murdred troupes upon great heapes to lay. 400<br/> + [* <i>Tynde</i>, kindled.]<br/> + [** <i>Unkinde</i>, unnatural.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“There also those two Pandionian maides,<br/> +Calling on Itis, Itis evermore,<br/> +Whom, wretched boy, they slew with guiltie blades;<br/> +For whome the Thracian king lamenting sore,<br/> +Turn’d to a lapwing, fowlie them upbraydes, 405<br/> +And flattering round about them still does sore;<br/> +There now they all eternally complaine<br/> +Of others wrong, and suffer endles paine. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“But the two brethren* borne of Cadmus blood,<br/> +Whilst each does for the soveraignty contend, 411<br/> +Blinde through ambition, and with vengeance wood**,<br/> +Each doth against the others bodie bend<br/> +His cursed steele, of neither well withstood,<br/> +And with wide wounds their carcases doth rend;<br/> +That yet they both doe mortall foes remaine, 415<br/> +Sith each with brothers bloudie hand was slaine.<br/> + [* I.e. Eteocles and Polynices.]<br/> + [** <i>Wood</i>, mad.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“Ah (waladay!) there is no end of paine,<br/> +Nor chaunge of labour may intreated bee:<br/> +Yet I beyond all these am carried faine,<br/> +Where other powers farre different I see, 420<br/> +And must passe over to th’Elisian plaine:<br/> +There grim Persephone, encountring mee,<br/> +Doth urge her fellow Furies earnestlie<br/> +With their bright firebronds me to terrifie. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“There chast Alceste lives inviolate, 425<br/> +Free from all care, for that her husbands daies<br/> +She did prolong by changing fate for fate:<br/> +Lo! there lives also the immortall praise<br/> +Of womankinde, most faithfull to her mate,<br/> +Penelope; and from her farre awayes 430<br/> +A rulesse* rout of yongmen which her woo’d,<br/> +All slaine with darts, lie wallowed in their blood.<br/> + [* <i>Rulesse</i>, rule-less.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“And sad Eurydice thence now no more<br/> +Must turne to life, but there detained bee<br/> +For looking back, being forbid before: 435<br/> +Yet was the guilt thereof, Orpheus, in thee!<br/> +Bold sure he was, and worthie spirite bore,<br/> +That durst those lowest shadowes goe to see,<br/> +And could beleeve that anie thing could please<br/> +Fell Cerberus, or Stygian powres appease. 440 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“Ne feard the burning waves of Phlegeton,<br/> +Nor those same mournfull kingdomes, compassed<br/> +With rustle horrour and fowle fashion;<br/> +And deep digd vawtes*; and Tartar covered<br/> +With bloodie night and darke confusion; 445<br/> +And iudgement seates, whose iudge is deadlie dred,<br/> +A iudge that after death doth punish sore<br/> +The faults which life hath trespassed before.<br/> + [* <i>Vawtes</i>, vaults.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“But valiant fortune made Dan Orpheus bolde:<br/> +For the swift running rivers still did stand, 450<br/> +And the wilde beasts their furie did withhold,<br/> +To follow Orpheus musicke through the land:<br/> +And th’okes, deep grounded in the earthly molde,<br/> +Did move, as if they could him understand; 454<br/> +And the shrill woods, which were of sense bereav’d,<br/> +Through their hard barke his silver sound receav’d. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“And eke the Moone her hastie steedes did stay,<br/> +Drawing in teemes along the starrie skie;<br/> +And didst, O monthly Virgin, thou delay<br/> +Thy nightly course, to heare his melodie? 460<br/> +The same was able, with like lovely lay,<br/> +The Queene of Hell to move as easily<br/> +To yeeld Eurydice unto her fere,<br/> +Backe to be borne, though it unlawfull were. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“She, ladie, having well before approoved 465<br/> +The feends to be too cruell and severe,<br/> +Observ’d th’appointed way, as her behooved,<br/> +Ne ever did her eysight turne arere,<br/> +Ne ever spake, ne cause of speaking mooved;<br/> +But, cruell Orpheus, thou much crueller, 470<br/> +Seeking to kisse her, brok’st the gods decree,<br/> +And thereby mad’st her ever damn’d to be. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“Ah! but sweete love of pardon worthie is,<br/> +And doth deserve to have small faults remitted;<br/> +If Hell at least things lightly done amis 475<br/> +Knew how to pardon, when ought is omitted:<br/> +Yet are ye both received into blis,<br/> +And to the seates of happie soules admitted.<br/> +And you beside the honourable band<br/> +Of great heroës doo in order stand. 480 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“There be the two stout sonnes of AEacus,<br/> +Fierce Peleus, and the hardie Telamon,<br/> +Both seeming now full glad and ioyeous<br/> +Through their syres dreadfull iurisdiction,<br/> +Being the iudge of all that horrid hous: 488<br/> +And both of them, by strange occasion,<br/> +Renown’d in choyce of happie marriage<br/> +Through Venus grace, and vertues cariage. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“For th’one was ravisht of his owne bondmaide,<br/> +The faire Ixione captiv’d from Troy: 490<br/> +But th’other was with Thetis love assaid,<br/> +Great Nereus his daughter and his ioy.<br/> +On this side them there is a yongman layd,<br/> +Their match in glorie, mightie, fierce, and coy,<br/> +That from th’Argolick ships, with furious yre, 495<br/> +Bett back the furie of the Troian fyre. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“O! who would not recount the strong divorces<br/> +Of that great warre, which Troianes oft behelde,<br/> +And oft beheld the warlike Greekish forces,<br/> +When Teucrian soyle with bloodie rivers swelde, 500<br/> +And wide Sigraean shores were spred with corses,<br/> +And Simois and Xanthus blood outwelde;<br/> +Whilst Hector raged, with outragious minde,<br/> +Flames, weapons, wounds, in Greeks fleete to have tynde. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“For Ida selfe, in ayde of that fierce fight, 505<br/> +Out of her mountaines ministred supplies;<br/> +And like a kindly nourse did yeeld, for spight,<br/> +Store of firebronds out of her nourseries<br/> +Unto her foster children, that they might<br/> +Inflame the navie of their enemies, 510<br/> +And all the Rhetaean shore to ashes turne,<br/> +Where lay the ships which they did seeke to burne. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“Gainst which the noble sonne of Telamon<br/> +Oppos’d himselfe, and thwarting* his huge shield,<br/> +Them battell bad; gainst whom appeard anon 515<br/> +Hector, the glorie of the Troian field:<br/> +Both fierce and furious in contention<br/> +Encountred, that their mightie strokes so shrild<br/> +As the great clap of thunder, which doth ryve<br/> +The railing heavens and cloudes asunder dryve. 520<br/> + [* <i>Thwarting</i>, interposing.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“So th’one with fire and weapons did contend<br/> +To cut the ships from turning home againe<br/> +To Argos; th’other strove for to defend*<br/> +The force of Vulcane with his might and maine.<br/> +Thus th’one Aeacide did his fame extend: 525<br/> +But th’other ioy’d that, on the Phrygian playne<br/> +Having the blood of vanquisht Hector shedd,<br/> +He compast Troy thrice with his bodie dedd.<br/> + [* <i>Defend</i>, keep off.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“Againe great dole on either partie grewe,<br/> +That him to death unfaithfull Paris sent; 530<br/> +And also him that false Ulysses slewe,<br/> +Drawne into danger through close ambushment;<br/> +Therefore from him Laërtes sonne his vewe<br/> +Doth turn aside, and boasts his good event<br/> +In working of Strymonian Rhaesus fall, 535<br/> +And efte* in Dolons slye surprÿsall.<br/> + [* <i>Efte</i>, again.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“Againe the dreadfull Cycones him dismay,<br/> +And blacke Laestrigones, a people stout;<br/> +Then greedie Scilla, under whom there bay<br/> +Manie great bandogs, which her gird about; 540<br/> +Then doo the AEtnean Cyclops him affray,<br/> +And deep Charybdis gulphing in and out;<br/> +Lastly the squalid lakes of Tartarie,<br/> +And griesly feends of hell him terrifie. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“There also goodly Agamemnon bosts, 545<br/> +The glorie of the stock of Tantalus,<br/> +And famous light of all the Greekish hosts;<br/> +Under whose conduct most victorious,<br/> +The Dorick flames consum’d the Iliack posts.<br/> +Ah! but the Greekes themselves, more dolorous, 550<br/> +To thee, O Troy, paid penaunce for thy fall,<br/> +In th’Hellespont being nigh drowned all. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“Well may appeare by proofe of their mischaunce<br/> +The chaungfull turning of mens slipperie state,<br/> +That none whom fortune freely doth advaunce 555<br/> +Himselfe therefore to heaven should elevate:<br/> +For loftie type of honour through the glaunce<br/> +Of envies dart is downe in dust prostrate,<br/> +And all that vaunts in worldly vanitie<br/> +Shall fall through fortunes mutabilitie. 560 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“Th’Argolicke power returning home againe,<br/> +Enricht with spoyles of th’Ericthonian towre,<br/> +Did happie winde and weather entertaine,<br/> +And with good speed the fomie billowes scowre:<br/> +No signe of storme, no feare of future paine, 565<br/> +Which soone ensued them with heavie stowre*:<br/> +Nereïs to the seas a token gave,<br/> +The whiles their crooked keeles the surges clave.<br/> + [* <i>Stowre</i>, turmoil, uproar.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“Suddenly, whether through the gods decree,<br/> +Or haplesse rising of some froward starre, 570<br/> +The heavens on everie side enclowded bee:<br/> +Black stormes and fogs are blowen up from farre,<br/> +That now the pylote can no loadstarre see,<br/> +But skies and seas doo make most dreadfull warre;<br/> +The billowes striving to the heavens to reach, 575<br/> +And th’heavens striving them for to impeach*.<br/> + [* <i>Impeach</i>, hinder.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“And, in avengement of their bold attempt,<br/> +Both sun and starres and all the heavenly powres<br/> +Conspire in one to wreake their rash contempt,<br/> +And downe on them to fall from highest towres: 580<br/> +The skie, in pieces seeming to be rent,<br/> +Throwes lightning forth, and haile, and harmful showres,<br/> +That death on everie side to them appeares,<br/> +In thousand formes, to worke more ghastly feares. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“Some in the greedie flouds are sunke and drent*; 585<br/> +Some on the rocks of Caphareus are throwne;<br/> +Some on th’Euboick cliffs in pieces rent;<br/> +Some scattred on the Hercaean** shores unknowne;<br/> +And manie lost, of whom no moniment<br/> +Remaines, nor memorie is to be showne: 590<br/> +Whilst all the purchase@ of the Phrigian pray,<br/> +Tost on salt billowes, round about doth stray.<br/> +[* <i>Drent</i>, drowned.]<br/> +[** <i>Hercaean</i> should probably be AEgean.]<br/> +[@ <i>Purchase</i>, booty.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“Here manie other like heroës bee,<br/> +Equall in honour to the former crue,<br/> +Whom ye in goodly seates may placed see, 595<br/> +Descended all from Rome by linage due;<br/> +From Rome, that holds the world in sovereigntie,<br/> +And doth all nations unto her subdue:<br/> +Here Fabii and Decii doo dwell,<br/> +Horatii that in vertue did excell. 600 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“And here the antique fame of stout Camill<br/> +Doth ever live; and constant Curtius,<br/> +Who, stifly bent his vowed life to spill<br/> +For countreyes health, a gulph most hideous<br/> +Amidst the towne with his owne corps did fill, 605<br/> +T’appease the Powers; and prudent Mutius,<br/> +Who in his flesh endur’d the scorching flame,<br/> +To daunt his foe by ensample of the same. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“And here wise Curius, companion<br/> +Of noble vertues, lives in endles rest; 610<br/> +And stout Flaminius, whose devotion<br/> +Taught him the fires scorn’d furie to detest;<br/> +And here the praise of either Scipion<br/> +Abides in highest place above the best,<br/> +To whom the ruin’d walls of Carthage vow’d, 615<br/> +Trembling their forces, sound their praises lowd. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“Live they for ever through their lasting praise!<br/> +But I, poore wretch, am forced to retourne<br/> +To the sad lakes that Phoebus sunnie rayes<br/> +Doo never see, where soules doo alwaies mourne; 620<br/> +And by the wayling shores to waste my dayes,<br/> +Where Phlegeton with quenchles flames doth burne;<br/> +By which iust Minos righteous soules doth sever<br/> +From wicked ones, to live in blisse for ever. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“Me therefore thus the cruell fiends of hell, 625<br/> +Girt with long snakes and thousand yron chaynes,<br/> +Through doome of that their cruell iudge compell,<br/> +With bitter torture and impatient paines,<br/> +Cause of my death and iust complaint to tell.<br/> +For thou art he whom my poore ghost complaines 630<br/> +To be the author of her ill unwares,<br/> +That careles hear’st my intollerable cares. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“Them therefore as bequeathing to the winde,<br/> +I now depart, returning to thee never,<br/> +And leave this lamentable plaint behinde. 635<br/> +But doo thou haunt the soft downe-rolling river,<br/> +And wilde greene woods and fruitful pastures minde,<br/> +And let the flitting aire my vaine words sever.”<br/> +Thus having said, he heavily departed<br/> +With piteous crie that anie would have smarted. 640 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Now, when the sloathfull fit of lifes sweete rest<br/> +Had left the heavie Shepheard, wondrous cares<br/> +His inly grieved minde full sore opprest;<br/> +That balefull sorrow he no longer beares<br/> +For that Gnats death, which deeply was imprest, 645<br/> +But bends what ever power his aged yeares<br/> +Him lent, yet being such as through their might<br/> +He lately slue his dreadfull foe in fight. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +By that same river lurking under greene,<br/> +Eftsoones* he gins to fashion forth a place, 650<br/> +And, squaring it in compasse well beseene**,<br/> +There plotteth out a tombe by measured space:<br/> +His yron-headed spade tho making cleene,<br/> +To dig up sods out of the flowrie grasse,<br/> +His worke he shortly to good purpose brought, 655<br/> +Like as he had conceiv’d it in his thought.<br/> + [* <i>Eftsoones</i>, immediately.]<br/> + [** <i>Well beseene</i>, seemly.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +An heape of earth he hoorded up on hie,<br/> +Enclosing it with banks on everie side,<br/> +And thereupon did raise full busily<br/> +A little mount, of greene turffs edifide*; 660<br/> +And on the top of all, that passers by<br/> +Might it behold, the toomb he did provide<br/> +Of smoothest marble stone in order set,<br/> +That never might his luckie scape forget.<br/> + [* <i>Edifide</i>, built.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +And round about he taught sweete flowres to growe; 665<br/> +The Rose, engrained in pure scarlet die;<br/> +The Lilly fresh, and Violet belowe;<br/> +The Marigolde, and cherefull Rosemarie;<br/> +The Spartan Mirtle, whence sweet gumb does flowe;<br/> +The purple Hyacinths, and fresh Costmarie, 670<br/> +And Saffron, sought for in Cilician soyle,<br/> +And Lawrell, th’ornament of Phoebus toyle: +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Fresh Rhododaphne, and the Sabine flowre*,<br/> +Matching the wealth of th’auncient Frankincence;<br/> +And pallid Yvie, building his owne bowre; 675<br/> +And Box, yet mindfull of his olde offence;<br/> +Red Amaranthus, lucklesse paramour;<br/> +Oxeye still greene, and bitter Patience;<br/> +Ne wants there pale Narcisse, that, in a well<br/> +Seeing his beautie, in love with it fell. 680<br/> + [* <i>Sabine flowre</i>, a kind of juniper, the savine.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +And whatsoever other flowre of worth,<br/> +And whatso other hearb of lovely hew<br/> +The ioyous Spring out of the ground brings forth,<br/> +To cloath her selfe in colours fresh and new,<br/> +He planted there, and reard a mount of earth, 685<br/> +In whose high front was writ as doth ensue: +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +<i>To thee, small Gnat, in lieu of his life saved,</i> +<i>The Shepheard hath thy deaths record engraved.</i> +</p> + +<hr /> + +<h5>FOOTNOTES:</h5> + +<p class="stanza"> +VIRGILS GNAT. This is a very skilful elaboration of the Culex, a poem +attributed, without reason, to Virgil. The original, which is crabbed +and pedantic, where it is not unintelligible from corruption, is here +rendered with sufficient fidelity to the sense, but with such +perspicuity, elegance, and sweetness, as to make Spenser’s performance +too good a poem to be called a translation. C. +</p> + +<hr /> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap04"></a>PROSOPOPOIA:</h2> + +<h5>OR +MOTHER HUBBERDS TALE.</h5> + +<h5>BY ED. SP.</h5> + +<h5>DEDICATED TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE,</h5> + +<h5>THE LADIE COMPTON AND MOUNTEGLE.</h5> + +<hr /> + +<p class="center"> +LONDON.<br/> +IMPRINTED FOR WILLIAM PONSONBIE,<br/> +DWELLING IN PAULES CHURCHYARD<br/> +AT THE SIGNE OF THE<br/> +BISHOPS HEAD.<br/> +1591. +</p> + +<h3>TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE,</h3> + +<h5>THE LADIE COMPTON AND MOUNTEGLE.[*]</h5> + +<p class="stanza"> +Most faire and vertuous Ladie: having often sought opportunitie by some good +meanes to make knowen to your Ladiship the humble affection and faithfull +duetie which I have alwaies professed, and am bound to beare, to that house +from whence yee spring, I have at length found occasion to remember the same by +making a simple present to you of these my idle labours; which having long +sithens composed in the raw conceipt of my youth, I lately amongst other papers +lighted upon, and was by others, which liked the same, mooved to set them +foorth. Simple is the device, and the composition meane, yet carrieth some +delight, even the rather because of the simplicitie and meannesse thus +personated. The same I beseech your Ladiship take in good part, as a pledge of +that profession which I have made to you, and keepe with you untill with some +other more worthie labour redeeme it out of your hands, and discharge my utmost +dutie. Till then, wishing your Ladiship all increase of honour and happinesse, +I humblie take leave. +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Your La: ever humbly,<br/> + ED. SP. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +[* “This lady was Anne, the fifth daughter of Sir John Spencer, distinguished +also, in the pastoral of <i>Colin Clouts come Home again</i>, by the name of +<i>Charillis</i>. She was married, first to Sir William Stanley, Lord +Mountegle; next to Henry Compton, Lord Compton; and lastly to Robert Sackvilie, +Lord Buckhurst, afterwards Earl of Dorset.”—TODD.] +</p> + +<hr /> + +<h3>PROSOPOPOIA:</h3> + +<h5>OR</h5> + +<h5>MOTHER HUBBERDS TALE.</h5> + +<p class="stanza"> +It was the month in which the righteous Maide<br/> +That for disdaine of sinfull worlds upbraide<br/> +Fled back to heaven, whence she was first conceived,<br/> +Into her silver bowre the Sunne received;<br/> +And the hot Syrian Dog on him awayting, 5<br/> +After the chafed Lyons cruell bayting,<br/> +Corrupted had th’ayre with his noysome breath.<br/> +And powr’d on th’earth plague, pestilence, and death.<br/> +Emongst the rest a wicked maladie<br/> +Raign’d emongst men, that manie did to die, 10<br/> +Depriv’d of sense and ordinarie reason;<br/> +That it to leaches seemed strange and geason.<br/> + [<i>Geason</i>, rare.]<br/> +My fortune was, mongst manie others moe,<br/> +To be partaker of their common woe;<br/> +And my weake bodie, set on fire with griefe, 15<br/> +Was rob’d of rest and naturall reliefe.<br/> +In this ill plight, there came to visite mee<br/> +Some friends, who, sorie my sad case to see,<br/> +Began to comfort me in chearfull wise,<br/> +And meanes of gladsome solace to devise. 20<br/> +But seeing kindly sleep refuse to doe<br/> +His office, and my feeble eyes forgoe,<br/> +They sought my troubled sense how to deceave<br/> +With talke that might unquiet fancies reave;<br/> + [<i>Reave</i>, take away.]<br/> +And sitting all in seates about me round, 25<br/> +With pleasant tales fit for that idle stound<br/> + [<i>Stound</i>, time.]<br/> +They cast in course to waste the wearie howres.<br/> +Some tolde of ladies, and their paramoures;<br/> +Some of brave knights, and their renowned squires;<br/> +Some of the faeries and their strange attires; 30<br/> +And some of giaunts hard to be beleeved;<br/> +That the delight thereof me much releeved.<br/> +Amongst the rest a good old woman was,<br/> +Hight Mother Hubberd, who did farre surpas<br/> +The rest in honest mirth, that seem’d her well. 35<br/> +She, when her turne was come her tale to tell,<br/> +Tolde of a strange adventure that betided<br/> +Betwixt the Foxe and th’Ape by him misguided;<br/> +The which, for that my sense it greatly pleased,<br/> +All were my spirite heavie and diseased, 40<br/> +Ile write in termes, as she the same did say,<br/> +So well as I her words remember may.<br/> +No Muses aide me needes heretoo to call;<br/> +Base is the style, and matter meane withall.<br/> + [<i>Base</i>, humble.]<br/> +Whilome, said she, before the world was civill,<br/> +The Foxe and th’Ape, disliking of their evill 46<br/> +And hard estate, determined to seeke<br/> +Their fortunes farre abroad, lyeke with his lyeke:<br/> +For both were craftie and unhappie witted;<br/> + [<i>Unhappie</i>, mischievous.]<br/> +Two fellowes might no where be better fitted. 50<br/> +The Foxe, that first this cause of griefe did finde,<br/> +Gan first thus plaine his case with words unkinde:<br/> +“Neighbour Ape, and my gossip eke beside,<br/> +(Both two sure bands in friendship to be tide,)<br/> +To whom may I more trustely complaine 55<br/> +The evill plight that doth me sore constraine,<br/> +And hope thereof to finde due remedie?<br/> +Heare then my paine and inward agonie.<br/> +Thus manie yeares I now have spent and worne,<br/> +In meane regard, and basest fortunes scorne, 60<br/> +Dooing my countrey service as I might,<br/> +No lesse I dare saie than the prowdest wight;<br/> +And still I hoped to be up advaunced<br/> +For my good parts; but still it hath mischaunced.<br/> +Now therefore that no lenger hope I see, 65<br/> +But froward fortune still to follow mee,<br/> +And losels lifted up on high, where I did looke,<br/> + [<i>Losels</i>, worthless fellows.]<br/> +I meane to turne the next leafe of the booke.<br/> +Yet ere that anie way I doe betake,<br/> +I meane my gossip privie first to make.” 70<br/> +“Ah! my deare gossip,” answer’d then the Ape,<br/> +“Deeply doo your sad words my wits awhape,<br/> + [<i>Awhape</i>, astound.]<br/> +Both for because your griefe doth great appeare,<br/> +And eke because my selfe am touched neare:<br/> +For I likewise have wasted much good time, 75<br/> +Still wayting to preferment up to clime,<br/> +Whilst others alwayes have before me stept,<br/> +And from my beard the fat away have swept;<br/> +That now unto despaire I gin to growe,<br/> +And meane for better winde about to throwe. 80<br/> +Therefore to me, my trustie friend, aread<br/> + [<i>Aread</i>, declare.]<br/> +Thy councell: two is better than one head.”<br/> +“Certes,” said he, “I meane me to disguize<br/> +In some straunge habit, after uncouth wize,<br/> +Or like a pilgrime, or a lymiter, 85<br/> + [<i>Lymiter</i>, I.e. a friar licensed to beg within a certain district.]<br/> +Or like a gipsen, or a iuggeler,<br/> + [<i>Gipsen</i>, gypsy.]<br/> +And so to wander to the worlds ende,<br/> +To seeke my fortune, where I may it mend:<br/> +For worse than that I have I cannot meete.<br/> +Wide is the world I wote, and everie streete 90<br/> +Is full of fortunes and adventures straunge,<br/> +Continuallie subiect unto chaunge.<br/> +Say, my faire brother now, if this device<br/> +Doth like you, or may you to like entice.”<br/> +“Surely,” said th’Ape, “it likes me wondrous well; 95<br/> +And would ye not poore fellowship expell,<br/> +My selfe would offer you t’accompanie<br/> +In this adventures chauncefull ieopardie.<br/> +For to wexe olde at home in idlenesse<br/> +Is disadventrous, and quite fortunelesse: 100<br/> +Abroad, where change is, good may gotten bee.”<br/> +The Foxe was glad, and quickly did agree:<br/> +So both resolv’d, the morrow next ensuing,<br/> +So soone as day appeard to peoples vewing,<br/> +On their intended iourney to proceede; 105<br/> +And over night, whatso theretoo did neede<br/> +Each did prepare, in readines to bee.<br/> +The morrow next, so soone as one might see<br/> +Light out of heavens windowes forth to looke,<br/> +Both their habiliments unto them tooke, 110<br/> +And put themselves, a Gods name, on their way.<br/> +Whenas the Ape, beginning well to wey<br/> +This hard adventure, thus began t’advise:<br/> +“Now read, Sir Reynold, as ye be right wise,<br/> +What course ye weene is best for us to take, 115<br/> +That for our selves we may a living make.<br/> +Whether shall we professe some trade or skill?<br/> +Or shall we varie our device at will,<br/> +Even as new occasion appeares?<br/> +Or shall we tie our selves for certaine yeares 120<br/> +To anie service, or to anie place?<br/> +For it behoves, ere that into the race<br/> +We enter, to resolve first hereupon.”<br/> +“Now surely, brother,” said the Foxe anon,<br/> +“Te have this matter motioned in season: 125<br/> +For everie thing that is begun with reason<br/> +Will come by readie meanes unto his end;<br/> +But things miscounselled must needs miswend.<br/> + [<i>Miswend</i>, go wrong.]<br/> +Thus therefore I advize upon the case:<br/> +That not to anie certaine trade or place, 130<br/> +Nor anie man, we should our selves applie.<br/> +For why should he that is at libertie<br/> +Make himselfe bond? Sith then we are free borne.<br/> +Let us all servile base subiection scorne;<br/> +And as we bee sonnes of the world so wide, 135<br/> +Let us our fathers heritage divide,<br/> +And chalenge to our selves our portions dew<br/> +Of all the patrimonie, which a few<br/> +Now hold in hugger mugger in their hand,<br/> + [<i>In hugger mugger</i>, in secret]<br/> +And all the rest doo rob of good and land: 140<br/> +For now a few have all, and all have nought,<br/> +Yet all be brethren ylike dearly bought.<br/> +There is no right in this partition,<br/> +Ne was it so by institution<br/> +Ordained first, ne by the law of Nature, 145<br/> +But that she gave like blessing to each creture<br/> +As well of worldly livelode as of life,<br/> +That there might be no difference nor strife,<br/> +Nor ought cald mine or thine: thrice happie then<br/> +Was the condition of mortall men. 150<br/> +That was the golden age of Saturne old,<br/> +But this might better be the world of gold;<br/> +For without golde now nothing wilbe got.<br/> +Therefore, if please you, this shalbe our plot:<br/> +We will not be of anie occupation; 155<br/> +Let such vile vassalls, borne to base vocation,<br/> +Drudge in the world and for their living droyle,<br/> + [<i>Droyle</i>, moil]<br/> +Which have no wit to live withouten toyle.<br/> +But we will walke about the world at pleasure,<br/> +Like two free men, and make our ease our treasure.<br/> +Free men some beggers call; but they be free; 161<br/> +And they which call them so more beggers bee:<br/> +For they doo swinke and sweate to feed the other,<br/> + [<i>Swinke</i>, toil.]<br/> +Who live like lords of that which they doo gather,<br/> +And yet doo never thanke them for the same, 165<br/> +But as their due by nature doo it clame.<br/> +Such will we fashion both our selves to bee,<br/> +Lords of the world; and so will wander free<br/> +Where so us listeth, uncontrol’d of anie.<br/> +Hard is our hap, if we, emongst so manie, 170<br/> +Light not on some that may our state amend;<br/> +Sildome but some good commeth ere the end.”<br/> +Well seemd the Ape to like this ordinaunce:<br/> +Yet, well considering of the circumstaunce,<br/> +As pausing in great doubt awhile he staid, 175<br/> +And afterwards with grave advizement said:<br/> +“I cannot, my lief brother, like but well<br/> + [<i>Lief</i>, dear.]<br/> +The purpose of the complot which ye tell;<br/> +For well I wot (compar’d to all the rest<br/> +Of each degree) that beggers life is best, 180<br/> +And they that thinke themselves the best of all<br/> +Oft-times to begging are content to fall.<br/> +But this I wot withall, that we shall ronne<br/> +Into great daunger, like to bee undonne,<br/> +Thus wildly to wander in the worlds eye, 185<br/> +Withouten pasport or good warrantye,<br/> +For feare least we like rogues should be reputed,<br/> +And for eare-marked beasts abroad be bruted.<br/> +Therefore I read that we our counsells call<br/> +How to prevent this mischiefe ere it fall, 190<br/> +And how we may, with most securitie,<br/> +Beg amongst those that beggars doo defie.”<br/> +“Right well, deere gossip, ye advized have,”<br/> +Said then the Foxe, “but I this doubt will save:<br/> +For ere we farther passe, I will devise 195<br/> +A pasport for us both in fittest wize,<br/> +And by the names of souldiers us protect,<br/> +That now is thought a civile begging sect.<br/> +Be you the souldier, for you likest are<br/> +For manly semblance, and small skill in warre: 200<br/> +I will but wayte on you, and, as occasion<br/> +Falls out, my selfe fit for the same will fashion.”<br/> +The pasport ended, both they forward went;<br/> +The Ape clad souldierlike, fit for th’intent,<br/> +In a blew iacket with a crosse of redd 205<br/> +And manie slits, as if that he had shedd<br/> +Much blood throgh many wounds therein receaved,<br/> +Which had the use of his right arme bereaved,<br/> +Upon his head an old Scotch cap he wore,<br/> +With a plume feather all to peeces tore; 210<br/> +His breeches were made after the new cut,<br/> +<i>Al Portugese</i>, loose like an emptie gut,<br/> +And his hose broken high above the heeling,<br/> +And his shooes beaten out with traveling.<br/> +But neither sword nor dagger he did beare; 215<br/> +Seemes that no foes revengement he did feare;<br/> +In stead of them a handsome bat he held,<br/> + [<i>Bat</i>, stick.]<br/> +On which he leaned, as one farre in elde.<br/> + [<i>Elde</i>, age.]<br/> +Shame light on him, that through so false illusion<br/> +Doth turne the name of souldiers to abusion, 220<br/> +And that which is the noblest mysterie<br/> + [<i>Mysterie</i>, profession.]<br/> +Brings to reproach and common infamie!<br/> +Long they thus travailed, yet never met<br/> +Adventure which might them a working set:<br/> +Yet manie waies they sought, and manie tryed; 225<br/> +Yet for their purposes none fit espyed.<br/> +At last they chaunst to meete upon the way<br/> +A simple husbandman in garments gray;<br/> +Yet, though his vesture were but meane and bace,<br/> + [<i>Bace</i>, humble.]<br/> +A good yeoman he was of honest place, 230<br/> +And more for thrift did care than for gay clothing:<br/> +Gay without good is good hearts greatest loathing.<br/> +The Foxe, him spying, bad the Ape him dight<br/> + [<i>Dight</i>, prepare.]<br/> +To play his part, for loe! he was in sight<br/> +That, if he er’d not, should them entertaine, 235<br/> +And yeeld them timely profite for their paine.<br/> +Eftsoones the Ape himselfe gan up to reare,<br/> + [<i>Eftsoones</i>, straightway.]<br/> +And on his shoulders high his bat to beare,<br/> +As if good service he were fit to doo,<br/> +But little thrift for him he did it too: 240<br/> +And stoutly forward he his steps did straine,<br/> +That like a handsome swaine it him became.<br/> +When as they nigh approached, that good man,<br/> +Seeing them wander loosly, first began<br/> +T’enquire, of custome, what and whence they were.<br/> +To whom the Ape: “I am a souldiere, 246<br/> +That late in warres have spent my deerest blood,<br/> +And in long service lost both limbs and good;<br/> +And now, constraint that trade to overgive,<br/> +I driven am to seeke some meanes to live: 250<br/> +Which might it you in pitie please t’afford,<br/> +I would be readie, both in deed and word,<br/> +To doo you faithfull service all my dayes.<br/> +This yron world” (that same he weeping sayes)<br/> +“Brings downe the stowtest hearts to lowest state: 255<br/> +For miserie doth bravest mindes abate,<br/> +And make them seeke for that they wont to scorne,<br/> +Of fortune and of hope at once forlorne.”<br/> + [<i>Forlorne</i>, deserted.]<br/> +The honest roan that heard him thus complaine<br/> +Was griev’d as he had felt part of his paine; 260<br/> +And, well dispos’d him some reliefe to showe,<br/> +Askt if in husbandrie he ought did knowe,—<br/> +To plough, to plant, to reap, to rake, to sowe,<br/> +To hedge, to ditch, to thrash, to thetch, to mowe;<br/> +Or to what labour els he was prepar’d: 265<br/> +For husbands life is labourous and hard.<br/> + [<i>Husbands</i>, husbandman’s.]<br/> +Whenas the Ape him hard so much to talke<br/> +Of labour, that did from his liking balke,<br/> +He would have slipt the coller handsomly,<br/> +And to him said: “Good Sir, full glad am I 270<br/> +To take what paines may anie living wight:<br/> +But my late maymed limbs lack wonted might<br/> +To doo their kindly services, as needeth:<br/> + [<i>Kindly</i>, natural.]<br/> +Scarce this right hand the mouth with diet feedeth;<br/> +So that it may no painfull worke endure, 275<br/> +Ne to strong labour can it selfe enure.<br/> +But if that anie other place you have,<br/> +Which askes small paines, but thriftines to save,<br/> +Or care to overlooke, or trust to gather,<br/> +Ye may me trust as your owne ghostly father.” 280<br/> +With that the husbandman gan him avize,<br/> +That it for him were fittest exercise<br/> +Cattell to keep, or grounds to oversee;<br/> +And asked him, if he could willing bee<br/> +To keep his sheep, or to attend his swyne, 285<br/> +Or watch his mares, or take his charge of kyne.<br/> +“Gladly,” said he, “what ever such like paine<br/> +Ye put on me, I will the same sustaine:<br/> +But gladliest I of your fleecie sheepe<br/> +(Might it you please) would take on me the keep. 290<br/> +For ere that unto armes I me betooke,<br/> +Unto my fathers sheepe I usde to looke,<br/> +That yet the skill thereof I have not loste:<br/> +Thereto right well this curdog, by my coste,<br/> +(Meaning the Foxe,) will serve my sheepe to gather,<br/> +And drive to follow after their belwether.” 295<br/> +The husbandman was meanly well content<br/> + [<i>Meanly</i>, humbly.]<br/> +Triall to make of his endevourment;<br/> +And, home him leading, lent to him the charge<br/> +Of all his flocke, with libertie full large, 300<br/> +Giving accompt of th’annuall increce<br/> +Both of their lambes, and of their woolly fleece.<br/> +Thus is this Ape become a shepheard swaine,<br/> +And the false Foxe his dog: God give them paine!<br/> +For ere the yeare have halfe his course out-run, 305<br/> +And doo returne from whence he first begun,<br/> +They shall him make an ill accompt of thrift.<br/> +Now whenas time, flying with wingës swift,<br/> +Expired had the terme that these two iavels<br/> + [<i>Iavels,</i> worthless fellows.]<br/> +Should render up a reckning of their travels 310<br/> +Unto their master, which it of them sought,<br/> +Exceedingly they troubled were in thought,<br/> +Ne wist what answere unto him to frame,<br/> +Ne how to scape great punishment, or shame,<br/> +For their false treason and vile theeverie: 315<br/> +For not a lambe of all their flockes-supply<br/> +Had they to shew; but ever as they bred,<br/> +They slue them, and upon their fleshes fed:<br/> +For that disguised dog lov’d blood to spill,<br/> +And drew the wicked shepheard to his will. 320<br/> +So twixt them both they not a lambkin left;<br/> +And when lambes fail’d, the old sheepes lives they reft;<br/> +That how t’acquite themselves unto their lord<br/> +They were in doubt, and flatly set abord.<br/> + [<i>Set abord</i>, set adrift, at a loss.]<br/> +The Foxe then counsel’d th’Ape for to require 325<br/> +Respite till morrow t’answere his desire:<br/> +For times delay new hope of helpe still breeds.<br/> +The good man granted, doubting nought their deeds,<br/> +And bad next day that all should readie be.<br/> +But they more subtill meaning had than he: 330<br/> +For the next morrowes meed they closely ment,<br/> + [<i>Closely</i>, secretly.]<br/> +For feare of afterclaps, for to prevent:<br/> + [<i>Prevent</i>, anticipate.]<br/> +And that same evening, when all shrowded were<br/> +In careles sleep, they without care or feare<br/> +Cruelly fell upon their flock in folde, 335<br/> +And of them slew at pleasure what they wolde.<br/> +Of which whenas they feasted had their fill,<br/> +For a full complement of all their ill,<br/> +They stole away, and tooke their hastie flight,<br/> +Carried in clowdes of all-concealing night. 340<br/> +So was the husbandman left to his losse,<br/> +And they unto their fortunes change to tosse.<br/> +After which sort they wandered long while,<br/> +Abusing manie through their cloaked guile;<br/> +That at the last they gan to be descryed 345<br/> +Of everie one, and all their sleights espyed;<br/> +So as their begging now them failed quyte,<br/> +For none would give, but all men would them wyte.<br/> + [<i>Wyte</i>, blame.]<br/> +Yet would they take no paines to get their living,<br/> +But seeke some other way to gaine by giving, 350<br/> +Much like to begging, but much better named;<br/> +For manie beg which are thereof ashamed.<br/> +And now the Foxe had gotten him a gowne,<br/> +And th’Ape a cassocke sidelong hanging downe;<br/> +For they their occupation meant to change, 355<br/> +And now in other state abroad to range:<br/> +For since their souldiers pas no better spedd,<br/> +They forg’d another, as for clerkes booke-redd.<br/> +Who passing foorth, as their adventures fell,<br/> +Through manie haps, which needs not here to tell, 360<br/> +At length chaunst with a formall Priest to meete,<br/> + [<i>Formall</i>, regular.]<br/> +Whom they in civill manner first did greete,<br/> +And after askt an almes for Gods deare love.<br/> +The man straightway his choler up did move,<br/> +And with reproachfull tearmes gan them revile, 365<br/> +For following that trade so base and vile;<br/> +And askt what license or what pas they had.<br/> +“Ah!” said the Ape, as sighing wondrous sad,<br/> +“Its an hard case, when men of good deserving<br/> +Must either driven be perforce to sterving, 370<br/> +Or asked for their pas by everie squib,<br/> + [<i>Squib</i>, flashy, pretentious fellow]<br/> +That list at will them to revile or snib.<br/> + [<i>Snib</i>, snub]<br/> +And yet (God wote) small oddes I often see<br/> +Twixt them that aske, and them that asked bee.<br/> +Natheles because you shall not us misdeeme, 375<br/> +But that we are as honest as we seeme,<br/> +Yee shall our pasport at your pleasure see,<br/> +And then ye will (I hope) well mooved bee.”<br/> +Which when the Priest beheld, he vew’d it nere,<br/> +As if therein some text he studying were, 380<br/> +But little els (God wote) could thereof skill:<br/> + [<i>Skill</i>, understand.]<br/> +For read he could not evidence nor will,<br/> +Ne tell a written word, ne write a letter,<br/> +Ne make one title worse, ne make one better.<br/> +Of such deep learning little had he neede, 385<br/> +Ne yet of Latine ne of Greeke, that breede<br/> +Doubts mongst divines, and difference of texts,<br/> +From whence arise diversitie of sects,<br/> +And hatefull heresies, of God abhor’d.<br/> +But this good Sir did follow the plaine word, 390<br/> +Ne medled with their controversies vaine;<br/> +All his care was his service well to saine,<br/> + [<i>Saine</i>, say.]<br/> +And to read homelies upon holidayes;<br/> +When that was done, he might attend his playes:<br/> +An easie life, and fit high God to please. 395<br/> +He, having overlookt their pas at ease,<br/> +Gan at the length them to rebuke againe,<br/> +That no good trade of life did entertaine,<br/> +But lost their time in wandring loose abroad;<br/> +Seeing the world, in which they bootles boad, 400<br/> + [<i>Bootless boad</i>, dwelt unprofitably.]<br/> +Had wayes enough for all therein to live;<br/> +Such grace did God unto his creatures give.<br/> +Said then the Foxe: “Who hath the world not tride<br/> +From the right way full eath may wander wide.<br/> + [<i>Eath</i>, easy.]<br/> +We are but novices, new come abroad, 405<br/> +We have not yet the tract of anie troad,<br/> + [I.e. routine of any way of life.]<br/> +Nor on us taken anie state of life,<br/> +But readie are of anie to make preife.<br/> + [<i>Preife</i>, proof.]<br/> +Therefore might please you, which the world have proved,<br/> +Us to advise, which forth but lately moved, 410<br/> +Of some good course that we might undertake,<br/> +Ye shall for ever us your bondmen make.”<br/> +The priest gan wexe halfe proud to be so praide,<br/> +And thereby willing to affoord them aide,<br/> +“It seemes,” said he, “right well that ye be clerks, 415<br/> +Both by your wittie words and by your works.<br/> +Is not that name enough to make a living<br/> +To him that hath a whit of Natures giving?<br/> +How manie honest men see ye arize<br/> +Daylie thereby, and grow to goodly prize; 420<br/> +To deanes, to archdeacons, to commissaries,<br/> +To lords, to principalls, to prebendaries?<br/> +All iolly prelates, worthie rule to beare,<br/> +Who ever them envie: yet spite bites neare.<br/> +Why should ye doubt, then, but that ye likewise 425<br/> +Might unto some of those in time arise?<br/> +In the meane time to live in good estate,<br/> +Loving that love, and hating those that hate;<br/> +Being some honest curate, or some vicker,<br/> +Content with little in condition sicker.” 430<br/> + [<i>Sicker</i>, sure.]<br/> +“Ah! but,” said th’Ape, “the charge is wondrous great,<br/> +To feed mens soules, and hath an heavie threat.”<br/> +“To feede mens soules,” quoth he, “is not in man:<br/> +For they must feed themselves, doo what we can.<br/> +We are but charg’d to lay the meate before: 435<br/> +Eate they that list, we need to doo no more.<br/> +But God it is that feedes them with his grace,<br/> +The bread of life powr’d downe from heavenly place.<br/> +Therefore said he that with the budding rod<br/> +Did rule the lewes, <i>All shalbe taught of God.</i> 440<br/> +That same hath Iesus Christ now to him raught,<br/> + [<i>Raught</i>, reached, taken.]<br/> +By whom the flock is rightly fed and taught:<br/> +He is the shcpheard, and the priest is hee;<br/> +We but his shepheard swaines ordain’d to bee.<br/> +Therefore herewith doo not your selfe dismay; 445<br/> +Ne is the paines so great, but beare ye may;<br/> +For not so great, as it was wont of yore,<br/> +It’s now a dayes, ne halfe so streight and sore.<br/> +They whilome used duly everie day<br/> +Their service and their holie things to say, 450<br/> +At morne and even, beside their anthemes sweete,<br/> +Their penie masses, and their complynes meete,<br/> + [<i>Complynes</i>, even-song; the last service of the day.]<br/> +Their diriges, their trentals, and their shrifts,<br/> + [<i>Trentals</i>, thirty masses for the dead.]<br/> +Their memories, their singings, and their gifts.<br/> + [<i>Memories</i>, services for the dead.]<br/> +Now all those needlesse works are laid away; 455<br/> +Now once a weeke, upon the Sabbath day,<br/> +It is enough to doo our small devotion,<br/> +And then to follow any merrie motion.<br/> +Ne are we tyde to fast, but when we list;<br/> +Ne to weare garments base of wollen twist, 460<br/> +But with the finest silkes us to aray,<br/> +That before God we may appeare more gay,<br/> +Resembling Aarons glorie in his place:<br/> +For farre unfit it is, that person bace<br/> +Should with vile cloaths approach Gods maiestie, 465<br/> +Whom no uncleannes may approachen nie;<br/> +Or that all men, which anie master serve,<br/> +Good garments for their service should deserve,<br/> +But he that serves the Lord of Hoasts Most High,<br/> +And that in highest place, t’approach him nigh, 470<br/> +And all the peoples prayers to present<br/> +Before his throne, as on ambassage sent<br/> +Both too and fro, should not deserve to weare<br/> +A garment better than of wooll or heare.<br/> +Beside, we may have lying by our sides 475<br/> +Our lovely lasses, or bright shining brides;<br/> +We be not tyde to wilfull chastitie,<br/> +But have the gospell of free libertie.”<br/> +By that he ended had his ghostly sermon,<br/> +The Foxe was well induc’d to be a parson; 480<br/> +And of the priest eftsoones gan to enquire<br/> +How to a benefice he might aspire.<br/> +“Marie, there,” said the priest, “is arte indeed:<br/> +Much good deep learning one thereout may reed;<br/> +For that the ground-worke is, and end of all, 485<br/> +How to obtaine a beneficiall.<br/> +First, therefore, when ye have in handsome wise<br/> +Your selfe attyred, as you can devise,<br/> +Then to some nobleman your selfe applye,<br/> +Or other great one in the worldës eye, 490<br/> +That hath a zealous disposition<br/> +To God, and so to his religion.<br/> +There must thou fashion eke a godly zeale,<br/> +Such as no carpers may contrayre reveale:<br/> +For each thing fained ought more warie bee. 495<br/> +There thou must walke in sober gravitee,<br/> +And seeme as saintlike as Saint Radegund:<br/> +Fast much, pray oft, looke lowly on the ground,<br/> +And unto everie one doo curtesie meeke:<br/> +These lookes (nought saying) doo a benefice seeke,<br/> +And be thou sure one not to lacke or long. 501<br/> + [<i>Or</i>, ere.]<br/> +But if thee list unto the Court to throng,<br/> +And there to hunt after the hoped pray,<br/> +Then must thou thee dispose another way<br/> +For there thou needs must learne to laugh, to lie, 505<br/> +To face, to forge, to scoffe, to companie,<br/> +To crouche, to please, to be a beetle-stock<br/> +Of thy great masters will, to scorne, or mock:<br/> +So maist thou chaunce mock out a benefice,<br/> +Unlesse thou canst one coniure by device, 510<br/> +Or cast a figure for a bishoprick:<br/> +And if one could, it were but a schoole trick.<br/> +These be the wayes by which without reward<br/> +Livings in court he gotten, though full hard;<br/> +For nothing there is done without a fee: 515<br/> +The courtier needes must recompenced bee<br/> +With a benevolence, or have in gage<br/> + [<i>Gage</i>, pledge.]<br/> +The primitias of your parsonage:<br/> + [<i>Primitias</i>, first-fruits.]<br/> +Scarse can a bishoprick forpas them by,<br/> +But that it must be gelt in privitie. 520<br/> +Doo not thou therefore seeke a living there,<br/> +But of more private persons seeke elswhere,<br/> +Whereas thou maist compound a better penie,<br/> +Ne let thy learning question’d be of anie.<br/> +For some good gentleman, that hath the right 525<br/> +Unto his church for to present a wight,<br/> +Will cope with thee in reasonable wise,<br/> + [<i>Cope</i>, bargain.]<br/> +That if the living yerely doo arise<br/> +To fortie pound, that then his yongest sonne<br/> +Shall twentie have, and twentie thou hast wonne: 530<br/> +Thou hast it wonne, for it is of franke gift<br/> +And he will care for all the rest to shift;<br/> +Both that the bishop may admit of thee,<br/> +And that therein thou maist maintained bee.<br/> +This is the way for one that is unlern’d 535<br/> +Living to get, and not to be discern’d.<br/> +But they that are great clerkes have nearer wayes<br/> +For learning sake to living them to raise:<br/> +Yet manie eke of them (God wote) are driven<br/> +T’accept a benefice in peeces riven.— 540<br/> +How saist thou, friend, have I not well discourst<br/> +Upon this common-place, though plaine, not wourst?<br/> +Better a short tale than a bad long shriving:<br/> +Needes anie more to learne to get a living?”<br/> +“Now sure, and by my hallidome,” quoth he 545<br/> +“Yea great master are in your degree:<br/> +Great thankes I yeeld you for your discipline,<br/> +And doo not doubt but duly to encline<br/> +My wits theretoo, as ye shall shortly heare.”<br/> +The priest him wisht good speed and well to fare: 550<br/> +So parted they, as eithers way them led.<br/> +But th’Ape and Foxe ere long so well them sped,<br/> +Through the priests holesome counsell lately tought,<br/> +And throgh their owne faire handling wisely wroght,<br/> +That they a benefice twixt them obtained, 555<br/> +And craftie Reynold was a priest ordained,<br/> +And th’Ape his parish clarke procur’d to bee:<br/> +Then made they revell route and goodly glee.<br/> +But, ere long time had passed, they so ill<br/> +Did order their affaires, that th’evill will 560<br/> +Of all their parishners they had constraind;<br/> +Who to the ordinarie of them complain’d,<br/> +How fowlie they their offices abusd,<br/> +And them of crimes and heresies accusd;<br/> +That pursivants he often for them sent. 565<br/> +But they neglected his commaundëment;<br/> +So long persisted obstinate and bolde,<br/> +Till at the length he published to holde<br/> +A visitation, and them cyted thether.<br/> +Then was high time their wits about to geather; 570<br/> +What did they then, but made a composition<br/> +With their next neighbor priest for light condition,<br/> +To whom their living they resigned quight<br/> +For a few pence, and ran away by night.<br/> +So passing through the countrey in disguize, 575<br/> +They fled farre off, where none might them surprize,<br/> +And after that long straied here and there,<br/> +Through everie field and forrest farre and nere;<br/> +Yet never found occasion for their tourne,<br/> +But, almost sterv’d, did much lament and mourne. 580<br/> +At last they chaunst to meete upon the way<br/> +The Mule, all deckt in goodly rich aray,<br/> +With bells and bosses that full lowdly rung,<br/> +And costly trappings that to ground downe hung.<br/> +Lowly they him saluted in meeke wise; 585<br/> +But he through pride and fatnes gan despise<br/> +Their meanesse; scarce vouchsafte them to requite.<br/> +Whereat the Foxe deep groning in his sprite,<br/> +Said: “Ah! Sir Mule, now blessed be the day<br/> +That I see you so goodly and so gay 590<br/> +In your attyres, and eke your silken hyde<br/> +Fil’d with round flesh, that everie bone doth hide.<br/> +Seemes that in fruitfull pastures ye doo live,<br/> +Or fortune doth you secret favour give.”<br/> +“Foolish Foxe!” said the Mule, “thy wretched need<br/> +Praiseth the thing that doth thy sorrow breed. 596<br/> +For well I weene thou canst not but envie<br/> +My wealth, compar’d to thine owne miserie,<br/> +That art so leane and meagre waxen late<br/> +That scarse thy legs uphold thy feeble gate.” 600<br/> +“Ay me!” said then the Foxe, “whom evill hap<br/> +Unworthy in such wretchednes doth wrap,<br/> +And makes the scorne of other beasts to bee.<br/> +But read, faire Sir, of grace, from whence come yee;<br/> +Or what of tidings you abroad doo heare; 605<br/> +Newes may perhaps some good unweeting beare.”<br/> +“From royall court I lately came,” said he,<br/> +“Where all the braverie that eye may see,<br/> +And all the happinesse that heart desire,<br/> +Is to be found; he nothing can admire, 610<br/> +That hath not seene that heavens portracture.<br/> +But tidings there is none, I you assure,<br/> +Save that which common is, and knowne to all,<br/> +That courtiers as the tide doo rise and fall.”<br/> +“But tell us,” said the Ape, “we doo you pray, 615<br/> +Who now in court doth beare the greatest sway:<br/> +That, if such fortune doo to us befall,<br/> +We may seeke favour of the best of all.”<br/> +“Marie,” said he, “the highest now in grace,<br/> +Be the wilde beasts, that swiftest are in chase; 620<br/> +For in their speedie course and nimble flight<br/> +The Lyon now doth take the most delight:<br/> +But chieflie ioyes on foote them to beholde,<br/> +Enchaste with chaine and circulet of golde:<br/> + [<i>Enchaste</i>, adorned.]<br/> +So wilde a beaste so tame ytaught to bee, 625<br/> +And buxome to his bands, is ioy to see;<br/> + [<i>Buxome</i>, obedient.]<br/> +So well his golden circlet him beseemeth.<br/> +But his late chayne his Liege unmeete esteemeth;<br/> +For so brave beasts she loveth best to see<br/> + [She: I.e. the queen.]<br/> +In the wilde forrest raunging fresh and free. 630<br/> +Therefore if fortune thee in court to live,<br/> +In case thou ever there wilt hope to thrive,<br/> +To some of these thou must thy selfe apply;<br/> +Els as a thistle-downe in th’ayre doth flie,<br/> +So vainly shalt thou too and fro be tost, 635<br/> +And loose thy labour and thy fruitles cost.<br/> +And yet full few which follow them I see<br/> +For vertues bare regard advaunced bee,<br/> +But either for some gainfull benefit,<br/> +Or that they may for their owne turnes be fit. 640<br/> +Nath’les, perhaps ye things may handle soe,<br/> +That ye may better thrive than thousands moe.”<br/> +“But,” said the Ape, “how shall we first come in,<br/> +That after we may favour seeke to win?”<br/> +“How els,” said he, “but with a good bold face, 645<br/> +And with big words, and with a stately pace,<br/> +That men may thinke of you in generall<br/> +That to be in you which is not at all:<br/> +For not by that which is the world now deemeth,<br/> +(As it was wont) but by that same that seemeth. 650<br/> +Ne do I doubt but that ye well can fashion<br/> +Your selves theretoo, according to occasion.<br/> +So fare ye well: good courtiers may ye bee!”<br/> +So, proudlie neighing, from them parted hee.<br/> +Then gan this craftie couple to devize, 655<br/> +How for the court themselves they might aguize:<br/> + [<i>Aguize</i>, decorate.]<br/> +For thither they themselves meant to addresse,<br/> +In hope to finde there happier successe.<br/> +So well they shifted, that the Ape anon<br/> +Himselfe had cloathed like a gentleman, 660<br/> +And the slie Foxe as like to be his groome;<br/> +That to the court in seemly sort they come.<br/> +Where the fond Ape, himselfe uprearing by<br/> +Upon his tiptoes, stalketh stately by,<br/> +As if he were some great magnifico, 665<br/> +And boldlie doth amongst the boldest go;<br/> +And his man Reynold, with fine counterfesaunce,<br/> + [<i>Counterfesaunce</i>, counterfeiting.]<br/> +Supports his credite and his countenaunce.<br/> +Then gan the courtiers gaze on everie side,<br/> +And stare on him with big looks basen wide, 670<br/> + [<i>Basen</i>, swelled.]<br/> +Wondring what mister wight he was, and whence;<br/> + [<i>Mister wight</i>, sort of creature.]<br/> +For he was clad in strange accoustrements,<br/> +Fashion’d with queint devises never seene<br/> +In court before, yet there all fashions beene;<br/> +Yet he them in newfanglenesse did pas. 675<br/> +But his behaviour altogether was<br/> +<i>Alla Turchesca,</i> much the more admyr’d;<br/> + [<i>Alla Turchesca</i>, in the Turkish fashion.]<br/> +And his lookes loftie, as if he aspyr’d<br/> +To dignitie, and sdeign’d the low degree;<br/> +That all which did such strangenesse in him see 680<br/> +By secrete meanes gan of his state enquire,<br/> +And privily his servant thereto hire:<br/> +Who, throughly arm’d against such coverture,<br/> + [<i>Coverture</i>, underhand dealing.]<br/> +Reported unto all that he was sure<br/> +A noble gentleman of high regard, 685<br/> +Which through the world had with long travel far’d,<br/> +And seene the manners of all beasts on ground,<br/> +Now here arriv’d to see if like he found.<br/> +Thus did the Ape at first him credit gaine,<br/> +Which afterwards he wisely did maintaine 690<br/> +With gallant showe, and daylie more augment<br/> +Through his fine feates and courtly complement;<br/> +For he could play, and daunce, and vaute, and spring,<br/> +And all that els pertaines to reveling.<br/> +Onely through kindly aptnes of his ioynts. 695<br/> + [<i>Kindly</i>, natural.]<br/> +Besides he could doo manie other poynts,<br/> +The which in court him served to good stead:<br/> +For he mongst ladies could their fortunes read<br/> +Out of their hands, and merie leasings tell,<br/> +And iuggle finely, that became him well. 700<br/> +But he so light was at legierdemaine,<br/> +That what he toucht came not to light againe;<br/> +Yet would he laugh it out, and proudly looke,<br/> +And tell them that they greatly him mistooke.<br/> +So would he scoffe them out with mockcrie, 705<br/> +For he therein had great felicitie;<br/> +And with sharp quips ioy’d others to deface,<br/> +Thinking that their disgracing did him grace:<br/> +So whilst that other like vaine wits he pleased<br/> +And made to laugh, his heart was greatly eased. 710<br/> +But the right gentle minde woulde bite his lip,<br/> +To heare the iavell so good men to nip:<br/> + [<i>Iavell</i>, worthless fellow.]<br/> +For, though the vulgar yeeld an open eare,<br/> +And common courtiers love to gybe and fleare<br/> +At everie thing which they heare spoken ill, 715<br/> +And the best speaches with ill meaning spill,<br/> + [<i>Spill</i>, spoil.]<br/> +Yet the brave courtier, in whose beauteous thought<br/> +Regard of honour harbours more than ought,<br/> +Doth loath such base condition, to backbite<br/> + [<i>Condition</i>, quality.]<br/> +Anies good name for envie or despite. 720<br/> +He stands on tearmes of honourable minde,<br/> +Ne will be carried with the common winde<br/> +Of courts inconstant mutabilitie,<br/> +Ne after everie tattling fable flie;<br/> +But heares and sees the follies of the rest, 725<br/> +And thereof gathers for himselfe the best.<br/> +He will not creepe, nor crouche with fained face,<br/> +But walkes upright with comely stedfast pace,<br/> +And unto all doth yeeld due curtesie;<br/> +But not with kissed hand belowe the knee, 730<br/> +As that same apish crue is wont to doo:<br/> +For he disdaines himselfe t’embase theretoo.<br/> +He hates fowle leasings and vile flatterie,<br/> +Two filthie blots in noble gentrie;<br/> +And lothefull idlenes he doth detest, 735<br/> +The canker worme of everie gentle brest;<br/> +The which to banish with faire exercise<br/> +Of knightly feates he daylie doth devise:<br/> +Now menaging the mouthes of stubborne steedes,<br/> +Now practising the proofe of warlike deedes, 740<br/> +Now his bright armes assaying, now his speare,<br/> +Now the nigh aymed ring away to beare:<br/> +At other times he casts to sew the chace<br/> + [<i>Casts</i>, plans, makes arrangements.]<br/> +Of Swift wilde beasts, or runne on foote a race,<br/> +T’enlarge his breath, (large breath in armes most needfull,) 745<br/> +Or els by wrestling to wex strong and heedfull,<br/> +Or his stiffe armes to stretch with eughen bowe,<br/> + [<i>Eughen</i>, made of yew.]<br/> +And manly legs, still passing too and fro,<br/> +Without a gowned beast him fast beside;<br/> +A vaine ensample of the Persian pride, 750<br/> +Who after he had wonne th’Assyrian foe,<br/> +Did ever after scorne on foote to goe.<br/> +Thus when this courtly gentleman with toyle<br/> +Himselfe hath wearied, he doth recoyle<br/> +Unto his rest, and there with sweete delight 755<br/> +Of musicks skill revives his toyled spright;<br/> +Or els with loves and ladies gentle sports,<br/> +The ioy of youth, himselfe he recomforts:<br/> +Or lastly, when the bodie list to pause,<br/> +His minde unto the Muses he withdrawes, 760<br/> +Sweete Ladie Muses, ladies of delight,<br/> +Delights of life, and ornaments of light:<br/> +With whom he close confers with wise discourse,<br/> +Of Natures workes, of heavens continuall course,<br/> +Of forreine lands, of people different, 765<br/> +Of kingdomes change, of divers gouvernment,<br/> +Of dreadfull battailes of renowmed knights;<br/> +With which he kindleth his ambitious sprights<br/> +To like desire and praise of noble fame,<br/> +The onely upshot whereto he doth ayme. 770<br/> +For all his minde on honour fixed is,<br/> +To which he levels all his purposis,<br/> +And in his Princes service spends his dayes,<br/> +Not so much for to game, or for to raise<br/> +Himselfe to high degree, as for his grace, 775<br/> +And in his liking to winne worthie place,<br/> +Through due deserts and comely carriage,<br/> +In whatso please employ his personage,<br/> +That may be matter meete to game him praise.<br/> +For he is fit to use in all assayes, 780<br/> +Whether for armes and warlike amenaunce,<br/> + [<i>Amenaunce</i>, conduct.]<br/> +Or else for wise and civill governaunce;<br/> +For he is practiz’d well in policie,<br/> +And thereto doth his courting most applie:<br/> + [<i>Courting</i>, life at court.]<br/> +To learne the enterdeale of princes strange, 785<br/> + [<i>Enterdeale</i>, dealing together.]<br/> +To marke th’intent of counsells, and the change<br/> +Of states, and eke of private men somewhile,<br/> +Supplanted by fine falshood and faire guile;<br/> +Of all the which he gathereth what is fit<br/> +T’enrich the storehouse of his powerfull wit, 790<br/> +Which through wise speaches and grave conference<br/> +He daylie eekes, and brings to excellence.<br/> + [<i>Eekes</i>, increases.]<br/> +Such is the rightfull courtier in his kinde:<br/> +But unto such the Ape lent not his minde;<br/> +Such were for him no fit companions, 795<br/> +Such would descrie his lewd conditions:<br/> +But the yong lustie gallants he did chose<br/> +To follow, meete to whom he might disclose<br/> +His witlesse pleasance and ill pleasing vaine.<br/> +A thousand wayes he them could entertaine, 800<br/> +With all the thriftles games that may be found;<br/> +With mumming and with masking all around,<br/> +With dice, with cards, with balliards farre unfit,<br/> + [<i>Balliards</i>, billiards.]<br/> +With shuttelcocks, misseeming manlie wit,<br/> + [<i>Misseeming</i>, unbecoming.]<br/> +With courtizans, and costly riotize, 805<br/> +Whereof still somewhat to his share did rize:<br/> +Ne, them to pleasure, would he sometimes scorne<br/> +A pandares coate (so basely was he borne);<br/> +Thereto he could fine loving verses frame,<br/> +And play the poet oft. But ah! for shame, 810<br/> +Let not sweete poets praise, whose onely pride<br/> +Is vertue to advaunce, and vice deride,<br/> +Be with the worke of losels wit defamed,<br/> +Ne let such verses poetrie be named!<br/> +Yet he the name on him would rashly take, 815<br/> +Maugre the sacred Muses, and it make<br/> +A servant to the vile affection<br/> +Of such as he depended most upon;<br/> +And with the sugrie sweete thereof allure<br/> +Chast ladies eares to fantasies impure. 820<br/> +To such delights the noble wits he led<br/> +Which him reliev’d, and their vaine humours fed<br/> +With fruitles folies and unsound delights.<br/> +But if perhaps into their noble sprights<br/> +Desire of honor or brave thought of armes 825<br/> +Did ever creepe, then with his wicked charmes<br/> +And strong conceipts he would it drive away,<br/> +Ne suffer it to house there halfe a day.<br/> +And whenso love of letters did inspire<br/> +Their gentle wits, and kindly wise desire, 830<br/> + [Kindly: Qu. <i>kindle?</i>]<br/> +That chieflie doth each noble minde adorne,<br/> +Then he would scoffe at learning, and eke scorne<br/> +The sectaries thereof, as people base<br/> + [<i>Sectaries</i>, followers.]<br/> +And simple men, which never came in place<br/> +Of worlds affaires, but, in darke corners mewd, 835<br/> +Muttred of matters as their bookes them shewd,<br/> +Ne other knowledge ever did attaine,<br/> +But with their gownes their gravitie maintaine.<br/> +From them he would his impudent lewde speach<br/> +Against Gods holie ministers oft reach, 840<br/> +And mocke divines and their profession.<br/> +What else then did he by progression,<br/> +But mocke High God himselfe, whom they professe?<br/> +But what car’d he for God, or godlinesse?<br/> +All his care was himselfe how to advaunce, 845<br/> +And to uphold his courtly countenaunce<br/> +By all the cunning meanes he could devise;<br/> +“Were it by honest wayes, or otherwise,<br/> +He made small choyce: yet sure his honestie<br/> +Got him small gaines, but shameles flatterie, 850<br/> +And filthie brocage, and unseemly shifts,<br/> + [<i>Brocage</i>, pimping.]<br/> +And borowe base, and some good ladies gifts.<br/> + [<i>Borowe</i>, pledging.]<br/> +But the best helpe, which chiefly him sustain’d,<br/> +Was his man Raynolds purchase which he gain’d:<br/> + [<i>Purchase</i>, booty.]<br/> +For he was school’d by kinde in all the skill 855<br/> + [<i>Kinde</i>, nature.]<br/> +Of close conveyance, and each practise ill<br/> +Of coosinage and cleanly knaverie,<br/> + [<i>Cleanly</i>, neat, skillful.]<br/> +Which oft maintain’d his masters braverie.<br/> +Besides, he usde another slipprie slight,<br/> +In taking on himselfe, in common sight, 860<br/> +False personages fit for everie sted,<br/> +With which he thousands cleanly coosined:<br/> +Now like a merchant, merchants to deceave,<br/> +With whom his credite he did often leave<br/> +In gage for his gay masters hopelesse dett: 865<br/> +Now like a lawyer, when he land would lett,<br/> +Or sell fee-simples in his masters name,<br/> +Which he had never, nor ought like the same;<br/> +Then would he be a broker, and draw in<br/> +Both wares and money, by exchange to win: 870<br/> +Then would he seeme a farmer, that would sell<br/> +Bargaines of woods, which he did lately fell,<br/> +Or corne, or cattle, or such other ware,<br/> +Thereby to coosin men not well aware:<br/> +Of all the which there came a secret fee 875<br/> +To th’Ape, that he his countenaunce might bee.<br/> +Besides all this, he us’d oft to beguile<br/> +Poore suters that in court did haunt some while:<br/> +For he would learne their busines secretly,<br/> +And then informe his master hastely, 880<br/> +That he by meanes might cast them to prevent,<br/> + [<i>Prevent</i>, anticipate.]<br/> +And beg the sute the which the other ment.<br/> +Or otherwise false Reynold would abuse<br/> +The simple suter, and wish him to chuse<br/> +His master, being one of great regard 885<br/> +In court, to compas anie sute not hard,<br/> +In case his paines were recompenst with reason:<br/> +So would he worke the silly man by treason<br/> +To buy his masters frivolous good will,<br/> +That had not power to doo him good or ill. 890<br/> +So pitifull a thing is suters state!<br/> +Most miserable man, whom wicked fate<br/> +Hath brought to court, to sue for had-ywist,<br/> +That few have found, and manie one hath mist!<br/> +Full little knowest thou that hast not tride, 895<br/> +What hell it is in suing long to bide:<br/> +To loose good dayes, that might be better spent;<br/> +To wast long nights in pensive discontent;<br/> +To speed to day, to be put back to morrow;<br/> +To feed on hope, to pine with feare and sorrow; 900<br/> +To have thy Princes grace, yet want her Peeres;<br/> +To have thy asking, yet waite manie yeeres;<br/> +To fret thy soule with crosses and with cares;<br/> +To eate thy heart through comfortlesse dispaires;<br/> +To fawne, to crowche, to waite, to ride, to ronne, 905<br/> +To spend, to give, to want, to be undonne.<br/> +Unhappie wight, borne to desastrous end,<br/> +That doth his life in so long tendance spend!<br/> +Who ever leaves sweete home, where meane estate<br/> +In safe assurance, without strife or hate, 910<br/> +Findes all things needfull for contentment meeke,<br/> +And will to court for shadowes vaine to seeke,<br/> +Or hope to gaine, himselfe will a daw trie:<br/> +That curse God send unto mine enemie!<br/> +For none but such as this bold Ape unblest 915<br/> +Can ever thrive in that unluckie quest;<br/> +Or such as hath a Reynold to his man,<br/> +That by his shifts his master furnish can.<br/> +But yet this Foxe could not so closely hide<br/> +His craftie feates, but that they were descride 920<br/> +At length by such as sate in iustice seate,<br/> +Who for the same him fowlie did entreate;<br/> +And, having worthily him punished,<br/> +Out of the court for ever banished.<br/> +And now the Ape, wanting his huckster man, 925<br/> +That wont provide his necessaries, gan<br/> +To growe into great lacke, ne could upholde<br/> +His countenaunce in those his garments olde;<br/> +Ne new ones could he easily provide,<br/> +Though all men him uncased gan deride, 930<br/> +Like as a puppit placed in a play,<br/> +Whose part once past all men bid take away:<br/> +So that he driven was to great distresse,<br/> +And shortly brought to hopelesse wretchednesse.<br/> +Then closely as he might he cast to leave 935<br/> +The court, not asking any passe or leave;<br/> +But ran away in his rent rags by night,<br/> +Ne ever stayd in place, ne spake to wight,<br/> +Till that the Foxe, his copesmate, he had found;<br/> + [<i>Copesmate</i>, partner in trade.]<br/> +To whome complayning his unhappie stound, 940<br/> + [<i>Stound</i>, plight, exigency.]<br/> +At last againe with him in travell ioynd,<br/> +And with him far’d some better chaunee to fynde.<br/> +So in the world long time they wandered,<br/> +And mickle want and hardnesse suffered;<br/> +That them repented much so foolishly 945<br/> +To come so farre to seeke for misery,<br/> +And leave the sweetnes of contented home,<br/> +Though eating hipps and drinking watry fome.<br/> + [<i>Hipps</i>, dog-rose berries.]<br/> +Thus as they them complayned too and fro,<br/> +Whilst through the forest rechlesse they did goe, 950<br/> + [<i>Rechlesse</i>, reckless.]<br/> +Lo! where they spide how in a gloomy glade<br/> +The Lyon sleeping lay in secret shade,<br/> +His crowne and scepter lying him beside,<br/> +And having doft for heate his dreadfull hide:<br/> +Which when they saw, the Ape was sore afrayde, 955<br/> +And would have fled with terror all dismayde.<br/> +But him the Foxe with hardy words did stay,<br/> +And bad him put all cowardize away;<br/> +For now was time, if ever they would hope,<br/> +To ayme their counsels to the fairest scope, 960<br/> +And them for ever highly to advaunce,<br/> +In case the good which their owne happie chaunce<br/> +Them freely offred they would wisely take.<br/> +Scarse could the Ape yet speake, so did he quake;<br/> +Yet, as he could, he askt how good might growe 965<br/> +Where nought but dread and death do seeme in show.<br/> +“Now,” sayd he, “whiles the Lyon sleepeth sound,<br/> +May we his crowne and mace take from the ground,<br/> +And eke his skinne, the terror of the wood,<br/> +Wherewith we may our selves, if we thinke good, 970<br/> +Make kings of beasts, and lords of forests all<br/> +Subiect unto that powre imperiall.”<br/> +“Ah! but,” sayd the Ape, “who is so bold a wretch,<br/> +That dare his hardy hand to those outstretch,<br/> +When as he knowes his meede, if he be spide, 975<br/> +To be a thousand deathes, and shame beside?”<br/> +“Fond Ape!” sayd then the Foxe, “into whose brest<br/> +Never crept thought of honor nor brave gest,<br/> + [<i>Gest</i>, deed.]<br/> +Who will not venture life a king to be,<br/> +And rather rule and raigne in soveraign see, 980<br/> +Than dwell in dust inglorious and bace,<br/> +Where none shall name the number of his place?<br/> +One ioyous howre in blisfull happines,<br/> +I chose before a life of wretchednes.<br/> +Be therefore counselled herein by me, 985<br/> +And shake off this vile-harted cowardree.<br/> +If he awake, yet is not death the next,<br/> +For we may colour it with some pretext<br/> +Of this or that, that may excuse the cryme:<br/> +Else we may flye; thou to a tree mayst clyme, 990<br/> +And I creepe under ground; both from his reach:<br/> +Therefore be rul’d to doo as I doo teach.”<br/> +The Ape, that earst did nought but chill and quake,<br/> +Now gan some courage unto him to take,<br/> +And was content to attempt that enterprise, 995<br/> +Tickled with glorie and rash covetise.<br/> +But first gan question, whether should assay<br/> + [<i>Whether</i>, which of the two.]<br/> +Those royall ornaments to steale away?<br/> +“Marie, that shall your selfe,” quoth he theretoo,<br/> +“For ye be fine and nimble it to doo; 1000<br/> +Of all the beasts which in the forrests bee<br/> +Is not a fitter for this turne than yee:<br/> +Therefore, mine owne deare brother, take good hart,<br/> +And ever thinke a kingdome is your part.”<br/> +Loath was the Ape, though praised, to adventer, 1005<br/> +Yet faintly gan into his worke to enter,<br/> +Afraid of everie leafe that stir’d him by,<br/> +And everie stick that underneath did ly:<br/> +Upon his tiptoes nicely he up went,<br/> +For making noyse, and still his eare he lent 1010<br/> +To everie sound that under heaven blew;<br/> +Now went, now stopt, now crept, now backward drew,<br/> +That it good sport had been him to have eyde.<br/> +Yet at the last, so well he him applyde,<br/> +Through his fine handling and cleanly play 1015<br/> +He all those royall signes had stolne away,<br/> +And with the Foxes helpe them borne aside<br/> +Into a secret corner unespide.<br/> +Whither whenas they came they fell at words,<br/> +Whether of them should be the lords of lords: 1020<br/> +For th’Ape was stryfull and ambicious,<br/> +And the Foxe guilefull and most covetous;<br/> +That neither pleased was to have the rayne<br/> +Twixt them divided into even twaine,<br/> +But either algates would be lords alone: 1025<br/> + [<i>Algates</i>, by all means.]<br/> +For love and lordship bide no paragone.<br/> + [<i>Paragone</i>, equal, partner.]<br/> +“I am most worthie,” said the Ape, “sith I<br/> +For it did put my life in ieopardie:<br/> +Thereto I am in person and in stature<br/> +Most like a man, the lord of everie creature, 1030<br/> +So that it seemeth I was made to raigne,<br/> +And borne to be a kingly soveraigne.”<br/> +“Nay,” said the Foxe, “Sir Ape, you are astray;<br/> +For though to steale the diademe away<br/> +Were the worke of your nimble hand, yet I 1035<br/> +Did first devise the plot by pollicie;<br/> +So that it wholly springeth from my wit:<br/> +For which also I claime my selfe more fit<br/> +Than you to rule: for government of state<br/> +Will without wisedome soone be ruinate. 1040<br/> +And where ye claime your selfe for outward shape<br/> +Most like a man, man is not like an ape<br/> +In his chiefe parts, that is, in wit and spirite;<br/> +But I therein most like to him doo merite,<br/> +For my slie wyles and subtill craftinesse, 1045<br/> +The title of the kingdome to possesse.<br/> +Nath’les, my brother, since we passed are<br/> +Unto this point, we will appease our iarre;<br/> +And I with reason meete will rest content,<br/> +That ye shall have both crowne and government, 1050<br/> +Upon condition that ye ruled bee<br/> +In all affaires, and counselled by mee;<br/> +And that ye let none other ever drawe<br/> +Your minde from me, but keepe this as a lawe:<br/> +And hereupon an oath unto me plight.” 1055<br/> +The Ape was glad to end the strife so light,<br/> +And thereto swore: for who would not oft sweare,<br/> +And oft unsweare, a diademe to beare?<br/> +Then freely up those royall spoyles he tooke,<br/> +Yet at the Lyons skin he inly quooke; 1060<br/> +But it dissembled, and upon his head<br/> +The crowne, and on his backe the skin, he did,<br/> +And the false Foxe him helped to array.<br/> +Then when he was all dight he tooke his way<br/> +Into the forest, that he might be seene 1065<br/> +Of the wilde beasts in his new glory sheene.<br/> +There the two first whome he encountred were<br/> +The Sheepe and th’Asse, who, striken both with feare<br/> +At sight of him, gan fast away to flye;<br/> +But unto them the Foxe alowd did cry, 1070<br/> +And in the kings name bad them both to stay,<br/> +Upon the payne that thereof follow may.<br/> +Hardly naythles were they restrayned so,<br/> +Till that the Foxe forth toward them did goe,<br/> +And there disswaded them from needlease feare, 1075<br/> +For that the King did favour to them beare;<br/> +And therefore dreadles bad them come to corte;<br/> +For no wild beasts should do them any torte<br/> + [<i>Torte</i>, wrong.]<br/> +There or abroad, ne would his Maiestye<br/> +Use them but well, with gracious clemencye, 1080<br/> +As whome he knew to him both fast and true.<br/> +So he perswaded them with homage due<br/> +Themselves to humble to the Ape prostrate,<br/> +Who, gently to them bowing in his gate,<br/> + [<i>Gate</i>, way.]<br/> +Receyved them with chearefull entertayne. 1085<br/> +Thenceforth proceeding with his princely trayne,<br/> +He shortly met the Tygre, and the Bore,<br/> +Which with the simple Camell raged sore<br/> +In bitter words, seeking to take occasion<br/> +Upon his fleshly corpse to make invasion: 1090<br/> +But soone as they this mock-king did espy,<br/> +Their troublous strife they stinted by and by,<br/> + [<i>Stinted by and by</i>, stopped at once.]<br/> +Thinking indeed that it the Lyon was.<br/> +He then, to prove whether his powre would pas<br/> +As currant, sent the Foxe to them streight way, 1095<br/> +Commaunding them their cause of strife bewray;<br/> +And, if that wrong on eyther side there were,<br/> +That he should warne the wronger to appeare<br/> +The morrow next at court, it to defend;<br/> +In the meane time upon the King t’attend. 1100<br/> +The subtile Foxe so well his message sayd,<br/> +That the proud beasts him readily obayd:<br/> +Whereby the Ape in wondrous stomack woxe,<br/> +Strongly encorag’d by the crafty Foxe;<br/> +That king indeed himselfe he shortly thought, 1105<br/> +And all the beasts him feared as they ought,<br/> +And followed unto his palaice hye;<br/> +Where taking congé, each one by and by<br/> +Departed to his home in dreadfull awe,<br/> +Full of the feared sight which late they sawe. 1110<br/> +The Ape, thus seized of the regall throne,<br/> +Eftsones by counsell of the Foxe alone<br/> +Gan to provide for all things in assurance,<br/> +That so his rule might lenger have endurance.<br/> +First, to his gate be pointed a strong gard, 1115<br/> +That none might enter but with issue hard:<br/> +Then, for the safegard of his personage,<br/> +He did appoint a warlike equipage<br/> +Of forreine beasts, not in the forest bred,<br/> +But part by land and part by water fed; 1120<br/> +For tyrannie is with strange ayde supported.<br/> +Then unto him all monstrous beasts resorted<br/> +Bred of two kindes, as Griffons, Minotaures,<br/> +Crocodiles, Dragons, Beavers, and Centaures:<br/> +With those himselfe he strengthned mightelie, 1125<br/> +That feare he neede no force of enemie.<br/> +Then gan he rule and tyrannize at will,<br/> +Like as the Foxe did guide his graceles skill;<br/> +And all wylde beasts made vassals of his pleasures,<br/> +And with their spoyles enlarg’d his private treasures.<br/> +No care of iustice, nor no rule of reason, 1131<br/> +No temperance, nor no regard of season,<br/> +Did thenceforth ever enter in his minde;<br/> +But crueltie, the signe of currish kinde,<br/> +And sdeignfull pride, and wilfull arrogaunce; 1135<br/> +Such followes those whom fortune doth advaunce.<br/> +But the false Foxe most kindly plaid his part:<br/> + [<i>Kindly</i>, according to his nature.]<br/> +For whatsoever mother-wit or arte<br/> +Could worke, he put in proofe: no practise slie,<br/> +No counterpoint of cunning policie, 1140<br/> + [<i>Counterpoint</i>, counterplot.]<br/> +Ne reach, no breach, that might him profit bring,<br/> +But he the same did to his purpose wring.<br/> +Nought suffered he the Ape to give or graunt,<br/> +But through his hand must passe the fiaunt.<br/> + [<i>Fiaunt</i>, fiat.]<br/> +All offices, all leases by him lept, 1145<br/> +And of them all whatso he likte he kept.<br/> +Iustice he solde iniustice for to buy,<br/> +And for to purchase for his progeny.<br/> + [<i>Purchase</i>, collect spoil.]<br/> +Ill might it prosper that ill gotten was,<br/> +But, so he got it, little did he pas. 1150<br/> + [<i>Pas</i>, care.]<br/> +He fed his cubs with fat of all the soyle,<br/> +And with the sweete of others sweating toyle;<br/> +He crammed them with crumbs of benefices,<br/> +And fild their mouthes with meeds of malefices;<br/> + [<i>Malifices</i>, evil deeds.]<br/> +He cloathed them with all colours save white, 1155<br/> +And loded them with lordships and with might,<br/> +So much as they were able well to beare,<br/> +That with the weight their backs nigh broken were.<br/> +He chaffred chayres in which churchmen were set,<br/> + [<i>Chaffred</i>, bartered.]<br/> +And breach of lawes to privie ferme did let. 1160<br/> + [<i>Ferme</i>, farm.]<br/> +No statute so established might bee,<br/> +Nor ordinaunce so needfull, but that hee<br/> +Would violate, though not with violence,<br/> +Yet under colour of the confidence<br/> +The which the Ape repos’d in him alone, 1165<br/> +And reckned him the kingdomes corner stone.<br/> +And ever, when he ought would bring to pas,<br/> +His long experience the platforme was:<br/> +And when he ought not pleasing would put by<br/> +The cloke was care of thrift, and husbandry, 1170<br/> +For to encrease the common treasures store.<br/> +But his owne treasure he encreased more,<br/> +And lifted up his loftie towres thereby,<br/> +That they began to threat the neighbour sky;<br/> +The whiles the princes pallaces fell fast 1175<br/> +To ruine; for what thing can ever last?<br/> +And whilest the other peeres for povertie<br/> +Were forst their auncient houses to let lie,<br/> +And their olde castles to the ground to fall,<br/> +Which their forefathers famous over-all 1180<br/> + [<i>Over-all</i>, everywhere.]<br/> +Had founded for the kingdomes ornament,<br/> +And for their memories long moniment.<br/> +But he no count made of nobilitie,<br/> +Nor the wilde beasts whom armes did glorifie, 1185<br/> +The realmes chiefe strength and girlond of the crowne.<br/> +All these through fained crimes he thrust adowne,<br/> +Or made them dwell in darknes of disgrace:<br/> +For none but whom he list might come in place.<br/> +Of men of armes he had but small regard,<br/> +But kept them lowe, and streigned verie hard. 1190<br/> +For men of learning little he esteemed;<br/> +His wisedome he above their learning deemed.<br/> +As for the rascall commons, least he cared,<br/> +For not so common was his bountie shared: 1194<br/> +“Let God,” said he, “if please, care for the manie,<br/> +I for my selfe must care before els anie.”<br/> +So did he good to none, to manie ill,<br/> +So did he all the kingdome rob and pill,<br/> + [<i>Pill</i>, plunder.]<br/> +Yet none durst speake, ne none durst of him plaine;<br/> +So great he was in grace, and rich through game.<br/> +Ne would he anie let to have accesse 1201<br/> +Unto the Prince, but by his owne addresse:<br/> +For all that els did come were sure to faile;<br/> +Yet would he further none but for availe.<br/> +For on a time the Sheepe, to whom of yore 1205<br/> +The Foxe had promised of friendship store,<br/> +What time the Ape the kingdome first did gaine,<br/> +Came to the court, her case there to complaine;<br/> +How that the Wolfe, her mortall enemie,<br/> +Had sithence slaine her lambe most cruellie; 1210<br/> + [<i>Sithence</i>, since.]<br/> +And therefore crav’d to come unto the King,<br/> +To let him knowe the order of the thing.<br/> +“Soft, Gooddie Sheepe!” then said the Foxe, “not soe:<br/> +Unto the King so rash ye may not goe;<br/> +He is with greater matter busied 1215<br/> +Than a lambe, or the lambes owne mothers hed.<br/> +Ne certes may I take it well in part,<br/> +That ye my cousin Wolfe so fowly thwart,<br/> +And seeke with slaunder his good name to blot:<br/> +For there was cause, els doo it he would not: 1220<br/> +Therefore surcease, good dame, and hence depart.”<br/> +So went the Sheepe away with heavie hart;<br/> +So manie moe, so everie one was used,<br/> +That to give largely to the boxe refused. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Now when high Iove, in whose almightie hand 1225<br/> +The care of kings and power of empires stand,<br/> +Sitting one day within his turret hye,<br/> +From whence he vewes with his black-lidded eye<br/> +Whatso the heaven in his wide vawte containes,<br/> +And all that in the deepest earth remaines, 1230<br/> +And troubled kingdome of wilde beasts behelde,<br/> +Whom not their kindly sovereigne did welde,<br/> + [<i>Welde</i>, govern.]<br/> +But an usurping Ape, with guile suborn’d,<br/> +Had all subverst, he sdeignfully it scorn’d<br/> +In his great heart, and hardly did refraine 1235<br/> +But that with thunder bolts he had him slaine,<br/> +And driven downe to hell, his dewest meed.<br/> +But him avizing, he that dreadfull deed<br/> +Forbore, and rather chose with scornfull shame<br/> +Him to avenge, and blot his brutish name 1240<br/> +Unto the world, that never after anie<br/> +Should of his race be voyd of infamie;<br/> +And his false counsellor, the cause of all,<br/> +To damne to death, or dole perpetuall,<br/> +From whence he never should be quit nor stal’d.<br/> + [<i>Stal’d</i>, forestalled (?).]<br/> +Forthwith he Mercurie unto him cal’d, 1246<br/> +And bad him flie with never-resting speed<br/> +Unto the forrest, where wilde beasts doo breed,<br/> +And, there enquiring privily, to learne<br/> +What did of late chaunce to the Lyon stearne, 1250<br/> +That he rul’d not the empire, as he ought;<br/> +And whence were all those plaints unto him brought<br/> +Of wrongs and spoyles by salvage beasts committed:<br/> +Which done, he bad the Lyon be remitted<br/> +Into his seate, and those same treachours vile 1255<br/> + [<i>Treachours</i>, traitors.]<br/> +Be punished for their presumptuous guile.<br/> +The sonne of Maia, soone as he receiv’d<br/> +That word, streight with his azure wings he cleav’d<br/> +The liquid clowdes and lucid firmament,<br/> +Ne staid till that he came with steep descent 1260<br/> +Unto the place where his prescript did showe.<br/> +There stouping, like an arrowe from a bowe,<br/> +He soft arrived on the grassie plaine,<br/> +And fairly paced forth with easie paine,<br/> +Till that unto the pallace nigh he came. 1265<br/> +Then gan he to himselfe new shape to frame,<br/> +And that faire face, and that ambrosiall hew,<br/> +Which wonts to decke the gods immortall crew,<br/> +And beautefie the shinie firmament,<br/> +He doft, unfit for that rude rabblement. 1270<br/> +So, standing by the gates in strange disguize,<br/> +He gan enquire of some in secret wize,<br/> +Both of the King, and of his government,<br/> +And of the Foxe, and his false blandishment:<br/> +And evermore he heard each one complaine 1275<br/> +Of foule abuses both in realme and raine:<br/> +Which yet to prove more true, he meant to see,<br/> +And an ey-witnes of each thing to bee.<br/> +Tho on his head his dreadfull hat he dight,<br/> +Which maketh him invisible in sight, 1280<br/> +And mocketh th’eyes of all the lookers on,<br/> +Making them thinke it but a vision.<br/> +Through power of that he runnes through enemies swerds;<br/> +Through power of that he passeth through the herds<br/> +Of ravenous wilde beasts, and doth beguile 1285<br/> +Their greedie mouthes of the expected spoyle;<br/> +Through power of that his cunning theeveries<br/> +He wonts to worke, that none the same espies;<br/> +And through the power of that he putteth on<br/> +What shape he list in apparition. 1290<br/> +That on his head he wore, and in his hand<br/> +He tooke caduceus, his snakie wand,<br/> +With which the damned ghosts he governeth,<br/> +And furies rules, and Tartare tempereth.<br/> +With that he causeth sleep to seize the eyes, 1295<br/> +And feare the harts, of all his enemyes;<br/> +And when him list, an universall night<br/> +Throughout the world he makes on everie wight;<br/> +As when his syre with Alcumena lay.<br/> +Thus dight, into the court he tooke his way, 1300<br/> +Both through the gard, which never him descride,<br/> +And through the watchmen, who him never spide:<br/> +Thenceforth he past into each secrete part,<br/> +Whereas he saw, that sorely griev’d his hart,<br/> +Each place abounding with fowle iniuries, 1305<br/> +And fild with treasure rackt with robberies;<br/> +Each place defilde with blood of guiltles beasts<br/> +Which had been slaine to serve the Apes beheasts;<br/> +Gluttonie, malice, pride, and covetize,<br/> +And lawlesnes raigning with riotize; 1310<br/> +Besides the infinite extortions,<br/> +Done through the Foxes great oppressions,<br/> +That the complaints thereof could not be tolde.<br/> +Which when he did with lothfull eyes beholde,<br/> +He would no more endure, but came his way, 1315<br/> +And cast to seeke the Lion, where he may,<br/> + [<i>Cast</i>, projected.]<br/> +That he might worke the avengement for this shame<br/> +On those two caytives which had bred him blame<br/> +And seeking all the forrest busily,<br/> +At last he found where sleeping he did ly. 1320<br/> +The wicked weed which there the Foxe did lay<br/> +From underneath his head he tooke away,<br/> +And then him, waking, forced up to rize.<br/> +The Lion, looking up, gan him avize,<br/> + [<i>Avize</i>, bethink.]<br/> +As one late in a traunce, what had of long 1325<br/> +Become of him: for fantasie is strong.<br/> +“Arise,” said Mercurie, “thou sluggish beast,<br/> +That here liest senseles, like the corpse deceast,<br/> +The whilste thy kingdome from thy head is rent,<br/> +And thy throne royall with dishonour blent: 1330<br/> + [<i>Blent</i>, stained.]<br/> +Arise, and doo thy selfe redeeme from shame,<br/> +And be aveng’d on those that breed thy blame.”<br/> +Thereat enraged, soone he gan upstart,<br/> +Grinding his teeth, and grating his great hart;<br/> +And, rouzing up himselfe, for his rough hide 1335<br/> +He gan to reach; but no where it espide.<br/> +Therewith he gan full terribly to rore,<br/> +And chafte at that indignitie right sore.<br/> +But when his crowne and scepter both he wanted,<br/> +Lord! how he fum’d, and sweld, and rag’d, and panted,<br/> +And threatned death and thousand deadly dolours<br/> +To them that had purloyn’d his princely honours.<br/> +With that in hast, disroabed as he was,<br/> +He toward his owne pallace forth did pas;<br/> +And all the way he roared as he went, 1345<br/> +That all the forrest with astonishment<br/> +Thereof did tremble, and the beasts therein<br/> +Fled fast away from that so dreadfull din.<br/> +At last he came unto his mansion,<br/> +Where all the gates he found fast lockt anon 1350<br/> +And manie warders round about them stood:<br/> +With that he roar’d alowd, as he were wood,<br/> + [<i>Wood</i>, frantic.]<br/> +That all the pallace quaked at the stound,<br/> + [<i>Stound</i>, (time, scene) tumult.]<br/> +As if it quite were riven from the ground,<br/> +And all within were dead and hartles left; 1355<br/> +And th’Ape himselfe, as one whose wits were reft,<br/> +Fled here and there, and everie corner sought.<br/> +To hide himselfe from his owne feared thought.<br/> +But the false Foxe, when he the Lion heard,<br/> +Fled closely forth, streightway of death afeard, 1360<br/> + [<i>Closely</i>, secretly.]<br/> +And to the Lion came, full lowly creeping,<br/> +With fained face, and watrie eyne halfe weeping,<br/> +T’excuse his former treason and abusion,<br/> +And turning all unto the Apes confusion:<br/> +Nath’les the royall beast forbore beleeving, 1365<br/> +But bad him stay at ease till further preeving.<br/> + [<i>Preeving</i>, proving.]<br/> +Then when he saw no entrance to him graunted,<br/> +Roaring yet lowder that all harts it daunted,<br/> +Upon those gates with force he fiercely newe,<br/> +And, rending them in pieces, felly slewe 1370<br/> +Those warders strange, and all that els he met<br/> +But th’Ape still flying he no where might get:<br/> +From rowme to rowme, from beame to beame he fled,<br/> +All breathles, and for feare now almost ded:<br/> +Yet him at last the Lyon spide, and caught, 1375<br/> +And forth with shame unto his iudgement brought.<br/> +Then all the beasts he causd’ assembled bee,<br/> +To heare their doome, and sad ensample see:<br/> +The Foxe, first author of that treacherie<br/> +He did uncase, and then away let flie. 1380<br/> + [<i>Uncase</i>, strip of his disguise.]<br/> +But th’Apes long taile (which then he had) he quight<br/> +Cut off, and both eares pared of their hight;<br/> +Since which, all Apes but halfe their eares have left,<br/> +And of their tailes are utterlie bereft. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +So Mother Hubberd her discourse did end: 1385<br/> +Which pardon me if I amisse have pend,<br/> +For weake was my remembrance it to hold,<br/> +And bad her tongue that it so bluntly tolde. +</p> + +<hr /> + +<h5>FOOTNOTES:</h5> + +<p class="stanza"> +MOTHER HUBBERDS TALE. This charming little poem, Spenser’s only +successful effort at satire, is stated by the author to have been +composed in the raw conceit of his youth. There is internal evidence, +however, that some of the happiest passages were added at the date of +its publication, at which time the whole was probably retouched. +Although Mother Hubberds Tale is in its plan an imitation of the +satires of Reynard the Fox; the treatment of the subject is quite +original. For the combination of elegance with simplicity, this poem +will stand a comparison with Goethe’s celebrated translation of the +Reineke. C. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Ver. I.—<i>It was the month</i>, &c. August. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Ver. 453.—<i>Diriges</i>, dirges. The office for the dead received this +name from the antiphon with which the first nocturne in the mattens +commenced, taken from Psalm v. 8, “Dirige, Domine Deus meus, in +conspectu tuo viam meam.” Way’s <i>Promptorium Parvulorum.</i> C. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Ver. 519.—<i>Scarse can a bishoprick</i>, &c. This is probably an allusion +to the frequent alienations of the lands and manors of bishoprics in +Elizabeth’s time. TODD. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Ver. 562.—<i>The ordinarie.</i> An ordinary is a judge having jurisdiction +in ecclesiastical matters. In England, it is usually the bishop of the +diocese. H. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Ver. 623, 624.—The Queen was so much pleased with the results of the<br/> +Portugal expedition of 1589, that she honored the commanders, and Sir<br/> +Walter Raleigh among the rest, with a gold chain. C. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Ver. 717.—<i>The brave courtier</i>, &c. This description is perhaps +intended for Sir Philip Sidney. C. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Ver. 893.—Had-ywist. That is, <i>had I wist! had I known</i> that it would +end so! a proverbial expression for late repentance consequent on +disappointment. C. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Ver. 901.—<i>To have thy Princes grace, yet want her Peeres.</i> Elizabeth +was said to have granted Spenser a pension which Burghley intercepted, +and to have ordered him a gratuity which her minister neglected to pay. +C. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Ver. 913.—<i>Himselfe will a daw trie.</i> So the old copy: the reading +should probably be <i>himselfe a daw will trie</i>, prove or find himself by +experience to be a daw or fool. C. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Ver. 1189.—<i>Of men of armes,</i> &c. This passage certainly provokes an +application to Lord Burghley, and was probably intended for him. C. +</p> + +<hr /> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap05"></a>RUINES OF ROME:</h2> + +<h5>BY BELLAY*</h5> + +<p class="stanza"> +[* Joachim du Bellay, a French poet of considerable reputation in his day, died +in 1560. These sonnets are translated from <i>Le Premier Livre des Antiquez de +Rome</i>. Further on we have the Visions of Bellay, translated from the +<i>Songes</i> of the same author. The best that can be said of these sonnets +seems to be, that they are not inferior to the original. C.] +</p> + +<h4>I.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Ye heavenly spirites, whose ashie cinders lie<br/> +Under deep ruines, with huge walls opprest,<br/> +But not your praise, the which shall never die<br/> +Through your faire verses, ne in ashes rest;<br/> +If so be shrilling voyce of wight alive<br/> +May reach from hence to depth of darkest hell,<br/> +Then let those deep abysses open rive,<br/> +That ye may understand my shreiking yell!<br/> +Thrice having seene under the heavens veale<br/> +Your toombs devoted compasse over all,<br/> +Thrice unto you with lowd voyce I appeale,<br/> +And for your antique furie here doo call,<br/> + The whiles that I with sacred horror sing<br/> + Your glorie, fairest of all earthly thing! +</p> + +<h4>II.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Great Babylon her haughtie walls will praise,<br/> +And sharped steeples high shot up in ayre;<br/> +Greece will the olde Ephesian buildings blaze,<br/> +And Nylus nurslings their Pyramides faire;<br/> +The same yet vaunting Greece will tell the storie<br/> +Of Ioves great image in Olympus placed;<br/> +Mausolus worke will be the Carians glorie,<br/> +And Crete will boast the Labyrinth, now raced;<br/> +The antique Rhodian will likewise set forth<br/> +The great Colosse, erect to Memorie;<br/> +And what els in the world is of like worth,<br/> +Some greater learned wit will magnifie.<br/> + But I will sing above all moniments<br/> + Seven Romane Hils, the worlds seven wonderments. +</p> + +<h4>III.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Thou stranger, which for Rome in Rome hero seekest,<br/> +And nought of Rome in Rome perceiv’st at all,<br/> +These same olde walls, olde arches, which thou seest,<br/> +Olde palaces, is that which Rome men call.<br/> +Beholde what wreake, what mine, and what wast,<br/> +And how that she which with her mightie powre<br/> +Tam’d all the world hath tam’d herselfe at last;<br/> +The pray of Time, which all things doth devowre!<br/> +Rome now of Rome is th’onely funerall,<br/> +And onely Rome of Rome hath victorie;<br/> +Ne ought save Tyber hastning to his fall<br/> +Remaines of all: O worlds inconstancie!<br/> + That which is firme doth flit and fall away,<br/> + And that is flitting doth abide and stay. +</p> + +<h4>IV.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +She whose high top above the starres did sore,<br/> +One foote on Thetis, th’other on the Morning,<br/> +One hand on Scythia, th’other on the More,<br/> +Both heaven and earth in roundnesse compassing;<br/> +Iove fearing, least if she should greater growe,<br/> +The old giants should once againe uprise,<br/> +Her whelm’d with hills, these seven hils, which be nowe<br/> +Tombes of her greatnes which did threate the skies:<br/> +Upon her head he heapt Mount Saturnal,<br/> +Upon her bellie th’antique Palatine,<br/> +Upon her stomacke laid Mount Quirinal,<br/> +On her left hand the noysome Esquiline,<br/> + And Caelian on the right; but both her feete<br/> + Mount Viminal and Aventine doo meete. +</p> + +<h4>V.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Who lists to see what ever nature, arte,<br/> +And heaven could doo, O Rome, thee let him see,<br/> +In case thy greatnes he can gesse in harte<br/> +By that which but the picture is of thee!<br/> +Rome is no more: but if the shade of Rome<br/> +May of the bodie yeeld a seeming sight,<br/> +It’s like a corse drawne forth out of the tombe<br/> +By magicke skill out of eternall night:<br/> +The corpes of Rome in ashes is entombed,<br/> +And her great spirite, reioyned to the spirite<br/> +Of this great masse, is in the same enwombed;<br/> +But her brave writings, which, her famous merite<br/> + In spight of Time out of the dust doth reare,<br/> + Doo make her idole* through the world appeare.<br/> +[* <i>Idole</i>, image, idea.] +</p> + +<h4>VI.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Such as the Berecynthian goddesse bright,<br/> +In her swifte charret with high turrets crownde,<br/> +Proud that so manie gods she brought to light,<br/> +Such was this citie in her good daies fownd:<br/> +This citie, more than that great Phrygian mother<br/> +Renowm’d for fruite of famous progenie,<br/> +Whose greatnes by the greatnes of none other,<br/> +But by her selfe, her equall match could see:<br/> +Rome onely might to Rome compared bee,<br/> +And onely Rome could make great Rome to tremble:<br/> +So did the gods by heavenly doome decree,<br/> +That other earthlie power should not resemble<br/> + Her that did match the whole earths puissaunce,<br/> + And did her courage to the heavens advaunce. +</p> + +<h4>VII.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Ye sacred ruines, and ye tragick sights,<br/> +Which onely doo the name of Rome retaine,<br/> +Olde moniments, which of so famous sprights<br/> +The honour yet in ashes doo maintaine,<br/> +Triumphant arcks, spyres neighbours to the skie,<br/> +That you to see doth th’heaven it selfe appall,<br/> +Alas! by little ye to nothing flie,<br/> +The peoples fable, and the spoyle of all!<br/> +And though your frames do for a time make warre<br/> +Gainst Time, yet Time in time shall ruinate<br/> +Your workes and names, and your last reliques marre.<br/> +My sad desires, rest therefore moderate!<br/> + For if that Time make ende of things so sure,<br/> + It als will end the paine which I endure. +</p> + +<h4>VIII.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Through armes and vassals Rome the world subdu’d,<br/> +That one would weene that one sole cities strength<br/> +Both land and sea in roundnes had survew’d,<br/> +To be the measure of her bredth and length:<br/> +This peoples vertue yet so fruitfull was<br/> +Of vertuous nephewes*, that posteritie,<br/> +Striving in power their grandfathers to passe,<br/> +The lowest earth ioin’d to the heaven hie;<br/> +To th’end that, having all parts in their power,<br/> +Nought from the Romane Empire might be quight**;<br/> +And that though Time doth commonwealths devowre,<br/> +Yet no time should so low embase their hight,<br/> + That her head, earth’d in her foundations deep,<br/> + Should not her name and endles honour keep.<br/> +[* <i>Nephewes</i>, descendants.]<br/> +[** <i>Quight</i>, quit, free.] +</p> + +<h4>IX.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Ye cruell starres, and eke ye gods unkinde,<br/> +Heaven envious, and bitter stepdame Nature!<br/> +Be it by fortune, or by course of kinde*,<br/> +That ye doo weld th’affaires of earthlie creature;<br/> +Why have your hands long sithence traveiled<br/> +To frame this world, that doth endure so long?<br/> +Or why were not these Romane palaces<br/> +Made of some matter no lesse firme and strong?<br/> +I say not, as the common voyce doth say,<br/> +That all things which beneath the moone have being<br/> +Are temporall and subiect to decay:<br/> +But I say rather, though not all agreeing<br/> + With some that weene the contrarie in thought,<br/> + That all this whole shall one day come to nought.<br/> +[* <i>Kinde</i>, nature.] +</p> + +<h4>X.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +As that brave sonne of Aeson, which by charmes<br/> +Atcheiv’d the golden fleece in Colchid land,<br/> +Out of the earth engendred men of armes<br/> +Of dragons teeth, sowne in the sacred sand,<br/> +So this brave towne, that in her youthlie daies<br/> +An hydra was of warriours glorious,<br/> +Did fill with her renowmed nourslings praise<br/> +The firie sunnes both one and other hous:<br/> +But they at last, there being then not living<br/> +An Hercules so ranke seed to represse,<br/> +Emongst themselves with cruell furie striving,<br/> +Mow’d downe themselves with slaughter mercilesse;<br/> + Renewing in themselves that rage unkinde,<br/> + Which whilom did those earthborn brethren blinde. +</p> + +<h4>XI.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Mars, shaming to have given so great head<br/> +To his off-spring, that mortall puissaunce,<br/> +Puft up with pride of Romane hardiehead,<br/> +Seem’d above heavens powre it selfe to advaunce,<br/> +Cooling againe his former kindled heate<br/> +With which he had those Romane spirits fild.<br/> +Did blowe new fire, and with enflamed breath<br/> +Into the Gothicke colde hot rage instil’d.<br/> +Then gan that nation, th’earths new giant brood,<br/> +To dart abroad the thunderbolts of warre,<br/> +And, beating downe these walls with furious mood<br/> +Into her mothers bosome, all did marre;<br/> + To th’end that none, all were it* Iove his sire,<br/> + Should boast himselfe of the Romane empire.<br/> +[* <i>All were it</i>, although it were.] +</p> + +<h4>XII.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Like as whilome the children of the earth<br/> +Heapt hils on hils to scale the starrie skie,<br/> +And fight against the gods of heavenly berth,<br/> +Whiles Iove at them his thunderbolts let flie;<br/> +All suddenly with lightning overthrowne,<br/> +The furious squadrons downe to ground did fall,<br/> +That th’earth under her childrens weight did grone,<br/> +And th’heavens in glorie triumpht over all;<br/> +So did that haughtie front, which heaped was<br/> +On these seven Romane hils, it selfe upreare<br/> +Over the world, and lift her loftie face<br/> +Against the heaven, that gan her force to feare.<br/> + But now these scorned fields bemone her fall,<br/> + And gods secure feare not her force at all. +</p> + +<h4>XIII.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Nor the swift furie of the flames aspiring,<br/> +Nor the deep wounds of victours raging blade,<br/> +Nor ruthlesse spoyle of souldiers blood-desiring,<br/> +The which so oft thee, Rome, their conquest made,<br/> +Ne stroke on stroke of fortune variable,<br/> +Ne rust of age hating continuance,<br/> +Nor wrath of gods, nor spight of men unstable,<br/> +Nor thou oppos’d against thine owne puissance,<br/> +Nor th’horrible uprore of windes high blowing,<br/> +Nor swelling streames of that god snakie-paced*<br/> +Which hath so often with his overflowing<br/> +Thee drenched, have thy pride so much abaced,<br/> + But that this nothing, which they have thee left,<br/> + Makes the world wonder what they from thee reft.<br/> +[* <i>Snakie-paced</i>, winding; or perhaps (like Ovid’s <i>anguipes</i>) swift.] +</p> + +<h4>XIV.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +As men in summer fearles passe the foord<br/> +Which is in winter lord of all the plaine,<br/> +And with his tumbling streames doth beare aboord*<br/> +The ploughmans hope and shepheards labour vaine,<br/> +And as the coward beasts use to despise<br/> +The noble lion after his lives end,<br/> +Whetting their teeth, and with vaine foolhardise<br/> +Daring the foe that cannot him defend,<br/> +And as at Troy most dastards of the Greekes<br/> +Did brave about the corpes of Hector colde,<br/> +So those which whilome wont with pallid cheekes<br/> +The Romane triumphs glorie to behold,<br/> + Now on these ashie tombes shew boldnesse vaine,<br/> + And, conquer’d, dare the conquerour disdaine.<br/> +[*<i>Aboord</i>, into the current.] +</p> + +<h4>XV.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Ye pallid spirits, and ye ashie ghoasts,<br/> +Which, ioying in the brightnes of your day,<br/> +Brought foorth those signes of your presumptuous boasts<br/> +Which now their dusty reliques do bewray,<br/> +Tell me, ye spirits! (sith the darksome river<br/> +Of Styx, not passable to soules returning,<br/> +Enclosing you in thrice three wards for ever,<br/> +Doo not restraine your images still mourning,)<br/> +Tell me then, (for perhaps some one of you<br/> +Yet here above him secretly doth hide,)<br/> +Doo ye not feele your torments to accrewe,<br/> +When ye sometimes behold the ruin’d pride<br/> + Of these old Romane works, built with your hands,<br/> + To become nought els but heaped sands? +</p> + +<h4>XVI.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Like as ye see the wrathfull sea from farre<br/> +In a great mountaine heap’t with hideous noyse,<br/> +Eftsoones of thousand billowes shouldred narre*,<br/> +Against a rocke to breake with dreadfull poyse;<br/> +Like as ye see fell Boreas with sharpe blast<br/> +Tossing huge tempests through the troubled skie,<br/> +Eftsoones having his wide wings spent in wast,<br/> +To stop his wearie cariere** suddenly;<br/> +And as ye see huge flames spred diverslie,<br/> +Gathered in one up to the heavens to spyre,<br/> +Eftsoones consum’d to fall downe feebily,<br/> +So whilom did this monarchie aspyre<br/> + As waves, as winde, as fire, spred over all,<br/> + Till it by fatall doome adowne did fall.<br/> +[* <i>Narre</i>, nearer.]<br/> +[** <i>Cariere</i>, career.] +</p> + +<h4>XVII.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +So long as Ioves great bird did make his flight,<br/> +Bearing the fire with which heaven doth us fray,<br/> +Heaven had not feare of that presumptuous might,<br/> +With which the giaunts did the gods assay:<br/> +But all so soone as scortching sunne had brent*<br/> +His wings which wont the earth to overspredd,<br/> +The earth out of her massie wombe forth sent<br/> +That antique horror which made heaven adredd.<br/> +Then was the Germane raven in disguise<br/> +That Romane eagle seene to cleave asunder,<br/> +And towards heaven freshly to arise<br/> +Out of these mountaines, now consum’d to pouder.<br/> + In which the foule that serves to beare the lightning<br/> + Is now no more seen flying nor alighting.<br/> +[* <i>Brent</i>, burned.] +</p> + +<h4>XVIII.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +These heapes of stones, these old wals which ye see,<br/> +Were first enclosures but of salvage soyle;<br/> +And these brave pallaces, which maystred bee<br/> +Of time, were shepheards cottages somewhile.<br/> +Then tooke the shepheards kingly ornaments<br/> +And the stout hynde arm’d his right hand with steele:<br/> +Eftsoones their rule of yearely presidents<br/> +Grew great, and sixe months greater a great deele;<br/> +Which, made perpetuall, rose to so great might,<br/> +That thence th’imperiall eagle rooting tooke,<br/> +Till th’heaven it selfe, opposing gainst her might,<br/> +Her power to Peters successor betooke,<br/> + Who, shepheardlike, (as Fates the same foreseeing,)<br/> + Doth shew that all things turne to their first being.<br/> +[XVIII. 8.—<i>Sixe months</i>, &c. The term of the dictatorship at Rome.] +</p> + +<h4>XIX.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +All that is perfect, which th’heaven beautefies;<br/> +All that’s imperfect, borne belowe the moone;<br/> +All that doth feede our spirits and our eies;<br/> +And all that doth consume our pleasures soone;<br/> +All the mishap the which our daies outweares;<br/> +All the good hap of th’oldest times afore,<br/> +Rome, in the time of her great ancesters,<br/> +Like a Pandora, locked long in store.<br/> +But destinie this huge chaos turmoyling,<br/> +In which all good and evill was enclosed,<br/> +Their heavenly vertues from these woes assoyling,<br/> +Caried to heaven, from sinfull bondage losed:<br/> + But their great sinnes, the causers of their paine,<br/> + Under these antique ruines yet remaine. +</p> + +<h4>XX.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +No otherwise than raynie cloud, first fed<br/> +With earthly vapours gathered in the ayre,<br/> +Eftsoones in compas arch’t, to steepe his hed,<br/> +Doth plonge himselfe in Tethys bosome faire,<br/> +And, mounting up againe from whence he came,<br/> +With his great bellie spreds the dimmed world,<br/> +Till at the last, dissolving his moist frame,<br/> +In raine, or snowe, or haile, he forth is horld,<br/> +This citie, which was first but shepheards shade,<br/> +Uprising by degrees, grewe to such height<br/> +That queene of land and sea her selfe she made.<br/> +At last, not able to beare so great weight,<br/> + Her power, disperst, through all the world did vade*;<br/> + To shew that all in th’end to nought shall fade.<br/> +[* <i>Vade</i>, vanish.] +</p> + +<h4>XXI.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +The same which Pyrrhus and the puissaunce<br/> +Of Afrike could not tame, that same brave citie<br/> +Which, with stout courage arm’d against mischaunce,<br/> +Sustein’d the shocke of common enmitie,<br/> +Long as her ship, tost with so manie freakes,<br/> +Had all the world in armes against her bent,<br/> +Was never seene that anie fortunes wreakes<br/> +Could breake her course begun with brave intent.<br/> +But, when the obiect of her vertue failed,<br/> +Her power it selfe against it selfe did arme;<br/> +As he that having long in tempest sailed<br/> +Faine would arive, but cannot for the storme,<br/> + If too great winde against the port him drive,<br/> + Doth in the port it selfe his vessell rive. +</p> + +<h4>XXII.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +When that brave honour of the Latine name,<br/> +Which mear’d* her rule with Africa and Byze**,<br/> +With Thames inhabitants of noble fame,<br/> +And they which see the dawning day arize,<br/> +Her nourslings did with mutinous uprore<br/> +Harten against her selfe, her conquer’d spoile,<br/> +Which she had wonne from all the world afore,<br/> +Of all the world was spoyl’d within a while:<br/> +So, when the compast course of the universe<br/> +In sixe and thirtie thousand yeares is ronne,<br/> +The bands of th’elements shall backe reverse<br/> +To their first discord, and be quite undonne;<br/> + The seedes of which all things at first were bred<br/> + Shall in great Chaos wombe againe be hid.<br/> +[* <i>Mear’d</i>, bounded.]<br/> +[** <i>Byze</i>, Byzantium.] +</p> + +<h4>XXIII.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +O warie wisedome of the man* that would<br/> +That Carthage towres from spoile should be forborne,<br/> +To th’end that his victorious people should<br/> +With cancring laisure not be overworne!<br/> +He well foresaw how that the Romane courage,<br/> +Impatient of pleasures faint desires,<br/> +Through idlenes would turne to civill rage,<br/> +And be her selfe the matter of her fires.<br/> +For in a people given all to ease,<br/> +Ambition is engendred easily;<br/> +As, in a vicious bodie, grose disease<br/> +Soone growes through humours superfluitie.<br/> + That came to passe, when, swolne with plenties pride,<br/> + Nor prince, nor peere, nor kin, they would abide.<br/> +[* I.e. Scipio Nasica.] +</p> + +<h4>XXIV.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +If the blinde Furie which warres breedeth oft<br/> +Wonts not t’enrage the hearts of equall beasts,<br/> +Whether they fare on foote, or flie aloft,<br/> +Or armed be with clawes, or scalie creasts,<br/> +What fell Erynnis, with hot burning tongs,<br/> +Did grype your hearts with noysome rage imbew’d,<br/> +That, each to other working cruell wrongs,<br/> +Your blades in your owne bowels you embrew’d?<br/> +Was this, ye Romanes, your hard destinie?<br/> +Or some old sinne, whose unappeased guilt<br/> +Powr’d vengeance forth on you eternallie?<br/> +Or brothers blood, the which at first was spilt<br/> + Upon your walls, that God might not endure<br/> + Upon the same to set foundation sure? +</p> + +<h4>XXV.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +O that I had the Thracian poets harpe,<br/> +For to awake out of th’infernall shade<br/> +Those antique Caesars, sleeping long in darke,<br/> +The which this auncient citie whilome made!<br/> +Or that I had Amphions instrument,<br/> +To quicken with his vitall notes accord<br/> +The stonie ioynts of these old walls now rent,<br/> +By which th’Ausonian light might be restor’d!<br/> +Or that at least I could with pencill fine<br/> +Fashion the pourtraicts of these palacis,<br/> +By paterne of great Virgils spirit divine!<br/> +I would assay with that which in me is<br/> + To builde, with levell of my loftie style,<br/> + That which no hands can evermore compyle. +</p> + +<h4>XXVI.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Who list the Romane greatnes forth to figure,<br/> +Him needeth not to seeke for usage right<br/> +Of line, or lead, or rule, or squaire, to measure<br/> +Her length, her breadth, her deepnes, or her hight;<br/> +But him behooves to vew in compasse round<br/> +All that the ocean graspes in his long armes;<br/> +Be it where the yerely starre doth scortch the ground,<br/> +Or where colde Boreas blowes his bitter stormes.<br/> +Rome was th’whole world, and al the world was Rome;<br/> +And if things nam’d their names doo equalize,<br/> +When land and sea ye name, then name ye Rome,<br/> +And, naming Rome, ye land and sea comprize:<br/> + For th’auncient plot of Rome, displayed plaine,<br/> + The map of all the wide world doth containe. +</p> + +<h4>XXVII.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Thou that at Rome astonisht dost behold<br/> +The antique pride which menaced the skie,<br/> +These haughtie heapes, these palaces of olde,<br/> +These wals, these arcks, these baths, these temples his,<br/> +Iudge, by these ample ruines vew, the rest<br/> +The which iniurious time hath quite outworne,<br/> +Since, of all workmen helde in reckning best,<br/> +Yet these olde fragments are for paternes borne:<br/> +Then also marke how Rome, from day to day,<br/> +Repayring her decayed fashion,<br/> +Renewes herselfe with buildings rich and gay;<br/> +That one would iudge that the Romaine Daemon*<br/> + Doth yet himselfe with fatall hand enforce<br/> + Againe on foot to reare her pouldred** corse.<br/> +[* <i>Romaine Daemon</i>, Genius of Rome.]<br/> +[** <i>Pouldred</i>, reduced to dust.] +</p> + +<h4>XXVIII.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +He that hath seene a great oke drie and dead,<br/> +Yet clad with reliques of some trophees olde,<br/> +Lifting to heaven her aged hoarie head,<br/> +Whose foote in ground hath left but feeble holde,<br/> +But halfe disbowel’d lies above the ground,<br/> +Shewing her wreathed rootes, and naked armes,<br/> +And on her trunke all rotten and unsound<br/> +Onely supports herselfe for meate of wormes,<br/> +And, though she owe her fall to the first winde,<br/> +Yet of the devout people is ador’d,<br/> +And manie yong plants spring out of her rinde;<br/> +Who such an oke hath seene, let him record<br/> + That such this cities honour was of yore,<br/> + And mongst all cities florished much more. +</p> + +<h4>XXIX.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +All that which Aegypt whilome did devise,<br/> +All that which Greece their temples to embrave,<br/> +After th’Ionicke, Atticke, Doricke guise,<br/> +Or Corinth skil’d in curious workes to grave,<br/> +All that Lysippus practike* arte could forme,<br/> +Apelles wit, or Phidias his skill,<br/> +Was wont this auncient citie to adorne,<br/> +And the heaven it selfe with her wide wonders fill.<br/> +All that which Athens ever brought forth wise,<br/> +All that which Afrike ever brought forth strange,<br/> +All that which Asie ever had of prise,<br/> +Was here to see. O mervelous great change!<br/> + Rome, living, was the worlds sole ornament;<br/> + And, dead, is now the worlds sole moniment.<br/> +[* <i>Practike</i>, cunning.] +</p> + +<h4>XXX.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Like as the seeded field greene grasse first showes,<br/> +Then from greene grasse into a stalke doth spring,<br/> +And from a stalke into an eare forth-growes,<br/> +Which eare the frutefull graine doth shortly bring,<br/> +And as in season due the husband* mowes<br/> +The waving lockes of those faire yeallow heares,<br/> +Which, bound in sheaves, and layd in comely rowes,<br/> +Upon the naked fields in stalkes he reares,<br/> +So grew the Romane empire by degree,<br/> +Till that barbarian hands it quite did spill,<br/> +And left of it but these olde markes to see,<br/> +Of which all passers by doo somewhat pill**,<br/> + As they which gleane, the reliques use to gather<br/> + Which th’husbandman behind him chanst to scater.<br/> +[* <i>Husband</i>, husbandman.]<br/> +[** <i>Pill</i>, plunder.] +</p> + +<h4>XXXI.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +That same is now nought but a champian wide,<br/> +Where all this worlds pride once was situate.<br/> +No blame to thee, whosoever dost abide<br/> +By Nyle, or Gange, or Tygre, or Euphrate;<br/> +Ne Afrike thereof guiltie is, nor Spaine,<br/> +Nor the bolde people by the Thamis brincks,<br/> +Nor the brave warlicke brood of Alemaine,<br/> +Nor the borne souldier which Rhine running drinks.<br/> +Thou onely cause, O Civill Furie, art!<br/> +Which, sowing in th’Aemathian fields thy spight,<br/> +Didst arme thy hand against thy proper hart;<br/> +To th’end that when thou wast in greatest hight<br/> + To greatnes growne, through long prosperitie,<br/> + Thou then adowne might’st fall more horriblie.<br/> +[XXXI. 10.—<i>Aemathian fields</i>. Thessalian fields; alluding to the<br/> +battle fought at Pharsalia, in Thessaly, between Caesar and Pompey. H.] +</p> + +<h4>XXXII.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Hope ye, my Verses, that posteritie<br/> +Of age ensuing shall you ever read?<br/> +Hope ye that ever immortalitie<br/> +So meane harpes worke may chalenge for her meed?<br/> +If under heaven anie endurance were,<br/> +These moniments, which not in paper writ,<br/> +But in porphyre and marble doo appeare,<br/> +Might well have hop’d to have obtained it.<br/> +Nath’les, my Lute, whom Phoebus deigned to give,<br/> +Cease not to sound these olde antiquities:<br/> +For if that Time doo let thy glorie live,<br/> +Well maist thou boast, how ever base thou bee,<br/> + That thou art first which of thy nation song<br/> + Th’olde honour of the people gowned long. +</p> + +<h4>L’ENVOY.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Bellay, first garland of free poesie<br/> +That France brought forth, though fruitfull of brave wits,<br/> +Well worthie thou of immortalitie,<br/> +That long hast traveld*, by thy learned writs,<br/> +Olde Rome out of her ashes to revive,<br/> +And give a second life to dead decayes!<br/> +Needes must he all eternitie survive,<br/> +That can to other give eternall dayes.<br/> +Thy dayes therefore are endles, and thy prayse<br/> +Excelling all that ever went before:<br/> +And, after thee, gins Bartas hie to rayse<br/> +His heavenly Muse, th’Almightie to adore.<br/> + Live happie spirits, th’honour of your name,<br/> + And fill the world with never dying fame!<br/> +[* <i>Traveld</i>, travailed, toiled.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +L’Envoy, 11.—<i>Bartas</i>. Guillaume de Salluste du Bartas, a French poet +of the time of Henry IV, of extraordinary popularity in his day. His +poem on the Creation is said to have been reprinted more than thirty +times in six years, and was translated into several languages; among +others, into English by Joshua Sylvester. H. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap06"></a>MUIOPOTMOS:</h2> + +<h3>OR</h3> + +<h3>THE FATE OF THE BUTTERFLIE.</h3> + +<h3>BY ED. SP.</h3> + +<h4>DEDICATED TO THE MOST FAIRE AND VERTUOUS LADIE,</h4> + +<h5>THE LADIE CAREY.</h5> + +<h2>LONDON:</h2> + +<h5>IMPRINTED FOR WILLIAM PONSONBIE, DWELLING IN PAULES</h5> + +<h5>CHURCHYARD AT THE SIGNE OF THE BISHOPS HEAD.</h5> + +<p class="stanza"> +1590* +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +[* This date seems to be an error for 1591; or, as Mr. Craik suggests, +it may have been used designedly with reference to real events, not yet +ascertained, which furnished the subject of this very pleasing +allegory. The Visions of the Worlds Vanitie, which follow this piece, +may be suspected of a similar application. C.] +</p> + +<h4>TO THE RIGHT WORTHY AND VERTUOUS LADIE, THE LA: CAREY.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Most brave and bountifull La: for so excellent favours as I have +received at your sweet handes, to offer these fewe leaves as in +recompence, should be as to offer flowers to the gods for their divine +benefites. Therefore I have determined to give my selfe wholy to you, +as quite abandoned from my selfe, and absolutely vowed to your +services: which in all right is ever held for full recompence of debt +or damage, to have the person yeelded. My person I wot wel how little +worth it is. But the faithfull minde and humble zeale which I bear unto +your La: may perhaps be more of price, as may please you to account and +use the poore service thereof; which taketh glory to advance your +excellent partes and noble vertues, and to spend it selfe in honouring +you; not so much for your great bounty to my self, which yet may not be +unminded; nor for name or kindreds* sake by you vouchsafed, beeing +also regardable; as for that honorable name, which yee have by your +brave deserts purchast to your self, and spred in the mouths of al men: +with which I have also presumed to grace my verses, and, under your +name, to commend to the world this smal poeme; the which beseeching +your La: to take in worth, and of all things therein according to your +wonted graciousnes to make a milde construction, I humbly pray for your +happines. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Your La: ever humbly, +</p> + +<h5>E. S.</h5> + +<p class="stanza"> +[Footnote: “This lady was Elizabeth, one of the six daughters of Sir John +Spencer, of Althorpe, in Northamptonshire, and was married to Sir George Carey, +who became Lord Hunsdon on the death of his father, in 1596.”—TODD.] +</p> + +<h3>MUIOPOTMOS:</h3> + +<h5>OR</h5> + +<h5>THE FATE OF THE BUTTERFLIE.</h5> + +<p class="stanza"> +I sing of deadly dolorous debate,<br/> +Stir’d up through wrathful! Nemesis despight,<br/> +Betwixt two mightie ones of great estate,<br/> +Drawne into armes and proofe of mortall fight<br/> +Through prowd ambition and hart-swelling hate, 5<br/> +Whilest neither could the others greater might<br/> +And sdeignfull scorne endure; that from small iarre<br/> +Their wraths at length broke into open warre. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +The roote whereof and tragicall effect,<br/> +Vouchsafe, O thou the mournfulst Muse of nyne, 10<br/> +That wontst the tragick stage for to direct,<br/> +In funerall complaints and waylfull tyne*<br/> +Reveale to me, and all the meanes detect<br/> +Through which sad Clarion did at last declyne<br/> +To lowest wretchednes: And is there then 15<br/> +Such rancour in the harts of mightie men?<br/> +[* <i>Tyne</i>, grief.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Of all the race of silver-winged flies<br/> +Which doo possesse the empire of the aire,<br/> +Betwixt the centred earth and azure skies<br/> +Was none more favourable nor more faire, 20<br/> +Whilst heaven did favour his felicities,<br/> +Then Clarion, the eldest sonne and haire<br/> +Of Muscaroll, and in his fathers sight<br/> +Of all alive did seeme the fairest wight. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +With fruitfull hope his aged breast he fed 25<br/> +Of future good, which his yong toward yeares,<br/> +Full of brave courage and bold hardyhed<br/> +Above th’ensample of his equall peares,<br/> +Did largely promise, and to him fore-red,<br/> +(Whilst oft his heart did melt in tender teares,) 30<br/> +That he in time would sure prove such an one,<br/> +As should be worthie of his fathers throne. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +The fresh yong flie, in whom the kindly fire<br/> +Of lustfull yongth* began to kindle fast,<br/> +Did much disdaine to subiect his desire 35<br/> +To loathsome sloth, or houres in ease to wast;<br/> +But ioy’d to range abroad in fresh attire<br/> +Through the wide compas of the ayrie coast,<br/> +And with unwearied wings each part t’inquire<br/> +Of the wide rule of his renownned sire. 40<br/> +[* <i>Yongth</i>, youth.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +For he so swift and nimble was of flight,<br/> +That from this lower tract he dar’d to stie*<br/> +Up to the clowdes, and thence with pineons light<br/> +To mount aloft unto the christall skie,<br/> +To vew the workmanship of heavens hight 45<br/> +Whence down descending he along would flie<br/> +Upon the streaming rivers, sport to finde,<br/> +And oft would dare to tempt the troublous winde.<br/> +[* <i>Stie</i>, mount.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +So on a summers day, when season milde<br/> +With gentle calme the world had quieted, 50<br/> +And high in heaven Hyperions fierie childe<br/> +Ascending did his beames abroad dispred,<br/> +Whiles all the heavens on lower creatures smilde,<br/> +Yong Clarion, with vauntfull lustiehead;<br/> +After his guize did cast abroad to fare, 55<br/> +And theretoo gan his furnitures prepare. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +His breastplate first, that was of substance pure,<br/> +Before his noble heart he firmely bound,<br/> +That mought his life from yron death assure,<br/> +And ward his gentle corpes from cruell wound: 60<br/> +For it by arte was framed to endure<br/> +The bit* of balefull steele and bitter stownd**,<br/> +No lesse than that which Vulcane made to sheild<br/> +Achilles life from fate of Troyan field.<br/> +[* <i>Bit</i>, bite.]<br/> +[** <i>Stownd</i>, hour.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +And then about his shoulders broad he threw 65<br/> +An hairie hide of some wilde beast, whom hee<br/> +In salvage forrest by adventure slew,<br/> +And reft the spoyle his ornament to bee;<br/> +Which, spredding all his backe with dreadfull vew,<br/> +Made all that him so horrible did see 70<br/> +Thinke him Alcides with the lyons skin,<br/> +When the Naeméan conquest he did win. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Upon his head, his glistering burganet*,<br/> +The which was wrought by wonderous device<br/> +And curiously engraven, he did set: 75<br/> +The mettall was of rare and passing price;<br/> +Not Bilbo** steele, nor brasse from Corinth fet,<br/> +Nor costly oricalche from strange Phoenice;<br/> +But such as could both Phoebus arrowes ward,<br/> +And th’hayling darts of heaven beating hard. 80<br/> +[* <i>Burganet</i>, helmet.]<br/> +[** <i>Bilbo</i>, Bilboa.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Therein two deadly weapons fixt he bore,<br/> +Strongly outlaunced towards either side,<br/> +Like two sharpe speares, his enemies to gore:<br/> +Like as a warlike brigandine, applyde<br/> +To fight, layes forth her threatfull pikes afore, 85<br/> +The engines which in them sad death doo hyde,<br/> +So did this flie outstretch his fearefull hornes,<br/> +Yet so as him their terrour more adornes. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Lastly his shinie wings, as silver bright,<br/> +Painted with thousand colours passing farre 90<br/> +All painters skill, he did about him dight:<br/> +Not halfe so manie sundrie colours arre<br/> +In Iris bowe; ne heaven doth shine so bright,<br/> +Distinguished with manie a twinckling starre;<br/> +Nor Iunoes bird, in her ey-spotted traine, 95<br/> +So manie goodly colours doth containe. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Ne (may it be withouten perill spoken)<br/> +The Archer-god, the sonne of Cytheree,<br/> +That ioyes on wretched lovers to be wroken*,<br/> +And heaped spoyles of bleeding harts to see, 100<br/> +Beares in his wings so manie a changefull token.<br/> +Ah! my liege Lord, forgive it unto mee,<br/> +If ought against thine honour I have tolde;<br/> +Yet sure those wings were fairer manifolde.<br/> +[* <i>Wroken</i>, avenged.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Full many a ladie faire, in court full oft 105<br/> +Beholding them, him secretly envide,<br/> +And wisht that two such fannes, so silken soft<br/> +And golden faire, her Love would her provide;<br/> +Or that, when them the gorgeous flie had doft,<br/> +Some one that would with grace be gratifide 110<br/> +From him would steale them privily away,<br/> +And bring to her so precious a pray. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Report is that Dame Venus on a day,<br/> +In spring when flowres doo clothe the fruitful ground,<br/> +Walking abroad with all her nymphes to play, 115<br/> +Bad her faire damzels flocking her arownd<br/> +To gather flowres, her forhead to array.<br/> +Emongst the rest a gentle nymph was found,<br/> +Hight Astery, excelling all the crewe<br/> +In curteous usage and unstained hewe. 120 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Who, being nimbler ioynted than the rest,<br/> +And more industrious, gathered more store<br/> +Of the fields honour than the others best;<br/> +Which they in secret harts envying sore,<br/> +Tolde Venus, when her as the worthiest 125<br/> +She praisd’, that Cupide (as they heard before)<br/> +Did lend her secret aide in gathering<br/> +Into her lap the children of the Spring, +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Whereof the goddesse gathering iealous feare,—<br/> +Not yet unmindfull how not long agoe 130<br/> +Her sonne to Psyche secrete love did beare,<br/> +And long it close conceal’d, till mickle woe<br/> +Thereof arose, and manie a rufull teare,—<br/> +Reason with sudden rage did overgoe;<br/> +And, giving hastie credit to th’accuser, 135<br/> +Was led away of them that did abuse her. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Eftsoones that damzel by her heavenly might<br/> +She turn’d into a winged butterflie,<br/> +In the wide aire to make her wandring flight;<br/> +And all those flowres, with which so plenteouslie 140<br/> +Her lap she filled had, that bred her spight,<br/> +She placed in her wings, for memorie<br/> +Of her pretended crime, though crime none were:<br/> +Since which that flie them in her wings doth beare. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Thus the fresh Clarion, being readie dight, 145<br/> +Unto his iourney did himselfe addresse,<br/> +And with good speed began to take his flight:<br/> +Over the fields, in his franke* lustinesse;<br/> +And all the champion** he soared light;<br/> +And all the countrey wide he did possesse, 150<br/> +Feeding upon their pleasures bounteouslie,<br/> +That none gainsaid, nor none did him envie.<br/> +[* <i>Franke</i>, free.]<br/> +[** <i>Champion</i>, champaign.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +The woods, the rivers, and the medowes green.<br/> +With his aire-cutting wings he measured wide,<br/> +Ne did he leave the mountaines bare unseene, 155<br/> +Nor the ranke grassie fennes delights untride.<br/> +But none of these, how ever sweete they beene,<br/> +Mote please his fancie nor him cause t’abide:<br/> +His choicefull sense with everie change doth flit;<br/> +No common things may please a wavering wit. 160 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +To the gay gardins his unstaid desire<br/> +Him wholly caried, to refresh his sprights:<br/> +There lavish Nature, in her best attire,<br/> +Powres forth sweete odors and alluring sights;<br/> +And Arte, with her contending, doth aspire 165<br/> +T’excell the naturall with made delights:<br/> +And all that faire or pleasant may be found<br/> +In riotous excesse doth there abound.<br/> +There he arriving round about doth flie,<br/> +From bed to bed, from one to other border; 170<br/> +And takes survey, with curious busie eye,<br/> +Of every flowre and herbe there set in order;<br/> +Now this, now that, he tasteth tenderly,<br/> +Yet none of them he rudely doth disorder,<br/> +Ne with his feete their silken leaves deface, 175<br/> +But pastures on the pleasures of each place. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +And evermore with most varietie,<br/> +And change of sweetnesse, (for all change is sweete,)<br/> +He casts his glutton sense to satisfie;<br/> +Now sucking of the sap of herbe most meete, 180<br/> +Or of the deaw which yet on them does lie,<br/> +Now in the same bathing his tender feete:<br/> +And then he pearcheth on some braunch thereby,<br/> +To weather him, and his moyst wings to dry. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +And then againe he turneth to his play, 185<br/> +To spoyle the pleasures of that paradise;<br/> +The wholsome saulge*, and lavender still gray,<br/> +Ranke-smelling rue, and cummin good for eyes,<br/> +The roses raigning in the pride of May,<br/> +Sharpe isope, good for greene wounds remedies, 190<br/> +Faire marigoldes, and bees-alluring thime,<br/> +Sweete marioram, and daysies decking prime:<br/> +[* <i>Saulge</i>, sage.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Coole violets, and orpine growing still,<br/> +Embathed balme, and chearfull galingale,<br/> +Fresh costmarie, and breathfull camomill, 195<br/> +Dull poppie, and drink-quickning setuale*,<br/> +Veyne-healing verven, and hed-purging dill,<br/> +Sound savorie, and bazil hartie-hale,<br/> +Fat colworts, and comfórting perseline**,<br/> +Colde lettuce, and refreshing rosmarine. 200<br/> +[* <i>Setuale</i>, valerian.]<br/> +[** <i>Perseline</i>, purslain.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +And whatso else of vertue good or ill<br/> +Grewe in this gardin, fetcht from farre away,<br/> +Of everie one he takes and tastes at will,<br/> +And on their pleasures greedily doth pray.<br/> +Then when he hath both plaid, and fed his fill, 205<br/> +In the warme sunne he doth himselfe embay*,<br/> +And there him rests in riotous suffisaunce<br/> +Of all his gladfulnes and kingly ioyaunce.<br/> +[* <i>Embay</i>, bathe.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +What more felicitie can fall to creature<br/> +Than to enioy delight with libertie, 210<br/> +And to be lord of all the workes of Nature,<br/> +To raine in th’aire from earth to highest skie,<br/> +To feed on flowres and weeds of glorious feature,<br/> +To take whatever thing doth please the eie?<br/> +Who rests not pleased with such happines, 215<br/> +Well worthie he to taste of wretchednes. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +But what on earth can long abide in state?<br/> +Or who can him assure of happie day?<br/> +Sith morning faire may bring fowle evening late,<br/> +And least mishap the most blisse alter may! 220<br/> +For thousand perills lie in close awaite<br/> +About us daylie, to worke our decay;<br/> +That none, except a God, or God him guide,<br/> +May them avoyde, or remedie provide. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +And whatso heavens in their secret doome 225<br/> +Ordained have, how can fraile fleshly wight<br/> +Forecast, but it must needs to issue come?<br/> +The sea, the aire, the fire, the day, the night,<br/> +And th’armies of their creatures, all and some*,<br/> +Do serve to them, and with importune might 230<br/> +Warre against us, the vassals of their will.<br/> +Who then can save what they dispose to spill?<br/> +[* <i>All and some</i>, one and all.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Not thou, O Clarion, though fairest thou<br/> +Of all thy kinde, unhappie happie flie,<br/> +Whose cruell fate is woven even now 235<br/> +Of loves owne hand, to worke thy miserie!<br/> +Ne may thee helpe the manie hartie vow,<br/> +Which thy olde sire with sacred pietie<br/> +Hath powred forth for thee, and th’altars sprent*<br/> +Nought may thee save from heavens avengëment! 240<br/> +[* <i>Sprent</i>, sprinkled.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +It fortuned (as heavens had behight*)<br/> +That in this gardin where yong Clarion<br/> +Was wont to solace him, a wicked wight,<br/> +The foe of faire things, th’author of confusion,<br/> +The shame of Nature, the bondslave of spight, 245<br/> +Had lately built his hatefull mansion;<br/> +And, lurking closely, in awayte now lay,<br/> +How he might anie in his trap betray.<br/> +[* <i>Behight</i>, ordained.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +But when he spide the ioyous butterflie<br/> +In this faire plot dispacing* too and fro, 250<br/> +Fearles of foes and hidden ieopardie,<br/> +Lord! how he gan for to bestirre him tho,<br/> +And to his wicked worke each part applie!<br/> +His heart did earne** against his hated foe,<br/> +And bowels so with rankling poyson swelde, 255<br/> +That scarce the skin the strong contagion helde.<br/> +[* <i>Dispacing</i>, ranging about.]<br/> +[** <i>Earne</i>, yearn.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +The cause why he this flie so maliced*<br/> +Was (as in stories it is written found)<br/> +For that his mother which him bore and bred,<br/> +The most fine-fingred workwoman on ground, 260<br/> +Arachne, by his meanes was vanquished<br/> +Of Pallas, and in her owne skill confound**,<br/> +When she with her for excellence contended,<br/> +That wrought her shame, and sorrow never ended.<br/> +[* <i>Maliced</i>, bore ill-will to.]<br/> +[** <i>Confound</i>, confounded.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +For the Tritonian goddesse, having hard 265<br/> +Her blazed fame, which all the world had fil’d,<br/> +Came downe to prove the truth, and due reward<br/> +For her prais-worthie workmanship to yeild:<br/> +But the presumptuous damzel rashly dar’d<br/> +The goddesse selfe to chalenge to the field, 270<br/> +And to compare with her in curious skill<br/> +Of workes with loome, with needle, and with quill. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Minerva did the chalenge not refuse,<br/> +But deign’d with her the paragon* to make:<br/> +So to their worke they sit, and each doth chuse 275<br/> +What storie she will for her tapet** take.<br/> +Arachne figur’d how love did abuse<br/> +Europa like a bull, and on his backe<br/> +Her through the sea did beare; so lively*** seene,<br/> +That it true sea and true bull ye would weene. 280<br/> +[* <i>Paragon</i>, comparison.]<br/> +[** <i>Tapet</i>, tapestry.]<br/> +[*** <i>Lively</i>, life-like.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Shee seem’d still backe unto the land to looke,<br/> +And her play-fellowes aide to call, and feare<br/> +The dashing of the waves, that up she tooke<br/> +Her daintie feete, and garments gathered neare:<br/> +But Lord! how she in everie member shooke, 285<br/> +When as the land she saw no more appeare,<br/> +But a wilde wildernes of waters deepe:<br/> +Then gan she greatly to lament and weepe. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Before the bull she pictur’d winged Love,<br/> +With his yong brother Sport, light fluttering 290<br/> +Upon the waves, as each had been a dove;<br/> +The one his bowe and shafts, the other spring*<br/> +A burning teade** about his head did move,<br/> +As in their syres new love both triumphing;<br/> +And manie Nymphes about them flocking round, 295<br/> +And manie Tritons which their homes did sound.<br/> +[* <i>Spring</i>, springal, youth.]<br/> +[** <i>Teade</i>, torch.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +And round about her-worke she did empale*<br/> +With a faire border wrought of sundrie flowres,<br/> +Enwoven with an yviewinding trayle:<br/> +A goodly worke, full fit for kingly bowres, 300<br/> +Such as Dame Pallas, such as Envie pale,<br/> +That al good things with venemous tooth devowres,<br/> +Could not accuse. Then gan the goddesse bright<br/> +Her selfe likewise unto her worke to dight.<br/> +[* <i>Empale</i>, inclose.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +She made the storie of the olde debate 305<br/> +Which she with Neptune did for Athens trie:<br/> +Twelve gods doo sit around in royall state,<br/> +And love in midst with awfull maiestie,<br/> +To iudge the strife betweene them stirred late:<br/> +Each of the gods by his like visnomie* 310<br/> +Eathe** to be knowen; but love above them all,<br/> +By his great lookes and power imperiall.<br/> +[* <i>Visnomie</i>, countenance.]<br/> +[** <i>Eathe</i>, easy.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Before them stands the god of seas in place,<br/> +Clayming that sea-coast citie as his right,<br/> +And strikes the rockes with his three-forked mace;<br/> +Whenceforth issues a warlike steed in sight, 316<br/> +The signe by which he chalengeth the place;<br/> +That all the gods which saw his wondrous might<br/> +Did surely deeme the victorie his due:<br/> +But seldom seene, foreiudgement proveth true. 320 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Then to herselfe she gives her Aegide shield,<br/> +And steel-hed speare, and morion * on her hedd,<br/> +Such as she oft is seene in warlicke field:<br/> +Then sets she forth, how with her weapon dredd<br/> +She smote the ground, the which streight foorth did yield 325<br/> +A fruitfull olyve tree, with berries spredd,<br/> +That all the gods admir’d; then all the storie<br/> +She compast with a wreathe of olyves hoarie.<br/> +[* <i>Morion</i>, steel cap.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Emongst those leaves she made a butterflie,<br/> +With excellent device and wondrous slight, 330<br/> +Fluttring among the olives wantonly,<br/> +That seem’d to live, so like it was in sight:<br/> +The velvet nap which on his wings doth lie,<br/> +The silken downe with which his backe is dight,<br/> +His broad outstretched homes, his hayrie thies, 335<br/> +His glorious colours, and his glistering eies. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Which when Arachne saw, as overlaid *<br/> +And mastered with workmanship so rare,<br/> +She stood astonied long, ne ought gainesaid;<br/> +And with fast fixed eyes on her did stare, 340<br/> +And by her silence, signe of one dismaid,<br/> +The victorie did yeeld her as her share;<br/> +Yet did she inly fret and felly burne,<br/> +And all her blood to poysonous rancor turne:<br/> +[* <i>Overlaid</i>, overcome.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +That shortly from the shape of womanhed, 345<br/> +Such as she was when Pallas she attempted,<br/> +She grew to hideous shape of dryrihed*,<br/> +Pined with griefe of follie late repented:<br/> +Eftsoones her white streight legs were altered<br/> +To crooked crawling shankes, of marrowe empted, 350<br/> +And her faire face to foule and loathsome hewe,<br/> +And her fine corpes to a bag of venim grewe.<br/> +[* <i>Dryrihed</i>, sadness, unsightliness.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +This cursed creature, mindfull of that olde<br/> +Enfestred grudge the which his mother felt,<br/> +So soone as Clarion he did beholde, 355<br/> +His heart with vengefull malice inly swelt;<br/> +And weaving straight a net with mame a folde<br/> +About the cave in which he lurking dwelt,<br/> +With fine small cords about it stretched wide,<br/> +So finely sponne that scarce they could be spide, 360 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Not anie damzell which her vaunteth most<br/> +In skilfull knitting of soft silken twyne,<br/> +Nor anie weaver, which his worke doth boast<br/> +In dieper, in damaske, or in lyne*,<br/> +Nor anie skil’d in workmanship embost, 365<br/> +Nor anie skil’d in loupes of fingring fine,<br/> +Might in their divers cunning ever dare<br/> +With this so curious networks to compare.<br/> +[* <i>Lyne</i>, linen.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Ne doo I thinke that that same subtil gin<br/> +The which the Lemnian god framde craftilie, 370<br/> +Mars sleeping with his wife to compasse in,<br/> +That all the gods with common mockerie<br/> +Might laugh at them, and scorne their shamefull sin,<br/> +Was like to this. This same he did applie<br/> +For to entrap the careles Clarion, 375<br/> +That rang’d each where without suspition. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Suspition of friend, nor feare of foe,<br/> +That hazarded his health, had he at all,<br/> +But walkt at will, and wandred too and fro,<br/> +In the pride of his freedome principall*: 380<br/> +Litle wist he his fatall future woe,<br/> +But was secure; the liker he to fall.<br/> +He likest is to fall into mischaunce,<br/> +That is regardles of his governaunce.<br/> +[* <i>Principall</i>, princely.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Yet still Aragnoll (so his foe was hight) 385<br/> +Lay lurking covertly him to surprise;<br/> +And all his gins, that him entangle might,<br/> +Drest in good order as he could devise.<br/> +At length the foolish flie, without foresight,<br/> +As he that did all daunger quite despise, 390<br/> +Toward those parts came flying careleslie,<br/> +Where hidden was his hatefull enemie. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Who, seeing him, with secret ioy therefore<br/> +Did tickle inwardly in everie vaine;<br/> +And his false hart, fraught with all treasons store, 395<br/> +Was fil’d with hope his purpose to obtaine:<br/> +Himselfe he close upgathered more and more<br/> +Into his den, that his deceiptfull traine<br/> +By his there being might not be bewraid,<br/> +Ne anie noyse, ne anie motion made. 400 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Like as a wily foxe, that, having spide<br/> +Where on a sunnie banke the lambes doo play,<br/> +Full closely creeping by the hinder side,<br/> +Lyes in ambushment of his hoped pray,<br/> +Ne stirreth limbe, till, seeing readie tide*, 405<br/> +He rusheth forth, and snatcheth quite away<br/> +One of the litle yonglings unawares;<br/> +So to his worke Aragnoll him prepares.<br/> +[* <i>Tide</i>, time.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Who now shall give unto my heavie eyes<br/> +A well of teares, that all may overflow? 410<br/> +Or where shall I finde lamentable cryes,<br/> +And mournfull tunes enough my griefe to show?<br/> +Helpe, O thou Tragick Muse, me to devise<br/> +Notes sad enough, t’expresse this bitter throw:<br/> +For loe, the drerie stownd* is now arrived, 415<br/> +That of all happines hath us deprived.<br/> +[* <i>Stownd</i>, hour.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +The luckles Clarion, whether cruell Fate<br/> +Or wicked Fortune faultles him misled,<br/> +Or some ungracious blast out of the gate<br/> +Of Aeoles raine* perforce him drove on hed**, 420<br/> +Was (O sad hap and howre unfortunate!)<br/> +With violent swift flight forth caried<br/> +Into the cursed cobweb, which his foe<br/> +Had framed for his finall overthroe.<br/> +[* <i>Raine</i>, kingdom.]<br/> +[** <i>On hed</i>, head-foremost.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +There the fond flie, entangled, strugled long, 425<br/> +Himselfe to free thereout; but all in vaine.<br/> +For, striving more, the more in laces strong<br/> +Himselfe he tide, and wrapt his wingës twaine<br/> +In lymie snares the subtill loupes among;<br/> +That in the ende he breathelesse did remaine, 430<br/> +And, all his yongthly* forces idly spent,<br/> +Him to the mercie of th’avenger lent.<br/> +[* <i>Yongthly</i>, youthful.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Which when the greisly tyrant did espie,<br/> +Like a grimme lyon rushing with fierce might<br/> +Out of his den, he seized greedelie 435<br/> +On the resistles pray, and, with fell spight,<br/> +Under the left wing stroke his weapon slie<br/> +Into his heart, that his deepe-groning spright<br/> +In bloodie streames foorth fled into the aire,<br/> +His bodie left the spectacle of care. 440 +</p> + +<hr /> + +<h5>FOOTNOTES</h5> + +<p class="stanza"> +Ver. 365.—<i>And Arte, with her contendlng.</i> Compare the description of<br/> +Aerasia’s garden, Faerie Queene, II. xii. 59; and also v. 29. TODD. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Ver. 273.—<i>Minerva did</i>, &c. Much of what follows is taken from the +fable of Arachne in Ovid. JORTIN. +</p> + +<hr /> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap07"></a>VISIONS<br/> +OF<br/> +THE WORLDS VANITIE.</h2> + +<h4>I.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +One day, whiles that my daylie cares did sleepe,<br/> +My spirit, shaking off her earthly prison,<br/> +Began to enter into meditation deepe<br/> +Of things exceeding reach of common reason;<br/> +Such as this age, in which all good is geason*,<br/> +And all that humble is and meane** debaced,<br/> +Hath brought forth in her last declining season,<br/> +Griefe of good mindes, to see goodnesse disgraced!<br/> +On which when as my thought was throghly@ placed,<br/> +Unto my eyes strange showes presented were,<br/> +Picturing that which I in minde embraced,<br/> +That yet those sights empassion$ me full nere.<br/> + Such as they were, faire Ladie%, take in worth,<br/> + That when time serves may bring things better forth. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +[* <i>Geason</i>, rare.] +[** <i>Meane</i>, lowly.] +[@ <i>Throghly</i>, thoroughly.] +[$ <i>Empassion</i>, move.] +[% <i>Faire Ladie.</i> The names of the ladies to whom these Visions and +those of Petrarch (see p. 210, VII. 9) were inscribed have not been +preserved. C.] +</p> + +<h4>II.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +In summers day, when Phoebus fairly shone,<br/> +I saw a Bull as white as driven snowe,<br/> +With gilden hornes embowed like the moone,<br/> +In a fresh flowring meadow lying lowe:<br/> +Up to his eares the verdant grasse did growe,<br/> +And the gay floures did offer to be eaten;<br/> +But he with fatnes so did overflows,<br/> +That he all wallowed in the weedes downe beaten,<br/> +Ne car’d with them his daintie lips to sweeten:<br/> +Till that a Brize*, a scorned little creature,<br/> +Through his faire hide his angrie sting did threaten,<br/> +And vext so sore, that all his goodly feature<br/> + And all his plenteous pasture nought him pleased:<br/> + So by the small the great is oft diseased**. +</p> + +<h4>III.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Beside the fruitfull shore of muddie Nile,<br/> +Upon a sunnie banke outstretched lay,<br/> +In monstrous length, a mightie Crocodile,<br/> +That, cram’d with guiltles blood and greedie pray<br/> +Of wretched people travailing that way,<br/> +Thought all things lesse than his disdainfull pride.<br/> +I saw a little Bird, cal’d Tedula,<br/> +The least of thousands which on earth abide,<br/> +That forst this hideous beast to open wide<br/> +The greisly gates of his devouring hell,<br/> +And let him feede, as Nature doth provide,<br/> +Upon his iawes, that with blacke venime swell.<br/> + Why then should greatest things the least disdaine,<br/> + Sith that so small so mightie can constraine? +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +[* <i>Brize</i>, a gadfly.] +[** <i>Diseased</i>, deprived of ease.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +III. 7.—Tedula. Spenser appears to mean the bird Trochilos, which, +according to Aristotle, enters the mouth of the crocodile, and picks her +meat out of the monster’s teeth. C. +</p> + +<h4>IV.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +The kingly bird that beares Ioves thunder-clap<br/> +One day did scorne the simple Scarabee*,<br/> +Proud of his highest service and good hap,<br/> +That made all other foules his thralls to bee.<br/> +The silly flie, that no redresse did see,<br/> +Spide where the Eagle built his towring nest,<br/> +And, kindling fire within the hollow tree,<br/> +Burnt up his yong ones, and himselfe distrest;<br/> +Ne suffred him in anie place to rest,<br/> +But drove in Ioves owne lap his egs to lay;<br/> +Where gathering also filth him to infest,<br/> +Forst with the filth his egs to fling away:<br/> + For which, when as the foule was wroth, said Iove,<br/> + “Lo! how the least the greatest may reprove.” +</p> + +<h4>V.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Toward the sea turning my troubled eye,<br/> +I saw the fish (if fish I may it cleepe**)<br/> +That makes the sea before his face to flye,<br/> +And with his flaggie finnes doth seeme to sweepe<br/> +The fomie waves out of the dreadfull deep;<br/> +The huge Leviathan, dame Natures wonder,<br/> +Making his sport, that manie makes to weep.<br/> +A Sword-fish small him from the rest did sunder<br/> +That, in his throat him pricking softly under,<br/> +His wide abysse him forced forth to spewe,<br/> +That all the sea did roare like heavens thunder,<br/> +And all the waves were stain’d with filthie hewe.<br/> + Hereby I learned have not to despise<br/> + Whatever thing seemes small in common eyes. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +[* <i>Scarabee,</i> beetle.] +[** <i>Cleepe,</i> call.] +</p> + +<h4>VI.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +An hideous Dragon, dreadfull to behold,<br/> +Whose backe was arm’d against the dint of speare<br/> +With shields of brasse that shone like burnisht golde,<br/> +And forkhed sting that death in it did beare,<br/> +Strove with a Spider, his unequall peare,<br/> +And bad defiance to his enemie.<br/> +The subtill vermin, creeping closely* neare,<br/> +Did in his drinke shed poyson privilie;<br/> +Which, through his entrailes spredding diversly,<br/> +Made him to swell, that nigh his bowells brust,<br/> +And him enforst to yeeld the victorie,<br/> +That did so much in his owne greatnesse trust.<br/> + O, how great vainnesse is it then to scorne<br/> + The weake, that hath the strong so oft forlorne!** +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +[* <i>Closely,</i> secretly.] +[** <i>Forlorne,</i> ruined.] +</p> + +<h4>VII.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +High on a hill a goodly Cedar grewe,<br/> +Of wondrous length and straight proportion,<br/> +That farre abroad her daintie odours threwe;<br/> +Mongst all the daughters of proud Libanon,<br/> +Her match in beautie was not anie one.<br/> +Shortly within her inmost pith there bred<br/> +A litle wicked worme, perceiv’d of none,<br/> +That on her sap and vitall moysture fed:<br/> +Thenceforth her garland so much honoured<br/> +Began to die, O great ruth* for the same!<br/> +And her faire lockes fell from her loftie head,<br/> +That shortly balde and bared she became.<br/> + I, which this sight beheld, was much dismayed,<br/> + To see so goodly thing so soone decayed. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +[* <i>Ruth,</i> pity.] +</p> + +<h4>VIII.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Soone after this I saw an Elephant,<br/> +Adorn’d with bells and bosses gorgeouslie,<br/> +That on his backe did beare, as batteilant*,<br/> +A gilden towre, which shone exceedinglie;<br/> +That he himselfe through foolish vanitie,<br/> +Both for his rich attire and goodly forme,<br/> +Was puffed up with passing surquedrie**,<br/> +And shortly gan all other beasts to scorne,<br/> +Till that a little Ant, a silly worme,<br/> +Into his nosthrils creeping, so him pained,<br/> +That, casting downe his towres, he did deforme<br/> +Both borrowed pride, and native beautie stained.<br/> + Let therefore nought that great is therein glorie,<br/> + Sith so small thing his happines may varie. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +[* <i>As batteilant,</i> as if equipped for battle.] +[** <i>Surquedrie,</i> presumption.] +</p> + +<h3>IX.</h3> + +<p class="stanza"> +Looking far foorth into the ocean wide,<br/> +A goodly Ship with banners bravely dight,<br/> +And flag in her top-gallant, I espide<br/> +Through the maine sea making her merry flight.<br/> +Faire blewe the wind into her bosome right,<br/> +And th’heavens looked lovely all the while,<br/> +That she did seeme to daunce, as in delight,<br/> +And at her owne felicitie did smile.<br/> +All sodainely there clove unto her keele<br/> +A little fish that men call Remora,<br/> +Which stopt her course, and held her by the heele,<br/> +That winde nor tide could move her thence away.<br/> + Straunge thing me seemeth, that so small a thing<br/> + Should able be so great an one to wring. +</p> + +<h4>X.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +A mighty Lyon, lord of all the wood,<br/> +Having his hunger throughly satisfide<br/> +With pray of beasts and spoyle of living blood,<br/> +Safe in his dreadles den him thought to hide:<br/> +His sternesse was his prayse, his strength his pride,<br/> +And all his glory in his cruell clawes.<br/> +I saw a Wasp, that fiercely him defide,<br/> +And bad him battaile even to his iawes;<br/> +Sore he him stong, that it the blood forth drawes,<br/> +And his proude heart is fild with fretting ire:<br/> +In vaine he threats his teeth, his tayle, his pawes,<br/> +And from his bloodie eyes doth sparkle fire;<br/> + That dead himselfe he wisheth for despight.<br/> + So weakest may anoy the most of might! +</p> + +<h3>XI.</h3> + +<p class="stanza"> +What time the Romaine Empire bore the raine<br/> +Of all the world, and florisht most in might,<br/> +The nations gan their soveraigntie disdaine,<br/> +And cast to quitt them from their bondage quight.<br/> +So, when all shrouded were in silent night,<br/> +The Galles were, by corrupting of a mayde,<br/> +Possest nigh of the Capitol through slight,<br/> +Had not a Goose the treachery bewrayde.<br/> +If then a goose great Rome from ruine stayde,<br/> +And Iove himselfe, the patron of the place,<br/> +Preservd from being to his foes betrayde,<br/> +Why do vaine men mean things so much deface*,<br/> + And in their might repose their most assurance,<br/> + Sith nought on earth can chalenge long endurance? +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +[* <i>Deface,</i> disparage, despise.] +</p> + +<h4>XII.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +When these sad sights were overpast and gone,<br/> +My spright was greatly moved in her rest,<br/> +With inward ruth and deare affection,<br/> +To see so great things by so small distrest.<br/> +Thenceforth I gan in my engrieved brest<br/> +To scorne all difference of great and small,<br/> +Sith that the greatest often are opprest,<br/> +And unawares doe into daunger fall.<br/> +And ye, that read these ruines tragicall,<br/> +Learne, by their losse, to love the low degree;<br/> +And if that Fortune chaunce you up to call<br/> +To honours seat, forget not what you be:<br/> + For he that of himselfe is most secure<br/> + Shall finde his state most fickle and unsure. +</p> + +<hr /> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap08"></a>THE VISIONS OF BELLAY.*</h2> + +<p class="stanza"> +[* Eleven of these Visions of Bellay (all except the 6th, 8th, 13th, and 14th) +differ only by a few changes necessary for rhyme from blank-verse translations +found in Van der Noodt’s <i>Theatre of Worldlings</i>, printed in 1569; and the +six first of the Visions of Petrarch (here said to have been “formerly +translated”) occur almost word for word in the same publication, where the +authorship appears to be claimed by one Theodore Roest. The Complaints were +collected, not by Spenser, but by Ponsonby, his bookseller, and he may have +erred in ascribing these Visions to our poet. C.] +</p> + +<h4>I.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +It was the time when rest, soft sliding downe<br/> +From heavens hight into mens heavy eyes,<br/> +In the forgetfulnes of sleepe doth drowne<br/> +The carefull thoughts of mortall miseries.<br/> +Then did a ghost before mine eyes appeare,<br/> +On that great rivers banck that runnes by Rome;<br/> +Which, calling me by name, bad me to reare<br/> +My lookes to heaven whence all good gifts do come,<br/> +And crying lowd, “Loe! now beholde,” quoth hee,<br/> +“What under this great temple placed is:<br/> +Lo, all is nought but flying vanitee!”<br/> +So I, that know this worlds inconstancies,<br/> + Sith onely God surmounts all times decay,<br/> + In God alone my confidence do stay. +</p> + +<h4>II.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +On high hills top I saw a stately frame,<br/> +An hundred cubits high by iust assize*,<br/> +With hundreth pillours fronting faire the same,<br/> +All wrought with diamond after Dorick wize.<br/> +Nor brick nor marble was the wall in view,<br/> +But shining christall, which from top to base<br/> +Out of her womb a thousand rayons** threw<br/> +On hundred steps of Afrike golds enchase.@<br/> +Golde was the parget,$ and the seeling bright<br/> +Did shine all scaly with great plates of golde;<br/> +The floore of iasp and emeraude was dight.%<br/> +O worlds vainesse! Whiles thus I did behold,<br/> + An earthquake shooke the hill from lowest seat,<br/> + And overthrew this frame with ruine great. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +[* <i>Assize</i>, measure.] +[** <i>Rayons</i>, beams, rays.] +[@ I.e. enchased with gold.] +[$ <i>Parget</i>, varnish, plaster.] +[% <i>Dight</i>, composed.] +</p> + +<h4>III.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Then did a sharped spyre of diamond bright,<br/> +Ten feete each way in square, appeare to mee,<br/> +Iustly proportion’d up unto his hight,<br/> +So far as archer might his level see.<br/> +The top thereof a pot did seeme to beare,<br/> +Made of the mettall which we most do honour;<br/> +And in this golden vessel couched weare<br/> +The ashes of a mightie emperour:<br/> +Upon foure corners of the base were pight*,<br/> +To beare the frame, foure great lyons of gold;<br/> +A worthy tombe for such a worthy wight.<br/> +Alas! this world doth nought but grievance hold:<br/> + I saw a tempest from the heaven descend,<br/> + Which this brave monument with flash did rend.<br/> +[* <i>Pight</i>, placed.] +</p> + +<h4>IV.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +I saw raysde up on yvorie pillowes tall,<br/> +Whose bases were of richest mettalls warke,<br/> +The chapters* alablaster, the fryses christall,<br/> +The double front of a triumphall arke.<br/> +On each side purtraid was a Victorie,<br/> +Clad like a nimph, that wings of silver weares,<br/> +And in triumphant chayre was set on hie,<br/> +The auncient glory of the Romaine peares.<br/> +No worke it seem’d of earthly craftsmans wit,<br/> +But rather wrought by his owne industry<br/> +That thunder-dartes for Iove his syre doth fit.<br/> +Let me no more see faire thing under sky,<br/> + Sith that mine eyes have seene so faire a sight<br/> + With sodain fall to dust consumed quight.<br/> +[* <i>Chapters</i>, capitals.] +</p> + +<h4>V.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Then was the faire Dodonian tree far seene<br/> +Upon seaven hills to spread his gladsome gleame,<br/> +And conquerours bedecked with his greene,<br/> +Along the bancks of the Ausonian streame.<br/> +There many an auncient trophee was addrest*,<br/> +And many a spoyle, and many a goodly show,<br/> +Which that brave races greatnes did attest,<br/> +That whilome from the Troyan blood did flow.<br/> +Ravisht I was so rare a thing to vew;<br/> +When lo! a barbarous troupe of clownish fone**<br/> +The honour of these noble boughs down threw:<br/> +Under the wedge I heard the tronck to grone;<br/> + And since, I saw the roote in great disdaine<br/> + A twinne of forked trees send forth againe. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +[* <i>Addrest</i>, hung on, arranged.] +[** <i>Fone</i>, foes.] +</p> + +<h4>VI.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +I saw a wolfe under a rockie cave<br/> +Noursing two whelpes; I saw her litle ones<br/> +In wanton dalliance the teate to crave,<br/> +While she her neck wreath’d from them for the nones*.<br/> +I saw her raunge abroad to seeke her food,<br/> +And roming through the field with greedie rage<br/> +T’embrew her teeth and clawes with lukewarm blood<br/> +Of the small heards, her thirst for to asswage.<br/> +I saw a thousand huntsmen, which descended<br/> +Downe from the mountaines bordring Lombardie,<br/> +That with an hundred speares her flank wide rened:<br/> +I saw her on the plaine outstretched lie,<br/> + Throwing out thousand throbs in her owne soyle**:<br/> + Soone on a tree uphang’d I saw her spoyle. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +[* <i>Nones</i>, nonce.] +[** I.e. the mire made by her blood.] +</p> + +<h4>VII.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +I saw the bird that can the sun endure<br/> +With feeble wings assay to mount on hight;<br/> +By more and more she gan her wings t’assure,<br/> +Following th’ensample of her mothers sight.<br/> +I saw her rise, and with a larger flight<br/> +To pierce the cloudes, and with wide pinneons<br/> +To measure the most haughtie* mountaines hight,<br/> +Untill she raught** the gods owne mansions.<br/> +There was she lost; when suddaine I behelde,<br/> +Where, tumbling through the ayre in firie fold,<br/> +All flaming downe she on the plaine was felde,<br/> +And soone her bodie turn’d to ashes colde.<br/> + I saw the foule that doth the light dispise<br/> + Out of her dust like to a worme arise.<br/> +[* <i>Haughtie</i>, lofty.]<br/> +[** <i>Raught</i>, reached.]<br/> +[VII. 1-14.—<br/> +“A falcon, tow’ring in her pride of place,<br/> + Was by a mousing owl hawk’d at and kill’d.” C.] +</p> + +<h4>VIII.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +I saw a river swift, whose fomy billowes<br/> +Did wash the ground-work of an old great wall;<br/> +I saw it cover’d all with griesly shadowes,<br/> +That with black horror did the ayre appall:<br/> +Thereout a strange beast with seven heads arose,<br/> +That townes and castles under her brest did coure*,<br/> +And seem’d both milder beasts and fiercer foes<br/> +Alike with equall ravine to devoure.<br/> +Much was I mazde to see this monsters kinde<br/> +In hundred formes to change his fearefull hew;<br/> +When as at length I saw the wrathfull winde,<br/> +Which blows cold storms, burst out of Scithian mew,<br/> + That sperst these cloudes; and, in so short as thought,<br/> + This dreadfull shape was vanished to nought.<br/> +[* <i>Coure</i>, cover.] +</p> + +<h4>IX.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Then all astonied with this mighty ghoast,<br/> +An hideous bodie, big and strong, I sawe,<br/> +With side* long beard, and locks down hanging loast**,<br/> +Sterne face, and front full of Satúrnlike awe;<br/> +Who, leaning on the belly of a pot,<br/> +Pourd foorth a water, whose out gushing flood<br/> +Ran bathing all the creakie@ shore aflot,<br/> +Whereon the Troyan prince spilt Turnus blood;<br/> +And at his feete a bitch wolfe suck did yeeld<br/> +To two young babes: his left the palme tree stout,<br/> +His right hand did the peacefull olive wield.<br/> +And head with lawrell garnisht was about.<br/> + Sudden both palme and olive fell away,<br/> + And faire green lawrell branch did quite decay.<br/> +[* <i>Side</i>, long, trailing.]<br/> +[** <i>Loast</i>, loosed.]<br/> +[@ <i>Creakie</i>, indented with creeks.] +</p> + +<h4>X.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Hard by a rivers side a virgin faire,<br/> +Folding her armes to heaven with thousand throbs,<br/> +And outraging her cheekes and golden haire,<br/> +To falling rivers sound thus tun’d her sobs.<br/> +“Where is,” quoth she, “this whilom honoured face?<br/> +Where the great glorie and the auncient praise,<br/> +In which all worlds felicitie had place,<br/> +When gods and men my honour up did raise?<br/> +Suffisd’ it not that civill warres me made<br/> +The whole worlds spoile, but that this Hydra new,<br/> +Of hundred Hercules to be assaide,<br/> +With seven heads, budding monstrous crimes anew,<br/> + So many Neroes and Caligulaes<br/> + Out of these crooked shores must dayly rayse?” +</p> + +<h4>XI.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Upon an hill a bright flame I did see,<br/> +Waving aloft with triple point to skie,<br/> +Which, like incense of precious cedar tree,<br/> +With balmie odours fil’d th’ayre farre and nie.<br/> +A bird all white, well feathered on each wing,<br/> +Hereout up to the throne of gods did flie,<br/> +And all the way most pleasant notes did sing,<br/> +Whilst in the smoake she unto heaven did stie*.<br/> +Of this faire fire the scattered rayes forth threw<br/> +On everie side a thousand shining beames:<br/> +When sudden dropping of a silver dew<br/> +(O grievous chance!) gan quench those precious flames;<br/> + That it, which earst** so pleasant sent did yeld,<br/> + Of nothing now but noyous sulphure smeld.<br/> +[* <i>Stie</i>, mount.]<br/> +[** <i>Earst</i>, at first.] +</p> + +<h4>XII.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +I saw a spring out of a rocke forth rayle*,<br/> +As cleare as christall gainst the sunnie beames;<br/> +The bottome yeallow, like the golden grayle*<br/> +That bright Pactolus washeth with his streames.<br/> +It seem’d that Art and Nature had assembled<br/> +All pleasure there for which mans hart could long;<br/> +And there a noyse alluring sleepe soft trembled,<br/> +Of manie accords, more sweete than mermaids song,<br/> +The seates and benches shone as yvorie,<br/> +And hundred nymphes sate side by side about;<br/> +When from nigh hills, with hideous outcrie,<br/> +A troupe of satyres in the place did rout,@<br/> +Which with their villeine feete the streame did ray,$<br/> +Threw down the seats, and drove the nymphs away.<br/> +[* <i>Rayle</i>, flow.]<br/> +[** <i>Grayle</i>, gravel.]<br/> +[@ <i>Rout</i>, burst.]<br/> +[$ <i>Ray</i>, defile.] +</p> + +<h4>XIII.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Much richer then that vessell seem’d to bee<br/> +Which did to that sad Florentine appeare,<br/> +Casting mine eyes farre off, I chaunst to see<br/> +Upon the Latine coast herselfe to reare.<br/> +But suddenly arose a tempest great,<br/> +Bearing close envie to these riches rare,<br/> +Which gan assaile this ship with dreadfull threat,<br/> +This ship, to which none other might compare:<br/> +And finally the storme impetuous<br/> +Sunke up these riches, second unto none,<br/> +Within the gulfe of greedie Nereus.<br/> +I saw both ship and mariners each one,<br/> + And all that treasure, drowned in the maine:<br/> + But I the ship saw after raisd’ againe.<br/> +[XIII. 1.—<i>That vessell</i>. See the second canto of the Purgatorio. C.] +</p> + +<h4>XIV.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Long having deeply gron’d these visions sad,<br/> +I saw a citie like unto that same<br/> +Which saw the messenger of tidings glad,<br/> +But that on sand was built the goodly frame:<br/> +It seem’d her top the firmament did rayse,<br/> +And, no lesse rich than faire, right worthie sure<br/> +(If ought here worthie) of immortall dayes,<br/> +Or if ought under heaven might firme endure.<br/> +Much wondred I to see so faire a wall:<br/> +When from the Northerns coast a storme arose,<br/> +Which, breathing furie from his inward gall<br/> +On all which did against his course oppose,<br/> + Into a clowde of dust sperst in the aire<br/> + The weake foundations of this citie faire. +</p> + +<h4>XV.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +At length, even at the time when Morpheus<br/> +Most trulie doth unto our eyes appeare,<br/> +Wearie to see the heavens still wavering thus,<br/> +I saw Typhaeus sister* comming neare;<br/> +Whose head, full bravely with a morion** hidd,<br/> +Did seeme to match the gods in maiestie.<br/> +She, by a rivers bancke that swift downe slidd,<br/> +Over all the world did raise a trophee hie;<br/> +An hundred vanquisht kings under her lay,<br/> +With armes bound at their backs in shamefull wize.<br/> +Whilst I thus mazed was with great affray,<br/> +I saw the heavens in warre against her rize:<br/> + Then downe she stricken fell with clap of thonder,<br/> + That with great noyse I wakte in sudden wonder.<br/> +[* I.e. (apparently) Change or Mutability. See the two cantos of the<br/> +Seventh Book of the Faerie Queene.]<br/> +[** <i>Morion</i>, steel cap.] +</p> + +<hr /> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap09"></a>THE VISIONS OF PETRARCH:</h2> + +<p class="center"> +FORMERLY TRANSLATED. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +[Footnote: The first six of these sonnets are translated (not directly, but +through the French of Clement Marot) from Petrarch’s third Canzone in Morte di +Laura. The seventh is by the translator. The circumstance that the version is +made from Marot renders it probable that these sonnets are really by Spenser. +C.] +</p> + +<h4>I.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Being one day at my window all alone,<br/> +So manie strange things happened me to see,<br/> +As much it grieveth me to thinke thereon.<br/> +At my right hand a hynde appear’d to mee.<br/> +So faire as mote the greatest god delite;<br/> +Two eager dogs did her pursue in chace,<br/> +Of which the one was blacke, the other white.<br/> +With deadly force so in their cruell race<br/> +They pincht the haunches of that gentle beast,<br/> +That at the last, and in short time, I spide,<br/> +Under a rocke, where she, alas! opprest,<br/> +Fell to the ground, and there untimely dide.<br/> + Cruell death vanquishing so noble beautie,<br/> + Oft makes me wayle so hard a destenie. +</p> + +<h4>II.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +After, at sea a tall ship did appeare,<br/> +Made all of heben* and white yvorie;<br/> +The sailes of golde, of silke the tackle were.<br/> +Milde was the winde, calme seem’d the sea to bee,<br/> +The skie eachwhere did show full bright and faire:<br/> +With rich treasures this gay ship fraighted was:<br/> +But sudden storme did so turmoyle the aire,<br/> +And tumbled up the sea, that she, alas!<br/> +Strake on a rock, that under water lay,<br/> +And perished past all recoverie.<br/> +O! how great ruth, and sorrow-full assay**,<br/> +Doth vex my spirite with perplexitie,<br/> + Thus in a moment to see lost and drown’d<br/> + So great riches as like cannot be found.<br/> +[* <i>Heben</i>, ebony.]<br/> +[** <i>Assay</i>, trial.] +</p> + +<h4>III.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +The heavenly branches did I see arise<br/> +Out of the fresh and lustie lawrell tree,<br/> +Amidst the yong greene wood: of Paradise<br/> +Some noble plant I thought my selfe to see.<br/> +Such store of birds therein yshrowded were,<br/> +Chaunting in shade their sundrie melodie,<br/> +That with their sweetnes I was ravish’t nere.<br/> +While on this lawrell fixed was mine eie,<br/> +The skie gan everie where to overcast,<br/> +And darkned was the welkin all about,<br/> +When sudden flash of heavens fire out brast*,<br/> +And rent this royall tree quite by the roote;<br/> + Which makes me much and ever to complaine,<br/> + For no such shadow shalbe had againe.<br/> +[* <i>Brast</i>, burst.] +</p> + +<h4>IV.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Within this wood, out of a rocke did rise<br/> +A spring of water, mildly rumbling downe,<br/> +Whereto approched not in anie wise<br/> +The homely shepheard, nor the ruder clowne;<br/> +But manie Muses, and the Nymphes withall,<br/> +That sweetly in accord did tune their voyce<br/> +To the soft sounding of the waters fall;<br/> +That my glad hart thereat did much reioyce.<br/> +But, while herein I tooke my chiefe delight,<br/> +I saw, alas! the gaping earth devoure<br/> +The spring, the place, and all cleane out of sight;<br/> +Which yet aggreeves my hart even to this houre,<br/> + And wounds my soule with rufull memorie,<br/> + To see such pleasures gon so suddenly. +</p> + +<h4>V.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +I saw a Phoenix in the wood alone,<br/> +With purple wings and crest of golden hewe;<br/> +Strange bird he was, whereby I thought anone<br/> +That of some heavenly wight I had the vewe;<br/> +Untill he came unto the broken tree,<br/> +And to the spring that late devoured was.<br/> +What say I more? Each thing at last we see<br/> +Doth passe away: the Phoenix there, alas!<br/> +Spying the tree destroid, the water dride,<br/> +Himselfe smote with his beake, as in disdaine,<br/> +And so foorthwith in great despight he dide;<br/> +That yet my heart burnes in exceeding paine<br/> + For ruth and pitie of so haples plight.<br/> + O, let mine eyes no more see such a sight! +</p> + +<h4>VI.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +At last, so faire a ladie did I spie,<br/> +That thinking yet on her I burne and quake:<br/> +On hearbs and flowres she walked pensively;<br/> +Milde, but yet love she proudly did forsake:<br/> +White seem’d her robes, yet woven so they were<br/> +As snow and golde together had been wrought:<br/> +Above the wast a darke clowde shrouded her.<br/> +A stinging serpent by the heele her caught;<br/> +Wherewith she languisht as the gathered floure,<br/> +And, well assur’d, she mounted up to ioy.<br/> +Alas! on earth so nothing doth endure,<br/> +But bitter griefe and sorrowfull annoy:<br/> + Which make this life wretched and miserable.<br/> + Tossed with stormes of fortune variable. +</p> + +<h4>VII.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +When I behold this tickle* trustles state<br/> +Of vaine worlds glorie, flitting too and fro,<br/> +And mortall men tossed by troublous fate<br/> +In restles seas of wretchednes and woe,<br/> +I wish I might this wearie life forgoe,<br/> +And shortly turne unto my happie rest,<br/> +Where my free spirite might not anie moe<br/> +Be vest with sights that doo her peace molest.<br/> +And ye, faire Ladie, in whose bounteous brest<br/> +All heavenly grace and vertue shrined is,<br/> +When ye these rythmes doo read, and vew the rest,<br/> +Loath this base world, and thinke of heavens blis:<br/> + And though ye be the fairest of Gods creatures,<br/> + Yet thinke that death shall spoyle your goodly features.<br/> +[* <i>Tickle</i>, uncertain.] +</p> + +<hr /> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap10"></a>DAPHNAIDA:</h2> + +<h5>AN ELEGIE</h5> + +<h5>UPON THE DEATH OF THE NOBLE AND VERTUOUS</h5> + +<h5>DOUGLAS HOWARD,</h5> + +<h5>DAUGHTER AND HEIRE OF HENRY LORD HOWARD, VISCOUNT +BYNDON, AND WIFE OF ARTHUR GORGES, ESQUIER.</h5> + +<h5>DEDICATED TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE</h5> + +<h5>THE LADIE HELENA,</h5> + +<h5>MARQUESSE OF NORTHAMPTON.</h5> + +<h5>BY ED. SP.</h5> + +<p class="stanza"> +(1591.) +</p> + +<h4>TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE AND VERTUOUS LADY,</h4> + +<h5>HELENA,</h5> + +<h5>MARQUESSE OF NORTH HAMPTON.[*]</h5> + +<p class="stanza"> +I have the rather presumed humbly to offer unto your Honour the dedication of +this little poeme, for that the noble and vertuous gentlewoman of whom it is +written was by match neere alied, and in affection greatly devoted, unto your +Ladiship. The occasion why I wrote the same was as well the great good fame +which I heard of her deceassed, as the particular goodwill which I bear unto +her husband, Master Arthur Gorges, a lover of learning and vertue, whose house, +as your Ladiship by marriage hath honoured, so doe I find the name of them, by +many notable records, to be of great antiquitie in this realme, and such as +have ever borne themselves with honourable reputation to the world, and +unspotted loyaltie to their prince and countrey: besides, so lineally are they +descended from the Howards, as that the Lady Anne Howard; eldest daughter to +John Duke of Norfolke, was wife to Sir Edmund, mother to Sir Edward, and +grandmother to Sir William and Sir Thomas Gorges, Knightes: and therefore I doe +assure my selfe that no due honour done to the White Lyon, but will be most +gratefull to your Ladiship, whose husband and children do so neerely +participate with the bloud of that noble family. So in all dutie I recommend +this pamphlet, and the good acceptance thereof, to your honourable favour and +protection. London, this first of Ianuarie, 1591. +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Your Honours humbly ever. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +[* This lady, when widow of William Parr, the only person who was ever Marquis +of Northampton, had married Sir Thomas Gorges, uncle of Lady Douglas Howard, +the subject of this elegy. Mr. (afterwards Sir) Arthur Gorges was himself a +poet, and the author of the English translation of Bacon’s tract <i>De +Sapientia Veterum</i>, published in 1619. See Craik’s Spenser and his Poetry, +Vol. III. p. 187. C.] +</p> + +<hr /> + +<h3>DAPHNAIDA.</h3> + +<p class="stanza"> +Whatever man he be whose heavie mynd,<br/> +With griefe of mournefull great mishap opprest,<br/> +Fit matter for his cares increase would fynd,<br/> +Let reade the rufull plaint herein exprest,<br/> +Of one, I weene, the wofulst man alive,<br/> +Even sad Alcyon*, whose empierced brest<br/> +Sharpe sorrowe did in thousand peeces rive.<br/> + [* I.e. Sir Arthur Gorges.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +But whoso else in pleasure findeth sense,<br/> +Or in this wretched life doeth take delight,<br/> +Let him he banisht farre away from hence; 10<br/> +Ne let the Sacred Sisters here be hight*,<br/> +Though they of sorrowe heavilie can sing,<br/> +For even their heavie song would breede delight;<br/> +But here no tunes save sobs and grones shall ring.<br/> + [* <i>Hight</i>, summoned.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +In stead of them and their sweet harmonie, 15<br/> +Let those three Fatall Sisters, whose sad hands<br/> +Doe weave the direfull threeds of destinie,<br/> +And in their wrath break off the vitall bands,<br/> +Approach hereto; and let the dreadfull Queene<br/> +Of Darknes deepe come from the Stygian strands, 20<br/> +And grisly ghosts, to heare this dolefull teene*,<br/> + [* <i>Teene</i>, sorrow] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +In gloomy evening, when the wearie sun<br/> +After his dayes long labour drew to rest,<br/> +And sweatie steedes, now having overrun<br/> +The compast skie, gan water in the west, 25<br/> +I walkt abroad to breath the freshing ayre<br/> +In open fields, whose flowring pride, opprest<br/> +With early frosts, had lost their beautie faire. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +There came unto my mind a troublous thought,<br/> +Which dayly doth my weaker wit possesse, 30<br/> +Ne lets it rest untill it forth have brought<br/> +Her long borne infant, fruit of heavinesse,<br/> +Which she conceived hath through meditation<br/> +Of this worlds vainnesse and life’s wretchednesse,<br/> +That yet my soule it deepely doth empassion*. 35<br/> + [* <i>Empassion</i>, move] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +So as I muzed on the miserie<br/> +In which men live, and I of many most,<br/> +Most miserable man, I did espie<br/> +Where towards me a sory wight did cost*,<br/> +Clad all in black, that mourning did bewray, 40<br/> +And Iacob staffe ** in hand devoutly crost,<br/> +Like to some pilgrim come from farre away.<br/> + [* <i>Cost</i>, approach]<br/> + [** <i>Iacob staffe</i>, a pilgrim’s staff, in the form of a cross] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +His carelesse locks, uncombed and unshorne,<br/> +Hong long adowne, and bearde all overgrowne,<br/> +That well he seemd to be some wight forlorne: 45<br/> +Downe to the earth his heavie eyes were throwne,<br/> +As loathing light, and ever as he went<br/> +He sighed soft, and inly deepe did grone,<br/> +As if his heart in peeces would have rent. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Approaching nigh his face I vewed nere, 50<br/> +And by the semblant of his countenaunce<br/> +Me seemd I had his person seene elsewhere,<br/> +Most like Alcyon seeming at a glaunce;<br/> +Alcyon he, the iollie shepheard swaine,<br/> +That wont full merrilie to pipe and daunce, 55<br/> +And fill with pleasance every wood and plaine. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Yet halfe in doubt, because of his disguize,<br/> +I softlie sayd, Alcyon! There-withall<br/> +He lookt aside as in disdainefull wise,<br/> +Yet stayed not, till I againe did call: 60<br/> +Then, turning back, he saide, with hollow sound,<br/> +“Who is it that dooth name me, wofull thrall,<br/> +The wretchedst man that treads this day on ground?” +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“One whom like wofulnesse, impressed deepe,<br/> +Hath made fit mate thy wretched case to heare, 65<br/> +And given like cause with thee to waile and wepe;<br/> +Griefe finds some ease by him that like does beare.<br/> +Then stay, Alcyon, gentle shepheard! stay,”<br/> +Quoth I, “till thou have to my trustie eare<br/> +Committed what thee dooth so ill apay*.” 70<br/> + [* <i>Ill apay </i>, discontent, distress.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“Cease, foolish man!” saide he halfe wrothfully,<br/> +“To seeke to heare that which cannot be told;<br/> +For the huge anguish, which doeth multiply<br/> +My dying paines, no tongue can well unfold;<br/> +Ne doo I care that any should bemone 75<br/> +My hard mishap, or any weepe that would,<br/> +But seeke alone to weepe, and dye alone.” +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“Then be it so,” quoth I, “that thou are bent<br/> +To die alone, unpitied, unplained;<br/> +Yet, ere thou die, it were convenient 80<br/> +To tell the cause which thee thereto constrained,<br/> +Least that the world thee dead accuse of guilt,<br/> +And say, when thou of none shall be maintained,<br/> +That thou for secret crime thy blood hast spilt.” +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“Who life does loath, and longs to be unbound 85<br/> +From the strong shackles of fraile flesh,” quoth he,<br/> +“Nought cares at all what they that live on ground<br/> +Deem the occasion of his death to bee;<br/> +Rather desires to be forgotten quight,<br/> +Than question made of his calamitie; 90<br/> +For harts deep sorrow hates both life and light. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“Yet since so much thou seemst to rue my griefe,<br/> +And car’st for one that for himselfe cares nought,<br/> +(Sign of thy love, though nought for my reliefe,<br/> +For my reliefe exceedeth living thought,) 95<br/> +I will to thee this heavie case relate:<br/> +Then harken well till it to end be brought,<br/> +For never didst thou heare more haplesse fate. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“Whilome I usde (as thou right well doest know)<br/> +My little flocke on westerns downes to keep, 100<br/> +Not far from whence Sabrinaes streame doth flow,<br/> +And flowrie bancks with silver liquor steepe;<br/> +Nought carde I then for worldly change or chaunce,<br/> +For all my ioy was on my gentle sheepe,<br/> +And to my pype to caroll and to daunce. 105 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“It there befell, as I the fields did range<br/> +Fearlesse and free, a faire young Lionesse,<br/> +White as the native rose before the chaunge<br/> +Which Venus blood did in her leaves impresse,<br/> +I spied playing on the grassie plaine 110<br/> +Her youthfull sports and kindlie wantonnesse,<br/> +That did all other beasts in beawtie staine.<br/> + [Ver. 107.—<i>A fair young Lionesse,</i> So called from the white lion in +the arms of the Duke of Norfolk, the head of the family to which Lady +Douglas Howard belonged. H.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“Much was I moved at so goodly sight,<br/> +Whose like before mine eye had seldome seene,<br/> +And gan to cast how I her compasse might, 115<br/> +And bring to hand that yet had never beene:<br/> +So well I wrought with mildnes and with paine,<br/> +That I her caught disporting on the greene,<br/> +And brought away fast bound with silver chaine. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“And afterwardes I handled her so fayre, 120<br/> +That though by kind shee stout and salvage were,<br/> +For being borne an auncient lions hayre,<br/> +And of the race that all wild beastes do feare,<br/> +Yet I her fram’d, and wan so to my bent,<br/> +That shee became so meeke and milde of cheare 125<br/> +As the least lamb in all my flock that went. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“For shee in field, where-ever I did wend,<br/> +Would wend with me, and waite by me all day;<br/> +And all the night that I in watch did spend,<br/> +If cause requir’d, or els in sleepe, if nay, 130<br/> +Shee would all night by me or watch or sleepe;<br/> +And evermore when I did sleepe or play,<br/> +She of my flock would take full warie keepe*.<br/> + [* <i>Keepe</i>, care.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“Safe then, and safest, were my sillie sheepe,<br/> +Ne fear’d the wolfe, ne fear’d the wildest beast, 135<br/> +All* were I drown’d in carelesse quiet deepe:<br/> +My lovely Lionesse without beheast<br/> +So careful was for them and for my good,<br/> +That when I waked, neither most nor least<br/> +I found miscarried, or in plaine or wood. 140<br/> + [* <i>All</i>, although.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“Oft did the shepheards which my hap did heare,<br/> +And oft their lasses, which my luck envyde,<br/> +Daylie resort to me from farre and neare,<br/> +To see my Lyonesse, whose praises wyde<br/> +Were spred abroad; and when her worthinesse 145<br/> +Much greater than the rude report they tryde*,<br/> +They her did praise, and my good fortune blesse.<br/> + [* <i>Tryde</i>, proved, found.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“Long thus I ioyed in my happinesse,<br/> +And well did hope my ioy would have no end;<br/> +But oh! fond man! that in worlds ficklenesse 150<br/> +Reposedst hope, or weenedst Her thy frend<br/> +That glories most in mortall miseries,<br/> +And daylie doth her changefull counsels bend<br/> +To make new matter fit for tragedies. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“For whilest I was thus without dread or dout, 155<br/> +A cruel Satyre with his murdrous dart,<br/> +Greedie of mischiefe, ranging all about,<br/> +Gave her the fatall wound of deadly smart,<br/> +And reft from me my sweete companion,<br/> +And reft from me my love, my life, my hart: 160<br/> +My Lyonesse, ah woe is me! is gon! +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“Out of the world thus was she reft away,<br/> +Out of the world, unworthy such a spoyle,<br/> +And borne to heaven, for heaven a fitter pray;<br/> +Much fitter then the lyon which with toyle 165<br/> +Alcides slew, and fixt in firmament;<br/> +Her now I seeke throughout this earthly soyle,<br/> +And seeking misse, and missing doe lament.” +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Therewith he gan afresh to waile and weepe,<br/> +That I for pittie of his heavie plight 170<br/> +Could not abstain mine eyes with teares to steepe;<br/> +But when I saw the anguish of his spright<br/> +Some deale alaid, I him bespake againe:<br/> +“Certes, Alcyon, painfull is thy plight,<br/> +That it in me breeds almost equall paine, 175 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“Yet doth not my dull wit well understand<br/> +The riddle of thy loved Lionesse;<br/> +For rare it seemes in reason to be skand,<br/> +That man, who doth the whole worlds rule possesse,<br/> +Should to a beast his noble hart embase, 180<br/> +And be the vassall of his vassalesse;<br/> +Therefore more plain areade* this doubtfull case.”<br/> + [* <i>Areade</i>, explain.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Then sighing sore, “Daphne thou knew’st,” quoth he;<br/> +“She now is dead”: no more endur’d to say,<br/> +But fell to ground for great extremitie; 185<br/> +That I, beholding it, with deepe dismay<br/> +Was much apald, and, lightly him uprearing,<br/> +Revoked life, that would have fled away,<br/> +All were my selfe through grief in deadly drearing*.<br/> + [* <i>Drearing</i>, sorrowing.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Then gan I him to comfort all my best, 190<br/> +And with milde counsaile strove to mitigate<br/> +The stormie passion of his troubled brest;<br/> +But he thereby was more empassionate,<br/> +As stubborne steed that is with curb restrained<br/> +Becomes more fierce and fervent in his gate, 195<br/> +And, breaking foorth at last, thus dearnely* plained:<br/> + [* <i>Dearnely</i>, sadly.] +</p> + +<h4>I.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +“What man henceforth that breatheth vitall aire<br/> +Will honour Heaven, or heavenly powers adore,<br/> +Which so uniustly doth their iudgements share<br/> +Mongst earthly wights, as to afflict so sore 200<br/> +The innocent as those which do transgresse,<br/> +And doe not spare the best or fairest more<br/> +Than worst or foulest, but doe both oppresse? +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“If this be right, why did they then create<br/> +The world so faire, sith fairenesse is neglected? 205<br/> +Or why be they themselves immaculate,<br/> +If purest things be not by them respected?<br/> +She faire, she pure, most faire, most pure she was,<br/> +Yet was by them as thing impure reiected;<br/> +Yet she in purenesse heaven it self did pas. 210 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“In purenesse, and in all celestiall grace<br/> +That men admire in goodly womankind,<br/> +She did excell, and seem’d of angels race,<br/> +Living on earth like angell new divinde*,<br/> +Adorn’d with wisedome and with chastitie, 215<br/> +And all the dowries of a noble mind,<br/> +Which did her beautie much more beautifie.<br/> + [* <i>Divinde</i>, deified.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“No age hath bred (since faire Astræa left<br/> +The sinfull world) more vertue in a wight;<br/> +And, when she parted hence, with her she reft 220<br/> +Great hope, and robd her race of bounty* quight.<br/> +Well may the shepheard lasses now lament;<br/> +For doubble losse by her hath on them light,<br/> +To loose both her and bounties ornament.<br/> + [* <i>Bounty</i>, goodness.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“Ne let Elisa, royall shepheardesse, 225<br/> +The praises of my parted* love envy,<br/> +For she hath praises in all plenteousnesse<br/> +Powr’d upon her, like showers of Castaly,<br/> +By her owne shepheard, Colin, her own shepheard,<br/> +That her with heavenly hymnes doth deifie, 230<br/> +Of rusticke Muse full hardly to be betterd.<br/> + [* <i>Parted</i>, departed.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“She is the rose, the glory of the day,<br/> +And mine the primrose in the lowly shade:<br/> +Mine? ah, not mine! amisse I mine did say:<br/> +Not mine, but His which mine awhile her made; 235<br/> +Mine to be-his, with him to live for ay.<br/> +O that so faire a flowre so soon should fade,<br/> +And through untimely tempest fall away! +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“She fell away in her first ages spring,<br/> +Whilst yet her leafe was greene, and fresh her rinde;<br/> +And whilst her braunch faire blossomes foorth did bring, 241<br/> +She fell away against all course of kinde*.<br/> +For age to dye is right, but youth is wrong;<br/> +She fell away like fruit blowne down with winde.<br/> +Weepe, Shepheard! weepe, to make my undersong**.<br/> + [* <i>Kinde</i>, nature.]<br/> + [** <i>Undersong</i>, accompaniment.] +</p> + +<h4>II.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +“What hart so stonie hard but that would weepe.<br/> +And poure forth fountaines of incessant teares?<br/> +What Timon but would let compassion creepe<br/> +Into his breast, and pierce his frosen eares?<br/> +In stead of teares, whose brackish bitter well 250<br/> +I wasted have, my heart bloud dropping weares,<br/> +To think to ground how that faire blossome fell. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“Yet fell she not as one enforst to dye,<br/> +Ne dyde with dread and grudging discontent,<br/> +But as one toyld with travell downe doth lye, 255<br/> +So lay she downe, as if to sleepe she went,<br/> +And closde her eyes with carelesse quietriesse;<br/> +The whiles soft death away her spirit hent*,<br/> +And soule assoyld** from sinfull fleshlinesse.<br/> + [* <i>Hent</i>, took]<br/> + [** <i>Assoyld</i>, absolved.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“Yet ere that life her lodging did forsake, 260<br/> +She, all resolv’d, and readie to remove,<br/> +Calling to me (ay me!) this wise bespake;<br/> +‘Alcyon! ah, my first and latest love!<br/> +Ah! why does my Alcyon weepe and mourne,<br/> +And grieve my ghost, that ill mote him behove, 265<br/> +As if to me had chaunst some evill tourne! +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“‘I, since the messenger is come for mee<br/> +That summons soules unto the bridale feast<br/> +Of his great Lord, must needs depart from thee,<br/> +And straight obay his soveraine beheast; 270<br/> +Why should Alcyon then so sore lament<br/> +That I from miserie shall be releast,<br/> +And freed from wretched long imprisonment! +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“‘Our daies are full of dolour and disease.<br/> +Our life afflicted with incessant paine, 275<br/> +That nought on earth may lessen or appease;<br/> +Why then should I desire here to remaine!<br/> +Or why should he that loves me sorrie bee<br/> +For my deliverance, or at all complaine<br/> +My good to heare, and toward* ioyes to see! 280<br/> + [* <i>Toward,</i> preparing, near at hand.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“‘I goe, and long desired have to goe;<br/> +I goe with gladnesse to my wished rest,<br/> +Whereas* no worlds sad care nor wasting woe<br/> +May come, their happie quiet to molest;<br/> +But saints and angels in celestiall thrones 285<br/> +Eternally Him praise that hath them blest;<br/> +There shall I be amongst those blessed ones.<br/> + [* <i>Whereas,</i> where.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“‘Yet, ere I goe, a pledge I leave with thee<br/> +Of the late love the which betwixt us past;<br/> +My young Ambrosia; in lieu of mee, 290<br/> +Love her; so shall our love for ever last.<br/> +Thus, deare! adieu, whom I expect ere long.’—<br/> +So having said, away she softly past;<br/> +Weepe, Shepheard! weepe, to make mine undersong. +</p> + +<h4>III.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +“So oft as I record those piercing words, 295<br/> +Which yet are deepe engraven in my brest,<br/> +And those last deadly accents, which like swords<br/> +Did wound my heart and rend my bleeding chest,<br/> +With those sweet sugred speeches doe compare<br/> +The which my soul first conquerd and possest, 300<br/> +The first beginners of my endlesse care, +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“And when those pallid cheekes and ashe hew,<br/> +In which sad Death his pourtraiture had writ,<br/> +And when those hollow eyes and deadly view,<br/> +On which the cloud of ghastly night did sit, 305<br/> +I match, with that sweete smile and chearful brow,<br/> +Which all the world subdued unto it,<br/> +How happie was I then, and wretched now! +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“How happie was I when I saw her leade<br/> +The shepheards daughters dauncing in a rownd! 310<br/> +How trimly would she trace* and softly tread<br/> +The tender grasse, with rosye garland crownd!<br/> +And when she list advaunce her heavenly voyce,<br/> +Both Nymphes and Muses nigh she made astownd,<br/> +And flocks and shepheards caused to reioyce. 315<br/> + [* <i>Trace</i>, step] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“But now, ye shepheard lasses! who shall lead<br/> +Your wandring troupes, or sing your virelayes*?<br/> +Or who shall dight** your bowres, sith she is dead<br/> +That was the lady of your holy-dayes?<br/> +Let now your blisse be turned into bale, 320<br/> +And into plaints convert your ioyous playes,<br/> +And with the same fill every hill and dale.<br/> + [* <i>Virelayes</i>, roundelays.]<br/> + [** <i>Dight</i>, deck.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“Let bagpipe never more be heard to shrill,<br/> +That may allure the senses to delight,<br/> +Ne ever shepheard sound his oaten quill 325<br/> +Unto the many*, that provoke them might<br/> +To idle pleasance; but let ghastlinesse<br/> +And drearie horror dim the chearfull light,<br/> +To make the image of true heavinesse.<br/> + [* <i>Many</i>, company.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“Let birds be silent on the naked spray, 330<br/> +And shady woods resound with dreadfull yells;<br/> +Let streaming floods their hastie courses stay,<br/> +And parching drouth drie up the cristall wells;<br/> +Let th’earth be barren, and bring foorth no flowres,<br/> +And th’ayre be fild with noyse of dolefull knells, 335<br/> +And wandring spirits walke untimely howres. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“And Nature, nurse of every living thing,<br/> +Let rest her selfe from her long wearinesse,<br/> +And cease henceforth things kindly forth to bring,<br/> +But hideous monsters full of uglinesse; 340<br/> +For she it is that hath me done this wrong;<br/> +No nurse, but stepdame cruell, mercilesse.<br/> +Weepe, Shepheard! weepe, to make my undersong. +</p> + +<h4>IV.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +“My little flock, whom earst I lov’d so well,<br/> +And wont to feed with finest grasse that grew, 345<br/> +Feede ye hencefoorth on bitter astrofell*,<br/> +And stinking smallage, and unsaverie rew;<br/> +And when your mawes are with those weeds corrupted,<br/> +Be ye the pray of wolves; ne will I rew<br/> +That with your carkasses wild beasts be glutted. 350<br/> + [* <i>Astrofell</i>, (probably) starwort. See <i>Astrophel</i>, v. 184-196.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“Ne worse to you, my sillie sheepe, I pray,<br/> +Ne sorer vengeance wish on you to fall<br/> +Than to my selfe, for whose confusde decay**<br/> +To carelesse heavens I doo daylie call;<br/> +But heavens refuse to heare a wretches cry; 355<br/> +And cruell Death doth scorn to come at call,<br/> +Or graunt his boone that most desires to dye.<br/> + [* <i>Decay</i>, destruction.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“The good and righteous he away doth take,<br/> +To plague th’unrighteous which alive remaine;<br/> +But the ungodly ones he doth forsake, 360<br/> +By living long to multiplie their paine;<br/> +Else surely death should be no punishment,<br/> +As the Great Iudge at first did it ordaine,<br/> +But rather riddance from long languishment. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“Therefore, my Daphne they have tane away; 365<br/> +For worthie of a better place was she:<br/> +But me unworthie willed here to stay,<br/> +That with her lacke I might tormented be.<br/> +Sith then they so have ordred, I will pay<br/> +Penance to her, according* their decree, 370<br/> +And to her ghost doe service day by day.<br/> + [* <i>According</i>, according to.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“For I will walke this wandring pilgrimage,<br/> +Throughout the world from one to other end,<br/> +And in affliction waste my better age:<br/> +My bread shall be the anguish of my mynd, 375<br/> +My drink the teares which fro mine eyes do raine,<br/> +My bed the ground that hardest I may fynd;<br/> +So will I wilfully increase my paine. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“And she, my love that was, my saint that is,<br/> +When she beholds from her celestiall throne 380<br/> +(In which shee ioyeth in eternall blis)<br/> +My bitter penance, will my case bemone,<br/> +And pittie me that living thus doo die;<br/> +For heavenly spirits have compassion<br/> +On mortall men, and rue their miserie. 385 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“So when I have with sorrow satisfyde<br/> +Th’importune Fates which vengeance on me seeks,<br/> +And th’heavens with long languor pacifyde,<br/> +She, for pure pitie of my sufferance meeke,<br/> +Will send for me; for which I daily long, 390<br/> +And will till then my painfull penance eeke,<br/> +Weepe, Shepheard! weepe, to make my undersong. +</p> + +<h4>V.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +“Hencefoorth I hate whatever Nature made,<br/> +And in her workmanship no pleasure finde,<br/> +For they be all but vaine, and quickly fade 395<br/> +So soone as on them blowes the northern winde;<br/> +They tarrie not, but flit and fall away,<br/> +Leaving behind them nought but griefe of minde,<br/> +And mocking such as thinke they long will stay. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“I hate the heaven, because it doth withhould 400<br/> +Me from my love, and eke my love from me;<br/> +I hate the earth, because it is the mould<br/> +Of fleshly slime and fraile mortalitie;<br/> +I hate the fire, because to nought it flyes;<br/> +I hate the ayre, because sighes of it be; 405<br/> +I hate the sea, because it teares supplyes. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“I hate the day, because it lendeth light<br/> +To see all things, and not my love to see;<br/> +I hate the darknesse and the dreary night,<br/> +Because they breed sad balefulnesse in mee; 410<br/> +I hate all times, because all times doo fly<br/> +So fast away, and may not stayed bee,<br/> +But as a speedie post that passeth by. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“I hate to speake, my voyce is spent with crying;<br/> +I hate to heare, lowd plaints have duld mine eares;<br/> +I hate to tast, for food withholds my dying; 416<br/> +I hate to see, mine eyes are dimd with teares;<br/> +I hate to smell, no sweet on earth is left;<br/> +I hate to feele, my flesh is numbd with feares:<br/> +So all my senses from me are bereft. 420 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“I hate all men, and shun all womankinde;<br/> +The one, because as I they wretched are;<br/> +The other, for because I doo not finde<br/> +My love with them, that wont to be their starre.<br/> +And life I hate, because it will not last; 425<br/> +And death I hate, because it life doth marre;<br/> +And all I hate that is to come or past. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“So all the world, and all in it I hate,<br/> +Because it changeth ever to and fro,<br/> +And never standeth in one certaine state, 430<br/> +But, still unstedfast, round about doth goe<br/> +Like a mill-wheele in midst of miserie,<br/> +Driven with streames of wretchednesse and woe,<br/> +That dying lives, and living still does dye. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“So doo I live, so doo I daylie die, 435<br/> +And pine away in selfe-consuming paine!<br/> +Sith she that did my vitall powres supplie,<br/> +And feeble spirits in their force maintaine,<br/> +Is fetcht fro me, why seeke I to prolong<br/> +My wearie daies in dolour and disdalne! 440<br/> +Weepe, Shepheard! weepe, to make my undersong. +</p> + +<h4>IV.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +“Why doo I longer live in lifes despight,<br/> +And doo not dye then in despight of death!<br/> +Why doo I longer see this loathsome light,<br/> +And doo in darknesse not abridge my breath, 445<br/> +Sith all my sorrow should have end thereby,<br/> +And cares finde quiet! Is it so uneath*<br/> +To leave this life, or dolorous to dye?<br/> + [* <i>Uneath</i>, difficult.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“To live I finde it deadly dolorous,<br/> +For life drawes care, and care continuall woe; 450<br/> +Therefore to dye must needes be ioyeous,<br/> +And wishfull thing this sad life to forgoe.<br/> +But I must stay; I may it not amend;<br/> +My Daphne hence departing bad me so;<br/> +She bad me stay, till she for me did send. 455 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“Yet, whilest I in this wretched vale doo stay,<br/> +My wearie feete shall ever wandring be,<br/> +That still I may be readie on my way<br/> +When, as her messenger doth come for me;<br/> +Ne will I rest my feete for feeblenesse, 460<br/> +Ne will I rest my limmes for frailtie,<br/> +Ne will I rest mine eyes for heavinesse. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“But, as the mother of the gods, that sought<br/> +For faire Euridyce, her daughter dere,<br/> +Throughout the world, with wofull heavie thought,<br/> +So will I travell whilest I tarrie heere, 466<br/> +Ne will I lodge, ne will I ever lin*,<br/> +Ne, when as drouping Titan draweth nere<br/> +To loose his teeme, will I take up my inne**.<br/> +[* <i>Lin</i>, cease.]<br/> +[** <i>Inne</i>, lodging.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“Ne sleepe, the harbenger* of wearie wights, 470<br/> +Shall ever lodge upon mine eye-lids more,<br/> +Ne shall with rest refresh my fainting sprights,<br/> +Nor failing force to former strength restore:<br/> +But I will wake and sorrow all the night<br/> +With Philumene*, my fortune to deplore; 475<br/> +With Philumene, the partner of my plight.<br/> + [* <i>Harbenger</i>, one who provides lodging or repose.]<br/> + [** <i>Philumene</i>, Philomel.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“And ever as I see the starre to fall,<br/> +And under ground to goe to give them light<br/> +Which dwell in darknesse, I to mind will call<br/> +How my faire starre, that shind on me so bright, 480<br/> +Fell sodainly and faded under ground;<br/> +Since whose departure, day is turnd to night,<br/> +And night without a Venus starre is found. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“But soon as day doth shew his deawie face,<br/> +And cals foorth men unto their toylsome trade, 485<br/> +I will withdraw me to some darkesome place,<br/> +Or some dere* cave, or solitarie shade;<br/> +There will I sigh, and sorrow all day long,<br/> +And the huge burden of my cares unlade. 489<br/> +Weepe, Shepheard! weepe, to make my undersong.<br/> + [* Qu. <i>derne</i>, lonely? Or, <i>drere?</i>] +</p> + +<h4>VII.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +“Henceforth mine eyes shall never more behold<br/> +Faire thing on earth, ne feed on false delight<br/> +Of ought that framed is of mortall mould,<br/> +Sith that my fairest flower is faded quight;<br/> +For all I see is vaine and transitorie, 495<br/> +Ne will be held in any stedfast plight,<br/> +But in a moment loose their grace and glorie. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“And ye, fond Men! on Fortunes wheele that ride,<br/> +Or in ought under heaven repose assurance,<br/> +Be it riches, beautie, or honours pride, 500<br/> +Be sure that they shall have no long endurance,<br/> +But ere ye be aware will flit away;<br/> +For nought of them is yours, but th’only usance<br/> +Of a small time, which none ascertains may. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“And ye, true Lovers! whom desastrous chaunce, 505<br/> +Hath farre exiled from your ladies grace,<br/> +To mourne in sorrow and sad sufferauncc,<br/> +When ye doe heare me in that desert place<br/> +Lamenting loud my Daphnes elegie,<br/> +Helpe me to waile my miserable case, 510<br/> +And when life parts vouchsafe to close mine eye. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“And ye, more happie Lovers! which enioy<br/> +The presence of your dearest loves delight,<br/> +“When ye doe heare my sorrowfull annoy,<br/> +Yet pittie me in your empassiond spright, 515<br/> +And thinke that such mishap as chaunst to me<br/> +May happen unto the most happiest wight;<br/> +For all mens states alike unstedfast be. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“And ye, ray fellow Shepheards! which do feed<br/> +Your carelesse flocks on hils and open plaines, 520<br/> +With better fortune than did me succeed,<br/> +Remember yet my undeserved paines;<br/> +And when ye heare that I am dead or slaine,<br/> +Lament my lot, and tell your fellow-swaines<br/> +That sad Aleyon dyde in lifes disdaine. 525 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“And ye, faire Damsels! shepheards deare delights,<br/> +That with your loves do their rude hearts possesse,<br/> +When as my hearse shall happen to your sightes,<br/> +Vouchsafe to deck the same with cyparesse;<br/> +And ever sprinckle brackish teares among, 530<br/> +In pitie of my undeserv’d distresse,<br/> +The which, I, wretch, endured have thus long. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“And ye, poore Pilgrims! that with restlesse toyle<br/> +Wearie your selves in wandring desart wayes,<br/> +Till that you come where ye your vowes assoyle*, 535<br/> +When passing by ye reade these wofull layes<br/> +On my grave written, rue my Daphnes wrong,<br/> +And mourne for me that languish out my dayes.<br/> +Cease, Shepheard! cease, and end thy undersong.”<br/> + [* <i>Assoyle</i>, absolve, pay.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Thus when he ended had his heavie plaint, 540<br/> +The heaviest plaint that ever I heard sound,<br/> +His cheekes wext pale, and sprights began to faint,<br/> +As if againe he would have fallen to ground;<br/> +Which when I saw, I, stepping to him light,<br/> +Amooved* him out of his stonie swound, 545<br/> +And gan him to recomfort as I might.<br/> + [* <i>Amooved</i>, roused.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +But he no waie recomforted would be,<br/> +Nor suffer solace to approach him nie,<br/> +But, casting up a sdeinfull eie at me,<br/> +That in his traunce I would not let him lie, 550<br/> +Did rend his haire, and beat his blubbred face,<br/> +As one disposed wilfullie to die,<br/> +That I sore griev’d to see his wretched case. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Tho when the pang was somewhat overpast,<br/> +And the outragious passion nigh appeased, 555<br/> +I him desyrde, sith daie was overcast<br/> +And darke night fast approched, to be pleased<br/> +To turne aside unto my cabinet*,<br/> +And staie with me, till he were better eased<br/> +Of that strong stownd** which him so sore beset. 560<br/> + [* <i>Cabinet</i>, cabin.]<br/> + [** <i>Stownd</i>, mood, paroxysm of grief.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +But by no meanes I could him win thereto,<br/> +Ne longer him intreate with me to staie,<br/> +But without taking leave he foorth did goe<br/> +With staggring pace and dismall looks dismay,<br/> +As if that Death he in the face had seene, 565<br/> +Or hellish hags had met upon the way:<br/> +But what of him became I cannot weene. +</p> + +<hr /> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap11"></a>AMORETTI</h2> + +<h5>AND</h5> + +<h5>EPITHALAMION.</h5> + +<h5>WRITTEN NOT LONG SINCE BY</h5> + +<h5>EDMUNDE SPENSER.</h5> + +<hr /> + +<h5>PRINTED FOR WILLIAM POSBONBY.</h5> + +<p class="stanza"> +1595. +</p> + +<p class="center"> +G. W. SENIOR*, TO THE AUTHOR. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +[* These commendatory Sonnets first appeared in the first folio edition of +Spenser’s entire works (1611). G. W., as Todd conjectures, may be George +Whetstone. C.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Darke is the day when Phoebus face is shrowded,<br/> +And weaker sights may wander soone astray;<br/> +But when they see his glorious raies unclowded,<br/> +With steddy steps they keepe the perfect way:<br/> +So, while this Muse in forraine land doth stay,<br/> +Invention weepes, and pennes are cast aside;<br/> +The time, like night, deprivd of chearfull day;<br/> +And few doe write, but ah! too soone may slide.<br/> +Then hie thee home, that art our perfect guide,<br/> +And with thy wit illustrate Englands fame,<br/> +Daunting therby our neighbors ancient pride,<br/> +That do for Poesie challenge chiefest name:<br/> + So we that live, and ages that succeed,<br/> + With great applause thy learned works shall reed. +</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="stanza"> +Ah! Colin, whether on the lowly plaine,<br/> +Piping to shepheards thy sweet roundelayes,<br/> +Or whether singing, in some loftie vaine,<br/> +Heroicke deeds of past or present dayes,<br/> +Or whether in thy lovely mistresse praise<br/> +Thou list to exercise thy learned quill,<br/> +Thy Muse hath got such grace and power to please,<br/> +With rare invention, beautified by skill,<br/> +As who therin can ever ioy their fill!<br/> +O, therefore let that happy Muse proceed<br/> +To clime the height of Vertues sacred hill,<br/> +Where endlesse honour shal be made thy meed:<br/> + Because no malice of succeeding daies<br/> + Can rase those records of thy lasting praise. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +G. W. I[unior]. +</p> + +<hr /> + +<h3>AMORETTI.[*]</h3> + +<p class="stanza"> +[* These Sonnets furnish us with a circumstantial and very interesting history +of Spenser’s second courtship, which, after many repulses, was successfully +terminated by the marriage celebrated in the <i>Epithalamion</i>. As these +poems were entered in the Stationers’ Registers on the 19th of November, 1594, +we may infer that they cover a period of time extending from the end of 1592 to +the summer of 1594. It is possible, however, that these last dates may be a +year too late, and that Spenser was married in 1593. We cannot be sure of the +year, but we know, from the 266th verse of the Epithalamion, that the day was +the feast of St. Barnabas, June 11 of the Old Style. In the 74th sonnet we are +directly told that the lady’s name was Elizabeth. In the 61st, she is said to +be of the “Brood of Angels, heavenly born.” From this and many similar +expressions, interpreted by the laws of Anagram, and taken in conjunction with +various circumstances which do not require to be stated here, it may be +inferred that her surname was Nagle. C.] +</p> + +<hr /> + +<h4>I.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Happy, ye leaves! when as those lilly hands<br/> +Which hold my life in their dead-doing might<br/> +Shall handle you, and hold in loves soft bands,<br/> +Lyke captives trembling at the victors sight.<br/> +And happy lines! on which, with starry light,<br/> +Those lamping eyes will deigne sometimes to look,<br/> +And reade the sorrowes of my dying spright,<br/> +And happy rymes! bath’d in the sacred brooke<br/> +Of Helicon, whence she derived is,<br/> +When ye behold that Angels blessed looke,<br/> +My soules long-lacked food, my heavens blis,<br/> + Leaves, lines, and rymes, seeke her to please alone,<br/> + Whom if ye please, I care for other none! +</p> + +<h4>II.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Unquiet thought! whom at the first I bred<br/> +Of th’inward bale of my love-pined hart,<br/> +And sithens have with sighes and sorrowes fed,<br/> +Till greater then my wombe thou woxen art,<br/> +Breake forth at length out of the inner part,<br/> +In which thou lurkest lyke to vipers brood,<br/> +And seeke some succour both to ease my smart,<br/> +And also to sustayne thy selfe with food.<br/> +But if in presence of that fayrest Proud<br/> +Thou chance to come, fall lowly at her feet;<br/> +And with meek humblesse and afflicted mood<br/> +Pardon for thee, and grace for me, intreat:<br/> + Which if she graunt, then live, and my love cherish:<br/> + If not, die soone, and I with thee will perish. +</p> + +<h4>III.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +The soverayne beauty which I doo admyre,<br/> +Witnesse the world how worthy to be prayzed!<br/> +The light wherof hath kindled heavenly fyre<br/> +In my fraile spirit, by her from basenesse raysed;<br/> +That being now with her huge brightnesse dazed,<br/> +Base thing I can no more endure to view:<br/> +But, looking still on her, I stand amazed<br/> +At wondrous sight of so celestiall hew.<br/> +So when my toung would speak her praises dew,<br/> +It stopped is with thoughts astonishment;<br/> +And when my pen would write her titles true,<br/> +It ravisht is with fancies wonderment:<br/> + Yet in my hart I then both speak and write<br/> + The wonder that my wit cannot endite. +</p> + +<h4>IV.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +New yeare, forth looking out of Ianus gate,<br/> +Doth seeme to promise hope of new delight,<br/> +And, bidding th’old adieu, his passed date<br/> +Bids all old thoughts to die in dumpish* spright;<br/> +And calling forth out of sad Winters night<br/> +Fresh Love, that long hath slept in cheerlesse bower,<br/> +Wils him awake, and soone about him dight<br/> +His wanton wings and darts of deadly power.<br/> +For lusty Spring now in his timely howre<br/> +Is ready to come forth, him to receive;<br/> +And warns the Earth with divers colord flowre<br/> +To decke hir selfe, and her faire mantle weave.<br/> + Then you, faire flowre! in whom fresh youth doth raine,<br/> + Prepare your selfe new love to entertaine.<br/> +[l <i>Dumpish</i>, mournful.] +</p> + +<h4>V.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Rudely thou wrongest my deare harts desire,<br/> +In finding fault with her too portly pride:<br/> +The thing which I doo most in her admire,<br/> +Is of the world unworthy most envide.<br/> +For in those lofty lookes is close implide<br/> +Scorn of base things, and sdeigne of foul dishonor;<br/> +Thretning rash eies which gaze on her so wide,<br/> +That loosely they ne dare to looke upon her.<br/> +Such pride is praise, such portlinesse is honor,<br/> +That boldned innocence beares in hir eies,<br/> +And her faire countenaunce, like a goodly banner,<br/> +Spreds in defiaunce of all enemies.<br/> + Was never in this world ought worthy tride*,<br/> + Without some spark of such self-pleasing pride.<br/> +[* <i>Tride</i>, found.] +</p> + +<h4>VI.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Be nought dismayd that her unmoved mind<br/> +Doth still persist in her rebellious pride:<br/> +Such love, not lyke to lusts of baser kynd,<br/> +The harder wonne, the firmer will abide.<br/> +The durefull oake whose sap is not yet dride<br/> +Is long ere it conceive the kindling fyre;<br/> +But when it once doth burne, it doth divide<br/> +Great heat, and makes his flames to heaven aspire.<br/> +So hard it is to kindle new desire<br/> +In gentle brest, that shall endure for ever:<br/> +Deepe is the wound that dints the parts entire*<br/> +With chaste affects, that naught but death can sever.<br/> + Then thinke not long in taking litle paine<br/> + To knit the knot that ever shall remaine.<br/> +[* <i>Entire</i>, inward.] +</p> + +<h4>VII.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Fayre eyes! the myrrour of my mazed hart,<br/> +What wondrous vertue is contayn’d in you,<br/> +The which both lyfe and death forth from you dart<br/> +Into the obiect of your mighty view?<br/> +For when ye mildly looke with lovely hew,<br/> +Then is my soule with life and love inspired:<br/> +But when ye lowre, or looke on me askew,<br/> +Then do I die, as one with lightning fyred.<br/> +But since that lyfe is more then death desyred,<br/> +Looke ever lovely, as becomes you best;<br/> +That your bright beams, of my weak eies admyred,<br/> +May kindle living fire within my brest.<br/> + Such life should be the honor of your light,<br/> + Such death the sad ensample of your might. +</p> + +<h4>VIII</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +More then most faire, full of the living fire<br/> +Kindled above unto the Maker nere,<br/> +No eies, but ioyes, in which al powers conspire,<br/> +That to the world naught else be counted deare!<br/> +Thrugh your bright beams doth not the blinded guest<br/> +Shoot out his darts to base affections wound;<br/> +But angels come, to lead fraile mindes to rest<br/> +In chast desires, on heavenly beauty bound.<br/> +You frame my thoughts, and fashion me within;<br/> +You stop my toung, and teach my hart to speake;<br/> +You calme the storme that passion did begin,<br/> +Strong thrugh your cause, but by your vertue weak.<br/> + Dark is the world where your light shined never;<br/> + Well is he borne that may behold you ever. +</p> + +<h4>IX.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Long-while I sought to what I might compare<br/> +Those powrefull eies which lighten my dark spright;<br/> +Yet find I nought on earth, to which I dare<br/> +Resemble th’ymage of their goodly light.<br/> +Not to the sun, for they doo shine by night;<br/> +Nor to the moone, for they are changed never;<br/> +Nor to the starres, for they have purer sight;<br/> +Nor to the fire, for they consume not ever;<br/> +Nor to the lightning, for they still persever;<br/> +Nor to the diamond, for they are more tender;<br/> +Nor unto cristall, for nought may them sever;<br/> +Nor unto glasse, such basenesse mought offend her.<br/> + Then to the Maker selfe they likest be,<br/> + Whose light doth lighten all that here we see. +</p> + +<h4>X.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Unrighteous Lord of love, what law is this,<br/> +That me thou makest thus tormented be,<br/> +The whiles she lordeth in licentious blisse<br/> +Of her freewill, scorning both thee and me?<br/> +See! how the Tyrannesse doth ioy to see<br/> +The hugh massácres which her eyes do make,<br/> +And humbled harts brings captive unto thee,<br/> +That thou of them mayst mightie vengeance take.<br/> +But her proud hart doe thou a little shake,<br/> +And that high look, with which she doth comptroll<br/> +All this worlds pride, bow to a baser make*,<br/> +And al her faults in thy black booke enroll:<br/> + That I may laugh at her in equall sort<br/> + As she doth laugh at me, and makes my pain her sport.<br/> +[* <i>Make</i>, mate.] +</p> + +<h4>XI.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Dayly when I do seeke and sew for peace,<br/> +And hostages doe offer for my truth,<br/> +She, cruell warriour, doth her selfe addresse<br/> +To battell, and the weary war renew’th;<br/> +Ne wilbe moov’d, with reason or with rewth*,<br/> +To graunt small respit to my restlesse toile;<br/> +But greedily her fell intent poursewth,<br/> +Of my poore life to make unpittied spoile.<br/> +Yet my poore life, all sorrowes to assoyle,<br/> +I would her yield, her wrath to pacify;<br/> +But then she seeks, with torment and turmoyle,<br/> +To force me live, and will not let me dy.<br/> + All paine hath end, and every war hath peace;<br/> + But mine, no price nor prayer may surcease.<br/> +[* <i>Rewth</i>, ruth, pity.] +</p> + +<h4>XII.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +One day I sought with her hart-thrilling eies<br/> +To make a truce, and termes to entertaine;<br/> +All fearlesse then of so false enimies,<br/> +Which sought me to entrap in treasons traine.<br/> +So, as I then disarmed did remaine,<br/> +A wicked ambush, which lay hidden long<br/> +In the close covert of her guilful eyen,<br/> +Thence breaking forth, did thick about me throng.<br/> +Too feeble I t’abide the brunt so strong,<br/> +Was forst to yield my selfe into their hands;<br/> +Who, me captiving streight with rigorous wrong,<br/> +Have ever since kept me in cruell bands.<br/> + So, Ladie, now to you I doo complaine<br/> + Against your eies, that iustice I may gaine. +</p> + +<h4>XIII.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +In that proud port which her so goodly graceth,<br/> +Whiles her faire face she reares up to the skie,<br/> +And to the ground her eie-lids low embaseth,<br/> +Most goodly temperature ye may descry;<br/> +Myld humblesse mixt with awfull maiestie.<br/> +For, looking on the earth whence she was borne,<br/> +Her minde remembreth her mortalitie,<br/> +Whatso is fayrest shall to earth returne.<br/> +But that same lofty countenance seemes to scorne<br/> +Base thing, and thinke how she to heaven may clime;<br/> +Treading downe earth as lothsome and forlorne,<br/> +That hinders heavenly thoughts with drossy slime.<br/> + Yet lowly still vouchsafe to looke on me;<br/> + Such lowlinesse shall make you lofty be. +</p> + +<h4>XIV.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Retourne agayne, my forces late dismayd,<br/> +Unto the siege by you abandon’d quite.<br/> +Great shame it is to leave, like one afrayd,<br/> +So fayre a peece* for one repulse so light.<br/> +’Gaynst such strong castles needeth greater might<br/> +Then those small forts which ye were wont belay**:<br/> +Such haughty mynds, enur’d to hardy fight,<br/> +Disdayne to yield unto the first assay.<br/> +Bring therefore all the forces that ye may,<br/> +And lay incessant battery to her heart;<br/> +Playnts, prayers, vowes, ruth, sorrow, and dismay;<br/> +Those engins can the proudest love convert:<br/> + And, if those fayle, fall down and dy before her;<br/> + So dying live, and living do adore her.<br/> +[l <i>Peece</i>, fortress.]<br/> +[** <i>Belay</i>, beleaguer.] +</p> + +<h4>XV.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Ye tradefull Merchants, that, with weary toyle,<br/> +Do seeke most pretious things to make your gain,<br/> +And both the Indias of their treasure spoile,<br/> +What needeth you to seeke so farre in vaine?<br/> +For loe, my Love doth in her selfe containe<br/> +All this worlds riches that may farre be found:<br/> +If saphyres, loe, her eies be saphyres plaine;<br/> +If rubies, loe, hir lips be rubies sound;<br/> +If pearles, hir teeth be pearles, both pure and round;<br/> +If yvorie, her forhead yvory weene;<br/> +If gold, her locks are finest gold on ground;<br/> +If silver, her faire hands are silver sheene:<br/> + But that which fairest is but few behold:—<br/> + Her mind adornd with vertues manifold. +</p> + +<h4>XVI.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +One day as I unwarily did gaze<br/> +On those fayre eyes, my loves immortall light,<br/> +The whiles my stonisht hart stood in amaze,<br/> +Through sweet illusion of her lookes delight,<br/> +I mote perceive how, in her glauncing sight,<br/> +Legions of Loves with little wings did fly,<br/> +Darting their deadly arrows, fyry bright,<br/> +At every rash beholder passing by.<br/> +One of those archers closely I did spy,<br/> +Ayming his arrow at my very hart:<br/> +When suddenly, with twincle of her eye,<br/> +The damzell broke his misintended dart.<br/> + Had she not so doon, sure I had bene slayne;<br/> + Yet as it was, I hardly scap’t with paine. +</p> + +<h4>XVII.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +The glorious pourtraict of that angels face,<br/> +Made to amaze weake mens confused skil,<br/> +And this worlds worthlesse glory to embase,<br/> +What pen, what pencill, can expresse her fill?<br/> +For though he colours could devize at will,<br/> +And eke his learned hand at pleasure guide,<br/> +Least, trembling, it his workmanship should spill*,<br/> +Yet many wondrous things there are beside:<br/> +The sweet eye-glaunces, that like arrowes glide,<br/> +The charming smiles, that rob sence from the hart,<br/> +The lovely pleasance, and the lofty pride,<br/> +Cannot expressed be by any art.<br/> + A greater craftesmans hand thereto doth neede,<br/> + That can expresse the life of things indeed.<br/> +[l <i>Spill</i>, spoil.] +</p> + +<h4>XVIII.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +The rolling wheele that runneth often round,<br/> +The hardest steele, in tract of time doth teare:<br/> +And drizling drops, that often doe redound*,<br/> +The firmest flint doth in continuance weare:<br/> +Yet cannot I, with many a drooping teare<br/> +And long intreaty, soften her hard hart,<br/> +That she will once vouchsafe my plaint to heare,<br/> +Or looke with pitty on my payneful smart.<br/> +But when I pleade, she bids me play my part;<br/> +And when I weep, she sayes, teares are but water;<br/> +And when I sigh, she sayes, I know the art;<br/> +And when I waile, she turnes hir selfe to laughter.<br/> + So do I weepe, and wayle, and pleade in vaine,<br/> + Whiles she as steele and flint doth still remayne.<br/> +[* <i>Redound</i>, overflow.] +</p> + +<h4>XIX.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +The merry cuckow, messenger of Spring,<br/> +His trompet shrill hath thrise already sounded.<br/> +That warnes al lovers wayte upon their king,<br/> +Who now is coming forth with girland crouned.<br/> +With noyse whereof the quyre of byrds resounded<br/> +Their anthemes sweet, devized of loves prayse,<br/> +That all the woods theyr ecchoes back rebounded,<br/> +As if they knew the meaning of their layes.<br/> +But mongst them all which did Loves honor rayse,<br/> +No word was heard of her that most it ought;<br/> +But she his precept proudly disobayes,<br/> +And doth his ydle message set at nought.<br/> + Therefore, O Love, unlesse she turne to thee<br/> + Ere cuckow end, let her a rebell be! +</p> + +<h4>XX.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +In vaine I seeke and sew to her for grace,<br/> +And doe myne humbled hart before her poure,<br/> +The whiles her foot she in my necke doth place,<br/> +And tread my life downe in the lowly floure*.<br/> +And yet the lyon, that is lord of power,<br/> +And reigneth over every beast in field,<br/> +In his most pride disdeigneth to devoure<br/> +The silly lambe that to his might doth yield.<br/> +But she, more cruell and more salvage wylde<br/> +Than either lyon or the lyonesse,<br/> +Shames not to be with guiltlesse bloud defylde,<br/> +But taketh glory in her cruelnesse.<br/> + Fayrer then fayrest! let none ever say<br/> + That ye were blooded in a yeelded pray.<br/> +[* <i>Floure</i>, floor, ground.] +</p> + +<h4>XXI.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Was it the worke of Nature or of Art,<br/> +Which tempred so the feature of her face,<br/> +That pride and meeknesse, mist by equall part,<br/> +Doe both appeare t’adorne her beauties grace?<br/> +For with mild pleasance, which doth pride displace,<br/> +She to her love doth lookers eyes allure;<br/> +And with stern countenance back again doth chace<br/> +Their looser lookes that stir up lustes impure.<br/> +With such strange termes* her eyes she doth inure,<br/> +That with one looke she doth my life dismay,<br/> +And with another doth it streight recure:<br/> +Her smile me drawes; her frowne me drives away.<br/> + Thus doth she traine and teach me with her lookes;<br/> + Such art of eyes I never read in bookes!<br/> +[* <i>Termes</i>, extremes (?).] +</p> + +<h4>XXII.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +This holy season*, fit to fast and pray,<br/> +Men to devotion ought to be inclynd:<br/> +Therefore, I lykewise, on so holy day,<br/> +For my sweet saynt some service fit will find.<br/> +Her temple fayre is built within my mind,<br/> +In which her glorious ymage placed is;<br/> +On which my thoughts doo day and night attend,<br/> +Lyke sacred priests that never thinke amisse.<br/> +There I to her, as th’author of my blisse,<br/> +Will builde an altar to appease her yre;<br/> +And on the same my hart will sacrifise,<br/> +Burning in flames of pure and chaste desyre:<br/> + The which vouchsafe, O Goddesse, to accept,<br/> + Amongst thy deerest relicks to be kept.<br/> +[* I.e. Easter.] +</p> + +<h4>XXIII.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Penelope, for her Ulisses sake,<br/> +Deviz’d a web her wooers to deceave;<br/> +In which the worke that she all day did make,<br/> +The same at night she did againe unreave.<br/> +Such subtile craft my damzell doth conceave,<br/> +Th’importune suit of my desire to shonne:<br/> +For all that I in many dayes do weave,<br/> +In one short houre I find by her undonne.<br/> +So when I thinke to end that I begonne,<br/> +I must begin and never bring to end:<br/> +For with one looke she spils that long I sponne,<br/> +And with one word my whole years work doth rend.<br/> + Such labour like the spyders web I fynd,<br/> + Whose fruitlesse worke is broken with least wynd. +</p> + +<h4>XXIV.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +When I behold that beauties wonderment,<br/> +And rare perfection of each goodly part,<br/> +Of Natures skill the onely complement,<br/> +I honor and admire the Makers art.<br/> +But when I feele the bitter balefull smart<br/> +Which her fayre eyes unwares doe worke in mee,<br/> +That death out of theyr shiny beames doe dart,<br/> +I thinke that I a new Pandora see,<br/> +Whom all the gods in councell did agree<br/> +Into this sinfull world from heaven to send,<br/> +That she to wicked men a scourge should bee,<br/> +For all their faults with which they did offend.<br/> + But since ye are my scourge, I will intreat<br/> + That for my faults ye will me gently beat. +</p> + +<h4>XXV.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +How long shall this lyke-dying lyfe endure,<br/> +And know no end of her owne mysery,<br/> +But wast and weare away in termes unsure,<br/> +’Twixt feare and hope depending doubtfully!<br/> +Yet better were attonce to let me die,<br/> +And shew the last ensample of your pride,<br/> +Then to torment me thus with cruelty,<br/> +To prove your powre, which I too wel have tride.<br/> +But yet if in your hardned brest ye bide<br/> +A close intent at last to shew me grace,<br/> +Then all the woes and wrecks which I abide,<br/> +As meanes of blisse I gladly wil embrace;<br/> + And wish that more and greater they might be,<br/> + That greater meede at last may turne to mee. +</p> + +<h4>XXVI.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Sweet is the rose, but growes upon a brere;<br/> +Sweet is the iunipeer; but sharpe his bough;<br/> +Sweet is the eglantine, but pricketh nere;<br/> +Sweet is the firbloome, but his braunches rough*;<br/> +Sweet is the cypresse, but his rynd is rough;<br/> +Sweet is the nut, but bitter is his pill**;<br/> +Sweet is the broome-flowre, but yet sowre enough;<br/> +And sweet is moly, but his root is ill.<br/> +So every sweet with soure is tempred still,<br/> +That maketh it be coveted the more:<br/> +For easie things, that may be got at will,<br/> +Most sorts of men doe set but little store.<br/> + Why then should I accompt of little paine,<br/> + That endlesse pleasure shall unto me gaine!<br/> +[* I.e. raw, crude.]<br/> +[** <i>Pill</i>, peel.] +</p> + +<h4>XXVII.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Faire Proud! now tell me, why should faire be proud,<br/> +Sith all worlds glorie is but drosse uncleane,<br/> +And in the shade of death it selfe shall shroud,<br/> +However now thereof ye little weene!<br/> +That goodly idoll, now so gay beseene*,<br/> +Shall doffe her fleshes borrowd fayre attyre,<br/> +And be forgot as it had never beene,<br/> +That many now much worship and admire!<br/> +Ne any then shall after it inquire,<br/> +Ne any mention shall thereof remaine,<br/> +But what this verse, that never shall expyre,<br/> +Shall to you purchas with her thankles pain!<br/> + Faire! be no lenger proud of that shall perish,<br/> + But that which shall you make immortall cherish.<br/> +[* <i>Beseene</i>, appearing.] +</p> + +<h4>XXVIII.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +The laurel-leafe which you this day doe weare<br/> +Gives me great hope of your relenting mynd:<br/> +For since it is the badge which I doe beare*,<br/> +Ye, bearing it, doe seeme to me inclind.<br/> +The powre thereof, which ofte in me I find,<br/> +Let it likewise your gentle brest inspire<br/> +With sweet infusion, and put you in mind<br/> +Of that proud mayd whom now those leaves attyre:<br/> +Proud Daphne, scorning Phœbus lovely** fyre,<br/> +On the Thessalian shore from him did flie;<br/> +For which the gods, in theyr revengefull yre,<br/> +Did her transforme into a laurell-tree.<br/> + Then fly no more, fayre Love, from Phebus chace,<br/> + But in your brest his leafe and love embrace.<br/> +[* I. e. as poet-laureate.]<br/> +[** <i>Lovely</i>, loving.] +</p> + +<h4>XXIX.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +See! how the stubborne damzell doth deprave<br/> +My simple meaning with disdaynfull scorne,<br/> +And by the bay which I unto her gave<br/> +Accoumpts my self her captive quite forlorne.<br/> +The bay, quoth she, is of the victours born,<br/> +Yielded them by the vanquisht as theyr meeds,<br/> +And they therewith doe poetes heads adorne,<br/> +To sing the glory of their famous deeds.<br/> +But sith she will the conquest challeng needs,<br/> +Let her accept me as her faithfull thrall;<br/> +That her great triumph, which my skill exceeds,<br/> +I may in trump of fame blaze over all.<br/> + Then would I decke her head with glorious bayes,<br/> + And fill the world with her victorious prayse. +</p> + +<h4>XXX.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +My Love is lyke to yse, and I to fyre:<br/> +How comes it then that this her cold so great<br/> +Is not dissolv’d through my so hot desyre,<br/> +But harder growes the more I her intreat?<br/> +Or how comes it that my exceeding heat<br/> +Is not delayd* by her hart-frosen cold,<br/> +But that I burne much more in boyling sweat,<br/> +And feele my flames augmented manifold?<br/> +What more miraculous thing may be told,<br/> +That fire, which all things melts, should harden yse,<br/> +And yse, which is congeald with sencelesse cold,<br/> +Should kindle fyre by wonderful devyse?<br/> + Such is the powre of love in gentle mind,<br/> + That it can alter all the course of kynd.<br/> +[* <i>Delayd</i>, tempered.] +</p> + +<h4>XXXI.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Ah! why hath Nature to so hard a hart<br/> +Given so goodly giftes of beauties grace,<br/> +Whose pryde depraves each other better part,<br/> +And all those pretious ornaments deface?<br/> +Sith to all other beastes of bloody race<br/> +A dreadfull countenance she given hath,<br/> +That with theyr terrour all the rest may chace,<br/> +And warne to shun the daunger of theyr wrath.<br/> +But my proud one doth worke the greater scath*,<br/> +Through sweet allurement of her lovely hew,<br/> +That she the better may in bloody bath<br/> +Of such poore thralls her cruell hands embrew.<br/> + But did she know how ill these two accord,<br/> + Such cruelty she would have soone abhord.<br/> +[* <i>Scath</i>, injury.] +</p> + +<h4>XXXII.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +The paynefull smith with force of fervent heat<br/> +The hardest yron soone doth mollify,<br/> +That with his heavy sledge he can it beat,<br/> +And fashion to what he it list apply.<br/> +Yet cannot all these flames in which I fry<br/> +Her hart, more hard then yron, soft a whit,<br/> +Ne all the playnts and prayërs with which I<br/> +Doe beat on th’andvile of her stubberne wit:<br/> +But still, the more she fervent sees my fit,<br/> +The more she frieseth in her wilfull pryde,<br/> +And harder growes, the harder she is smit<br/> +With all the playnts which to her be applyde.<br/> + What then remaines but I to ashes burne,<br/> + And she to stones at length all frosen turne! +</p> + +<h4>XXXIII.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Great wrong I doe, I can it not deny,<br/> +To that most sacred empresse, my dear dred,<br/> +Not finishing her Queene of Faëry,<br/> +That mote enlarge her living prayses, dead.<br/> +But Lodwick*, this of grace to me aread:<br/> +Do ye not thinck th’accomplishment of it<br/> +Sufficient worke for one mans simple head,<br/> +All were it, as the rest, but rudely writ?<br/> +How then should I, without another wit,<br/> +Thinck ever to endure so tedious toyle,<br/> +Sith that this one is tost with troublous fit<br/> +Of a proud Love, that doth my spirite spoyle?<br/> + Cease, then, till she vouchsafe to grawnt me rest,<br/> + Or lend you me another living brest.<br/> +[* I.e. Lodowick Bryskett.] +</p> + +<h4>XXXIV.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Lyke as a ship, that through the ocean wyde<br/> +By conduct of some star doth make her way,<br/> +Whenas a storm hath dimd her trusty guyde,<br/> +Out of her course doth wander far astray,<br/> +So I, whose star, that wont with her bright ray<br/> +Me to direct, with cloudes is over-cast,<br/> +Doe wander now in darknesse and dismay,<br/> +Through hidden perils round about me plast.<br/> +Yet hope I well that, when this storme is past,<br/> +My Helice*, the lodestar of my lyfe,<br/> +Will shine again, and looke on me at last,<br/> +With lovely light to cleare my cloudy grief.<br/> + Till then I wander carefull, comfortlesse,<br/> + In secret sorrow and sad pensivenesse.<br/> +[* I. e. Cynosure.] +</p> + +<h4>XXXV.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +My hungry eyes, through greedy covetize<br/> +Still to behold the obiect of their paine,<br/> +With no contentment can themselves suffize;<br/> +But having, pine, and having not, complaine.<br/> +For lacking it, they cannot lyfe sustayne;<br/> +And having it, they gaze on it the more,<br/> +In their amazement lyke Narcissus vaine,<br/> +Whose eyes him starv’d: so plenty makes me poore.<br/> +Yet are mine eyes so filled with the store<br/> +Of that faire sight, that nothing else they brooke,<br/> +But lothe the things which they did like before,<br/> +And can no more endure on them to looke.<br/> + All this worlds glory seemeth vayne to me,<br/> + And all their showes but shadowes, saving she. +</p> + +<h4>XXXVI.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Tell me, when shall these wearie woes have end;<br/> +Or shall their ruthlesse torment never cease,<br/> +But al my days in pining languor spend,<br/> +Without hope of asswagement or release?<br/> +Is there no meanes for me to purchace peace,<br/> +Or make agreement with her thrilling eyes;<br/> +But that their cruelty doth still increace,<br/> +And dayly more augment my miseryes?<br/> +But when ye have shew’d all extremityes,<br/> +Then think how little glory ye have gayned<br/> +By slaying him, whose lyfe, though ye despyse,<br/> +Mote have your life in honor long maintayned.<br/> + But by his death, which some perhaps will mone,<br/> + Ye shall condemned be of many a one. +</p> + +<h4>XXXVII.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +What guyle is this, that those her golden tresses<br/> +She doth attyre under a net of gold,<br/> +And with sly skill so cunningly them dresses,<br/> +That which is gold or haire may scarse be told?<br/> +Is it that mens frayle eyes, which gaze too bold,<br/> +She may entangle in that golden snare;<br/> +And, being caught, may craftily enfold<br/> +Their weaker harts, which are not wel aware?<br/> +Take heed therefore, myne eyes, how ye doe stare<br/> +Henceforth too rashly on that guilefull net,<br/> +In which if ever ye entrapped are,<br/> +Out of her bands ye by no meanes shall get.<br/> + Fondnesse it were for any, being free,<br/> + To covet fetters, though they golden bee! +</p> + +<h4>XXXVIII.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Arion, when, through tempests cruel wracke,<br/> +He forth was thrown into the greedy seas,<br/> +Through the sweet musick which his harp did make<br/> +Allur’d a dolphin him from death to ease.<br/> +But my rude musick, which was wont to please<br/> +Some dainty eares, cannot, with any skill,<br/> +The dreadfull tempest of her wrath appease,<br/> +Nor move the dolphin from her stubborn will.<br/> +But in her pride she dooth persever still,<br/> +All carelesse how my life for her decayes:<br/> +Yet with one word she can it save or spill.<br/> +To spill were pitty, but to save were prayse!<br/> + Chuse rather to be praysd for doing good,<br/> + Then to be blam’d for spilling guiltlesse blood. +</p> + +<h4>XXXIX.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Sweet smile! the daughter of the Queene of Love,<br/> +Expressing all thy mothers powrefull art,<br/> +With which she wonts to temper angry Iove,<br/> +When all the gods he threats with thundring dart,<br/> +Sweet is thy vertue, as thy selfe sweet art.<br/> +For when on me thou shinedst late in sadnesse,<br/> +A melting pleasance ran through every part,<br/> +And me revived with hart-robbing gladnesse;<br/> +Whylest rapt with ioy resembling heavenly madness,<br/> +My soule was ravisht quite as in a traunce,<br/> +And, feeling thence no more her sorrowes sadnesse,<br/> +Fed on the fulnesse of that chearfull glaunce.<br/> + More sweet than nectar, or ambrosiall meat,<br/> + Seem’d every bit which thenceforth I did eat. +</p> + +<h4>XL.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Mark when she smiles with amiable cheare,<br/> +And tell me whereto can ye lyken it;<br/> +When on each eyelid sweetly doe appeare<br/> +An hundred Graces as in shade to sit.<br/> +Lykest it seemeth, in my simple wit,<br/> +Unto the fayre sunshine in somers day,<br/> +That, when a dreadfull storme away is flit,<br/> +Thrugh the broad world doth spred his goodly ray<br/> +At sight whereof, each bird that sits on spray,<br/> +And every beast that to his den was fled,<br/> +Comes forth afresh out of their late dismay,<br/> +And to the light lift up their drouping hed.<br/> + So my storme-beaten hart likewise is cheared<br/> + With that sunshine, when cloudy looks are cleared.<br/> +[Footnote: XL. 4.—<i>An hundred Graces.</i> E.K., in his commentary on the +Shepheards Calender, quotes a line closely resembling this from Spenser’s +Pageants: +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“An hundred Graces on her eyelids sat.” +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +The same fancy occurs in the Faerie Queene, and in the Hymn to Beauty.<br/> +It is copied from a poem ascribed to Musaeus. C.] +</p> + +<h4>XLI.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Is it her nature, or is it her will,<br/> +To be so cruell to an humbled foe?<br/> +If nature, then she may it mend with skill;<br/> +If will, then she at will may will forgoe.<br/> +But if her nature and her will be so,<br/> +That she will plague the man that loves her most,<br/> +And take delight t’encrease a wretches woe,<br/> +Then all her natures goodly guifts are lost;<br/> +And that same glorious beauties ydle boast<br/> +Is but a bayt such wretches to beguile,<br/> +As, being long in her loves tempest tost,<br/> +She meanes at last to make her pitious spoyle.<br/> + O fayrest fayre! let never it be named,<br/> + That so fayre beauty was so fowly shamed. +</p> + +<h4>XLII.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +The love which me so cruelly tormenteth<br/> +So pleasing is in my extreamest paine,<br/> +That, all the more my sorrow it augmenteth,<br/> +The more I love and doe embrace my bane.<br/> +Ne do I wish (for wishing were but vaine)<br/> +To be acquit fro my continual smart,<br/> +But ioy her thrall for ever to remayne,<br/> +And yield for pledge my poor and captyved hart,<br/> +The which, that it from her may never start,<br/> +Let her, yf please her, bynd with adamant chayne,<br/> +And from all wandring loves, which mote pervart<br/> +His safe assurance, strongly it restrayne.<br/> + Onely let her abstaine from cruelty,<br/> + And doe me not before my time to dy. +</p> + +<h4>XLIII.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Shall I then silent be, or shall I speake?<br/> +And if I speake, her wrath renew I shall;<br/> +And if I silent be, my hart will breake,<br/> +Or choked be with overflowing gall.<br/> +What tyranny is this, both my hart to thrall,<br/> +And eke my toung with proud restraint to tie,<br/> +That neither I may speake nor thinke at all,<br/> +But like a stupid stock in silence die!<br/> +Yet I my hart with silence secretly<br/> +Will teach to speak and my just cause to plead,<br/> +And eke mine eies, with meek humility,<br/> +Love-learned letters to her eyes to read;<br/> +Which her deep wit, that true harts thought can spel,<br/> + Wil soon conceive, and learne to construe well. +</p> + +<h4>XLIV.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +When those renoumed noble peres of Greece<br/> +Through stubborn pride among themselves did iar,<br/> +Forgetfull of the famous golden fleece,<br/> +Then Orpheus with his harp theyr strife did bar.<br/> +But this continuall, cruell, civill warre<br/> +The which my selfe against my selfe doe make,<br/> +Whilest my weak powres of passions warreid arre,<br/> +No skill can stint, nor reason can aslake.<br/> +But when in hand my tunelesse harp I take,<br/> +Then doe I more augment my foes despight,<br/> +And griefe renew, and passions doe awake<br/> +To battaile, fresh against my selfe to fight.<br/> + Mongst whome the more I seeke to settle peace,<br/> + The more I fynd their malice to increace. +</p> + +<h4>XLV.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Leave, Lady! in your glasse of cristall clene<br/> +Your goodly selfe for evermore to vew,<br/> +And in my selfe, (my inward selfe I meane,)<br/> +Most lively lyke behold your semblant trew.<br/> +Within my hart, though hardly it can shew<br/> +Thing so divine to vew of earthly eye,<br/> +The fayre idea of your celestiall hew<br/> +And every part remaines immortally:<br/> +And were it not that through your cruelty<br/> +With sorrow dimmed and deform’d it were,<br/> +The goodly ymage of your visnomy*,<br/> +Clearer than cristall, would therein appere.<br/> + But if your selfe in me ye playne will see,<br/> + Remove the cause by which your fayre beames darkned be.<br/> +[* <i>Visnomy</i>, countenance.] +</p> + +<h4>XLVI.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +When my abodes prefixed time is spent,<br/> +My cruell fayre streight bids me wend my way:<br/> +But then from heaven most hideous stormes are sent,<br/> +As willing me against her will to stay.<br/> +Whom then shall I—or heaven, or her—obay?<br/> +The heavens know best what is the best for me:<br/> +But as she will, whose will my life doth sway,<br/> +My lower heaven, so it perforce must be.<br/> +But ye high hevens, that all this sorowe see,<br/> +Sith all your tempests cannot hold me backe,<br/> +Aswage your storms, or else both you and she<br/> +Will both together me too sorely wrack.<br/> + Enough it is for one man to sustaine<br/> + The stormes which she alone on me doth raine. +</p> + +<h4>XLVII.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Trust not the treason of those smyling lookes,<br/> +Untill ye have their guylefull traynes well tryde;<br/> +For they are lyke but unto golden hookes,<br/> +That from the foolish fish theyr bayts do hyde:<br/> +So she with flattring smyles weake harts doth guyde<br/> +Unto her love, and tempte to theyr decay;<br/> +Whome, being caught, she kills with cruell pryde,<br/> +And feeds at pleasure on the wretched pray.<br/> +Yet even whylst her bloody hands them slay,<br/> +Her eyes looke lovely, and upon them smyle,<br/> +That they take pleasure in their cruell play,<br/> +And, dying, doe themselves of payne beguyle.<br/> + O mighty charm! which makes men love theyr bane,<br/> + And thinck they dy with pleasure, live with payne. +</p> + +<h4>XLVIII.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Innocent paper! whom too cruell hand<br/> +Did make the matter to avenge her yre,<br/> +And ere she could thy cause well understand,<br/> +Did sacrifize unto the greedy fyre,<br/> +Well worthy thou to have found better hyre<br/> +Then so bad end, for hereticks ordayned;<br/> +Yet heresy nor treason didst conspire,<br/> +But plead thy maisters cause, unjustly payned:<br/> +Whom she, all carelesse of his grief, constrayned<br/> +To utter forth the anguish of his hart,<br/> +And would not heare, when he to her complayned<br/> +The piteous passion of his dying smart.<br/> + Yet live for ever, though against her will,<br/> + And speake her good, though she requite it ill. +</p> + +<h4>XLIX.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Fayre Cruell! why are ye so fierce and cruell?<br/> +Is it because your eyes have powre to kill?<br/> +Then know that mercy is the Mighties iewell,<br/> +And greater glory think to save then spill.<br/> +But if it be your pleasure and proud will<br/> +To shew the powre of your imperious eyes,<br/> +Then not on him that never thought you ill,<br/> +But bend your force against your enemyes.<br/> +Let them feel the utmost of your crueltyes,<br/> +And kill with looks, as cockatrices do:<br/> +But him that at your footstoole humbled lies,<br/> +With mercifull regard give mercy to.<br/> + Such mercy shall you make admyr’d to be;<br/> + So shall you live, by giving life to me. +</p> + +<h4>L.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Long languishing in double malady<br/> +Of my harts wound and of my bodies griefe,<br/> +There came to me a leach, that would apply<br/> +Fit medcines for my bodies best reliefe.<br/> +Vayne man, quoth I, that hast but little priefe*<br/> +In deep discovery of the mynds disease;<br/> +Is not the hart of all the body chiefe,<br/> +And rules the members as it selfe doth please?<br/> +Then with some cordialls seeke for to appease<br/> +The inward languor of my wounded hart,<br/> +And then my body shall have shortly ease.<br/> +But such sweet cordialls passe physicians art:<br/> + Then, my lyfes leach! doe you your skill reveale,<br/> + And with one salve both hart and body heale.<br/> +[* <i>Priefe</i>, proof, experience.] +</p> + +<h4>LI.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Doe I not see that fayrest ymages<br/> +Of hardest marble are of purpose made,<br/> +For that they should endure through many ages,<br/> +Ne let theyr famous moniments to fade?<br/> +Why then doe I, untrainde in lovers trade,<br/> +Her hardnes blame, which I should more commend?<br/> +Sith never ought was excellent assayde<br/> +Which was not hard t’atchive and bring to end;<br/> +Ne ought so hard, but he that would attend<br/> +Mote soften it and to his will allure.<br/> +So do I hope her stubborne hart to bend,<br/> +And that it then more stedfast will endure:<br/> + Only my paines wil be the more to get her;<br/> + But, having her, my ioy wil be the greater. +</p> + +<h4>LII.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +So oft as homeward I from her depart,<br/> +I go lyke one that, having lost the field,<br/> +Is prisoner led away with heavy hart,<br/> +Despoyld of warlike armes and knowen shield.<br/> +So doe I now my self a prisoner yield<br/> +To sorrow and to solitary paine,<br/> +From presence of my dearest deare exylde,<br/> +Long-while alone in languor to remaine.<br/> +There let no thought of ioy, or pleasure vaine,<br/> +Dare to approch, that may my solace breed;<br/> +But sudden* dumps**, and drery sad disdayne<br/> +Of all worlds gladnesse, more my torment feed.<br/> + So I her absens will my penaunce make,<br/> + That of her presens I my meed may take.<br/> +[* <i>Sudden</i>, Qu. sullen?]<br/> +[** <i>Dumps</i>, lamentations.] +</p> + +<h4>LIII.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +The panther, knowing that his spotted hyde<br/> +Doth please all beasts, but that his looks them fray*,<br/> +Within a bush his dreadful head doth hide,<br/> +To let them gaze, whylst he on them may pray.<br/> +Right so my cruell fayre with me doth play;<br/> +For with the goodly semblance of her hew<br/> +She doth allure me to mine owne decay,<br/> +And then no mercy will unto me shew.<br/> +Great shame it is, thing so divine in view,<br/> +Made for to be the worlds most ornament,<br/> +To make the bayte her gazers to embrew:<br/> +Good shames to be to ill an instrument!<br/> + But mercy doth with beautie best agree,<br/> + As in theyr Maker ye them best may see.<br/> +[* <i>Fray</i>, frighten.] +</p> + +<h4>LIV.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Of this worlds theatre in which we stay,<br/> +My Love, like the spectator, ydly sits,<br/> +Beholding me, that all the pageants play,<br/> +Disguysing diversly my troubled wits.<br/> +Sometimes I ioy when glad occasion fits,<br/> +And mask in myrth lyke to a comedy:<br/> +Soone after, when my ioy to sorrow flits,<br/> +I waile, and make my woes a tragedy.<br/> +Yet she, beholding me with constant eye,<br/> +Delights not in my merth, nor rues my smart:<br/> +But when I laugh, she mocks; and when I cry,<br/> +She laughs, and hardens evermore her hart.<br/> + What then can move her? If nor merth, nor mone,<br/> + She is no woman, but a sencelesse stone. +</p> + +<h4>LV.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +So oft as I her beauty doe behold,<br/> +And therewith doe her cruelty compare,<br/> +I marvaile of what substance was the mould<br/> +The which her made attonce so cruell faire.<br/> +Not earth; for her high thoughts more heavenly are:<br/> +Not water; for her love doth burne like fyre:<br/> +Not ayre; for she is not so light or rare;<br/> +Not fyre; for she doth friese with faint desire.<br/> +Then needs another element inquire,<br/> +Whereof she mote be made; that is, the skye.<br/> +For to the heaven her haughty looks aspire,<br/> +And eke her love is pure immortall hye.<br/> + Then sith to heaven ye lykened are the best,<br/> + Be lyke in mercy as in all the rest. +</p> + +<h4>LVI.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Fayre ye be sure, but cruell and unkind,<br/> +As is a tygre, that with greedinesse<br/> +Hunts after bloud; when he by chance doth find<br/> +A feeble beast, doth felly him oppresse.<br/> +Fayre be ye sure, but proud and pitilesse,<br/> +As is a storme, that all things doth prostrate;<br/> +Finding a tree alone all comfortlesse,<br/> +Beats on it strongly, it to ruinate.<br/> +Fayre be ye sure, but hard and obstinate,<br/> +As is a rocke amidst the raging floods;<br/> +Gaynst which a ship, of succour desolate,<br/> +Doth suffer wreck both of her selfe and goods.<br/> + That ship, that tree, and that same beast, am I,<br/> + Whom ye doe wreck, doe ruine, and destroy. +</p> + +<h4>LVII.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Sweet warriour! when shall I have peace with you?<br/> +High time it is this warre now ended were,<br/> +Which I no lenger can endure to sue,<br/> +Ne your incessant battry more to beare.<br/> +So weake my powres, so sore my wounds, appear,<br/> +That wonder is how I should live a iot,<br/> +Seeing my hart through-launced every where<br/> +With thousand arrowes which your eies have shot.<br/> +Yet shoot ye sharpely still, and spare me not,<br/> +But glory thinke to make these cruel stoures*.<br/> +Ye cruell one! what glory can be got,<br/> +In slaying him that would live gladly yours?<br/> + Make peace therefore, and graunt me timely grace,<br/> + That al my wounds will heale in little space.<br/> +[* <i>Stoures</i>, agitations.] +</p> + +<h4>LVIII.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +<i>By her that is most assured to her selfe.</i> +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Weake is th’assurance that weake flesh reposeth<br/> +In her own powre, and scorneth others ayde;<br/> +That soonest fals, when as she most supposeth<br/> +Her selfe assur’d, and is of nought affrayd,<br/> +All flesh is frayle, and all her strength unstayd,<br/> +Like a vaine bubble blowen up with ayre:<br/> +Devouring tyme and changeful chance have prayd*<br/> +Her glorious pride, that none may it repayre.<br/> +Ne none so rich or wise, so strong or fayre,<br/> +But fayleth, trusting on his owne assurance:<br/> +And he that standeth on the hyghest stayre<br/> +Fals lowest; for on earth nought hath endurance.<br/> + Why then doe ye, proud fayre, misdeeme so farre,<br/> + That to your selfe ye most assured arre! +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +[Footnote: LVIII.—<i>By her</i>, &c. <i>By</i> is perhaps a misprint for <i>to</i>; or +this title may belong to Sonnet LIX. H.] +[* <i>Prayd</i>, preyed upon.] +</p> + +<h4>LIX.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Thrise happie she that is so well assured<br/> +Unto her selfe, and setled so in hart,<br/> +That neither will for better be allured,<br/> +Ne feard with worse to any chaunce to start:<br/> +But, like a steddy ship, doth strongly part<br/> +The raging waves, and keepes her course aright,<br/> +Ne ought for tempest doth from it depart,<br/> +Ne ought for fayrer weathers false delight.<br/> +Such selfe-assurance need not feare the spight<br/> +Of grudging foes, ne favour seek of friends:<br/> +But in the stay of her owne stedfast might,<br/> +Neither to one her selfe nor other bends.<br/> + Most happy she that most assur’d doth rest;<br/> + But he most happy who such one loves best. +</p> + +<h4>LX.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +They that in course of heavenly spheares are skild<br/> +To every planet point his sundry yeare,<br/> +In which her circles voyage is fulfild:<br/> +As Mars in threescore yeares doth run his spheare.<br/> +So, since the winged god his planet cleare<br/> +Began in me to move, one yeare is spent;<br/> +The which doth longer unto me appeare,<br/> +Then al those fourty which my life out-went.<br/> +Then, by that count which lovers books invent,<br/> +The spheare of Cupid fourty yeares containes,<br/> +Which I have wasted in long languishment,<br/> +That seem’d the longer for my greater paines.<br/> + But let my Loves fayre planet short her wayes<br/> + This yeare ensuing, or else short my dayes. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +[Footnote: LX. 4.—<i>As Mars in three score yeares</i>. I do not understand +Spenser’s astronomy. C.] +</p> + +<h4>LXI.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +The glorious image of the Makers beautie,<br/> +My soverayne saynt, the idoll of my thought,<br/> +Dare not henceforth, above the bounds of dewtie,<br/> +T’accuse of pride, or rashly blame for ought.<br/> +For being, as she is, divinely wrought,<br/> +And of the brood of angels heavenly born,<br/> +And with the crew of blessed saynts upbrought,<br/> +Each of which did her with theyr guifts adorne,<br/> +The bud of ioy, the blossome of the morne,<br/> +The beame of light, whom mortal eyes admyre,<br/> +What reason is it then but she should scorne<br/> +Base things, that to her love too bold aspire!<br/> + Such heavenly formes ought rather worshipt be,<br/> + Then dare be lov’d by men of meane degree. +</p> + +<h4>LXII.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +The weary yeare his race now having run,<br/> +The new begins his compast course anew:<br/> +With shew of morning mylde he hath begun,<br/> +Betokening peace and plenty to ensew.<br/> +So let us, which this chaunge of weather vew,<br/> +Chaunge eke our mynds, and former lives amend;<br/> +The old yeares sinnes forepast let us eschew,<br/> +And fly the faults with which we did offend.<br/> +Then shall the new yeares ioy forth freshly send<br/> +Into the glooming world his gladsome ray,<br/> +And all these stormes, which now his beauty blend*,<br/> +Shall turne to calmes, and tymely cleare away.<br/> + So, likewise, Love! cheare you your heavy spright,<br/> + And chaunge old yeares annoy to new delight. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +[* <i>Blend</i>, blemish.] +</p> + +<h4>LXIII.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +After long stormes and tempests sad assay,<br/> +Which hardly I endured heretofore,<br/> +In dread of death, and daungerous dismay,<br/> +With which my silly bark was tossed sore,<br/> +I doe at length descry the happy shore,<br/> +In which I hope ere long for to arryve:<br/> +Fayre soyle it seemes from far, and fraught with store<br/> +Of all that deare and daynty is alyve.<br/> +Most happy he that can at last atchyve<br/> +The ioyous safety of so sweet a rest;<br/> +Whose least delight sufficeth to deprive<br/> +Remembrance of all paines which him opprest.<br/> + All paines are nothing in respect of this;<br/> + All sorrowes short that gaine eternall blisse. +</p> + +<h4>LXIV.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Comming to kisse her lyps, (such grace I found,)<br/> +Me seemd I smelt a gardin of sweet flowres,<br/> +That dainty odours from them threw around,<br/> +For damzels fit to decke their lovers bowres.<br/> +Her lips did smell lyke unto gillyflowers;<br/> +Her ruddy cheekes lyke unto roses red;<br/> +Her snowy browes lyke budded bellamoures;<br/> +Her lovely eyes lyke pincks but newly spred;<br/> +Her goodly bosome lyke a strawberry bed;<br/> +Her neck lyke to a bounch of cullambynes;<br/> +Her brest lyke lillyes, ere their leaves be shed;<br/> +Her nipples lyke young blossomd jessemynes.<br/> + Such fragrant flowres doe give most odorous smell;<br/> + But her sweet odour did them all excell. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +[Footnote: LXIV. 7.—<i>Bellamoures</i>. I have not discovered what flower is +here meant. C.] +</p> + +<h4>LXV.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +The doubt which ye misdeeme, fayre Love, is vaine,<br/> +That fondly feare to lose your liberty,<br/> +When, losing one, two liberties ye gayne,<br/> +And make him bond that bondage earst did fly.<br/> +Sweet be the bands the which true love doth tye,<br/> +Without constraynt or dread of any ill:<br/> +The gentle birde feeles no captivity<br/> +Within her cage, but sings, and feeds her fill.<br/> +There pride dare not approch, nor discord spill<br/> +The league twixt them that loyal love hath bound,<br/> +But simple Truth and mutual Good-will<br/> +Seeks with sweet peace to salve each others wound:<br/> + There Fayth doth fearless dwell in brasen towre,<br/> + And spotlesse Pleasure builds her sacred bowre. +</p> + +<h4>LXVI.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +To all those happy blessings which ye have<br/> +With plenteous hand by heaven upon you thrown,<br/> +This one disparagement they to you gave,<br/> +That ye your love lent to so meane a one.<br/> +Ye, whose high worths surpassing paragon<br/> +Could not on earth have found one fit for mate,<br/> +Ne but in heaven matchable to none,<br/> +Why did ye stoup unto so lowly state?<br/> +But ye thereby much greater glory gate,<br/> +Then had ye sorted with a princes pere:<br/> +For now your light doth more it selfe dilate,<br/> +And, in my darknesse, greater doth appeare.<br/> + Yet, since your light hath once enlumind me,<br/> + With my reflex yours shall encreased be. +</p> + +<h4>LXVII.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Lyke as a huntsman, after weary chace,<br/> +Seeing the game from him escapt away,<br/> +Sits downe to rest him in some shady place,<br/> +With panting hounds, beguiled of their pray,<br/> +So, after long pursuit and vaine assay,<br/> +When I all weary had the chace forsooke,<br/> +The gentle deer returnd the selfe-same way,<br/> +Thinking to quench her thirst at the next brooke.<br/> +There she, beholding me with mylder looke,<br/> +Sought not to fly, but fearlesse still did bide,<br/> +Till I in hand her yet halfe trembling tooke,<br/> +And with her own goodwill her fyrmely tyde.<br/> + Strange thing, me seemd, to see a beast so wyld<br/> + So goodly wonne, with her owne will beguyld. +</p> + +<h4>LXVIII</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Most glorious Lord of lyfe! that on this day<br/> +Didst make thy triumph over death and sin,<br/> +And, having harrowd* hell, didst bring away<br/> +Captivity thence captive, us to win,<br/> +This ioyous day, dear Lord, with ioy begin;<br/> +And grant that we, for whom thou diddest dy,<br/> +Being with thy deare blood clene washt from sin,<br/> +May live for ever in felicity;<br/> +And that thy love we weighing worthily,<br/> +May likewise love thee for the same againe,<br/> +And for thy sake, that all lyke deare didst buy,<br/> +With love may one another entertayne!<br/> + So let us love, deare Love, lyke as we ought:<br/> + Love is the lesson which the Lord us taught.<br/> +[* <i>Harrowd</i>, despoiled.] +</p> + +<h4>LXIX.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +The famous warriors of the anticke world<br/> +Us’d trophees to erect in stately wize,<br/> +In which they would the records have enrold<br/> +Of theyr great deeds and valorous emprize.<br/> +What trophee then shall I most fit devize,<br/> +In which I may record the memory<br/> +Of my loves conquest, peerlesse beauties prise,<br/> +Adorn’d with honour, love, and chastity!<br/> +Even this verse, vowd to eternity,<br/> +Shall be thereof immortall moniment,<br/> +And tell her praise to all posterity,<br/> +That may admire such worlds rare wonderment;<br/> + The happy purchase of my glorious spoile,<br/> + Gotten at last with labour and long toyle. +</p> + +<h4>LXX.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Fresh Spring, the herald of loves mighty king,<br/> +In whose cote-armour richly are displayd<br/> +All sorts of flowres the which on earth do spring,<br/> +In goodly colours gloriously arrayd,<br/> +Goe to my Love, where she is carelesse layd,<br/> +Yet in her winters bowre not well awake:<br/> +Tell her the ioyous time wil not be staid,<br/> +Unlesse she doe him by the forelock take;<br/> +Bid her therefore her selfe soone ready make,<br/> +To wayt on Love amongst his lovely crew,<br/> +Where every one that misseth then her make*<br/> +Shall be by him amearst with penance dew.<br/> + Make haste therefore, sweet Love, while it is prime**;<br/> + For none can call againe the passed time.<br/> +[* <i>Make</i>, mate.]<br/> +[** <i>Prime</i>, spring.] +</p> + +<h4>LXXI.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +I ioy to see how, in your drawen work,<br/> +Your selfe unto the Bee ye doe compare,<br/> +And me unto the Spyder, that doth lurke<br/> +In close awayt, to catch her unaware.<br/> +Right so your selfe were caught in cunning snare<br/> +Of a deare foe, and thralled to his love;<br/> +In whose streight bands ye now captived are<br/> +So firmely, that ye never may remove.<br/> +But as your worke is woven all about<br/> +With woodbynd flowers and fragrant eglantine,<br/> +So sweet your prison you in time shall prove,<br/> +With many deare delights bedecked fyne:<br/> + And all thensforth eternall peace shall see<br/> + Betweene the Spyder and the gentle Bee. +</p> + +<h4>LXXII.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Oft when my spirit doth spred her bolder winges,<br/> +In mind to mount up to the purest sky,<br/> +It down is weighd with thought of earthly things,<br/> +And clogd with burden of mortality:<br/> +Where, when that soverayne beauty it doth spy,<br/> +Resembling heavens glory in her light,<br/> +Drawn with sweet pleasures bayt it back doth fly,<br/> +And unto heaven forgets her former flight.<br/> +There my fraile fancy, fed with full delight,<br/> +Doth bathe in blisse, and mantleth most at ease;<br/> +Ne thinks of other heaven, but how it might<br/> +Her harts desire with most contentment please.<br/> + Hart need not wish none other happinesse,<br/> + But here on earth to have such hevens blisse. +</p> + +<h4>LXXIII</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Being my self captyved here in care,<br/> +My hart, (whom none with servile bands can tye,<br/> +But the fayre tresses of your golden hayre,)<br/> +Breaking his prison, forth to you doth fly.<br/> +Like as a byrd, that in ones hand doth spy<br/> +Desired food, to it doth make his flight,<br/> +Even so my hart, that wont on your fayre eye<br/> +To feed his fill, flyes backe unto your sight.<br/> +Doe you him take, and in your bosome bright<br/> +Gently encage, that he may be your thrall:<br/> +Perhaps he there may learne, with rare delight,<br/> +To sing your name and prayses over all:<br/> + That it hereafter may you not repent,<br/> + Him lodging in your bosome to have lent. +</p> + +<h4>LXXIV</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Most happy letters! fram’d by skilfull trade,<br/> +With which that happy name was first desynd<br/> +The which three times thrise happy hath me made,<br/> +With guifts of body, fortune, and of mind.<br/> +The first ray being to me gave by kind,<br/> +From mothers womb deriv’d by dew descent:<br/> +The second is my sovereigne Queene most kind,<br/> +That honour and large richesse to me lent:<br/> +The third my Love, my lives last ornament,<br/> +By whom my spirit out of dust was raysed,<br/> +To speake her prayse and glory excellent,<br/> +Of all alive most worthy to be praysed.<br/> + Ye three Elizabeths! for ever live,<br/> + That three such graces did unto me give. +</p> + +<h4>LXXV.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +One day I wrote her name upon the strand,<br/> +But came the waves and washed it away:<br/> +Agayne I wrote it with a second hand;<br/> +But came the tyde, and made my paynes his pray.<br/> +“Vayne man,” sayd she, “that doest in vaine assay<br/> +A mortall thing so to immortalize;<br/> +For I my selve shall lyke to this decay,<br/> +And eke my name bee wyped out lykewize.”<br/> +“Not so,” quod I; “let baser things devize<br/> +To dy in dust, but you shall live by fame:<br/> +My verse your vertues rare shall eternize,<br/> +And in the hevens wryte your glorious name.<br/> + Where, when as death shall all the world subdew,<br/> + Our love shall live, and later life renew.” +</p> + +<h4>LXXVI</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Fayre bosome! fraught with vertues richest tresure,<br/> +The neast of love, the lodging of delight,<br/> +The bowre of blisse, the paradice of pleasure,<br/> +The sacred harbour of that hevenly spright,<br/> +How was I ravisht with your lovely sight,<br/> +And my frayle thoughts too rashly led astray,<br/> +Whiles diving deepe through amorous insight,<br/> +On the sweet spoyle of beautie they did pray,<br/> +And twixt her paps, like early fruit in May,<br/> +Whose harvest seemd to hasten now apace,<br/> +They loosely did theyr wanton winges display,<br/> +And there to rest themselves did boldly place.<br/> + Sweet thoughts! I envy your so happy rest,<br/> + Which oft I wisht, yet never was so blest. +</p> + +<h4>LXXVII.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Was it a dreame, or did I see it playne?<br/> +A goodly table of pure yvory,<br/> +All spred with juncats fit to entertayne<br/> +The greatest prince with pompous roialty:<br/> +Mongst which, there in a silver dish did ly<br/> +Two golden apples of unvalewd* price,<br/> +Far passing those which Hercules came by,<br/> +Or those which Atalanta did entice;<br/> +Exceeding sweet, yet voyd of sinfull vice;<br/> +That many sought, yet none could ever taste;<br/> +Sweet fruit of pleasure, brought from Paradice<br/> +By Love himselfe, and in his garden plaste.<br/> + Her brest that table was, so richly spredd;<br/> + My thoughts the guests, which would thereon have fedd.<br/> +[* <i>Unvalewd</i>, invaluable] +</p> + +<h4>LXXVIII</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Lackyng my Love, I go from place to place,<br/> +Lyke a young fawne that late hath lost the hynd,<br/> +And seeke each where where last I sawe her face,<br/> +Whose ymage yet I carry fresh in mynd.<br/> +I seeke the fields with her late footing synd;<br/> +I seeke her bowre with her late presence deckt;<br/> +Yet nor in field nor bowre I can her fynd,<br/> +Yet field and bowre are full of her aspect.<br/> +But when myne eyes I therunto direct,<br/> +They ydly back return to me agayne;<br/> +And when I hope to see theyr trew obiect,<br/> +I fynd my self but fed with fancies vayne.<br/> + Cease then, myne eyes, to seeke her selfe to see,<br/> + And let my thoughts behold her selfe in mee. +</p> + +<h4>LXXIX</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Men call you fayre, and you doe credit it,<br/> +For that your selfe ye daily such doe see:<br/> +But the trew fayre, that is the gentle wit<br/> +And vertuous mind, is much more praysd of me.<br/> +For all the rest, how ever fayre it be,<br/> +Shall turne to nought and lose that glorious hew;<br/> +But onely that is permanent, and free<br/> +From frayle corruption that doth flesh ensew.<br/> +That is true beautie: that doth argue you<br/> +To be divine, and born of heavenly seed,<br/> +Deriv’d from that fayre Spirit from whom all true<br/> +And perfect beauty did at first proceed.<br/> + He only fayre, and what he fayre hath made;<br/> + All other fayre, lyke flowres, untymely fade. +</p> + +<h4>LXXX</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +After so long a race as I have run<br/> +Through Faery land, which those six books compile,<br/> +Give leave to rest me being half foredonne,<br/> +And gather to my selfe new breath awhile.<br/> +Then, as a steed refreshed after toyle,<br/> +Out of my prison I will break anew,<br/> +And stoutly will that second work assoyle*,<br/> +With strong endevour and attention dew.<br/> +Till then give leave to me in pleasant mew**<br/> +To sport my Muse, and sing my Loves sweet praise,<br/> +The contemplation of whose heavenly hew<br/> +My spirit to an higher pitch will rayse.<br/> + But let her prayses yet be low and meane,<br/> + Fit for the handmayd of the Faery Queene.<br/> +[* <i>Assoyle</i>, discharge.]<br/> +[** <i>Mew</i>, prison, retreat.] +</p> + +<h4>LXXXI.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Fayre is my Love, when her fayre golden haires<br/> +With the loose wynd ye waving chance to marke;<br/> +Fayre, when the rose in her red cheekes appeares,<br/> +Or in her eyes the fyre of love does sparke;<br/> +Fayre, when her brest, lyke a rich laden barke,<br/> +With pretious merchandize she forth doth lay;<br/> +Fayre, when that cloud of pryde, which oft doth dark<br/> +Her goodly light, with smiles she drives away.<br/> +But fayrest she, when so she doth display<br/> +The gate with pearles and rubyes richly dight,<br/> +Throgh which her words so wise do make their way,<br/> +To beare the message of her gentle spright.<br/> + The rest be works of Natures wonderment;<br/> + But this the worke of harts astonishment. +</p> + +<h4>LXXXII.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Ioy of my life! full oft for loving you<br/> +I blesse my lot, that was so lucky placed:<br/> +But then the more your owne mishap I rew,<br/> +That are so much by so meane love embased.<br/> +For had the equall hevens so much you graced<br/> +In this as in the rest, ye mote invent*<br/> +Some hevenly wit, whose verse could have enchased<br/> +Your glorious name in golden moniment.<br/> +But since ye deignd so goodly to relent<br/> +To me your thrall, in whom is little worth,<br/> +That little that I am shall all be spent<br/> +In setting your immortal prayses forth:<br/> + Whose lofty argument, uplifting me,<br/> + Shall lift you up unto an high degree.<br/> +[* <i>Invent</i>, light upon, find.] +</p> + +<h4>LXXXIII</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Let not one sparke of filthy lustfull fyre<br/> +Breake out, that may her sacred peace molest;<br/> +Ne one light glance of sensuall desyre<br/> +Attempt to work her gentle mindes unrest:<br/> +But pure affections bred in spotlesse brest,<br/> +And modest thoughts breathd from well-tempred spirits,<br/> +Goe visit her in her chaste bowre of rest,<br/> +Accompanyde with ángelick delightes.<br/> +There fill your selfe with those most ioyous sights,<br/> +The which my selfe could never yet attayne:<br/> +But speake no word to her of these sad plights,<br/> +Which her too constant stiffnesse doth constrayn.<br/> + Onely behold her rare perfection,<br/> + And blesse your fortunes fayre election. +</p> + +<h4>LXXXIV.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +The world, that cannot deeme of worthy things,<br/> +When I doe praise her, say I doe but flatter:<br/> +So does the cuckow, when the mavis* sings,<br/> +Begin his witlesse note apace to clatter.<br/> +But they, that skill not of so heavenly matter,<br/> +All that they know not, envy or admyre;<br/> +Rather then envy, let them wonder at her,<br/> +But not to deeme of her desert aspyre.<br/> +Deepe in the closet of my parts entyre**,<br/> +Her worth is written with a golden quill,<br/> +That me with heavenly fury doth inspire,<br/> +And my glad mouth with her sweet prayses fill:<br/> + Which when as Fame in her shril trump shall thunder,<br/> + Let the world chuse to envy or to wonder.<br/> +[* <i>Mavis</i>, song-thrush.]<br/> +[** <i>Entyre,</i> inward.] +</p> + +<h4>LXXXV.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Venemous tongue, tipt with vile adders sting,<br/> +Of that self kynd with which the Furies fell,<br/> +Their snaky heads doe combe, from which a spring<br/> +Of poysoned words and spightfull speeches well,<br/> +Let all the plagues and horrid paines of hell<br/> +Upon thee fall for thine accursed hyre,<br/> +That with false forged lyes, which thou didst tell,<br/> +In my true Love did stirre up coles of yre:<br/> +The sparkes whereof let kindle thine own fyre,<br/> +And, catching hold on thine own wicked hed,<br/> +Consume thee quite, that didst with guile conspire<br/> +In my sweet peace such breaches to have bred!<br/> + Shame be thy meed, and mischiefe thy reward,<br/> + Due to thy selfe, that it for me prepard! +</p> + +<h4>LXXXVI.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Since I did leave the presence of my Love,<br/> +Many long weary dayes I have outworne,<br/> +And many nights, that slowly seemd to move<br/> +Theyr sad protract from evening untill morn.<br/> +For, when as day the heaven doth adorne,<br/> +I wish that night the noyous day would end:<br/> +And when as night hath us of light forlorne,<br/> +I wish that day would shortly reascend.<br/> +Thus I the time with expectation spend,<br/> +And faine my griefe with chaunges to beguile,<br/> +That further seemes his terme still to extend,<br/> +And maketh every minute seem a myle.<br/> + So sorrowe still doth seem too long to last;<br/> + But ioyous houres do fly away too fast. +</p> + +<h4>LXXXVII.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Since I have lackt the comfort of that light<br/> +The which was wont to lead my thoughts astray,<br/> +I wander as in darknesse of the night,<br/> +Affrayd of every dangers least dismay.<br/> +Ne ought I see, though in the clearest day,<br/> +When others gaze upon theyr shadowes vayne,<br/> +But th’only image of that heavenly ray<br/> +Whereof some glance doth in mine eie remayne.<br/> +Of which beholding the idaea playne,<br/> +Through contemplation of my purest part,<br/> +With light thereof I doe my self sustayne,<br/> +And thereon feed my love-affamisht hart.<br/> + But with such brightnesse whylest I fill my mind,<br/> + I starve my body, and mine eyes doe blynd. +</p> + +<h4>LXXXVIII.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Lyke as the culver* on the bared bough<br/> +Sits mourning for the absence of her mate,<br/> +And in her songs sends many a wishful vow<br/> +For his returne, that seemes to linger late,<br/> +So I alone, now left disconsolate,<br/> +Mourne to my selfe the absence of my Love;<br/> +And wandring here and there all desolate,<br/> +Seek with my playnts to match that mournful dove<br/> +Ne ioy of ought that under heaven doth hove**,<br/> +Can comfort me, but her owne ioyous sight,<br/> +Whose sweet aspect both God and man can move,<br/> +In her unspotted pleasauns to delight.<br/> + Dark is my day, whyles her fayre light I mis,<br/> + And dead my life that wants such lively blis.<br/> +[* <i>Culver</i>, dove.]<br/> +[** <i>Hove</i>, hover, exist.] +</p> + +<hr /> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap12"></a>EPITHALAMION.</h2> + +<p class="stanza"> +Ye learned Sisters, which have oftentimes<br/> +Beene to me ayding, others to adorne<br/> +Whom ye thought worthy of your gracefull rymes,<br/> +That even the greatest did not greatly scorne<br/> +To heare theyr names sung in your simple layes, 5<br/> +But ioyed in theyr praise,<br/> +And when ye list your own mishaps to mourne,<br/> +Which death, or love, or fortunes wreck did rayse,<br/> +Your string could soone to sadder tenor turne,<br/> +And teach the woods and waters to lament 10<br/> +Your dolefull dreriment,<br/> +Now lay those sorrowfull complaints aside,<br/> +And having all your heads with girlands crownd,<br/> +Helpe me mine owne Loves prayses to resound:<br/> +Ne let the same of any be envide: 15<br/> +So Orpheus did for his owne bride;<br/> +So I unto my selfe alone will sing;<br/> +The woods shall to me answer, and my eccho ring. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Early, before the worlds light-giving lampe<br/> +His golden beame upon the hils doth spred, 20<br/> +Having disperst the nights unchearfull dampe,<br/> +Doe ye awake, and, with fresh lustyhed,<br/> +Go to the bowre of my beloved Love,<br/> +My truest turtle dove.<br/> +Bid her awake; for Hymen is awake, 25<br/> +And long since ready forth his maske to move,<br/> +With his bright tead* that flames with many a flake,<br/> +And many a bachelor to waite on him,<br/> +In theyr fresh garments trim.<br/> +Bid her awake therefore, and soone her dight**, 30<br/> +For loe! the wished day is come at last,<br/> +That shall for all the paynes and sorrowes past<br/> +Pay to her usury of long delight:<br/> +And whylest she doth her dight,<br/> +Doe ye to her of ioy and solace sing, 35<br/> +That all the woods may answer, and your eccho ring.<br/> + [* <i>Tead,</i> torch.]<br/> + [** <i>Dight,</i> deck.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Bring with you all the nymphes that you can heare,<br/> +Both of the rivers and the forrests greene,<br/> +And of the sea that neighbours to her neare,<br/> +All with gay girlands goodly wel beseene*. 40<br/> +And let them also with them bring in hand<br/> +Another gay girland,<br/> +For my fayre Love, of lillyes and of roses,<br/> +Bound truelove wize with a blew silke riband.<br/> +And let them make great store of bridale poses, 45<br/> +And let them eke bring store of other flowers,<br/> +To deck the bridale bowers:<br/> +And let the ground whereas her foot shall tread,<br/> +For feare the stones her tender foot should wrong,<br/> +Be strewd with fragrant flowers all along, 50<br/> +And diapred** lyke the discolored mead.<br/> +Which done, doe at her chamber dore awayt,<br/> +For she will waken strayt;<br/> +The whiles do ye this song unto her sing,<br/> +The woods shall to you answer, and your eccho ring;.<br/> + [* <i>Beseene,</i> adorned.]<br/> + [** <i>Diapred,</i> variegated.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Ye Nymphes of Mulla, which with carefull heed 56<br/> +The silver scaly trouts do tend full well,<br/> +And greedy pikes which use therein to feed,<br/> +(Those trouts and pikes all others doe excell,)<br/> +And ye likewise which keepe the rushy lake, 60<br/> +Where none doo fishes take,<br/> +Bynd up the locks the which hang scatterd light,<br/> +And in his waters, which your mirror make,<br/> +Behold your faces as the christall bright,<br/> +That when you come whereas my Love doth lie, 65<br/> +No blemish she may spie.<br/> +And eke, ye lightfoot mayds which keepe the dere<br/> +That on the hoary mountayne use to towre,<br/> +And the wylde wolves, which seeke them to devoure,<br/> +With your steele darts doe chace from coming neer,<br/> +Be also present heere, 71<br/> +To helpe to decke her, and to help to sing,<br/> +That all the woods may answer, and your eccho ring. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Wake now, my Love, awake! for it is time:<br/> +The rosy Morne long since left Tithons bed, 75<br/> +All ready to her silver coche to clyme,<br/> +And Phoebus gins to shew his glorious hed.<br/> +Hark! how the cheerefull birds do chaunt theyr laies,<br/> +And carroll of Loves praise:<br/> +The merry larke hir mattins sings aloft; 80<br/> +The thrush replyes; the mavis* descant** playes;<br/> +The ouzell@ shrills; the ruddock$ warbles soft;<br/> +So goodly all agree, with sweet consent,<br/> +To this dayes meriment.<br/> +Ah! my deere Love, why doe ye sleepe thus long, 85<br/> +When meeter were that ye should now awake,<br/> +T’awayt the comming of your ioyous make,%<br/> +And hearken to the birds love-learned song,<br/> +The deawy leaves among!<br/> +For they of ioy and pleasance to you sing, 90<br/> +That all the woods them answer, and theyr eccho ring.<br/> + [* <i>Mavis</i>, song-thrush.]<br/> + [** <i>Descant</i>, variation.]<br/> + [@ <i>Ouzell</i>, blackbird.]<br/> + [$ <i>Ruddock</i>, redbreast.]<br/> + [% <i>Make</i>, mate.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +My love is now awake out of her dreame,<br/> +And her fayre eyes, like stars that dimmed were<br/> +With darksome cloud, now shew theyr goodly beams<br/> +More bright then Hesperus his head doth rere. 95<br/> +Come now, ye damzels, daughters of delight,<br/> +Helpe quickly her to dight.<br/> +But first come, ye fayre Houres, which were begot,<br/> +In Ioves sweet paradice, of Day and Night,<br/> +Which doe the seasons of the year allot, 100<br/> +And all that ever in this world is fayre<br/> +Do make and still repayre:<br/> +And ye three handmayds of the Cyprian Queene,<br/> +The which doe still adorn her beauties pride,<br/> +Helpe to adorne my beautifullest bride: 105<br/> +And, as ye her array, still throw betweene<br/> +Some graces to be scene;<br/> +And, as ye use to Venus, to her sing,<br/> +The whiles the woods shal answer, and your eccho ring. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Now is my Love all ready forth to come: 110<br/> +Let all the virgins therefore well awayt,<br/> +And ye fresh boyes, that tend upon her groome,<br/> +Prepare your selves, for he is comming strayt.<br/> +Set all your things in seemely good aray,<br/> +Fit for so ioyfull day, 115<br/> +The ioyfulst day that ever sunne did see.<br/> +Fair Sun! shew forth thy favourable ray,<br/> +And let thy lifull* heat not fervent be,<br/> +For feare of burning her sunshyny face,<br/> +Her beauty to disgrace. 120<br/> +O fayrest Phoebus! Father of the Muse!<br/> +If ever I did honour thee aright,<br/> +Or sing the thing that mote thy mind delight,<br/> +Doe not thy servants simple boone refuse,<br/> +But let this day, let this one day, be mine; 125<br/> +Let all the rest be thine.<br/> +Then I thy soverayne prayses loud wil sing,<br/> +That all the woods shal answer, and theyr eccho ring.<br/> + [* <i>Lifull</i>, life-full.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Harke! how the minstrils gin to shrill aloud<br/> +Their merry musick that resounds from far, 130<br/> +The pipe, the tabor, and the trembling croud*,<br/> +That well agree withouten breach or iar.<br/> +But most of all the damzels doe delite,<br/> +When they their tymbrels smyte,<br/> +And thereunto doe daunce and carrol sweet, 135<br/> +That all the sences they doe ravish quite;<br/> +The whyles the boyes run up and downe the street,<br/> +Crying aloud with strong confused noyce,<br/> +As if it were one voyce,<br/> +“Hymen, Iö Hymen, Hymen,” they do shout; 140<br/> +That even to the heavens theyr shouting shrill<br/> +Doth reach, and all the firmament doth fill;<br/> +To which the people, standing all about,<br/> +As in approvance, doe thereto applaud,<br/> +And loud advaunce her laud; 145<br/> +And evermore they “Hymen, Hymen,” sing,<br/> +That all the woods them answer, and theyr eccho ring.<br/> + [* <i>Croud</i>, violin] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Loe! where she comes along with portly pace,<br/> +Lyke Phoebe, from her chamber of the East,<br/> +Arysing forth to run her mighty race, 150<br/> +Clad all in white, that seems a virgin best.<br/> +So well it her beseems, that ye would weene<br/> +Some angell she had beene.<br/> +Her long loose yellow locks lyke golden wyre,<br/> +Sprinckled with perle, and perling flowres atweene,<br/> +Doe lyke a golden mantle her attyre, 156<br/> +And, being crowned with a girland greene,<br/> +Seem lyke some mayden queene.<br/> +Her modest eyes, abashed to behold<br/> +So many gazers as on her do stare, 160<br/> +Upon the lowly ground affixed are,<br/> +Ne dare lift up her countenance too bold,<br/> +But blush to heare her prayses sung so loud,—<br/> +So farre from being proud.<br/> +Nathlesse doe ye still loud her prayses sing, 165<br/> +That all the woods may answer, and your eccho ring. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Tell me, ye merchants daughters, did ye see<br/> +So fayre a creature in your towne before;<br/> +So sweet, so lovely, and so mild as she,<br/> +Adornd with beautyes grace and vertues store? 170<br/> +Her goodly eyes lyke saphyres shining bright,<br/> +Her forehead yvory white,<br/> +Her cheekes lyke apples which the sun hath rudded,<br/> +Her lips lyke cherries, charming men to byte,<br/> +Her brest like to a bowl of creame uncrudded*, 175<br/> +Her paps lyke lyllies budded,<br/> +Her snowie necke lyke to a marble towre,<br/> +And all her body like a pallace fayre,<br/> +Ascending up, with many a stately stayre,<br/> +To honors seat and chastities sweet bowre. 180<br/> +Why stand ye still, ye virgins, in amaze,<br/> +Upon her so to gaze,<br/> +Whiles ye forget your former lay to sing,<br/> +To which the woods did answer, and your eccho ring?<br/> + [* <i>Uncrudded</i>, uncurdled.]<br/> + [Ver. 168.—<i>In your towne</i>. The marriage seems to have taken place in +Cork, and we might infer from this passage that the heroine of the song was a +merchant’s daughter. C.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +But if ye saw that which no eyes can see, 185<br/> +The inward beauty of her lively spright,<br/> +Garnisht with heavenly guifts of high degree,<br/> +Much more then would ye wonder at that sight,<br/> +And stand astonisht lyke to those which red*<br/> +Medusaes mazeful hed. 190<br/> +There dwells sweet Love, and constant Chastity,<br/> +Unspotted Fayth, and comely Womanhood,<br/> +Regard of Honour, and mild Modesty;<br/> +There Vertue raynes as queene in royal throne,<br/> +And giveth lawes alone, 195<br/> +The which the base affections doe obay,<br/> +And yeeld theyr services unto her will;<br/> +Ne thought of things uncomely ever may<br/> +Thereto approch to tempt her mind to ill.<br/> +Had ye once seene these her celestial threasures, 200<br/> +And unrevealed pleasures,<br/> +Then would ye wonder, and her prayses sing,<br/> +That all the woods should answer, and your eccho ring.<br/> + [* <i>Red</i>, saw.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Open the temple gates unto my Love,<br/> +Open them wide that she may enter in, 205<br/> +And all the postes adorne as doth behove,<br/> +And all the pillours deck with girlands trim,<br/> +For to receyve this saynt with honour dew,<br/> +That commeth in to you.<br/> +With trembling steps and humble reverence, 210<br/> +She commeth in before th’Almighties view:<br/> +Of her, ye virgins, learne obedience,<br/> +When so ye come into those holy places,<br/> +To humble your proud faces.<br/> +Bring her up to th’high altar, that she may 215<br/> +The sacred ceremonies there partake,<br/> +The which do endlesse matrimony make;<br/> +And let the roring organs loudly play<br/> +The praises of the Lord in lively notes;<br/> +The whiles, with hollow throates, 220<br/> +The choristers the ioyous antheme sing,<br/> +That all the woods may answer, and their eccho ring. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Behold, whiles she before the altar stands,<br/> +Hearing the holy priest that to her speakes<br/> +And blesseth her with his two happy hands, 225<br/> +How the red roses flush up in her cheekes,<br/> +And the pure snow with goodly vermill stayne,<br/> +Like crimsin dyde in grayne:<br/> +That even the angels, which continually<br/> +About the sacred altar doe remaine, 230<br/> +Forget their service and about her fly,<br/> +Ofte peeping in her face, that seems more fayre<br/> +The more they on it stare.<br/> +But her sad* eyes, still fastened on the ground,<br/> +Are governed with goodly modesty, 235<br/> +That suffers not one look to glaunce awry,<br/> +Which may let in a little thought unsownd.<br/> +Why blush ye, Love, to give to me your hand,<br/> +The pledge of all our band?<br/> +Sing, ye sweet angels, Alleluya sing, 240<br/> +That all the woods may answer, and your eccho ring.<br/> + [* <i>Sad</i>, serious] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Now al is done; bring home the bride againe;<br/> +Bring home the triumph of our victory;<br/> +Bring home with you the glory of her game,<br/> +With ioyance bring her and with iollity. 245<br/> +Never had man more ioyfull day than this,<br/> +Whom heaven would heape with blis.<br/> +Make feast therefore now all this live-long day;<br/> +This day for ever to me holy is.<br/> +Poure out the wine without restraint or stay,<br/> +Poure not by cups, but by the belly full,<br/> +Poure out to all that wull*,<br/> +And sprinkle all the posts and wals with wine,<br/> +That they may sweat, and drunken be withall.<br/> +Crowne ye god Bacchus with a coronall,<br/> +And Hymen also crowne with wreaths of vine;<br/> +And let the Graces daunce unto the rest,<br/> +For they can doo it best:<br/> +The whiles the maydens doe theyr carroll sing,<br/> +To which the woods shall answer, and theyr eccho ring.<br/> + [* <i>Wull</i>, will.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Ring ye the bels, ye yong men of the towne,<br/> +And leave your wonted labors for this day:<br/> +This day is holy; doe ye write it downe,<br/> +That ye for ever it remember may.<br/> +This day the sunne is in his chiefest hight,<br/> +With Barnaby the bright*,<br/> +From whence declining daily by degrees,<br/> +He somewhat loseth of his heat and light,<br/> +When once the Crab behind his back he sees.<br/> +But for this time it ill ordained was,<br/> +To choose the longest day in all the yeare,<br/> +And shortest night, when longest fitter weare:<br/> +Yet never day so long, but late would passe.<br/> +Ring ye the bels to make it weare away,<br/> +And bonefiers make all day; 275<br/> +And daunce about them, and about them sing,<br/> +That all the woods may answer, and your eccho ring.<br/> + [* Ver. 266.—<i>Barnaby the bright</i>. The difference between the old and +new style at the time this poem was written was ten days. The summer solstice +therefore fell on St. Barnabas’s day, the 11th of June. C.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Ah! when will this long weary day have end,<br/> +And lende me leave to come unto my Love?<br/> +How slowly do the houres theyr numbers spend? 280<br/> +How slowly does sad Time his feathers move?<br/> +Hast thee, O fayrest planet, to thy home,<br/> +Within the Westerne fome:<br/> +Thy tyred steedes long since have need of rest.<br/> +Long though it be, at last I see it gloome, 285<br/> +And the bright evening-star with golden creast<br/> +Appeare out of the East.<br/> +Fayre childe of beauty! glorious lampe of love!<br/> +That all the host of heaven in rankes doost lead,<br/> +And guidest lovers through the nights sad dread, 290<br/> +How chearefully thou lookest from above,<br/> +And seemst to laugh atweene thy twinkling light,<br/> +As ioying in the sight<br/> +Of these glad many, which for ioy do sing, 294<br/> +That all the woods them answer, and their eccho ring! +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Now ceasse, ye damsels, your delights fore-past;<br/> +Enough it is that all the day was youres:<br/> +Now day is doen, and night is nighing fast;<br/> +Now bring the bryde into the brydall bowres.<br/> +The night is come; now soon her disaray, 300<br/> +And in her bed her lay;<br/> +Lay her in lillies and in violets,<br/> +And silken curteins over her display,<br/> +And odourd sheets, and Arras coverlets.<br/> +Behold how goodly my faire Love does ly, 305<br/> +In proud humility!<br/> +Like unto Maia, when as Iove her took<br/> +In Tempe, lying on the flowry gras,<br/> +Twixt sleepe and wake, after she weary was<br/> +With bathing in the Acidalian brooke. 310<br/> +Now it is night, ye damsels may be gone,<br/> +And leave my Love alone,<br/> +And leave likewise your former lay to sing:<br/> +The woods no more shall answer, nor your eccho ring. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Now welcome, Night! thou night so long expected,<br/> +That long daies labour doest at last defray, 316<br/> +And all my cares, which cruell Love collected,<br/> +Hast sumd in one, and cancelled for aye.<br/> +Spread thy broad wing over my Love and me,<br/> +That no man may us see; 320<br/> +And in thy sable mantle us enwrap,<br/> +From feare of perrill and foule horror free.<br/> +Let no false treason seeke us to entrap,<br/> +Nor any dread disquiet once annoy<br/> +The safety of our ioy; 325<br/> +But let the night be calme and quietsome,<br/> +Without tempestuous storms or sad afray;<br/> +Lyke as when Iove with fayre Alemena lay,<br/> +When he begot the great Tirynthian groome;<br/> +Or lyke as when he with thy selfe did lie, 330<br/> +And begot Maiesty:<br/> +And let the mayds and yongmen cease to sing;<br/> +Ne let the woods them answer, nor theyr eccho ring. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Let no lamenting cryes, nor dolefull teares,<br/> +Be heard all night within, nor yet without: 335<br/> +Ne let false whispers, breeding hidden feares,<br/> +Breake gentle sleepe with misconceived dout.<br/> +Let no deluding dreames, nor dreadful sights,<br/> +Make sudden sad affrights:<br/> +Ne let house-fyres, nor lightnings helpless harmes, 340<br/> +Ne let the Pouke, nor other evill sprights,<br/> +Ne let mischievous witches with theyr charmes,<br/> +Ne let hob-goblins, names whose sence we see not,<br/> +Fray us with things that be not:<br/> +Let not the shriech-owle, nor the storke, be heard, 345<br/> +Nor the night-raven, that still deadly yels,<br/> +Nor damned ghosts, cald up with mighty spels,<br/> +Nor griesly vultures, make us once affeard:<br/> +Ne let th’unpleasant quyre of frogs still croking<br/> +Make us to wish theyr choking. 350<br/> +Let none of these theyr drery accents sing;<br/> +Ne let the woods them answer, nor theyr eccho ring.<br/> + [Ver. 341.—The <i>Pouke</i> (Puck is a generic term, signifying fiend, or +mischievous imp) is Robin Goodfellow. C.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +But let stil Silence trew night-watches keepe,<br/> +That sacred Peace may in assurance rayne,<br/> +And tymely Sleep, when it is tyme to sleepe, 355<br/> +May poure his limbs forth on your pleasant playne.<br/> +The whiles an hundred little winged Loves,<br/> +Like divers-fethered doves,<br/> +Shall fly and flutter round about the bed,<br/> +And in the secret darke, that none reproves, 360<br/> +Their prety stealthes shall worke, and snares shall spread<br/> +To filch away sweet snatches of delight,<br/> +Conceald through covert night.<br/> +Ye sonnes of Venus, play your sports at will!<br/> +For greedy Pleasure, carelesse of your toyes, 365<br/> +Thinks more upon her paradise of ioyes,<br/> +Then what ye do, albe it good or ill.<br/> +All night, therefore, attend your merry play,<br/> +For it will soone be day:<br/> +Now none doth hinder you, that say or sing; 370<br/> +Ne will the woods now answer, nor your eccho ring. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Who is the same which at my window peepes?<br/> +Or whose is that faire face that shines so bright?<br/> +Is it not Cinthia, she that never sleepes,<br/> +But walkes about high heaven al the night? 375<br/> +O fayrest goddesse! do thou not envy<br/> +My Love with me to spy:<br/> +For thou likewise didst love, though now unthought,<br/> +And for a fleece of wooll, which privily<br/> +The Latmian Shepherd* once unto thee brought, 380<br/> +His pleasures with thee wrought.<br/> +Therefore to us be favorable now;<br/> +And sith of wemens labours thou hast charge,<br/> +And generation goodly dost enlarge,<br/> +Encline thy will t’effect our wishfull vow, 385<br/> +And the chast womb informe with timely seed,<br/> +That may our comfort breed:<br/> +Till which we cease our hopefull hap to sing,<br/> +Ne let the woods us answer, nor our eccho ring.<br/> + [* I.e. Endymion.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +And thou, great Iuno! which with awful might 390<br/> +The lawes of wedlock still dost patronize,<br/> +And the religion of the faith first plight<br/> +With sacred rites hast taught to solemnize,<br/> +And eke for comfort often called art<br/> +Of women in their smart, 395<br/> +Eternally bind thou this lovely band,<br/> +And all thy blessings unto us impart.<br/> +And thou, glad Genius! in whose gentle hand<br/> +The bridale bowre and geniall bed remaine,<br/> +Without blemish or staine, 400<br/> +And the sweet pleasures of theyr loves delight<br/> +With secret ayde doost succour and supply,<br/> +Till they bring forth the fruitfull progeny,<br/> +Send us the timely fruit of this same night,<br/> +And thou, fayre Hebe! and thou, Hymen free! 405<br/> +Grant that it may so be.<br/> +Till which we cease your further prayse to sing,<br/> +Ne any woods shall answer, nor your eccho ring. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +And ye high heavens, the temple of the gods,<br/> +In which a thousand torches flaming bright 410<br/> +Doe burne, that to us wretched earthly clods<br/> +In dreadful darknesse lend desired light,<br/> +And all ye powers which in the same remayne,<br/> +More than we men can fayne,<br/> +Poure out your blessing on us plentiously, 415<br/> +And happy influence upon us raine,<br/> +That we may raise a large posterity,<br/> +Which from the earth, which they may long possesse<br/> +With lasting happinesse,<br/> +Up to your haughty pallaces may mount, 420<br/> +And for the guerdon of theyr glorious merit,<br/> +May heavenly tabernacles there inherit,<br/> +Of blessed saints for to increase the count.<br/> +So let us rest, sweet Love, in hope of this,<br/> +And cease till then our tymely ioyes to sing: 425<br/> +The woods no more us answer, nor our eccho ring! +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +<i>Song, made in lieu of many ornaments<br/> +With which my Love should duly have been dect,<br/> +Which cutting off through hasty accidents,<br/> +Ye would not stay your dew time to expect, 430<br/> +But promist both to recompens,<br/> +Be unto her a goodly ornament,<br/> +And for short time an endlesse moniment!</i> +</p> + +<hr /> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap13"></a>PROTHALAMION:</h2> + +<h5>OR,</h5> + +<h5>A SPOUSALL VERSE,</h5> + +<h5>MADE BY</h5> + +<h5>EDM. SPENSER.</h5> + +<h4> +IN HONOUR OF THE DOUBLE MARRIAGE OF THE TWO HONORABLE AND VERTUOUS LADIES, THE +LADIE ELIZABETH, AND THE LADIE KATHERINE SOMERSET, DAUGHTERS TO THE RIGHT +HONORABLE THE EARLE OF WORCESTER, AND ESPOUSED TO THE TWO WORTHIE GENTLEMEN, M. +HENRY GILFORD AND M. WILLIAM PETER, ESQUYERS. +</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +(1596) +</p> + +<h3>PROTHALAMION:</h3> + +<h5>OR,</h5> + +<h5>A SPOUSALL VERSE.</h5> + +<p class="stanza"> +Calme was the day, and through the trembling ayre<br/> +Sweete-breathing Zephyrus did softly play<br/> +A gentle spirit, that lightly did delay*<br/> +Hot Titans beames, which then did glyster fayre;<br/> +When I (whom sullein care,<br/> +Through discontent of my long fruitlesse stay<br/> +In princes court, and expectation vayne<br/> +Of idle hopes, which still doe fly away<br/> +Like empty shadows, did afflict my brayne,)<br/> +Walkt forth to ease my payne 10<br/> +Along the shoare of silver streaming Themmes;<br/> +Whose rutty** bank, the which his river hemmes,<br/> +Was paynted all with variable flowers,<br/> +And all the meades adornd with dainty gemmes,<br/> +Fit to decke maydens bowres, 15<br/> +And crowne their paramours<br/> +Against the brydale day, which is not long@:<br/> + Sweet Themmes! runne softly, till I end my song.<br/> +[* <i>Delay</i>, allay.]<br/> +[** <i>Rutty</i>, rooty.]<br/> +[@ <i>Long</i>, distant.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +There, in a meadow by the rivers side,<br/> +A flocke of Nymphes I chaunced to espy, 20<br/> +All lovely daughters of the flood thereby,<br/> +With goodly greenish locks, all loose untyde,<br/> +As each had bene a bryde;<br/> +And each one had a little wicker basket,<br/> +Made of fine twigs, entrayled* curiously, 25<br/> +In which they gathered flowers to fill their flasket**,<br/> +And with fine fingers cropt full feateously@<br/> +The tender stalkes on hye.<br/> +Of every sort which in that meadow grew<br/> +They gathered some; the violet, pallid blew, 30<br/> +The little dazie, that at evening closes,<br/> +The virgin lillie, and the primrose trew,<br/> +With store of vermeil roses,<br/> +To deck their bridegroomes posies<br/> +Against the brydale day, which was not long: 35<br/> + Sweet Themmes! runne softly, till I end my song.<br/> +[* <i>Entrayled</i>, interwoven.]<br/> +[** <i>Flasket</i>, a long, shallow basket.]<br/> +[@ <i>Feateously</i>, dexterously.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +With that I saw two Swannes of goodly hewe<br/> +Come softly swimming downe along the lee*:<br/> +Two fairer birds I yet did never see;<br/> +The snow which doth the top of Pindus strew 40<br/> +Did never whiter shew,<br/> +Nor Jove himselfe, when he a swan would be<br/> +For love of Leda, whiter did appear;<br/> +Yet Leda was, they say, as white as he,<br/> +Yet not so white as these, nor nothing near: 45<br/> +So purely white they were,<br/> +That even the gentle stream, the which them bare,<br/> +Seem’d foule to them, and bad his billowes spare<br/> +To wet their silken feathers, least they might<br/> +Soyle their fayre plumes with water not so fayre, 50<br/> +And marre their beauties bright,<br/> +That shone as heavens light,<br/> +Against their brydale day, which was not long:<br/> + Sweet Themmes! runne softly, till I end my song.<br/> +[* <i>Lee</i>, stream.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Eftsoones, the Nymphes, which now had flowers their fill, 55<br/> +Ran all in haste to see that silver brood,<br/> +As they came floating on the cristal flood;<br/> +Whom when they sawe, they stood amazed still,<br/> +Their wondring eyes to fill.<br/> +Them seem’d they never saw a sight so fayre 60<br/> +Of fowles, so lovely, that they sure did deeme<br/> +Them heavenly borne, or to be that same payre<br/> +Which through the skie draw Venus stiver teeme;<br/> +For sure they did not seeme<br/> +To be begot of any earthly seede, 65<br/> +But rather angels, or of angels breede;<br/> +Yet were they bred of Somers-heat, they say,<br/> +In sweetest season, when each flower and weede<br/> +The earth did fresh aray;<br/> +So fresh they seem’d as day, 70<br/> +Even as their brydale day, which was not long:<br/> + Sweet Themmes! runne softly, till I end my song.<br/> +[Ver. 67—<i>Somers-heat</i>. A pun on the name of the Ladies Somerset. C.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Then forth they all out of their baskets drew<br/> +Great store of flowers, the honour of the field,<br/> +That to the sense did fragrant odours yeild, 75<br/> +All which upon those goodly birds they threw,<br/> +And all the waves did strew,<br/> +That like old Peneus waters they did seeme,<br/> +When downe along by pleasant Tempes shore,<br/> +Scattred with flowres, through Thessaly they streeme,<br/> +That they appeare, through lillies plenteous store, 81<br/> +Like a brydes chamber flore.<br/> +Two of those Nymphes, meane while, two garlands bound<br/> +Of freshest flowres which in that mead they found,<br/> +The which presenting all in trim array, 85<br/> +Their snowie foreheads therewithall they crownd,<br/> +Whilst one did sing this lay,<br/> +Prepar’d against that day,<br/> +Against their brydale day, which was not long:<br/> + Sweet Themmes! runne softly, till I end my song. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +“Ye gentle Birdes! the worlds faire ornament, 91<br/> +And heavens glorie, whom this happie hower<br/> +Doth leade unto your lovers blissfull bower,<br/> +Ioy may you have, and gentle hearts content<br/> +Of your loves couplement; 95<br/> +And let faire Venus, that is Queene of Love,<br/> +With her heart-quelling sonne upon you smile,<br/> +Whose smile, they say, hath vertue to remove<br/> +All loves dislike, and friendships faultie guile<br/> +For ever to assoile*. 100<br/> +Let endlesse peace your steadfast hearts accord,<br/> +And blessed plentie wait upon your bord;<br/> +And let your bed with pleasures chast abound.<br/> +That fruitfull issue may to you afford,<br/> +Which may your foes confound, 105<br/> +And make your ioyes redound<br/> +Upon your brydale day, which is not long:<br/> + Sweet Themmes! runne softlie, till I end my song.”<br/> +[* <i>Assoile</i>, do away with.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +So ended she; and all the rest around<br/> +To her redoubled that her undersong*, 110<br/> +Which said, their brydale daye should not be long:<br/> +And gentle Eccho from the neighbour ground<br/> +Their accents did resound.<br/> +So forth those ioyous birdes did passe along<br/> +Adowne the lee, that to them murmurde low, 115<br/> +As he would speake, but that he lackt a tong,<br/> +Yet did by signes his glad affection show,<br/> +Making his streame run slow.<br/> +And all the foule which in his flood did dwell<br/> +Gan flock about these twaine, that did excell 120<br/> +The rest so far as Cynthia doth shend**<br/> +The lesser stars. So they, enranged well,<br/> +Did on those two attend,<br/> +And their best service lend<br/> +Against their wedding day, which was not long: 125<br/> + Sweet Themmes! runne softly, till I end my song.<br/> +[* <i>Undersong</i>, burden.]<br/> +[** <i>Shend</i>, put to shame.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +At length they all to mery London came,<br/> +To mery London, my most kyndly nurse,<br/> +That to me gave this lifes first native sourse,<br/> +Though from another place I take my name, 130<br/> +An house of auncient fame.<br/> +There when they came whereas those bricky towres<br/> +The which on Themmes brode aged backe doe ryde,<br/> +Where now the studious lawyers have their bowers.—<br/> +There whylome wont the Templer Knights to byde,<br/> +Till they decayd through pride,— 136<br/> +Next whereunto there standes a stately place,<br/> +Where oft I gayned giftes and goodly grace<br/> +Of that great lord which therein wont to dwell,<br/> +Whose want too well now feels my freendles case: 140<br/> +But ah! here fits not well<br/> +Olde woes, but ioyes, to tell,<br/> +Against the bridale daye, which is not long:<br/> + Sweet Themmes! runne softly, till I end my song.<br/> +[Ver. 137.—<i>A stately place</i> Exeter House, the residence first of the +Earl of Leicester, and afterwards of Essex. C.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Yet therein now doth lodge a noble peer, 145<br/> +Great Englands glory and the worlds wide wonder,<br/> +Whose dreadfull name late through all Spaine did thunder,<br/> +And Hercules two pillors standing neere<br/> +Did make to quake and feare.<br/> +Faire branch of honor, flower of chevalrie! 150<br/> +That fillest England with thy triumphs fame,<br/> +Ioy have thou of thy noble victorie,<br/> +And endlesse happinesse of thine owne name,<br/> +That promiseth the same;<br/> +That through thy prowesse and victorious armes 155<br/> +Thy country may be freed from forraine harmes,<br/> +And great Elisaes glorious name may ring<br/> +Through al the world, fil’d with thy wide alarmes.<br/> +Which some brave Muse may sing<br/> +To ages following, 160<br/> +Upon the brydale day, which is not long:<br/> + Sweet Themmes! runne softly, till I end my song.<br/> +[Ver. 147.—<i>Whose dreadfull name, &c</i>. The allusion here is to the +expedition against Cadiz, from which Essex returned in August, 1596. C.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +From those high towers this noble lord issuing,<br/> +Like radiant Hesper, when his golden hayre<br/> +In th’ocean billowes he hath bathed fayre, 165<br/> +Descended to the rivers open vewing,<br/> +With a great traine ensuing.<br/> +Above the rest were goodly to bee scene<br/> +Two gentle Knights of lovely face and feature,<br/> +Beseeming well the bower of any queene, 170<br/> +With gifts of wit and ornaments of nature<br/> +Fit for so goodly stature,<br/> +That like the twins of Iove they seem’d in sight,<br/> +Which decke the bauldricke of the heavens bright.<br/> +They two, forth pacing to the rivers side, 175<br/> +Receiv’d those two faire brides, their loves delight;<br/> +Which, at th’appointed tyde,<br/> +Each one did make his bryde<br/> +Against their brydale day, which is not long: 179<br/> + Sweet Themmes! runne softly, till I end my song. +</p> + +<hr /> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap14"></a>FOWRE HYMNES</h2> + +<h5>MADE BY</h5> + +<h5>EDM. SPENSER.</h5> + +<h4>TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE AND MOST VERTUOUS LADIES,</h4> + +<h5>THE LADIE MARGARET,</h5> + +<h5>COUNTESSE OF CUMBERLAND;</h5> + +<h5>AND THE LADIE MARIE*,</h5> + +<h5>COUNTESSE OF WARWICK.</h5> + +<p class="stanza"> +Having, in the greener times of my youth, composed these former two +Hymnes in the praise of love and beautie, and finding that the same too +much pleased those of like age and disposition, which, being too +vehemently carried with that kind of affection, do rather sucke out +poyson to their strong passion, then honey to their honest delight, I +was moved, by the one of you two most excellent Ladies, to call in the +same; but being unable so to do, by reason that many copies thereof were +formerly scattered abroad, I resolved at least to amend, and, by way of +retraction, to reforme them, making (instead of those two Hymnes of +earthly or naturall love and beautie) two others of heavenly and +celestiall; the which I doe dedicate ioyntly unto you two honorable +sisters, as to the most excellent and rare ornaments of all true love +and beautie, both in the one and the other kind; humbly beseeching you +to vouchsafe the patronage of them, and to accept this my humble +service, in lieu of the great graces and honourable favours which ye +dayly shew unto me, until such time as I may, by better meanes, yeeld +you some more notable testimonie of my thankfull mind and dutifull +devotion. And even so I pray for your happinesse. Greenwich, this first +of September, 1596. Your Honors most bounden ever, +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +In all humble service, +</p> + +<h5>ED. SP.</h5> + +<p class="stanza"> +[* The Countess of Warwick’s name was Anne, not Mary. TODD.] +</p> + +<hr /> + +<h3>AN HYMNE</h3> + +<h5>IN HONOUR OF LOVE.</h5> + +<p class="stanza"> +Love, that long since hast to thy mighty powre<br/> +Perforce subdude my poor captived hart,<br/> +And raging now therein with restlesse stowre*,<br/> +Doest tyrannize in everie weaker part,<br/> +Faine would I seeke to ease my bitter smart 5<br/> +By any service I might do to thee,<br/> +Or ought that else might to thee pleasing bee.<br/> + [* <i>Stowre</i>, commotion.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +And now t’asswage the force of this new flame,<br/> +And make thee more propitious in my need,<br/> +I meane to sing the praises of thy name, 10<br/> +And thy victorious conquests to areed*,<br/> +By which thou madest many harts to bleed<br/> +Of mighty victors, with wide wounds embrewed,<br/> +And by thy cruell darts to thee subdewed.<br/> + [* <i>Areed</i>, set forth.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Onely I fear my wits, enfeebled late 15<br/> +Through the sharp sorrowes which thou hast me bred,<br/> +Should faint, and words should faile me to relate<br/> +The wondrous triumphs of thy great god-hed:<br/> +But, if thou wouldst vouchsafe to overspred<br/> +Me with the shadow of thy gentle wing, 20<br/> +I should enabled be thy actes to sing. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Come, then, O come, thou mightie God of Love!<br/> +Out of thy silver bowres and secret blisse,<br/> +Where thou dost sit in Venus lap above,<br/> +Bathing thy wings in her ambrosial kisse, 25<br/> +That sweeter farre than any nectar is,<br/> +Come softly, and my feeble breast inspire<br/> +With gentle furie, kindled of thy fire. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +And ye, sweet Muses! which have often proved<br/> +The piercing points of his avengefull darts, 30<br/> +And ye, fair Nimphs! which oftentimes have loved<br/> +The cruel worker of your kindly smarts,<br/> +Prepare yourselves, and open wide your harts<br/> +For to receive the triumph of your glorie,<br/> +That made you merie oft when ye were sorrie. 35 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +And ye, faire blossoms of youths wanton breed!<br/> +Which in the conquests of your beautie bost,<br/> +Wherewith your lovers feeble eyes you feed,<br/> +But sterve their harts, that needeth nourture most,<br/> +Prepare your selves to march amongst his host, 40<br/> +And all the way this sacred hymne do sing,<br/> +Made in the honor of your soveraigne king. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Great God of Might, that reignest in the mynd,<br/> +And all the bodie to thy hest doest frame,<br/> +Victor of gods, subduer of mankynd, 45<br/> +That doest the lions and fell tigers tame,<br/> +Making their cruell rage thy scornfull game,<br/> +And in their roring taking great delight,<br/> +Who can expresse the glorie of thy might? +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Or who alive can perfectly declare 50<br/> +The wondrous cradle of thine infancie,<br/> +When thy great mother Venus first thee bare,<br/> +Begot of Plenty and of Penurie,<br/> +Though elder then thine own nativitie,<br/> +And yet a chyld, renewing still thy yeares, 55<br/> +And yet the eldest of the heavenly peares? +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +For ere this worlds still moving mightie masse<br/> +Out of great Chaos ugly prison crept,<br/> +In which his goodly face long hidden was<br/> +From heavens view, and in deep darknesse kept, 60<br/> +Love, that had now long time securely slept<br/> +In Venus lap, unarmed then and naked,<br/> +Gan reare his head, by Clotho being waked: +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +And taking to him wings of his own heat,<br/> +Kindled at first from heavens life-giving fyre, 65<br/> +He gan to move out of his idle seat;<br/> +Weakly at first, but after with desyre<br/> +Lifted aloft, he gan to mount up hyre*,<br/> +And, like fresh eagle, made his hardy flight<br/> +Thro all that great wide wast, yet wanting light. 70<br/> + [* <i>Hyre</i>, higher.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Yet wanting light to guide his wandring way,<br/> +His own faire mother, for all creatures sake,<br/> +Did lend him light from her owne goodly ray;<br/> +Then through the world his way he gan to take,<br/> +The world, that was not till he did it make, 75<br/> +Whose sundrie parts he from themselves did sever.<br/> +The which before had lyen confused ever. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +The earth, the ayre, the water, and the fyre,<br/> +Then gan to raunge themselves in huge array,<br/> +And with contráry forces to conspyre 80<br/> +Each against other by all meanes they may,<br/> +Threatning their owne confusion and decay:<br/> +Ayre hated earth, and water hated fyre,<br/> +Till Love relented their rebellious yre. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +He then them tooke, and, tempering goodly well 85<br/> +Their contrary dislikes with loved meanes,<br/> +Did place them all in order, and compell<br/> +To keepe themselves within their sundrie raines*,<br/> +Together linkt with adamantine chaines;<br/> +Yet so as that in every living wight 90<br/> +They mix themselves, and shew their kindly might.<br/> + [* <i>Raines</i>, kingdoms.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +So ever since they firmely have remained,<br/> +And duly well observed his beheast;<br/> +Through which now all these things that are contained<br/> +Within this goodly cope, both most and least, 95<br/> +Their being have, and daily are increast<br/> +Through secret sparks of his infused fyre,<br/> +Which in the barraine cold he doth inspyre. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Thereby they all do live, and moved are<br/> +To multiply the likenesse of their kynd, 100<br/> +Whilest they seeke onely, without further care,<br/> +To quench the flame which they in burning fynd;<br/> +But man, that breathes a more immortall mynd,<br/> +Not for lusts sake, but for eternitie,<br/> +Seekes to enlarge his lasting progenie. 105 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +For having yet in his deducted spright<br/> +Some sparks remaining of that heavenly fyre,<br/> +He is enlumind with that goodly light,<br/> +Unto like goodly semblant to aspyre;<br/> +Therefore in choice of love he doth desyre 110<br/> +That seemes on earth most heavenly to embrace,<br/> +That same is Beautie, borne of heavenly race. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +For sure, of all that in this mortall frame<br/> +Contained is, nought more divine doth seeme,<br/> +Or that resembleth more th’immortall flame 115<br/> +Of heavenly light, than Beauties glorious beam.<br/> +What wonder then, if with such rage extreme<br/> +Frail men, whose eyes seek heavenly things to see,<br/> +At sight thereof so much enravisht bee? +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Which well perceiving, that imperious boy 120<br/> +Doth therewith tip his sharp empoisned darts,<br/> +Which glancing thro the eyes with* countenance coy<br/> +Rest not till they have pierst the trembling harts,<br/> +And kindled flame in all their inner parts,<br/> +Which suckes the blood, and drinketh up the lyfe, 125<br/> +Of carefull wretches with consuming griefe.<br/> + [* Qu. from? WARTON.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Thenceforth they playne, and make full piteous mone<br/> +Unto the author of their balefull bane:<br/> +The daies they waste, the nights they grieve and grone,<br/> +Their lives they loath, and heavens light disdaine; 130<br/> +No light but that whose lampe doth yet remaine<br/> +Fresh burning in the image of their eye,<br/> +They deigne to see, and seeing it still dye. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +The whylst thou, tyrant Love, doest laugh and scorne<br/> +At their complaints, making their paine thy play; 135<br/> +Whylest they lye languishing like thrals forlorne,<br/> +The whyles thou doest triumph in their decay;<br/> +And otherwhyles, their dying to delay,<br/> +Thou doest emmarble the proud hart of her<br/> +Whose love before their life they doe prefer. 140 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +So hast thou often done (ay me the more!)<br/> +To me thy vassall, whose yet bleeding hart<br/> +With thousand wounds thou mangled hast so sore,<br/> +That whole remaines scarse any little part;<br/> +Yet to augment the anguish of my smart, 145<br/> +Thou hast enfrosen her disdainefull brest,<br/> +That no one drop of pitie there doth rest. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Why then do I this honor unto thee,<br/> +Thus to ennoble thy victorious name,<br/> +Sith thou doest shew no favour unto mee, 150<br/> +Ne once move ruth in that rebellious dame, +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Somewhat to slacke the rigour of my flame?<br/> +Certes small glory doest thou winne hereby,<br/> +To let her live thus free, and me to dy. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +But if thou be indeede, as men thee call, 155<br/> +The worlds great parent, the most kind preserver<br/> +Of living wights, the soveraine lord of all,<br/> +How falles it then that with thy furious fervour<br/> +Thou doest afflict as well the not-deserver,<br/> +As him that doeth thy lovely heasts despize, 160<br/> +And on thy subiects most doth tyrannize? +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Yet herein eke thy glory seemeth more,<br/> +By so hard handling those which best thee serve,<br/> +That, ere thou doest them unto grace restore,<br/> +Thou mayest well trie if they will ever swerve, 165<br/> +And mayest them make it better to deserve,<br/> +And, having got it, may it more esteeme;<br/> +For things hard gotten men more dearely deeme. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +So hard those heavenly beauties be enfyred,<br/> +As things divine least passions doe impresse; 170<br/> +The more of stedfast mynds to be admyred,<br/> +The more they stayed be on stedfastnesse;<br/> +But baseborne minds such lamps regard the lesse,<br/> +Which at first blowing take not hastie fyre;<br/> +Such fancies feele no love, but loose desyre. 175 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +For Love is lord of truth and loialtie,<br/> +Lifting himself out of the lowly dust<br/> +On golden plumes up to the purest skie,<br/> +Above the reach of loathly sinfull lust,<br/> +Whose base affect*, through cowardly distrust 180<br/> +Of his weake wings, dare not to heaven fly,<br/> +But like a moldwarpe** in the earth doth ly.<br/> + [* <i>Affect</i>, affection, passion.]<br/> + [** <i>Moldwarpe</i>, mole.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +His dunghill thoughts, which do themselves enure<br/> +To dirtie drosse, no higher dare aspyre;<br/> +Ne can his feeble earthly eyes endure 185<br/> +The flaming light of that celestiall fyre<br/> +Which kindleth love in generous desyre,<br/> +And makes him mount above the native might<br/> +Of heavie earth, up to the heavens hight. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Such is the powre of that sweet passion, 190<br/> +That it all sordid basenesse doth expell,<br/> +And the refyned mynd doth newly fashion<br/> +Unto a fairer forme, which now doth dwell<br/> +In his high thought, that would it selfe excell;<br/> +Which he beholding still with constant sight, 195<br/> +Admires the mirrour of so heavenly light. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Whose image printing in his deepest wit,<br/> +He thereon feeds his hungrie fantasy,<br/> +Still full, yet never satisfyde with it;<br/> +Like Tantale, that in store doth sterved ly, 200<br/> +So doth he pine in most satiety;<br/> +For nought may quench his infinite desyre,<br/> +Once kindled through that first conceived fyre. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Thereon his mynd affixed wholly is,<br/> +Ne thinks on ought but how it to attaine; 205<br/> +His care, his ioy, his hope, is all on this,<br/> +That seemes in it all blisses to containe,<br/> +In sight whereof all other blisse seemes vaine:<br/> +Thrice happie man, might he the same possesse,<br/> +He faines himselfe, and doth his fortune blesse. 210 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +And though he do not win his wish to end,<br/> +Yet thus farre happie he himselfe doth weene,<br/> +That heavens such happie grace did to him lend<br/> +As thing on earth so heavenly to have seene,<br/> +His harts enshrined saint, his heavens queene, 215<br/> +Fairer then fairest in his fayning eye,<br/> +Whose sole aspect he counts felicitye. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Then forth he casts in his unquiet thought,<br/> +What he may do her favour to obtaine;<br/> +What brave exploit, what perill hardly wrought, 220<br/> +What puissant conquest, what adventurous paine,<br/> +May please her best, and grace unto him gaine;<br/> +He dreads no danger, nor misfortune feares,<br/> +His faith, his fortune, in his breast he beares. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Thou art his god, thou art his mightie guyde, 225<br/> +Thou, being blind, letst him not see his feares,<br/> +But carriest him to that which he had eyde,<br/> +Through seas, through flames, through thousand swords and speares; *<br/> +Ne ought so strong that may his force withstand,<br/> +With which thou armest his resistlesse hand. 230<br/> + [* The fifth verse of this stanza appears to have dropped out. C.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Witnesse Leander in the Euxine waves,<br/> +And stout Aeneas in the Troiane fyre,<br/> +Achilles preassing through the Phrygian glaives*,<br/> +And Orpheus, daring to provoke the yre<br/> +Of damned fiends, to get his love retyre; 235<br/> +For both through heaven and hell thou makest way,<br/> +To win them worship which to thee obay.<br/> + [* <i>Glaives</i>, swords.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +And if by all these perils and these paynes<br/> +He may but purchase lyking in her eye,<br/> +What heavens of ioy then to himselfe he faynes! 240<br/> +Eftsoones he wypes quite out of memory<br/> +Whatever ill before he did aby*:<br/> +Had it beene death, yet would he die againe,<br/> +To live thus happie as her grace to gaine.<br/> + [* <i>Aby</i>, abide.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Yet when he hath found favour to his will, 245<br/> +He nathëmore can so contented rest,<br/> +But forceth further on, and striveth still<br/> +T’approch more neare, till in her inmost brest<br/> +He may embosomd bee and loved best;<br/> +And yet not best, but to be lov’d alone; 250<br/> +For love cannot endure a paragone*.<br/> + [* <i>Paragone</i>, competitor.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +The fear whereof, O how doth it torment<br/> +His troubled mynd with more then hellish paine!<br/> +And to his fayning fansie represent<br/> +Sights never seene, and thousand shadowes vaine, 255<br/> +To breake his sleepe and waste his ydle braine:<br/> +Thou that hast never lov’d canst not beleeve<br/> +Least part of th’evils which poore lovers greeve. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +The gnawing envie, the hart-fretting feare,<br/> +The vaine surmizes, the distrustfull showes, 260<br/> +The false reports that flying tales doe beare,<br/> +The doubts, the daungers, the delayes, the woes,<br/> +The fayned friends, the unassured foes,<br/> +With thousands more then any tongue can tell,<br/> +Doe make a lovers life a wretches hell. 265 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Yet is there one more cursed then they all,<br/> +That cancker-worme, that monster, Gelosie,<br/> +Which eates the heart and feedes upon the gall,<br/> +Turning all Loves delight to miserie,<br/> +Through feare of losing his felicitie. 270<br/> +Ah, gods! that ever ye that monster placed<br/> +In gentle Love, that all his ioyes defaced! +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +By these, O Love! thou doest thy entrance make<br/> +Unto thy heaven, and doest the more endeere<br/> +Thy pleasures unto those which them partake, 275<br/> +As after stormes, when clouds begin to cleare,<br/> +The sunne more bright and glorious doth appeare;<br/> +So thou thy folke, through paines of Purgatorie,<br/> +Dost beare unto thy blisse, and heavens glorie. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +There thou them placest in a paradize 280<br/> +Of all delight and ioyous happy rest,<br/> +Where they doe feede on nectar heavenly-wize,<br/> +With Hercules and Hebe, and the rest<br/> +Of Venus dearlings, through her bountie blest;<br/> +And lie like gods in yvory beds arayd, 285<br/> +With rose and lillies over them displayd. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +There with thy daughter Pleasure they doe play<br/> +Their hurtlesse sports, without rebuke or blame,<br/> +And in her snowy bosome boldly lay<br/> +Their quiet heads, devoyd of guilty shame, 290<br/> +After full ioyance of their gentle game;<br/> +Then her they crowne their goddesse and their queene,<br/> +And decke with floures thy altars well beseene. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Ay me! deare Lord, that ever I might hope,<br/> +For all the paines and woes that I endure, 295<br/> +To come at length unto the wished scope<br/> +Of my desire, or might myselfe assure<br/> +That happie port for ever to recure*!<br/> +Then would I thinke these paines no paines at all,<br/> +And all my woes to be but penance small. 300<br/> + [* <i>Recure</i>, recover, gain.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Then would I sing of thine immortal praise<br/> +An heavenly hymne such as the angels sing,<br/> +And thy triumphant name then would I raise<br/> +Bove all the gods, thee only honoring;<br/> +My guide, my god, my victor, and my king: 305<br/> +Till then, drad Lord! vouchsafe to take of me<br/> +This simple song, thus fram’d in praise of thee. +</p> + +<h3>AN HYMNE</h3> + +<h5>IN HONOUR OF BEAUTIE.</h5> + +<p class="stanza"> +Ah! whither, Love! wilt thou now carry mee?<br/> +What wontlesse fury dost thou now inspire<br/> +Into my feeble breast, too full of thee?<br/> +Whylest seeking to aslake thy raging fyre,<br/> +Thou in me kindlest much more great desyre, 5<br/> +And up aloft above my strength doth rayse<br/> +The wondrous matter of my fire to praise. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +That as I earst in praise of thine owne name,<br/> +So now in honour of thy mother deare<br/> +An honourable hymne I eke should frame, 10<br/> +And, with the brightnesse of her beautie cleare,<br/> +The ravisht hearts of gazefull men might reare<br/> +To admiration of that heavenly light,<br/> +From whence proceeds such soule-enchanting might. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Therto do thou, great Goddesse! Queene of Beauty,<br/> +Mother of Love and of all worlds delight, 16<br/> +Without whose soverayne grace and kindly dewty<br/> +Nothing on earth seems fayre to fleshly sight,<br/> +Doe thou vouchsafe with thy love-kindling light<br/> +T’illuminate my dim and dulled eyne, 20<br/> +And beautifie this sacred hymne of thyne: +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +That both to thee, to whom I meane it most,<br/> +And eke to her whose faire immortall beame<br/> +Hath darted fyre into my feeble ghost,<br/> +That now it wasted is with woes extreame, 25<br/> +It may so please, that she at length will streame<br/> +Some deaw of grace into my withered hart,<br/> +After long sorrow and consuming smart. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +WHAT TIME THIS WORLDS GREAT WORKMAISTER did cast<br/> +To make al things such as we now behold, 30<br/> +It seems that he before his eyes had plast<br/> +A goodly paterne, to whose perfect mould<br/> +He fashiond them as comely as he could,<br/> +That now so faire and seemely they appeare<br/> +As nought may be amended any wheare. 35 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +That wondrous paterne, wheresoere it bee,<br/> +Whether in earth layd up in secret store,<br/> +Or else in heaven, that no man may it see<br/> +With sinfull eyes, for feare it do deflore,<br/> +Is perfect Beautie, which all men adore; 40<br/> +Whose face and feature doth so much excell<br/> +All mortal sence, that none the same may tell. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Thereof as every earthly thing partakes<br/> +Or more or lesse, by influence divine,<br/> +So it more faire accordingly it makes, 45<br/> +And the grosse matter of this earthly myne<br/> +Which closeth it thereafter doth refyne,<br/> +Doing away the drosse which dims the light<br/> +Of that faire beame which therein is empight*.<br/> + [* <i>Empight</i>, placed.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +For, through infusion of celestiall powre, 50<br/> +The duller earth it quickneth with delight,<br/> +And life-full spirits privily doth powre<br/> +Through all the parts, that to the lookers sight<br/> +They seeme to please; that is thy soveraine might,<br/> +O Cyprian queene! which, flowing from the beame 55<br/> +Of thy bright starre, thou into them doest streame. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +That is the thing which giveth pleasant grace<br/> +To all things faire, that kindleth lively fyre;<br/> +Light of thy lampe; which, shyning in the face,<br/> +Thence to the soule darts amorous desyre, 60<br/> +And robs the harts of those which it admyre;<br/> +Therewith thou pointest thy sons poysned arrow,<br/> +That wounds the life and wastes the inmost marrow. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +How vainely then do ydle wits invent<br/> +That Beautie is nought else but mixture made 65<br/> +Of colours faire, and goodly temp’rament<br/> +Of pure complexions, that shall quickly fade<br/> +And passe away, like to a sommers shade;<br/> +Or that it is but comely composition<br/> +Of parts well measurd, with meet disposition! 70 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Hath white and red in it such wondrous powre,<br/> +That it can pierce through th’eyes unto the hart,<br/> +And therein stirre such rage and restlesse stowre*,<br/> +As nought but death can stint his dolours smart?<br/> +Or can proportion of the outward part 75<br/> +Move such affection in the inward mynd,<br/> +That it can rob both sense, and reason blynd?<br/> + [* <i>Stowre</i>, commotion.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Why doe not then the blossomes of the field,<br/> +Which are arayd with much more orient hew,<br/> +And to the sense most daintie odours yield, 80<br/> +Worke like impression in the lookers vew?<br/> +Or why doe not faire pictures like powre shew,<br/> +In which oft-times we Nature see of Art<br/> +Exceld, in perfect limming every part? +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +But ah! beleeve me there is more then so, 85<br/> +That workes such wonders in the minds of men;<br/> +I, that have often prov’d, too well it know,<br/> +And who so list the like assayes to ken<br/> +Shall find by trial, and confesse it then,<br/> +That Beautie is not, as fond men misdeeme, 90<br/> +An outward shew of things that onely seeme. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +For that same goodly hew of white and red<br/> +With which the cheekes are sprinckled, shall decay,<br/> +And those sweete rosy leaves, so fairly spred<br/> +Upon the lips, shall fade and fall away 95<br/> +To that they were, even to corrupted clay:<br/> +That golden wyre, those sparckling stars so bright,<br/> +Shall turne to dust, and lose their goodly light. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +But that faire lampe, from whose celestiall ray<br/> +That light proceedes which kindleth lovers fire, 100<br/> +Shall never be extinguisht nor decay;<br/> +But, when the vitall spirits doe espyre,<br/> +Unto her native planet shall retyre;<br/> +For it is heavenly borne, and cannot die,<br/> +Being a parcell of the purest skie. 105 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +For when the soule, the which derived was,<br/> +At first, out of that great immortall Spright,<br/> +By whom all live to love, whilome did pas<br/> +Down from the top of purest heavens hight<br/> +To be embodied here, it then tooke light 110<br/> +And lively spirits from that fayrest starre<br/> +Which lights the world forth from his firie carre. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Which powre retayning still, or more or lesse,<br/> +When she in fleshly seede is eft* enraced**,<br/> +Through every part she doth the same impresse, 115<br/> +According as the heavens have her graced,<br/> +And frames her house, in which she will be placed,<br/> +Fit for her selfe, adorning it with spoyle<br/> +Of th’heavenly riches which she robd erewhyle.<br/> +[* <i>Eft</i>, afterwards.]<br/> +[** <i>Enraced</i>, implanted.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Thereof it comes that these faire soules which have<br/> +The most resemblance of that heavenly light 121<br/> +Frame to themselves most beautifull and brave<br/> +Their fleshly bowre, most fit for their delight,<br/> +And the grosse matter by a soveraine might<br/> +Temper so trim, that it may well be seene 125<br/> +A pallace fit for such a virgin queene. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +So every spirit, as it is most pure,<br/> +And hath in it the more of heavenly light,<br/> +So it the fairer bodie doth procure<br/> +To habit in, and it more fairely dight* 130<br/> +With chearfull grace and amiable sight:<br/> +For of the soule the bodie forme doth take;<br/> +For soule is forme, and doth the bodie make.<br/> + [* <i>Dight</i>, adorn.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Therefore, where-ever that thou doest behold<br/> +A comely corpse*, with beautie faire endewed, 135<br/> +Know this for certaine, that the same doth hold<br/> +A beauteous soule with fair conditions thewed**,<br/> +Fit to receive the seede of vertue strewed;<br/> +For all that faire is, is by nature good;<br/> +That is a sign to know the gentle blood. 140<br/> + [* <i>Corpse</i>, body.]<br/> + [** i.e. endowed with fair qualities.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Yet oft it falles that many a gentle mynd<br/> +Dwels in deformed tabernacle drownd,<br/> +Either by chaunce, against the course of kynd*,<br/> +Or through unaptnesse in the substance fownd,<br/> +Which it assumed of some stubborne grownd, 145<br/> +That will not yield unto her formes direction,<br/> +But is deform’d with some foule imperfection.<br/> + [* <i>Kynd</i>, nature.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +And oft it falles, (ay me, the more to rew!)<br/> +That goodly Beautie, albe heavenly borne,<br/> +Is foule abusd, and that celestiall hew, 150<br/> +Which doth the world with her delight adorne,<br/> +Made but the bait of sinne, and sinners scorne,<br/> +Whilest every one doth seeke and sew to have it,<br/> +But every one doth seeke but to deprave it. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Yet nathëmore is that faire Beauties blame, 155<br/> +But theirs that do abuse it unto ill:<br/> +Nothing so good, but that through guilty shame<br/> +May be corrupt*, and wrested unto will.<br/> +Nathelesse the soule is faire and beauteous still,<br/> +However fleshes fault it filthy make; 160<br/> +For things immortall no corruption take.<br/> + [* <i>Corrupt</i>, corrupted.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +But ye, faire Dames! the worlds deare ornaments,<br/> +And lively images of heavens light,<br/> +Let not your beames with such disparagements<br/> +Be dimd, and your bright glorie darkned quight; l65<br/> +But mindfull still of your first countries sight,<br/> +Doe still preserve your first informed grace,<br/> +Whose shadow yet shynes in your beauteous face. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Loath that foule blot, that hellish fiërbrand,<br/> +Disloiall lust, fair Beauties foulest blame, 170<br/> +That base affections, which your eares would bland*,<br/> +Commend to you by loves abused name,<br/> +But is indeede the bondslave of defame;<br/> +Which will the garland of your glorie marre,<br/> +And quench the light of your brightshyning starre. 175<br/> + [* <i>Bland</i>, blandish.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +But gentle Love, that loiall is and trew,<br/> +Wil more illumine your resplendent ray,<br/> +And add more brightnesse to your goodly hew<br/> +From light of his pure fire; which, by like way<br/> +Kindled of yours, your likenesse doth display; 180<br/> +Like as two mirrours, by opposd reflection,<br/> +Doe both expresse the faces first impression. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Therefore, to make your beautie more appeare,<br/> +It you behoves to love, and forth to lay<br/> +That heavenly riches which in you ye beare, 185<br/> +That men the more admyre their fountaine may;<br/> +For else what booteth that celestiall ray,<br/> +If it in darknesse be enshrined ever,<br/> +That it of loving eyes be vewed never? +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +But, in your choice of loves, this well advize, 190<br/> +That likest to your selves ye them select,<br/> +The which your forms first sourse may sympathize,<br/> +And with like beauties parts be inly deckt;<br/> +For if you loosely love without respect,<br/> +It is not love, but a discordant warre, 195<br/> +Whose unlike parts amongst themselves do iarre. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +For love is a celestiall harmonie<br/> +Of likely* harts composd of** starres concent,<br/> +Which ioyne together in sweete sympathie,<br/> +To work each others ioy and true content, 200<br/> +Which they have harbourd since their first descent<br/> +Out of their heavenly bowres, where they did see<br/> +And know ech other here belov’d to bee.<br/> + [* <i>Likely</i>, similar.]<br/> + [** <i>Composd of</i>, combined by.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Then wrong it were that any other twaine<br/> +Should in Loves gentle band combyned bee, 205<br/> +But those whom Heaven did at first ordaine,<br/> +And made out of one mould the more t’agree;<br/> +For all that like the beautie which they see<br/> +Straight do not love; for Love is not so light<br/> +As straight to burne at first beholders sight. 210 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +But they which love indeede looke otherwise,<br/> +With pure regard and spotlesse true intent,<br/> +Drawing out of the obiect of their eyes<br/> +A more refyned form, which they present<br/> +Unto their mind, voide of all blemishment; 215<br/> +Which it reducing to her first perfection,<br/> +Beholdeth free from fleshes frayle infection. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +And then conforming it unto the light<br/> +Which in it selfe it hath remaining still,<br/> +Of that first sunne, yet sparckling in his sight, 220<br/> +Thereof he fashions in his higher skill<br/> +An heavenly beautie to his fancies will;<br/> +And it embracing in his mind entyre,<br/> +The mirrour of his owne thought doth admyre. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Which seeing now so inly faire to be, 225<br/> +As outward it appeareth to the eye,<br/> +And with his spirits proportion to agree,<br/> +He thereon fixeth all his fantasie,<br/> +And fully setteth his felicitie;<br/> +Counting it fairer then it is indeede, 230<br/> +And yet indeede her fairnesse doth exeede. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +For lovers eyes more sharply sighted bee<br/> +Then other mens, and in deare loves delight<br/> +See more then any other eyes can see,<br/> +Through mutuall receipt of beamës bright, 235<br/> +Which carrie privie message to the spright,<br/> +And to their eyes that inmost faire display,<br/> +As plaine as light discovers dawning day. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Therein they see, through amorous eye-glaunces,<br/> +Armies of Loves still flying too and fro, 240<br/> +Which dart at them their litle fierie launces;<br/> +Whom having wounded, back againe they go,<br/> +Carrying compassion to their lovely foe;<br/> +Who, seeing her faire eyes so sharp effect,<br/> +Cures all their sorrowes with one sweete aspect. 245 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +In which how many wonders doe they reede<br/> +To their conceipt, that others never see!<br/> +Now of her smiles, with which their soules they feede,<br/> +Like gods with nectar in their bankets free;<br/> +Now of her lookes, which like to cordials bee; 250<br/> +But when her words embássade* forth she sends,<br/> +Lord, how sweete musicke that unto them lends!<br/> + [* <i>Embássade</i>, embassy.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Sometimes upon her forhead they behold<br/> +A thousand graces masking in delight;<br/> +Sometimes within her eye-lids they unfold 255<br/> +Ten thousand sweet belgards*, which to their sight<br/> +Doe seeme like twinckling starres in frostie night;<br/> +But on her lips, like rosy buds in May,<br/> +So many millions of chaste pleasures play.<br/> + [* <i>Belgards</i>, fair looks.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +All those, O Cytherea! and thousands more, 260<br/> +Thy handmaides be, which do on thee attend,<br/> +To decke thy beautie with their dainties store,<br/> +That may it more to mortall eyes commend,<br/> +And make it more admyr’d of foe and frend;<br/> +That in men’s harts thou mayst thy throne enstall, 265<br/> +And spred thy lovely kingdome over all. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Then Iö, tryumph! O great Beauties Queene,<br/> +Advance the banner of thy conquest hie,<br/> +That all this world, the which thy vassels beene,<br/> +May draw to thee, and with dew fëaltie 270<br/> +Adore the powre of thy great maiestie,<br/> +Singing this hymne in honour of thy name,<br/> +Compyld by me, which thy poor liegeman am! +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +In lieu whereof graunt, O great soveraine!<br/> +That she whose conquering beauty doth captíve 275<br/> +My trembling hart in her eternall chaine,<br/> +One drop of grace at length will to me give,<br/> +That I her bounden thrall by her may live,<br/> +And this same life, which first fro me she reaved,<br/> +May owe to her, of whom I it receaved. 280 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +And you, faire Venus dearling, my dear dread!<br/> +Fresh flowre of grace, great goddesse of my life,<br/> +When your faire eyes these fearfull lines shall read,<br/> +Deigne to let fall one drop of dew reliefe,<br/> +That may recure my harts long pyning griefe, 285<br/> +And shew what wondrous powre your beauty hath,<br/> +That can restore a damned wight from death. +</p> + +<h3>AN HYMNE</h3> + +<h5>OF HEAVENLY LOVE*.</h5> + +<p class="stanza"> +[* See the sixth canto of the third book of the Faerie Queene, especially the +second and the thirty-second stanzas; which, with his Hymnes of Heavenly Love +and Heavenly Beauty, are evident proofs of Spenser’s attachment to the Platonic +school. WARTON.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Love, lift me up upon thy golden wings<br/> +From this base world unto thy heavens hight,<br/> +Where I may see those admirable things<br/> +Which there thou workest by thy soveraine might,<br/> +Farre above feeble reach of earthly sight, 5<br/> +That I thereof an heavenly hymne may sing<br/> +Unto the God of Love, high heavens king. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Many lewd layes (ah! woe is me the more!)<br/> +In praise of that mad fit which fooles call Love,<br/> +I have in th’heat of youth made heretofore, 10<br/> +That in light wits did loose affection move;<br/> +But all those follies now I do reprove,<br/> +And turned have the tenor of my string,<br/> +The heavenly prayses of true Love to sing. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +And ye that wont with greedy vaine desire 15<br/> +To reade my fault, and, wondring at my flame,<br/> +To warme your selves at my wide sparckling fire,<br/> +Sith now that heat is quenched, quench my blame,<br/> +And in her ashes shrowd my dying shame;<br/> +For who my passed follies now pursewes, 20<br/> +Beginnes his owne, and my old fault renewes. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +BEFORE THIS WORLDS GREAT FRAME, in which al things<br/> +Are now containd, found any being-place,<br/> +Ere flitting Time could wag* his eyas** wings<br/> +About that mightie bound which doth embrace 25<br/> +The rolling spheres, and parts their houres by space,<br/> +That high eternall Powre, which now doth move<br/> +In all these things, mov’d in it selfe by love.<br/> + [* <i>Wag</i>, move.]<br/> + [** <i>Eyas</i>, unfledged.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +It lovd it selfe, because it selfe was faire;<br/> +(For fair is lov’d;) and of it self begot 30<br/> +Like to it selfe his eldest Sonne and Heire,<br/> +Eternall, pure, and voide of sinfull blot,<br/> +The firstling of his ioy, in whom no iot<br/> +Of loves dislike or pride was to be found,<br/> +Whom he therefore with equall honour crownd. 35 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +With him he raignd, before all time prescribed,<br/> +In endlesse glorie and immortall might,<br/> +Together with that Third from them derived,<br/> +Most wise, most holy, most almightie Spright! 39<br/> +Whose kingdomes throne no thoughts of earthly wight<br/> +Can comprehend, much lesse my trembling verse<br/> +With equall words can hope it to reherse. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Yet, O most blessed Spirit! pure lampe of light,<br/> +Eternall spring of grace and wisedom trew,<br/> +Vouchsafe to shed into my barren spright 45<br/> +Some little drop of thy celestiall dew,<br/> +That may my rymes with sweet infuse* embrew,<br/> +And give me words equall unto my thought,<br/> +To tell the marveiles by thy mercie wrought.<br/> + [* <i>Infuse</i>, infusion] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Yet being pregnant still with powrefull grace, 50<br/> +And full of fruitfull Love, that loves to get<br/> +Things like himselfe and to enlarge his race,<br/> +His second brood, though not of powre so great,<br/> +Yet full of beautie, next he did beget,<br/> +An infinite increase of angels bright, 55<br/> +All glistring glorious in their Makers light. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +To them the heavens illimitable hight<br/> +(Not this round heaven which we from hence behold,<br/> +Adornd with thousand lamps of burning light,<br/> +And with ten thousand gemmes of shyning gold) 60<br/> +He gave as their inheritance to hold,<br/> +That they might serve him in eternall blis,<br/> +And be partakers of those ioyes of his. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +There they in their trinall triplicities<br/> +About him wait, and on his will depend, 65<br/> +Either with nimble wings to cut the skies,<br/> +When he them on his messages doth send,<br/> +Or on his owne dread presence to attend,<br/> +Where they behold the glorie of his light,<br/> +And caroll hymnes of love both day and night. 70<br/> + [Ver. 64.—<i>Trinall triplicities</i>. See the Faerie Queene, Book I.<br/> + Canto XII. 39. H.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Both day and night is unto them all one;<br/> +For he his beames doth unto them extend,<br/> +That darknesse there appeareth never none;<br/> +Ne hath their day, ne hath their blisse, an end,<br/> +But there their termelesse time in pleasure spend; 75<br/> +Ne ever should their happinesse decay,<br/> +Had not they dar’d their Lord to disobay. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +But pride, impatient of long resting peace,<br/> +Did puffe them up with greedy bold ambition,<br/> +That they gan cast their state how to increase 80<br/> +Above the fortune of their first condition,<br/> +And sit in Gods own seat without commission:<br/> +The brightest angel, even the Child of Light*,<br/> +Drew millions more against their God to fight.<br/> + [* I.e. Lucifer.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Th’Almighty, seeing their so bold assay, 85<br/> +Kindled the flame of his consuming yre,<br/> +And with his onely breath them blew away<br/> +From heavens hight, to which they did aspyre,<br/> +To deepest hell, and lake of damned fyre,<br/> +Where they in darknesse and dread horror dwell, 90<br/> +Hating the happie light from which they fell. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +So that next off-spring of the Makers love,<br/> +Next to himselfe in glorious degree,<br/> +Degendering* to hate, fell from above<br/> +Through pride; (for pride and love may ill agree;) 95<br/> +And now of sinne to all ensample bee:<br/> +How then can sinfull flesh it selfe assure,<br/> +Sith purest angels fell to be impure?<br/> + [* <i>Degendering</i>, degenerating.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +But that Eternall Fount of love and grace,<br/> +Still flowing forth his goodnesse unto all, 100<br/> +Now seeing left a waste and emptie place<br/> +In his wyde pallace through those angels fall,<br/> +Cast to supply the same, and to enstall<br/> +A new unknowen colony therein,<br/> +Whose root from earths base groundworke should begin. 105 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Therefore of clay, base, vile, and next to nought,<br/> +Yet form’d by wondrous skill, and by his might<br/> +According to an heavenly patterne wrought,<br/> +Which he had fashiond in his wise foresight,<br/> +He man did make, and breathd a living spright 110<br/> +Into his face, most beautifull and fayre,<br/> +Endewd with wisedomes riches, heavenly, rare. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Such he him made, that he resemble might<br/> +Himselfe, as mortall thing immortall could;<br/> +Him to be lord of every living wight 115<br/> +He made by love out of his owne like mould,<br/> +In whom he might his mightie selfe behould;<br/> +For Love doth love the thing belov’d to see,<br/> +That like it selfe in lovely shape may bee. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +But man, forgetfull of his Makers grace 120<br/> +No lesse than angels, whom he did ensew,<br/> +Fell from the hope of promist heavenly place,<br/> +Into the mouth of Death, to sinners dew,<br/> +And all his off-spring into thraldome threw,<br/> +Where they for ever should in bonds remaine 125<br/> +Of never-dead, yet ever-dying paine; +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Till that great Lord of Love, which him at first<br/> +Made of meere love, and after liked well,<br/> +Seeing him lie like creature long accurst<br/> +In that deep horor of despeyred hell, 130<br/> +Him, wretch, in doole* would let no lenger dwell,<br/> +But cast** out of that bondage to redeeme,<br/> +And pay the price, all@ were his debt extreeme.<br/> + [* <i>Doole</i>, pain.]<br/> + [** <i>Cast</i>, devised.]<br/> + [@ <i>All</i>, although.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Out of the bosome of eternall blisse,<br/> +In which he reigned with his glorious Syre, 135<br/> +He downe descended, like a most demisse*<br/> +And abiect thrall, in fleshes fraile attyre,<br/> +That he for him might pay sinnes deadly hyre,<br/> +And him restore unto that happie state<br/> +In which he stood before his haplesse fate. 140<br/> + [* <i>Demisse</i>, humble.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +In flesh at first the guilt committed was,<br/> +Therefore in flesh it must be satisfyde;<br/> +Nor spirit, nor angel, though they man surpas,<br/> +Could make amends to God for mans misguyde,<br/> +But onely man himselfe, who selfe did slyde: 145<br/> +So, taking flesh of sacred virgins wombe,<br/> +For mans deare sake he did a man become. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +And that most blessed bodie, which was borne<br/> +Without all blemish or reprochfull blame,<br/> +He freely gave to be both rent and torne 150<br/> +Of cruell hands, who with despightfull shame<br/> +Revyling him, (that them most vile became,)<br/> +At length him nayled on a gallow-tree,<br/> +And slew the iust by most uniust decree. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +O huge and most unspeakeable impression 155<br/> +Of Loves deep wound, that pierst the piteous hart<br/> +Of that deare Lord with so entyre affection,<br/> +And, sharply launcing every inner part,<br/> +Dolours of death into his soule did dart,<br/> +Doing him die that never it deserved, 160<br/> +To free his foes, that from his heast* had swerved!<br/> + [* <i>Heast</i>, command.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +What hart can feel least touch of so sore launch,<br/> +Or thought can think the depth of so deare wound?<br/> +Whose bleeding sourse their streames yet never staunch,<br/> +But stil do flow, and freshly still redownd*, 165<br/> +To heale the sores of sinfull soules unsound,<br/> +And clense the guilt of that infected cryme,<br/> +Which was enrooted in all fleshly slyme.<br/> + [* <i>Redownd</i>, overflow.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +O blessed Well of Love! O Floure of Grace!<br/> +O glorious Morning-Starre! O Lampe of Light! 170<br/> +Most lively image of thy Fathers face,<br/> +Eternal King of Glorie, Lord of Might,<br/> +Meeke Lambe of God, before all worlds behight*,<br/> +How can we thee requite for all this good?<br/> +Or what can prize** that thy most precious blood? 175<br/> + [* <i>Behight</i>, named.]<br/> + [** <i>Prize</i>, price.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Yet nought thou ask’st in lieu of all this love<br/> +But love of us, for guerdon of thy paine:<br/> +Ay me! what can us lesse than that behove?<br/> +Had he required life for us againe,<br/> +Had it beene wrong to ask his owne with gaine? 180<br/> +He gave us life, he it restored lost;<br/> +Then life were least, that us so little cost. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +But he our life hath left unto us free,<br/> +Free that was thrall, and blessed that was band*;<br/> +Ne ought demaunds but that we loving bee, 185<br/> +As he himselfe hath lov’d us afore-hand,<br/> +And bound therto with an eternall band;<br/> +Him first to love that us so dearely bought,<br/> +And next our brethren, to his image wrought.<br/> + [* <i>Band</i>, cursed.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Him first to love great right and reason is, 190<br/> +Who first to us our life and being gave,<br/> +And after, when we fared* had amisse,<br/> +Us wretches from the second death did save;<br/> +And last, the food of life, which now we have,<br/> +Even he himselfe, in his dear sacrament, 195<br/> +To feede our hungry soules, unto us lent.<br/> + [* <i>Fared</i>, gone.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Then next, to love our brethren, that were made<br/> +Of that selfe* mould and that self Maker’s hand<br/> +That we, and to the same againe shall fade,<br/> +Where they shall have like heritage of land, 200<br/> +However here on higher steps we stand,<br/> +Which also were with selfe-same price redeemed<br/> +That we, however of us light esteemed.<br/> +[* <i>Selfe</i>, same.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +And were they not, yet since that loving Lord<br/> +Commaunded us to love them for his sake, 205<br/> +Even for his sake, and for his sacred word<br/> +Which in his last bequest he to us spake,<br/> +We should them love, and with their needs partake;<br/> +Knowing that whatsoere to them we give<br/> +We give to him by whom we all doe live. 210 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Such mercy he by his most holy reede*<br/> +Unto us taught, and, to approve it trew,<br/> +Ensampled it by his most righteous deede,<br/> +Shewing us mercie, miserable crew!<br/> +That we the like should to the wretches shew, 215<br/> +And love our brethren; thereby to approve<br/> +How much himselfe that loved us we love.<br/> +[* <i>Reede</i>, precept.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Then rouze thy selfe, O Earth! out of thy soyle*,<br/> +In which thou wallowest like to filthy swyne,<br/> +And doest thy mynd in durty pleasures moyle**, 220<br/> +Unmindfull of that dearest Lord of thyne;<br/> +Lift up to him thy heavie clouded eyne,<br/> +That thou this soveraine bountie mayst behold,<br/> +And read, through love, his mercies manifold.<br/> + [* <i>Soyle</i>, mire.]<br/> + [** <i>Moyle</i>, defile.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Beginne from first, where he encradled was 225<br/> +In simple cratch*, wrapt in a wad of hay,<br/> +Betweene the toylfull oxe and humble asse,<br/> +And in what rags, and in how base aray,<br/> +The glory of our heavenly riches lay,<br/> +When him the silly shepheards came to see, 230<br/> +Whom greatest princes sought on lowest knee.<br/> + [* <i>Cratch</i>, manger.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +From thence reade on the storie of his life,<br/> +His humble carriage, his unfaulty wayes,<br/> +His cancred foes, his fights, his toyle, his strife,<br/> +His paines, his povertie, his sharpe assayes, 235<br/> +Through which he past his miserable dayes,<br/> +Offending none, and doing good to all,<br/> +Yet being malist* both by great and small.<br/> + [* <i>Malist</i>, regarded with ill-will.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +And look at last, how of most wretched wights<br/> +He taken was, betrayd, and false accused; 240<br/> +How with most scornfull taunts and fell despights,<br/> +He was revyld, disgrast, and foule abused;<br/> +How scourgd, how crownd, how buffeted, how brused;<br/> +And, lastly, how twixt robbers crucifyde,<br/> +With bitter wounds through hands, through feet, and syde! 245 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Then let thy flinty hart, that feeles no paine,<br/> +Empierced be with pittifull remorse,<br/> +And let thy bowels bleede in every vaine,<br/> +At sight of his most sacred heavenly corse,<br/> +So torne and mangled with malicious forse; 250<br/> +And let thy soule, whose sins his sorrows wrought,<br/> +Melt into teares, and grone in grieved thought. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +With sence whereof whilest so thy softened spirit<br/> +Is inly toucht, and humbled with meeke zeale<br/> +Through meditation of his endlesse merit, 255<br/> +Lift up thy mind to th’author of thy weale,<br/> +And to his soveraine mercie doe appeale;<br/> +Learne him to love that loved thee so deare,<br/> +And in thy brest his blessed image beare. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +With all thy hart, with all thy soule and mind, 260<br/> +Thou must him love, and his beheasts embrace;<br/> +All other loves, with which the world doth blind<br/> +Weake fancies, and stirre up affections base,<br/> +Thou must renounce and utterly displace,<br/> +And give thy self unto him full and free, 265<br/> +That full and freely gave himselfe to thee. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Then shalt thou feele thy spirit so possest,<br/> +And ravisht with devouring great desire<br/> +Of his dear selfe, that shall thy feeble brest<br/> +Inflame with love, and set thee all on fire 270<br/> +With burning zeale, through every part entire*,<br/> +That in no earthly thing thou shalt delight,<br/> +But in his sweet and amiable sight.<br/> + [* <i>Entire</i>, inward.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Thenceforth all worlds desire will in thee dye,<br/> +And all earthes glorie, on which men do gaze, 275<br/> +Seeme durt and drosse in thy pure-sighted eye,<br/> +Compar’d to that celestiall beauties blaze,<br/> +Whose glorious beames all fleshly sense doth daze<br/> +With admiration of their passing light,<br/> +Blinding the eyes, and lumining the spright. 280 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Then shall thy ravisht soul inspired bee<br/> +With heavenly thoughts, farre above humane skil,<br/> +And thy bright radiant eyes shall plainely see<br/> +Th’idee of his pure glorie present still<br/> +Before thy face, that all thy spirits shall fill 285<br/> +With sweete enragement of celestiall love,<br/> +Kindled through sight of those faire things above. +</p> + +<h3>AN HYMNE</h3> + +<h5>OF HEAVENLY BEAUTIE.</h5> + +<p class="stanza"> +Rapt with the rage of mine own ravisht thought,<br/> +Through contemplation of those goodly sights<br/> +And glorious images in heaven wrought,<br/> +Whose wondrous beauty, breathing sweet delights,<br/> +Do kindle love in high conceipted sprights, 5<br/> +I faine* to tell the things that I behold,<br/> +But feele my wits to faile and tongue to fold.<br/> + [* <i>Faine</i>, long.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Vouchsafe then, O Thou most Almightie Spright!<br/> +From whom all guifts of wit and knowledge flow,<br/> +To shed into my breast some sparkling light 10<br/> +Of thine eternall truth, that I may show<br/> +Some little beames to mortall eyes below<br/> +Of that immortall Beautie there with Thee,<br/> +Which in my weake distraughted mynd I see; +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +That with the glorie of so goodly sight 15<br/> +The hearts of men, which fondly here admyre<br/> +Faire seeming shewes, and feed on vaine delight,<br/> +Transported with celestiall desyre<br/> +Of those faire formes, may lift themselves up hyer,<br/> +And learne to love, with zealous humble dewty, 20<br/> +Th’Eternall Fountaine of that heavenly Beauty. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Beginning then below, with th’easie vew<br/> +Of this base world, subiect to fleshly eye,<br/> +From thence to mount aloft, by order dew,<br/> +To contemplation of th’immortall sky; 25<br/> +Of the soare faulcon* so I learne to flye.<br/> +That flags a while her fluttering wings beneath,<br/> +Till she her selfe for stronger flight can breath.<br/> + [* <i>Soare faulcon</i>, a young falcon; a hawk that has not shed its first<br/> + feathers, which are <i>sorrel</i>.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Then looke, who list thy gazefull eyes to feed<br/> +With sight of that is faire, looke on the frame 30<br/> +Of this wyde universe, and therein reed<br/> +The endlesse kinds of creatures which by name<br/> +Thou canst not count, much less their natures aime;<br/> +All which are made with wondrous wise respect,<br/> +And all with admirable beautie deckt. 35 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +First, th’Earth, on adamantine pillers founded<br/> +Amid the Sea, engirt with brasen bands;<br/> +Then th’Aire, still flitting, but yet firmely bounded<br/> +On everie side with pyles of flaming brands,<br/> +Never consum’d, nor quencht with mortall hands; 40<br/> +And last, that mightie shining cristall wall,<br/> +Wherewith he hath encompassed this all. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +By view whereof it plainly may appeare,<br/> +That still as every thing doth upward tend<br/> +And further is from earth, so still more cleare 45<br/> +And faire it growes, till to his perfect end<br/> +Of purest Beautie it at last ascend;<br/> +Ayre more then water, fire much more then ayre,<br/> +And heaven then fire, appeares more pure and fayre. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Looke thou no further, but affixe thine eye 50<br/> +On that bright shynie round still moving masse,<br/> +The house of blessed God, which men call Skye,<br/> +All sowd with glistring stars more thicke then grasse,<br/> +Whereof each other doth in brightnesse passe,<br/> +But those two most, which, ruling night and day, 55<br/> +As king and queene the heavens empire sway; +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +And tell me then, what hast thou ever seene<br/> +That to their beautie may compared bee?<br/> +Or can the sight that is most sharpe and keene<br/> +Endure their captains flaming head to see? 60<br/> +How much lesse those, much higher in degree,<br/> +And so much fairer, and much more then these,<br/> +As these are fairer then the land and seas? +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +For farre above these heavens which here we see,<br/> +Be others farre exceeding these in light, 65<br/> +Not bounded, not corrupt, as these same bee,<br/> +But infinite in largenesse and in hight,<br/> +Unmoving, uncorrupt, and spotlesse bright,<br/> +That need no sunne t’illuminate their spheres,<br/> +But their owne native light farre passing theirs. 70 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +And as these heavens still by degrees arize,<br/> +Until they come to their first movers* bound,<br/> +That in his mightie compasse doth comprize<br/> +And carrie all the rest with him around,<br/> +So those likewise doe by degrees redound**, 75<br/> +And rise more faire, till they at last arive<br/> +To the most faire, whereto they all do strive.<br/> + [* I.e. the <i>primum mobile</i>.]<br/> + [** I.e. exceed the one the other.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Faire is the heaven where happy soules have place,<br/> +In full enioyment of felicitie,<br/> +Whence they doe still behold the glorious face 80<br/> +Of the Divine Eternall Maiestie;<br/> +More faire is that where those Idees on hie<br/> +Enraunged be, which Plato so admyred,<br/> +And pure Intelligences from God inspyred. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Yet fairer is that heaven in which do raine 85<br/> +The soveraigne Powres and mightie Potentates,<br/> +Which in their high protections doe containe<br/> +All mortall princes and imperiall states;<br/> +And fayrer yet whereas the royall Seates<br/> +And heavenly Dominations are set, 90<br/> +From whom all earthly governance is fet*.<br/> + [* <i>Fet</i>, fetched, derived.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Yet farre more faire be those bright Cherubins,<br/> +Which all with golden wings are overdight,<br/> +And those eternall burning Seraphins,<br/> +Which from their faces dart out fierie light; 95<br/> +Yet fairer then they both, and much more bright,<br/> +Be th’Angels and Archangels, which attend<br/> +On Gods owne person, without rest or end. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +These thus in faire each other farre excelling,<br/> +As to the Highest they approach more near, 100<br/> +Yet is that Highest farre beyond all telling,<br/> +Fairer then all the rest which there appeare,<br/> +Though all their beauties ioyn’d together were;<br/> +How then can mortall tongue hope to expresse<br/> +The image of such endlesse perfectnesse? 105 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Cease then, my tongue! and lend unto my mynd<br/> +Leave to bethinke how great that Beautie is,<br/> +Whose utmost* parts so beautifull I fynd;<br/> +How much more those essentiall parts of His,<br/> +His truth, his love, his wisedome, and his blis, 110<br/> +His grace, his doome**, his mercy, and his might,<br/> +By which he lends us of himselfe a sight!<br/> +[* <i>Utmost</i>, outmost.]<br/> +[** <i>Doome</i>, judgment.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Those unto all he daily doth display,<br/> +And shew himselfe in th’image of his grace,<br/> +As in a looking-glasse, through which he may 115<br/> +Be seene of all his creatures vile and base,<br/> +That are unable else to see his face;<br/> +His glorious face! which glistereth else so bright,<br/> +That th’angels selves can not endure his sight. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +But we, fraile wights! whose sight cannot sustaine 120<br/> +The suns bright beames when he on us doth shyne,<br/> +But* that their points rebutted** backe againe<br/> +Are duld, how can we see with feeble eyne<br/> +The glorie of that Maiestie Divine,<br/> +In sight of whom both sun and moone are darke, 125<br/> +Compared to his least resplendent sparke?<br/> +[* <i>But</i>, unless.]<br/> +[** <i>Rebutted</i>, reflected.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +The meanes, therefore, which unto us is lent<br/> +Him to behold, is on his workes to looke.<br/> +Which he hath made in beauty excellent,<br/> +And in the same, as in a brasen booke, 130<br/> +To read enregistred in every nooke<br/> +His goodnesse, which his beautie doth declare;<br/> +For all thats good is beautifull and faire. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Thence gathering plumes of perfect speculation<br/> +To impe* the wings of thy high flying mynd, 135<br/> +Mount up aloft through heavenly contemplation<br/> +From this darke world, whose damps the soule do blynd,<br/> +And, like the native brood of eagles kynd,<br/> +On that bright Sunne of Glorie fixe thine eyes,<br/> +Clear’d from grosse mists of fraile infirmities. 140<br/> + [* <i>Impe</i>, mend, strengthen.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Humbled with feare and awfull reverence,<br/> +Before the footestoole of his Maiestie<br/> +Throw thy selfe downe, with trembling innocence,<br/> +Ne dare looke up with córruptible eye<br/> +On the dred face of that great Deity, 145<br/> +For feare lest, if he chaunce to look on thee,<br/> +Thou turne to nought, and quite confounded be. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +But lowly fall before his mercie seate,<br/> +Close covered with the Lambes integrity<br/> +From the iust wrath of His avengefull threate 150<br/> +That sits upon the righteous throne on hy;<br/> +His throne is built upon Eternity,<br/> +More firme and durable then steele or brasse,<br/> +Or the hard diamond, which them both doth passe. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +His scepter is the rod of Righteousnesse, 155<br/> +With which he bruseth all his foes to dust,<br/> +And the great Dragon strongly doth represse<br/> +Under the rigour of his iudgment iust;<br/> +His seate is Truth, to which the faithfull trust,<br/> +From whence proceed her beames so pure and bright, 160<br/> +That all about him sheddeth glorious light: +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Light farre exceeding that bright blazing sparke<br/> +Which darted is from Titans flaming head,<br/> +That with his beames enlumineth the darke<br/> +And dampish air, wherby al things are red*; 165<br/> +Whose nature yet so much is marvelled<br/> +Of mortall wits, that it doth much amaze<br/> +The greatest wisards** which thereon do gaze.<br/> + [* <i>Red</i>, perceived.]<br/> + [** <i>Wisards</i>, wise men, <i>savants</i>.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +But that immortall light which there doth shine<br/> +Is many thousand times more bright, more cleare, 170<br/> +More excellent, more glorious, more divine;<br/> +Through which to God all mortall actions here,<br/> +And even the thoughts of men, do plaine appeare;<br/> +For from th’Eternall Truth it doth proceed,<br/> +Through heavenly vertue which her beames doe breed. 175 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +With the great glorie of that wondrous light<br/> +His throne is all encompassed around,<br/> +And hid in his owne brightnesse from the sight<br/> +Of all that looke thereon with eyes unsound;<br/> +And underneath his feet are to be found 180<br/> +Thunder, and lightning, and tempestuous fyre,<br/> +The instruments of his avenging yre. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +There in his bosome Sapience doth sit,<br/> +The soveraine dearling of the Deity,<br/> +Clad like a queene in royall robes, most fit 185<br/> +For so great powre and peerelesse maiesty,<br/> +And all with gemmes and iewels gorgeously<br/> +Adornd, that brighter then the starres appeare,<br/> +And make her native brightnes seem more cleare. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +And on her head a crown of purest gold 190<br/> +Is set, in signe of highest soverainty;<br/> +And in her hand a scepter she doth hold,<br/> +With which she rules the house of God on hy,<br/> +And menageth the ever-moving sky,<br/> +And in the same these lower creatures all 195<br/> +Subiected to her powre imperiall. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Both heaven and earth obey unto her will,<br/> +And all the creatures which they both containe;<br/> +For of her fulnesse, which the world doth fill,<br/> +They all partake, and do in state remaine 200<br/> +As their great Maker did at first ordaine,<br/> +Through observation of her high beheast,<br/> +By which they first were made, and still increast. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +The fairnesse of her face no tongue can tell;<br/> +For she the daughters of all wemens race, 205<br/> +And angels eke, in beautie doth excell,<br/> +Sparkled on her from Gods owne glorious face,<br/> +And more increast by her owne goodly grace,<br/> +That it doth farre exceed all humane thought,<br/> +Ne can on earth compared be to ought. 210 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Ne could that painter (had he lived yet)<br/> +Which pictured Venus with so curious quill<br/> +That all posteritie admyred it,<br/> +Have purtray’d this, for all his maistring* skill;<br/> +Ne she her selfe, had she remained still, 215<br/> +And were as faire as fabling wits do fayne,<br/> +Could once come neare this Beauty soverayne.<br/> + [* <i>Maistring</i>, superior.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +But had those wits, the wonders of their dayes,<br/> +Or that sweete Teian poet*, which did spend<br/> +His plenteous vaine in setting forth her praise, 220<br/> +Seen but a glims of this which I pretend**,<br/> +How wondrously would he her face commend,<br/> +Above that idole of his fayning thought,<br/> +That all the world should with his rimes be fraught!<br/> +[* I.e. Anacreon.]<br/> +[** <i>Pretend</i>, set forth, (or, simply) intend.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +How then dare I, the novice of his art, 225<br/> +Presume to picture so divine a wight,<br/> +Or hope t’expresse her least perfections part,<br/> +Whose beautie filles the heavens with her light,<br/> +And darkes the earth with shadow of her sight?<br/> +Ah, gentle Muse! thou art too weake and faint 230<br/> +The pourtraict of so heavenly hew to paint. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Let angels, which her goodly face behold,<br/> +And see at will, her soveraigne praises sing,<br/> +And those most sacred mysteries unfold<br/> +Of that faire love of mightie Heavens King; 235<br/> +Enough is me t’admyre so heavenly thing,<br/> +And being thus with her huge love possest,<br/> +In th’only wonder of her selfe to rest. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +But whoso may, thrise happie man him hold<br/> +Of all on earth, whom God so much doth grace, 240<br/> +And lets his owne Beloved to behold;<br/> +For in the view of her celestiall face<br/> +All ioy, all blisse, all happinesse, have place;<br/> +Ne ought on earth can want unto the wight<br/> +Who of her selfe can win the wishfull sight. 245 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +For she out of her secret threasury<br/> +Plentie of riches forth on him will powre,<br/> +Even heavenly riches, which there hidden ly<br/> +Within the closet of her chastest bowre,<br/> +Th’eternall portion of her precious dowre, 250<br/> +Which Mighty God hath given to her free,<br/> +And to all those which thereof worthy bee. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +None thereof worthy be, but those whom shee<br/> +Vouchsafeth to her presence to receave,<br/> +And letteth them her lovely face to see, 255<br/> +Wherof such wondrous pleasures they conceave,<br/> +And sweete contentment, that it doth bereave<br/> +Their soul of sense, through infinite delight,<br/> +And them transport from flesh into the spright. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +In which they see such admirable things, 260<br/> +As carries them into an extasy;<br/> +And heare such heavenly notes and carolings<br/> +Of Gods high praise, that filles the brasen sky;<br/> +And feele such ioy and pleasure inwardly,<br/> +That maketh them all worldly cares forget, 265<br/> +And onely thinke on that before them set. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Ne from thenceforth doth any fleshly sense,<br/> +Or idle thought of earthly things, remaine;<br/> +But all that earst seemd sweet seemes now offence,<br/> +And all that pleased earst now seemes to paine: 270<br/> +Their ioy, their comfort, their desire, their game,<br/> +Is fixed all on that which now they see;<br/> +All other sights but fayned shadowes bee. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +And that faire lampe which useth to enflame<br/> +The hearts of men with selfe-consuming fyre, 275<br/> +Thenceforth seemes fowle, and full of sinfull blame<br/> +And all that pompe to which proud minds aspyre<br/> +By name of Honor, and so much desyre,<br/> +Seemes to them basenesse, and all riches drosse,<br/> +And all mirth sadnesse, and all lucre losse. 280 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +So full their eyes are of that glorious sight,<br/> +And senses fraught with such satietie.<br/> +That in nought else on earth they can delight,<br/> +But in th’aspect of that felicitie<br/> +Which they have written in theyr inward ey; 285<br/> +On which they feed, and in theyr fastened mynd<br/> +All happie ioy and full contentment fynd. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Ah, then, my hungry soule! which long hast fed<br/> +On idle fancies of thy foolish thought,<br/> +And, with false Beauties flattring bait misled, 290<br/> +Hast after vaine deceiptfull shadowes sought,<br/> +Which all are fled, and now have left thee nought<br/> +But late repentance, through thy follies prief,<br/> +Ah! ceasse to gaze on matter of thy grief: +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +And looke at last up to that Soveraine Light, 295<br/> +From whose pure beams al perfect Beauty springs,<br/> +That kindleth love in every godly spright,<br/> +Even the love of God; which loathing brings<br/> +Of this vile world and these gay-seeming things;<br/> +With whose sweet pleasures being so possest, 300<br/> +Thy straying thoughts henceforth for ever rest. +</p> + +<hr /> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap15"></a>EPIGRAMS AND SONNETS.</h2> + +<h3>EPIGRAMS.</h3> + +<h4>I.*</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +[* In the folio of 1611, these four short pieces are appended to the Sonnets. +The second and third are translated from Marot’s Epigrams, Liv. III. No. 5, +<i>De Diane</i>, and No. 24, <i>De Cupido et de sa Dame</i>. C.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +In youth, before I waxed old,<br/> +The blynd boy, Venus baby,<br/> +For want of cunning, made me bold<br/> +In bitter hyve to grope for honny:<br/> + But when he saw me stung and cry,<br/> + He tooke his wings and away did fly. +</p> + +<h4>II.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +As Diane hunted on a day,<br/> +She chaunst to come where Cupid lay,<br/> + His quiver by his head:<br/> +One of his shafts she stole away,<br/> +And one of hers did close convay,<br/> + Into the others stead:<br/> +With that Love wounded my Loves hart,<br/> +But Diane, beasts with Cupids dart. +</p> + +<h4>III.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +I saw, in secret to my dame<br/> +How little Cupid humbly came,<br/> + And said to her, “All hayle, my mother!”<br/> +But when he saw me laugh, for shame<br/> +His face with bashfull blood did flame,<br/> + Not knowing Venus from the other.<br/> +“Then, never blush, Cupid,” quoth I,<br/> +“For many have err’d in this beauty.” +</p> + +<h4>IV.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Upon a day, as Love lay sweetly slumbring<br/> + All in his mothers lap,<br/> +A gentle Bee, with his loud trumpet murm’ring,<br/> + About him flew by hap.<br/> +Whereof when he was wakened with the noyse,<br/> + And saw the beast so small,<br/> +“Whats this,” quoth he, “that gives so great a voyce,<br/> + That wakens men withall?”<br/> + In angry wize he flies about,<br/> + And threatens all with corage stout. 10 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +To whom his mother, closely* smiling, sayd,<br/> + ’Twixt earnest and ’twixt game:<br/> +“See! thou thy selfe likewise art lyttle made,<br/> + If thou regard the same.<br/> +And yet thou suffrest neyther gods in sky, 15<br/> + Nor men in earth, to rest:<br/> +But when thou art disposed cruelly,<br/> + Theyr sleepe thou doost molest.<br/> + Then eyther change thy cruelty,<br/> + Or give lyke leave unto the fly.” 20<br/> +[* <i>Closely</i>, secretly.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Nathelesse, the cruell boy, not so content,<br/> + Would needs the fly pursue,<br/> +And in his hand, with heedlesse hardiment,<br/> + Him caught for to subdue.<br/> +But when on it he hasty hand did lay, 25<br/> + The Bee him stung therefore.<br/> +“Now out, alas,” he cryde, “and welaway!<br/> + I wounded am full sore.<br/> + The fly, that I so much did scorne,<br/> + Hath hurt me with his little horne.” 30 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Unto his mother straight he weeping came,<br/> + And of his griefe complayned;<br/> +Who could not chuse but laugh at his fond game,<br/> + Though sad to see him pained.<br/> +“Think now,” quoth she, “my son, how great the smart 35<br/> + Of those whom thou dost wound:<br/> +Full many thou hast pricked to the hart,<br/> + That pitty never found.<br/> + Therefore, henceforth some pitty take,<br/> + When thou doest spoyle of lovers make.” 40 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +She tooke him streight full pitiously lamenting,<br/> +She wrapt him softly, all the while repenting<br/> + That he the fly did mock.<br/> +She drest his wound, and it embaulmed well 45<br/> + With salve of soveraigne might;<br/> +And then she bath’d him in a dainty well,<br/> + The well of deare delight.<br/> + Who would not oft be stung as this,<br/> + To be so bath’d in Venus blis? 50 +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +The wanton boy was shortly wel recured<br/> + Of that his malady;<br/> +But he soone after fresh again enured*<br/> + His former cruelty.<br/> +And since that time he wounded hath my selfe 55<br/> + With his sharpe dart of love,<br/> +And now forgets the cruell carelesse elfe<br/> + His mothers heast** to prove.<br/> + So now I languish, till he please<br/> + My pining anguish to appease. 60<br/> +[* <i>Enured</i>, practised.]<br/> +[** <i>Heast</i>, command.] +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap16"></a>SONNETS</h2> + +<h5>WRITTEN BY SPENSER,</h5> + +<h5>COLLECTED FKOM THE ORIGINAL PUBLICATIONS IN +WHICH THEY APPEARED.</h5> + +<h4>I*.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +<i>To the right worshipfull, my singular good frend, +M. Gabriell Harvey, Doctor of the Lawes.</i> +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Harvey, the happy above happiest men<br/> +I read**; that, sitting like a looker-on<br/> +Of this worldes stage, doest note with critique pen<br/> +The sharpe dislikes of each condition:<br/> +And, as one carelesse of suspition,<br/> +Ne fawnest for the favour of the great,<br/> +Ne fearest foolish reprehension<br/> +Of faulty men, which daunger to thee threat:<br/> +But freely doest of what thee list entreat,@<br/> +Like a great lord of peerelesse liberty,<br/> +Lifting the good up to high Honours seat,<br/> +And the evill damning evermore to dy:<br/> +For life and death is in thy doomeful writing;<br/> +So thy renowme lives ever by endighting. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Dublin, this xviij. of July, 1586. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Your devoted friend, during life, +</p> + +<h5>EDMUND SPENCER.</h5> + +<p class="stanza"> +[* From “Foure Letters and certaine Sonnets especially touching Robert<br/> +Greene, and other parties by him abused,” &c. London, 1592. TODD.]<br/> +[** <i>Read</i>, consider.]<br/> +[@ <i>Entreat</i>, treat.] +</p> + +<h4>II*.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +Whoso wil seeke, by right deserts, t’attaine<br/> +Unto the type of true nobility,<br/> +And not by painted shewes, and titles vaine,<br/> +Derived farre from famous auncestrie,<br/> +Behold them both in their right visnomy**<br/> +Here truly pourtray’d as they ought to be,<br/> +And striving both for termes of dignitie,<br/> +To be advanced highest in degree.<br/> +And when thou doost with equall insight see<br/> +The ods twist both, of both then deem aright,<br/> +And chuse the better of them both to thee;<br/> +But thanks to him that it deserves behight@:<br/> + To Nenna first, that first this worke created,<br/> + And next to Iones, that truely it translated. +</p> + +<h4>ED. SPENSER.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +[* Prefixed to “Nennio, or A Treatise of Nobility, &c. Written in<br/> +Italian by that famous Doctor and worthy Knight, Sir John Baptista<br/> +Nenna of Bari. Done into English by William Iones, Gent.” 1595. TODD.]<br/> +[** <i>Visnomy</i>, features.]<br/> +[@ <i>Behight</i>, accord.] +</p> + +<h4>III*.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +<i>Upon the Historie of George Castriot, alias Scanderbeg, King of the +Epirots, translated into English.</i> +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Wherefore doth vaine Antiquitie so vaunt<br/> +Her ancient monuments of mightie peeres,<br/> +And old heröes, which their world did daunt<br/> +With their great deedes and fild their childrens eares?<br/> +Who, rapt with wonder of their famous praise,<br/> +Admire their statues, their colossoes great,<br/> +Their rich triumphall arcks which they did raise,<br/> +Their huge pyrámids, which do heaven threat.<br/> +Lo! one, whom later age hath brought to light,<br/> +Matchable to the greatest of those great;<br/> +Great both by name, and great in power and might,<br/> +And meriting a meere** triumphant seate.<br/> + The scourge of Turkes, and plague of infidels,<br/> + Thy acts, O Scanderbeg, this volume tels. +</p> + +<h4>ED. SPENSER.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +[* Prefixed to the “Historie of George Castriot, alias Scanderbeg, King +of Albanie: Containing his famous actes, &c. Newly translated out of +French into English by Z.I. Gentleman.” 1596. TODD.] +[** <i>Meere</i>, absolute, decided.] +</p> + +<h4>IV*.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +The antique Babel, empresse of the East,<br/> +Upreard her buildinges to the threatned skie:<br/> +And second Babell, tyrant of the West,<br/> +Her ayry towers upraised much more high.<br/> +But with the weight of their own surquedry**<br/> +They both are fallen, that all the earth did feare,<br/> +And buried now in their own ashes ly,<br/> +Yet shewing, by their heapes, how great they were.<br/> +But in their place doth now a third appeare,<br/> +Fayre Venice, flower of the last worlds delight;<br/> +And next to them in beauty draweth neare,<br/> +But farre exceedes in policie of right.<br/> + Yet not so fayre her buildinges to behold<br/> + As Lewkenors stile that hath her beautie told. +</p> + +<h4>EDM. SPENCER.</h4> + +<p class="stanza"> +[* Prefixed to “The Commonwealth and Government of Venice, +Written by the Cardinall Gaspar Contareno, and translated out of Italian +into English by Lewes Lewkenor, Esquire.” London, 1599. TODD.] +[** <i>Surquedry</i>, presumption.] +</p> + +<hr /> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap17"></a>APPENDIX.</h2> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap18"></a>APPENDIX I.</h2> + +<h5>VARIATIONS FROM THE ORIGINAL EDITIONS.</h5> + +<p class="stanza"> +The Ruines of Time v. 353, covetize, Q. covertize.<br/> +The Ruines of Time v. 541, ocean, Q. Occaean.<br/> +The Ruines of Time v. 551, which (ed. 1611), Q. with.<br/> +The Ruines of Time v. 574, worlds (ed. 1611), Q. words.<br/> +The Ruines of Time v. 675, worldës, Q. worlds.<br/> +The Teares of the Muses v. 600, living (ed. 1611), Q. loving.<br/> +Virgils Gnat v. 149, Ascraean, Q. Astraean.<br/> +Virgils Gnat v. 340, seest thou not (ed. 1611), Q. seest thou.<br/> +Virgils Gnat v. 387, throat (ed. 1611), Q. threat.<br/> +Virgils Gnat v. 575, billowes, Q. billowe.<br/> +Prosopopoia v. 53, gossip, Q. goship.<br/> +Prosopopoia v. 453, diriges, Q. dirges.<br/> +Prosopopoia v. 648, at all, Q. all.<br/> +Prosopopoia v. 997, whether, Q. whither.<br/> +Prosopopoia v. 1012, stopt, Q. stept.<br/> +Prosopopoia v. 1019, whither, Q. whether.<br/> +Ruines of Rome xviii. 5, ornaments, Q. ornament.<br/> +Muiopotmos v. 250, dispacing, Q. displacing.<br/> +Muiopotmos v. 431, yongthly, Q. yougthly.<br/> +The Visions of Bellay ii. 8, one, Q. on.<br/> +The Visions of Bellay ix. 1, astonied, Q. astoined.<br/> +The Visions of Petrarche vii. 1, behold, Q. beheld.<br/> +Amoretti lxxxii. 2, placed, Orig ed*. plac’d. [* According to Todd.]<br/> +Epithalmion v. 67, dere, orig. ed. dore.<br/> +Epithalmion v. 190, mazeful (ed. 1611), orig. ed. amazeful.<br/> +Epithalmion v. 290, sad dread (ed. 1611), orig. ed. dread.<br/> +Epithalmion v. 341, Pouke, orig. ed. ponke.<br/> +An Hymne in Honour of Love v. 165, they will (ed. 1611), orig. ed. thou<br/> +wilt.<br/> +An Hymne in Honour of Love v. 169, be enfyred (ed. 1611), orig. ed. he<br/> +enfyred.<br/> +An Hymne in Honour of Love v. 302, an (ed. 1611), orig. ed. and.<br/> +An Hymne in Honour of Beautie v. 147, deform’d, orig. ed. perform’d.<br/> +An Hymne in Honour of Beautie v. 171, affections (ed. 1611), orig. ed.<br/> +affection. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap19"></a>APPENDIX II.</h2> + +<p class="stanza"> +<i>To the Worshipfull, his very singular good friend, Maister G. H., Fellow of +Trinitie Hall in Cambridge.</i> * +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +[* Reprinted from “Ancient Critical Essays upon English Poets and Poesy. Edited +by Joseph Haslewood”. Vol II] +</p> + +<h5>GOOD MAISTER G.:—</h5> + +<p> +I perceiue, by your most curteous and frendly letters, your good will to be no +lesse in deed than I alwayes esteemed. In recompence wherof, think, I beseech +you, that I wil spare neither speech, nor wryting, nor aught else, whensoeuer +and wheresoeuer occasion shal be offred me; yea, I will not stay till it be +offred, but will seeke it in al that possibly I may. And that you may perceiue +how much your counsel in al things preuaileth with me, and how altogither I am +ruled and ouer-ruled thereby, I am now determined to alter mine owne former +purpose, and to subscribe to your advizement; being, notwithstanding, resolued +stil to abide your farther resolution. My principal doubts are these. First, I +was minded for a while to haue intermitted the vttering of my writings; leaste +by ouer-much cloying their noble eares, I should gather a contempt of myself, +or else seeme rather for game and commoditie to doe it, for some sweetnesse +that I haue already tasted. Then also me seemeth the work too base for his +excellent lordship, being made in honour of a priuate personage vnknowne, which +of some ylwillers might be vpbraided, not to be so worthie as you knowe she is; +or the matter not so weightie that it should be offred to so weightie a +personage, or the like. The selfe former title still liketh me well ynough, and +your fine addition no lesse. If these and the like doubtes maye be of +importaunce, in your seeming, to frustrate any parte of your aduice, I +beeseeche you without the leaste selfe loue of your own purpose, councell me +for the beste: and the rather doe it faithfullye and carefully, for that, in +all things, I attribute so muche to your iudgement, that I am euermore content +to adnihilate mine owne determinations in respecte thereof. And, indeede, for +your selfe to, it sitteth with you now to call your wits & senses togither +(which are alwaies at call) when occasion is so fairely offered of estimation +and preferment, For whiles the yron is hote it is good striking, and minds of +nobles varie, as their estates. <i>Verum ne quid durius.</i> +</p> + +<p> +I pray you bethinks you well hereof, good Maister G., and forth with write me +those two or three special points and caueats for the nonce; <i>De quibus in +superioribus illis mellitissimus longissimisque litteris tuis.</i> Your desire +to heare of my late beeing with hir Maiestie muste dye in it selfe. As for the +twoo worthy gentle men, Master Sidney and Master Dyer, they haue me, I thanke +them, in some vse of familiarity; of whom and to whome what speache passeth for +youre credite and estimation I leaue your selfe to conceiue, hauing alwayes so +well conceiued of my vnfained affection and zeale towardes you. And nowe they +haue proclaimed in their [Greek: hareiophaga] a generall surceasing and silence +of balde rymers, and also of the verie beste to; in steade whereof they haue, +by authoritie of their whole senate, prescribed certaine lawes and rules of +quantities of English sillables for English verse; hauing had thereof already +greate practise, and drawen mee to their faction. Newe bookes I heare of none, +but only of one* [* Stephen Gosson.], that writing a certaine booke called +<i>The Schoole of Abuse</i>, and dedicating it to Maister Sidney, was for hys +labor scorned; if, at leaste, it be in the goodnesse of that nature to scorne. +Such follie is it not to regard aforehande the inclination and qualitie of him +to whome wee dedicate oure bookes. Suche mighte I happily incurre, entituling +<i>My Slomber</i>, and the other pamphlets, vnto his honor. I meant them rather +to Maister Dyer. But I am of late more in loue wyth my Englishe versifying than +with ryming: whyche I should haue done long since, if I would then haue +followed your councell. <i>Sed te solum iam tum suspicabar cum Aschamo sapere; +nunc aulam video egregios alere poetas Anglicos</i>. Maister E.K. hartily +desireth to be commended vnto your worshippe: of whome what accompte he maketh +youre selfe shall hereafter perceiue by hys paynefull and dutifull verses of +your selfe. +</p> + +<p> +Thus muche was written at Westminster yesternight; but comming this morning, +beeyng the sixteenth of October [1579], to Mystresse Kerkes, to haue it +deliuered to the carrier, I receyued youre letter, sente me the laste weeke; +whereby I perceiue you otherwhiles continue your old exercise of versifying in +English,—whych glorie I had now thought whoulde haue bene onely ours heere at +London and the court. +</p> + +<p> +Truste me, your verses I like passingly well, and enuye your hidden paines in +this kinde, or rather maligne and grudge at your selfe, that woulde not once +imparte so muche to me. But once or twice you make a breache in Maister Drants +rules: <i>quod tamen condonabimus tanto poetae, tuaeque ipsius maximae in his +rebus autoritati.</i> You shall see, when we meete in London, (whiche when it +shall be, certifye vs,) howe fast I haue followed after you in that course: +beware, leaste in time I ouertake you. <i>Veruntamen te solum sequar, (vt +saepenumero sum professus,) nunquam sane assequar dum viuam.</i> And nowe +requite I you with the like, not with the verye beste, but with the verye +shortest, namely, with a few <i>Iambickes</i>. I dare warrant, they be +precisely perfect for the feete, (as you can easily iudge,) and varie not one +inch from the rule. I will imparte yours to Maister Sidney and Maister Dyer, at +my nexte going to the courte. I praye you keepe mine close to your selfe, or +your verie entire friendes, Maister Preston, Maister Still, and the reste. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> + <i>Iambicum Trimetrum</i> +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Vnhappie Verse, the witnesse of my vnhappie state,<br/> + Make thy selfe fluttring wings of thy fast flying<br/> + Thought, and fly forth vnto my love whersoeuer she be: +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Whether lying reastlesse in heauy bedde, or else<br/> + Sitting so cheerelesse at the cheerfull boorde, or else<br/> + Playing alone carelesse on hir heauenlie virginals. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +If in bed, tell hir, that my eyes can take no reste;<br/> + If at boorde, tell hir, that my mouth can eate no meate;<br/> + If at hir virginals, tel hir, I can heare no mirth. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Asked why? say, Waking loue suffereth no sleepe;<br/> + Say, that raging loue dothe appall the weake stomacke;<br/> + Say, that lamenting loue marreth the musicall. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Tell hir, that hir pleasures were wonte to lull me asleepe;<br/> + Tell hir, that hir beautie was wonte to feede mine eyes;<br/> + Tell hir, that hir sweete tongue was wonte to make me mirth. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Nowe doe I nightly waste, wanting my kindely reste;<br/> + Nowe doe I dayly starue, wanting my liuely foode;<br/> + Nowe doe I alwayes dye, wanting thy timely mirth. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +And if I waste, who will bewaile my heauy chaunce?<br/> + And if I starue, who will record my cursed end?<br/> + And if I dye, who will saye, <i>This was Immerito?</i> +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +I thought once agayne here to haue made an ende, with heartie <i>Vale</i>, of +the best fashion; but loe, an ylfavoured mys chaunce. My last farewell, +whereof I made great accompt, and muche maruelled you shoulde make no +mention thereof, I am nowe tolde, (in the diuel’s name,) was thorough +one mans negligence quite forgotten, but shoulde nowe vndoubtedly haue +beene sent, whether I hadde come or no. Seing it can now be no +otherwise, I pray you take all togither, wyth all their faults: and nowe +I hope you will vouchsafe mee an answeare of the largest size, or else I +tell you true, you shall bee verye deepe in my debte; notwythstandyng +thys other sweete but shorte letter, and fine, but fewe verses. But I +woulde rather I might yet see youre owne good selfe, and receiue a +reciprocall farewell from your owne sweete mouth. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +<i>Ad ornatissimum virum, multis iam diu nominibus clarissimum, +G. H., Immerito sui, mox in Gallias nauigaturi,</i> [Greek: Eutuchein] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Sic malus egregium, sic non inimicus amicum,<br/> +Sicque nouus veterem iubet ipse poeta poetam<br/> +Saluere, ac caelo, post secula multa, secundo,<br/> +Iam reducem, (caelo mage quam nunc ipse sccundo)<br/> +Vtier. Ecce deus, (modo sit deus ille, renixum<br/> +Qui vocet in scelus, et iuratos perdat amores)<br/> +Ecce deus mihi clara dedit modo signa marinus,<br/> +Et sua veligero lenis parat aequora ligno<br/> +Mox sulcanda; suas etiam pater AEolus iras<br/> +Ponit, et ingentes animos Aquilonis.<br/> +Cuncta vijs sic apta meis: ego solus ineptus.<br/> +Nam mihi nescio quo mens saucia vulnere, dudum<br/> +Fluctuat ancipiti pelago, dum navita proram<br/> +Inualidam validus rapit huc Amor, et rapit illuc<br/> +Consilijs Ratio melioribus vsa, Decusque<br/> +Immortale leui diffissa Cupidinis arcu*:<br/> + [* This line appears to be corrupt.]<br/> +Angimur hoc dubio, et portu vexamur in ipso.<br/> +Magne pharetrati nunc tu contemptor Amoris,<br/> +(Id tibi Dij nomen precor haud impune remittant)<br/> +Hos nodos exsolue, et eris mihi magnus Apollo!<br/> +Spiritus ad summos, scio, te generosus honores<br/> +Exstimulat, majusque docet spirare poetam.<br/> +Quam leuis est Amor, et tamen haud leuis est Amor omnis.<br/> +Ergo nihil laudi reputas aequale perenni,<br/> +Praeque sacrosancta splendoris imagine tanti,<br/> +Caetera, quae vecors, vti numina, vulgus adorat,<br/> +Praedia, amicitias, vrbana peculia, nummos,<br/> +Quaeque placent oculis, formas, spectacula, amores,<br/> +Conculcare soles, vt humum, et ludibria sensus:<br/> +Digna meo certe Haruejo sententia, digna<br/> +Oratore amplo, et generoso pectore, quam non<br/> +Stoica formidet veterum sapientia vinclis<br/> +Sancire aeternis: sapor haud tamen omnibus idem.<br/> +Dicitur effoeti proles facunda Laertae,<br/> +Quamlibet ignoti iactata per aequora caeli,<br/> +Inque procelloso longum exsul gurgite ponto,<br/> +Prae tamen amplexu lachrymosae conjugis, ortus<br/> +Caelestes, Diuûmque thoros spreuisse beatos.<br/> +Tantum amor, et mulier, vel amore potetitior. Ilium<br/> +Tu tamen illudis; tua magnificentia tanta est:<br/> +Praeque subumbrata splendoris imagine tanti,<br/> +Praeque illo meritis famosis nomine parto,<br/> +Caetera, quae vecors, vti numina, vulgus adorat,<br/> +Praedia, amicitias, armenta, peculia, nummos,<br/> +Quaeque placent oculis, formas, spectacula, amores,<br/> +Quaeque placent ori, quaeque auribus, omnia temnis.<br/> +Nae tu grande sapis! sapor et sapientia non est:<br/> +Omnis et in paruis bene qui scit desipuisse,<br/> +Saepe supercilijs palmam sapientibus aufert.<br/> +Ludit Aristippum modo tetrica turba sophorum,<br/> +Mitia purpureo moderantem verba tyranno;<br/> +Ludit Aristippus dictamina vana sophorum,<br/> +Quos leuis emensi male torquet Culicis vmbra:<br/> +Et quisquis placuisse studet heroibus altis,<br/> +Desipuisse studet; sic gratia crescit ineptis.<br/> +Denique laurigeris quisquis sua tempora vittis<br/> +Insignire volet, populoque placere fauenti,<br/> +Desipere insanus discit, turpemque pudendae<br/> +Stultitiae laudem quaerit. Pater Ennuis vnus<br/> +Dictus in innumeris sapiens: laudatur at ipse<br/> +Carmina vesano fudisse liquentia vino.<br/> +Nec tu, pace tua, nostri Cato Maxime saecli,<br/> +Nomen honorati sacrum mereare poetae,<br/> +Quantumvis illustre canas, et nobile carmen,<br/> +Ni <i>stultire</i> velis; sic stultorum omnia plena.<br/> +Tuta sed in medio superest via gurgite; nam qui<br/> +Nec reliquis nimium vult desipuisse videri,<br/> +Nec sapuisse nimis, sapientem dixeris vnum:<br/> +Hinc te merserit vnda, illine combusserit ignis.<br/> +Nec tu delicias nimis aspernare fluentes,<br/> +Nec sero dominam venientem in vota, nec aurum,<br/> +Si sapis, oblatum: (Curijs ea, Fabricijsque<br/> +Grande sui decus ij, nostri sed dedecus aeui;)<br/> +Nec sectare nimis: res vtraque crimine plena.<br/> +Hoc bene qui callet, (si quis tamen hoc bene callet,)<br/> +Scribe vel invito sapientem hunc Socrate solum.<br/> +Vis facit vna pios, iustos facit altera, et alt’ra<br/> +Egregie cordata ac fortia pectora: verum<br/> +<i>Omne tulit punctum, qui miscuit vtile dulci.</i><br/> +Dij mihi dulce diu dederant, verum vtile nunquam:<br/> +Vtile nunc etiam, o vtinam quoque dulce dedissent.<br/> +Dij mihi, (quippe Dijs aequalia maxima paruis,)<br/> +Ni nimis inuideant mortalibus esse beatis,<br/> +Dulce simul tribuisse queant, simul vtile: tanta<br/> +Sed fortuna tua est: pariter quaeque vtile, quaeque<br/> +Dulce dat ad placitum: sseuo nos sydere nati<br/> +Quaesitum imus eam per inhospita Caucasa longe,<br/> +Perque Pyrenaeos montes, Babilonaque turpem.<br/> +Quod si quaesitum nec ibi invenerimus, ingens<br/> +AEquor inexhaustis permensi erroribus vltra<br/> +Fluctibus in medijs socij quaeremus Vlyssis:<br/> +Passibus inde deam fessis comitabimur aegram,<br/> +Nobile cui furtum quaerenti defuit orbis.<br/> +Namque sinu pudet in patrio tenebrisque pudendis,<br/> +Non nimis ingenio iuuenem infoelice virentes<br/> +Officijs frustra deperdere vilibus annos,<br/> +Frugibus et vacuas speratis cernere spicas.<br/> +Ibimus ergo statim, (quis eutiti fausta precetur?)<br/> +Et pede clivosas fesso calcabimus Alpes.<br/> +Quis dabit interea, conditas rore Britanno,<br/> +Quis tibi litterulas, quis carmen amore petulcum!<br/> +Musa sub Oebalij desueta cacumine mentis,<br/> +Flebit inexhausto tarn longa silentia planctu,<br/> +Lugebitque sacrum lacrymis Helicona tacentem.<br/> +Harueiusque bonus, (charus licet omnibus idem,)<br/> +Idque suo merito prope suauior omnibus, vnus<br/> +Angelus et Gabriel, quamuis comitatus araicis<br/> +Innumeris, geniûmque choro stipatus amaeno,<br/> +<i>Immerito</i> tamen vnum absentem saepe requiret;<br/> +Optabitque, Utinam meus hic <i>Edmundus</i> adesset,<br/> +Qui noua scripsisset, nee amores conticuisset,<br/> +Ipse suos; et saepe animo verbisque benignis<br/> +Fausta precaretur, <i>Deus illum aliqaundo reducat</i>. &c. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> + Plura vellem per Charites, sed non licet per Musas.<br/> +Vale, Vale plurimum, Mi amabilissime Harueie, meo cordi, meorum<br/> + omnium longe charissime. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +I was minded also to haue sent you some English verses, or rymes, for a +farewell; but, by my troth, I haue no spare time in the world to thinke +on such toyes, that, you knowe, will demaund a freer head than mine is +presently. I beseeche you by all your curtesies and graces, let me be +answered ere I goe; which will be (I hope, I feare, I thinke) the next +weeke, if I can be dispatched of my Lorde. I goe thither, as sent by +him, and maintained most what of him; and there am to employ my time, my +body, my minde, to his Honours seruice. Thus, with many superhartie +commendations and recommendations to your selfe, and all my friendes +with you, I ende my last farewell, not thinking any more to write vnto +you before I goe; and withall committing to your faithfull credence the +eternall memorie of our euerlasting friendship; the inuiolable memorie +of our ynspotted friendshippe, the sacred memorie of our vowed +friendship; which I beseech you continue with vsuall writings, as you +may, and of all things let me hears some newes from you: as gentle M. +Sidney, I thanke his good worship, hath required of me, and so promised +to doe againe. <i>Qui monet, vt facias, quod iam facis</i>, you knowe the +rest. You may alwayes send them most safely to me by Mistresse Kerke, +and by none other. So once againe, and yet once more, farewell most +hardly, mine owne good Master H., and loue me, as I loue you, and thinke +vpon poore Immerito, as he thinketh vppon you. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Leyc’ester House, this 5 [16*] of October, 1579.<br/> +[*: See Appendix II, para. 3:2.] +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +<i>Per mare, per terras, +Viuus mortuusque, +Tuus Immerito</i>. +</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="stanza"> +<i>To my long approoued and singular good frende, +Master G. H.</i> +</p> + +<h5>GOOD MASTER H.:—</h5> + +<p class="stanza"> +I doubt not but you haue some great important matter in hande, which al +this while restraineth your penne, and wonted readinesse in prouoking me +vnto that wherein yourselfe nowe faulte. If there bee any such thing in +hatching, I pray you hartily lette vs knowe, before al the worlds see +it. But if happly you dwell altogither in Iustinians Courte, and giue +your selfe to be devoured of secreate studies, as of all likelyhood you +doe, yet at least imparte some your olde or newe, Latine or Englishe, +eloquent and gallant poesies to vs, from whose eves, you saye, you keepe +in a manner nothing hidden. Little newes is here stirred, but that olde +greate matter still depending. His Honoure neuer better. I thinke the +earthquake wyth you (which I would gladly learne), as it was here with +vs; ouerthrowing diuers old buildings and peeces of churches. Sure verye +straunge to be hearde of in these countries, and yet I heare some saye +(I knowe not howe truely) that they haue knowne the like before in their +dayes. <i>Sed quid vobis videtur magnis philosophis?</i> I like your late +Englishe hexameters so exceedingly well, that I also enure my penne +sometime in that kinde: whyche I fynd, indeede, as I haue heard you +often defende in worde, neither so harde nor so harshe, that it will +easily and fairely yeelde it selfe to oure moother tongue. For the onely +or chiefest hardnesse whych seemeth is in the accente, whyche sometime +gapeth, and as it were yawneth ilfauouredly, comming shorte of that it +should, and sometime exceeding the measure of the number; as in +<i>carpenter</i>, the middle sillable being vsed shorte in speache, when it +shall be read long in verse, seemeth like a lame gosling, that draweth +one legge after hir: and <i>heauen</i>, beeing vsed shorte as one sillable, +when it is in verse, stretched out with a <i>diastole</i>, is like a lame +dogge that holdes vp one legge. But it is to be wonne with custome, and +rough words must be subdued with vse. For why, a God’s name, may not we, +as else the Greekes, haue the kingdome of oure owne language, and +measure our accents by the sounde, reseruing the quantitie to the verse? +Loe, here I let you see my olde vse of toying in rymes, turned into your +artificiall straightnesse of verse by this <i>tetrasticon</i>. I beseech you +tell me your fancie, without parcialitie. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> + See yee the blindefolded pretie god, that feathered archer,<br/> + Of louers miseries which maketh his bloodie game?<br/> + Wote ye why his moother with a veale hath coouered his face?<br/> + Trust me, least he my looue happely chaunce to beholde. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Seeme they comparable to those two which I translated you <i>ex tempore</i> +in bed, the last time we lay togither in Westminster? +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> + That which I eate, did I ioy, and that which I greedily gorged;<br/> + As for those many goodly matters leaft I for others. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +I would hartily wish you would either send me the rules and precepts of +arte which you obscrue in quantities, or else followe mine, that M. +Philip Sidney gave me, being the very same which M. Drant deuised, but +enlarged with M. Sidneys own iudgement, and augmented with my +obseruations, that we might both accorde and agree in one; leaste we +ouerthrowe one an other, and be ouerthrown of the rest. Truste me, you +will hardly beleeue what greate good liking and estimation Maister Dyer +had of your <i>Satyricall Verses</i>, and I, since the viewe thereof, hauing +before of my selfe had speciall liking of Englishe versifying, am euen +nowe aboute to giue you some token what and howe well therein I am able +to doe: for, to tell you trueth, I minde shortely, at conuenient +leysure, to sette forth a booke in this kinde, whyche I entitle, +<i>Epithalamion Thamesis</i>, whyche booke I dare vndertake wil be very +profitable for the knowledge, and rare for the inuention and manner of +handling. For in setting forth the marriage of the Thames, I shewe his +first beginning, and offspring, and all the countrey that he passeth +thorough, and also describe all the riuers throughout Englande, whyche +came to this wedding, and their righte names and right passage, &c.; a +worke, beleeue me, of much labour, wherein notwithstanding Master +Holinshed hath muche furthered and aduantaged me, who therein hath +bestowed singular paines in searching oute their firste heades and +sourses, and also in tracing and dogging onto all their course, til they +fall into the sea. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +<i>O Tite, siquid ego, +Ecquid erit pretij?</i> +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +But of that more hereafter. Nowe, my <i>Dreames</i> and <i>Dying Pellicane</i> +being fully finished (as I partelye signified in my laste letters) and +presentlye to bee imprinted, I wil in hande forthwith with my <i>Faery +Queene</i>, whyche I praye you hartily send me with al expedition: and your +frendly letters, and long expected judgement wythal, whyche let not be +shorte, but in all pointes suche as you ordinarilye vse and I +extraordinarily desire. <i>Multum vale. Westminster. Quarto Nonas +Aprilis, 1580. Sed, amabo te, meum Corculum tibi se ex animo commendat +plurimum: iamdiu mirata, te nihil ad literas suas responsi dedisse. +Vide quaeso, ne id tibi capitale sit: mihi certe quidem erit, neque tibi +hercle impune, vt opinor. Iterum vale, et quam voles soepe.</i> +Yours alwayes, to commaunde, +IMMERITO. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +<i>Postcripte.</i> +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +I take best my <i>Dreames</i> shoulde come forth alone, being growen, by +meanes of the Glosse (running continually in maner of a paraphrase), +full as great as my <i>Calendar</i> Therin be some things excellently, and +many things wittily, discoursed of E. K., and the pictures so singularly +set forth and purtrayed, as if Michael Angelo were there, he could (I +think) nor amende the beste, nor reprehende the worst. I knowe you +woulde lyke them passing wel. Of my <i>Stemmata Dudleiana</i>, and especially +of the sundry apostrophes therein, addressed you knowe to whome, muste +more aduisement be had, than so lightly to sende them abroade: howbeit, +trust me, (though I doe never very well,) yet, in my owne fancie, I +neuer dyd better: <i>Veruntamen te sequor solum; nunquam vero assequar.</i> +</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="stanza"> +<i>Extract from Harvey’s Reply.</i> +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +But Master Collin Cloute is not euery body, and albeit his olde +companions, Master Cuddy & Master Hobbinoll, be as little be holding to +their Mistresse Poetrie as euer you wist, yet he peraduenture, by the +meanes of hir speciall fauour, and some personall priuiledge, may +happely line by Dying Pellicanes, and purchase great landes and +lordshippes with the money which his Calendar and Dreames haue and will +affourde him. <i>Extra iocum</i>, I like your Dreames passingly well; and the +rather, bicause they sauour of that singular extraordinarie veine and +inuention whiche I euer fancied moste, and in a manner admired onelye in +Lucian, Petrarche, Aretine, Pasquill, and all the most delicate and fine +conceited Grecians and Italians, (for the Romanes to speake of are but +verye ciphars in this kinde,) whose chiefest endeuour and drifte was to +haue nothing vulgare, but, in some respecte or other, and especially in +liuely hyperbolicall amplifications, rare, queint, and odde in euery +pointe, and, as a man woulde saye, a degree or two, at the leaste, aboue +the reache and compasse of a common scholars capacitie. In whiche +respecte notwithstanding, as well for the singularitie of the manner as +the diuinitie of the matter, I hearde once a diuine preferre Saint Iohns +Reuelation before al the veriest metaphysicall visions and iolliest +conceited dreames or extasies that euer were deuised by one or other, +howe admirable or super excellent soeuer they seemed otherwise to the +worlde. And truely I am so confirmed in this opinion, that when I +bethinke me of the verie notablest and moste wonderful propheticall or +poeticall vision that euer I read, or hearde, meseemeth the proportion +is so vnequall, that there hardly appeareth anye semblaunce of +comparison: no more in a manner (specially for poets) than doth betweene +the incomprehensible wisedome of God and the sensible wit of man. But +what needeth this digression betweene you and me? I dare saye you wyll +holde your selfe reasonably wel satisfied, if youre Dreames be but as +well esteemed of in Englande as Petrarches Visions be in Italy; whiche, +I assure you, is the very worst I wish you. But see how I haue the arte +memoratiue at commaundement. In good faith, I had once again nigh +forgotten your Faerie Queene: howbeit, by good chaunce, I haue nowe sent +hir home at the laste, neither in better nor worse case than I founde +hir. And must you of necessitie haue my iudgement of hir indeede? To be +plaine, I am voyde of al iudgement, if your nine Comoedies, whervnto, in +imitation of Herodotus, you giue the names of the nine Muses, (and in +one mans fansie not vnworthily), come not neerer Ariostoes comoedies, +eyther for the finesse of plausible elocution or the rarenesse of +poetical inuention, than that Eluish Queene doth to his Orlando Furioso; +which, notwithstanding, you wil needes seeme to emulate, and hope to +ouergo, as you flatly professed yourself in one of your last letters. +Besides that, you know, it hath bene the vsual practise of the most +exquisite and odde wittes in all nations, and specially in Italie, +rather to shewe and aduaunce themselues that way than any other; as, +namely, those three notorious dyscoursing heads, Bibiena, Machiauel, and +Aretine, did, (to let Bembo and Ariosto passe,) with the great +admiration and wonderment of the whole countrey: being, in deede, +reputed matchable in all points, both for conceyt of witte and eloquent +decyphering of matters, either with Aristophanes and Menander in Greek, +or with Plautus and Terence in Latin, or with any other in any other +tong. But I wil not stand greatly with you in your owne matters. If so +be the Faerye Queeue be fairer in your eie than the nine Muses, and +Hobgoblin runne away with the garland from Apollo, marke what I saye: +and yet I will not say that I thought, but there an end for this once, +and fare you well, till God or some good aungell putte you in a better +minde. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap20"></a>APPENDIX III.</h2> + +<h5>INDEX OF PROPER NAMES.</h5> + +<p class="stanza"> +Abessa, i.<br/> +Abus, ii.<br/> +Achilles, v.<br/> +Acidalian Mount, iii.; iv.<br/> +Acontius, ii.<br/> +Acrasiai, ii.<br/> +Actea, iii.<br/> +Adicia, iii.<br/> +Adin, ii.<br/> +Adonis, Gardens of, ii.; v.<br/> +Aeacidee, iv.<br/> +Aedus, iii.<br/> +Aegerie, ii.<br/> +Aegina, ii.<br/> +Aemylia, iii.<br/> +Aeneas, ii.<br/> +Aesculapius, i.<br/> +Aeson, v.<br/> +Aëtion, iv.<br/> +Agamemnon, v.<br/> +Agape, iii.<br/> +Agave, iii.<br/> +Agdistes, ii.<br/> +Agenor, iii.<br/> +Aggannip of Celtica, ii.<br/> +Aglaia, iv.<br/> +Aglaura, iv.<br/> +Alabaster, iv.<br/> +Aladine, iv.<br/> +Alane, iv.<br/> +Albanact, ii.<br/> +Albania, ii.<br/> +Albany, iii.<br/> +Albion, ii.<br/> +Alceste, v.<br/> +Alcluid, ii.<br/> +Alcmena, ii.; brood of, v.<br/> +Alcon, iv.; v.<br/> +Alcyon, iv.; v.<br/> +Alcides, ii.; iii.<br/> +Alebius, iii.<br/> +Alexander, ii.; iii.<br/> +Alexis, iv.<br/> +Algrind, iv.<br/> +Alimeda, iii.<br/> +Allan, ii.<br/> +Allectus, ii.<br/> +Allo, iii.; iv.<br/> +Alma, ii.<br/> +Alpheus, iii.<br/> +Amaryllis, iv.<br/> +Amavia, i.<br/> +Amazon (river), i.<br/> +Ambition, ii.<br/> +Ambrosia, ii.; v.<br/> +Ambrosius, King, ii.<br/> +America, ii.<br/> +Amidas, iii.<br/> +Amintas, ii.<br/> +Amoret, ii.; iii.<br/> +Amoretta, ii.<br/> +Amphisa, ii.<br/> +Amphitrite (Nereid), iii.<br/> +Amyas, iii.<br/> +Amyntas, iii.<br/> +Anamnestes, ii.<br/> +Anchyses, ii.<br/> +Androgeus, ii.<br/> +Angela, ii.<br/> +Angles, ii.<br/> +Antiochus, i.<br/> +Antiopa, ii.<br/> +Antiquitiee of Faery Lond, ii.<br/> +Antonius, i.<br/> +Aon, iii.<br/> +Ape (the), v.<br/> +Apollo, ii.<br/> +Appetite, ii.<br/> +Aprill, iv.<br/> +Arachne, v.<br/> +Aragnoll, v.<br/> +Arcady, iv.<br/> +Archigald, ii.<br/> +Archimago, i.; ii.<br/> +Ardenne, iii.<br/> +Ardeyn, iv.<br/> +Argante, ii.<br/> +Argo, ii.<br/> +Argonauts, iii.<br/> +Ariadne, iv.<br/> +Arion, iii.<br/> +Arlo-hill, iv.<br/> +Armeddan, iii.<br/> +Armoricke, ii.<br/> +Armulla, iv.<br/> +Arne, ii.<br/> +Arras, ii.<br/> +Artegall, ii.; iii.; iv.<br/> +Artegall, Legend of, iii.<br/> +Arthure, Prince, i.; ii.; iii.; iv.<br/> +Arvirage, ii.<br/> +Asclepiodate, ii.<br/> +Ascraean bard, v.<br/> +Asie, ii.<br/> +Asopus, iii.<br/> +Assaracus, ii.<br/> +Assyrian Lyonesse, v.<br/> +Asterie, ii.; v.<br/> +Astraea, iii.<br/> +Astraeus, iii.<br/> +Astrophell, iv.<br/> +Atalanta, ii.<br/> +Ate, ii.; iii.<br/> +Athens, ii.<br/> +Athos, Mount, v.<br/> +Atin, i.; ii.<br/> +Atlas, ii.<br/> +Atropos, iii.<br/> +Aubrian, iii.<br/> +August, iv.<br/> +Augustine, ii.<br/> +Augustus, v.<br/> +Autonoë, iii.<br/> +Autumne, iv.<br/> +Avarice, i.<br/> +Avon, iii.<br/> +Awe, iii. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Babell, ii.<br/> +Babylon, iii.; v.<br/> +Bacchante, ii.<br/> +Bacchus, iii.<br/> +Baetus, v.<br/> +Ball, iv.<br/> +Ban, iii.<br/> +Bandon, iii.<br/> +Bangor, ii.<br/> +Barnaby, v.<br/> +Barow, iii.<br/> +Barry, ii.<br/> +Bartas, v.<br/> +Basciante, ii.<br/> +Bath, i.; iii.<br/> +Bedford, v.<br/> +Belgae, iii.<br/> +Belgard, castle of, iv.<br/> +Belgicke, i.<br/> +Belinus, ii.<br/> +Bellamoure, Sir, iv.<br/> +Bellay, v.<br/> +Bellisont, Sir, iii.<br/> +Bellodant, iii.<br/> +Bellona, ii.; iv.<br/> +Belphoebe, i.; ii.; iii.; v.<br/> +Belus, iii.<br/> +Biblis, ii.<br/> +Berecynthian goddesse, v.<br/> +Bilbo, v.<br/> +Bisaltis, ii.<br/> +Blacke-water, iii.<br/> +Bladud, ii.<br/> +Blandamour, iii.<br/> +Blandford, iii.<br/> +Blandina, iv.<br/> +Blatant Beast, iii.; iv.<br/> +Blomius, iii.<br/> +Boccace, iv.<br/> +Bonfont, iii.<br/> +Bowre of Blis, i.; ii.<br/> +Boyne, iii.<br/> +Bracidas, iii.<br/> +Braggadocchio, i.; ii.; iii.<br/> +Breane, iii.<br/> +Bregog, iv.<br/> +Brennus, ii.<br/> +Briana, iv.<br/> +Brianor, Sir, iii.<br/> +Brigadore, viii.<br/> +Bristow, iii.<br/> +Britany, ii.<br/> +Britomart, ii.; iii.<br/> +Britomartis, Legend of, ii.<br/> +Britonesse, ii.<br/> +Briton Moniments, ii.<br/> +Briton Prince, i.; ii.; iii.<br/> +Broad-water, iv.<br/> +Brockwell, ii.<br/> +Brontes, iii.<br/> +Bronteus, iii.<br/> +Bruin, Sir, iv.<br/> +Bruncheval, iii.<br/> +Brunchild, ii.<br/> +Brunell, iii.<br/> +Brute, ii.<br/> +Brutus, ii.<br/> +Brytayne, Greater, ii.<br/> +Buckhurst, Lord of, i.<br/> +Bunduca, ii.; v.<br/> +Burbon, iii.<br/> +Burleigh, Lord, i.<br/> +Busyrane, ii.; iii.<br/> +Buttevant, iv.<br/> +Byze, v. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Cadmus, ii.<br/> +Cador, ii.<br/> +Cadwallader, ii.<br/> +Cadwallin, ii.<br/> +Cadwar, ii.<br/> +Caecily, ii.<br/> +Caelia, i.<br/> +Caelian Hill,<br/> +Caesar, i.; ii.<br/> +Caicus, iii.<br/> +Cairbadon, ii.<br/> +Cairleill, ii.<br/> +Cairleon, ii.<br/> +Calepine, Sir, iv.<br/> +Calidore, ii.; iv.<br/> +Calidore, Sir, Legend of, iv.<br/> +Calliope, iv.; v.<br/> +Cambden, v.<br/> +Cambel and Triamond, Legend of, iii.<br/> +Cambell, iii.<br/> +Camber, ii.<br/> +Cambine, iii.<br/> +Cambria, king of, ii.<br/> +Cambridge, iii.<br/> +Camilla, ii.; v.<br/> +Canacee, iii.<br/> +Candide, iv.<br/> +Cantium, ii.<br/> +Canutus, ii.<br/> +Caphareus, v.<br/> +Carados, ii.<br/> +Carausius, ii.<br/> +Care, ii.; iii.<br/> +Careticus, ii.<br/> +Carew (Cary), Lady, i.<br/> +Cary, Ladie, v.<br/> +Cassibalane, ii.<br/> +Castaly, v.<br/> +Castle Joyeous, ii.<br/> +Castriot, George, v.<br/> +Cayr-Merdin, ii.<br/> +Cayr-Varolame, ii.<br/> +Celeno, ii.<br/> +Centaures, iii.<br/> +Cephise, i.<br/> +Cephisus, ii.<br/> +Cerberus, i.; iv.; v.<br/> +Cestus, iii.<br/> +Change, iv.<br/> +Chaos, iii.<br/> +Charillis, iv.<br/> +Charissa, i.<br/> +Charlemaine, v.<br/> +Charybdis, v.<br/> +Charrwell, iii.<br/> +Chastity, Legend of, ii.<br/> +Chaucer, Dan, iii.<br/> +Chester, iii.<br/> +Cherefulnesse, iii.<br/> +Child of Light (Lucifer), v.<br/> +Chimaera, iv.<br/> +Christ, v.<br/> +Chrysaor (Artegall’s sword), iii.<br/> +Chrysogonee, ii.<br/> +Churne, iii.<br/> +Clare, iii.<br/> +Claribell, i.; iii.; iv.<br/> +Clarin (Clarinda), iii.<br/> +Clarion, v.<br/> +Claudius, ii.<br/> +Cle, iii.<br/> +Cleopatra, i.<br/> +Cleopolis, i.; ii.<br/> +Climene, ii.<br/> +Clio, ii.; v.<br/> +Clonmell, iii.<br/> +Clorinda, iv.<br/> +Clotho, iii.; v.<br/> +Cocytus, i.; ii.<br/> +Colchid mother, v.<br/> +Cole, iii.<br/> +Colin Clout, iv.; v.<br/> +Columbell, ii.<br/> +Compton and Mountegle, Ladie, v.<br/> +Concotion, ii.<br/> +Concord, iii.<br/> +Constantine, ii.<br/> +Constantius, ii.<br/> +Contemplation, i.<br/> +Conway, iii.<br/> +Coradin, i.<br/> +Corceca, i.<br/> +Cordeill, ii.<br/> +Corflambo, iii.<br/> +Coridon, iv.<br/> +Corineus, ii.; iv.<br/> +Cork, iii.<br/> +Cormoraunt, iv.<br/> +Cornwaile, ii.; iv.<br/> +Coronis, ii.<br/> +Corybantes, iv.<br/> +Corydon, iv.<br/> +Corylas, iv.<br/> +Coshma, iv.<br/> +Coulin, ii.<br/> +Countesse of Pembroke, i.; v.<br/> +Courtesie, Legend of, iv.<br/> +Coylchester, ii.<br/> +Coyll, ii.<br/> +Crane, iii.<br/> +Crete, v.<br/> +Creüsa, ii.<br/> +Critias, ii.; iii.<br/> +Croesus, i.<br/> +Crudor, iv.<br/> +Cruelty, ii.<br/> +Cteatus, iii.<br/> +Cuddie, iv.; iii.<br/> +Cumberland, Earle of, i.<br/> +Cundah, ii.<br/> +Cupido, ii.<br/> +Cupid, ii.; iii.; v.;<br/> + Maske of, ii.;<br/> + Court of, iv.<br/> +Curius, v.<br/> +Curtesie, iii.<br/> +Curtius, v.<br/> +Cybele, iii.<br/> +Cycones, v.<br/> +Cymo, iii.<br/> +Cymochles, i.<br/> +Cymodoce, iii.<br/> +Cymoënt, ii.<br/> +Cymothoë, iii.<br/> +Cynthia (Moon, Diana), i.; iv.; v.<br/> +Cyparisse, i.<br/> +Cytherea, ii.; v.<br/> +Cytheron, ii. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Damon and Pythias, iii.<br/> +Danaë, ii.<br/> +Daniell, iv.<br/> +Danius, ii.<br/> +Daphnaida, iv.<br/> +Daphne, ii.,; iv.; v.<br/> +Darent, iii.<br/> +Dart, iii.<br/> +Daunger, ii.; iii.<br/> +Day, iv.<br/> +Death, iv.<br/> +Debon, ii.<br/> +Debora, ii.<br/> +Decii, v.<br/> +December, iv.<br/> +Decetto, iv.<br/> +Dee, i.; ii.; iii.<br/> +Defetto, iv.<br/> +Deheubarth, ii.<br/> +Delay, iii.<br/> +Dell, ii.<br/> +Delos, ii.<br/> +Demogorgon, iii.<br/> +Demophoon, v.<br/> +Denmarke, ii.<br/> +Despayre, i.<br/> +Despetto, iv.<br/> +Despight, ii.<br/> +Desyre, ii.<br/> +Detraction, iii.<br/> +Devon, Sir, iii.<br/> +Diana, ii.; iv.; v.<br/> +Dice, iii.<br/> +Dido, iv.<br/> +Diet, ii.<br/> +Digestion, ii.<br/> +Diggon Davie, iv.<br/> +Dioclesian, daughters of, ii.<br/> +Discord, iii.<br/> +Disdayne, ii.; iv.<br/> +Displeasure, ii.<br/> +Dissemblaunce, ii.<br/> +Dolon, iii.; v.<br/> +Donwallo, ii.<br/> +Dony, iii.<br/> +Doris (Nereid), iii.<br/> +Doto, iii.<br/> +Doubt, ii.; iii.<br/> +Douglas, Sir, iii.<br/> +Doune, iii.<br/> +Druon, iii.<br/> +Dryope, i.<br/> +Duessa, i.; iii.<br/> +Dumarin, ii.<br/> +Dyamond, iii.<br/> +Dynamene, iii.<br/> +Dynevowre, ii. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Easterland, ii.<br/> +Easterlings, ii.<br/> +Ebranck. ii.<br/> +Ecaster, iii.<br/> +Echidna, iii.; iv.<br/> +Eden, ii.; iii.<br/> +Edwin, ii.<br/> +Egaltine of Meriflure, iv.<br/> +Eione, iii.<br/> +Eirene, iii.<br/> +Elfant, ii.<br/> +Elfar, ii.<br/> +Elferon, ii.<br/> +Elficleos, ii.<br/> +Elfiline, ii.<br/> +Elfin, ii.<br/> +Elfinan, ii.<br/> +Elfinell, ii.<br/> +Elfin Knight, i.<br/> +Elfinor, ii.<br/> +Elidure, ii.<br/> +Eliseis (of Alabaster), iv.<br/> +Elissa, i.<br/> +Eliza, i.; iv.; v.<br/> +Elizabeths three, v.<br/> +Elversham, ii.<br/> +Emmilen, ii.<br/> +Emiline, iv.<br/> +Encelade, ii.<br/> +Enias, Sir, iv.<br/> +Ennius, i.<br/> +Envie, i.; iii.<br/> +Ephialtes, v.<br/> +Erate (Nereid), iii.;<br/> + (Muse), v.<br/> +Erichthonian towre, v.<br/> +Erivan, iii.<br/> +Errant Damzell, ii.<br/> +Errour, i.<br/> +Eryx, iii.<br/> +Esquiline, v.<br/> +Essex, Earle of, i.<br/> +Esthambruges, ii.<br/> +Estrild, Ladie, ii.<br/> +Etheldred, ii.<br/> +Euboick cliffs, v.<br/> +Eucrate, iii.<br/> +Eudore, iii.<br/> +Eulimene, iii.<br/> +Eumenias, iii.<br/> +Eumnestes, ii.<br/> +Eunica, iii.<br/> +Eunomie, iii.<br/> +Euphoemus, iii.<br/> +Euphrates, i.; iii.<br/> +Euphrosyne, iv.<br/> +Eupompe, iii.<br/> +Europa, ii.<br/> +Eurydice, v.<br/> +Eurynome, iv.<br/> +Eurypulus, iii.<br/> +Eurytion, iii.<br/> +Eurytus, iii.<br/> +Euterpe, v.<br/> +Evagore, iii.<br/> +Evarna, iii.<br/> +Excesse, ii. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Fabii, v.<br/> +Faery Lond, i.; iii.<br/> +Faery Queene, i.; ii.; iii.; v.<br/> +Fanchin, iv.<br/> +Fansy, ii.<br/> +Father of Philosophie, iii.<br/> +Faunus, iv.<br/> +Feare, ii.<br/> +February, iv.<br/> +Ferramont, iii.<br/> +Ferraugh, Sir, iii.<br/> +Ferrex, ii.<br/> +Fidelia, i.<br/> +Fidessa, i.<br/> +Flaminius, v.<br/> +Flavia, iv.<br/> +Florimell, ii.; iii.<br/> +Flourdelis, iii.<br/> +Force, ii.<br/> +Foules Parley (Chaucer’s), iv.<br/> +Foxe, the, v.<br/> +Fradubio, i.<br/> +Fraud, ii.<br/> +Fraunce, i.; ii.<br/> +Friendship Legend of, iii.<br/> +Frith, iii.<br/> +Fulgent, ii.<br/> +Furor, i.<br/> +Fury, ii. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Galathaea, iii.; iv.<br/> +Galene, iii.<br/> +Ganges, iii.<br/> +Gardante, ii.<br/> +Gardin of Proserpina, ii.<br/> +Gate of Good Desert, iii.<br/> +Gealosy, ii.<br/> +Geffrey, Dan, iv.<br/> +Gehon, i.<br/> +Genius, ii.<br/> +Genuissa, ii.<br/> +Georgos, i.<br/> +Germany, ii.<br/> +Geryon, iii.<br/> +Geryoneo, iii.<br/> +Gilford, Henry, v.<br/> +Glamorgan, ii.<br/> +Glauce, ii.; iii.<br/> +Glauconome, iii.<br/> +Glaucus, iii.<br/> +Gloriana, i.; ii.; iv.<br/> +Gluttony, i.<br/> +Gnat, v.<br/> +Gnidas, ii.<br/> +Gobbelines, ii.<br/> +Godmer, ii.<br/> +God of Love, ii.<br/> +Goëmagot, ii.<br/> +Goëmot, ii.<br/> +Golden Fleece, iii.<br/> +Gonorill, ii.<br/> +Gorbogud, ii.<br/> +Gorboman, ii.<br/> +Gorges, Arthur, v.<br/> +Gorgon, i.<br/> +Gorlois, ii.<br/> +Gormond, ii.<br/> +Graces, iv.<br/> +Grant, iii.<br/> +Grantorto, iii.<br/> +Gratian, ii.<br/> +Grecian Libbard, v.<br/> +Greece, ii.; v.<br/> +Greenwich, v.<br/> +Grey, Lord, of Wilton, i.<br/> +Griefe, ii.<br/> +Griffyth, Conan, ii.<br/> +Gryll, ii.<br/> +Gualsever, iii.<br/> +Guendolene, ii.<br/> +Guitheline, ii.<br/> +Guizor, iii.<br/> +Gulfe of Greedinesse, ii.<br/> +Gurgiunt, ii.<br/> +Gurgustus, ii.<br/> +Guyon, i.; ii.; iii.;<br/> + Legend of Sir, i. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Haemony, iv.<br/> +Haemus, iv.<br/> +Hania, ii.<br/> +Hanniball, i.<br/> +Harpalus, iv.<br/> +Harvey, Gabriel, iv.; v.<br/> +Harwitch, iii.<br/> +Hate, ii.; iii.<br/> +Hatton, Sir Christopher, i.<br/> +Hebe, v.<br/> +Hebrus, i.<br/> +Hecate, iv.<br/> +Hector, ii.<br/> +Helena, ii.<br/> +Helena, Marquesse of North Hampton, v.<br/> +Heliconian Maides, ii.<br/> +Helle, ii.<br/> +Hellenore, ii.<br/> +Hellespont, v.<br/> +Hely, ii.<br/> +Hemus, ii.<br/> +Henalois, ii.<br/> +Henault, ii.<br/> +Hengist, ii.<br/> +Hercaean shores, vi.<br/> +Hercules, ii.; iii.<br/> +Hercules and Hyllus, iii.<br/> +Hercules two pillors, v.<br/> +Hevenfield, ii.<br/> +Hippolytus, i.<br/> +Hippothoë, iii.<br/> +Hobbinol, iv.<br/> +Hogh, ii.<br/> +Holland, iii.<br/> +Hope, ii.<br/> +Horror, ii.<br/> +Horsus, ii.<br/> +House of Care, iii.<br/> +House of Holinesse, i.<br/> +House of Pryde, i.<br/> +House of Temperance, ii.<br/> +Howard, Douglas, v.<br/> +Howard, Lord Charles, i.<br/> +Howell, Dha, ii.<br/> +Huddibras, Sir, i.; ii.<br/> +Humber, ii.; iii.<br/> +Humilta, i.<br/> +Hunnes, ii.<br/> +Hunsdon, Lord of, i.<br/> +Huntingdon, iii.<br/> +Huon, Sir, i.<br/> +Hyacinct, ii.<br/> +Hygate, ii.<br/> +Hylas, ii.<br/> +Hymen, v.<br/> +Hypocrisie, i.<br/> +Hyponeo, iii.<br/> +Hypsiphil, ii. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Ianuary, iv.<br/> +Ida, ii.<br/> +Idaean Ladies, ii.<br/> +Idle Lake, i.; ii.<br/> +Idlenesse, i.<br/> +Ignaro, i.<br/> +Ignorance, v.<br/> +Ilion, iii.<br/> +Immerito, iv.<br/> +Impatience, ii.<br/> +Impotence, ii.<br/> +Inachus, ii.; iii.<br/> +India, ii.<br/> +Indus, iii.<br/> +Ino, iii.<br/> +Inogene of Italy, ii.<br/> +Inquisition, iii.<br/> +Iocante, ii.<br/> +Iola, iii.<br/> +Ionathan and David, iii.<br/> +Iones, v.<br/> +Iordan, i.<br/> +Ioseph of Arimathy, ii.<br/> +Iove, iv.; v.<br/> +Iphimedia, ii.<br/> +Ireland, i.; ii.; iv.<br/> +Irena, iii.<br/> +Isis, ii.; iii.<br/> +Ismaël Africk, ii.<br/> +Isse, ii.<br/> +Ister, iii.<br/> +Itis, v.<br/> +Iulus, ii.<br/> +Iuly, iv.<br/> +Iune, iv.<br/> +Iuno, ii.; v.<br/> +Iustice, Legend of, iii.<br/> +Ixion, i.<br/> +Ixione, v. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Kenet, iii.<br/> +Kent, ii.<br/> +Kilkenny, iii.<br/> +Kilnemullah, iv.<br/> +Kimarus, ii.<br/> +Kimbeline, ii.<br/> +Kingdomes Care (Burleigh), iii.<br/> +King Edmond, v.<br/> +King Nine, ii.<br/> +Kinmarke, ii.<br/> +Kirkrapine, i.<br/> +Knight of the Hebene Speare, iii.<br/> +Knight of the Red Crosse, i.; iii.;<br/> + Legend of, i.<br/> +Knights of Maidenhead, iii. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Labryde, i.<br/> +Lacedaemon, ii.<br/> +Lachesis, iii.<br/> +Lady of Delight, ii.<br/> +Laestrigones, v.<br/> +Lago, ii.<br/> +Lamoracke, Sir, iv.<br/> +Land of Faerie, iv.<br/> +Lansack, iii.<br/> +Laomedia, iii.<br/> +Laomedon, ii.<br/> +Lapithees, iii.; v.<br/> +Latinus, ii.<br/> +Latium, ii.<br/> +Latmian Shepherd, v.<br/> +Latona, ii.; iv.<br/> +Layburne, ii.<br/> +Leander, v.<br/> +Lechery, i.<br/> +Leda, ii.<br/> +Leda (twinnes of), v.<br/> +Lee, iii.<br/> +Legend of Chastity, ii.<br/> +Legend of Courtesie, iv.<br/> +Legend of Friendship, iii.<br/> +Legend of Holinesse, i.<br/> +Legend of Iustice, iii.<br/> +Legend of Temperaunce, i.<br/> +Leicester, Earl of, v.<br/> +Leill, King, ii.<br/> +Lemno, iii.<br/> +Lentulus, i.<br/> +Lewkenor, v.<br/> +Leyr, King, ii.<br/> +Liagore, ii.; iii.<br/> +Life, iv.<br/> +Liffar, iii.<br/> +Liffy, iii.<br/> +Lincolne, ii.; iii.<br/> +Lindus, iii.<br/> +Lionnesse, iv.<br/> +Lipari, iii.<br/> +Lisianassa, iii.<br/> +Lisippus, v.<br/> +Litae, iii.<br/> +Lobbin, iv.<br/> +Locrine, ii.<br/> +Locrinus, iii.<br/> +Lodwick (Bryskett), v.<br/> +Logris, ii.; iii.<br/> +Loncaster, iii.<br/> +London, v.<br/> +Lone, iii.<br/> +Long Alba, ii.<br/> +Louthiane, ii.<br/> +Love, iii.; v.<br/> +Lowder, iv.<br/> +Lucinda, iii.; iv.<br/> +Lucifera, i.<br/> +Lucius, ii.<br/> +Lucy (Lucida), iii.<br/> +Lud, ii.<br/> +Lusitanian soile, i.<br/> +Lycon, iv.<br/> +Lyon, the, v. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Maa, iv.<br/> +Maeander, iii.<br/> +Madan, ii.<br/> +Maglan, king of Scottes, ii.<br/> +Mahound, iv.<br/> +Mahoune, ii.<br/> +Maia, v.<br/> +Maidenhed, Order of, i.<br/> +Malbecco, ii.<br/> +Malecasta, ii.<br/> +Maleffort, iv.<br/> +Maleger, ii.<br/> +Malengin, iii.<br/> +Malfont, iii.<br/> +Malgo, ii.<br/> +Malvenu, i.<br/> +Mammon, ii.<br/> +Manild, ii.<br/> +Mansilia, iv.<br/> +Mantuane, iv.<br/> +Marcellus, v.<br/> +March, iv.<br/> +Margaret, Countesse of Cumberland, v.<br/> +Marian, iv.<br/> +Maridunum, ii.<br/> +Marie (Anne), Countesse of Warwick, v.<br/> +Marin, iv.<br/> +Marinell, ii.; iii.<br/> +Marius, i.; ii.<br/> +Maro, i.<br/> +Marot, iv.<br/> +Mars, ii.; iv.<br/> +Martia, ii.<br/> +Mathraval, ii.<br/> +Mathusalem, ii.<br/> +Matilda, ii.; iv.<br/> +Mausolus, v.<br/> +Maximian, ii.<br/> +Maximinian, ii.<br/> +May, iv.<br/> +Mayre, iii.<br/> +Mecaenas, iv.<br/> +Medea, iii.<br/> +Medina, i.<br/> +Medua, iii.<br/> +Medusa, ii.<br/> +Medway, iv.<br/> +Medway and Thames, marriage of, iii.<br/> +Meliboe, iv.; v.<br/> +Meliogras, iv.<br/> +Melissa, iv.<br/> +Melite, iii.<br/> +Memprise, ii.<br/> +Menalcas, iv.<br/> +Melpomene, v.<br/> +Menevia, ii.<br/> +Menippe, iii.<br/> +Mercy, i.<br/> +Mercilla, iii.<br/> +Mercury, iv.; v.<br/> +Merlin, i.; ii.<br/> +Mertia, Dame, ii.<br/> +Mertians, ii.<br/> +Milesio, iii.<br/> +Minerva, v.<br/> +Mirabella, iv.<br/> +Modestie, iii.<br/> +Molanna, iv.<br/> +Mole, iii.; iv.<br/> +Mona, ii.<br/> +Mongiball, ii.<br/> +Morands, ii.<br/> +Mordant, i.<br/> +Morddure, ii.<br/> +More, the, v.<br/> +Morgan, ii.<br/> +Morindus, ii.<br/> +Morpheus, i.<br/> +Morrell, iv.<br/> +Mother Hubberd, v.<br/> +Mount Aventine, v.<br/> +Mount Quirinal, v.<br/> +Mount Saturnal, v.<br/> +Mount Viminal, v.<br/> +Mnemon, ii.<br/> +Mnemosyne, ii.<br/> +Mule, the, v.<br/> +Mulla, iii.; iv.;<br/> + Nymphes of, v.<br/> +Munera, iii.<br/> +Muscaroll, v.<br/> +Mutability, iv.<br/> +Mutius, v.<br/> +Myrrhe, ii. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Naiades, v.<br/> +Nature, iv.<br/> +Nausa, ii.<br/> +Nausicle, ii.<br/> +Neaera, iv.<br/> +Neleus, iii.<br/> +Nemertea, iii.<br/> +Nene, iii.<br/> +Nenna, v.<br/> +Nennius, i.; ii.<br/> +Nepenthe, iii.<br/> +Neptune, ii.; iii.<br/> +Nereus, ii.; iii.<br/> +Nesaea, iii.<br/> +Neso, iii.<br/> +Nestor, ii.<br/> +Neustria, ii.<br/> +New Hierusalem, i.<br/> +Newre, iii.<br/> +Nictileus, v.<br/> +Nide, iii.<br/> +Night, i; iv.<br/> +Nile, iii.<br/> +Nilus, i.<br/> +Nimrod, i; iii.<br/> +Ninus, i.<br/> +Niobe, iv.<br/> +Noctante, ii.<br/> +Norris, Sir John, i.<br/> +Northumber, ii.<br/> +Northumberland, Earle of, i.<br/> +Norveyses, ii.<br/> +Norwitch, iii.<br/> +November, iv.<br/> +Numa, ii.<br/> +Nylus, v. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Obedience, iii.<br/> +Oberon, King, i; ii.<br/> +Occasion, i.<br/> +Ocean, iii.<br/> +Octa, ii.<br/> +Octavius, ii.<br/> +October, iv.<br/> +Oenone, ii; v.<br/> +Oeta, v.<br/> +Offricke, ii.<br/> +Ogyges, iii.<br/> +Ollyphant, ii.<br/> +Olympus, Mount, ii.<br/> +Oranochy, iii.<br/> +Oraxes, iii.<br/> +Order, iii.<br/> +Orgoglio, i; iv.<br/> +Origone, iii.<br/> +Orinont, Sir, iii.<br/> +Orion, iii.<br/> +Orkeny, ii.<br/> +Ormond and Ossory, Earle of, i.<br/> +Orown, iv.<br/> +Orpheus, iii; v.<br/> +Orsilochus, ii.<br/> +Orthrus, iii.<br/> +Osricke, ii.<br/> +Oswald, ii.<br/> +Oswin, ii.<br/> +Osyris, iii.<br/> +Othos, v.<br/> +Oure, iii.<br/> +Our Ladyes Bowre, iv.<br/> +Ouze, iii.<br/> +Overt-gate, ii.<br/> +Oxenford, Earle of, i.<br/> +Oxford, iii.<br/> +Oza, ii. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Pactolus, iii.<br/> +Paeon, ii.<br/> +Palatine, v.<br/> +Palemon, iii; iv.<br/> +Pales, iv; v.<br/> +Palici, v.<br/> +Palimord, Sir, iii.<br/> +Palin, iv.<br/> +Palinode, iv.<br/> +Palladine, iii.<br/> +Palmer, i; ii.<br/> +Pan, iv.<br/> +Panchaea, v.<br/> +Pandionian maides, v<br/> +Panopae, iii.<br/> +Panope, ii.<br/> +Panthea, ii.<br/> +Panwelt, ii.<br/> +Paphos, ii.<br/> +Paridas, ii.<br/> +Paridell, ii, iii.<br/> +Paris, ii; iii.<br/> +Parius, ii.<br/> +Parlante, ii.<br/> +Parnasse, Mount, v.<br/> +Paros, ii.<br/> +Pasiphaë, ii.<br/> +Pasithee, iii.<br/> +Pastorella, iiv.<br/> +Patience, i.<br/> +Paulinus, ii.<br/> +Payne, ii.<br/> +Paynim king (Philip II.), i.<br/> +Pelasgus, iii.<br/> +Peleus, iv; v.<br/> +Pelias, iii.<br/> +Pelleas, Sir, iv.<br/> +Pellite, ii.<br/> +Pembroke, Countesse of, i.<br/> +Penaunce, i.<br/> +Penda, ii.<br/> +Pendragon, v.<br/> +Penelope, iv.<br/> +Peneus, iii; v.<br/> +Penthesilee, ii.<br/> +Peridue, ii.<br/> +Perigot, iv.<br/> +Perissa, i.<br/> +Persephone, v.<br/> +Persian Beare, v.<br/> +Peru, i.; ii.<br/> +Peter, v.<br/> +Peter, William, v.<br/> +Petrarque, iv.<br/> +Phaedria, i.; ii.<br/> +Phaëton, v.<br/> +Phantastes, ii.<br/> +Phao, ii.; iii.<br/> +Phaon, i.<br/> +Phasides, iii.<br/> +Pherusa, iii.<br/> +Philemon, i.<br/> +Philip (Sidney), iv.<br/> +Phillisides, iv.; v.<br/> +Phillira, ii.<br/> +Philotime, ii.<br/> +Philtera, iii.<br/> +Phison, i.<br/> +Phoeax, iii.<br/> +Phoebe, ii.<br/> +Phoebus, ii.; iv.<br/> +Phoenice, v.<br/> +Phoenix, iii.<br/> +Pholoe, i.<br/> +Phorcys, iii.<br/> +Phyllis, iv.<br/> +Picts, ii.<br/> +Piers, iv.<br/> +Pilate, ii.<br/> +Placidas, iii.<br/> +Plaint of Kinde (Alane’s), iv.<br/> +Pleasaunce, ii.<br/> +Plexippus, iv.<br/> +Plim, iii.<br/> +Plimmouth, iii.<br/> +Podalyrius, iv.<br/> +Poeana, iii.<br/> +Pollente, iii.<br/> +Polyhymnia, v.<br/> +Polynome, iii.<br/> +Pompey, i.<br/> +Pontoporea, iii.<br/> +Poris, iii.<br/> +Porrex, ii.<br/> +Portamore, iv.<br/> +Port Esquiline, ii.<br/> +Praxiteles, ii.<br/> +Prays-Desire, ii.<br/> +Priamond, iii.<br/> +Priest, formall, v.<br/> +Priscilla, iv.<br/> +Prometheus, ii.<br/> +Pronaea, iii.<br/> +Proteus, ii.; iii.; iv.<br/> +Proto, iii.<br/> +Protomedaea, iii.<br/> +Pryene, i.<br/> +Psalmist, iii.<br/> +Psamathe, iii.<br/> +Psyche, ii.; v.<br/> +Ptolomaee, ii.; iii.<br/> +Pubidius, ii.<br/> +Pylades and Orestes, iii.<br/> +Pyracmon, iii.<br/> +Pyrochles, i.; ii.<br/> +Pyrrha and Deucalione, iii.<br/> +Pyrrus, v. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Queen Elizabeth, ii.; iv.<br/> +Quickesand of Unthriftyhed, ii. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Radegone, iii.<br/> +Radigund, iii.<br/> +Raleigh, Sir Walter, i.; iv.<br/> +Rauran, i.<br/> +Redcrosse Knight, ii.<br/> +Regan, ii.<br/> +Remorse, i.<br/> +Repentaunce, i.; ii.<br/> +Reproch, ii.<br/> +Revenge, ii.<br/> +Reverence, i.; iii.<br/> +Rhaesus, v.<br/> +Rhene, iii.<br/> +Rheüsa, iii.<br/> +Rhodanus, iii.<br/> +Rhodope, ii.<br/> +Rhodoricke the Great, ii.<br/> +Rhy, iii.<br/> +Rich Strond, ii.<br/> +Rinaldo, iii.<br/> +Rivall, ii.<br/> +Rock of Reproch, ii.<br/> +Roffin, iv.<br/> +Rome, ii.; iii.; v.<br/> +Romulus, i.; ii.<br/> +Rosalind, i.; iv.<br/> +Rosseponte, iii.<br/> +Rother, iii.<br/> +Rowne, iii.<br/> +Ruddoe, ii.<br/> +Ruddymane, i.<br/> +Russian, ii.<br/> +Ryence, King, ii. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Sabrina, ii.<br/> +Saint George, i.<br/> +Saint Radegund, v.<br/> +Salem, iii.<br/> +Salomon, v.<br/> +Salvage Island, iv.<br/> +Salvage Knight, iii.<br/> +Salvage Man, iv.<br/> +Samient, iii.<br/> +Sanazarius, iv.<br/> +Sangliere, Sir, iii.<br/> +Sansfoy, i.<br/> +Sansioy, i.<br/> +Sansloy, i.<br/> +Sao, iii.<br/> +Sathan, i.<br/> +Saturne, ii.; iv.<br/> +Satyrane, i.; iii.<br/> +Saxons, ii.; v.<br/> +Scaldis, ii.<br/> +Sclaunder, iii.<br/> +Scamander, ii.; iii.<br/> +Sanderbeg, v.<br/> +Scipio, i.<br/> +Scipion, v.<br/> +Scorne, iv.<br/> +Scudamore, Sir, ii.; iii.<br/> +Selinis, i.<br/> +Semelee, ii.<br/> +Semiramis, i.; ii.<br/> +September, iv.<br/> +Serena, iv.<br/> +Sergis, Sir, iii.<br/> +Severne, ii.; iii.<br/> +Severus, ii.<br/> +Shame, ii.<br/> +Shamefastnes, ii.; iii.<br/> +Shenan, iii.<br/> +Shepheard of the Ocean (Raleigh), iv.<br/> +Shield of Love, iii.<br/> +Shure, iii.; iv.<br/> +Sidney, Sir Philip, i.; iv.; v.<br/> +Silence, iii.<br/> +Silo, i.<br/> +Sisera, ii.<br/> +Sisillus, ii.<br/> +Sisyphus, i.<br/> +Skell, iii.<br/> +Slane, iii.<br/> +Sleepe, ii.<br/> +Slewbloome, iii.<br/> +Slewlogher, iii.<br/> +Slowth, i.<br/> +Socrates, ii.<br/> +Somerset, Ladies Elizabeth and Katherine, v.<br/> +Sommer, iv.<br/> +Sophy, ii.<br/> +Sorrow, ii.<br/> +South-Wales, ii.<br/> +Spau, i.<br/> +Spayne, ii.<br/> +Spencer, ii.<br/> +Speranza, i.<br/> +Spio, iii.<br/> +Spring, iv.<br/> +Spumador, ii.<br/> +Squire of Dames, ii.; iii.<br/> +Squire of Low Degree, iii.<br/> +Stamford, iii.<br/> +Stater, ii.<br/> +St. Brigets Bowre, iv.<br/> +St. Michels Mount, iv.<br/> +Stella, iv.<br/> +Sthenoboea, i.<br/> +Stoneheng, ii.<br/> +Stoure, iii.<br/> +Strange, Ladie, v.<br/> +Stremona, i.<br/> +Strife, i.; ii.<br/> +Sture, iii.<br/> +Styx, i.<br/> +Suspect, ii.<br/> +Swale, iii.<br/> +Sylla, i.<br/> +Sylvanus, i.<br/> +Sylvius, ii.<br/> +Syrinx, iv. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Talus, iii.<br/> +Tamar, iii.<br/> +Tanaquill, i.; ii.<br/> +Tantalus, i.; ii.<br/> +Tarquin, i.<br/> +Tartar, ii.<br/> +Tartare, ii.<br/> +Tartary, i.; v.<br/> +Teian Poet, v.<br/> +Telamon, v.<br/> +Tempe, ii.<br/> +Temperaunce, ii.; iii.<br/> +Templer Knights, v.<br/> +Tenantius, ii.<br/> +Termagaunt, ii.<br/> +Terwin, Sir, ii.<br/> +Terpsichore, v.<br/> +Tethys, i.; iii.<br/> +Thabor, Mount, iv.<br/> +Thalia, v.<br/> +Thalia (Grace), iv.<br/> +Thalia (Nereid), iii.<br/> +Thame, iii.<br/> +Thames, v.<br/> +Thamesis, v.<br/> +Thamis, ii.; iii.; v.<br/> +Theana, iv.<br/> +Thebes, ii.; iii.<br/> +Theise, iii.<br/> +Themes, iv.; v.<br/> +Themis, iii.<br/> +Themiste, iii.<br/> +Thenot, iv.<br/> +Theocritus, iv.<br/> +Therion, i.<br/> +Theseus, i.<br/> +Theseus and Pirithous, iii.<br/> +Thestylis, iv.<br/> +Thetis, iii.; iv.; v.<br/> +Thomalin, iv.<br/> +Thomiris, ii.<br/> +Thyamis, i.<br/> +Timias, ii.; iv.<br/> +Timon, i.; v.<br/> +Tindarid lasse, iii.<br/> +Titan, iv.<br/> +Titus and Gesippus, iii.<br/> +Tityrus, iv.<br/> +Tityus, i.; v.<br/> +Toure, ii.<br/> +Traherne, ii.<br/> +Treason, ii.<br/> +Trent, iii.<br/> +Trevisan, i.<br/> +Triamond, iii.<br/> +Triptoleme, v.<br/> +Tristram, iv.<br/> +Triton, iv.<br/> +Trompart, i.<br/> +Trowis, iii.<br/> +Troy, ii.<br/> +Troynovant, ii.; iii.; v.<br/> +Tryphon, ii.; iii.<br/> +Turmagant, iv.<br/> +Turpin, Sir, iii.; iv.<br/> +Twede, iii.<br/> +Tybris, iii.<br/> +Tygris, iii.<br/> +Tyne, iii.<br/> +Typhaeus sister, v.<br/> +Typhaon, iii.; iv.<br/> +Typhoeus, i.; ii.<br/> +Typhon, iii. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Ulfin, ii.<br/> +Ulysses, v.<br/> +Una, i.<br/> +Urania, iv.<br/> +Uranus, iv.<br/> +Ure, iii.<br/> +Uther, ii. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Velntide, Saint, iv.<br/> +Vanitie, i.<br/> +Venus, ii; iii; v.<br/> + temple and statue of, iii.<br/> +Verdant, ii.<br/> +Verlame, v.<br/> +Vespasian, ii.<br/> +Vigent, ii.<br/> +Virgil, iv.<br/> +Virginia, i.<br/> +Vortigere, ii.<br/> +Vortimere, ii.<br/> +Vortipore, ii.<br/> +Vulcan, iii. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Walsingham, Sir Francis, i.<br/> +Wandring Islands, ii.<br/> +Waterford, iii.<br/> +Welland, iii.<br/> +Were, iii.<br/> +Werfe, iii.<br/> +Whirlepoole of Decay, ii.<br/> +Willie, iv.<br/> +Willy, pleasant, v.<br/> +Winborne, iii.<br/> +Winter, iv.<br/> +Wiseman, the, iii.<br/> +Witches Sonne, ii.<br/> +Witch, the, ii.<br/> +Womanhood, iii.<br/> +Wrath, i.<br/> +Wrenock, iv.<br/> +Wyden, ii.<br/> +Wylibourne, iii. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Xanthus, ii.; v. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Yar, iii.<br/> +Ymner, ii. +</p> + +<p class="stanza"> +Zele, i.; iii.<br/> +Zeuxis, ii. +</p> + +<h5>THE END.</h5> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 10602 ***</div> +</body> + +</html> + |