and prophesie An inspiration a celestiall touch Such is the Poets raptures Prophets such Vates a Bard and him that does presage Vaticinor possest with either rage Poema is a booke in numbers fram'd Fast cemented with sence by working nam'd To which the choycest Oratour stands bare Poesies does in a sublimer aire Things humane and divine expose to view The first Philosophie that Fame ere knew Was honourd with the name of Poetrie Enricht with rules of pure moralitie Reading instructions unto heathen men With more contentment than the Stoicks pen. The ancients unto Poets onely gave The Epithites of wise divine and grave Because their meeters taught the world to know To whom they did their holy worship owe. The Greeke is free and kinder in her praise Which she bestowes upon Poetick Layes She calles all that which takes not essence by A matter pre-existent Poesie So makes the world a Poem and by this The great creator a great Poet is Nay more that language on the Nine bestowes As ev'ry callent of that Idiom knowes In her etimologues an higher grace Calles them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and whose measures trace The steps of Nature humane and divine The abstruse mysteries of both untwine Vnlock the exta of each Science Art By cunning search againe not as a part Nor a grand columne onely but entreasures The soule of learning in the Poets measures All other Arts which use and learning gave Precepts and rules as sure foundations have When as the Poets pen alone 's enspir'd With high Enthusiasmes by heaven fir'd Ennius them holy calles and Plato sayes Furies divine are in the Poets layes Nor wanted hee himselfe the Poets wit He Dithyrambos and love passions writ The Regall Prophet was a true borne Poet As to the life his well-tun'd meeters show it Compos'd to musicke by that holy man Ere Hopkins and Sternhold knew how to scan Hence Chicken-Augures with your crooked staver Whose rash conjectures crowne and dig us graves A loftie fansie steeped in the fount Of Pegasus an higher pitch can mount Sibylline Oracles did speake in verse Their scatterd leaves in measures did rehearse The mysteries of mans redemption by The incarnation of a deitie Grave Maro I remember in an Ode An Eclogue treades the same Prophetick rode Those famous Druides renownd of late Treated at large o th' soules immortall state Mans spirit does not to the gloomie shade Of Erebus ore black Cocytus wade Death sets no period is the lesser part Of humane life for the same breath does dart Vigor to every sinew in the bulke Man lives as freely in another hulke Who readeth Ovids Metamorphosin And thinkes not Moses soule was sheathed in His body by a transmigration He from the chaos tels the worlds plantation Maro accords and gives the world a soule Which does this well compacted lumpe controule And by illumination he discoverd How then the spirit ore the water hoverd Th' inspired pen of old Pythagoras By Nasos guide relates how in this masse All things doe alter shape yet soone Dame Nature Of one forme lost informes another feature No substance 's nothinged in this large globe But gainst some feast puts on a newer robe The earth resolv'd to water rarefies Into pure aire the thinner water flies The purer aire assumes a scorching heate They back returning orderly retreate Those subtile sparkes converted are to breath The spissye aire being doomed unto death Turnes into sea earth 's made a thickned water Thus wily Nature is a strange translater My Lady Readers I refer to sands But the grave learned unto Ovids hands Nor Seneca divine wants prophesies Neare to the death of time an age shall rise In which sayes he the Ocean shall untye The watry bands of things and to the eye Of Typhis a new world appeare Vnheard before by the most itching eare In glory matching this Then Thule no more Shall be th' earths ne plus ultra bound or dore Our eightsith'hundred wold large heaps of treasures Set in their wills to buy Zorastus measures Masse priests for Dirges then would loose their fee These would the surest de profundis be Shopsters and gallants to his house would hop More than t'Exchanges or Canary-shop And Poets briske would have a larger dealth Than holy Confessours of dead mens wealth I might be infinite should I but show For what grave Arts the world to Poets owe. Apelles had not been without Parnasse The pensils worth had onely dwelt on glasse Or dusty tablets guided by those Apes In imitation of some antick shapes Venus a portraict had Pigmalion mist That speechlesse female which he hugd and kist Had not th'enlivening breath of Poetrie T' a higher pitch reard up dull phantasie How quickly worthy acts of famous men Dy'd in the waine of our poetick pen How rudely by the Monkes which onely had The key of learning were their actions clad King Ethelbert's clos'd in his Poliander To Christ for Church buildings he 's gone without Maeander Such stuffe the tombes of Bede and Petrarch have The razor from all Monkey pates did shave Wit with their haire except in Mantuan Re-teind by Vida and Politian And many others was this glorious Sun Which glitter shall till earths last thread be spun We raise shall Obeliskes by Apollos breath Which owe no homage to the rage of death By pen Honterus creatures limb'd to life Better than could the Cynicke with his knife Pliny compared unto him did erre He was a Chymick and Cosmographer How bravely does the Scottish Bard depinge The planets order and the Sphericke hinge Brave Petrarch Latin'd by our learned clarke Lights us a lampe to guide us in this darke And critick age sayes that stout Alexander Whose warlicke steps ore all this globe did wander Fixing on brave Pelides tombe his eye Wrapt with a noble envie lowd did cry Happy O happy thou whose actions still Live being enbreath'd by the immortall quill Of worthy Homer nay when his sword had gaind Those wealthy realmes ore which Darius raignd He mongst his treasures found a casket faire So set with gold and gems it rayd the aire And cald in day despight of clowds or nights Yet the best use as grave Patriâ—ius writes This cabinet could serve to was t'entom be Homers choyce Iliads in his glorious wombe Of Zoarastus now some wonders heare And barrell his disciples in thine eare Whose rithmes could charme foule Cerbers bawling tongue And pick hels lock with his inchanting song From Stygian shade conducting whom they listed And whom they pleas'd with hellish fogs bemisted Oh golden meeters rimes out-worthing gold At what high prices would they now be sold If they were extant Friend for friend would sell Lordships bookes banners to redeeme from hell How many ages has those Greekes surviv'd Than all their predecessors longer liv'd Which showd their noble worths at Iliums grave Yet thrice Nestorean age them Homer gave How bravely Lucan tels succeeding ages The seven-hilled cities bloody rages Moyst clowdes long since have washt the purpled grasse Yet red as ever'tis in Lucans glasse To Carthage Queene the wandring Trojan Prince Pretended love but dead it is long since And dust are they yet Virgils loftie verse Makes him speak wars she love from under th'herse Long since did Hellespont gulpe in Leander When he presum'd on naked breast to wander Hero 's watch-candle's out they vanisht quite Yet Ovid sayes all was but yester-night A great while since the cheating Miller stole The Schollers meale by a quadruple tole They gave him th'horn-booke taught his daughter Greek Yet look in Chaucer done the other week I'rne-sinewd Talus with his steely flaile Long since ith'right of justice did prevaile Vnder the Scepter of the Fairy Queene Yet Spencers loftie measures makes it greene Dun was a Poet and a grave Divine Highly esteemed for the sacred Nine That after times shall say whilest there 's a Sun This Verse this Sermon was compos'd by Dun. What by heroick acts to man accrues When grisely Charon for his wastage sues If his great grand-childe and his grand-childes son May not the honours which his sword hath won Read grav'd on paper by a Poets pen When matble monuments are dust and when Time has eat off his paint and letterd gold For verse alone keepes honour out oth'mold The presse successively gives birth to verse Shall steely Tombes out-live the Buckram herse To other things the same proportion hold Pure rimes which loftie volumes doe enfold Autumnall frosts would nip the double Rose If cherisht onely by the breath of Prose Beautie of beautie 's not the smallest part Which is bestowed by our liberall Art Orpheus Arion and the scraping crue To wyre and parched guts may bid adiew Or audience beg wer 't not for sprightfull Bayes Which to the strings composeth merry Layes But with the Muses I 'me so faln in love That I forget thy presence mightie Iove And through the spacious universe doe walke But this shall set a period to my talke Iove stretcht his Scepter then with frolick grace And joy trinmphed on the heavens face The Orbes made Musicke and the Planets danced The Muses glory was by all enhanced Iove then intended for to ratifie Decrees in the behoofe of Poesie Giving the Bards his hand to kisse and made Chaplets of Lawrel which should never fade But Vulcan to Gradive plac't in oppose Was nodding fast and bellowing through the nose His armed brow fell downe and lighting right His antlers did the marching god unsight Mars fum'd the gods laught out the sphears did shake At which shrill noyse I starting did awake And looking up East having op't his dores Amazed I beheld a troope of scores And wondring thought they 'd been Ale-debts but found I them had chalked in my dreaming swound I trow not the decree 't was Vulcans fault Yet dreames are seldome sound like him they halt Take this and if I can so happy be I le write in my next slumbers the Decree FINIS GEntle Reader beare with some faults which through the obscuritie of the copie and the absence of the Authour have escaped as page 3. line 24. for veyne read reyne p. 3. l. 6. for enjoyd read enjayld p. 6. l. 10. for tener read knee p. 12. l. 24. for Satamit read Catamite Two staves there are misplaced to the reforming whereof the sence will direct thee what other errours thou findest let thy pen amend excusing the presse and un-staining the Author
by the eye Loves fever at the casements of the soule Entring enflamed every secret part That passion now his reason doth controule And with the gyves of Love en-chaines his heart And walking with Bardino seeking pleasures He did Bellama sing in loftie measures To his Companion in prayse of BELLAMA DO'st see you towring hills you spreading trees Which wrap their lofty heads in clouds dost see Yon house of little worth undlesser height Dost thinke a Iewell of ten thousand weight Can dwell within that sootie Carkanet Dost think the gawdie Sun each night does set And riseth from yon roofe Dost think the Moone With double horne and glittring tapers soone Will issue thence Didst ever see an eye Which checkt the beames of awfull Majesty Dost thinke an earth-borne beauty can be found Which darts forth lustre from the sullen ground To kisse the glorious skies or canst thou thinke The Queene of beautie dwells in such a chinke Dost thinke t is poore why doe I question so Thou dar'st confirme all this by oath I know Since my Bellama's there all life all breath Whose presence can enlive the soule of death Despight of sickly Nature she is all faire And truly meriteth Bellezza's chaire All those faire treasures which dispersed lye 'Twixt Poles and Parallels pay to her eye And with her span contracted in her meet As radiant red white smooth soft rich and sweet She is the worlds Epitomy and soule And with her inch of earth out-worths the whole Shee 's beauties Archy-fount as riv'lets small Borrow from greater currents and they all Pay tribute to the Ocean just so The dimmer shafts of winged Cupids Bow Borrow from brighter the brightest pay Homage unto Bellama beauties day I tell thee there 's not one small worth of hers But loudly sayes that foppish nature erres In other beauties nor is this all for why Her thoughts pluck starres and dark th'imperiallskie Vertue and Beautie both why 't is as rare As frosts in Iune or Comets in the aire As Crowes in Africk Aeolus want pusses Or she-precisians want Geneva russes Yet my Bellam ' alone and one unites The beauteous colours noble red and whites With heavens issue Vertue dar'st then diny If not divine her halse a Deitie Tip Cynthia's hornes with wonder winde aloud And mount the saddle of awinged cloud Then circle earth and see if thou canst finde Halfe such a feature with so rare a minde I know when thou returnst thou 'lt say with me Bollama's beautie is a A percee Thus he to rockes and bushes did discover The secret flames which scorcht his heated breast Though he as yet was not a vocall lover But shrowded his close love in smiles and jest Yet Fortune frentimes does Venus grace Hee got lip-freedome in an eye-lesse place For there a Turkes Elyzium was the stage Whereon the Virgines acted parts of mirth Which Nature did with nobler gifts engage And decked more than other parts of earth And Bellam's breath was such a powerfull thing It here did keepe an everlasting spring The angry puffings of congealing East And sturdy North cold Winters stoutest roystersâ— Durst ne're of curled lockes the trees devest Nor e're were heard to whistle in their cloysters Such vernall blasts came from Bellama's mouth Kept here Favonius and the dropping south And if sharp frosts did in her absence steale Into this place and glaz'd the tatling streames Then into châ—ystall would the springs congeale And evâ—ry flower was rayd with silver beames Yet if Bellama did but glance her eye The chrystall and the silver thence did flye Nay strange it was to heare the purling wet The sawcie frost with angry murmures chide And with its constant jarres and struglings fret Then thaw to teares and on the Venice slide Yet oft Bellama would call in her rayes To view the silver purles and chryftall wayesâ— Into this garden once Albino got Yet ah but once and met his soveraigne faire Hoping their hearts should ty the Gordian knot He fand her beauty with such courting aire For though he was a Monk love did instruct him And to Loves pallace Fortune did conduct him He oftentimes with trembling thombe would presse Her dauncing veine way to her heart to finde Whilst conscious she her looks with red wold dresse Fearing her pulse was traytor to her minde For 't is entruth'd by some that by this vaine We may the knowledge of affections gaine Such knowledge gaind he by her pulses touch Which leapt to meet not chide his busie thombes That he desir'd a kisse and found it such Whose sweetnesse far out-sweets Hybla's combes Then cryd give for each lip a cherry-sweet And then a third in which they two may meet Such quickning heat was from those kisses lent That thawd his voyce and did unfreeze his tongue Packt thence despaire exiled discontent And made him vent what was concealed long For though desire and love each minute bid him Yet feare his habit and her beauty chid him Madam quoth he vouchsafe a courteous eare Vnto my words sent from an amorous heart Which hath long time bin wrackt with hope fear Grisely despaire and Cupids awfull dart And till this time restrain'd by black disasters Could ne're apply lip-love or vowell-plasters Be pleas'd to know yet sure you needs must know it A beauty so divine must needs divine Though I should want heart hand or voyce to show it When first your beauty in mine eyes did shine They slipt into my breast and told my heart The god of love by them had sent a dart My heart made quick reply if hearts have voyce You ever have such faithfull servants been That what you like I 'le freely call my choyce For beauty brought by you does fires teen Carry this message back tell her 't is best That hers should heat my bosome I her breast Peace peace quoth she speak not a word of love For feare my anger scornes and folly writes Eagles love Eagles and the Dove the Dove Haukes brook not Buzzards or the Pheasant Kites Equals love equals but un-equall flame Is teen'd withfolly and expires with shame True quoth he likenesse does the heart encline Greatnesse loves greatnesse without farther search Yet crawling Ivies lo tie Elmes en-twine And gall-lesse Turtles with the Eagles pearch I baulk your greatnesse for as good not great I homage pay and loves alarums beat Those airy titles which ambition swell And pusse like bladders or like bladders burst The worldlings goddesse which in chests does dwel Is gnawne with rust and makes the chesters curst Honour is ty'd unto the Princes eye And wealth to Fortunes mutability I have not wealth nor doe I want what then Must Hymen stoope unto the nods of gold Must I vaile Bonnet unto Ermin men And Vertue by the Herauld be controlde No love does blaze the noblest armes and she That can maintaine herselfe in love can me Stay stay quoth she you will be out of winde Me thinkes the voyce of greatnesse speakes
force your daughter from this happy state Twixt her and happinesse you make a breach And pull upon your heads a cursed Fate Heavens un-buâ—kle will their clowds of raine Death or diseases if you part our traine The body 's better than the sheathing skin And ought with greater care to be maintain'd The guest is farre more worthy than the Inne And ought with greater study to be traind The soule mounts heaven when earrhs aged womb The Skeleton her issue does entombe A way with arguments in vain you plead Our vow quoth they loâ—kt not her girdle ever I quoth Pazzella doe abjure the Tede Hymen shall ne're my holy orders sever But spite of all the trickes the world does nurse I le keepe my virgines from the bridall curse Without demurres Don Rivelezzo then With shrill voyc't trumpet made an eccho speake Straight was the house environed with men Which with their leaden gloabes an entrance break The aire was frighted with the powder-thunder The bellowing noyse did split the rocks in sunder Affrighted thus the Matrone bid them gang And to Bellama gave a sad adiew Yet in her heart she grypt with Envies fang And o're her lookes a vaile of sorrow drew The joyfull parents having got their daughter Gave a farewell unto the house with laughter Leaving the Coach and Cloyster wee 'l take part With poore Albino in his woe and griefe Who seeing Fortune his designes did thwart And Neptunes grand-child brought him no reliefe Did think to win her presence in disguise He that but one way tries is hardly wise He plotted to invest himselfe with robe Might speak him nobly borne and gallant haire To some vaste measures of this wealthy globe Seated aloft in honours Ovall chaire Procure him then some store of laced capes To wait on him with servile garbes and shapes Pretending to be one o th' Spanish court Giving strange accents to our moderne speech And hither came his wandring minde to sport But that he faces lackt to tune each breech Besides he knew the Matrones care was such She love untwisted in the eye or touch Then a new project did he get on 's braine And sheard the downy mosse from his smooth chin Intending to be one o th' Virgine-traine Like Iupiter huskt in a female skin But that he feard religion could not bridle His active heate twixt linnen to beidle He thought his breaking voyce would him betray Vnlesse he said he ever had a cold He feard the curtesie and the female play Or that his face would make him seeme too old But above all he feard he should not lock His legges within the compasse of a smock In costly vestures he would be arrayde Of high discent and fearing lest his Sire Would force him to an hated pillow strayd With them to teene the holy vestall sire He would be nobly borne not out of pride But to be sheeted by Bellama's side He had no treasure but would promise faire That setled there he should be fed in state Hoping to win the porter with kinde aire That with Bellama he might thread the gate He all would venture and upon this plot Would place his fortunes and the Gordian knoâ—â— In such accoutrement he vailed was That to himselfe Albiâ—o was not knowne He looked for Albino's face i th' glasse But nothing of himselfe t 'himselfe was showne Each way a mayd enricht with speciall grace As though he had unslowâ—'d Adoniâ— face He stil'd himselfe Phâ—â—â—â—che onely childe To him who at that time was Foâ—â—o's Duke And was so like to her whom he was stil'd That she could searcely say t was not her look For what 's of Issa and her picture writ Was found in them they taskt the Poets wit Vnto this Virgine-cage she fast did pace And knocking at the gate the Porter came Who seeing riches on her back and face With humble voyce desir'd to know her name My name good friend quoth she Phoeliche is I come to taste your choyce Monastick blisse Madam Avaro sayd our rubbish stone With cement joynd shall pretious straight be made In that they shall enspheare so faire an one Phoeliche smiling at the porter sayd Hath time with Iron jawes eate out this part Which now these Masons do repaire by Art And truth it was Phoeliche Folco's heire Flying the disaster of an hated Tede Coucht in disguises at a cottage bare But how when where task not my amorous lede So that Pazzella's faith writ on her brow The noble treasures of Phoeliches vow Not time it was but an unhappy houre The porter sayd we had a vertuous faire Daughter unto a man of mighty power So like your selfe I think you sisters are How laregely fiattry has disperst its song That it does oyle and smooth a porters tongue Bellama hight by her uncourteous syre Fetcht hence who when my Lady did deny Begirt our holy walles with sulphure fire And summond harnest men which close did lyeâ— They with their leaden worlds at us did play And frighted as you see these stones away Phoeliche knowing that her Adamant Th'impulsive cause of this her virgin-vow Was vanisht thence and gleames of joy did want And wanning forâ—ow reveld on her brow Scarce could she speak every joynting trembled Yet fear'd the Porter and her feare dissembled Pazzella and the virgines her esteem'd Seeing her feature and un-equald grace Before they knew his parentage or deem'd He was descended from high Folco's race But knowing that their joyes did swell so high That griefe for sorrow slinkt aside to cry But ere the next dayes Sun to let out day Nights Ebon box unlockt she did not brook To heare their private whispers talke and pray Erect the host and kisse a guilded booke For her Bellama has possessed solely So that their water could not make her holy In stead of Virgin-mother she would say My dearest Lady heare my sad complaint Nor to she-Saints would she devoutly pray ' Cause none but her Bellama was a Saint Vnto Loretta as Bellam ' she sweares And calls their holy water but her teares She wondred oft how her Bellama did Two yeares continue in this hated cell And in her thoughts she often-times her chid For dwelling where but formall good does dwell Since in her absence she could scarce abide To sojorne here a double eventide Her braines acquainted was no whit with sloath But plotted how she might escape that Iayle And to this end she vowd her virgin-oath Should for her quick returning put in bayle She thought her breach of virgin-oath no sin Because she onely wore the formall skin She mist in ransacking her Cabbinet A pretious jewell farre exceeding rate Which on her brow the Lady Dutchesse set As a true pledge of her indulgent care Far richer than that pearle which Egypts Queenâ— Quaft to her marke dissolv'd in liquor keene But for all this a curious fit of man Did force her for assay to enter in To see if fasting did their Rosies wan Or folly led not
the day had drawne A vaile of brightnesse ore the twinkling lampes And threw on Cynthia's brow a double lawne Clearing the welkin from benighting dampes They in the habits of a milking maid All but skin-linnen did their beauties shade And in these course attires they hasted out To seeke Albino through each wood and plaine Whom we will leave to pace the world about And see Phoeliche wet with eye-lid raine Whose bondage was the greater since despaire Blasted all hopes which promis'd her the aire The brazen Bull Strappado or the rack The Faggot-torture and the piked barrell Ballanc't with his degrees of sorrow lack T is with a bull-rush to decide a quarrell The famine wherewithall the Thracian knight Was sent to Pluto wants a little weight He that stole fire fro th' Chariot of the Sun Whose liver 's vulture gnawne at Caucasus He that the counsels of the g 〈…〉 n-spun Like wantons eyes stone-rowling Sy'phus Hold best proportion with these sharpned woes Which sterne misfortune on Phoeliche throwes She that was glutted with most curious cates Had every pleasure to content her Iust Who had command ore Fortune and the Fates Now sups up pulse and gnawes a fleeced crust She that had many girles is now alone And of so many cannot compasse one Had I a fansie steept in sorrowes brine Invention witty in the threnes of woe Could sad experience dictate every line A dearth of words would to my muse say no. I may as well go fathome all the spheares As measure her disasters count her teares Oft on remembrance of that harmlesse blisse Which coaped she enjoyd her thoughts wold feed Of on Bellama's beauty touch and kisse Till strucken dead with thought of present need Then would she raise her thoughts hope for day And starting up from silence bololy say Despite of Envies vipers trickes and wiles My cradle-play-mate Mirth I le nere forsake But taste Sardinian hearbs shall raise up smiles Though I was wafting ore the Stygtan lake Tortures shall nere un-man me but I le be Albino malice spite of her and thee Delayes oft-times from times secluded parts Bring helpe to help lesse not expecting aid Some of the gods will pitty these my smarts Not suffer them to whet the Sextons Spade Or if the gods midst slames then scorpion-like I le gore my breast and fall on mine owne pike Yet had I suffred for a courteous one These woes shold ne're had power t' have rais'd a sorrow But when mine eyes did in my breast enthrone Her her of whom hell cruelty may borrow This is the height of woe death and diseases Nay hell it selfe to this compared pleases Yet stay say Neptunes pallace shall be land And this firme ball of earth a liquid brack Say the North-pole with Phoebus shall be tand And to the South the Lillies shall be black Say this and more before thou dare to say Bellama is Mâ—i boun ' or Mâ—i bellâ—i No more of this wee 'l for her freedome plot A pious Monke perceiving well her smart With diligence assayd to purge each spot With holy Creuse from her diviner part But still her answer was nor man nor lover Nor she the virgines ankles did discover Alas my brother I am not a male But a weake Sience of the weaker sex The Ladies spake the truth might truth prevaile But me with torture Piazell doth vex ' Cause at my entrance I did promise faire Yet't proves court-language meerly purely aire But all this time she would not licence daigne That I three yards behinde should leave the gates And fumed when I would have left her traine T' have sought a jewell and to gather Dates So that the Duke my father ne're had ken Of my encloystring in this hate-light den But gainst it now resolving I intend To turne the streame of his munificence On you deare brother if you 'l be my friend And plot how I may be deliver'd hence Lend your endevours and I le lend my wit Vow faithfulnesse and I will warrantit I le wooe my father for his free assent If to your barren Cowle you 'l bid farewell That Hymens rites may perfect our content By joyfull eccho's of the marriage bell ' Cause you in person doe resemble him Whom ' mongst all men I onely judged trim The Monke gave eare unto her winning prate And gazed on her beauty masculine Whose feature might delude a wiser pate Assisted onely by a tallow-shine For by an unctious salve she kept her chin From the haire-mantle of an aged skin Madam sayes he I judge your language true And to your vowes I dare my credence lace Your virgin-blushes innocence doe shew And modesty is printed on your face Faith truth and honesty reside with mee My best endevours shall your servants be Well sayes Phoeliche I have now decreed Since Phoebus has forsook our hemispheare To sheath my body in your holy weed Then through the private walk my course wil steere So from your holy walles I le take my flight Or by permission or in silent night And when I am arriv'd at Folco's towers My Father shall your matchlesse kindnesse know Who I am sure will summon all his powers To fetch thee from this house of flame and snow And who with much contentment will not brook Some three dayes penance to be made a Duke For by inheritance the Dukedome's mine When death unbody shall my fathers soule Since no heire-males descended from our line The Salique law cannot my right controule And to assure thee that I 'me onely thine I sweare by all the powers that are divine Then did she circle with ensphearing arme Conrado's neck and amorously him lipt Which did the amorist so strongly charme That he with haste out of his vestments skipt And bad Phoeliche change for in good deed He should full well become her virgine weed Phoelich undrest and drest and having made Herselfe a Monke put on Conrado's face And some few minutes with her Monkship playd Then gave a farewell to that hated place But ere here quick dispateh could post her thence Her beauty shot a fire through every sence Feare now exilde the confidence hee tyde Forc't by affection to Phoeliche's words Revokt his promise now all ayd denyde And with majestick lookes and gestures lords His flaming lust dissolv'd his pious snow And now his lowd desires will have no No. But vowes to dis-encloath her and to breake Her virgine-seale despight of force or smiles Till Folco strove and made his noddle leake Sardonick liquor to new-paint the tiles So hasted out and to the Matrone gave The Iron Porter of Conrado's grave Imping his haste he threads the vaulted lane Not wounded by his soles this many a day Like those which when arraign'd a pardon gaine Dare neither at the gaole nor gallowes stay And comming to the posterne gate he knockt Which at devotion time was alwayes lockt But when the last Amen had silenc't prayer The Porter to Alhino entrance gave Who straight
was puzzled To finde the right Foppo mean while did trot Vnto some chambers where the shavelings nuzzled And them with our-cryes raysed to surprise Albino larved in Conrado's guise Like penancers with linnen on their backes The bald-pates ran to seize upon their pray But yet their haste a semi-moment lackes Albino through the gate had found a way And snatching out the keyes did them encage Raising a Bulwarke to withstand their rage Then thankt his starres that thus deliverd him From dangers which did threaten nought but death For he by th'verge of Mare mort did swim And did expect his latest gale to breath Nay these late troubles had him so dis-harted That every shadow ' lmost the union parted You whose disasters some proportion hold Helpe my weake phansie to expresse his feares Teach me my rithmes in Cypresse to enfold From thwarted lovers horrow me some teares Fetch me some grones from the ascending thiefe And from the inquisition fetch me griefe Without demurres Albino left the wicket Fearing the Monkes should bribe the faithlesse lock And steerd his course unto a well-grown thicket Whose lofty hill was armd with many a rock He envies sculls that wayt on spit and oven And vowes nere more to see that hated coven Have you beheld the stately pacing stagge Flying the ecchoes of some deep-mouth'd hounds How first his brow does weare a ferny slagge And with curvaitings beates the quaking ground Telling the Fawns wood-nymphs that he scorns The hounds horse huntsmen and their warbling hornes But when he is embost in blood and sweat When travaile on his swifrnesse fetters hangs He then is finghted with the shrill recheat And feares a pinking with the yellers fangs Seekes e'ry where for shelter and dares rush Maled with feare into the sharpest bush So far'd it with Albino whilst he had Fate at a becke commanded fortunes wheele Was called by his Donnes active lad He thought his joyes were walled in with steele Slighted misfortune envie set at nought And braving malice dar'd in every thought But when his towring heart was taught to know Humiliation and selfe-confidence Was strucken dead with famine flame and snow Although his geniall starres had freed him thence He feares the Monkish rabble and he shrowdes Himselfe in caves encurtaind round with clowds In his dark house he heard a feeble voyce Breathd from the corrals of some weakned maid At first concealment was his better choyce Till pitry set an edge upon his blade Then guided by the cry he saw a Royster Did in his armes perforce a Nymph encloyster Yet seeing home-spun russet stopt his pace Saying by this what honour shall I gaine But in his eye so curious was her face Though maskt and blubberd ore with brackish raine That he forthwith unsheathd his trusty Turke Cald forth that blood which in his veines did lurk So stepping forward cryes Injurious slave Vnto what basenesse does thy folly tempt her Who answerd him Fond soole thy foolish brave From my decreed end shall not exempt her Befriend me Queen of Cypresse and in spight Of force or Fortune I le have my delight Desist Albino sayes or olse I vow By all those tapers which enrich the night I le make pale death strew Cypresse on thy brow And to th' infernall shades thy soule will fright Cease from thy brutish rape or else prepare Thy cursed lungs to draw the Stygian ayre Quoth the rude Sylvan I am past that age Which with Bug-bears the foppish nurse does fright Hence curtaine-squire smock-groom urine-page I le have no testates unto my delight Pack hence with speed or by Actaeons head My weightie falcheon shall pronounce thee dead Well sayes Albino since thou It not desist Prove the adventures of a bloody duell One of our threads fell Atrops shall untwist For to my rage kinde pitty lendeth fuell To free a virgine from thy gryping pawes I judge well'pleasing unto natures lawes They claspt their Helms and buckled to their fight Twixt whom no umpire was but meagre death The wooddards greene with Tyrian dye was dight Who now desires a minutes space to breath Albino gave the truce yet but to breath His valour scornd to crowd into the sheath Then did his nimble slight and courage shew Faining a stroake but poynted at his breast Which op't a doore where at his spirits flew And well nigh set his fainting soule at rest With that th'en feebled Sylvan weakly cryes Hold hold thy hand or else Sylvanus dyes Dost call for mercie sayes Albino now And all thy thoughts erstwhile triumphant rid I seek not murder may I save my vow That I should joy in blood my starres forbid I am content the virgines voyce shall seale Thy death or pardon if thou make appeale Faire virgine quoth Sylvanus pitty is The onely grace that gives a virgin price Remission crownes a heart with greater blisse Then to hang iron on weak natures vice The rayes of your bright beauty urg'd desire Your feature kindled lust love blowd the fire The virgin answerd I did never suck The Tygers dugges the Lionesse and Bare Nor from a reeking breast an heart did plucke Never will I in blood with vultures share But since submission speakes from voyce and knee Kinde pitty thins the fault and pardons thee Then to Albino sayes Heroick youth May all the blessings which attend on man Felicitate thy life and to buy truth To words I dare doe more than virgines can But above all I wish may natures pride Lillies and Roses inter-twine thy bride But yet alas to recompence by ayres So large a bounty and so free is poore Yet why may not a spotlesse virgines prayers Wingd with desire unclaspe high heavens doore Accept of this and if the Fates befriend me Those blessings which I wish for shal attend thee Natures sole wonder beauties onely gem Quoth he my valour and my feeble armes If your perfections had not strengthned them Could not have freed you from intended harmes Ascribe the honour to your matchlesse face My courage merits not the meanest place Yet had I swom through seas of steaming blood And past through Nitre flames that belch forth led Had all the Furies arm'd with vipers stood T' have stopt my passage or pronounc't me dead I would have thrown the dye my fortune tryde T' have bought you freedome though in crymson dyde For when mine eyes sent forth the farthest glance To fetch th'Idae a of your beauty in That very sight my sences did intrance And made my thoughts excuse Sylvanus sin For sure your quickning rayes can melt a snow On which the windes of age and sorrow blow But why doe I upon the Ela rayse Thy noble worth and yet intend to wooe Since beauty oft displayes her plumes at praise Then by this doing I my selfe un-doe Yet where I vertues finde refinde as gold Despaire shall never make affections cold Be pleased then to thinke the god of Love With guilded arrow has transfixt my heart And let my