each of them endeuour'd to recall her And did at length but faint she was and weake And stil she sigh'd as sighs her heart should break Anon sayd thus but more she could not say Cupid kil'd Corauin woe's me for aye Cupid kil'd Corauin woe's me for aye For losse of him thus makes my life decay And so sunke downe vnto the earth againe The whilst the Shepheards did on Loue complaine And curst his Bow his arrowes and his quiuer And him the Wag that was their woes contriuer Cupid at this put finger in the eye And whilst they chid him wept most childishly Then babe-like said for Babes can do no other How you haue vs'd me I will tell my mother By this fayre Candida whom all thought dead Till the kind Swaines did eleuate her head Began to stir and rowle her radiant eyes Beauty dwells there euen when the body dyes And when sh 'ad suckt breath from the solid ayre Away from thence the Shepheards did conuay her With whom I 'le leaue her till she do recouer And learne to leaue lamenting for her Louer Lo now young Cupid seeing all were gone With many teares her wofull state did mone And to himselfe the silly god did say Kind Coraum I cruelly did slay And was the Author of her woes and cries Not willingly but through my want of eies Yea it was I and none but onely I That was the cause of her calamity And now it grieues me when it is too late Loue should so lucklesly gaine Louers hate And with his folly make the gods offended And mortals mourne thus but the Sceane b'ing ended In which my fact was punish'd with defame To the impeachment of my honor'd name I 'le get me gone from th' Arcadian Playnes And come no more amongst these mourning Swaines Till Candida her Corauin forget And loue another whom she knowes not yet Which to effect I 'le leaue expostulating And now go seeke where Death's negotiating To do the wretched and weake worldlings wrong With the golden arrowes that to Loue belong Which I 'le take from him as I 'm charg'd to do And giue him 's owne with all that longs thereto Therewith departs But oh not far goes he A foes found sooner then a friend can be E're he met Death who like an enuious slaue Exclaim'd on Loue and him ill speeches gaue Saying he was a couz'ning cheating mate Oh cruell Death th' art full of canker'd hate To take his Ebon Darts and stead thereof Leaue him Loues squilkers wherat old folks scoffe The young make songs on and the wise reiect For but with fondlings Lou's in no respect And therefore quoth he I in scorne deliuer Thy bable Arrowes and thy boyish Quiuer Heere take them Infant and giue me mine owne Wherewith to heau'n thou like a foole hast flowne And there hast done my engines so much grace As make show of them in that sacred place Whilst I haue borne thine all about the world And at the bosomes of the basest hurld By which of Death this slight thy shafts haue got They 'l kill sometimes though they by Loue be shot Then shall I laugh at Lady Venus child To thinke how Death the Boy-god hath beguild Making him helpe me fill vast Graues and Toombes That should make fertill barren womens wombes This said chang'd Quiuers and away went he Leauing young Cupid to complaine to me Of 's punishment for his rash ouersight To steale from heau'n and stay on earth one night From whence the death of Corauin did spring Which all this woe vnto the world did bring And shame to him on whom fell Death did rayle And Shepheards likewise thogh it nought auaile With bitter execrations did reiect As if his god-head were of no respect And thus he sayd I do perceiue quoth he Thou must the Pen-man of my Progresse be Fayre Candida hath chose thee and desir'd Not as a mercenarie basely hyr'd But as a true friend that compassionates All Loyall Louers lamentable states That thou would'st in some sad-tunde Elegy Tell how her Deare-lou'd Corauin did dye By my o'resight or rather want of sight For Loue would not kil Louers though he might How she laments and how the Shepheards weepe And what a sorrowing for one Swaine they keepe How gods inrag'd haue punish'd my offence And mortals here with too much insolence Exclaim'd on me and curs'd me to my face Why should a god indure so much disgrace How Death abusd me yet all this while I Did nought but weepe and durst not make reply Because the gods thought fit I should be shent And for m'offence ordain'd this punishment But as th'would'st haue my mother be thy friend So let this Story sparingly be pend Condemne not Loue much cause thou see'st hee 's blind As e're th'would'st fauour of a female find But write of him as th'would'st haue him to be In Venus Court a friend or foe to thee VVith that the Boy betooke him to his wings Loue when he list can soare ' boue earthly things And vp to heau'n did make his towring flight I then return'd these accidents to write VVhich as you see I haue expressed heere Though other Pastorals it comes not neere Yet let the world vouchsafe me this report My will is good although my wit comes short Sidney and Spencer be you aye renoun'd No time hath pow'r your Pastorals to confound Drayton and all the rest that wrote of yore Adorning time with your delicious store Be euer honor'd and till th' end of times On Fames peart tongue be praised for your Rimes You worthy ones oh do not you disdaine My mournfull Muse that in this humble vaine Dares for to sing considering these are dayes In which some Criticks will the best dispraise But pardon me should all be silent then VVho should praise Vertue or check Vice in men I know fayre Candida's complaint affords Matter inough had I but proper words T' expresse her griefs whose woes sighs teares wrongs Might taske all pens and almost tire all tongues But I alone doe of her sorrowes sing Till better wits thereof be warbling For suâ—e the worke deserues a worthy wit Though I the weak'st doe first imblazon it Amintas likewise told a sad-tun'd Tale For losse of 's Phillis long since set to sale And for Laceno and for all the rest Much sorrow by the Shepheards was exprest But I ore'slip it all for her sweet sake For whom too much paines I can neuer take And now I will conclude her mournefull song To whom I 'le sing a sweeter note e're long For whilst I liue I will tune all my Layes To comfort Candida and in her prayse FINIS
his bed It strooke a King that did it counterfet Into a Salmon fish all bloody yet It cleaueth Clouds rends Rockes and Trees asunder Nothing 's more dreadfull then all dreaded Thunder This wakened Cupid that with death did lye Who else perhaps had slept eternally For if the Godâ— should Loue from Heauen exile 'T would sleepe on earth or dye in little while Vp did he start and trust his trinckets on And in great haste did hurry to be gone But being blind as oh would Loue were not Deaths quiuer vp in stead of 's owne he got And thence be trudges leauing Death behind Who when he rose did Cupids quiuer finde Yet mark'd it not but girts it on and goes Abroad the world to fill the world with woes For death on Earth like Cesar in a field Foes to their Foe perforce doth force to yeeld And where he commeth teares they need not borrow For he comes sild but where he breedeth sorrow Now Cupid seeking how himselfe t' excuse Doth bend his bowe and Deaths blacke Engins vse Determining great store with Loue to wound But whom he hitteth straight-waies dead are found Lo thus the blind boy when hee thought no ill For want of eyes did many a mortall kill And thus ah thus he murthered Corauin The sweetest Swayne that euer yet hath beene And thus faire Phillis he did make away Whom young Amintas mourn'd for many a day And after teares and grones and grieuous cries Exprest his sorrowes in sad Elegyes And thus Laceno and a number mo Loue kild out-right t is shame hee should do so Then vp to Heauen the wanton wag did flye And told his mother oh egregious lye That hee had wounded such and such with Loue Which to his foule shame otherwise did proue Glad was faire Venus she had got her Sonne And much more glad to heare what he had done Yet notwithstanding she began to chide For his departure and would faine haue cride But he so prettily did wantonize She could not weepe though teares stood in her eyes Which wiping thence she smilde to see him play Loue oft makes Sun-shine in a show'rie day And when vnkindnesse doth the heart annoy Loue doth expell it and proclaimeth ioy But now awhile let 's speake againe of death Who seeks abroad to suffocate mens breath To Court and citty and t'each country towne He like a Tygar trauels vp and downe And here and there throwes foorth a thrilling dart Intending's owne but acting Cupids part Yet lo he keepes one custome he did vse All suppliants praiers proudly to refuse For those that were opprest with misery Th' enuious slaue though cride to would passe by At length remembring he did nought last night Strikes rich and poore and doth respect no wight But oh in stead of his owne Ebon darts He with Loues arrowes woundes their wretched hearts And makes some loue that weary are of life Their woes and troubles are so wondrous rife Who feeling Loues force grieuously complaine And to the pow'rs diuine doe crie amaine Ye gods quoth they must we with loue be wounded Whose ioints are num'd ioyes long since confounded Heare vs oh heauens and be propitious And oh ye gods be you auspitious For death and fortune both iniurious bee And our woes will not or else cannot see And therefore oh doe you vouchsafe to heare vs And let fell death no longer time forbeare vs For we are wrong'd opprest pinch'd with griefe And but in you haue hope of no reliefe Ioue hearing this doth straight commiserate These wretched worldlings miserable state And by his messenger swift Mercurie Summons a Parliament of the Deitie With expedition in the hie house of heau'n And also chargeth warning should be giuen That all their plaints that earst were mentioned Should at that Session be exhibited Away went Mercurie and perfourm'd his charge The gods appear'd mens griefs were heard at large And by the inferences of their bils With the skarlet euidence of Cupids ils It did appeare how idle Loue had bin T' associate Death and kill sweet Corauin VVho was a Swaine of all so dearely lou'd That for his death the gods were highly mou'd And sent for Cupid from his mothers side And him in th' open Court did rate and chide Thou blind-eyd and besotting boy quoth Ioue Mak'st thou no difference 'twixt Death and Loue Art thou a god and wilt from heau'n descend And on the earth consort a hellish Fiend And put his blacke darts and thy Bow together Then like a vagrant range thou knowst notwhither And when thou hast done a deale of villany T' excuse thy folly telst vs many a lye Thinkst thou the gods by thee will be deluded No it were better thou wert heau'n excluded For with thy deeds thou dayly dost offend vs. But wherein is it that thou canst befriend vs Vnlesse it be in acting idle things Such as vaine pleasure but no profite brings And yet dar'st thou fond foole audaciously Displease this Sinod of the Deitie Loue I am vex'd at this vild deed of thine All murther's hatefull in our heau'nly eyne For Antidotes dost thou rancke poyson giue Daring to kill whom we desire should liue But since thou hast offended in this sort Wee 'l clip thy wings boy and wee 'l keep thee short The sonne of Venus though his mother loue him Shall well perceiue Ioue feares not to reproue him For why should men their sad oppressions paint And find no remedy where they make complaint Are we not gods and gods should iustice doe One fault vnpunish'd soone produceth two Then let vs now great gods make a decree How Cupid's fault may fitly'st punish'd bee There stayd his speech whil'st Cupid standing by To 's accusation was bid make reply Who childishly his progresse did recite And how he lay with vgly Death one night But for the rest he vow'd it was vnknowne Whether he vs'd Deaths engins or his owne At this lame Vulcan laughed in his sleeue Some ne're laugh heart'ly but when others grieue To whom Apollo with great wisdome sayd Deride him not nor do you him vp-brayd Hee 's your wiues Sonne and she will fit you for 't If you abuse him heere in any sort And for mine owne part bee you sure quoth he In blinde boyes matters I le no medler be Saturne sate by but like a sullen god Spoke ne're a word yet now and then did nod At th' others speech especially when they Rebuked Loue or did 'gainst Death inueigh Then Mars stood vp b'ing friend to Cupids mother And thus with reu'rence spoke before the other Yee mighty gods this fact of his we see Most hainous is yet take thus much from mee Since done on earth and 't is vnfit Death should Enter heau'n gates our glory to behold It fittest is that Cupid should descend Where shame for 's guilt vpon him may attend And there indure the clamor and the cry Of the murther'ds friends and those in misery And as hee 's author of
come And death vntimely there destroyeth some But Lou's too blame to be a Bawd to lust And death 's a Villaine to betray mens trust And there they two were Iouiall awhile Loue vpon death and death on Loue did smile And first the one then did the other boast Their mighty Conquests made in euery coast And laugh'd out-right in their relating how Both rich and poore must at their pleasures bow For from the King that sits vpon the Throne Vnto the meanest and most wretched one Loue made his brags none past their Infancy The power of his God-head could deny For with his arrowes he had wounded all Made strong ones stoope and stoutest minds most thrall Nor wise nor foolish Nobly borne nor base But first or last Loue hath had all in chase And made them all for to confesse that he Had as great power as in a God could be Then Death began qd he Loue brags too much Before sterne Death whose strength and power is such That all the earth doth tremble at my name For young and old the lusty and the lame All stoop to death who is impartiall And pittilesse not caring who doth fall Nor how nor when nor in what sort I take them If once I strike I euer conquer'd make them Whom Loue doth hit in passions long may languish But whom I strike I do set free from anguish Lou's but a child and wanton tricks doth vse But Death is dauntlesse and doth none excuse Folly blinds Loue so that he cannot see But shoots at randome and lets some goe free When some with often woundings are perplext Whilst they laugh at them for whom they are vext Oh partiall Loue vniust and cruell too Thou dost more harme then euer Death did doe Thou mak'st men loue those that do not affect them And seeke and sue to those that doe reiect them Thou mak'st the strong to stoope vnto the weake The weake insult and seeke their hearts to breake Thou dost besot the wise with womens lookes And work'st their bane with beauties baiting hookes Thou dost the foole with wits conceit inspire And Phaeton-like thou setst the world on fire Thou dost depriue men of their sweetest sleepe Thou murthrest mirth and mak'st the masker weepe Into fooles Paradice thou bringst wretched ones Then sit'st and smil'st to heare their sighes and grones And when they pule aye me what shall I doe Cupid's glad of it so 's proud Venus too Then vnto me the weake-made wood-cocks crye And say sweet Death come end my misery Death neuer doth thus indirectly deale Nor through the eye into the heart doth steale But like a Giant though I seeme not so I defie all and do no fauour show The young as well as old my name do feare Kings quake tremble when of me they hear I rid the world of those thou mak'st despaire I kill the rich and I destroy the faire Beauty and gold which all the world affects Death doth disdaine and both as doung reiects And euer did so from the first beginning Of my owne birth which was at Adams sinning Adam was first and I the last shall be All were his of-spring all shall end in me But I quoth Cupid can do more then thou My Bow doth make the very Gods to bow I made Alcides leaue his Lyons skinne And to gaine I-o'ls loue to sit and spinne I made Apollo weare a shepheards weed To court faire Daphne yet he could not speed I made the God of warre forsake the field And as my vassall to my mother yeeld Yea I made Ioue to lay aside his shape And amongst mortalls commit many a scape Is Loue a childe then all-abhorred Death That canst doe nothing but stop mortals breath In this vilde world Death only doth remaine But Loue in heav'n liues where the gods do raign Then can thy pow'r be compar'd to mine VVhen thine is hell-bred and mine most diuine But whil'st they two contended in this wise Death's sister sleep ceaz'd on their sight-lesse eyes And lo by this faire Venus miss'd her Sonne And to inquire him out to Vulcan run VVho with his Cyclops was at worke so hard That he nor Loue nor Loues god did regard And therefore told her if she meant to finde him She might goe looke him for he did not minde him Then vnto Mars the faire Queene made repaire And asked him for her young sonne and heire Who by his god-head and his sword did sweare He neither saw him nor of him did heare But for thy sake quoth he I 'le take some paines To seeke him out and see where he remaines Indeed I will I will indeed my Ioy I le do my best to helpe thee to thy boy Thy pretty little wagge thy curld-pate boy That fills the world with weale or with annoy I would be loth my Loue should lose her childe For he 's her best boy though the wagge be wild This sayd he col'd and clipp'd and kist her too And made an offer th' other thing to doe For Mars with Venus seldome times did meet But he did dally with his dainty sweet Which made the limping god to chase and fret And seeke to intrap them in an Iron net But Venus now sayd that should not be done By Mars nor any till she found her sonne Nor would she smile nor let him kisse her more But flung away and would to Ioue she swore Mars sigh'd at this but vainly sighs are spent When as a woman to her will is bent Then mounts his chariot and away goes hee To search abroad where her young son should be His whirling wheeles do rattle in the streetes And breed amazement amongst all he meetes To field he gets and there commands his drumme Should strike t' enquire where Cupid was become VVhil'st Venus past heauens-Christall-pointed gates And to great Ioue her grieuous losse relates VVho was exceeding wroth thereat and swore By Stix and Phlegeton and many more That heauen and earth and hell and all should rue The losse of Loues Queene if this tale were true Vowing to search their Centers euery one And therewith starting from his stately throne He call'd for Aeolus and bid him send Stiffe-blowing Boreas to the wide worlds end Charging him throw downe Castles Courts and Tow'rs And search for Cupid in their secret bow'rs But if he could not finde him quickly out Himselfe would throw his Thunder-bolts about Away goes Aeolus and out Boreas flies But findes not Cupid nor learnes where he lyes Then back returns with griefe and shame to Ioue And tells how much he to no purpose stroue The god being angry sets the Christall skie Vpon a burning fire instantly VVhose lightning strangely terrifi'd the Earth And on a suddaine marr'd all mortals mirth Then tooke he Thunder-bolts and them he hurl'd Into each corner of this canker'd world VVhich strook astonishment in all creatures eares Who doth not tremble that Ioues Thunder heares It made Romes Emp'ror hide his haughty head Great Heliogabalus vnderneath
their endlesse woe Sit and condole them whom he iniur'd so VVhich being done let him goe seeke out Death And changing's quiuer bid him stop the breath Of those weake wights whom he with Loue did wound Or else vntimely time shall him confound This Death may doe but those whom Loue hath slaine With Deaths dart cannot be reuiu'd againe For Loue in this without commission went But whom death slaies 't is with the fates consent Death hath authority for to destroy But Loue should not kill but procure mens ioy And therefore Loue was too too blame in this To vse Deaths engines and giue bale for blisse Great faults deserue no fauourable meed Yet b'ing thus check'd and punish'd for the deed Since though a god he 's but a childe good sooth And being blinde he sees not what he doth At his returne let our displeasures end For I 'm perswaded heele no more offend To this great Ioue and all the gods agreed And being cōfirmd adiornd the court with speed Cupid departed and to earth he goes To sit and heare the sorrowes sighes and woes Of the sad Swaines for those whom he had slaine But most for Corauin they did complaine And eu'ry one of them exclaim'd on Death Not thinking Cupid had reft him of breath Vntill the time that he was clad in clay Which woe is me was on Saint Peters day A day of dread Oh had it neuer bin T'intombe in clay the comely Corauin The comely Corauin the more griefe 's mine In th' earth that day the shepheards did inshrine Inshrine aye me they did and I must say When I name that I name a weeping day A weeping day Yea so it was indeed For then heauen wept and th' hearts of men did bleed Did bleed 't is true their hearts did bleed and they Did nought but weepe vpon that wofull day That wofull day the clouds of heau'n distill'd A world of water wherewith they were fill'd VVere fill'd yea fill'd and so let fall awaie As if they 'd meant t' haue drown'd the earth that day That day the Sun a sable weed did weare And with a blacke hood hid his golden hayre That day the skie put on a mourning cloake And shew'd no vapours but what seem'd like smoake That day the earth was all as blacke as Iet Onely with teares wherewith 't was ouer-wet That day a sort of most sweet siluer bells Did nothing sound but sad-tun'd dolefull knells That day there was a world of weeping eyes Sorrow 's no niggard of sighs teares and cries That day each Shepheard wore a Cypresse wreath Vpon his head and all blacke Say beneath That day was Corauins sad funerall Which still 's lamented and for euer shall A goodly troope did on his hearse attend And more had done if they his death had kend For Candida ne're knew that he was dead Vntill she heard that he was buried And then too soone 't was knowne and she did goe Whil'st Cupid was there that did breed her woe Lo now my Muse is come to nought but mourning Her ioyes are past and hopelesse of returning Oh you that euer felt the force of Loue Or know what powerfull pass'ons it doth moue You that haue wept and sigh'd and grieu'd and gron'd When but your selues none knew for what you mon'd You you oh you you that know loue indeed You whose soules melt whose very hearts doe bleed At the remembrance of the sweet sweet name Of sacred Loue the soueraigne King of flame 'T is you I call to you that I implore If yet you haue or sighes or teares in store Oh lend me them or some of them at least Much he hath need of makes a liberall feast One Muse vnlesse inspired from aboue Can ne're expresse the passions of true loue One man 's too weake in iudgement and in wit T'explane the force and the effects of it Oh helpe me then helpe both my Muse and mee That by your ayd it may described bee The little streams of water small brooks giue her Doe quickly make a full-vein'd flowing Riuer So eu'ry accent eu'ry sigh or teare That you lend mee my work will help 't vpreare Hard is the heart that will no helpe extend Especially for Loues sake to a friend Come then and ayd me and in hope you will In Loues deepe passion now I le dip my quill Candida hearing of these heauy newes Doth sigh sob sownde and all sad actions vse Oh heauens quoth she why do I liue thus long Or why hath Death and Time done me this wrong Why haue they got my Corauin away Why haue they lapp'd his comely corps in clay VVhy hath heau'n let that fowle Fiend Death haue power To crop the blossome of that scarse-bloom'd flower Why haue the Fates so fayre a Shepheard slaine VVhy haue they robd me of so rare a Swaine Why haue they stolne the lustre of my life Why got a hop'd-for husband from his wife Why dimd the Sun that shin'd vpon me heere And left me neither Loue nor friend nor pheere Why vnsuspected hath time him betray'd VVhy made m'a widdow whilst I am a Mayd VVhy hath he reft me of all ioyes in one And why left me to wayle now he is gone Oh what did moue the gods to be so cruell As to depriue me of my dearest Iewell As to depriue me of my dearest Iewell And leaue me like a fire without fuell Fire without fuell soone will fade and die And without Corauin euen so must I Euen so must I. Yea and great reason too For want of his life doth my life vndoe VVhat els had I wherein I tooke delight VVhat ioy had I but onely in his sight What comfort had I but in Corauin VVhat hearts content but whereas he hath bin VVhat pleasure to me did this world extend VVhat other solace but that one sweet friend VVhat did I loue or what did I hold deere But onely him my Loue my life my pheere And is he gone is he vntimely slaine By Loue or Death or by my owne disdaine Oh which of vs three hath the Murtherer bin VVhich of vs was it that kil'd Corauin Loue was it thou oh if thou did'st it speake For if Loue kil'd him griefe my heart will breake 'T will wound my soule euen to the very death If Loue hath reft my deare-belou'd of breath I know he lou'd me and that wondrous well And I lou'd him more deare then tongue can tell But oh 't was long before that I could do it And much adoe he had to bring me to it He su'de he seru'd and often sought vnto mee By pray'rs plaints teares and all that else might woo mee But I relentlesse was and slinty hard And his great griefes but little did regard I was too young to feele the force of Loue Teares plaints nor pray'rs could me to pitty moue Then would he write and as he wrote hee 'd weep Blood was his inke which he in teares would steep The pen shew'd pure
and swallowed Hating to liue her husband being dead Cleopatra for Loue of Anthony With sting of Aspicks did most stoutly die And shall not I although a Shepheardesse Resolue like them since in the like distresse Shall I bee tim'rous and not imitate The worthy'st women for a worthy mate No I 'le not be diuorced from my Deare Since he is gone I 'le not sit grieuing heere Sweet Corauin I 'le come to thee ' ere night And giue my life to gaine my Louers sight But then ah then who shall thy death deplore These my laments doe make thy losse seeme more Therefore I 'le liue and let the world to ken How much I priz'd thee more then other men VVho although dead to others yet in mee Thou shalt liue still and still my True-loue be For so thou art in deed loh so thou art Thou onely holdst possession of my heart Possession of my heart thou holdst in deed And shalt for euer none shall thee succeed Then why should I imagine thou art slayne And why inueygh 'gainst Loue and Death in vayne Come Candida 't is folly thus to doe Thou iniur'st them both and thine owne selfe too They did not kill sweet Corauin Ah no. Some vncouth accident hath bred this woe Some qualme o're's heart or else some extasie Bred by conceit begot by ielousie Of griefe might kill him seeing many seeke me Lest some of them as well as he might leeke me Yea sure 't was so so did he die no doubt No death's vntimely but time brings it out Heauen will not haue a murther to be hid But first or last bewrayes the homicid But if griefe kild him 't is in vaine to weep For 't will kill all that doo 't long company keep Then Candida awhile lay teares aside And tell what loue-tricks did in 's life betide Tell how hee 'd sit and pipe so prettily That all Swaines ioy'd to heare his harmonie Each Nimph and Shepheardesse that now remains In any of these neighbouring Groues or Plains From Fountaines and from fieldes would flock with speed To heare him play vpon his Oeten Reed And as they daily vsed for to doe So would the Satyrs and the Dreiads too How oft haue I my milke-white flocke forsooke And slily stolne downe to a silent brooke My Corauins sweet Songs and Oads to heare When he poore soule thought little I was there Amongst the Reeds oh wherefore did he hide him At vnawares I oftentimes haue spyde him There would he sit and sometimes sing and play And sometimes weep and many woes bewray Sometimes his musicke did delight mine eare Sometimes I 'd sigh his sad complaints to heare And to my selfe say Lo I can relieue him But I 'le not doo 't 'cause purposely I 'le grieue him Tut let him languish pule and pine awhile Who sighs for loue makes his beloued smile For as the Adamant doth Diamonds drawe Or little Ieat extracts the longest strawe Euen so my beauty binds him to obey To seeke to sue and serue me euery way Faire women alwaies specially the witty Loue to be lou'd but loue not to shew pitty Though faire-fac'd foolish ones that do not know How to esteem the beauties that they owe May like a Puppy that is playd withall As oft as touch'd be apt to take a fall But we that know what pow'r our beauties haue Can at out Altars make them creepe and craue And thinke th' are happy too and if they may But get a kisse for courting vs all day For we doe vse to trie before we trust How should we else distinguish Loue from lust Men are deceitfull and will sweare they loue vs Calling to record gods and heau'n aboue vs When they intend no loue at all vnto vs But onely lust wherewith they lay t' vndoe vs Seeking to vndermine by subtill Arts The weake made fortresse of our feeble hearts For what i' st wit or Art or gold can doe But they will vse if not abuse them too Onely to gaine their wicked wils of vs Whom they 'l soone cast off if they conquer thus Ah beauty borne to multitudes of troubles How many wayes thy misery redoubles Subiect thou art vnto suspition still And art condemn'd thogh thou commit'st no ill Feare and foule Ielouzie thy attendants bee Sickenes and age doe each howre threaten thee Besides all this men both with gold and wit Seeke beauties ruine and lay siedge to it Nay more then thus it doth it selfe betray And to our foes our weakenes doth bewray No maruell then though faire ones feele much woe VVhen all these enemies assaile them so But in this case I wrong my Corauin Who giltlesse was of suche gregious sin For why his loue was most immaculate As free from folly as 't was far from hate For when vpon his pipe he did sit playing Or his sad passions seriously bewraying He did desire his Candida might heare Both what his pastimes and his plainings were His heart and tongue concurring both in one Made him wish audience when he was alone For Louers that do no dissembling vse Can make no faults but what Loue may excuse But flattring fellowes that come cogging to vs Surely they lou's not that with slights do wo vs Their praise and proffers are like lime-twigs laid Wherewith t' ensnare an vnsuspecting mayd But Corauin did loue vnfainedly Free were his thoughts from fraud and flattery For with his tongue his heart did speake to me Happy were mayds might all so wooed be Nothing but pure thoughts which proceeded still From true affection and intire good will Which made me loue him and oft times go looke Loue teacheth Louers to search euery nooke VVhether he were in flow'ry field or Groue Or to some fountaine had his fayre flocke droue Where if I found him as perhaps I did For Loue may lie close but not long be hid Like pretty Lambs wee 'd sport and play together VVooers are wags or wantons choose you whether Then though my Deare to my great griefe be dead Yet let our meetings be remembered Mickle good pastime had we two alone And oh most pleasing 'cause 't was seene to none Loue takes no liking where strange eies may see 't But where most secret there 't is still most sweet Oh how the kisses and the kind imbraces VVhich past betwixt vs twaine in priuate places Now being remembred rauisheth my sence And with my sorrowes seemeth to dispence Bidding me leaue my sad Laments awhile And with then amorous talke this time beguile Which for my Loues sake I am loth to doe But weak's our sexe and wandring-minded too VVe like the Moone our minds must often change All women vs't and therefore 't is not strange Then if one passion can expell another Loue for a while Deaths sad designements smother Whil'st I relate in this lamenting time Our pretty pastimes in Loue pleasant prime This is my lip kinde Corauin would say When on my soft lip his sweet finger lay This is not
Thenots nor doth Thirsis owe it But 't is my lip Loue did on me bestowe it Then would he kisse it and in kissing crie Heer 's Heau'n on earth and th' onely ioy that I Desire to haue for with a tutch of this Mee thinkes I feele a taste of all true blisse Then would he kisse and kisse it o're agen Such sweets as those ne're satiateth men And then in passion feeling what he spoke From his sweet tong these sugred speeches broke If euer Balsamum did cure a wound If euer comforts did mans cares confound If euer excellence did breathe on earth Here I protest it first of all tooke birth For here I finde the Fountaine of delight By day to comfort and content by night Here finde I Nectar and Ambrosia too For which the gods striue as we mortals doe Heere 's Hibla's honny and Himettus dewe Desir'd by all but ah inioy'd by fewe Here is the summe of all my soules desire Here springs the fuell that inflames loues fire Here sweet Aromaticks and odours flowe Rarer then euer did in Aegypt growe Here is the place surpasseth Helicon Which all the Muses sport and play vpon Heere sits the Graces on this sacred lip Heere dance the Fayries heere they finely trip The Shag-hayr'd Satyres and the Dreiads all Heere onely keepe their solemne Festiuall Heere is the Latmus Phebe light vpon To kisse her deare-lou'd young Endimion Heere is the Crimson-colour'd Currall dore Wherewith Loue locks vp his delicious store Heere are inclos'd Port-cullices of Pearle Giuen by the gods t' adorne my dainty Girle Whiter then Iv'ry and of farre more worth Then all the pearles that Taprobane brings forth Heere lyes intrench'd the organ of her heart Which neuer moues but musicke doth impart Sweeter then that which god Apollo playd When he to win faire Daphnes loue assayd Oh how my soule is rauish'd when I heare That most mellifluous tongue sound in mine eare For then me thinks some sacred Angell sings Whose voyce my sences in a slumber brings And all my cares and corrasiues expels By hearing her whose harmony excels For Candida can tune her sweet tongue so That when she speaks her words extirps my woe And heere ah heere besides what is recited Is one thing more wherewith I am delighted And that 's her dulcet and delicious breath Able to sweeten the sowre face of Death And purifie the most infectious ayre What it perfumes no poyson can impaire Odours and Incense offer'd to the gods Are not so sweet as her sweet breath by ods For when she speakes the Sunne seemes to exhale And drawe that vapour from this earthly vale Vp to the cloudes which sweetned there withall Shall henceforth none but honny drops let fall Which drops distilling from fayre heav'n to earth Shall giue her glory that first gaue them birth Thus would my deare-lou'd lou'ly Corauin Sir and discourse when we alone haue bin Then would he claspe me in his comely armes Whose pleasant touches were as powerful charms To bind me with more fast and firmer too Then chaines of Ir'n or Adamant can doe And b'ing impris'nd in that Iv'ry Gayle From whence sweet kisses onely were my bayle Hee 'd set him down vpon the green-leau'd grasse And hauing me in 's armes would say Sweet lasse Heere we may sport vs on these pleasant bankes And vse a thousand pretty wanton prancks Heere we may sit and clip and coll and kisse Dally do what we will taste all Loues blisse For heer 's no enuious Ill-suspecting eye Neere to this place we heere in couert lie Time proffers here from foule reproach to free vs For why heer 's none saue heau'nly power 's can see vs. Lo thus the place with th' opportunity Moues many a chaste mind to immodesty And brought my Corauin there furtherance hauing For what 's vnfitting thus to fall a crauing Sweet Candida quoth he thou know'st I loue thee And for Loues first fruits now I meane to moue thee Thou see'st the all-discrying light of day Is almost fled and vanished away And sable colour'd night which all things couers Spreads her black Curtain to befriend kind Louers Lo all is whist our flocks are close in folde And we alone why should we not be bolde It were a shame that I so long should woo thee And neuer offer Loues delights vnto thee Then blame me not though now I moue that sute Maids should be mar'd if men were euer mute It is our part to make the proffer still But 's your acceptance makes it good or ill Then be propitious like the time and place Th' are happy louers haue kind loues in chase Come Candida thou know'st what I desire No Sea 's more boundles then Loues burning fire Deare Sweet delay not but let me possesse That which I seeke thou shalt haue ne're the lesse Then yeeld to me without resisting long T is vaine for weak ones to contend with strong With that I sigh'd and wept and struggled too And thus cry'd out oh God what shall I doe Shall I be iniur'd by my onely friend And will he rob me that should me defend what faith 's in men when friends do traitors proue And let their lusts gaine soueraignty 'ore Loue This sayd quoth he Why weep'st and wayl'st thou thus Since time and place seeke both to pleasure vs My Faith and Troth thou know'st are plight to thee That true and constant I will euer be What though we are not as I wish we were Married together let that be no barre For in the heau'ns He that doth sit most high Knowes all our vow 's and knowes I doe not lie Wee two are linck'd though not with Hymens band With heart in heart and also hand in hand And whilst in me remaines a sparke of life I will account sweet Candida my wife And at the instant I resigne my breath I 'le call thee so and seale it with my death For th' art my wife and there liues none but thee That any right or int'rest hath in mee Sweet Candida then why should'st thou resist me And hauing thus spoke twenty times he kist me For kissing's oyle which cast vpon loues fire Doth aggrauate and make it more aspire But words vows kisses though too strong all three All wanted power to preuaile with mee For though these agents did all pleade delight Yet still I dreaded lest some danger might Ensue thereof besides the hideous shame That might detect me whereso're I came And therefore thus replide Sweet Corauin Oh do not tice me for to taste that sin That odious sin which with my soule I doe Hate euen as hell and all hells torments too I yet am cleare my flesh is free from taint Of filthy lust then seeke not thou to stain 't But rather lend me thy keene-edged knife Wherewith to end this my vnhappy life For I protest ten thousand deaths I le die E're lose mine honor shipwracke chasttiy He hearing me thus resolutely bent First fetch'd a sigh then