then the goodliest swain With her a troop of fairest wood-nymphs trains Yet the more fair then fairest of the train And all in course their voice attempering While the woods back their bounding Echo fling Hymen come holy Hymen Hymen lowd they sing His high-built forehead almost maiden fair Hath made an hundred Nymphs her chance envying Her more then silver skin and golden hair Cause of a thousand shepherds forced dying Where better could her love then here have nested Or he his thoughts more daintily have feasted Hymen come Hymen here thy saffron coat is rested His looks resembling humble Majesty Rightly his fairest mothers grace besitteth In her face blushing fearfull modesty The Queens of chastity and beauty sitteth There cheerfulnesse all sadnesse farre exileth Here love with bow unbent all gently smileth Hymen come Hymen come no spot thy garment ' fileth Love's bow in his bent eye-brows bended lies And in his eyes a thousand darts of loving Her shining starres which fools we oft call eyes As quick as heav'n it self in speedy moving And this in both the onely difference being Other starres blinde these starres indu'd with seeing Hymen come Hymen all is for thy rites agreeing His breast a shelf of purest alabaster Where Love's self sailing often shipwrackt sitteth Hers a twin-rock unknown but to th'ship-master Which though him safe receives all other splitteth Both Love's high-way yet by Love's self unbeaten Most like the milky path which crosses heaven Hymen come Hymen all their marriage joyes are even And yet all these but as gilt covers be Within a book more fair we written finde For Nature framing th' All 's epitome Set in the face the Index of the minde Their bodies are but Temples built for state To shrine the Graces in their silver plate Come Hymen Hymen come these Temples consecrate Hymen the tier of hearts already tied Hymen the end of lovers never ending Hymen the cause of joyes joyes never tried Joyes never to be spent yet ever spending Hymen that sow'st with men the desert sands Come bring with thee come bring thy sacred bands Hymen come Hymen th' hearts are joyn'd joyn thou the hands Warrant of lovers the true seal of loving Sign'd with the face of joy the holy knot That bindes two hearts and holds from slippery moving A gainfull losse a stain without a blot That mak'st one soul as two and two as one Yoke lightning burdens love's foundation Hymen come Hymen now untie the maiden zone Thou that mad'st Man a brief of all thou mad'st A little living world and mad'st him twain Dividing him whom first thou one creat'st And by this bond mad'st one of two again Bidding her cleave to him and him to her And leave their parents when no parents were Hymen send Hymen from thy sacred bosome here See where he goes how all the troop he cheereth Clad with a saffron coat in 's hand a light In all his brow not one sad cloud appeareth His coat all pure his torch all burning bright Now chant we Hymen shepherds Hymen sing See where he goes as fresh as is the Spring Hymen oh Hymen Hymen all the valleys ring Oh happy pair where nothing wants to either Both having to content and be contented Fortune and nature being spare to neither Ne're may this bond of holy love be rented But like two parallels run a level race In just proportion and in even space Hymen thus Hymen will their spotlesse marriage grace Live each of other firmly lov'd and loving As farre from hate as self-ill jealousie Moving like heav'n still in the self same moving In motion ne're forgetting constancy Be all your dayes as this no cause to plain Free from satiety or but lovers pain Hymen so Hymen still their present joyes maintain To my beloved Cousin W. R. Esquire Calend. Ianuar. COusin day-birds are silenc't and those fowl Yet onely sing which hate warm Phoebus light Th' unlucky * Parra and death-boding Owl Which ush'ring in to heav'n their mistresse Night Hollow their mates triumphing o're the quick-spent light The wronged Philomel hath left to plain Tereus constraint and cruel ravishment Seems the poore bird hath lost her tongue again Progne long since is gone to banishment And the loud-tuned Thrush leaves all her merriment All so my frozen Muse hid in my breast To come into the open aire refuses And dragg'd at length from hence doth oft protest This is no time for Phoebus-loving Muses When the farre-distant sunne our frozen coast disuses Then till the sunne which yet in fishes hasks Or watry urn impounds his fainting head 'Twixt Taurus horns his warmer beam unmasks And sooner rises later goes to bed Calling back all the flowers now to their mother fled Till Philomel resumes her tongue again And Progne fierce returns from long exiling Till the shrill Blackbird chants his merry vein And the day-birds the long-liv'd sunne beguiling Renew their mirth and the yeares pleasant smiling Here must I stay in sullen study pent Among our Cambridge fennes my time misspending But then revisit our long-long'd-for Kent Till then live happy the time ever mending Happy the first o' th' yeare thrice happy be the ending To Master W. C. WIlly my deare that late by Haddam sitting By little Haddam in those private shades Unto thy fancie thousand pleasures fitting With dainty Nymphs in those retired glades Didst spend thy time time that too quickly fades Ah! much I fear that those so pleasing toyes Have too much lull'd thy sense and minde in slumbring joyes Now art thou come to nearer Maddingly Which with fresh sport and pleasure doth enthrall thee There new delights withdraw thy eare thy eye Too much I fear left some ill chance befall thee Heark how the Cambridge Muses thence recall thee Willy our deare Willy his time abuses But sure thou hast forgot our Chame and Cambridge Muses Return now Willy now at length return thee Here thou and I under the sprouting vine By yellow Chame where no hot ray shall burn thee Will fit and sing among the Muses nine And safely cover'd from the scalding shine We 'l read that Mantuan shepherds sweet complaining Whom fair Alexis griev'd with his unjust disdaining And when we list to lower notes descend Heare Thirsil's moan and Fusca's crueltie He cares not now his ragged flock to tend Fusca his care but carelesse enemie Hope oft he sees shine in her humble eye But soon her angrie words of hope deprives him So often dies with love but love as oft revives him To my ever honoured Cousin W. R. Esquire STrange power of home with how strong-twisted arms And Gordian-twined knot dost thou enchain me Never might fair Calisto's doubled charms Nor powerfull Circe's whispring so detain me Though all her art she spent to entertain me Their presence could not force a weak desire But oh thy powerfull absence breeds still-growing fire By night thou try'st with strong imagination To force my sense 'gainst reason to belie it Me thinks I see the
gold in deepest centre dwells So sweetest violets trail on lowly ground So richest pearls ly clos'd in vilest shells So lowest dales we let at highest rates So creeping strawberries yeeld daintiest cates The Highest highly loves the low the loftie hates 17 Upon his shield was drawn that Shepherd lad Who with a sling threw down faint Israels fears And in his hand his spoils and trophies glad The Monsters sword and head he bravely bears Plain in his lovely face you might behold A blushing meeknesse met with courage bold Little not little worth was fairly wrote in gold 18 With him his kinsman both in birth and name Obedience taught by many bitter showers In humble bonds his passions proud to tame And low submit unto the higher powers But yet no servile yoke his forehead brands For ti'd in such an holy service bands In this obedience rules and serving thus commands 19 By them went Fido Marshal of the field Weak was his mother when she gave him day And he at first a sick and weakly childe As e're with tears welcom'd the sunnie ray Yet when more yeares afford more growth might A champion stout he was and puissant Knight As ever came in field or shone in armour bright 20 So may we see a little lionet When newly whelpt a weak and tender thing Despis'd by every beast but waxen great When fuller times full strength and courage bring The beasts all crouching low their King adore And dare not see what they contemn'd before The trembling forrest quakes at his affrighting roar 21 Mountains he flings in seas with mighty hand Stops and turns back the Sunnes impetuous course Nature breaks natures laws at his command No force of hell or heav'n withstands his force Events to come yet many ages hence He present makes by wondrous prescience Proving the senses blinde by being blinde to sense 22 His sky-like arms di'd all in blue and white And set with golden starres that flamed wide His shield invisible to mortall sight Yet he upon it easily descri'd The lively semblance of his dying Lord Whose bleeding side with wicked steel was gor'd Which to his fainting spirits new courage would afford 23 Strange was the force of that enchanted shield Which highest powers to it from heav'n impart For who could bear it well and rightly wield It sav'd from sword and spear and poison'd dart Well might he slip but yet not wholly fall No finall losse his courage might appall Growing more sound by wounds and rising by his fall 24 So some have feign'd that Tellus giant sonne Drew many new-born lives from his dead mother Another rose as soon as one was done And twentie lost yet still remain'd another For when he fell and kist the barren heath His parent straight inspir'd successive breath And though her self was dead yet ransom'd him from death 25 With him his Nurse went carefull Acoe Whose hands first from his mothers wombe did take him And ever since have foster'd tenderly She never might she never would forsake him And he her lov'd again with mutuall band For by her needfull help he oft did stand When else he soon would fail and fall in foemens hand 26 With both sweet Meditation ever pac't His Nurses daughter and his Foster-sister Deare as his soul he in his soul her plac't And oft embrac't and oft by stealth he kist her For she had taught him by her silent talk To tread the safe and dangerous wayes to balk And brought his God with him him with his God to walk 27 Behinde him Penitence did sadly go Whose cloudie dropping eyes were ever raining Her swelling tears which ev'n in ebbing flow Furrow her cheek the sinfull puddles draining Much seem'd she in her pensive thought molested And much the mocking world her soul infested More she the hatefull world and most her self detested 28 She was the object of lewd mens disgrace The squint-ey'd wrie-mouth'd scoffe of carnall hearts Yet smiling heav'n delights to kisse her face And with his bloud God bathes her painfull smarts Afflictions iron flail her soul had thrasht Sharp Circumcisions knife her heart had slasht Yet was it angels wine which in her eyes was masht 29 With her a troop of mournfull grooms abiding Help with their sullen blacks their Mistresse wo Amendment still but still his own faults chiding And Penance arm'd with smarting whips did go Then sad Remorse came sighing all the way Last Satisfaction giving all away Much surely did he owe much more he would repay 30 Next went Elpinus clad in skie-like blue And through his arms few starres did seem to peep Which there the workmans hand so finely drew That rockt in clouds they softly seem'd to sleep His rugged shield was like a rockie mold On which an anchour bit with surest hold I hold by being held was written round in gold 31 Nothing so cheerfull was his thoughtfull face As was his brother Fido's Fear seem'd dwell Close by his heart his colour chang'd apace And went and came that sure all was not well Therefore a comely Maid did oft sustain His fainting steps and fleeting life maintain Pollicita she hight which ne're could lie or feigne 32 Next to Elpinus marcht his brother Love Not that great Love which cloth'd his Godhead bright With rags of flesh and now again above Hath drest his flesh in heav'ns eternall light Much lesse the brat of that false Cyprian dame Begot by froth and fire in bed of shame And now burns idle hearts swelt'ring in lustfull flame 33 But this from heav'n brings his immortall race And nurst by Gratitude whose carefull arms Long held and hold him still in kinde embrace But train'd to daily warres and fierce alarms He grew to wondrous strength and beautie rare Next that God-Love from whom his off-springs are No match in earth or heav'n may with this Love compare 34 His Page who from his side might never move Remembrance on him waits in books reciting The famous passions of that highest Love His burning zeal to greater flames exciting Deep would he sigh and seem empassion'd sore And oft with tears his backward heart deplore That loving all he could he lov'd that Love no more 35 Yet sure he truely lov'd and honour'd deare That glorious name for when or where he spi'd Wrong'd or in hellish speech blasphem'd did heare Boldly the rash blasphemer he defi'd And forc't him eat the words he foully spake But if for him he grief or death did take That grief he counted joy and death life for his sake 36 His glitt'ring arms drest all with firie hearts Seem'd burn in chaste desire and heav'nly flame And on his shield kinde Ionathan imparts To his souls friend his robes and princely name And kingly throne which mortals so adore And round about was writ in golden ore Well might he give him all that gave his life before 37 These led the Vantguard and an hundred moe Fill'd up the emptie ranks with ord'red train But
point unbreasts the naked hearts 64 The Dragon wounded with this flaming brand They take and in strong bonds and fetters tie Short was the fight nor could he long withstand Him whose appearance is his victorie So now he 's bound in adamantine chain He storms he roars he yells for high disdain His net is broke the fowl go free the fowler ta'ne 65 Thence by a mighty Swain he soon was led Unto a thousand thousand torturings His tail whose folds were wont the starres to shed Now stretcht at length close to his belly clings Soon as the pit he sees he back retires And battel new but all in vain respires So there he deeply lies flaming in icie fires 66 As when Alcides from forc't hell had drawn The three-head dog and master'd all his pride Basely the fiend did on his Victour fawn With serpent tail clapping his hollow side At length arriv'd upon the brink of light He shuts the day out of his dullard sight And swelling all in vain renews unhappie fight 67 Soon at this sight the Knights revive again As fresh as when the flowers from winter tombe When now the Sunne brings back his nearer wain Peep out again from their fresh mothers wombe The primrose lighted new her flame displayes And frights the neighbour hedge with firie rayes And all the world renew their mirth sportive playes 68 The Prince who saw his long imprisonment Now end in never-ending libertie To meet the Victour from his castle went And falling down clasping his royall knee Poures out deserved thanks in gratefull praise But him the heav'nly Saviour soon doth raise And bids him spend in joy his never spending dayes 69 The fair Eclecta that with widowed brow Her absent Lord long mourn'd in sad aray Now silken linnen cloth'd like frozen snow Whose silver spanglets sparkle 'gainst the day This shining robe her Lord himself had wrought While he her love with hundred presents sought And it with many a wound many a torment bought 70 And thus arayd her heav'nly beauties shin'd Drawing their beams from his most glorious face Like to a precious Jasper pure refin'd Which with a Crystall mixt much mends his grace The golden starres a garland fair did frame To crown her locks the Sunne lay hid for shame And yeelded all his beams to her more glorious flame 71 Ah who that flame can tell ah who can see Enough is me with silence to admire While bolder joy and humbe majestie In either cheek had kindled gracefull fire Long silent stood she while her former fears And griefs ran all away in sliding tears That like a watrie Sunne her gladsome face appeares 72 At length when joyes had left her closer heart To seat themselves upon her thankfull tongue First in her eyes they sudden flashes dart Then forth i' th' musick of her voice they throng My Hope my Love my Joy my Life my Blisse Whom to enjoy is heav'n but hell to misse What are the worlds false joyes what heav'ns true joyes to this 73 Ah dearest Lord does my rapt soul behold thee Am I awake and sure I do not dream Do these thrice blessed arms again infold thee Too much delight makes true things feigned seem Thee thee I see thou thou thus folded art For deep thy stamp is printed in my heart And thousand ne're-felt joyes stream in each melting part 74 Thus with glad sorrow did she sweetly plain her Upon his neck a welcome load depending While he with equall joy did entertain her Her self her Champions highly all commending So all in triumph to his palace went Whose work in narrow words may not be pent For boundlesse thought is lesse then is that glorious tent 75 There sweet delights which know nor end nor measure No chance is there nor eating times succeeding No wastfull spending can empair their treasure Pleasure full grown yet ever freshly breeding Fulnesse of sweets excludes not more receiving The soul still big of joy yet still conceiving Beyond slow tongues report beyond quick thoughts perceiving 76 There are they gone there will they ever bide Swimming in waves of joyes and heav'nly loves He still a Bridegroom she a gladsome Bride Their hearts in love like spheres still constant moving No change no grief no age can them befall Their bridall bed is in that heav'nly hall Where all dayes are but one and onely one is all 77 And as in state they thus in triumph ride The boyes and damsels their just praises chaunt The boyes the Bridegroom sing the maids the Bride While all the hills glad Hymens loudly vaunt Heav'ns winged shoals greeting this glorious spring Attune their higher notes and Hymens sing Each thought to passe each did passe thoughts loftiest wing 78 Upon his lightning brow Love proudly sitting Flames out in power shines out in majestie There all his loftie spoils and trophies fitting Displayes the marks of highest Deitie There full of strength in lordly arms he stands And every heart and every soul commands No heart no soul his strength and lordly force withstands 79 Upon her forehead thousand cheerfull Graces Seated in thrones of spotlesse ivorie There gentle Love his armed hand unbraces His bow unbent disclaims all tyrannie There by his play a thousand souls beguiles Perswading more by simple modest smiles Then ever he could force by arms or craftie wiles 80 Upon her cheek doth Beauties self implant The freshest garden of her choicest flowers On which if Envie might but glance ascant Her eyes would swell and burst and melt in showers Thrice fairer both then ever fairest ey'd Heav'n never such a Bridegroom yet descri'd Nor ever earth so fair so undefil'd a Bride 81 Full of his Father shines his glorious face As farre the Sunne surpassing in his light As doth the Sunne the earth with flaming blaze Sweet influence streams from his quickning sight His beams from nought did all this All display And when to lesse then nought they fell away He soon restor'd again by his new orient ray 82 All heav'n shines forth in her sweet faces frame Her seeing Starres which we miscall bright eyes More bright then is the mornings brightest flame More fruitfull then the May-time Geminies These back restore the timely summers fire Those springing thoughts in winter hearts inspire Inspiriting dead souls and quickning warm desire 83 These two fair Sunnes in heav'nly sphere are plac't Where in the centre Joy triumphing sits Thus in all high perfections fully grac't Her mid-day blisse no future night admits But in the mirrours of her Spouses eyes Her fairest self she dresses there where lies All sweets a glorious beautie to emparadize 84 His locks like ravens plumes or shining jet Fall down in curls along his ivory neck Within their circlets hundred Graces set And with love-knots their comely hangings deck His mighty shoulders like that Giant Swain All heav'n and earth and all in both sustain Yet knows no wearinesse nor feels oppressing pain 85 Her amber hair like
cloth of gold aspires In hundred-colour'd silks the Tulip playes Th' Imperiall flower his neck with pearl attires The Lily high her silver Grogram reares The Pansie her wrought Velvet garment bears The red Rose Scarlet and the Provence Damask wears 70 How falls it then that such an heav'nly light As this great Kings should sink so wondrous low That scarce he can suspect his former height Can one eclipse so dark his shining brow And steal away his beautie glittering fair One onely blot so great a light empair That never could he hope his waning to repair 71 Ah! never could he hope once to repair So great a wane should not that new-born Sun Adopt him both his brother and his heir Who through base life and death and hell would run To seat him in his lost now surer cell That he may mount to heav'n he sunk to hell That he might live he di'd that he might rise he fell 72 A perfect Virgin breeds and bears a Sonne Th' immortall father of his mortall mother Earth heav'n flesh spirit man God are met in one His younger brothers childe his childrens brother Eternitie who yet was born and di'd His own creatour earths scorn heavens pride Who th' deitie inflesht and mans flesh deifi'd 73 Thou uncreated Sunne heav'ns glory bright Whom we with knees and hearts low bent adore At rising perfect and now falling light Ah what reward what thanks shall we restore Thou wretched wast that we might happy be Oh all the good we hope and all we see That we thee know and love comes from thy love and thee 74 Receive which we can onely back return Yet that we may return thou first must give A heart which fain would smoke which fain would burn In praise for thee to thee would onely live And thou who sat'st in night to give us day Light and enflame us with thy glorious ray That we may back reflect and borrow'd light repay 75 So we beholding with immortall eye The glorious picture of thy heav'nly face In his first beautie and true Majestie May shake from our dull souls these fetters base And mounting up to that bright crystal sphere Whence thou strik'st all the world with shudd'ring fear May not be held by earth nor hold vile earth so deare 76 Then should thy shepherd poorest shepherd sing A thousand Canto's in thy heav'nly praise And rouze his flagging Muse and flutt'ring wing To chant thy wonders in immortall laies Which once thou wrought'st when Nilus slimie shore Or Iordans banks thy mighty hand adore Thy judgements thy mercies but thy mercies more 77 But see the stealing night with softly pace To flie the Western Sunne creeps up the East Cold Hesper 'gins unmask his evening face And calls the winking starres from drouzie rest Home then my lambes the falling drops eschew To morrow shall ye feast in pastures new And with the rising Sunne banquet on pearled dew CANT VII THe rising morn lifts up his orient head And spangled heav'ns in golden robes invests Thirsil up starting from his fearlesse bed Where uselesse nights he safe and quiet rests Unhous'd his bleating flock and quickly thence Hasting to his expecting audience Thus with sad verse began their grieved mindes incense 2 Fond man that looks on earth for happinesse And here long seeks what here is never found For all our good we hold from heav'n by lease With many forfeits and conditions bound Nor can we pay the fine and rentage due Though now but writ and seal'd and giv'n anew Yet daily we it break then daily must renew 3 Why should'st thou here look for perpetuall good At every losse against heav'ns face repining Do but behold where glorious Cities stood With gilded tops and silver turrets shining There now the Hart fearlesse of greyhound feeds And loving Pelican in safety breeds There shrieching Satyres fill the peoples emptie steads 4 Where is th' Assyrian Lions golden hide That all the East once graspt in lordly paw Where that great Persian Beare whose swelling pride The Lions self tore out with ravenous jaw Or he which 'twixt a Lion and a Pard Through all the world with nimble pineons far'd And to his greedy whelps his conquer'd kingdomes shar'd 5 Hardly the place of such antiquitie Or note of these great monarchies we finde Onely a fading verball memorie And empty name in writ is left behinde But when this second life and glory fades And sinks at length in times obscurer shades A second fall succeeds and double death invades 6 That monstrous beast which nurst in Tibers fenne Did all the world with hideous shape affray That fill'd with costly spoil his gaping denne And trode down all the rest to dust and clay His batt'ring horns pull'd out by civil hands And iron teeth lie scatter'd on the sands Backt bridled by a Monk with sev'n heads yoked stands 7 And that black Vulture which with deathfull wing O're-shadows half the earth whose dismall sight Frighted the Muses from their native spring Already stoops and flagges with weary flight Who then shall look for happines beneath Where each new day proclaims chance change and death And life it self 's as flit as is the aire we breathe 8 Ne mought this Prince escape though he as farre All these excells in worth and heav'nly grace As brightest Phoebus does the dimmest starre The deepest falls are from the highest place There lies he now bruis'd with so sore a fall To his base bonds and loathsome prison thrall Whom thousand foes besiege fenc'd with frail yeelding wall 9 Tell me oh tell me then thou holy Muse Sacred Thespio what the cause may be Of such despite so many foemen use To persecute unpiti'd miserie Or if these cankred foes as most men say So mighty be that gird this wall of clay What makes it hold so long and threatned ruine stay 10 When that great Lord his standing Court would build The outward walls with gemmes and glorious lights But inward rooms with nobler Courtiers fill'd Pure living flames swift mighty blessed sprites But some his royall service fools disdain So down were flung oft blisse is double pain In heav'n they scorn'd to serve so now in hell they reigne 11 There turn'd to serpents swoln with pride and hate Their Prince a Dragon fell who burst with spight To see this Kings and Queens yet happy state Tempts them to lust and pride prevails by slight To make them wise and gods he undertakes Thus while the snake they heare they turn to snakes To make them gods he boasts but beasts and devils makes 12 But that great Lion who in Iudahs plains The awfull beasts holds down in due subjection The Dragons craft and base-got spoil disdains And folds this captive Prince in his protection Breaks ope the jayl brings the prisoners thence Yet plac't them in this castles weak defence Where they might trust and seek an higher providence 13 So now spread round about this little hold With armies
doth spew Black smothering flames roll'd in loud thunder-claps The pitchie vapours choke the shining ray And bring dull night upon the smiling day The wavering Aetna shakes and fain would runne away 23 Yet could his bat-ey'd legions eas'ly see In this dark Chaos they the seed of night But these not so who night and darknesse flee For they the sonnes of day and joy in light But Knowledge soon began a way devise To bring again the day and cleare their eyes So open'd Fido's shield and golden veil unties 24 Of one pure diamond celestiall fair That heav'nly shield by cunning hand was made Whose light divine spred through the mistie aire To brightest morn would turn the Western shade And lightsome day beget before his time Framed in heav'n without all earthly crime Dipt in the firy Sunne which burnt the baser slime 25 As when from fennie moor 's the lumpish clouds With rising steams damp the bright mornings face At length the piercing Sunne his team unshrouds And with his arrows th' idle fogge doth chase The broken mist lies melted all in tears So this bright shield the stinking darknesse teares And giving back the day dissolves their former fears 26 Which when afarre the firie Dragon spies His slights deluded with so little pain To his last refuge now at length he flies Long time his pois'nous gorge he seem'd to strain At length with loathly sight he up doth spue From stinking panch a most deformed crue That heav'n it self did flie from their most ugly view 27 The first that crept from his detested maw Was Hamartia foul deformed wight More foul deform'd the Sunne yet never saw Therefore she hates the all-betraying light A woman seem'd she in her upper part To which she could such lying glosse impart That thousands she had slain with her deceiving art 28 The rest though hid in serpents form arayd With iron scales like to a plaited mail Over her back her knotty tail displaid Along the empty aire did lofty sail The end was pointed with a double sting Which with such dreaded might she wont to fling That nought could help the wound but bloud of heav'nly King 29 Of that first woman her the Dragon got The foulest bastard of so fair a mother Whom when she saw so fil'd with monstrous spot She cast her hidden shame and birth to smother But she welnigh her mothers self had slain And all that dare her kindely entertain So some parts of her damme more of her sire remain 30 Her viperous locks hung loose about her eares Yet with a monstrous snake she them restrains Which like a border on her head she wears About her neck hang down long adder chains In thousand knots and wreaths infolded round Which in her anger lightly she unbound And darting farre away would sure and deadly wound 31 Yet fair and lovely seems to fools dimme eyes But hell more lovely Pluto's self more fair Appears when her true form true light descries Her loathsome face blancht skinne and snakie hair Her shapelesse shape dead life her carrion smell The devils dung the childe and damme of hell Is chaffer fit for fools their precious souls to sell. 32 The second in this rank was black Despair Bred in the dark wombe of eternall Night His looks fast nail'd to Sinne long sootie hair Fill'd up his lank cheeks with wide-staring fright His leaden eyes retir'd into his head Light heav'n and earth himself and all things fled A breathing coarse he seem'd wrapt up in living lead 33 His bodie all was fram'd of earthly paste And heavie mold yet earth could not content him Heav'n fast he flies and heav'n fled him as fast Though ' kin to hell yet hell did much torment him His very soul was nought but ghastly fright With him went many a fiend and ugly sprite Armed with ropes and knives all instruments of spite 34 In stead of feathers on his dangling crest A lucklesse Raven spred her blackest wings And to her croaking throat gave never rest But deathfull verses and sad dirges sings His hellish arms were all with fiends embost Who damned souls with endlesse torments roast And thousand wayes devise to vex the tortur'd ghost 35 Two weapons sharp as death he ever bore Strict Iudgement which from farre he deadly darts Sinne at his side a two edg'd sword he wore With which he soon appalls the stoutest hearts Upon his shield Alecto with a wreath Of snakie whips the dam'd souls tortureth And round about was wrote Reward of sinne is death 36 The last two brethren were farre different Onely in common name of death agreeing The first arm'd with a sithe still mowing went Yet whom and when he murder'd never seeing Born deaf and blinde nothing might stop his way No prayers no vows his keenest sithe could stay Nor Beauties self his spite nor Vertues self allay 37 No state no age no sex may hope to move him Down falls the young and old the boy and maid Nor begger can intreat nor King reprove him All are his slaves in 's cloth of flesh araid The bride he snatches from the bridegrooms arms And horrour brings in midst of loves alarms Too well we know his power by long experienc't harms 38 A dead mans skull suppli'd his helmets place A bone his club his armour sheets of lead Some more some lesse fear his all-frighting face But most who sleep in downie pleasures bed But who in life have daily learnt to die And dead to this live to a life more high Sweetly in death they sleep and slumbring quiet lie 39 The second farre more foul in every part Burnt with blue fire and bubbling sulphure streams Which creeping round about him fill'd with smart His cursed limbes that direly he blasphemes Most strange it seems that burning thus for ever No rest no time no place these flames may sever Yet death in thousand deaths without death dieth never 40 Soon as these hellish monsters came in sight The Sunne his eye in jettie vapours drown'd Scar'd at such hell-hounds view heav'ns ' mazed light Sets in an early evening earth astound Bids dogs with houls give warning at which sound The fearfull ayer starts seas break their bound And frighted fled away no sands might them impound 41 The palsied troop first like asps shaken fare Till now their heart congeal'd in icie bloud Candied the ghastly face locks stand and stare Thus charm'd in ranks of stone they marshall'd stood Their uselesse swords fell idlely on the plain And now the triumph sounds in loftie strain So conqu'ring Dragon bindes the Knights with slavish chain 42 As when proud Phineus in his brothers feast Fill'd all with tumult and intestine broil Wise Perseus with such multitudes opprest Before him bore the snakie Gorgons spoil The vulgar rude stood all in marble chang'd And in vain ranks and rockie order rang'd Were now more quiet guests from former rage estrang'd 43 The fair Eclecta who with grief had stood Viewing th' oft changes
of this doubtfull fight Saw now the field swimme in her Champions bloud And from her heart rent with deep passion sigh'd Limming true sorrow in sad silent art Light grief floats on the tongue but heavie smart Sinks down and deeply lies in centre of the heart 44 What Daedal art such griefs can truely shew Broke heart deep sighs thick sobs burning prayers Baptizing ever limbe in weeping dew Whose swoln eyes pickled up in brinie tears Crystalline rocks corall the lid appeares Compast about with tides of grief and fears Where grief stores fear with sighs and fear stores grief with tears 45 At length sad Sorrow mounted on the wings Of loud-breath'd sighs his leaden weight uprears And vents it self in softest whisperings Follow'd with deadly grones usher'd by tears While her fair hands and watrie shining eyes Were upward bent upon the mourning skies Which seem'd with cloudie brow her grief to sympathize 46 Long while the silent passion wanting vent Made flowing tears her words and eyes her tongue Till Faith Experience Hope assistance lent To shut both floud-gates up with patience strong The streams well ebb'd new hopes some comforts borrow From firmest truth then glimpst the hopefull morrow So spring some dawns of joy so sets the night of sorrow 47 Ah dearest Lord my hearts sole Soveraigne Who sitt'st high mounted on thy burning throne Heark from thy heav'ns where thou dost safely reigne Cloth'd with the golden Sunne and silver Moon Cast down a while thy sweet and gracious eye And low avail that flaming Majestie Deigning thy gentle sight on our sad miserie 48 To thee deare Lord I lift this watrie eye This eye which thou so oft in love hast prais'd This eye with which thou wounded oft wouldst die To thee deare Lord these suppliant hands are rais'd These to be lilies thou hast often told me Which if but once again may ever hold thee Will never let thee loose will never more unfold thee 49 Seest how thy foes despitefull trophies reare Too confident in thy prolong'd delayes Come then oh quickly come my dearest deare When shall I see thee crown'd with conqu'ring bayes And all thy foes trod down and spred as clay When shall I see thy face and glories ray Too long thou stay'st my Love come Love no longer stay 50 Hast thou forgot thy former word and love Or lockt thy sweetnesse up in fierce disdain In vain didst thou those thousand mischiefs prove Are all those griefs thy birth life death in vain Oh no of ill thou onely dost repent thee And in thy dainty mercies most content thee Then why with stay so long so long dost thou torment me 51 Reviving Cordiall of my dying sprite The best Elixar for souls drooping pain Ah now unshade thy face uncloud thy sight See every way 's a trap each path's a train Hells troops my soul beleaguer bow thine eares And hear my cries pierce through my grones fears Sweet Spouse see not my sinnes but through my plaints and tears 52 Let frailty favour sorrow succour move Anchour my life in thy calm streams of bloud Be thou my rock though I poore changeling rove Tost up and down in waves of worldly floud Whil'st I in vale of tears at anchour ride Where windes of earthly thoughts my sails misguide Harbour my fleshly bark safe in thy wounded side 53 Take take my contrite heart thy sacrifice Washt in her eyes that swimmes and sinks in woes See see as seas with windes high working rise So storm so rage so gape thy boasting foes Deare Spouse unlesse thy right hand even steers Oh if thou anchour not these threatning fears Thy ark will sail as deep in bloud as now in tears 54 With that a thundring noise seem'd shake the skie As when with iron wheels through stonie plain A thousand chariots to the battell flie Or when with boistrous rage the swelling main Puft up with mighty windes does hoarsly roar And beating with his waves the trembling shore His sandie girdle scorns breaks earths ramperd doore 55 And straight an Angel full of heav'nly might Three several crowns circled his royall head From Northern coast heaving his blazing light Through all the earth his glorious beams dispread And open laies the Beasts and Dragons shame For to this end th' Almighty did him frame And therefore from supplanting gave his ominous name 56 A silver trumpet oft he loudly blew Frighting the guiltie earth with thundring knell And oft proclaim'd as through the world he flew Babel great Babel lies as low as hell Let every Angel loud his trumpet sound Her heav'n exalted towers in dust are drown'd Babel proud Babel's fall'n and lies as low as ground 57 The broken heav'ns dispart with fearfull noise And from the breach out shoots a suddain light Straight shrilling trumpets with loud sounding voice Give echoing summons to new bloudy fight Well knew the Dragon that all-quelling blast And soon perceiv'd that day must be his last Which strook his frighted heart all his troops aghast 58 Yet full of malice and of stubborn pride Though oft had strove and had been foild as oft Boldly his death and certain fate defi'd And mounted on his flaggie sails aloft With boundlesse spite he long'd to try again A second losse and new death glad and fain To shew his pois'nous hate though ever shew'd in vain 59 So up he rose upon his stretched fails Fearlesse expecting his approaching death So up he rose that th' ayer starts and fails And over-pressed sinks his load beneath So up he rose as does a thunder-cloud Which all the earth with shadows black does shroud So up he rose and through the weary ayer row'd 60 Now his Almighty foe farre off he spies Whose Sun-like arms daz'd the eclipsed day Confounding with their beams lesse-glitt'ring skies Firing the aire with more then heav'nly ray Like thousand Sunnes in one such is their light A subject onely for immortall sprite Which never can be seen but by immortall sight 61 His threatning eyes shine like that dreadfull flame With which the Thunderer arms his angry hand Himself had fairly wrote his wondrous name Which neither earth nor heav'n could understand A hundred crowns like towers beset around His conqu'ring head well may they there abound When all his limbes and troops with gold are richly crown'd 62 His armour all was dy'd in purple bloud In purple bloud of thousand rebell Kings In vain their stubborn powers his arm withstood Their proud necks chain'd he now in triumph brings And breaks their spears cracks their traitour swords Upon whose arms and thigh in golden words Was fairly writ The KING of Kings LORD of Lords 63 His snow-white steed was born of heav'nly kinde Begot by Boreas on the Thracian hills More strong and speedy then his parent Winde And which his foes with fear and horrour fills Out from his mouth a two-edg'd sword he darts Whose sharpest steel the bone and marrow parts And with his keenest
lights his fire Oft shrouds his golden flame in likest hair Oft in a soft-smooth skin doth close retire Oft in a smile oft in a silent tear And if all fail yet Vertue 's self he 'l hire Himself 's a dart when nothing els can move Who then the captive soul can well reprove When Love and Vertue 's self become the darts of Love Thom. 14 Sure Love it is which breeds this burning fever For late yet all too soon on Venus day I chanc't Oh cursed chance yet blessed ever As carelesse on the silent shores I stray Five Nymphs to see five fairer saw I never Upon the golden sand to dance and play The rest among yet farre above the rest Sweet Melite by whom my wounded breast Though rankling still in grief yet joyes in his unrest 15 There to their sportings while I pipe and sing Out from her eyes I felt a firie beam And pleasing heat such as in first of Spring From Sol inn'd in the Bull do kindly stream To warm my heart and with a gentle sting Blow up desire yet little did I dream Such bitter fruits from such sweet roots could grow Or from so gentle eye such spite could flow For who could fire expect hid in an hill of snow 16 But when those lips those melting lips I prest I lost my heart which sure she stole away For with a blush she soon her guilt confest And sighs which sweetest breath did soft convey Betraid her theft from thence my flaming breast Like thundring Aetna burns both night and day All day she present is and in the night My wakefull fancie paints her full to sight Absence her presence makes darknes presents her light Thirsil 17 Thomalin too well those bitter sweets I know Since fair Nicaea bred my pleasing smart But better times did better reason show And cur'd those burning wounds with heav'nly art Those storms of looser fire are laid full low And higher love safe anchours in my heart So now a quiet calm does safely reigne And if my friend think not my counsel vain Perhaps my art may cure or much asswage thy pain Thom. 18 Thirsil although this witching grief doth please My captive heart and Love doth more detest The cure and curer then the sweet disease Yet if my Thirsil doth the cure request This storm which rocks my heart in slumbring ease Spite of it self shall yeeld to thy behest Thirsil Then heark how Tryphons self did salve my paining While in a rock I sat of love complaining My wounds with herbs my grief with counsel sage restraining 19 But tell me first Why should thy partial minde More Melite then all the rest approve Thom. Thirsil her beautie all the rest did blinde That she alone seem'd worthy of my love Delight upon her face and sweetnesse shin'd Her eyes do spark as starres as starres do move Like those twin-fires which on our masts appear And promise calms Ah that those flames so clear To me alone should raise such storms of hope and fear Thirsil 20 If that which to thy minde doth worthiest seem By thy wel-temper'd soul is most affected Canst thou a face worthy thy love esteem What in thy soul then love is more respected Those eyes which in their spheare thou fond dost deem Like living starres with some disease infected Are dull as leaden drosse those beauteous rayes So like a rose when she her breast displayes Are like a rose indeed as sweet as soon decayes 21 Art thou in love with words her words are winde As flit as is their matter flittest aire Her beautie moves can colours move thy minde Colours in scorned weeds more sweet and fair Some pleasing qualitie thy thoughts doth binde Love then thy self Perhaps her golden hair False metall which to silver soon descends Is 't pleasure then which so thy fancie bends Poore pleasure that in pain begins in sorrow ends 22 What is 't her company so much contents thee How would she present stirre up stormy weather When thus in absence present she torments thee Lov'st thou not one but all these joyn'd together All 's but a woman Is 't her love that rents thee Light windes light aire her love more light then either If then due worth thy true affection moves Here is no worth Who some old hagge approves And scorns a beauteous spouse he rather dotes then loves 23 Then let thy love mount from these baser things And to the highest love and worth aspire Love 's born of fire fitted with mounting wings That at his highest he might winde him higher Base love that to base earth so basely clings Look as the beams of that celestiall fire Put out these earthly flames with purer ray So shall that love this baser heat allay And quench these coals of earth with his more heav'nly day 24 Raise then thy prostrate love with towring thought And clog it not in chains and prison here The God of fishers deare thy love hath bought Most deare he loves for shame love thou as deare Next love thou there where best thy love is sought My self or els some other fitting peer Ah might thy love with me forever dwell Why should'st thou hate thy heav'n and love thy hell She shall not more deserve nor cannot love so well 25 Thus Tryphon once did wean my fond affection Then fits a salve unto th' infected place A salve of soveraigne and strange confection Nepenthe mixt with Rue and Herb-de-grace So did he quickly heal this strong infection And to my self restor'd my self apace Yet did he not my love extinguish quite I love with sweeter love and more delight But most I love that Love which to my love ha's right Thom. 26 Thrice happy thou that could'st my weaker minde Can never learn to climbe so lofty flight Thirsil If from this love thy will thou canst unbinde To will is here to can will gives thee might 'T is done if once thou wilt 't is done I finde Now let us home for see the creeping night Steals from those further waves upon the land To morrow shall we feast then hand in hand Free will we sing and dance along the golden sand FINIS ECLOG VII The PRIZE Thirsil Daphnis Thomalin AVrora from old Tithons frosty bed Cold wintry wither'd Tithon early creeps Her cheek with grief was pale with angerred Out of her window close she blushing peeps Her weeping eyes in pearled dew she steeps Casting what sportlesse nights she ever led She dying lives to think he 's living dead Curst be and cursed is that wretched fire That yokes green youth with age want with desire Who ties the sunne to snow or marries frost to fire 2 The morn saluting up I quickly rise And to the green I poste for on this day Shepherd and fisher-boyes had set a prize Upon the shore to meet in gentle fray Which of the two should sing the choicest lay Daphnis the shepherds lad whom Mira's eys Had kill'd yet with such wound he gladly dies Thomalin
kisse his rod 17 My deare once all my joy now all my care To these my words these my last words apply thee Give me thy hand these my last greetings are Shew me thy face I never more shall eye thee Ah would our boyes our lesser selves were by thee Those my ' live pictures to the world I give So single onely die in them twice-two I live 18 Your little souls your sweetest times enjoy And softly spend among your mothers kisses And with your prettie sports and hurtlesse joy Supply your weeping mothers grievous misses Ah while you may enjoy your little blisses While yet you nothing know when back you view Sweet will this knowledge seem when yet you nothing knew 19 For when to riper times your yeares arrive No more ah then no more may you go play you Lancht in the deep farre from the wished hive Change of worlds tépests through blinde seas will sway you Till to the long-long'd haven they convey you Through many a wave this brittle life must passe And cut the churlish seas shipt in a bark of glasse 20 How many ships in quick-sands swallow'd been What gaping waves whales monsters there expect you How many rocks much sooner felt then seen Yet let no fear no coward fright affect you He holds the stern and he will safe direct you Who to my sails thus long so gently blew That now I touch the shore before the seas I knew 21 I touch the shore and see my rest preparing Oh blessed God! how infinite a blessing Is in this thought that through this troubled faring Through all the faults this guiltie age depressing I guiltlesse past no helplesse man oppressing And coming now to thee lift to the skies Unbribed hands cleans'd heart and never tainted eyes 22 Life life how many Sylla's dost thou hide In thy calm streams which sooner kill then threaten Gold honour greatnesse and their daughter pride More quiet lives and lesse with tempests beaten Whose middle state content doth richly sweeten He knows not strife or brabling lawyers brawls His love and wish live pleas'd within his private walls 23 The King he never sees nor fears nor prayes Nor sits court-promise and false hopes lamenting Within that house he spends and ends his dayes Where day he viewed first his hearts contenting His wife and babes nor sits new joyes inventing Unspotted there and quiet he remains And 'mong his duteous sonnes most lov'd and fearlesse reignes 24 Thou God of peace with what a gentle tide Through this worlds raging tempest hast thou brought me Thou thou my open soul didst safely hide When thousand crafty foes so nearely sought me Els had the endlesse pit too quickly caught me That endlesse pit where it is easier never To fall then being fall'n to cease from falling ever 25 I never knew or want or luxurie Much lesse their followers or cares tormenting Or ranging lust or base-bred flatterie I lov'd and was belov'd with like consenting My hate was hers her joy my sole contenting Thus long I liv'd and yet have never prov'd Whether I lov'd her more or more by her was lov'd 26 Foure babes the fift with thee I soon shall finde With equall grace in soul and bodie fram'd And left these goods might swell my bladder'd minde Which last I name but should not last be nam'd A sicknesse long my stubborn heart hath tam'd And taught me pleasing goods are not the best But most unblest he lives that lives here ever blest 27 Ah life once vertues spring now sink of evil Thou change of pleasing pain and painfull pleasure Thou brittle painted bubble shop o' th' devil How dost thou bribe us with false gilded treasure That in thy joyes we finde no mean or measure How dost thou witch I know thou dost deceive me I know I should I must and yet I would not leave thee 28 Ah death once greatest ill now onely blessing Untroubled sleep short travel ever resting All sicknesse cure thou end of all distressing Thou one meals fast usher to endlesse feasting Though hopelesse griefs crie out thy aid requesting Though thou art sweetned by a life most hatefull How is 't that when thou com'st thy coming is ungratefull 29 Frail flesh why would'st thou keep a hated guest And him refuse whom thou hast oft invited Life thy tormenter death thy sleep and rest And thou poore soul why at his sight art frighted Who clears thine eyes and makes thee eagle-sighted Mount now my soul seat thee in thy throne Thou shalt be one with him by whom thou first wast one 30 Why should'st thou love this star this borrow'd light And not that Sunne at which thou oft hast guessed But guess'd in vain which dares thy piercing sight Which never was which cannot be expressed Why lov'st thy load joy'st to be oppressed Seest thou those joyes those thousand thousand graces Mount now my soul leap to those outstretcht embraces 31 Deare countrey I must leave thee and in thee No benefit which most doth pierce and grieve me Yet had not hasty death prevented me I would repay my life and somewhat give thee My sonnes for that I leave and so I leave thee Thus heav'n commands the lord outrides the page And is arriv'd before death hath prevented age 32 My dearest Bettie my more loved heart I leave thee now with thee all earthly joying Heav'n knows with thee alone I sadly part All other earthly sweets have had their cloying Yet never full of thy sweet loves enjoying Thy constant loves next heav'n I did referre them Had not much grace prevail'd 'fore heav'n I should preferre them 33 I leave them now the trumpet calls away In vain thine eyes beg for some times reprieving Yet in my children here immortall stay In one I die in many ones am living In them and for them stay thy too much grieving Look but on them in them thou still wilt see Marry'd with thee again thy twice-two Antonie 34 And when with little hands they stroke thy face As in thy lap they sit ah carelesse playing And stammering ask a kisse give them a brace The last from me and then a little staying And in their face some part of me survaying In them give me a third and with a teare Shew thy deare love to him who lov'd thee ever deare 35 And now our falling house leans all on thee This little nation to thy care commend them In thee it lies that hence they want not me Themselves yet cannot thou the more defend them And when green age permits to goodnesse bend them A mother were you once now both you are Then with this double style double your love and care 36 Turn their unwarie steps into the way What first the vessel drinks it long retaineth No barres will hold when they have us'd to stray And when for me one asks and weeping plaineth Point thou to heav'n and say he there remaineth And if they live in grace grow and persever There shall they