Beautie.
—Sacred Beautie is the fruit of sight,
That curtesie that speakes before the toong:
The feast of soules, the glory of the light,
Enuy of age, and euerlasting yoong:
Pitties commaunder, Cupids richest throne,
Musicke entraunced, neuer duly sung:
The summe and court of all proportion.
And that I may dull speeches least afford,
[Page 13]All Rhethorickes Flowers, in lesse then in a word.
G. Chapman.
— Bewtie borne of heauenly race.
Bewtie (daughter of maruaile) ô see how
Thou canst disgracing sorrowes sweetly grace,
What power thou shew'st in a distressed browe,
That mak'st affliction faire giu'st teares their grace.
What? can vntressed locks, can torne rent haire?
A weeping eye, a wailing face be faire?
I see then artlesse feature can content,
And that true Bewtie needs no ornament.
S. Daniell.
— Bewtie is the bait which with delight
Doth man allure for to enlarge his kinde,
Bewtie the burning lampe of heauens light,
Darting her beames into each feeble minde,
Against whose power, nor God nor man can finde
Defence, reward, the daunger of the wound:
[...]ut being hurt, seeke to be medicinde,
Of her that first did stirre that mortall wound.
Ed. Spencer.
— Bewtie is womans golden crowne,
Mans conqueresse and feminine renowne:
[...]ot ioind with loue, who deare yet euer sold it?
[...]or bewties cheape, except loues eye behold it.
I. Weeuer.
— Bewtie is an adamant to all.
[...]ewtie, natures Iuie-bush each passenger doth call.
W. Warner.
[...]eldome wants guests where Bewtie bids the feast,
[...]ens eyes with wonders nere are satisfied,
[Page 14]At fairest signes best welcome is surmised,
The shrine of loue doth seldome offring want,
Nor with such counsell, clients neuer scant.
M. Drayton.
All Orators are dumbe where Bewtie pleadeth.
W. Shakespeare.
Bewtie it selfe doth of it selfe perswade
The eyes of men, without an Orator?
What needeth then Apollogies be made,
To set forth that which is so singular?
Idem.
Nought vnder heauen so strongly doth allure
The sense of man, and all his minde possesse,
As Bewties louely bate that doth procure
Great warriors oft their rigor to represse,
And mightie hands forget their manlinesse.
Driuen with the power of an heart-robbing eye,
And wrapt in flowers of a golden tresse.
That can with melting pleasance mollifie,
Their hardned hearts enur'd to bloud and crueltie.
Ed. Spencer.
O how can bewtie maister the most strong,
And simple truth subdue auenging wrong?
Idem.
No armour can be found that can defend,
Transpercing raies of christall pointed eyes.
S. Daniell.
Hard is that heart which Bewtie makes not soft.
Ed. Fairfax. Transl.
[Page 15] — Who so young that loues not?
Or who so olde that womens Bewtie moues not?
W. Weeuer.
A sparke of Bewtie burns a world of men.
Idem.
O what is Bewtie if it be not seene?
Or what is't to be seene and not admir'd,
And though admir'd, vnlesse in loue desir'd.
Neuer were cheekes of Roses locks of Amber,
Ordain'd to liue imprisoned in a Chamber.
S. Daniell.
Nature created Bewtie for the view,
(Like as the fire for heate, the Sun for light)
The faire do euer hold this pledge as due,
By auntient charter to liue most in sight,
As she that is debar'd it, hath not right:
In vaine our friends from this do vs dehort,
For Bewtie will be where is most resort.
Idem.
All excellence of shape is made for sight,
To be a beetle else were no defame:
Hid Bewties lose their ends, and wrong their right.
G. Chapman.
Heauen made bewtie like her selfe to viewe,
Not to be lapt vp in a smoakie mewe:
A rosie tainted feature is heauens golde,
Whil'st all men ioy to touch, all to behold.
M. Drayton.
The ripest corne dies if it be not reapt,
Bewtie alone is lost too early kept.
Ch. Marlowe.
[Page 16] It hath bene through all ages euer seene,
That with the praise of armes and chiualrie,
The praise of Bewtie still hath ioyned beene,
And that for reasons speciall priuitie,
For either doth on other much relie,
For he me seemes most fittest is to serue,
That can her best defend from villanie,
And she most fit his seruice doth deserue,
That fairest is, and from her faith doth neuer swarue.
Ed. Spencer.
— Bewtie is more bright and cleare.
The more it is admir'd of many a wight,
And noblest she that serued is of noble Knight.
Idem.
Rich Bewtie, that each Louer labours for,
Tempting as heapes of new coynd glowing Golde,
(Rackt of some miserable treasurer,)
Drawes his desires, and them in chaines enfold,
Vrging him still to tell it and conceale it:
But Bewties treasure neuer can be tolde,
None can peculiar ioy, yet all must steale it.
O Bewtie, this same bloodie siege of thine,
Starues me that yeeld, and feeds me till I pine.
G. Chapman.
O Bewtie, still thy Empire swims in blood,
And in thy peace, warre stores himselfe with foode.
Idem.
O Bewtie Syrene faire enchaunting good,
Sweete silent Rhethoricke of perswading eyes:
Dumbe eloquence, whose power doth moue the blood
More then the workes, or wisedome of the wise.
Within a brow, the key which passions moue
To rauish the sence and play a world in loue.
S. Daniell.
Beautie enchasing loue, loue gaining Beautie,
To such as conflict Sympathies enfold:
To perfect riches doth a sounder dutie
Then all endeuours, for by all consent
All wealth and wisedome rests in time content.
More force and art is beautie ioynd with loue,
Then thrones with wisedom, ioyes of them composde,
Are armes more proofe gainst any griefe we proue:
Then all their vertue scorning miserie,
Or iudgements graue in stoicke grauitie.
G. Chapman.
Beautie a begger, fieit is too bad
When in it selfe sufficiencie is had:
It was not made to please the wandring eie,
But an attire to adorne sweet modestie.
If modestie and women once do seuer,
Farwell our fame, farwell our name for euer.
M. Drayton.
O Beautie that betraies thy selfe to euery amorous eie,
To trap thy proud professors, what is it but wantons trie?
Ʋ Ʋhere through it sildom haps the faire from mean deceits to flie.
W. Warner.
This Beautie faire, is an inchauntment made
By natures witchcraft, tempting men to buie
With endlesse showes, what endlesly will fade,
Yet promise chapmen all eternitie.
But like to goods ill got a fault it hath,
[Page 18]Brings men inricht therewith to beggery,
Vnles the enricher be as rich in faith
Enamourd, (like god selfe-loue) with her owne
Seene in an other then tis heauen alone.
G. Chapman.
—Beautie is a baine
To such as feed their fancy with fond loue,
That when sweet youth with lust is ouerthrowne,
It rues in age.
R. Greene.
Where Venus strikes with Beautie to the quicke,
It little vailes safe reason to apply:
Fewe are the cares for such as are loue sicke,
But loue.
Idem.
Truce, warre, and woe, do wait at Beauties gate,
Time lost, laments, reports and priuie grudge:
And last, fierce loue is but a partiall iudge,
Who yeelds for seruice shame, for friendship hate.
D. Lodge.
The bees of Hybla haue besides sweet hony smarting stings,
And beauty doth not want a bait that to repentance brings.
W. Warner.
—Faire colours soonest soyle,
Things of best price are subiect most to spoyle.
Ch. Middleton.
The fairer cheeke hath oftentimes a soule
Leprous as sin it selfe, then hell more foule.
Th. Dekkar.
All men do erre, because that men they bee,
And men with Beautie blinded, cannot see.
G. Peele.
[Page 19] Beautie, heauen and earth this grace doth win,
It supples rigor, and it lessons sin.
G. Chapman.
Nought is vnder heauens wide hollownes,
That moues more deare compassion of mind:
Then Beautie to vnworthy wretchednes
Through enuies snares, or fortunes freakes vnkind.
Ed. Spencer.
—Nothing ill becomes the faire,
But crueltie which yeelds vnto no praier.
S. Daniell.
Like as the Sun in a Diameter
Fires and inflames obiects remoued far,
And heateth kindly, shining laterally,
So Beautie sweetly quickens when tis nie:
But being seperated and remoued,
Burnes where it's cherisht, murders where it loued.
Ch. Marlowe.
Simples fit Beautie, fie on drugs and art.
M. Drayton.
—Faire words and powre-attractiue bewtie,
Bring men to want on in subiectiue dutie.
I. Weeuer.
—Wayward Beauty doth not fancy moue.
A frowne forbids, a smile ingendreth loue.
Ed. Fairfax. Transl.
—What els is forme, but fading aire?
Yea oft, because assaulted of, it hurteth to be faire.
VV. Ʋ Ʋarner.
Full soone the fairest face would cease from being such,
If not preserued curiously from tendring more then much
[Page 20]That wondrous patterne where soeuer it bee
Whether in earth laid vp in secret store,
Or els in heauen that no man may it see
With sinfull eies, for feare it to deflore:
Is perfect Beautie which all men adore.
Whose face and feature doth so far excell
All mortall sence, that none the same may tell.
Ed. Spencer.
O Beautie, how attractiue is thy power?
For as the liues heat clings about the hart,
So all mens hungry eyes do haunt thy bower:
Raigning in Greece, Troy swumme to thee in art.
Remoued to Troy, Greece followed thee in feares,
Thou drewest ech syrelesse sword, ech childlesse dart
And puldst the Towers of Troy about thine eares.
G. Chapman.
Fame.
A monster swifter none is vnder sunne.
Encreasing as in waters we discrie,
[Page 78]The circles small of nothing that begin,
Which at the length, vnto such breadth do come,
That of a drop which from the skies do fall,
The circles spread, and hide the waters all.
So Fame in flight encreasing more and more,
For at the first, she is not scarcely knowne,
But by and by she flits from shore to shore,
To clouds from th' earth, her stature straight is growne
There whatsoeuer by her trumpe is blowne,
The sound that both by sea and land out-flies,
Rebounds againe, and verberates the skies:
They say, the earth that first the Giants bred,
For anger that the Gods did them dispatch,
Brought forth this sister of those monsters dead,
Full light of foote, swift wings, the winds to catch,
Such monster erst did nature neuer hatch.
As many plumes she hath as top to toe,
So many eyes them vnderneath or moe:
And tongues do speake: so many eares do harke,
By night tweene heauen she flies and earthly shade,
And shreaking takes no quiet sleepe by darke,
On houses roofes, or towers as keeper made,
She fits by day, and cities threates to inuade,
And as she tells what things she sees by view,
She rather shewes that's fained false, then true,
I. H. Mir. of M.
Fame in a stoale of purple set with eies,
And eares, and tongues, caried a golden booke,
Vpon the couer, this I sawe engrau'd.
Pauci quos aequus amauit
Iupiter, aut ardeus euerit ad aethera virtus
Dijs geniti.
G. Peele.
[Page 79] Fame with golden wings aloft doth flie,
Aboue the reach of ruinous decay,
And with braue plumes doth beate the ayrie skie,
Admir'd of base borne men, from far away.
Ed. Spencer.
The Brazen Trompe of Iron winged fame,
That mingleth truth with forged lies.
E. Fairfax. Transl.
Then came they to the foule and loathsome lake,
Darke, deepe, and mirie, of a dreadfull hue,
Where was the aged man that neuer stinted
To carrie bundles of the names imprinted.
This was the man, whom (as I told before)
Nature and custome so swift of foote had made,
He neuer rested, but ran euermore.
And with his comming he did vse this trade:
A heape of names within his cloake he bare,
And in the Riuer did them all vnlade:
Or to (say truth) away he cast them all,
Into this streame which Laethe we do call.
This prodigall old wrerch no sooner came
Vnto this cursed riuers barren banke,
But desperately without all feare of blame,
Or caring to deserue reward or thanke,
He hurl'd therein full many a precious name,
Where millions soone into the bottome sanke:
Hardly in euery thousand one was found,
That was not in the gulfe quite lost and dround:
Yet all about great store of birds there flew,
As vultures, carren crowes, and chattering pies,
And many moe of sundrie kinds and hew,
[Page 80]Making leaude harmonie with their loude cries,
These when the carelesse wretch the treasure threw
Into the streame, did all they could deuise,
What with their tallents some, and some with beake
To saue these names, but find themselues too weake.
For euer as they thought themselues to raise,
To beare away those names of good renowne,
The waight of them, so heauie downeward waies,
They in the streame were driuen to cast them downe,
Onely two swans sustain'd so great a paize
In spight of him that sought them all to drowne,
These two did still take vp whose names they list,
And bare them safe away, and neuer mist.
Sometime all vnder the foule lake they diued,
And tooke vp some that were with water couered:
And those that seem'd condemned, they repriued.
And often as about the banke they houered,
They caught them, ere they to the streame arriued,
Then went they with the names they had recouered,
Vp to a hill that stood the water nie,
On which a stately Church was built on hie.
This place is sacred to immortall fame,
And euermore a Nimph stands at the gate,
And tooke the names wherewith the two swans came,
Whether they early come, or whether late.
Then all about the Church she hang'd the same,
Before that sacred Image in such rate,
As they might then well be assur'd for euer,
Spight of that wretch, in safetie to perseuer.
S. I. Harr. Transl.
[Page 81] Fame on his right hand in a roabe of gold,
Whose stately traine, Time as her page did beare:
On which for rich imbroydery was enrold,
The deeds of all the Worthies euer were:
So strongly wrought as wrong could not impaire,
Whose large memorialls she did still reherse,
In Poets man immortallizing verse.
Two tablets on her goodly brest she bore,
The one of Christall, the other Ebonie,
Engrau'd with names of all that liu'd before
That; the faire booke of heauenly memorie:
Th'other, the base scrowle of Infamie.
One stuft with Poets, Saints, and Conquerors,
Th'other, with Atheists, Tyrants, Vsurers,
And in her word appeared as a wonder,
Her daring force, and neuer failing might:
Which softly spake farre off, as't were a thunder,
And round about the world would take their flight,
And bring the most obscured things to light.
That still the farther off, the greater still,
Did euer sound our good, or make our ill.
M. Drayton.
Her dwelling is betwixt the earth and skies,
Her Turret vnto heauen her top vpreares:
The windowes made of Lynceus piercing eies,
And all the walles be made of daintiest eares,
Where euery thing that's done in earth appeares.
No word is whispered in this vaultie round,
But in her pallace straitwaies it doth sound:
The rafters, trumpets which do rend the aire,
[Page 82]Sounding aloud each name that thither comes.
The chinkes like tongues of all things talking heere,
And all things past, in memorie do beare.
The doores vnlocke with euery word man saith,
And opens wide with euery little breath.
It's hung about with armes and conquering spoiles,
The pillers which support the roofe of this,
Are trophies grauen with Herculean toiles.
The roofe of garlands, crowne, and ensignes is:
In midst of which a Christall Pyramis,
All ouer caru'd with men of most renowne,
Whose base is her faire chaire, the spire her crowne.
Idem.
—Fame
Refuge of hope, the harbinger of truth,
Hand-mayd of heauen vertues skilfull guide,
The life of life, the ages springing youth:
Tryumph of ioy, eternities faire bride,
The virgins glory, and the martyrs pride.
The courages immortall raising fire,
The very height to which great thoughts aspire:
The staire by which men to the starres do clime:
The minds first mouer greatnes to expresse,
Faiths armour, and the vanquisher of time.
A pleasant sweet against deaths bitternesse,
The hie reward which doth all labours blesse:
The studie which doth heauenly things impart,
The ioy amidst the tedious waies of art.
Learnings greene lawrell, Iustice glorious throne,
The Muses chariot, memories true food:
The Poets life, the gods companion,
The fire-reuiuing Phaenix sun-nurst brood.
[Page 83]The spirits eternall image, honours good.
The Balsamum which cures the souldiers scarres,
The world, discouering seamens happy starres.
Idem.
A loftie subiect of it selfe doth bring,
Graue words and waightie, of it selfe diuine:
And makes the authors holy honour shine.
If ye would after ashes liue, beware:
To do like Erostrate, who burnt the faire
Ephesian Temple, or to win a name
To make of brasse a cruell calfe vntame.
K. of S.
—Incorporeall Fame
Whose waight consists in nothing but her name,
Is swifter then the wind, whose tardy plumes
Are reeking water, and dull earthly fumes.
Ch. Marlowe.
Fame (whereof the world seemes to make such choyce)
Is but an Eccho and an idle voyce.
S. Daniell.
Vnto this Hydra are we subiect still,
Who dares to speake, not caring good or ill.
Better it is without renowne to be,
Then be renownd for vile iniquitie.
K. of K.
—Fame the queene of immortalitie.
Ch. Fitz Ieffrey.
Death hath no dart to slay deserued Fame.
Ch. Fitz.
This iealous monster hath a thousand eies,
Her aiery body hath a thousand wings:
Now on the earth, now vp to heauen she flies.
[Page 84]And here and there with euery wind she flings:
Nothing so secret but to her appeareth,
And apt to credit euery thing she heareth.
Foule babling, tell tale, secrets soone bewraier,
The aire bred Eccho, the speaker of lies:
Shrill-sounding trompet, truths vnkind betraier.
False larum-bell, awaking dead mens eies.
Fond pratling parrat telling all thou hearest,
Oft furthest off, when as thou shouldst be nearest.
M. Drayton.
The path is set with danger, leads to fame,
When Minos did the Grecians flight denie,
He made him wings and mounted through the skie.
Idem.
Still fame wil grow if once abroad it flie,
Whether it be a troth, or be a lie.
Idem.
Fame doth explore what lies most secret hidden,
Entring the closet of the pallace dweller,
A broad reuealing what i [...] forbidden,
Of truth and falshood both an equall teller,
Tis not a guard can serue for to expell her:
The sword of iustice cannot cut her wings,
Nor stoppe her mouth from vttering secret things.
S. Daniell.
Celestiall goddesse euer-liuing fame,
Mineruaes daughter by faire Maias sonne,
Of all th'inhabitants of heauens faire frame:
Most highly honored since the world begunne,
And shall be till the fatall glasse be runne.
Soules sweet receit, the healths restoratiue:
[Page 85]Hearts cordiall, the minds preseruatiue.
Goddesse of thoughts, muse animating appetite,
Aulter of honour, simple of renowne,
Shrine of deuotion, yeelding art her merite:
Lifes richest treasure, vertues gorgious gowne,
Heauens best abilliment, Ariadnes crowne.
The Cynosura of the purest thought,
Faire Helice, by whom the heart is taught.
Ch. Fitz Ieffrey.
Fortune.
Fortune as blinde as he whom she doth lead,
Her feature chaung'd each minute of the houre,
Her riggish feete fantastickly would tread:
Now would she smile, and suddenly would lowre,
And with one breath, her words are sweete and sowre.
Vpon her foes she amorously doth glaunce,
And on her followers coyly looke askaunce,
About her necke (it seem'd as for a chaine)
Some Princes crownes and broken scepters hung.
Vpon her arme a lazie youth did leane,
Which scornfully vnto the ground she flung,
And with a wanton grace passing alone,
Great bags of gold from out her bosome drew,
And to base Pesants and fond Idiots threw.
A duskie vale which hid her sightlesse-eies
Like cloudes, which couer our vncertaine liues,
Painted about with bloodie Tragedies,
Fooles wearing crowns and wise men clog'd in giue [...]
[Page 97]Now how she giues againe, how she depriues:
In this blacke map this she her might discouers,
In Camps and Courts, on souldiers, and on louers.
M. Drayton.
A hap, a chaunce, a casuall euent,
The vulgars Idoll, and a childish terror:
A what man will, a silly accident
The maske of blindnesse, and disguise of error,
Natures vile nickname, follies foolish mirror:
A terme, a by-word, by tradition learn'd,
A hearsay, nothing not to be discernd,
A wanton feare, a silly Infants dreame,
A vaine illusion, a meere fantasie:
A seeming shade, a lunaticke mans dreame.
A fond Aenigma, a flat heresie.
Imaginations doting emperie.
A folly in it selfe, it one selfe loathing,
A thing that would be, and yet can be nothing.
Disease of time, ambitions concubine:
A minde intrancing snare, a slippery yce,
The bait of death, destructions heady wine.
Vaine-glories patron, the fooles paradice.
Fond hope wherewith confusion doth intice.
A vile seducing f [...]end, which haunts men still,
To loose them in the errors of their will.
Idem.
O fortune the great Amorite of kings,
Opinions breath, thou Epicurian aire:
Inuention of mans soule, falsest of things,
A step beyond our iudgement, and a staire
Higher then men can reach with reasons wings.
[Page 98]Thou blindfold Archeresse, thou that wilt not heare:
Thou foe to persons, manners, times and all,
That raisest worthlesse, while the worthiest fall.
I. Markham.
Ah fortune, nurse of fooles, poyson of hope,
Fuell of vaine desires, deserts destruction▪
Supposed soueraigne, through our vaine construction
Princes of Paganisme, roote of impie [...]ie,
Diuell on earth, masked in pietie.
Scorne of the learned, follies elder scholler,
Bastard of time, begot by vaine opinion:
Against thy power, a peeuish proud resister.
Mother of lies, and witnesse of illusion:
Lampe of vain-glory, double faced shroe,
Who smiles at first, succesfull, ends in woe.
D. Lodge.
Who wins her grace, must with atchiuements wo he [...]
As she is blind, so neuer had she eares,
Nor must with puling eloquence go to her:
She vnderstands not sighes, she heares not praiers.
Flattered she flies; controld she euer feares.
And though a while she nicely do forsake it,
She i [...] a woman, and at length will take it.
Nor euer let him dreame once of a crowne,
For one bad cast that will giue vp his game,
And though by ill hap he be ouerthrowne,
Yet let him manage her till she be tame.
M. Drayton.
Fortune the folly is, and plague of those
Which to the world their wretched will dispose.
M. of M.
[Page 99] All flesh is fraile and full of ficklenesse,
Subiect to fortunes charme, still changing new,
What haps to day to me, to morrow may to you.
Ed. Spencer.
Fortune the foe to famous chieuisance,
Sildome or neuer yeelds to vertue aide:
But in her way throwes mischiefe and mischance,
Whereby her course is stopt, and passage laide.
Idem.
Mocke Gods they are, and many Gods induce,
Who fortune faine to father there abuse.
M. of M.
—In vaine do men
The heauens of there fortunes fault accuse,
Syth they know best what is the best for them,
For they to each such fortune do diffuse,
As they do know each can most aptly vse:
For not that which men couet most is best,
Nor that thing worst which men do most refuse.
But fittest is, that all contented rest
With that they hold: each hath his fortune in his brest.
Ed. Spencer.
No fortune is so bad, our selues ne frame
There is no chance at all hath vs preseru'd.
There is no fate whom we haue need to blame:
There is no desteny but is deseru'd:
No lucke that leaues vs safe, or vnpreseru'd.
Let vs not then complaine of fortunes skill,
For all our good descends from Gods good will,
And of our lewdnesse, springeth all our ill.
M. of M.
[Page 100] —They that do dwell on fortunes call,
No sooner rise, but ready are to fall.
D. Lodge.
Looke how much higher fortune doth erect
The climing wight on her vnstable wheele:
So much the nigher may a man exspect
To see his head where late he sawe his heele.
Policrates hath prou'd it in effect,
And Dyonisius that too true did feele
Who long were luld on hie in fortunes lap:
And fell downe suddenly to great mishap.
On th'other side, the more man is oppressed
And vtterly ouerthrowne by fortunes lowre,
The sooner comes his state to be redressed,
When wheele shall turn and bring the happie howre.
Some from the Blocke haue growne to be so blessed.
Whole realmes haue bene subuerted to their powre.
As Marius and Ʋentidius sample is,
In former age, and Lewes of France in this.
S. I. Harr. Transl.
—As the boystrous winde
Doth shake the tops of highest reared towers,
So doth the force of froward fortune strike
The wight that highest sits in haughtie state.
G. Gascoigne.
—So wills the wanton queene of chance,
That each man trace this Labyrinth of life:
With slippery steps now wrongd by fortune strange,
Now drawne by counsell from the maze of strife.
D. Lodge.
[Page 101] We all are proud when fortune fauours vs,
As if inconstant chaunce were alwaies one:
Or standing now, she would continue thus,
O fooles looke backe, and see the rolling stone
Whereon she blindly lighting sets her foote,
And slightly sowes, that sildome taketh roote.
Th. Kyd.
Fortune the first and last that gouernes states.
I. Markham.
The blind-fold mistresse of vncertaine chaunge.
D. Lodge.
The wayward lady of this wicked world.
Idem.
Blind fortune faileth mighty ones, & meaner doth aduance.
W. Warner.
Blind fortune findeth none so fit to flout
As Sures by sotts, which cast no kind of doubt.
M. of M.
—Fortune cannot raise
Any one aloft without some others wracke,
Flouds drowne no fields vnlesse they finde a bracke.
Idem.
Where power dwelles and riches rest,
False fortune is a comely guest.
E. of S.
Think fortune newly hatcht is fledge, & waggeth wing to flie
All suffer chāge, our selues new born, euen then begin to die.
VV. VVarner.
The man that fortune at commaund will keepe,
He must be sure he neuer let her sleepe.
M. Drayton.
[Page 102] There neuer yet was Emperour or King,
Could boast that he had fortune in a string.
S. I. Harr. Transl.
—All things to fortune are subiected,
Chiefly in warres, that are by chaunce directed.
Idem.
Wheresoeuer fortune her bountie will bestow,
There heauen and earth must pay what she doth owe.
M. of M.
The man whose thoughts to fortunes height aspires,
Were better die then liue in lowe desires.
Th. Achelly.
Admit thou hadst Pactolian waues to land thee gold at will,
Know Craesus did to Cyrus kneele, and thou maist speed as ill.
W. Warner.
Attempt not things beyond thy reach, ioyne fortune to thy will,
Least Phebus chaire do els surcharge rash Phaethon his skill
Idem.
If fortune help whō thou woldst hurt, fret not at it the more,
When Aiax storm'd, then from him the prize Vlisses bore.
Idem.
Good fortune drawes from heauen her descent,
Making hie Ioue the roote of her large tree:
She showes from him how many Godheads went,
Archangels, Angels, heauens posteritie,
From thence she showes the glorious thrid she lent,
To Monarkes, Emperours and Kings in fee.
Annexing as collateralls to her loue,
Honour, vertue, valour and endlesse time.
N [...]thelesse ill fortune will be elder borne
She saith she springs from Saturne, Ioues wrongd syre,
[Page 103]And heauen and earth, and hell, her coate haue borne
Fresh bleeding hearts within a field of fyre:
All that the world admires she makes her scorne,
Who farthest seemes, is to ill fortune neere.
And that iust proofe may her great praise commend,
All that good chaunce begins, ill chaunce doth end.
I. Markham.
Ill fortune is attended by reproach,
Good fortune fame and vertue stellifies.
Idem.
—What man can shun the happe,
That hidden lies, vnwares him to surprise:
Misfortune waits aduantage to entrappe
The man most wary, in her whelming lappe.
Ed. Spencer.
The fortune that misfortune doth affoord,
Is for to liue and die vnfortunate.
Th. Achelly.
Misfortune followeth him that tempteth fortune.
Ch. Fitz Ieffrey.
Loue.
Of Loue's perfection perfectly to speake,
Or of his nature rightly to define:
Indeed doth farre surpasse our reasons reach,
And needs this priest t'expresse his power diuine:
For long before the world he was yborne,
And bred aboue in Ʋenus bosome deare,
For by his power the world was made of yore,
And all that therein wondrous doth appeare.
Ed. Spencer.
Loue is the Lord of all the world by right,
And rules the creatures by his powerfull saw:
All being made the vassalls of his might,
Through secret sence, which thereto doth them draw.
Idem.
Vapour eterne in man, in beast, in tree,
In plant and flower is loue, (and so of might)
For in the world may not contained bee,
Without accord and Loues imperiall right.
Yet wends the foxe in holy hood full oft,
And craft in stead of truth, beares crest aloft.
D. Lodge.
— That true Loue which dauncing did inuent,
Is he that tun'd the worlds whole harmonie,
And link't all men in sweete societie,
[Page 171]He first exaulted from th'earth mingled minde,
That heauenly fier or quintessence diuine,
Which doth such sympathy in bewtie finde.
As is betwixt the Elme and fruitfull Vine,
And so to beautie euer doth encline.
Lifes life it is, and cordiall to the hart,
And of our better part, the better part.
I. Dauies.
Sweete loue is a celestiall harmonie,
Of likely hearts compos'd of hearts consent,
Which ioy together in sweete sympathie,
To worke each others kind and true content,
Which they haue harboured since their first discent,
Out of these heauenly bowers, where they do see
And know each other here belou'd to bee.
Ed. Spencer.
Iron with wearing shines, rust wasteth treasure
On earth, but Loue there is no other pleasure.
H. Constable.
Loue a continuall fornace doth maintaine.
Idem.
Wealth maister is, and porter of the gate,
That lets in loue, when want shall come too late.
Th. Churchyard.
—Loue to heauen is fled,
Since swearing lust on earth vsurpt his name,
Vnder whose simple semblance he hath fled
Vpon fresh bewtie blotting it with blame,
Which the hot tyrant staines, and soone ber [...]aues,
As caterpillers, do the tender leaues.
W. Sh.
[Page 172] Loue is a spirit all compact of fier,
Not grosse to sinke, but light and will aspire.
Idem.
Loue is a golden bubble full of dreames,
That waking breakes, and fills vs with extreames.
G. Chapman.
Loue is a discord and a strange diuorce,
Betwixt our sence and rest, by whose power,
As mad with reason, we admit that force,
Which wit or labour neuer may diuorce.
It is a will that brooketh no consent,
It would refuse, yet neuer may repent.
— Loue's a desire, which for to waight a time,
Doth loose an age of yeares, and so doth passe,
As doth the shadow seuerd from his prime,
Seeming as though it were, yet neuer was.
Leauing behind, nought but repentant thoughts,
Of dayes ill spent, of that which profits noughts.
It's now a peace, and then a sudden warre,
A hope consumde before it is conceiu'd,
At hand it feares, and menaceth a farre,
And he that gaines, is most of all deceiu'd.
Loue whets the dullest wits his plagues be such,
But makes the wise by pleasing, dote as much.
E. O.
Loue is a brain-sicke boy, and fierce by kind,
A wilfull thought, which reason cannot moue,
A flattering Sycophant, a murdering theefe,
A poysoned choaking baite, a ticing greefe.
A Tyrant in his lawes, in speech vnknowne,
A blindfold guide, a feather in the winde:
A lame-lime-lust, a tempest of the minde.
A breach of charitie, all vertues foe,
A priuate warre, a toilsome web of woe.
A fearefull iealousie, a vaine desire,
A labyrinth, a pleasing miserie,
A shipwracke of mans life, a smoakelesse fier,
A ship of teares, a lasting lunacie.
A heauie seruitude, a dropsie thirst,
A hellish Iaile, whose captiues are accurst.
Th. Watson.
A sugred harme, a poyson full of pleasure,
A painted shrine, ful-fill'd with rotten treasure.
An heauen in shew, a hell to them that proue,
A broken staffe, which fully doth vphold,
A flower, that fades with euery frostie cold:
An Orient rose, sprung from a withered plant,
A game in seeming, shadowed still with want.
A minutes ioy to gaine a world of griefe,
A subtill net, to snare the idle minde,
A seeing scorpion, yet in seeing blinde,
A poore reioyce, a plague without teliefe,
D. Lodge.
Loue is a smoake made with fume of sighes,
Being purg'd, a fier sparkling in Louers eies,
Being vext, a sea, nourisht with louing teares,
What is it else? a madnesse most distrest,
A choaking gall, and a preseruing sweet.
W. Shakespeare.
It is a doubled griefe, a sparke of pleasure,
Begot by vaine desire, and this his loue:
[Page 174]Whom in our youth, we count our chiefest treasure.
In age for want of power we do reproue,
Yea such a power is Loue, whose losse is paine,
And hauing got him, we repent againe.
D. Lodge.
Loue the Idle bodies worke and surfet of the eye.
W. Warner.
Loue is but a terme, like as is Eccho but a voice,
That this doth babble, that doth breed, or not, is ours the choice.
W. Warner.
—Loue is a subtill influence,
Whose finall force still hangeth in suspence.
D. Lodge.
Loue is a wanton famine, rich in foode,
But with a riper appetite controlled,
An argument in figure and in moode:
Yet hates all arguments; disputing still,
For sence against reason, with a sencelesse will.
G. Chapman.
Of euery ill the hatefull father vile,
That doth the world with sorceries beguile,
Cunningly mad, religiously prophane,
Wits monster, reasons canker, sences bane,
Loue taught the mother that vnkind desire,
To wash her hands in her owne Infants blood.
Loue taught the daughter to betray her fire
Into most base and worthy seruitude:
Loue taught the brother to prepare such foode;
To feast his brothers, that all seeing sunne
Wrapt in a cloude that wicked sight did shunne.
I. Dauies.
[Page 175] Loue is a sowre delight, a sugred griefe,
A liuing death, an euer dying life,
A breach of reasons law, a secret theefe,
A sea of teares, an euerlasting strife.
A baite for fooles, a scourge of noble wits,
A deadly wound, a shot which euer hits,
Loue is a blinded god, and angry boy,
A labyrinth of doubts, an idle lust,
A slaue to bewties will, a witlesse toy.
A rauening bird, a tyrant most vniust,
A burning heate, a cold, a flattering ioy,
A priuate hell, a very world of woe.
Th. Ʋ Ʋatson.
—Loue bewitcher of the wit.
The scorne of vertue, vices parasite,
The slaue to weakenesse, friendships false bewraier,
Reasons rebell, fortitudes betraier.
The churchmēs staffe, court, camp, & countries guider,
Arts infection, chaste thoughts, and youths defiler.
I. Ʋ Ʋeeuer.
Controlling Loue, proud fortunes busie factor,
The gall of wit, sad melancholies schoole,
Heart-killing corsiue, golden times detractor,
Life-fretting canker, mischiefes poysoned toole,
The Ideots ydle brother, wise mens foole.
A foe to friendship enemie to truth,
The wrong misleader of our pleasing youth.
M. Drayton.
—Loue is roote and onely crop of care,
The bodies foe, the hearts annoy, & cause of pleasures rare.
[Page 176]The sicknesse of the minde, the fountaine of vnrest,
The gulfe of guile, the pit of paine, of griefe the hollow chest:
A fiery frost, a flame that frozen is with Ice,
A heauie burden, light to beare, a vertue fraught with vice.
It is a worldlike peace, a safetie seeing dread,
A deepe dispaire, annext to hope, a fancie that is fed,
Sweete poyson for his taste, a port Charibdis like,
Ascylla for his safetie, though a Lyon that is meeke.
Th. Turberuile.
— O brawling loue, O louing hate,
O any thing of nothing first created:
O heauie lightnesse, serious vanitie,
Mishapen Chaos of well seeing formes,
Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fier, sicknes, helth,
Still waking sleepe, that is not what it is.
W. Shakespeare.
Sight is his roote, in thought is his progression,
His childhood wonder, prentiship attention:
His youth delight, his age the soules opression,
Doubt is his sleepe, he waketh in inuention.
Fancie his foode, his cloathing carefulnesse,
Beautie his booke, his play, Louers discention.
His eies are curious search, but vaild with warefulnesse,
His wings desire, oft clipt with desperation:
Largesse his hands, could neuer skill of sparefulnesse.
But how he doth by might or by perswasion,
To conquer, and his conquest how to ratifie,
Experience doubts, and schooles had disputation.
S. Ph. Sidney.
Loue hath two shafts, the one of beaten gold,
By stroake whereof, a sweete effect is wrought:
The other is of lumpish leaden mold,
[Page 177]And worketh no effect but what is nought.
Th. Watson.
At Venus intreatie for Cupid her sonne,
These arrowes by Vulcan were cunningly done:
The first is Loue, as here you may behold,
His feathers head and body are of gold.
The second shaft is Hate, a foe to loue,
And bitter are his torments for to proue.
The third is Hope, from whence our comfort springs,
His feathers are puld from Fortunes wings.
Fourth, Iealousie in basest mindes doth dwell,
This mettall Vulcans Cyclops sent from hell.
G. Peele.
Hard is the doubt, and difficult to deeme,
When all three kinds of loue together meet:
And do dispart the heart with power extreame,
Whether shall waigh the ballance downe; to weet
The deare affection vnto kindred sweet,
Or raging fier of loue to woman kinde,
Or zeale of friends combinde with vertues meet.
But of them all the band of vertues minde,
Me seemes the gentle heart should most assured finde.
Ed. Spencer.
Of vertue onely, perfect loue doth grow,
Whose first beginning though it be more slow
Then that of lust, and quickens not so fast:
Yet sure it is, and longer time doth last.
The strawe inkindles soone, and slakes againe,
But yron is slow, and long will heat retaine.
Th. Hudson.
[Page 178] Most true it is that true loue hath no power
To looken back, his eyes be fixt before.
W. Sha.
Loue alwaies doth bring forth most bounteous deeds,
And in each gentle heart desire of honor breeds.
True loue is free, and led with selfe delight,
Ne will inforced be with masterdome or might.
Idem.
Loue naked boy hath nothing on his backe,
And though he wanteth neither arme nor legge,
Yet maim'd he is, sith he his sight doth lacke:
And yet (though blind) he bewtie can behold,
And yet though nak'd, he feeles more heat then cold.
H. C.
Loue staies not long, it is but one yeares bird.
Th. Churchyard.
Loue must haue change to season sweet delight.
Idem.
Loue, lawes and Iudges hath in fee,
Nature and vse his iudges bee:
To whom his whole course censures flee,
Since past, and things to come they see.
G. Chapman.
Loue is in power felt of all, in person found of none,
Or rather is not reall but some fancie; If not, then
Fantasticall in women, but essentiall in men.
W. Warner.
Loues eyes in viewing neuer haue their fill.
W. Marlowe.
[Page 179] This is the least effect of Cupids dart,
To change the mind by wounding of the hart.
Th. Watson.
Vnto the woods runs loue, as well as rides to the pallace,
Neither he beares reuerence to a prince, nor pitie to beggere
But (like a point amidst of a circle) still of an euennesse,
All to a lesson he drawes, neither hills nor caues can auoyd him.
S. Phil. Sidney.
The throne of Cupid hath an easie staire,
His barke is fit to saile with euery winde:
The breach he makes, no wise man can repaire.
Ed. Fairfax.
—Loue will haue his godhead seene
In famous queenes, and highest princes hearts.
S. I. H.
Loue wants his eyes, yet shootes he passing right,
His shafts our thoughts, his bowe he makes our sight,
His deadly pilles are tempered with such art,
As still directs the arrow to the hart.
M. Drayton.
—Loue doth raigne
In stoutest minds, and maketh monstrous warre,
He maketh warre, he maketh peace againe:
And yet his peace is but continuall warre,
O miserable men, that to him subiect are.
Ed. Spencer.
[Page 180] First loue is firme and toucheth very neare.
W. Warner.
Loue vnto life this cognizance doth giue,
This badge, this marke, to euery man that minds it:
Loue lendeth life, which liuing cannot die,
Nor liuing, loue.
G. Gascoigne.
Loue is too full of faith, too credulous,
With folly and false hope deluding vs.
Ch. Marlowe.
Loue is not full of mercy as men say,
But deafe and cruell where he meanes to pray.
Idem.
Loue paints his longings in sweet virgins eyes.
G. Chapman.
—Loue gainsaid: growes madder then before.
Th. Watson.
Loue findeth meane, but hatred knowes no measure.
Ed. Spencer.
As Bacchus opes dissembled harts,
So loue sets out our better parts.
M. Roydon.
As loue hath wreathes his pretie eyes to seare,
So louers must keep secret what they feare.
D. Lodge.
Loue keeps his reuels where there are but twaine.
W. Shakespeare.
As Iris coate in sundry taints doth showe,
So loue is clad in weale, and strait in woe.
D. Lodge.
[Page 181] Loue can abide no law, loue alwaies loues to be lawlesse,
Loue altereth nature, rules reason, mastereth Olympus:
Lawes, edicts, deerees, contemnes Ioue mightily thundring.
Ioue that rules and raigns, that with beck bendeth Olympus.
Loue caried Hyppolitus with briars & thorns to be mangled
For that he had the faire foule lusting Phedra refused.
Loue made Absyrtus with sisters hands to be murdred
And in peeces torne, and here and there to be scattered.
Loue forst Pasiphae mans company long to be loathing,
And for a while bulls flesh, bulls company long to be taking.
Loue and luring lookes of louely Polixena caused
Greekish Achilles death when he came to the church to be wedded.
Loue made Alcides that most inuincible Heros,
Maister of all monsters, at length to be whipt of a monster.
Loue drownd Leander, swimming to the beautifull He [...]o,
Vnto the towne Cestos, from towne of cursed Abydos.
Loue made Ioue that's ruler of earth, and ruler of heauen,
Like to a silly shepheard, and like to the fruitfull Echidua.
Like to a fish, to a swan, a spawne, to a bull, to an eagle:
Sometimes Amphitrio, sometimes Dictinua resembling.
Ab. Fraunce.
Trifling attempts no serious acts aduance,
The fier of loue is blowne by dalliance.
G. Chapman.
—Where there growes a sympathy of harts,
Each passion in the one, the other paineth:
And by euen carryage of the outward parts,
(Wherein the actuall worke of loue remaineth.)
The inward griefes, mislikes and ioyes are taught,
And euery signe bewraies a secret thought.
D. Lodge.
[Page 182] Loue deeply grounded, hardly is dissembled.
Ch. Marlowe.
O bold beleeuing loue, how hote it seemes,
Not to beleeue, and yet too credulous:
Thy weale and woe are both of them extreames,
Dispaire and hope makes thee ridiculous.
The one doth flatter the inthoughts vnlikely,
The likely thoughts the other killeth quickly.
W. Sha.
Loue goes towards loue, as schoole boyes from their bookes,
But loue from loue toward schoole with heauy lookes.
Idem.
—Loue can comment vpon euery woe.
Idem.
Cupids deep riuers haue their shallow fordes
His griefe bring ioyes, his losse recompences.
He breeds the sore, and cures vs of the paine,
Achilles launce, that wounds and heales againe.
Ed. Fairfax.
Wonder it is to see in diuers mindes,
How diuersly loue doth his pageant play,
And shewes his power in variable kindes:
The baser wit whose idle thoughts alway
Are wont to cleaue vnto the lowly clay.
It stirreth vp to sensuall desire,
And in leaud sloth to waste his carelesse day,
But in braue spirits it kindles goodly fire,
That to all hie desert and honour doth aspire.
Ed. Spencer.
Such ones, ill iudge of loue that cannot loue,
Ne in their frozen hearts feele kindly flame:
[Page 183]For thy they ought nothing vnknowne reproue,
Ne naturall affection faultlesse blame.
For it of honor and all vertue is
The roote, and brings forth glorious fruites of fame.
That crowne true louers with immortall blisse,
The meed of them that loue, and do not liue amisse.
Idem.
The persons must in passions iumpe else loue is but a game,
Nor thinke I of a womans graunt, but as a wooers game.
VV. Warner.
Pure loue said she, the purest grace pursues,
And there is contract not by application:
Of lippes or bodies, but of bodies vertues,
As in our elementall motion.
Starres by their powers, which are their heat and light,
Do heauenly workes, and that which hath probation
By vertue all contract hath the noblest plight,
Both for the lasting and affinitie
It hath with naturall diuinitie.
G. Chapman.
Loue is a lord of truth and loyaltie,
Lifting himselfe out of the lowly dust:
On golden plumes vp to the purest skie,
Aboue the reach of loathly sinfull lust.
Whose base affect through cowardly distrust
Of his weake wings dare not to heauens flie,
But like a mold warpe in the earth doth lie.
Ed. Spencer.
—One louing howre
For many yeares of sorrow can dispence,
A dramme of sweet, is worth a pound of sowre.
Idem.
[Page 184] Loue and maiestie dwell ill together.
S. Daniell.
The ioyes of loue, if they should euer last
Without affliction or disquietnes:
That worldly chaunces do among them cast,
Would be on earth too great a blessednes.
Liker to heauen then mortall wretchednes:
Therefore the winged God to let men weet
That here on earth is no sure happines,
A thousand sowres hath tempered with one sweet,
To make it seeme more deare and daintie as is meet.
Ed. Spencer.
True it is said, what euer man it said,
That loue with gall and hony doth abound:
But if the one be with the other waid,
For euery dramme of hony therein found,
A pound of gall doth ouer it abound.
Idem.
Loue hath delight in sweet delicious fruite,
Loue neuer takes good counsell for his friend.
Loue author is, and cause of idle care.
Loue is destraught of wit, he hath no end.
Loue shooteth shafts of burning hot desire,
Loue burneth more then either flame or fire.
Loue doth much harme through Iealousies assault.
Loue once imbrac't will hardly part againe.
Loue thinkes in breach of faith there is no fault.
Loue makes a sport of others deadly paine.
Loue is a wanton childe, and loues to brall,
Loue with his warre brings many soules to thrall.
Th. Watson.
[Page 185] —Gods themselues are chaung'd by Loue,
Ioue steales from skies to lie by Laedaes side:
Arcas descends for faire Aglauraes sake,
And Sol so soone as Daphne is espide,
To follow his chariot doth forsake.
Idem.
— The sweetest honey,
Is loathsome in his owne deliciousnesse,
And in the tast confounds the appetite,
Therefore Loue moderately long loue doth so,
Too swift arriues as tardie as too slowe.
W. Shakespeare.
— The rights
In which Loues beautious empresse most delights,
Are banquets, Doricke musicke, midnight reuelling,
Plaies, maskes, and all that sterne age counteth euill.
Ch. Marlowe.
Those easily men credit whom they loue.
S. Daniell.
Play with the fire, yet die not in the flame,
Shew passion in thy words, but not in hart,
Least whē thou think'st to bring thy thoughts in frame
Thou proue thy selfe a prisoner by thy art.
Play with these babes of loue, as Apes with glasses,
And put no trust in feathers, wind or lasses.
D. Lodge.
The greedie moone along her giddie spheare,
Boads not such change in her inconstant course,
No crinite comet in the waine of yeare,
No rising rage nor swelling of sourse.
[Page 186]As Loue in shape, in substance and effect,
But Gods and men with fury doth infect,
A morning starre (that peereth from the pride
Of siluer floate) bedew'd and sparkling bright,
Borne from the second forme of waters glide,
The queene of Loue, the mistresse of delight.
Aye such is loue in semblance at the first,
But his effects are cruell and accurst.
D· Lod,
Albeit bewtie moues to loue, and loue doth make thee sue,
Better at first be nonsuite, then at length not to subdue.
W. Warner.
It hath bene when as heartie loue did treat and tie the knot,
Though now if gold but lacking be, the wedding fadgeth not.
Idem.
Loue learnes rural wits and base borne brats to be reading,
Heartburning secrets, and wonders daintily written,
In faire flaming eyes, by the hand of louely Cupido.
A. Fraunce.
Loue nill consent that bewties fiel [...] lie waste.
Ed. Fairfax.
Tis often seene, Loue workes a man a weake deiected minde,
For euer seene, a womans loue doth alter as the winde.
W· VVarner.
No stile is held for base, where loue well named is,
Each eare suckes vp the words a true loue scattereth.
S. Ph. Sydney.
All losse is lesse, and lesse the infamy,
Then losse of loue to him that loues but one,
Ne may loue be compeld by maisterie,
For as soone as maisterie comes sweete loue anon:
[Page 187]Taketh his nimble wings, and soone is gone.
Ed. Spencer.
For euery pleasure that in loue is found,
A thousand woes and more therein abound.
Th. Watson.
Like as a nibling fish that halfe mistrusts
The golden shew of an enticing baite,
Makes many offers for the thing she lusts,
Daring to deale with that she deemes deceite:
So plaies the amorous God with his faire prize,
Whom loue and lust bids board, but shame denies.
Ch. Middleton.
From these hie hills as when a spring doth fall,
It thrilleth downe with still and subtill course,
Of this and that it gathereth aide, and shall
Till wit haue iust done, flowed to streame and force,
Then at the foote, it rageth ouer all:
So fareth Loue when he hath tane a course.
Rage is vaine resistance vaileth none,
The first issue is remedie alone.
E. of Surrey.
Not all the writs Diana hath, can Cupids plaint remoue.
W. Warnaer.
— Lordly Loue is such a Tyrant fell,
That where he rules, all power he doth expell.
Ed. Sp.
If Loue compelled be and cannot chuse,
How can it gratefull or thanke worthy proue?
Loue must free harted be and voluntary,
[Page 188]And not enchaunted or by fate constrain'd.
Nor like that loue which did Ʋlisses carry,
To Circes Ile with mightie charmes.
I. Dauies.
Where heate of Loue doth once possesse the hart,
There cares oppresse the minde, with wondrous ill,
Wit runnes awrie, not fearing subtill smart,
And fond desire doth euer maister will.
The belly neither cares for meate nor drinke,
Nor ouerwatched eyes desite to winke.
Footesteps are false, and wauering too and fro,
The brightsome flower of beautie fades away,
Reason retires, and pleasure brings in woe,
And wisedome yeeldeth place to blacke decay.
Councell and fame, and friendship are condemned,
And bashful shame, and Gods themselues contēned.
Watchfull suspect is kindled with dispaire,
Inconstant hope is often drownd in feares:
What folly hurts not, fortune can repaire,
And miserie doth swim in seas of teares.
Long vse of life is but a liuing foe,
As gentle death is onely end of woe.
Th. Watson.
Vnlawfull meanes doth make loue lawfull gaine,
He speakes most true when he the most doth faine.
M. Drayton.
As many bees, as Hybla daily sheelds,
As many frie as fleet in Oceans face,
As many heards as on the earth do trace,
As many flowers as deckt the fragrant fields,
As many starres as glorious heauen containes,
[Page 189]As many cloudes as wayward winter weepes,
As many plagues as hell enclosed keepes.
So many griefes in Loue, so many paines,
Suspicions, thoughts, desires, opinions, praiers,
Mislikes, misdeeds, fond ioyes, and fained peace,
Illusions, dreames, great paines, and small encrease,
Vowes, hope, acceptance scornes and deepe dispaires.
D. Lodge.
The gnawing enuie, the heartfretting feare,
The vaine surmises, the distinctfull shewes,
The false reports that flying tales do beare,
The doubts, the dangers, the delaies, the woes,
The fained friends, the vnexpected foes,
With thousand more then any tongue can tell,
Do make a Louers life a wretches hell.
Ed. Spencer.
Tis folly by our wisest worldlings prou'd,
If not to gaine by loue) to be belou'd,
B. Ihonson.
Against Loues fier feares frost hath dissolution.
W. Shakespeare.
— Greater conquest of hard Loue he gaines,
That workes it to his will, then he that it constraines.
Ed. Spencer.
[...]nto a Knight there is no greater shame,
[...]hen lightnes and inconstancie in loue.
Idem.
[...]oues weeping flames, by reason do subdue
[...]efore their rage grow to so great vnrest,
[...]s miserable louers vse to rue,
[...]hich stil wax old in woes whil'st woe stil waxeth new
Ed. Spencer.
[Page 190] Old Loue is litle worth when new is more preferd.
Idem.
Who can shew all his loue, can loue but lightly.
S. Daniell.
No man from the monarch loue by wit or weapō flies.
W. Warner.
— Loftie Loue doth loathe a lowly eye.
Ed. Spencer.
Loue thriues not in the heart, that shadowes dreadeth.
W. Shakespeare.
Gather I say, the Rose while it is time,
For soone comes age that will her pride deflame:
Gather the Rose of Loue while yet is time,
Whil'st louing, thou mai'st loued be with equall aime.
Ed. Sp.
O learne to loue, the lesson is but plaine,
And once made perfect, neuer lost againe.
Ʋ Ʋ. Shakespeare.
Louers their loued Ladies loues to gaine
Promise, protest and sweare without regard,
That God doth see and know their falshood still,
And can and shall reuenge it at his will.
Their oathes but words, their words are all but wind,
Vttered in heart, and with like heart forgotten,
As bundles are trust vp coards all rotten.
Coinesse is nought, but worst to be too kind;
Men care not for the good that soone is gotten:
But women of their wits may chiefly boast,
That are made wiser by an others cost.
S. I. H.
[Page 191] He that bindes himselfe in worthy bands,
Although his shew but grace him small:
Although he finde no fauour at her hands,
Sharp words, coy lookes, small thanks, hope none at all,
Though more and more, aloofe from him she stands:
Yet for his heart and thoughts be highly placed,
He must not mourne, although he die disgraced.
Idem.
Dumbe Swans, not chattering Pies do Louers proue,
They loue indeed, who dare not say they loue.
S. Ph. Sydney.
The Louer and beloued are not tied to one Loue.
Ʋ Ʋ. Sh.
He that on Loues blind snares once sets his foote,
Seemeth to draw it backe, but findes it caught,
And madnesse meere in Loue to ouershoote,
The foole hath felt, the wise hath euer taught.
And though in all alike it take not roote,
Yet all shall finde, Loue is a thing of nought.
For sure it is, an open signe of madnesse,
To haue an others pleasure breed thy sadnesse.
S. I. Harrington.
The birds their beake, the lion hath his taile,
And louers nought but sighes and bitter moane,
The spotlesse force of fancie to assaile.
D. Lodge.
Sweete are the kisses, the embracements sweete,
When like desires, and affections meete:
For from the earth to heauen is Cupid raised,
Where fancie is in equall ballance peized.
Ch. Marlowe.
[Page 192] Foule words and frownes must not repell a Louer,
What though the Rose hath prickles, yet tis pluckt,
Were bewtie vnder twentie locks kept fast,
Yet Loue breakes through, and breakes them all at last,
W. Shakespeare.
— Louers houres are long, though seeming short,
If pleasde themselues, others they delight:
In such like circumstance, with such like sport,
Their copious stories oftentimes begun,
End without audience, and are neuer done.
Idem.
A Louer may bestride the Gossamours,
That Idles in the wanton sommer aire,
And yet not full so light is vanitie.
Idem.
The Dutch in loue is proude, Italians enuious,
The French man full of mirth, the Spanyard furious.
Discriptions of Beautie & personage.
VVhat tongue can her perfections tell
[...]n whose each part all pennes may dwell?
Her hayre fine threds of finest gold
[...]n curled knots, mens thoughts to hold,
[...]ut that her forehead saies, in mee,
vvhiter indeed: more white then snow
vvhich on cold winters face doth grow:
That doth present those euen browes,
vvhose equall line their angles bowes
Like to the Moone, when after change
Her horned head abroade doth range;
And arches be to heauenly lids,
vvhose wincke each bold attempt forbids.
For the black starres those spheres containe
The matchlesse paire euen praise doth staine.
No lampe whose light by art is got,
No sunne which shines and setteth not,
Can liken them without all peere
Saue one as much as other cleere,
vvhich onely thus vnhappy bee,
Because themselues they cannot see.
Her cheekes which kindly claret spred,
Aurora like new out of bed,
Or like the fresh Queene apples side,
Blushing at sight of Phoebus pride.
Her nose her chin, pure Iuory weares
No purer then the prety eares:
So that therein appeares some blood
Like wine and milke that mingled stood:
In whose incircles if yee gaze
Your eyes may tread a Louers maze:
But with such turnes the voyce to stray,
No talke vntaught can finde the way,
The lippe no iewell needes to weare,
The lippe is iewell of the eare.
which blessed still themselues doe kisse,
Rubies, cherries, and roses new,
[...]n worth, in tast, in perfect hew:
which neuer part but that they show
Of precious pearles the double row:
The second sweetly fenced ward,
Her heauenly dewed tongue to gard,
whence neuer word in vaine did flow:
[...]aire vnder these doth stately grow
The handle of this precious work,
The necke in which strange graces lurke.
[...]uch be I thinke the sumptuous Towres
[...]hich skill doth make in Princes bowres:
[...]o good a say inuites the eye
[...] little downeward to espie
The liuely clusters of her brests,
[...]f Venus babe the wanton nests.
[...]ike pommels rounde of marble cleere,
[...]here azurde vaines well mixt appeare,
[...]ith dearest tops of Porphirie
[...]etwixt these two away doe lie:
[...]way more worthy beauties fame,
[...]hen that which beares the milkie name,
[...]his leades vnto the ioyous field
[...]hich onely still doth Lillies yeeld,
[...]t Lillies such whose natiue smell
[...]he Indian odours doth excell:
[...]ast it is calld, for it doth wast
[...]ens liues vntill it be imbrast.
[...]here may one see, and yet not see
More white then Neptunes foamy face
vvhen strugling, rocks he would imbrace.
In those delights the wandring thought
Might of each side astray be brought,
But that her nauell doth vnite
In curious circle, busie sight:
A daintie seale of Virgine waxe,
vvhere nothing but impression lacks.
Her belly there glad sight doth fill,
Iustly intituled Cupids hill:
A hill most fit for such a maister,
A spotlesse Mine of Alablaster.
Like Alablaster fayre and sleeke,
But soft and subtile, Satten like:
In that sweete sea the boy doth sport,
Loth I must leaue his cheefe resort,
For such a vse the world hath gotten,
The best things still must be forgotten.
Yet neuer shall my song omit
Her thighes, for Ouids song more fit,
Which flanked with two sugred flancks
Lift vp theyr stately swelling banks,
That Albion cliffes in whitenes passe,
vvith hanches smooth as looking-glasse.
But bow all knees, now of her knees
My tongue doth tell what fancie sees,
The knots of ioy, the iems of loue,
Whose motion makes all graces moue:
vvhose bought incau'd doth yeeld such sight,
Like cunning painter shadowing white.
[Page 389]The gartring place with child-like signe
Shewes easie print in mettall fine:
But then againe the flesh doth rise
In her braue calues, like christall skies,
vvhose Atlas is a smallest small,
More white then whitest bone of all.
Thereout steales out that round cleane foote,
This noble Cedars precious roote,
In shew and sent, pale Violets,
Whose steppe on earth all beauty sets.
But backe vnto her backe my Muse,
vvhere Ledas swan his feathers mewes,
Along whose ridge such bones are met
Like Comfets round in Marchpane set.
Her shoulders be like two white Doues
Pearching in square royall rooues,
Which leaded are with siluer skin
Passing the hate-spot Ermelin.
And thence those armes deriued are,
The Phenixe wings are not so rare
For faultlesse length and stainelesse hue;
Ah woe is mee, my woes renew.
Now course doth leade me to her hand,
Of my first loue the fatall band,
vvhere whitenes doth for euer sit,
Nature her selfe inameld it:
For there, with strange compact doth lie
Warme snow, moist pearle, soft Iuorie.
There fall those Saphire coloured brookes,
Which conduit like with curious crookes
Sweete Ilands make in that sweet land.
The bloody shafts of Cupids war,
vvith Amathists they headed are.
Thus hath each part his beauties part.
But now the Graces doe impart
To all her limms a speciall grace,
Becomming euery time and place.
vvhich doth euen beauty beautifie,
And most bewitch the wretched eye.
Now all this is but a faire Inne,
Of fayrest guests which dwell therein:
Of whose high praise, and praisefull blisse,
Goodnes the pen, heauen paper is,
The Incke immortall fame doth lend.
As I began, so must I end:
No tongue can her perfections tell,
In whose each part all pens may dwell.
S. Phil. Sidney.
Her face so faire, as flesh it seemed not,
But heauenly pourtrait of bright Angels hue,
Cleere as the skie, withouten blame or blot,
Through goodly mixture of complexions due,
And in her cheekes the vermell red did show,
Like roses in a bed of Lillies shed,
The which Ambrosiall odours from her threw,
And gazers sence with double pleasure fed,
Able to heale the sick, and to reuiue the dead.
In her faire eyes two liuing lamps did flame,
Kindled aboue, at th'heauenly Makers light,
And darted fiery beames about the same
So passing persant, and so wondrous bright,
[Page 391]That quite bereau'd the rash beholders sight.
In them the blinded God his lustfull fire
To kindle oft assaide but had no might,
For with dread maiestie and awful ire
Shee broke his wanton shafts & quencht his base desire.
Her Iuory forhead, ful of bounty braue
Like a broade table did it selfe dispread,
For loue his loftie tryumphs to ingraue,
And write the battailes of his great god-head,
All good and honour might therein be read,
For there their dwelling was. And when she spake,
Sweet words like dropping honney she did shed,
And twixt the pearles and Rubies softly broke
A siluer sound that heauenly musick seemd to make.
Vpon her eye-lids many graces sate
Vnder the shadow of her euen browes,
Working belgards and amorous retrate,
And euery one her with a grace endowes,
And euery one with meekenes to her bowes:
So glorious mirror of celestiall grace,
And soueraigne monument of mortal vowes,
How shal fraile pen describe her heauenly face,
For feare through want of skil her beauty to disgrace?
So faire, and thousand thousand times more faire
Shee seem'd, when she presented was to sight,
And was yclad for heate of scorching ayre
All in a silken Camous, lilly white,
Purfled vpon with many a folded plight:
Which al aboue besprinckled was throughout
vvith golden aygulets that glistered bright
Like twinckling starres: and al the skyrt about
Below her hamme her weede did somewhat traine,
And her straite leggs most brauely were embaild
In gilden Buskins of costly Cordwaine,
All bard with golden bends which were entaild
vvith curious antiques, and full fayre aumaild.
Before they fastned were vnder her knee
In a rich Iewell, and therein intrailde
The ends of all theyr knots, that none might see
How they within theyr foldings close enwrapped bee:
Like two fayre Marble pillers they were seene,
vvhich doe the temple of the Gods support,
vvhom all the people deck with garlands greene:
Those same with stately grace and princely port
Shee taught to tread when she herselfe would grace.
But with the wooddy Nimphs when she did play,
Or when the flying Libbard she did chace,
Shee could then nimbly mooue, and after flie a pace.
VVithin her hand a sharp Bore-speare she held,
And at her back a bow and quiuer gay,
Shaft with steele-headed darts, wherewith she queld
The sauage beasts in her victorious play:
Knit with a golden bauldrick, which forlay
Athwart the snowy breast, and did deuide
Her dainty paps, which like young fruite in May
Now little gan to swell; and beeing tyde,
Through her thin weede theyr places signified.
Her yellow locks crisped, like golden wyre,
About her shoulders weren loosely shed,
And when the winde amongst them did inspyre,
They waued like a Penon wide despred,
[Page 393]And low behinde her backe were scattered:
And whether art it were, or heedelesse hap,
As through the flowring forrest rash she fled,
In her rude haires sweete flowers did wrap
Such as Diana by the sandy shore
Of swift Eurotas, or on Cynthus greene;
vvhere all the Nimphs haue her vnwares forlore,
Wandreth alone, with bowes and arrowes keene
To seeke her game: or as that famous Queene
Of Amazons, whom Pyrhus did destroy
The day that first of Priam shee was seene,
Did shew herselfe in great tryumphant ioy,
To succour the weake state of sad-afflicted Troy.
Edm. Spencer.
Her yellow locks exceede the beaten gold,
Her sparkling eyes in heauen a place deserue,
Her forhead high and faire, of comely mold:
her words are musicall, of siluer sound,
her wit so sharp, as like can scarce be found.
Each eye-brow hangs like Iris in the skyes,
Her Eagles nose is straite, of stately frame,
On eyther cheeke a Rose and Lilly lyes,
Her breath is sweet perfume, or holy flame:
her lips more red then any Corrall stone,
her necke more white then aged Swans that mone.
Her breast transparent is, like christall rock,
Her fingers long, fit for Apollos Lute,
Her slipper such as Momus dare not mock,
Her vertues are so great, as make me mute.
vvhat other parts she hath, I neede not say,
vvhose fairest face alone is my decay.
Tho. Watson.
[Page 394] Like to the cleere in highest spheare
vvhere al imperious glory shines,
Of selfe same colour is her hayre
vvhether vnfolded or in twines:
Her eyes are Saphyres set in snow,
Refyning heauen by euery winke,
The Gods doe feare when as they glow,
And I doe tremble when I thinke.
Her cheekes are like the blushing clowde
That beautifies Auroras face,
Or like the siluer crimson shrowde
That Phoebus smiling locks doe grace:
Her lips are like two budded Roses
Whom ranks of Lillies neighbour nie,
vvhich with bounds she stil incloses,
Apt to intice a deitie.
Her necke is like a stately towre,
vvhere Loue himselfe in pleasure lies,
To watch for glaunces euery howre
From her diuine and sacred eyes.
Her paps are centers of delight,
Her paps are rocks of heauenly flame,
vvhere Nature moulds the dew of light
To feede perfection with the same:
With orient pearle, with Rubie red,
vvith Marble white, with azure blew,
Her body euery way is fed,
Yet soft in touch, and sweet in view:
Nature herselfe her shape admires,
The Gods are wounded in her sight,
And Loue forsakes his heauenly fires,
D. Lodge.
She lay and seemd a flood of Diamant
Bounded in flesh: as stil as Ʋespers haire
When not an Aspen leafe is stird with ayre:
She lay at length, like an immortal soule
At endlesse rest in blest Elizium,
And then did true felicitie inroule
So faire a Lady, figure of her kingdom.
Now as she lay attirde in nakednes
His eye did carue him on that feast of feasts,
Sweet fieldes of life which deaths foote dare not presse,
Flowrd with th'vnbroken waues of my loues breasts,
See wherewith bent of gold curld into knots.
In her heads groue the spring-bird Lameat nests,
Her body doth present those fields of peace
vvhere soules are feasted with the soule of ease.
To proue which Paradice that nurseth these,
See see the golden riuers that renowne it,
Rich Gyhon, Tigris, Phison, Euphrates,
Two from her bright Pelopian shoulders crowne it,
And two out of her snowy hills doe glide,
That with a deluge of delight doe drowne it:
These highest two their precious streames deuide
To tenne pure floods that do the body dutie,
Bounding themselues in length, but not in beauty.
These wind theyr courses through the paynted bowers,
And raise such sounds in theyr inflection
As ceaselesse start from earth fresh sorts of flowers,
And bound that booke of life with euery section.
In these the Muses dare not swim for drowning,
[Page 396]Theyr sweetnes poysons with such sweet infection,
And leaues the onely lookers on them swouning,
These formes and colour makes them so to shine,
That Gods for them, would cease to be diuine.
G. Chapman.
Her Lilly hand her rosie cheekes lie vnder,
Coosning the pillow of a lawfull kisse,
Who therefore angry, seemes to part in sunder,
Swelling on eyther side to want his blisse,
Betweene whose hills her head entombed is;
Where, like a vertuous monument she lyes,
To be admirde of lewd vnhallowed eyes.
VVithout the bed her other fayre hand was
On the greene Couerlet, whose perfect white
Shewd like an Aprill daisie on the grasse,
vvith pearlie sweat, resembling dewe of night;
Her eyes like Marigolds had sheath'd theyr light:
And canopied in darknes, sweetly lay,
Till they might open to adorne the day.
Her haire like golden threds, playd with her breath,
(O modest wantons, wanton modestie)
Shewing lifes tryumph in the Map of death,
And deaths dim lookes in lifes mortalitie:
Each in her sleepe themselues so beautifie
As if betweene them twaine there were no strife,
But that life liu'd in death, and death in life.
Her breasts like Iuory globes circled with blew,
A payre of mayden worlds vnconquered,
Saue of theyr Lord, no bearing yoke they knew,
And him by oath they truly honoured:
These worlds in Tarquin new ambition bred:
From this faire throne to heaue the owner out.
W. Shakespeare.
Starres fall to fetch fresh light from her rich eyes,
Her bright brow driues the sunne to clowdes beneath,
Her haires reflexe, with red strakes paint the skies,
Sweet morne and euening dew falls from her breath.
T. Nash.
Fayrer then Isaacks louer at the vvell,
Brighter then inside barke of new hewen Cedar,
Sweeter then flames of fire-perfumed Mirrhe,
And comlier then the siluer clowdes that daunce
On Zephyrus wings before the King of heauen.
G. Peele.
Her lookes were like beames of the morning sunne
Forth-looking through the windowes of the East,
When first the fleecie cattell haue begunne
Vpon the pearled grasse to make theyr feast:
Her thoughts are like the fume of Francensence,
Which from a golden Censor forth did rise:
And throwing forth sweet odours, mounts from thence
In rolling globes vp to the vaulted skies:
There she beholds with hie aspyring thought,
The cradle of her owne creation:
Among the seates of Angels, heauenly wrought,
Much like an Angell in all forme and fashion.
S. Daniell.
Her locks are pleighted like the fleece of wooll
That Iason with his Grecian mates atchiu'd,
As pure as gold, yet not from gold deriu'd,
As full of sweets, as sweet of sweetes is full:
[Page 398]Her browes are prety tables of conceate,
Where Loue his records of delight doth quote,
On them her dallying locks doe daily floate,
As loue ful oft doth feede vpon the baite▪
Her eyes, faire eyes, like to the purest lights
That animate the sunne, or cheere the day,
In whom the shining sun-beames brightly play
vvhilst fancie doth on them deuine delights.
Her cheekes like ripened Lillies steept in wine,
Or fayre Pomegranate kirnels washt in milke,
Or snow-white threds in nets of Crimson silke,
Or gorgeous clowdes vpon the sunnes decline.
Her lips like Roses ouer-washt with dew,
Or like the Purple of Narcissus flowre,
No frost theyr faire, no wind doth wrest theyr powre,
But by her breath theyr beauties do renew.
Her christal chin like to the purest mould
Enchast with dainties, Daisies soft and white,
Where Fairies faire pauilion once is pight,
Whereas embrasd his beauties he doth hold.
Her necke like to an Iuory shining towre,
Where through with azure vaines sweet Nectar runnes,
Or like the downe of swanns,
Or like delight that doth it selfe deuoure.
Her paps are like fayre apples in the prime,
As round as orient pearles, as soft as downe,
They neuer vaile theyr faire through winters frowne,
But from these sweets Loue suckt his sommer time:
Her bodies beauties best esteemed bowre,
Delicious, comely, dainty, without staine,
The thought whereof (not toucht) hath wrought my paine.
[Page 399]Whose face so faire all beauties doth distaine,
Her maiden wombe the dwelling house of pleasure,
Not like, for why no like surpasseth wonder:
O blest is he may bring such beauties vnder,
Or search by suite the secrets of that treasure.
R. Greene.
Like to Diana in her sommer weede
Girt with a Crimson robe of brightest die
goes fayre Samela,
As fayre Aurora in her morning gray,
Deckt with the ruddy lustre of her loue
is fayre Samela,
Like louely Thetis on a calmed day,
When as her brightnes Neptunes fancie moues,
Shines faire Samela.
Her tresses gold, her eyes like glassie streames,
Her teeth are pearle, the breasts are Iuory
of faire Samela.
Her cheekes like rosie-lillies yeeld forth gleames,
Her browes bright arches, framde of Ebonie,
thus faire Samela.
Passeth faire Ʋenus in her brauest hue,
And Iuno in the shew of maiestie,
for she is Samela.
Pallas in wit, all three if you will view,
For beauty wit, and matchlesse dignitie,
yeeldes faire Samela.
D. Lodge.
Their soft young cheeke-balls to the eye,
Are of the fresh vermilion die,
So Lillies out of Scarlet peere,
So shot two wanton starres yfere,
In the eternall burning Sphere.
G. Chapman.
Her eyes like Gemini attend on Ioue,
Her stately front was figured from aboue:
Her dainty nose of Iuory faire and sheene,
Bepurfurate with ruddy Roses beene.
Her cherry lips doth daunt the morning dew,
From whence a breath so pleasant doth ensue
As that which layd fayre Psyches in the vale,
Whom Cupid woed, and woed to his auaile:
Within the compasse of which hollow sweet,
Those orient rancks of siluer perles do meet,
Prefixing like prefixion to the eye,
As siluer clowd amidst the sommers skie,
From whence such words in wisedome couched be,
As Gods from thence fetch theyr Phylosophie.
Her dimpled chin of Alablaster white,
Her stately necke, where nature did acquite
Her selfe so well, as that at suddaine sight
Shee wisht the worke were spent vpon herselfe,
Her cunning thus was showed vpon the shelfe;
For in this hand was fancie painted faire▪
In eyther hand an azure hand she bare.
By one, repeating many a sweete consent,
By th'other, comfort to the hart she sent:
From which a seemely passage there doth flow
To strangers pleasures that are placst below;
Like to the furrow Phaeton did leaue
Amidst the Welkin, when he did receaue
[Page 401]His Fathers charge, and set the world on fire.
In this fayre path oft paced sweet desire,
At euery turne beholding with delight
That marble mount that did affect the sight.
Of Virgine waxe the sweet impression was,
The cunning compasse thereof did surpasse,
For arte concluding all perfections there,
Writ this report, all graces dwelleth heere.
Which Cupid spying, built his mansion so,
As scorning those sweet graces to bestow
On mortall man, with bow ybent doth waite
Least Ioue should steale impressions by deceit,
And wondring at the crisped Comet faire,
In thought concludes it meeter for the ayre
Then mortall mould: next with the stately thighes,
Like two fayre compast marble pillars rise,
Whose white doth staine the dainty driuen snow;
Next which the knees with lustie bent below
Conioynd with nerues and cordes of Amber sweet,
These stately piles with gladsome honour greet:
Such stately knees as when they bend alite,
All knees doe bend and bow with strange delight.
Her calues with stranger compasse doe succeede,
In which the azure streames a wonder breede,
Both arte and nature therein laboured haue
To paint perfection in her colours braue.
Next which, the prety ground-worke of the pyle
Doth show it selfe, and wonder doth beguile;
The ioynts whereof combinde of Amber sweet,
With Corrall cords yeeld bent to seemely feete,
From which who list to lift his gazing eye,
[Page 402]Shall greater cause of wonder soone espy:
When on the backe he bends his wauering looke
In which the worke and taske Diana tooke
vvhen with Arachne for the prize she straue,
Both arte and nature there excellence haue;
Where from Pigmalions image seemelie white,
vvhose close conueyance passing Gordians plight,
vvhere louely Nectar, drinke for all the Gods,
vvhere euery Grace is stained there by ods,
vvill not content which gazing looke for more,
And spy those armes that stand his sight before
vvhich for their mould th'Egyptian wonders passe,
Which for their beauty staine the christall glasse,
vvhich in theyr bosome couer natures sweet,
vvhere blushing streames present a secret meet,
vvill now amazde, conclude at last of this,
That in the hands all grace concluded is:
vvhere nature limits euer fatall time,
vvhere fortune figures pleasure in her prime,
vvhence spread those fingers typt with Iuory,
vvhose touch Medusas turne may well supply:
vvhere to conclude, now all the shepheards deeme
All grace, all beauty, all perfections seeme.
D. Lodge.
Yet neuer eye to Cupids seruice vowde
Beheld a face of such a louely pride:
A Tynsill vale her golden locks did shrowde,
That stroue to couer what it could not hide:
The golden sunne behind a siluer clowde,
So streameth out his beames on euery side,
The marble goddesse set at Cnidos naked
[Page 403]Shee seemd; were she vncloth'd, or that awaked.
The gamesome winde among her tresses plaies,
And curleth vp those growing riches short,
Her sparefull eye to spread his beames denaies,
But keepes his shot where Cupid keepes his fort.
F. G.
Shee was a woman in her freshest age
Of wondrous beauty, and of bounty rare,
vvith goodly grace and comly personage
That was on earth not easie to compare,
Full of great loue, but Cupids wanton snare
As hell she hated: chast in word and will,
Her necke and breasts were euer open bare,
That aye thereof her babes might suck theyr fill,
The rest was all in yellow robes araied still.
Edm. Spencer.
A shape whose like in waxe was hard to frame,
Or to expresse by skill of Painters rare;
Her hayre was long and yellow to the same,
As might with wyer of beaten gold compare:
Her louely cheekes with shew of modest shame,
vvith Roses and with Lillyes painted are.
Her forhead faire, and full of seemely cheere,
As smooth as pollisht Iuory doth appeare:
Vnder two arches of most curious fashion
Stand two black eyes, that like two cleere suns shind.
Steddy in looke, but apt to take compassion,
Amid which lights the naked boy and blind
Casteth his darts that cause so many a passion,
Leauing a sweet and curelesse wound behind,
From whence the nose in such good sort descended▪
[Page 404]As enuy knowes not how it may be mended.
Vnder the which, in due and comly space
Standeth the mouth, stainde with vermilion hew,
Two rowes of pearles serue in theyr place,
Hence come the courteous words and full of grace
That mollifie hard harts and make them new:
From hence proceed those smilings sweet and nice,
That seeme to make an earthly Paradice.
Her brests as milke, her necke as white as snow,
Round was her necke, most plum and large her breast,
Two Iuory apples seemed there to grow,
Tender and smooth, and fittest to be prest,
Wauing like seas when wind most calme doth blow.
Argos himselfe might not discerne the rest,
Yet by presumption well it might be gest
That that which was concealed was the best.
Her armes due measure of proportion bare,
Her fayre white hand was to be viewed plaine,
The fingers long, the ioynts so curious are
As neyther knot appeard nor swelling vaine,
And full to perfect all those features rare,
The foote that to be seene doth sole remaine,
Slender and short, little it was and round,
A finer foote might no where well be found.
S. I. Harr.
Apollo when my mistris first was borne
Cut off his locks, and left them on her head,
And sayd, I plant these wyres in natures scorne,
Whose lustre shall appeare when time is dead:
From forth the christall heauen when she was made,
The puritie thereof did taint her brow,
[Page 405]On which the glistering that sought the shade
Gan set, and there his glories doth avow.
Those eyes, fayre eyes, too faire to be describ'd,
Were those that erst the Chaos did reforme,
To whom the heauens theyr beauties haue ascribd,
That fashion life in man, in beast, in worme,
When first her fayre delicious cheekes were wrought,
Aurora brought her blush, the Moone her white,
Both so combinde as passed natures thought,
Compild those prety orbes of sweet delight:
When loue and nature once were proud with play,
From forth theyr lips, her lips their colour drew,
On them doth fancie sleepe, and euery day
Doth swallow ioy such sweet delights to view.
While one while Venus sonne did seeke a bowre
To sport with Psyches his desired deere,
He chose her chin, and from that happy stowre
He neuer stints in glory to appeare.
Desires and ioyes that long had serued loue,
Besought a hold where prety eyes might wooe them,
Loue made her neck, and for her best behoue
Hath shut them there where no man can vndoe them.
Once Ʋenus dreamd vpon two prety things,
Her thoughts, they were affections cheefest nests,
She suckt and sigh'd, and bath'd her in the springs,
And when she wakt, they were my mistres breasts.
Once Cupid sought a hold to couch his kisses,
And found the body of my best belou'd,
Wherein he cloyd the beauty of his blisses,
And from that bower can neuer be remou'd.
The Graces erst when Acidalian springs
[Page 406]vvere wexen dry, perhaps did finde her fountaine
Within the bale of blisse, where Cupids wings
Doe shield the Nectar fleeting from the fountaine.
R. Greene.
Her curious locks of gold like Tagus sands,
Her forhead smooth and white as Iuory,
vvhere glory, state, and bashfulnes held hands:
Her eyes, one making peace, the other wars,
By Ʋenus one, the other ruld by Mars.
Her Eagles nose, her scarlet cheeke halfe white,
Her teeth of orient pearle, her gracious smile,
Her dimpled chin, her breast as cleere as light,
Her hand like hers whom Titan did beguile.
Tho. Watson.
Queene Vertues caue which some call Stellas face
Repaird by natures cheefest furniture,
Hath his forfront of Alablaster pure,
Gold is the couering of that stately place:
The doore by which sometimes runnes forth her grace,
Red Porphirie which lock of pearle makes sure,
Whose porches rich which name of cheekes endure,
Marble-mixt red and white doe interlace.
The windowes now through which this heauenly gues [...]
Lookes on the world, and can finde nothing such
vvhich dare claime from those sights the name of best,
Of touch they are that without touch do touch,
vvhich Cupids selfe from beauties mine did draw,
Of touch they are, and poore I, am theyr straw.
S. Phil. Sidney.
[Page 407] Two sunnes at once from one faire heauen there shind,
Ten branches from two boughes tipt all with roses,
Pure locks, more golden then is gold refinde,
Two pearled rowes that natures pride incloses;
Two mounts faire marble, white downe, soft & dainty,
Full wofull makes my hart, and body fainty.
D. Lodge.
O shee doth teach the torches to burne bright,
It seemes she hangs vpon the cheeke of night
As a rich Iewell in an Ethiops eare,
Beauty too rich for vse, for earth too deare:
So showes a snowy Doue trooping with crowes,
As yonder Lady ore her fellowes showes.
W. Shakespeare.
To make the wondrous power of heauen appeare
In nothing more then her perfections found,
Close to her nauill she her mantle wrests,
Slacking it vpwards, and the folds vnwound,
Showing Latonas twins, her plenteous brests:
The Sunne and Cynthia in their tryumph robes
Of Lady skin more rich then both theyr globes.
G. Chapman.
Vpon a bed of Roses she was layd,
As faint through heate, or dight to pleasant sin,
And was araide, or rather disaraid
All in a vaile of silke and siluer thin,
That hid no whit her Alablaster skin,
But rather showd more white, if more might be;
More subtile web Arachne cannot spin,
Nor the fine nets which oft we wouen see
Of scorched dew, do not in th'ayre more lightly flie.
[Page 408]Her snowy breast was bare to ready spoyle
Of hungry eyes, which not therewith be fild,
And yet through languor of her late sweet toyle,
Few drops more cleere then Nectar forth distild,
That like pure orient pearles adowne it thrild,
Fraile harts yet quenched not, like starry light,
which sparkling on the silent waues, doe seeme more bright.
Edm. Spen.
Her Iuory necke, her Alablaster breast,
Her paps, which like white silken pillowes were,
For loue in soft delight thereon to rest:
Her tender sides, her belly white and cleere,
Which like an Altar did it selfe vpreare,
To offer sacrifice deuine thereon:
Her goodly thighes, whose glory did appeare
Like a triumphall arch, and thereupon
The spoiles of Princes hangd, which were in battaile wone.
Idem.
— Her sparkling eyes
Doe lighten forth sweet loues alluring fire,
And in her tresses she doth fold the lookes
Of such as gaze vpon her golden hayre.
Her bashfull white, mixt with the mornings red,
Luna doth boast vpon her louely cheekes:
Her front is Beauties table, where she paints
The glories of her gorgeous excellence:
Her teeth are shelues of precious Margarite,
Richly inclosd with ruddy Currall cleeues.
R. Greene.
My mistres is a paragon, the fayrest fayre aliue,
Alcides and Aeacides for fairelesse faire did striue,
[Page 409] Her colour fresh as damaske rose, her breath as violet, Her body white as Iuory, as smooth as pollisht Iet,
As soft as down, & were she downe, Ioue might com down & kisse
A loue so fresh, so sweet, so white, so smooth, so soft as this.
W. Warner.
Then cast she off her roabe and stoode vpright,
As lightning breakes out of the labouring clowde,
Or as the morning heauen casts off her night,
Or as that heauen cast off it selfe, and showde
Heauens vpper light, to which the brightest day
Is but a black and melancholy shrowde:
Or as when Venus striu'd for soueraigne sway
Of choisefull beauty in young Troyes desire,
So stoode Corinna varnishing her tyre.
G. Chapman.
Herewith she rose, like the Autumnall starre
Fresh burnisht in the lofty Ocean flood,
That darts his glorious influence more farre
Then any lampe of bright Olympus broode:
Shee lifts her lightning armes aboue her head
And stretcheth a Meridian, from her blood
That slept awakt in her Elizian bed:
Then knit shee vp, least loosd, her glowing haire
Should scorch the centre, and incense the ayre.
Idem.
Sweete mouth that sendst a muskie-rosied breath
Fountaine of Nectar and delightfull balme,
Eyes clowdy-cleere, smile-frowning, stormie-calme,
Whose euery glaunce darts me a lyuing death:
Browes, bending quaintly, your round Eben arkes,
Smile, that then Ʋenus sooner Mars besets,
[Page 410]Locks more then golden, curld in curious knots,
vvhere in close ambush wanton Cupid lurkes,
Grace Angel-like, faire forhead, smooth and hie,
Pure white that dimst the Lillies of the vale,
Vermilion rose that mak'st Aurora pale.
I. Siluester.
Such colour had her face as when the sunne
Shines in a watry clowde in pleasant spring;
And euen as when the Sommer is begunne
The Nightingales in boughes doe sit and sing,
So the blind God, whose force can no man shunne
Sits in her eyes, and thence his darts doth fling:
Bathing his wings in her bright christal streames,
And sunning them in her rare beauties beames.
In these he heads his golden-headed dart,
In those he cooleth it, and tempereth so,
He leuels thence at good Obertos hart,
And to the head he drawes it in his bow.
S. I. Harr.
— Olympias beauty was so rare
As well might moue a man the same to note:
Her hayre, her cheekes, her eyes, most amorous are,
Her nose, her mouth, her shoulders, and her throat,
As for her other parts that then were bare,
Which she was wont to couer with her coate,
Were made in such a mould as might haue moued
The chast Hippolitus her to haue loued:
A man would thinke them framd by Phidias arts,
Theyr colour and proportion good was such:
And vnto them her shamefastnes imparts
A greater grace to that before was much.
[Page 411]I cease to praise those other secret parts,
Nothing so fit to talke of as to touch:
In generall, all was as white as milk,
As smooth as Iuory, and as soft as silke.
Had shee in vally of Idea beene
vvhen Pastor Paris hap did so befall
To be a Iudge three goddesses betweene,
She should haue got, and they forgone the ball:
Had she but once of him beene naked seene,
For Helena he had not card at all,
Nor broke the bonds of sacred hospitalitie,
That bred his country wars and great mortalitie.
Had she but then been in Crotona towne,
When Zeuxis for the Goddesse Iunos sake
To paint a picture of most rare renowne
Did many of the fayrest damsels make
To stand before him bare from foote to crowne,
A patterne of theyr perfect parts to take,
No doubt he would haue all the rest refused,
And her alone in sted of all haue chused.
S. I. Harr.
Faire is my loue for Aprill in her face,
Her louely breasts September claimes his part,
And lordly Iuly in her eyes hath place,
But cold December dwelleth in her hart,
Blest be the months that sets my hart on fire,
Accurst that month that hindreth my desire.
Like Phaebus fire, so sparkles both her eyes,
As ayre perfum'd with Amber is her breath,
Like swelling waues her louely teates doe rise,
As earth her hart cold, dateth me to death.
Loue twixt her breasts his trophies doth imprint,
Her eyes shines fauour, curtesie, and grace,
But touch her hart, oh that is made of flint.
R. Greene.
Her hayre not trust, but scattered on her brow,
Surpassing Hyblaes honney for the view,
Or softened golden wyers.
Within these snares first was my hart intrapped,
Till through those golden shrouds mine eye did see
An Iuory shadowed front, wherein was wrapped
Those prety bowers where graces couched be:
Next which, her cheekes appeard like Crimson silke,
Or ruddy rose bespred in whitest milke.
Twixt which, the nose in louely tenor bends
Two traces prety for a louers view:
Next which her lips like violets commends
By true proportion that which doth ensue;
Which when they smile, present vnto the eyes
The Oceans pride, and Iuory paradize.
Her pollisht necke of milke, where snows doe shine
As when the Moone in winter night beholds them,
Her breast of Alablaster cleere and fine,
vvhereon two rising apples fayre vnfold them,
Like Cynthias face when in her full she shineth,
And blushing, to her loue-mates bower declineth.
From whence in length her armes doe sweetly spread,
Like two rare branchie Saples in the spring,
Yeelding fiue louely sprigs from euery head,
Proportioned alike in euery thing;
[Page 413]which featly sprout in length like spring borne friends
vvhose prety tops, with fiue sweet roses ends.
But why alas should I that marble hide
That doth adorne that one and other flanck,
From whence a mount of quickned snow doth glide,
Or else the vaile that bounds this milk-white banke,
vvhere Ʋenus and her sisters hide the fount,
vvhose louely Nectar doth all sweetes surmount.
D. Lodge.
Whilst thus she meant vnseene away to slide,
Her pearles and iewels causde her to be spide,
The muske and ciuet amber as she past,
Long after her a sweet perfume did cast:
A Carbuncle on her christall brow she pight,
vvhose fierie gleames expeld the shady night:
Vpon her head a siluer crispe she pind,
Loose wauing on her shoulders with the wind.
Gold band her golden hayre, her Iuory neck,
The Rubies rich, and Saphires blew did deck,
And at her eare, a pearle of greater valew
There hung, then that the Egyptian Queene did swallow
And through her coller showd her snowy brest,
Her vtmost robe was colour blew celest,
Benetted all with twist of perfect gold,
Beseeming well her comly corps t'enfold.
What els she ware, might wel be seene vpon
That Queene who built the towers of Babylon.
Her wauering hayre disparpling flew apart,
In seemely shed, the rest with recklesse art,
vvith many a curling ring decord her face,
And gaue her ghastly browes a greater grace.
[Page 414]Two bending bowes of Eben coupled right,
Two lucent starres that were of heauenly light,
Two ietty sparks where Cupid chastly hides
His subtile shafts that from his quiuer glides:
Tweene those two sunnes and front of equall size,
A comly figure formally did rise,
vvhich draught vnleuell to her lip descend,
vvhere Momus selfe could nothing discommend.
Her pittid cheekes appeard to bee depaint
vvith mixed rose and lillies, sweet and saint:
Her dulcet mouth with precious breath repleat,
Exceld the Saben Queene in sauour sweet:
Her corrall lips discouered as it were
Two ranks of orient pearles with smyling cheere:
Her Iuory necke, and breast of Alablaster,
Made heathen men of her more Idolastre.
Vpon her hand no wrinckled knot was seene,
But as each nayle of Mother of pearle had beene:
In short, this Iudith was so passing faire,
As if the learned Zeuxis had beene there
And seene this dame when he with pensill drew
The Croton dames, to forme the picture true
Of her for whom both Greece and Asia fought,
This onely patterne chiefe he would haue sought.
Tho. Hudson.
Her words were like a streame of honny fleeting,
The which doth softly trickle from the hiue,
Able to melt the hearers hart vnweeting,
And eke to make the dead againe to liue:
Her deedes were like great clusters of ripe grapes
Which loade the bunches of the fruitfull Vine,
[Page 415]Offering to fall into each mouth that gapes,
And fill the same with store of timely wine.
Her breast two hills ore-spread with purest snow,
Sweet, smooth, and supple, soft and gently swelling
Betweene them lyes a milkie dale below,
vvhere loue, youth, gladnes, whitenes make their dwelling,
Her enuious vesture greedy sight expelling:
So was the wanton clad, as if thus much
Should please the eye, the rest vnseene they touch:
As when the sunne-beames diue through Tagus waue
To spy the store-house of his springing gold,
Loue persing thought so through her mantle draue,
And in their gentle bosome wandred bold:
It viewd the wondrous beautie Virgins haue,
And all to finde desire (with vantage) bold.
Alas what hope is left to quench this fire,
That kindled is by sight, blowne by desire.
D. Lodge.
Fayrer then was the Nymph of Mercurie,
Who when bright Phaebus mounteth vp his coach,
And tracks Aurora in her siluer steps,
And sprinckling from the folding of her lap,
White Lillies, Roses, and sweet Violets.
R. Greene.
— Her Angels face
As the great eye of heauen shined bright,
And made a sunshine in the shady place,
Did neuer mortall eye behold such heauenly grace.
Edm. Spencer.
[Page 416] Not that night-wandring pale and watry starre,
(vvhen yawning dragons draw her thirsting carre
From Latmus mount vp to the gloomie skie,
vvhere crownd with blazing light and maiestie
She proudly sits) more ouer-rules the flood,
Then she the harts of those that neere her stood.
Ch. Marlow.
— O Daphne is more fayre
Then Angels swimming in the fluxiuyce ayre.
Could Loues rich bed-chamber her two bright eyes,
Lodge but two guests at once, Beautie and Mercy▪
Beauty lyes alwayes there, did Mercy too
Phaebus were then Daphne should be
Transformd into a stately dignitie.
Th. Dekkar.
Her stature comly tall, her gate well graced, and her wit,
To maruaile at, not medle with, as matchlesse I omit:
A globe-like head, a gold-like haire, a forhead smooth & hie [...]
An euen nose, on eyther side stoode out a grayish eye,
Two rosie cheeks, round ruddy lips, white iust set teeth within
A mouth in mean, & vnderdeath, a round & dimpled chin:
Her snowish neck with blewish vaines stood bolt vpright vpon
Her portly shoulders, beating balls her vained brests anon
Ad more to beauty: wand-like was her middle, falling still,
And rising whereas women rise, imagine nothing ill,
And more, her long & limber arms had white and azurd wrist▪
And slender fingers answer to her smooth & lilly fists,
A leg in print, a prety foote, coniecture of the rest,
For amorous eyes obseruing forme, think parts obscured best
W. Warner.
[Page 417] See where she issues in her beauties pompe,
As Flora to salute the morning sunne:
vvho when she shakes her tresses in the ayre,
Raines on the earth dissolued pearle in showres,
vvhich with his beames the sunne exhales to heauen:
She holdes the spring and sommer in her armes,
And euery plant puts on his freshest robes
To dannce attendance on her princely steps,
Springing and fading as she comes and goes.
G. Chapman.
Her hayre was loose, & bout her shoulders hung,
Vpon her browes did Ʋenus naked lye,
And in her eyes did all the Graces swim.
Her cheekes that showd the temper of the mind,
Were beauties mornings where she euer rose,
Her lyps were loues rich altars where she makes
Her hart a neuer-ceasing sacrifice:
Her teeth stoode like a ranke of Dians maydes
vvhen naked in a secrete bower they bathe;
Her long round necke was Cupids quiuer calld,
And her sweet words that flew from her, his shafts,
Her soft round brests were his sole trauaild Alpes,
vvhere snow that thawed with sunne did euer lye,
Her fingers bounds to her rich deitie.
Idem.
[...]n Paradise of late a Dame begun
To peepe out of her bed with such a grace,
As matcht the rising of the morning sunne,
[...]vith drops of honney falling from her face,
Brighter then Phaebus fierie-pointed beames,
Or ycie crust of christall frozen streames.
[Page 418]Her hayre like Amber twisted vp in gold,
Passing the pride or riches of the East,
With curious knots were into trammels rould,
As snary nettings for a wandring guest;
The feathers deckt her with a quaint disdaine
Like Iunos byrd in pompe of spotted traine.
Her shining forhead doth suppresse the starres,
New lightning sparkles from her louely cheekes,
Her percing sight the stroake of beauties warres,
Wherewith the conquest of the world she seekes:
Braue be the darts that from her eyes she throwes,
When Cupid lurkes betweene her louely browes,
Arabian odours breathe out of her talke,
Which she betweene the pearle and Ruby breaketh,
So smooth a compasse hath her tongue to walke,
As makes both heauen & earth blush whē she speaketh
No singing bird in all the ayre but doates,
And lay theyr eares attentiue to her notes.
Her necke, her shoulders, and her breasts were bare,
Diana-like aboue the water smiling:
No snow, Iuory, or Alablaster there,
No statue of white Marble, me beguiling,
But the sweet season of the yeere I found
When Lillies peepe out of the grassie ground.
Her other parts vnto my view denide,
Much like the lampe that burnt at Psyches bed,
Made such a fire into my hart to glide
That loue awaked, and my body bled:
O had she not so great a force to please,
Desire had slept, and I had liu'd at ease.
S. G.
[Page 419] Astronomers the heauens doe deuide
Into eyght houses, where the Gods remaine,
All which in thy perfections doe abide,
For in thy feete the Queene of silence raignes,
About thy wast Ioues messenger doth dwell,
Inchaunting me, as I thereat admire,
And on thy duggs the Queene of loue doth tell
Her godheads power in scroules of my desire:
Thy beautie is the worlds eternall sunne,
Thy fauours force a cowards hart to darres,
And in thy hayres, Ioue and his riches wonne,
Thy frownes hold Saturne, thine eyes the fixed starres.
H. C.
What length of verse braue Mopsus good to show?
[...]hose vertues strange, & beauties such, as no man may them know.
Thus shrewdly burdned thē, how can my Muse escape?
The gods must help, & precious things must serue to show her shape
Like great god Saturne faire, & like faire Venus chast,
As smooth as Pan as Iuno mild, like goddesse Iris gracst,
With Cupid she foresees, and goes Gods Vulcans pace,
And for a tast of all these gifts, she steales god Momus grace
Her forhead Iacinth like, her cheekes of opall hue,
Her twinckling eyes bedeckt with pearle, her lyps as Saphires blew,
Her haire like crapal stone, her mouth ô heauenly wide,
Her skin like burnisht gold, her hands like siluer-ore vntride:
As for her parts vnknowne, which hidden sure are best,
Happy be they which wil beleeue, and neuer seeke the rest.
S. Phil. Sidney.
O words which fall like Sommer dew on me,
O breath more sweet then is the growing beane,
O tongue in which all honnied licours be,
[Page 420]O voyce that doth the Thrush in shrilnes staine,
Gay haire, more gay then straw when haruest lies,
Lips red and plum, as cherries ruddy side,
Eyes fayre and great, like fayre great Oxes eyes,
O breasts in which two white sheepe swell in pride.
But thou white skin, as white as curds well prest,
So smooth as Sleeke-stone like, it smooths each part,
And thou deere flesh, as soft as wooll new drest,
And yet as hard as Brawne made hard by art.
S. Phil. Sidney.
Logistillaes Castle.
—Such a Castle that in stately showe
And costly substance others all surmounted:
The valew of the walles cannot man knowe,
Except he first vpon the same had mounted.
[Page 467]Men haue not Iewels of such price belowe,
Diamonds are to these but drosse accounted.
Pearles are but pelfe, and Rubies all are rotten
Where stones of such rare vertue can be gotten.
These walles are built of stones of so great price,
All other vnto these come far behinde,
In these men see the vertue and the vice
That cleaueth to the inward soule and minde,
As neither flattering praises shall him blinde
With tickling words nor vndeserued blame,
With forged faults shal worke him any shame:
From hence doth come the euerlasting light,
That may with Phaebus beames so cleare compare,
That when the Sunne is downe there is no night
With those that with those Iewels stored are.
These gems do teach vs to discerne aright.
These gems are wrought with workemanship so rare,
That hard it were to make true estimation
Which is more hard the substance or the fashion.
On arches raisd of Porphorie passing hie,
Were gardens faire, and pleasant to the eie.
So hie, that to ascend them seemd a paine,
Fewe found so rare below vpon a plaine.
Sweet smelling trees in order standing bee,
With Fountaines watering them in stead of raine,
Which doth the same so naturally nourish,
As all the yeare both flowers and fruites do flourish.
No weeds or fruitlesse trees are in this place,
But hearbes whose vertues are of chiefest price,
As soueraigne sage, and thrift, and hearbes of grace,
And Tyme, which well bestowed maketh wise:
[Page 468]And lowly patience proud thoughts to abase,
And harts ease that can neuer grow with vice.
These are the hearbes that in this garden grew,
Whose vertues to their beauties still renew.
S. I. H.
—She then led vp to the castle wall
That was so hie as foe might not it clime▪
And all so faire and sensible withall,
Not built of bricke, ne yet of stone and lime,
But of thing like to that Egyptian slime.
Whereof King Nine whilom built Babell towne,
The frame thereof seemd party circuler,
And part tryangulare, ô worke diuine,
Those two the first and last proportions are,
The one imperfect mortall feminine,
The other immortall, perfect masculine.
And twixt them both, a quadrate was the base,
Proportioned equally by seuen and nine:
Nine was the circle set in heauens place,
All which compacted, made a goodly Diapaze.
Ed. Spencer.
Vp to a stately Turret she them led,
Ascending by ten steps of Alablaster wrought.
That Turrets frame most admirable was,
Like highest heauen compassed around:
And lifted hie aboue this earthly masse,
Which it suruewd as hills do lower ground,
But on ground, mote not like to this be found.
Not that which Antique Camus whilom built
In Thebes, which Alexander did confound.
Nor that proud towne of Troy though richly guilt,
[Page 469]From which young
Herods blood by cruel Greeks was spilt,
The roofe thereof was arched ouer head:
And deckt with flowres and arbors daintily,
Two goodly beacons, set in watches stead,
Therein gaue light and flam'd continually:
For they of liuing fier most subtilly
Were made and set in siluer socketts bright:
Couered with lids deuizde of substance,
That readily they shut and open might,
O who can tell the praises of this makers might?
Idem.
Faire roome the presence of sweet Beauties pride,
The place the sunne vpon the earth did hold:
When Phaethon his chariot did misguide,
The towne where Ioue raind downe himselfe in gold,
O if Elizium be aboue the ground,
Then here it is where nought but ioy is found.
Th. Nashe.
Loe Colin here the place whose pleasant sight
From other shades hath weand my wandring minde:
Tell me what wanteth here to worke delight?
The simple aire, the gentle warbling winde,
So calme, so coole, as no where els I finde:
The grassie ground with daintie daizies dight,
The bramble bush where byrds of euery kinde,
To the waters fall, their tunes attemper right.
Ed. Spencer.
In little time these Ladies found
A groue with euery pleasure crownd:
At whose sweet entry did resound
A ford, that flowred that holy ground,
[Page 470]From thence the sweet breath'd windes conuay
Odours from euery mirtle spray,
And other flowers: to whose aray
A hundred Harpes and Timbrels play
All pleasures study can inuent,
The Dames eares instantly present:
Voyces in all sorts different,
The foure parts and the Diapent.
G. Chapman.
—On the other side a pleasant groue
Was shot vp hie, full of the stately tree,
That dedicated is to Olympicke Ioue:
And to his sonne Alcides, when as he
Gaind in Nemea goodly victorie:
Therein the merry byrds of euery sort
Chaunted aloud their chearfull harmonie.
And made amongst themselues a sweet consent,
That quickened the dull sprites with musicall consent.
Ed. Spencer.
Vpon this mount there stood a stately groue,
Whose reaching armes to clip the welkin stroue,
Of tufted Cedars and the braunching Pine,
Whose bushy tops themselues do so intwine,
As seemd when nature first this worke begunne.
She then conspirde against the piercing Sunne.
Vnder whose couert (thus diuinely made)
Phebus greene lawrell flourisht in the shade.
Faire Venus mirtle, Mars his warlike firrhe,
Mineruaes Oliue, and the weeping mirrhe.
The patient Palme which striues in spight of hate,
The Poplar to Alcides consecrate.
[Page 471]Which nature in such order had disposed,
And therewithall their goodly workes enclosed:
As seru'd for hangings and rich tapestry,
To bewtifie this stately gallery.
M. Drayton.
So faire a church as this had Venus none,
The walles were of discoulered Iasper stone:
Wherein was Proteus caru'd, and ouer hed
A liuely vine of green-sea-aggat spred:
Where by one hand light-headed Bacchus hung,
And with the other wine from grapes out-wrung
Of christal shining faire the pauement was,
The Towne of Sestos call'd it Ʋenus glasse.
There might you see the Gods in sundry shapes,
Committing heddy ryots, incests, rapes.
For vnderneath this radiant flower
Was Danaes statue in a brazen Tower.
Ioue slily stealing from his sisters bed,
To dally with Idalian Ganymede.
And for his loue Europa bellowing loud,
And tumbling with the Rain-bow in a cloud.
Blood-quaffing Mars hauing the yron net,
With limping Vulcan and his Cyclops set.
Loue kindling fier to burne such fiers as Troy,
Syluanus weeping for the louely boy,
That now is turned into a Cypresse tree,
Vnder whose shade the wood-gods loue to bee.
Ch. Marlowe.
Not that Colossus reared vp in Rhodes,
Nor hanging gardens houering in the skie:
Nor all the wonderous mansions and abodes
Either for riches, cunning, or expence,
Might match this Labyrinth for excellence.
D. Lodge.
—Art striuing to compare
With nature, did an arbor greene dispred:
Framed of wanton yuie, flowring faire,
Through which the fragrant Eglantine did spred
His pricking armes entraild with Roses red,
Which daintie odours round about them threw,
And all within with flowers was garnished:
That when mild Zephirus amongst them blew,
Did breath out bountious smelles and painted colour shew.
Ed. Sp.
The Tower of Beautie whence alone did flowe
More heauenly streames then former age had seene.
Taking their current from that learned hill,
Where lodge the brothers of admire and skil.
Amongst the sommer blossomes of their bowes,
A thousand seuerall coloured byrds was set:
Who mou'd (as seem'd) by charitable vowes
Of excellent compassion, euer wet
With honourable teares (for Fates allowes
That sensible from sencelesse still shall set
Modells of pitie) learne there with melodie
To cheare mens minde foredone with miserie.
I. Markham.
—He leads him to rhe highest mount,
That blood-red billowes like a walled front
On either side disparted with his rod,
Till that his army dry foot through them yode
[Page 473]Dwelt fortie dayes vpon; where writ in stone
With bloudy letters by the hand of God,
The bitter doombe of death and balefull mone
He did receiue whiles flashing fire about him shonne.
Or like that sacred hill whose head full hie
Adornd with fruitfull Oliues all around,
Is, as it were for endlesse memorie
Of that deare Lord, who oft thereon was found,
For euer with a flowring garlond crownd.
Or like that pleasant mount that is for aye,
Through famous Poets verse each where renownd:
On which the thrice three learned Ladies play,
Their heauenly notes, and make full many a louely lay.
Ed. Spencer.
Right in the middest of the paradize
There stood a stately mount, on whose round top
A gloomy groue of mirtle trees did rise:
Whose shady bowes sharpe steele did neuer lop,
Nor wicked beasts their tender buds did crop.
But like a girlond compassed the height,
And from their fruitfull sides sweet gumme did drop:
That all the ground with pretious deaw bedight,
Threw forth most dainty Odors & most sweet delight.
And in the thickest couert of that shade,
There was a pleasant arbor, not by art,
But of the trees owne inclination made.
Which knitting their ranke braunches part to part:
With wand in yuie twine intraild a thwart,
And Eglantine and Caprifoile among:
Fashion'd aboue within their inmost part,
That neither Phaebus beams could through them thrōg,
[Page 474]Nor
Aeolus sharp blast could worke them any wrong.
Idem.
It was an hill plac't in an open plaine,
That round about was bordered with a wood
Of matchlesse height, that seemd th'earth disdaine:
In which all trees of honour stately stood,
And did all winter, as in sommer bud,
Spreading pauilions for the birds to bowre,
Within their lower braunches sung aloud,
And in the tops, the soaring haukes did towre,
Sitting like King of fowles in maiestie and power,
And at the foote thereof, a gentle floud
His siluer waues did softly tumble downe,
Vnmard with ragged mosse of filthy mud.
Ne mote wild beasts, ne mote the ruder clowne
Thereto approach, ne filth mote therein drowne,
But Nymphes and Fairies by the bankes did sit
In the woods shade, which did the waters crowne,
Keeping all noisome things away from it,
And to the waters fall tuning their accents fit.
And on the toppe thereof a spacious plaine,
Did spread it selfe to serue to all delight,
Either to daunce when they to daunce would faine,
Or else to course about their bases light.
Ne ought there wanted which for pleasure might
Desired be, or thence to banish bale,
So pleasantly the hill with equall height,
Did seeme to ouerlooke the lowly vale.
Therefore it rightly cleped was, Mount Acidale.
They say that Ʋenus when she did dispose
Her selfe to pleasance, vied to resort
And rest her selfe as in a gladsome port,
Or with the graces there to play and sport.
Ed. Spencer.
It was a chosen plot of fertile land
Amongst the wild waues set like a litle nest,
As if it had by natures cunning hand
Bene choicely picked out from all the rest,
And laid forth for ensample of the best.
No daintie flower nor hearbe that growes on ground,
No arboret with painted blossomes drest,
And smelling sweete, but there it might be found
To bud out faire, & her sweet smels throw all around.
No tree whose braunches did not brauely spring,
No braunch wherein a fine bird did not sit,
No bird but did her shrill notes euer sing,
No song but did containe a louely dit.
Trees, braunches, birds, and songs were framed fit,
For to allure fraile minds to carelesse ease.
Idem.
FINIS.