s: The shepheards daughters dauncing in a rownd!


s: How trimly would she trace* and softly tread


s: The tender grasse, with rosye garland crownd!


s: And when she list advaunce her heavenly voyce,


s: Both Nymphes and Muses nigh she made astownd,


s: And flocks and shepheards caused to reioyce.


s: "But now, ye shepheard lasses! who shall lead


s: Your wandring troupes, or sing your virelayes*?


s: Or who shall dight** your bowres, sith she is dead


s: Let now your blisse be turned into bale,


s: And into plaints convert your ioyous playes,


s: And with the same fill every hill and dale.


s: "Let bagpipe never more be heard to shrill,


s: And drearie horror dim the chearfull light,


s: "Let birds be silent on the naked spray,


s: And shady woods resound with dreadfull yells;


s: Let streaming floods their hastie courses stay,


s: And parching drouth drie up the cristall wells;


s: Let th'earth be barren, and bring foorth no flowres,


s: And th'ayre be fild with noyse of dolefull knells,


s: And wandring spirits walke untimely howres.


s: "And Nature, nurse of every living thing,


s: Let rest her selfe from her long wearinesse,


s: And cease henceforth things kindly forth to bring,


s: For she it is that hath me done this wrong;


s: No nurse, but stepdame cruell, mercilesse.


s: Weepe, Shepheard! weepe, to make my undersong.


s: "My little flock, whom earst I lov'd so well,


s: And wont to feed with finest grasse that grew,


s: Feede ye hencefoorth on bitter astrofell*,


s: And stinking smallage, and unsaverie rew;


s: And when your mawes are with those weeds corrupted,


s: That with your carkasses wild beasts be glutted.


s: "Ne worse to you, my sillie sheepe, I pray,


s: Than to my selfe, for whose confusde decay**


s: But heavens refuse to heare a wretches cry;


s: And cruell Death doth scorn to come at call,


s: Or graunt his boone that most desires to dye.


s: "The good and righteous he away doth take,


s: To plague th'unrighteous which alive remaine;


s: By living long to multiplie their paine;


s: Else surely death should be no punishment,


s: As the Great Iudge at first did it ordaine,


s: But rather riddance from long languishment.


s: "Therefore, my Daphne they have tane away;


s: That with her lacke I might tormented be.


s: Sith then they so have ordred, I will pay


s: Penance to her, according* their decree,


s: And to her ghost doe service day by day.


s: "For I will walke this wandring pilgrimage,


s: Throughout the world from one to other end,


s: My bread shall be the anguish of my mynd,


s: My drink the teares which fro mine eyes do raine,


s: My bed the ground that hardest I may fynd;


s: "And she, my love that was, my saint that is,


s: When she beholds from her celestiall throne


s: Th'importune Fates which vengeance on me seeks,


s: And th'heavens with long languor pacifyde,


s: She, for pure pitie of my sufferance meeke,


s: Will send for me; for which I daily long,


s: And will till then my painfull penance eeke,


s: Weepe, Shepheard! weepe, to make my undersong.


s: "Hencefoorth I hate whatever Nature made,


s: And in her workmanship no pleasure finde,


s: For they be all but vaine, and quickly fade


s: So soone as on them blowes the northern winde;


s: They tarrie not, but flit and fall away,


s: Leaving behind them nought but griefe of minde,


s: And mocking such as thinke they long will stay.


s: "I hate the heaven, because it doth withhould


s: Me from my love, and eke my love from me;


s: I hate the earth, because it is the mould


s: I hate the fire, because to nought it flyes;


s: I hate the ayre, because sighes of it be;


s: I hate the sea, because it teares supplyes.


s: "I hate the day, because it lendeth light


s: To see all things, and not my love to see;


s: I hate the darknesse and the dreary night,


s: Because they breed sad balefulnesse in mee;


s: I hate all times, because all times doo fly


s: "I hate to speake, my voyce is spent with crying;


s: I hate to heare, lowd plaints have duld mine eares;


s: I hate to tast, for food withholds my dying;


s: I hate to see, mine eyes are dimd with teares;


s: I hate to smell, no sweet on earth is left;


s: I hate to feele, my flesh is numbd with feares:


s: "I hate all men, and shun all womankinde;


s: The one, because as I they wretched are;


s: My love with them, that wont to be their starre.


s: And life I hate, because it will not last;


s: And death I hate, because it life doth marre;


s: "So all the world, and all in it I hate,


s: And never standeth in one certaine state,


s: But, still unstedfast, round about doth goe


s: Driven with streames of wretchednesse and woe,


s: That dying lives, and living still does dye.


s: Sith she that did my vitall powres supplie,


s: And feeble spirits in their force maintaine,


s: Is fetcht fro me, why seeke I to prolong


s: Weepe, Shepheard! weepe, to make my undersong.


s: "Why doo I longer live in lifes despight,


s: And doo not dye then in despight of death!


s: Why doo I longer see this loathsome light,


s: And doo in darknesse not abridge my breath,


s: Sith all my sorrow should have end thereby,


s: For life drawes care, and care continuall woe;


s: Therefore to dye must needes be ioyeous,


s: And wishfull thing this sad life to forgoe.


s: She bad me stay, till she for me did send.


s: "Yet, whilest I in this wretched vale doo stay,


s: When, as her messenger doth come for me;


s: Ne will I rest my feete for feeblenesse,


s: Ne will I rest mine eyes for heavinesse.


s: "But, as the mother of the gods, that sought


s: Throughout the world, with wofull heavie thought,


s: So will I travell whilest I tarrie heere,


s: To loose his teeme, will I take up my inne**.


s: "Ne sleepe, the harbenger* of wearie wights,


s: Shall ever lodge upon mine eye-lids more,


s: Ne shall with rest refresh my fainting sprights,


s: Nor failing force to former strength restore:


s: But I will wake and sorrow all the night


s: With Philumene, the partner of my plight.


s: And under ground to goe to give them light


s: Which dwell in darknesse, I to mind will call


s: How my faire starre, that shind on me so bright,


s: Since whose departure, day is turnd to night,


s: And night without a Venus starre is found.


s: "But soon as day doth shew his deawie face,


s: And cals foorth men unto their toylsome trade,


s: I will withdraw me to some darkesome place,


s: There will I sigh, and sorrow all day long,


s: Weepe, Shepheard! weepe, to make my undersong.


s: "Henceforth mine eyes shall never more behold


s: Faire thing on earth, ne feed on false delight


s: Of ought that framed is of mortall mould,


s: Sith that my fairest flower is faded quight;


s: But in a moment loose their grace and glorie.


s: "And ye, fond Men! on Fortunes wheele that ride,


s: Or in ought under heaven repose assurance,


s: Be it riches, beautie, or honours pride,


s: Be sure that they shall have no long endurance,


s: For nought of them is yours, but th'only usance


s: Of a small time, which none ascertains may.


s: "And ye, true Lovers! whom desastrous chaunce,


s: Hath farre exiled from your ladies grace,


s: To mourne in sorrow and sad sufferauncc,


s: When ye doe heare me in that desert place


s: And when life parts vouchsafe to close mine eye.


s: "And ye, more happie Lovers! which enioy


s: The presence of your dearest loves delight,


s: Yet pittie me in your empassiond spright,


s: And thinke that such mishap as chaunst to me


s: May happen unto the most happiest wight;


s: For all mens states alike unstedfast be.


s: "And ye, ray fellow Shepheards! which do feed


s: Tour carelesse flocks on hils and open plaines,


s: With better fortune than did me succeed,


s: And when ye heare that I am dead or slaine,


s: Lament my lot, and tell your fellow-swaines


s: "And ye, faire Damsels! shepheards deare delights,


s: That with your loves do their rude hearts possesse,


s: When as my hearse shall happen to your sightes,


s: Vouchsafe to deck the same with cyparesse;


s: And ever sprinckle brackish teares among,


s: The which, I, wretch, endured have thus long.


s: "And ye, poore Pilgrims! that with restlesse toyle


s: Wearie your selves in wandring desart wayes,


s: Till that you come where ye your vowes assoyle*,


s: When passing by ye reade these wofull layes


s: On my grave written, rue my Daphnes wrong,


s: And mourne for me that languish out my dayes.


s: Cease, Shepheard! cease, and end thy undersong."


s: Thus when he ended had his heavie plaint,


s: The heaviest plaint that ever I heard sound,


s: His cheekes wext pale, and sprights began to faint,


s: As if againe he would have fallen to ground;


s: Which when I saw, I, stepping to him light,


s: That in his traunce I would not let him lie,


s: Did rend his haire, and beat his blubbred face,


s: That I sore griev'd to see his wretched case.


s: Tho when the pang was somewhat overpast,


s: And the outragious passion nigh appeased,


s: And darke night fast approched, to be pleased


s: And staie with me, till he were better eased


s: Of that strong stownd** which him so sore beset.


s: But by no meanes I could him win thereto,


s: Ne longer him intreate with me to staie,


s: But without taking leave he foorth did goe


s: With staggring pace and dismall looks dismay,


s: As if that Death he in the face had seene,


s: Darke is the day when Phoebus face is shrowded,


s: And weaker sights may wander soone astray;


s: But when they see his glorious raies unclowded,


s: With steddy steps they keepe the perfect way:


s: So, while this Muse in forraine land doth stay,


s: Invention weepes, and pennes are cast aside;


s: The time, like night, deprivd of chearfull day;


s: And few doe write, but ah! too soone may slide.


s: Then his thee home, that art our perfect guide,


s: And with thy wit illustrate Englands fame,


s: Daunting therby our neighbors ancient pride,


s: That do for Poesie challenge chiefest name:


s: With great applause thy learned works shall reed.


s: Piping to shepheards thy sweet roundelayes,


s: Or whether singing, in some loftie vaine,


s: Heroicke deeds of past or present dayes,


s: Or whether in thy lovely mistresse praise


s: Thou list to exercise thy learned quill,


s: Thy Muse hath got such grace and power to please,


s: With rare invention, beautified by skill,


s: O, therefore let that happy Muse proceed


s: To clime the height of Vertues sacred hill,


s: Where endlesse honour shal be made thy meed:


s: Can rase those records of thy lasting praise.


s: Happy, ye leaves! when as those lilly hands


s: Which hold my life in their dead-doing might


s: Shall handle you, and hold in loves soft bands,


s: Lyke captives trembling at the victors sight.


s: And happy lines! on which, with starry light.


s: Those lamping eyes will deigne sometimes to look,


s: And reade the sorrowes of my dying spright,


s: And happy rymes! bath'd in the sacred brooke


s: When ye behold that Angels blessed looke,


s: My soules long-lacked food, my heavens blis,


s: Leaves, lines, and rymes, seeke her to please alone,


s: Whom if ye please, I care for other none!


s: Unquiet thought! whom at the first I bred


s: Of th'inward bale of my love-pined hart,


s: And sithens have with sighes and sorrowes fed,


s: Till greater then my wombe thou woxen art,


s: Breake forth at length out of the inner part,


s: In which thou lurkest lyke to vipers brood,


s: And seeke some succour both to ease my smart,


s: And also to sustayne thy selfe with food.


s: But if in presence of that fayrest Proud


s: Thou chance to come, fall lowly at her feet;


s: And with meek humblesse and afflicted mood


s: Pardon for thee, and grace for me, intreat:


s: Which if she graunt, then live, and my love cherish:


s: If not, die soone, and I with thee will perish.


s: The soverayne beauty which I doo admyre,


s: Witnesse the world how worthy to be prayzed!


s: The light wherof hath kindled heavenly fyre


s: In my fraile spirit, by her from basenesse raysed;


s: That being now with her huge brightnesse dazed,


s: Base thing I can no more endure to view:


s: But, looking still on her, I stand amazed


s: So when my toung would speak her praises dew,


s: It stopped is with thoughts astonishment;


s: And when my pen would write her titles true,


s: Yet in my hart I then both speak and write


s: New yeare, forth looking out of Ianus gate,


s: Doth seeme to promise hope of new delight,


s: And, bidding th'old adieu, his passed date


s: Bids all old thoughts to die in dumpish* spright;


s: And calling forth out of sad Winters night


s: Fresh Love, that long hath slept in cheerlesse bower,


s: Wils him awake, and soone about him dight


s: His wanton wings and darts of deadly power.


s: For lusty Spring now in his timely howre


s: And warns the Earth with divers colord flowre


s: To decke hir selfe, and her faire mantle weave.


s: Then you, faire flowre! in whom fresh youth doth raine,


s: Prepare your selfe new love to entertaine.


s: Rudely thou wrongest my deare harts desire,


s: In finding fault with her too portly pride:


s: The thing which I doo most in her admire,


s: For in those lofty lookes is close implide


s: Scorn of base things, and sdeigne of foul dishonor;


s: Thretning rash eies which gaze on her so wide,


s: That loosely they ne dare to looke upon her.


s: Such pride is praise, such portlinesse is honor,


s: That boldned innocence beares in hir eies,


s: And her faire countenaunce, like a goodly banner,


s: Was never in this world ought worthy tride*,


s: Without some spark of such self-pleasing pride.


s: Doth still persist in her rebellious pride:


s: Such love, not lyke to lusts of baser kynd,


s: The harder wonne, the firmer will abide.


s: The durefull oake whose sap is not yet dride


s: Is long ere it conceive the kindling fyre;


s: But when it once doth burne, it doth divide


s: Great heat, and makes his flames to heaven aspire.


s: In gentle brest, that shall endure for ever:


s: Deepe is the wound that dints the parts entire*


s: With chaste affects, that naught but death can sever.


s: Then thinke not long in taking litle paine


s: To knit the knot that ever shall remaine.


s: Fayre eyes! the myrrour of my mazed hart,


s: What wondrous vertue is contayn'd in you,


s: The which both lyfe and death forth from you dart


s: For when ye mildly looke with lovely hew,


s: Then is my soule with life and love inspired:


s: But when ye lowre, or looke on me askew,


s: Then do I die, as one with lightning fyred.


s: But since that lyfe is more then death desyred,


s: That your bright beams, of my weak eies admyred,


s: Such life should be the honor of your light,


s: Such death the sad ensample of your might.


s: More then most faire, full of the living fire


s: No eies, but ioyes, in which al powers conspire,


s: That to the world naught else be counted deare!


s: Thrugh your bright beams doth not the blinded guest


s: Shoot out his darts to base affections wound;


s: But angels come, to lead fraile mindes to rest


s: In chast desires, on heavenly beauty bound.


s: You frame my thoughts, and fashion me within;


s: You stop my toung, and teach my hart to speake;


s: You calme the storme that passion did begin,


s: Strong thrugh your cause, but by your vertue weak.


s: Dark is the world where your light shined never;


s: Well is he borne that may behold you ever.


s: Long-while I sought to what I might compare


s: Those powrefull eies which lighten my dark spright;


s: Yet find I nought on earth, to which I dare


s: Resemble th'ymage of their goodly light.


s: Not to the sun, for they doo shine by night;


s: Nor to the moone, for they are changed never;


s: Nor to the starres, for they have purer sight;


s: Nor to the fire, for they consume not ever;


s: Nor to the lightning, for they still persever;


s: Nor to the diamond, for they are more tender;


s: Nor unto cristall, for nought may them sever;


s: Nor unto glasse, such basenesse mought offend her.


s: Whose light doth lighten all that here we see.


s: Unrighteous Lord of love, what law is this,


s: The whiles she lordeth in licentious blisse


s: Of her freewill, scorning both thee and me?


s: The hugh massácres which her eyes do make,


s: And humbled harts brings captive unto thee,


s: That thou of them mayst mightie vengeance take.


s: But her proud hart doe thou a little shake,


s: And that high look, with which she doth comptroll


s: All this worlds pride, bow to a baser make*,


s: And al her faults in thy black booke enroll:


s: As she doth laugh at me, and makes my pain her sport.


s: Dayly when I do seeke and sew for peace,


s: She, cruell warriour, doth her selfe addresse


s: Ne wilbe moov'd, with reason or with rewth*,


s: To graunt small respit to my restlesse toile;


s: Of my poore life to make unpittied spoile.


s: Yet my poore life, all sorrowes to assoyle,


s: But then she seeks, with torment and turmoyle,


s: To force me live, and will not let me dy.


s: All paine hath end, and every war hafh peace;


s: But mine, no price nor prayer may surcease.


s: One day I sought with her hart-thrilling eies


s: To make a truce, and termes to entertaine;


s: Which sought me to entrap in treasons traine.


s: In the close covert of her guilful eyen,


s: Thence breaking forth, did thick about me throng.


s: Too feeble I t'abide the brunt so strong,


s: Was forst to yield my selfe into their hands;


s: Who, me captiving streight with rigorous wrong,


s: Have ever since kept me in cruell bands.


s: Against your eies, that iustice I may gaine.


s: In that proud port which her so goodly graceth,


s: Whiles her faire face she reares up to the skie,


s: And to the ground her eie-lids low embaseth,


s: Myld humblesse mixt with awful! maiestie.


s: For, looking on the earth whence she was borne,


s: Whatso is fayrest shall to earth returne.


s: But that same lofty countenance seemes to scorne


s: Base thing, and thinke how she to heaven may clime;


s: Treading downe earth as lothsome and forlorne,


s: That hinders heavenly thoughts with drossy slime.


s: Yet lowly still vouchsafe to looke on me;


s: Such lowlinesse shall make you lofty be.


s: Retourne agayne, my forces late dismayd,


s: Great shame it is to leave, like one afrayd,


s: So fayre a peece* for one repulse so light.


s: 'Gaynst such strong castles needeth greater might


s: Then those small forts which ye were wont belay**:


s: Such haughty mynds, enur'd to hardy fight,


s: Bring therefore all the forces that ye may,


s: Playnts, prayers, vowes, ruth, sorrow, and dismay;


s: Those engins can the proudest love convert:


s: And, if those fayle, fall down and dy before her;


s: Ye tradefull Merchants, that, with weary toyle,


s: Do seeke most pretious things to make your gain,


s: And both the Indias of their treasure spoile,


s: What needeth you to seeke so farre in vaine?


s: For loe, my Love doth in her selfe containe


s: All this worlds riches that may farre be found:


s: If saphyres, loe, her eies be saphyres plaine;


s: If rubies, loe, hir lips be rubies sound;


s: If pearles, hir teeth be pearles, both pure and round;


s: If gold, her locks are finest gold on ground;


s: If silver, her faire hands are silver sheene:


s: But that which fairest is but few behold:--


s: On those fayre eyes, my loves immortall light,


s: The whiles my stonisht hart stood in amaze,


s: Through sweet illusion of her lookes delight,


s: I mote perceive how, in her glauncing sight,


s: Legions of Loves with little wings did fly,


s: Darting their deadly arrows, fyry bright,


s: Had she not so doon, sure I had bene slayne;


s: Yet as it was, I hardly scap't with paine.


s: The glorious pourtraict of that angels face,


s: And this worlds worthlesse glory to embase,


s: What pen, what pencil!, can expresse her fill?


s: For though he colours could devize at will,


s: And eke his learned hand at pleasure guide,


s: Least, trembling, it his workmanship should spill*,


s: Yet many wondrous things there are beside:


s: The sweet eye-glaunces, that like arrowes glide,


s: The charming smiles, that rob sence from the hart,


s: The lovely pleasance, and the lofty pride,


s: A greater craftesmans hand thereto doth neede,


s: That can expresse the life of things indeed.


s: The rolling wheele that runneth often round,


s: The hardest steele, in tract of time doth teare:


s: And drizling drops, that often doe redound*,


s: The firmest flint doth in continuance weare:


s: Yet cannot I, with many a drooping teare


s: And long intreaty, soften her hard hart,


s: That she will once vouchsafe my plaint to heare,


s: Or looke with pitty on my payneful smart.


s: But when I pleade, she bids me play my part;


s: And when I weep, she sayes, teares are but water;


s: And when I sigh, she sayes, I know the art;


s: And when I waile, she turnes hir selfe to laughter.


s: So do I weepe, and wayle, and pleade in vaine,


s: Whiles she as steele and flint doth still remayne.


s: His trompet shrill hath thrise already sounded.


s: That warnes al lovers wayte upon their king,


s: Who now is coming forth with girland crouned.


s: With noyse whereof the quyre of byrds resounded


s: Their anthemes sweet, devized of loves prayse,


s: That all the woods theyr ecchoes back rebounded,


s: As if they knew the meaning of their layes.


s: But mongst them all which did Loves honor rayse,


s: No word was heard of her that most it ought;


s: And doth his ydle message set at nought.


s: Therefore, O Love, unlesse she turne to thee


s: In vaine I seeke and sew to her for grace,


s: And doe myne humbled hart before her poure,


s: The whiles her foot she in my necke doth place,


s: And tread my life downe in the lowly floure*.


s: And yet the lyon, that is lord of power,


s: In his most pride disdeigneth to devoure


s: The silly lambe that to his might doth yield.


s: But she, more cruell and more salvage wylde


s: Shames not to be with guiltlesse bloud defylde,


s: Which tempred so the feature of her face,


s: That pride and meeknesse, mist by equall part,


s: Doe both appeare t'adorne her beauties grace?


s: For with mild pleasance, which doth pride displace,


s: She to her love doth lookers eyes allure;


s: And with stern countenance back again doth chace


s: Their looser lookes that stir up lustes impure.


s: With such strange termes* her eyes she doth inure,


s: That with one looke she doth my life dismay,


s: And with another doth it streight recure:


s: Her smile me drawes; her frowne me drives away.


s: Thus doth she traine and teach me with her lookes;


s: Such art of eyes I never read in bookes!


s: This holy season*, fit to fast and pray,


s: For my sweet saynt some service fit will find.


s: Her temple fayre is built within my mind,


s: On which my thoughts doo day and night attend,


s: Lyke sacred priests that never thinke amisse.


s: There I to her, as th'author of my blisse,


s: Will builde an altar to appease her yre;


s: Burning in flames of pure and chaste desyre:


s: The which vouchsafe, O Goddesse, to accept,


s: In which the worke that she all day did make,


s: The same at night she did againe unreave.


s: Such subtile craft my damzell doth conceave,


s: Th'importune suit of my desire to shonne:


s: In one short houre I find by her undonne.


s: For with one looke she spils that long I sponne,


s: And with one word my whole years work doth rend.


s: Such labour like the spyders web I fynd,


s: Whose fruitlesse worke is broken with least wynd.


s: And rare perfection of each goodly part,


s: But when I feele the bitter balefull smart


s: Which her fayre eyes unwares doe worke in mee,


s: That death out of theyr shiny beames doe dart,


s: Into this sinfull world from heaven to send,


s: That she to wicked men a scourge should bee,


s: For all their faults with which they did offend.


s: But since ye are my scourge, I will intreat


s: That for my faults ye will me gently beat.


s: How long shall this lyke-dying lyfe endure,


s: But wast and weare away in termes unsure,


s: 'Twixt feare and hope depending doubtfully!


s: And shew the last ensample of your pride,


s: To prove your powre, which I too wel have tride.


s: But yet if in your hardned brest ye bide


s: A close intent at last to shew me grace,


s: Then all the woes and wrecks which I abide,


s: As meanes of blisse I gladly wil embrace;


s: And wish that more and greater they might be,


s: That greater meede at last may turne to mee.


s: Sweet is the rose, but growes upon a brere;


s: Sweet is the iunipeer; but sharpe his bough;


s: Sweet is the eglantine, but pricketh nere;


s: Sweet is the firbloome, but his braunches rough*;


s: Sweet is the cypresse, but his rynd is rough;


s: Sweet is the nut, but bitter is his pill**;


s: Sweet is the broome-flowre, but yet sowre enough;


s: So every sweet with soure is tempred still,


s: For easie things, that may be got at will,


s: Most sorts of men doe set but little store.


s: Why then should I accompt of little paine,


s: That endlesse pleasure shall unto me gaine!


s: Faire Proud! now tell me, why should faire be proud,


s: Sith all worlds glorie is but drosse uncleane,


s: And in the shade of death it selfe shall shroud,


s: Shall doffe her fleshes borrowd fayre attyre,


s: But what this verse, that never shall expyre,


s: Shall to you purchas with her thankles pain!


s: Faire! be no lenger proud of that shall perish,


s: But that which shall you make immortall cherish.


s: The laurel-leafe which you this day doe weare


s: Gives me great hope of your relenting mynd:


s: For since it is the badge which I doe beare*,


s: Ye, bearing it, doe seeme to me inclind.


s: The powre thereof, which ofte in me I find,


s: Let it likewise your gentle brest inspire


s: With sweet infusion, and put you in mind


s: Of that proud mayd whom now those leaves attyre:


s: Proud Daphne, scorning Phrebus lovely** fyre,


s: On the Thessalian shore from him did flie;


s: For which the gods, in theyr revengefull yre,


s: Then fly no more, fayre Love, from Phebus chace,


s: But in your brest his leafe and love embrace.


s: See! how the stubborne damzell doth deprave


s: My simple meaning with disdaynfull scorne,


s: Accoumpts my self her captive quite forlorne.


s: The bay, quoth she, is of the victours born,


s: Yielded them by the vanquisht as theyr meeds,


s: And they therewith doe poetes heads adorne,


s: To sing the glory of their famous deeds.


s: But sith she will the conquest challeng needs,


s: Let her accept me as her faithfull thrall;


s: That her great triumph, which my skill exceeds,


s: Then would I decke her head with glorious bayes,


s: And fill the world with her victorious prayse.


s: How comes it then that this her cold so great


s: Is not dissolv'd through my so hot desyre,


s: But harder growes the more I her intreat?


s: But that I burne much more in boyling sweat,


s: That fire, which all things melts, should harden yse,


s: And yse, which is congeald with sencelesse cold,


s: Such is the powre of love in gentle mind,


s: That it can alter all the course of kynd.


s: Given so goodly giftes of beauties grace,


s: Whose pryde depraves each other better part,


s: And all those pretious ornaments deface?


s: Sith to all other beastes of bloody race


s: That with theyr terrour all the rest may chace,


s: And warne to shun the daunger of theyr wrath.


s: But my proud one doth worke the greater scath*,


s: Through sweet allurement of her lovely hew,


s: Of such poore thralls her cruell hands embrew.


s: But did she know how ill these two accord,


s: Such cruelty she would have soone abhord.


s: The paynefull smith with force of fervent heat


s: That with his heavy sledge he can it beat,


s: Yet cannot all these flames in which I fry


s: Her hart, more hard then yron, soft a whit,


s: Ne all the playnts and prayërs with which I


s: Doe beat on th'andvile of her stubberne wit:


s: But still, the more she fervent sees my fit,


s: The more she frieseth in her wilfull pryde,


s: And harder growes, the harder she is smit


s: With all the playnts which to her be applyde.


s: What then remaines but I to ashes burne,


s: And she to stones at length all frosen turne!


s: To that most sacred empresse, my dear dred,


s: That mote enlarge her living prayses, dead.


s: But Lodwick*, this of grace to me aread:


s: Do ye not thinck th'accomplishment of it


s: Sufficient worke for one mans simple head,


s: All were it, as the rest, but rudely writ?


s: Sith that this one is tost with troublous fit


s: Of a proud Love, that doth my spirite spoyle?


s: Cease, then, till she vouchsafe to grawnt me rest,


s: Lyke as a ship, that through the ocean wyde


s: By conduct of some star doth make her way,


s: Whenas a storm hath dimd her trusty guyde,


s: Out of her course doth wander far astray,


s: So I, whose star, that wont with her bright ray


s: Me to direct, with cloudes is over-cast,


s: Through hidden perils round about me plast.


s: Yet hope I well that, when this storme is past,


s: Will shine again, and looke on me at last,


s: With lovely light to cleare my cloudy grief.


s: Till then I wander carefull, comfortlesse,


s: Still to behold the obiect of their paine,


s: With no contentment can themselves suffize;


s: But having, pine, and having not, complaine.


s: For lacking it, they cannot lyfe sustayne;


s: And having it, they gaze on it the more,


s: In their amazement lyke Narcissus vaine,


s: Whose eyes him starv'd: so plenty makes me poore.


s: Yet are mine eyes so filled with the store


s: Of that faire sight, that nothing else they brooke,


s: But lothe the things which they did like before,


s: And can no more endure on them to looke.


s: All this worlds glory seemeth vayne to me,


s: And all their showes but shadowes, saving she.


s: Tell me, when shall these wearie woes have end;


s: Or shall their ruthlesse torment never cease,


s: Is there no meanes for me to purchace peace,


s: Or make agreement with her thrilling eyes;


s: But that their cruelty doth still increace,


s: But when ye have shew'd all extremityes,


s: Then think how little glory ye have gayned


s: By slaying him, whose lyfe, though ye despyse,


s: Mote have your life in honor long maintayned.


s: But by his death, which some perhaps will mone,


s: What guyle is this, that those her golden tresses


s: And with sly skill so cunningly them dresses,


s: That which is gold or haire may scarse be told?


s: Is it that mens frayle eyes, which gaze too bold,


s: Their weaker harts, which are not wel aware?


s: Take heed therefore, myne eyes, how ye doe stare


s: Henceforth too rashly on that guilefull net,


s: Out of her bands ye by no meanes shall get.


s: To covet fetters, though they golden bee!


s: Arion, when, through tempests cruel wracke,


s: He forth was thrown into the greedy seas,


s: Through the sweet musick which his harp did make


s: Allur'd a dolphin him from death to ease.


s: But my rude musick, which was wont to please


s: Some dainty eares, cannot, with any skill,


s: The dreadfull tempest of her wrath appease,


s: Nor move the dolphin from her stubborn will.


s: But in her pride she dooth persever still,


s: All carelesse how my life for her decayes:


s: Yet with one word she can it save or spill.


s: To spill were pitty, but to save were prayse!


s: Chuse rather to be praysd for doing good,


s: Then to be blam'd for spilling guiltlesse blood.


s: Sweet smile! the daughter of the Queene of Love,


s: Expressing all thy mothers powrefull art,


s: With which she wonts to temper angry Iove,


s: When all the gods he threats with thundring dart,


s: Sweet is thy vertue, as thy selfe sweet art.


s: For when on me thou shinedst late in sadnesse,


s: A melting pleasance ran through every part,


s: And me revived with hart-robbing gladnesse;


s: Whylest rapt with ioy resembling heavenly madness,


s: My soule was ravisht quite as in a traunce,


s: And, feeling thence no more her sorrowes sadnesse,


s: Fed on the fulnesse of that chearfull glaunce.


s: More sweet than nectar, or ambrosiall meat,


s: Seem'd every bit which thenceforth I did eat.


s: Mark when she smiles with amiable cheare,


s: That, when a dreadfull storme away is flit,


s: Thrugh the broad world doth spred his goodly ray


s: At sight whereof, each bird that sits on spray.


s: And every beast that to his den was fled,


s: Comes forth afresh out of their late dismay,


s: And to the light lift up their drouping hed.


s: So my storme-beaten hart likewise is cheared


s: With that sunshine, when cloudy looks are cleared.


s: If nature, then she may it mend with skill;


s: If will, then she at will may will forgoe.


s: That she will plague the man that loves her most,


s: And take delight t'encrease a wretches woe,


s: Then all her natures goodly guifts are lost;


s: And that same glorious beauties ydle boast


s: As, being long in her loves tempest tost,


s: She meanes at last to make her pitious spoyle.


s: That so fayre beauty was so fowly shamed.


s: That, all the more my sorrow it augmenteth,


s: The more I love and doe embrace my bane.


s: Ne do I wish (for wishing were but vaine)


s: And yield for pledge my poor and captyved hart,


s: The which, that it from her may never start,


s: Let her, yf please her, bynd with adamant chayne,


s: And from all wandring loves, which mote pervart


s: His safe assurance, strongly it restrayne.


s: Shall I then silent be, or shall I speake?


s: And if I speake, her wrath renew I shall;


s: And if I silent be, my hart will breake,


s: What tyranny is this, both my hart to thrall,


s: And eke my toung with proud restraint to tie,


s: That neither I may speake nor thinke at all,


s: Will teach to speak and my just cause to plead,


s: Love-learned letters to her eyes to read;


s: Which her deep wit, that true harts thought can spel,


s: Wil soon conceive, and learne to construe well.


s: When those renoumed noble peres of Greece


s: Through stubborn pride among themselves did iar,


s: Then Orpheus with his harp theyr strife did bar.


s: But this continuall, cruell, civill warre


s: The which my selfe against my selfe doe make,


s: Whilest my weak powres of passions warreid arre,


s: No skill can stint, nor reason can aslake.


s: But when in hand my tunelesse harp I take,


s: Then doe I more augment my foes despight,


s: And griefe renew, and passions doe awake


s: To battaile, fresh against my selfe to fight.


s: Mongst whome the more I seeke to settle peace,


s: The more I fynd their malice to increace.


s: Leave, Lady! in your glasse of cristall clene


s: And in my selfe, (my inward selfe I meane,)


s: Most lively lyke behold your semblant trew.


s: Within my hart, though hardly it can shew


s: And were it not that through your cruelty


s: With sorrow dimmed and deform'd it were,


s: Clearer than cristall, would therein appere.


s: But if your selfe in me ye playne will see,


s: Remove the cause by which your fayre beames darkned be.


s: My cruell fayre streight bids me wend my way:


s: But then from heaven most hideous stormes are sent,


s: Whom then shall I--or heaven, or her--obay?


s: The heavens know best what is the best for me:


s: But as she will, whose will my life doth sway,


s: My lower heaven, so it perforce must be.


s: But ye high hevens, that all this sorowe see,


s: Sith all your tempests cannot hold me backe,


s: Aswage your storms, or else both you and she


s: The stormes which she alone on me doth raine.


s: Trust not the treason of those smyling lookes,


s: Untill ye have their guylefull traynes well tryde;


s: For they are lyke but unto golden hookes,


s: That from the foolish fish theyr bayts do hyde:


s: So she with flattring smyles weake harts doth guyde


s: Unto her love, and tempte to theyr decay;


s: Whome, being caught, she kills with cruell pryde,


s: And feeds at pleasure on the wretched pray.


s: Yet even whylst her bloody hands them slay,


s: Her eyes looke lovely, and upon them smyle,


s: That they take pleasure in their cruell play,


s: And, dying, doe themselves of payne beguyle.


s: O mighty charm! which makes men love theyr bane,


s: And thinck they dy with pleasure, live with payne.


s: And ere she could thy cause well understand,


s: Well worthy thou to have found better hyre


s: Then so bad end, for hereticks ordayned;


s: But plead thy maisters cause, unjustly payned:


s: Whom she, all carelesse of his grief, constrayned


s: And would not heare, when he to her complayned


s: Yet live for ever, though against her will,


s: And speake her good, though she requite it ill.


s: Fayre Cruell! why are ye so fierce and cruell?


s: Is it because your eyes have powre to kill?


s: Then know that mercy is the Mighties iewell,


s: And greater glory think to save then spill.


s: But if it be your pleasure and proud will


s: To shew the powre of your imperious eyes,


s: Then not on him that never thought you ill,


s: But bend your force against your enemyes.


s: Let them feel the utmost of your crueltyes,


s: But him that at your footstoole humbled lies,


s: Such mercy shall you make admyr'd to be;


s: So shall you live, by giving life to me.


s: Of my harts wound and of my bodies griefe,


s: There came to me a leach, that would apply


s: Fit medcines for my bodies best reliefe.


s: Vayne man, quoth I, that hast but little priefe*


s: And rules the members as it selfe doth please?


s: Then with some cordialls seeke for to appease


s: And then my body shall have shortly ease.


s: But such sweet cordialls passe physicians art:


s: Then, my lyfes leach! doe you your skill reveale,


s: And with one salve both hart and body heale.


s: For that they should endure through many ages,


s: Why then doe I, untrainde in lovers trade,


s: Her hardnes blame, which I should more commend?


s: Which was not hard t'atchive and bring to end;


s: Ne ought so hard, but he that would attend


s: So do I hope her stubborne hart to bend,


s: And that it then more stedfast will endure:


s: Only my paines wil be the more to get her;


s: But, having her, my ioy wil be the greater.


s: I go lyke one that, having lost the field,


s: Despoyld of warlike armes and knowen shield.


s: From presence of my dearest deare exylde,


s: There let no thought of ioy, or pleasure vaine,


s: Dare to approch, that may my solace breed;


s: Bet sudden* dumps**, and drery sad disdayne


s: Of all worlds gladnesse, more my torment feed.


s: The panther, knowing that his spotted hyde


s: Doth please all beasts, but that his looks them fray*,


s: Within a bush his dreadful head doth hide,


s: To let them gaze, whylst he on them may pray.


s: Right so my cruell fayre with me doth play;


s: For with the goodly semblance of her hew


s: Great shame it is, thing so divine in view,


s: Made for to be the worlds most ornament,


s: Of this worlds theatre in which we stay,


s: Beholding me, that all the pageants play,


s: Sometimes I ioy when glad occasion fits,


s: Soone after, when my ioy to sorrow flits,


s: Yet she, beholding me with constant eye,


s: Delights not in my merth, nor rues my smart:


s: But when I laugh, she mocks; and when I cry,


s: She laughs, and hardens evermore her hart.


s: What then can move her? If nor merth, nor mone,


s: She is no woman, but a sencelesse stone.


s: I marvaile of what substance was the mould


s: The which her made attonce so cruell faire.


s: Not earth; for her high thoughts more heavenly are:


s: Not water; for her love doth burne like fyre:


s: Not ayre; for she is not so light or rare;


s: Not fyre; for she doth friese with faint desire.


s: Whereof she mote be made; that is, the skye.


s: For to the heaven her haughty looks aspire,


s: Then sith to heaven ye lykened are the best,


s: Fayre ye be sure, but cruell and unkind,


s: Hunts after bloud; when he by chance doth find


s: A feeble beast, doth felly him oppresse.


s: Fayre be ye sure, but proud and pitilesse,


s: As is a storme, that all things doth prostrate;


s: Fayre be ye sure, but hard and obstinate,


s: Gaynst which a ship, of succour desolate,


s: Doth suffer wreck both of her selfe and goods.


s: That ship, that tree, and that same beast, am I,


s: Whom ye doe wreck, doe ruine, and destroy.


s: Sweet warriour! when shall I have peace with you?


s: High time it is this warre now ended were,


s: So weake my powres, so sore my wounds, appear,


s: Seeing my hart through-launced every where


s: With thousand arrowes which your eies have shot.


s: Yet shoot ye sharpely still, and spare me not,


s: But glory thinke to make these cruel stoures*.


s: In slaying him that would live gladly yours?


s: Make peace therefore, and graunt me timely grace,


s: That al my wounds will heale in little space.


s: _By her that is most assured to her selfe._


s: Weake is th'assurance that weake flesh reposeth


s: In her own powre, and scorneth others ayde;


s: That soonest fals, when as she most supposeth


s: Her selfe assur'd, and is of nought affrayd,


s: All flesh is frayle, and all her strength unstayd,


s: Like a vaine bubble blowen up with ayre:


s: Devouring tyme and changeful chance have prayd*


s: Her glorious pride, that none may it repayre.


s: Ne none so rich or wise, so strong or fayre,


s: But fayletb, trusting on his owne assurance:


s: And he that standeth on the hyghest stayre


s: Fals lowest; for on earth nought hath endurance.


s: Why then doe ye, proud fayre, misdeeme so farre,


s: That to your selfe ye most assured arre!


s: Thrise happie she that is so well assured


s: That neither will for better be allured,


s: Ne feard with worse to any chaunce to start:


s: But, like a steddy ship, doth strongly part


s: The raging waves, and kcepes her course aright,


s: Ne ought for tempest doth from it depart,


s: Ne ought for fayrer weathers false delight.


s: Such selfe-assurance need not feare the spight


s: Of grudging foes, ne favour seek of friends:


s: But in the stay of her owne stedfast might,


s: Neither to one her selfe nor other bends.


s: Most happy she that most assur'd doth rest;


s: But he most happy who such one loves best.


s: They that in course of heavenly spheares are skild


s: As Mars in threescore yeares doth run his spheare.


s: So, since the winged god his planet cleare


s: Began in me to move, one yeare is spent;


s: Then al those fourty which my life out-went.


s: Then, by that count which lovers books invent,


s: The spheare of Cupid fourty yeares containes,


s: Which I have wasted in long languishment,


s: That seem'd the longer for my greater paines.


s: But let my Loves fayre planet short her wayes


s: This yeare ensuing, or else short my dayes.


s: The glorious image of the Makers beautie,


s: My soverayne saynt, the idoll of my thought,


s: Dare not henceforth, above the bounds of dewtie,


s: T'accuse of pride, or rashly blame for ought.


s: And of the brood of angels heavenly born,


s: And with the crew of blessed saynts upbrought,


s: Each of which did her with theyr guifts adorne,


s: The bud of ioy, the blossome of the morne,


s: The beame of light, whom mortal eyes admyre,


s: What reason is it then but she should scorne


s: Base things, that to her love too bold aspire!


s: Such heavenly formes ought rather worshipt be,


s: Then dare be lov'd by men of meane degree.


s: The weary yeare his race now having run,


s: With shew of morning mylde he bath begun,


s: So let us, which this chaunge of weather vew,


s: Chaunge eke our mynds, and former lives amend;


s: The old yeares sinnes forepast let us eschew,


s: And fly the faults with which we did offend.


s: Then shall the new yeares ioy forth freshly send


s: Into the glooming world his gladsome ray,


s: And all these stormes, which now his beauty blend*,


s: Shall turne to calmes, and tymely cleare away.


s: So, likewise, Love! cheare you your heavy spright,


s: And chaunge old yeares annoy to new delight.


s: After long stormes and tempests sad assay,


s: In dread of death, and daungerous dismay,


s: With which my silly bark was tossed sore,


s: Fayre soyle it seemes from far, and fraught with store


s: Whose least delight sufficeth to deprive


s: Remembrance of all paines which him opprest.


s: All paines are nothing in respect of this;


s: All sorrowes short that gaine eternall blisse.


s: Comming to kisse her lyps, (such grace I found,)


s: Me seemd I smelt a gardin of sweet flowres,


s: That dainty odours from them threw around,


s: For damzels fit to decke their lovers bowres.


s: Her lips did smell lyke unto gillyflowers;


s: Her snowy browes lyke budded bellamoures;


s: Her lovely eyes lyke pincks but newly spred;


s: Her goodly bosome lyke a strawberry bed;


s: Her neck lyke to a bounch of cullambynes;


s: Her brest lyke lillyes, ere their leaves be shed;


s: Her nipples lyke young blossomd jessemynes.


s: Such fragrant flowres doe give most odorous smell;


s: But her sweet odour did them all excell.


s: The doubt which ye misdeeme, fayre Love, is vaine,


s: When, losing one, two liberties ye gayne,


s: And make him bond that bondage earst did fly.


s: Sweet be the bands the which true love doth tye,


s: Within her cage, but sings, and feeds her fill.


s: There pride dare not approch, nor discord spill


s: The league twixt them that loyal love hath bound,


s: Seeks with sweet peace to salve each others wound:


s: There Fayth doth fearless dwell in brasen towre,


s: And spotlesse Pleasure builds her sacred bowre.


s: To all those happy blessings which ye have


s: With plenteous hand by heaven upon you thrown,


s: This one disparagement they to you gave,


s: That ye your love lent to so meane a one.


s: Ye, whose high worths surpassing paragon


s: Could not on earth have found one fit for mate,


s: For now your light doth more it selfe dilate,


s: And, in my darknesse, greater doth appeare.


s: Yet, since your light hath once enlumind me,


s: With my reflex yours shall encreased be.


s: Sits downe to rest him in some shady place,


s: With panting hounds, beguiled of their pray,


s: When I all weary had the chace forsooke,


s: The gentle deer returnd the selfe-same way,


s: Thinking to quench her thirst at the next brooke.


s: There she, beholding me with mylder looke,


s: Sought not to fly, but fearlesse still did bide,


s: Till I in hand her yet halfe trembling tooke,


s: And with her own goodwill her fyrmely tyde.


s: Strange thing, me seemd, to see a beast so wyld


s: So goodly wonne, with her owne will beguyld.


s: Most glorious Lord of lyfe! that on this day


s: Didst make thy triumph over death and sin,


s: And, having harrowd* hell, didst bring away


s: This ioyous day, dear Lord, with ioy begin;


s: And grant that we, for whom thou diddest dy,


s: Being with thy deare blood clene washt from sin,


s: May likewise love thee for the same againe,


s: And for thy sake, that all lyke deare didst buy.


s: So let us love, deare Love, lyke as we ought:


s: Love is the lesson which the Lord us taught.


s: The famous warriors of the anticke world


s: In which they would the records have enrold


s: Of theyr great deeds and valorous emprize.


s: What trophee then shall I most fit devize,


s: Of my loves conquest, peerlesse beauties prise,


s: Adorn'd with honour, love, and chastity!


s: That may admire such worlds rare wonderment;


s: The happy purchase of my glorious spoile,


s: Gotten at last with labour and long toyle.


s: Fresh Spring, the herald of loves mighty king,


s: In whose cote-armour richly are displayd


s: All sorts of flowres the which on earth do spring,


s: Goe to my Love, where she is carelesse layd,


s: Yet in her winters bowre not well awake:


s: Tell her the ioyous time wil not be staid,


s: Unlesse she doe him by the forelock take;


s: Bid her therefore her selfe soone ready make,


s: To wayt on Love amongst his lovely crew,


s: Where every one that misseth then her make*


s: Shall be by him amearst with penance dew.


s: Make haste therefore, sweet Love, while it is prime**;


s: For none can call againe the passed time.


s: Right so your selfe were caught in cunning snare


s: Of a deare foe, and thralled to his love;


s: In whose streight bands ye now captived are


s: With woodbynd flowers and fragrant eglantine,


s: So sweet your prison you in time shall prove,


s: And all thensforth eternall peace shall see


s: Oft when my spirit doth spred her bolder winges,


s: It down is weighd with thought of earthly things,


s: Where, when that soverayne beauty it doth spy,


s: Drawn with sweet pleasures bayt it back doth fly,


s: And unto heaven forgets her former flight.


s: There my fraile fancy, fed with full delight,


s: Doth bathe in blisse, and mantlcth most at ease;


s: Ne thinks of other heaven, but how it might


s: Her harts desire with most contentment please.


s: Hart need not wish none other happinesse,


s: But here on earth to have such hevens blisse.


s: My hart, (whom none with servile bands can tye,


s: But the fayre tresses of your golden hayre,)


s: Breaking his prison, forth to you doth fly.


s: Like as a byrd, that in ones hand doth spy


s: Desired food, to it doth make his flight,


s: Even so my hart, that wont on your fayre eye


s: To feed his fill, flyes backe unto your sight.


s: Doe you him take, and in your bosome bright


s: Gently encage, that he may be your thrall:


s: Perhaps he there may learne, with rare delight,


s: Him lodging in your bosome to have lent.


s: Most happy letters! fram'd by skilfull trade,


s: With which that happy name was first desynd


s: The which three times thrise happy hath me made,


s: With guifts of body, fortune, and of mind.


s: From mothers womb deriv'd by dew descent:


s: The second is my sovereigne Queene most kind,


s: That honour and large richesse to me lent:


s: The third my Love, my lives last ornament,


s: By whom my spirit out of dust was raysed,


s: To speake her prayse and glory excellent,


s: That three such graces did unto me give.


s: One day I wrote her name upon the strand,


s: But came the tyde, and made my paynes his pray.


s: "Vayne man," sayd she, "that doest in vaine assay


s: For I my selve shall lyke to this decay,


s: And eke my name bee wyped out lykewize."


s: "Not so," quod I; "let baser things devize


s: To dy in dust, but you shall live by fame:


s: My verse your vertues rare shall eternize,


s: And in the hevens wryte your glorious name.


s: Where, when as death shall all the world subdew,


s: Our love shall live, and later life renew."


s: Fayre bosome! fraught with vertues richest tresure,


s: The neast of love, the lodging of delight,


s: The bowre of blisse, the paradice of pleasure,


s: The sacred harbour of that hevenly spright,


s: How was I ravisht with your lovely sight,


s: And my frayle thoughts too rashly led astray,


s: Whiles diving deepe through amorous insight,


s: On the sweet spoyle of beautie they did pray,


s: And twixt her paps, like early fruit in May,


s: Whose harvest seemd to hasten now apace,


s: They loosely did theyr wanton winges display,


s: And there to rest themselves did boldly place.


s: Sweet thoughts! I envy your so happy rest,


s: Which oft I wisht, yet never was so blest.


s: Was it a dreame, or did I see it playne?


s: All spred with juncats fit to entertayne


s: The greatest prince with pompous roialty:


s: Mongst which, there in a silver dish did ly


s: Far passing those which Hercules came by,


s: Exceeding sweet, yet voyd of sinfull vice;


s: That many sought, yet none could ever taste;


s: Sweet fruit of pleasure, brought from Paradice


s: By Love himselfe, and in his garden plaste.


s: Her brest that table was, so richly spredd;


s: My thoughts the guests, which would thereon have fedd.


s: Lackyng my Love, I go from place to place,


s: Lyke a young fawne that late hath lost the hynd,


s: And seeke each where where last I sawe her face,


s: I seeke the fields with her late footing synd;


s: I seeke her bowre with her late presence deckt;


s: Yet nor in field nor bowre I can her fynd,


s: Yet field and bowre are full of her aspect.


s: And when I hope to see theyr trew obiect,


s: I fynd my self but fed with fancies vayne.


s: Cease then, myne eyes, to seeke her selfe to see,


s: And let my thoughts behold her selfe in mee.


s: Men call you fayre, and you doe credit it,


s: For that your selfe ye daily such doe see:


s: But the trew fayre, that is the gentle wit


s: And vertuous mind, is much more praysd of me.


s: Shall turne to nought and lose that glorious hew;


s: From frayle corruption that doth flesh ensew.


s: That is true beautie: that doth argue you


s: To be divine, and born of heavenly seed,


s: Deriv'd from that fayre Spirit from whom all true


s: And perfect beauty did at first proceed.


s: He only fayre, and what he fayre hath made;


s: All other fayre, lyke flowres, untymely fade.


s: Through Faery land, which those six books compile,


s: Give leave to rest me being half foredonne,


s: And gather to my selfe new breath awhile.


s: And stoutly will that second work assoyle*,


s: Till then give leave to me in pleasant mew**


s: To sport my Muse, and sing my Loves sweet praise,


s: My spirit to an higher pitch will rayse.


s: But let her prayses yet be low and meane,


s: Fit for the handmayd of the Faery Queene.


s: Fayre is my Love, when her fayre golden haires


s: With the loose wynd ye waving chance to marke;


s: Fayre, when the rose in her red cheekes appeares,


s: Or in her eyes the fyre of love does sparke;


s: Fayre, when her brest, lyke a rich laden barke,


s: With pretious merchandize she forth doth lay;


s: Fayre, when that cloud of pryde, which oft doth dark


s: Her goodly light, with smiles she drives away.


s: But fayrest she, when so she doth display


s: The gate with pearles and rubyes richly dight,


s: Throgh which her words so wise do make their way,


s: To beare the message of her gentle spright.


s: The rest be works of Natures wonderment;


s: But this the worke of harts astonishment.


s: I blesse my lot, that was so lucky placed:


s: But then the more your owne mishap I rew,


s: That are so much by so meane love embased.


s: For had the equall hevens so much you graced


s: Some hevenly wit, whose verse could have enchased


s: To me your thrall, in whom is little worth,


s: That little that I am shall all be spent


s: Let not one sparke of filthy lustfull fyre


s: Breake out, that may her sacred peace molest;


s: Attempt to work her gentle mindes unrest:


s: But pure affections bred in spotlesse brest,


s: And modest thoughts breathd from well-tempred spirits,


s: Goe visit her in her chaste bowre of rest,


s: There fill your selfe with those most ioyous sights,


s: The which my selfe could never yet attayne:


s: But speake no word to her of these sad plights,


s: Which her too constant stiffnesse doth constrayn.


s: And blesse your fortunes fayre election.


s: The world, that cannot deeme of worthy things,


s: When I doe praise her, say I doe but flatter:


s: So does the cuckow, when the mavis* sings,


s: Begin his witlesse note apace to clatter.


s: But they, that skill not of so heavenly matter,


s: Rather then envy, let them wonder at her,


s: Deepe in the closet of my parts entyre**,


s: Her worth is written with a golden quill,


s: That me with heavenly fury doth inspire,


s: And my glad mouth with her sweet prayses fill:


s: Which when as Fame in her shril trump shall thunder,


s: Let the world chuse to envy or to wonder.


s: Venemous tongue, tipt with vile adders sting,


s: Of that self kynd with which the Furies fell,


s: Their snaky heads doe combe, from which a spring


s: Of poysoned words and spightfull speeches well,


s: Let all the plagues and horrid paines of hell


s: That with false forged lyes, which thou didst tell.


s: In my true Love did stirre up coles of yre:


s: The sparkes whereof let kindle thine own fyre,


s: And, catching hold on thine own wicked bed,


s: Consume thee quite, that didst with guile conspire


s: In my sweet peace such breaches to have bred!


s: Shame be thy meed, and mischiefe thy reward,


s: Due to thy selfe, that it for me prepard!


s: Since I did leave the presence of my Love,


s: And many nights, that slowly seemd to move


s: Theyr sad protract from evening untill morn.


s: For, when as day the heaven doth adorne,


s: I wish that night the noyous day would end:


s: And when as night hath us of light forlorne,


s: And faine my griefe with chaunges to beguile,


s: That further seemes his terme still to extend,


s: So sorrowe still doth seem too long to last;


s: Since I have lackt the comfort of that light


s: The which was wont to lead my thoughts astray,


s: Ne ought I see, though in the clearest day,


s: When others gaze upon theyr shadowes vayne,


s: Whereof some glance doth in mine eie remayne.


s: Through contemplation of my purest part,


s: With light thereof I doe my self sustayne,


s: And thereon feed my love-affamisht hart.


s: But with such brightnesse whylest I fill my mind,


s: I starve my body, and mine eyes doe blynd.


s: Sits mourning for the absence of her mate,


s: And in her songs sends many a wishful vow


s: For his returns, that seemes to linger late,


s: Mourne to my selfe the absence of my Love;


s: And wandring here and there all desolate,


s: Seek with my playnts to match that mournful dove


s: Ne ioy of ought that under heaven doth hove**,


s: Can comfort me, but her owne ioyous sight,


s: Whose sweet aspect both God and man can move,


s: Dark is my day, whyles her fayre light I mis,


s: And dead my life that wants such lively blis.


s: Ye learned Sisters, which have oftentimes


s: Whom ye thought worthy of your gracefull rymes,


s: That even the greatest did not greatly scorne


s: To heare theyr names sung in your simple layes,


s: And when ye list your own mishaps to mourne,


s: Which death, or love, or fortunes wreck did rayse,


s: Your string could soone to sadder tenor turne,


s: And teach the woods and waters to lament


s: Now lay those sorrowfull complaints aside,


s: And having all your heads with girlands crownd,


s: Helpe me mine owne Loves prayses to resound:


s: The woods shall to me answer, and my eccho ring.


s: Early, before the worlds light-giving lampe


s: His golden beame upon the hils doth spred,


s: Having disperst the nights unchearfull dampe,


s: And long since ready forth his maske to move,


s: With his bright tead* that flames with many a flake,


s: Bid her awake therefore, and soone her dight**,


s: For loe! the wished day is come at last,


s: That shall for all the paynes and sorrowes past


s: That all the woods may answer, and your eccho ring.


s: Bring with you all the nymphes that you can heare,


s: Both of the rivers and the forrests greene,


s: And of the sea that neighbours to her neare,


s: All with gay girlands goodly wel beseene*.


s: And let them also with them bring in hand


s: For my fayre Love, of lillyes and of roses,


s: Bound truelove wize with a blew silke riband.


s: And let them make great store of bridale poses,


s: And let them eke bring store of other flowers,


s: And let the ground whereas her foot shall tread,


s: For feare the stones her tender foot should wrong,


s: Be strewd with fragrant flowers all along,


s: Which done, doe at her chamber dore awayt,


s: The whiles do ye this song unto her sing,


s: The woods shall to you answer, and your eccho ring;.


s: Ye Nymphes of Mulla, which with carefull heed


s: The silver scaly trouts do tend full well,


s: And greedy pikes which use therein to feed,


s: (Those trouts and pikes all others doe excell,)


s: And ye likewise which keepe the rushy lake,


s: Bynd up the locks the which hang scatterd light,


s: And in his waters, which your mirror make,


s: Behold your faces as the christall bright,


s: That when you come whereas my Love doth lie,


s: And eke, ye lightfoot mayds which keepe the dere


s: That on the hoary mountayne use to towre,


s: And the wylde wolves, which seeke them to devoure,


s: With your steele darts doe chace from coming neer,


s: To helpe to decke her, and to help to sing,


s: That all the woods may answer, and your eccho ring.


s: Wake now, my Love, awake! for it is time:


s: The rosy Morne long since left Tithons bed,


s: And Phoebus gins to shew his glorious hed.


s: Hark! how the cheerefull birds do chaunt theyr laies,


s: The merry larke hir mattins sings aloft;


s: The thrush replyes; the mavis* descant** playes;


s: The ouzell@ shrills; the ruddock$ warbles soft;


s: So goodly all agree, with sweet consent,


s: Ah! my deere Love, why doe ye sleepe thus long,


s: When meeter were that ye should now awake,


s: T'awayt the comming of your ioyous make,%


s: And hearken to the birds love-learned song,


s: For they of ioy and pleasance to you sing,


s: That all the woods them answer, and theyr eccho ring.


s: And her fayre eyes, like stars that dimmed were


s: With darksome cloud, now shew theyr goodly beams


s: More bright then Hesperus his head doth rere.


s: Come now, ye damzels, daughters of delight,


s: But first come, ye fayre Houres, which were begot,


s: In Ioves sweet paradice, of Day and Night,


s: Which doe the seasons of the year allot,


s: And all that ever in this world is fayre


s: And ye three handmayds of the Cyprian Queene,


s: The which doe still adorn her beauties pride,


s: And, as ye her array, still throw betweene


s: The whiles the woods shal answer, and your eccho ring.


s: Let all the virgins therefore well awayt,


s: And ye fresh boyes, that tend upon her groome,


s: Prepare your selves, for he is comming strayt.


s: Set all your things in seemely good aray,


s: The ioyfulst day that ever sunne did see.


s: Fair Sun! shew forth thy favourable ray,


s: And let thy lifull* heat not fervent be,


s: Or sing the thing that mote thy mind delight,


s: Doe not thy servants simple boone refuse,


s: But let this day, let this one day, be mine;


s: Then I thy soverayne prayses loud wil sing,


s: That all the woods shal answer, and theyr eccho ring.


s: Harke! how the minstrils gin to shrill aloud


s: Their merry musick that resounds from far,


s: The pipe, the tabor, and the trembling croud*,


s: That well agree withouten breach or iar.


s: And thereunto doe daunce and carrol sweet,


s: That all the sences they doe ravish quite;


s: The whyles the boyes run up and downe the street,


s: Crying aloud with strong confused noyce,


s: "Hymen, Iö Hymen, Hymen," they do shout;


s: That even to the heavens theyr shouting shrill


s: Doth reach, and all the firmament doth fill;


s: To which the people, standing all about,


s: That all the woods them answer, and theyr eccho ring.


s: Loe! where she comes along with portly pace,


s: Lyke Phoebe, from her chamber of the East,


s: Clad all in white, that seems a virgin best.


s: So well it her beseems, that ye would weene


s: Her long loose yellow locks lyke golden wyre,


s: Sprinckled with perle, and perling flowres atweene,


s: And, being crowned with a girland greene,


s: Ne dare lift up her countenance too bold,


s: But blush to heare her prayses sung so loud,--


s: Nathlesse doe ye still loud her prayses sing,


s: That all the woods may answer, and your eccho ring.


s: Tell me, ye merchants daughters, did ye see


s: So fayre a creature in your towne before;


s: So sweet, so lovely, and so mild as she,


s: Adornd with beautyes grace and vertues store?


s: Her goodly eyes lyke saphyres shining bright,


s: Her cheekes lyke apples which the sun hath rudded,


s: Her lips lyke cherries, charming men to byte,


s: Her brest like to a bowl of creame uncrudded*,


s: Her snowie necke lyke to a marble towre,


s: Ascending up, with many a stately stayre,


s: To honors seat and chastities sweet bowre.


s: Why stand ye still, ye virgins, in amaze,


s: Whiles ye forget your former lay to sing,


s: To which the woods did answer, and your eccho ring?


s: But if ye saw that which no eyes can see,


s: The inward beauty of her lively spright,


s: Garnisht with heavenly guifts of high degree,


s: Much more then would ye wonder at that sight,


s: And stand astonisht lyke to those which red*


s: There dwells sweet Love, and constant Chastity,


s: There Vertue raynes as quecne in royal throne,


s: Thereto approch to tempt her mind to ill.


s: Had ye once seene these her celestial threasures,


s: Then would ye wonder, and her prayses sing,


s: That all the woods should answer, and your eccho ring.


s: And all the postes adorne as doth behove,


s: And all the pillours deck with girlands trim,


s: For to receyve this saynt with honour dew,


s: With trembling steps and humble reverence,


s: She commeth in before th'Almighties view:


s: Bring her up to th'high altar, that she may


s: The praises of the Loi'd in lively notes;


s: That all the woods may answer, and their eccho ring.


s: Behold, whiles she before the altar stands,


s: Hearing the holy priest that to her speakes


s: And blesseth her with his two happy hands,


s: How the red roses flush up in her cheekes,


s: And the pure snow with goodly vermill stayne,


s: Ofte peeping in her face, that seems more fayre


s: But her sad* eyes, still fastened on the ground,


s: That suffers not one look to glaunce awry,


s: Which may let in a little thought unsownd.


s: Why blush ye, Love, to give to me your hand,


s: That all the woods may answer, and your eccho ring.


s: Now al is done; bring home the bride againe;


s: Bring home with you the glory of her game,


s: With ioyance bring her and with iollity.


s: Never had man more ioyfull day than this,


s: Make feast therefore now all this live-long day;


s: Poure out the wine without restraint or stay,


s: Poure not by cups, but by the belly full,


s: And sprinkle all the posts and wals with wine,


s: That they may sweat, and drunken be withall.


s: And Hymen also crowne with wreaths of vine;


s: And let the Graces daunce unto the rest,


s: The whiles the maydens doe theyr carroll sing,


s: To which the woods shall answer, and theyr eccho ring.


s: Ring ye the bels, ye yong men of the towne,


s: And leave your wonted labors for this day:


s: This day is holy; doe ye write it downe,


s: This day the sunne is in his chiefest hight,


s: He somewhat loseth of his heat and light,


s: When once the Crab behind his back he sees.


s: To choose the longest day in all the yeare,


s: And shortest night, when longest fitter weare:


s: Yet never day so long, but late would passe.


s: And daunce about them, and about them sing,


s: That all the woods may answer, and your eccho ring.


s: Ah! when will this long weary day have end,


s: And lende me leave to come unto my Love?


s: How slowly do the houres theyr numbers spend?


s: How slowly does sad Time his feathers move?


s: Hast thee, O fayrest planet, to thy home,


s: Thy tyred steedes long since have need of rest.


s: Long though it be, at last I see it gloome,


s: And the bright evening-star with golden creast


s: Fayre childe of beauty! glorious lampe of love!


s: That all the host of heaven in rankes doost lead,


s: And guidest lovers through the nights sad dread,


s: How chearefully thou lookest from above,


s: And seemst to laugh atweene thy twinkling light,


s: Of these glad many, which for ioy do sing,


s: That all the woods them answer, and their eccho ring!


s: Now ceasse, ye damsels, your delights fore-past;


s: Enough it is that all the day was youres:


s: Now day is doen, and night is nighing fast;


s: Now bring the bryde into the brydall bowres.


s: The night is come; now soon her disaray,


s: Behold how goodly my faire Love does ly,


s: Twixt sleepe and wake, after she weary was


s: Now it is night, ye damsels may be gone,


s: And leave likewise your former lay to sing:


s: The woods no more shall answer, nor your eccho ring.


s: Now welcome, Night! thou night so long expected,


s: That long daies labour doest at last defray,


s: And all my cares, which cruell Love collected,


s: Hast sumd in one, and cancelled for aye.


s: Spread thy broad wing over my Love and me,


s: From feare of perrill and foule horror free.


s: Let no false treason seeke us to entrap,


s: But let the night be calme and quietsome,


s: Without tempestuous storms or sad afray;


s: Lyke as when Iove with fayre Alemena lay,


s: When he begot the great Tirynthian groome;


s: Or lyke as when he with thy selfe did lie,


s: And let the mayds and yongmen cease to sing;


s: Ne let the woods them answer, nor theyr eccho ring.


s: Let no lamenting cryes, nor dolefull teares,


s: Be heard all night within, nor yet without:


s: Ne let false whispers, breeding hidden feares,


s: Breake gentle sleepe with misconceived dout.


s: Let no deluding dreames, nor dreadful sights,


s: No let house-fyres, nor lightnings helpless harmes,


s: Ne let the Pouke, nor other evill sprights,


s: Ne let mischievous witches with theyr charmes,


s: Ne let hob-goblins, names whose sence we see not,


s: Let not the shriech-owle, nor the storke, be heard,


s: Nor the night-raven, that still deadly yels,


s: Nor damned ghosts, cald up with mighty spels,


s: Nor griesly vultures, make us once affeard:


s: Ne let th'unpleasant quyre of frogs still croking


s: Let none of these theyr drery accents sing;


s: But let stil Silence trew night-watches keepe,


s: That sacred Peace may in assurance rayne,


s: And tymely Sleep, when it is tyme to sleepe,


s: May poure his limbs forth on your pleasant playne.


s: The whiles an hundred little winged Loves,


s: Shall fly and flutter round about the bed,


s: And in the secret darke, that none reproves,


s: Their prety stealthes shall worke, and snares shall spread


s: To filch away sweet snatches of delight,


s: Ye sonnes of Venus, play your sports at will!


s: For greedy Pleasure, carelesse of your toyes,


s: All night, therefore, attend your merry play,


s: Now none doth hinder you, that say or sing;


s: Ne will the woods now answer, nor your eccho ring.


s: Who is the same which at my window peepes?


s: Or whose is that faire face that shines so bright?


s: Is it not Cinthia, she that never sleepes,


s: But walkes about high heaven al the night?


s: For thou likewise didst love, though now unthought,


s: And for a fleece of wooll, which privily


s: The Latmian Shepherd* once unto thee brought,


s: And sith of wemens labours thou hast charge,


s: Encline thy will t'effect our wishfull vow,


s: And the chast womb informe with timely seed,


s: Till which we cease our hopefull hap to sing,


s: Ne let the woods us answer, nor our eccho ring.


s: And thou, great Iuno! which with awful might


s: The lawes of wedlock still dost patronize,


s: And the religion of the faith first plight


s: With sacred rites hast taught to solemnize,


s: And thou, glad Genius! in whose gentle hand


s: The bridale bowre and geniall bed remaine,


s: And the sweet pleasures of theyr loves delight


s: With secret ayde doost succour and supply,


s: Till they bring forth the fruitfull progeny,


s: Send us the timely fruit of this same night,


s: And thou, fayre Hebe! and thou, Hymen free!


s: Till which we cease your further prayse to sing,


s: Ne any woods shall answer, nor your eccho ring.


s: And ye high heavens, the temple of the gods,


s: In which a thousand torches flaming bright


s: Doe burne, that to us wretched earthly clods


s: In dreadful darknesse lend desired light,


s: And all ye powers which in the same remayne,


s: Poure out your blessing on us plentiously,


s: Which from the earth, which they may long possesse


s: And for the guerdon of theyr glorious merit,


s: Of blessed saints for to increase the count.


s: So let us rest, sweet Love, in hope of this,


s: And cease till then our tymely ioyes to sing:


s: The woods no more us answer, nor our eccho ring!


s: With which my Love should duly have been dect,


s: Which cutting off through hasty accidents,


s: Ye would not stay your dew time to expect,


s: And for short time an endlesse moniment!_


s: Calme was the day, and through the trembling ayre


s: Sweete-breathing Zephyrus did softly play


s: A gentle spirit, that lightly did delay*


s: Hot Titans beames, which then did glyster fayre;


s: Through discontent of my long fruitlesse stay


s: Like empty shadows, did afflict my brayne,)


s: Along the shoare of silver streaming Themmes;


s: Whose rutty** bank, the which his river hemmes,


s: And all the meades adornd with dainty gemmes,


s: Against the brydale day, which is not long@:


s: Sweet Themmes! runne softly, till I end my song.


s: All lovely daughters of the flood thereby,


s: With goodly greenish locks, all loose untyde,


s: And each one had a little wicker basket,


s: Made of fine twigs, entrayled* curiously,


s: In which they gathered flowers to fill their flasket**,


s: And with fine fingers cropt full feateously@


s: They gathered some; the violet, pallid blew,


s: The little dazie, that at evening closes,


s: The virgin lillie, and the primrose trew,


s: Against the brydale day, which was not long:


s: With that I saw two Swannes of goodly hewe


s: Come softly swimming downe along the lee*:


s: The snow which doth the top of Pindus strew


s: Nor Jove himselfe, when he a swan would be


s: Yet not so white as these, nor nothing near:


s: That even the gentle stream, the which them bare,


s: Seem'd foule to them, and bad his billowes spare


s: To wet their silken feathers, least they might


s: Soyle their fayre plumes with water not so fayre,


s: Against their brydale day, which was not long:


s: Sweet Themmes! runne softly, till I end my song.


s: Eftsoones, the Nymphes, which now had flowers their fill,


s: Ran all in haste to see that silver brood,


s: As they came floating on the cristal flood;


s: Whom when they sawe, they stood amazed still,


s: Them seem'd they never saw a sight so fayre


s: Of fowles, so lovely, that they sure did deeme


s: Them heavenly borne, or to be that same payre


s: Which through the skie draw Venus stiver teeme;


s: Yet were they bred of Somers-heat, they say,


s: In sweetest season, when each flower and weede


s: Even as their brydale day, which was not long:


s: Then forth they all out of their baskets drew


s: Great store of flowers, the honour of the field,


s: That to the sense did fragrant odours yeild,


s: All which upon those goodly birds they threw,


s: That like old Peneus waters they did seeme,


s: When downe along by pleasant Tempes shore,


s: Scattred with flowres, through Thessaly they streeme,


s: That they appeare, through lillies plenteous store,


s: Two of those Nymphes, meane while, two garlands bound


s: Of freshest flowres which in that mead they found,


s: Their snowie foreheads therewithall they crownd,


s: Against their brydale day, which was not long:


s: Sweet Themmes! runne softly, till I end my song.


s: "Ye gentle Birdes! the worlds faire ornament,


s: And heavens glorie, whom this happie hower


s: Doth leade unto your lovers blissfull bower,


s: Ioy may you have, and gentle hearts content


s: And let faire Venus, that is Queene of Love,


s: With her heart-quelling sonne upon you smile,


s: Whose smile, they say, hath vertue to remove


s: All loves dislike, and friendships faultie guile


s: Let endlesse peace your steadfast hearts accord,


s: And blessed plentie wait upon your bord;


s: And let your bed with pleasures chast abound.


s: Upon your brydale day, which is not long:


s: Sweet Themmes! runne softlie, till I end my song."


s: Which said, their brydale daye should not be long:


s: And gentle Eccho from the neighbour ground


s: So forth those ioyous birdes did passe along


s: Adowne the lee, that to them murmurde low,


s: As he would speake, but that he lackt a tong,


s: Yet did by signes his glad affection show,


s: And all the foule which in his flood did dwell


s: Gan flock about these twaine, that did excell


s: The lesser stars. So they, enranged well,


s: Against their wedding day, which was not long:


s: Sweet Themmes! runne softly, till I end my song.


s: That to me gave this lifes first native sourse,


s: Though from another place I take my name,


s: There when they came whereas those bricky towres


s: The which on Themmes brode aged backe doe ryde,


s: Where now the studious lawyers have their bowers.--


s: There whylome wont the Templer Knights to byde,


s: Next whereunto there standes a stately place,


s: Where oft I gayned giftes and goodly grace


s: Of that great lord which therein wont to dwell,


s: Whose want too well now feels my freendles case:


s: Against the bridale daye, which is not long:


s: Yet therein now doth lodge a noble peer,


s: Great Englands glory and the worlds wide wonder,


s: Whose dreadfull name late through all Spaine did thunder,


s: Faire branch of honor, flower of chevalrie!


s: That fillest England with thy triumphs fame,


s: And endlesse happinesse of thine owne name,


s: That through thy prowesse and victorious armes


s: Thy country may be freed from forraine harmes,


s: And great Elisaes glorious name may ring


s: Through al the world, fil'd with thy wide alarmes.


s: Upon the brydale day, which is not long:


s: Sweet Themmes! runne softly, till I end my song.


s: From those high towers this noble lord issuing,


s: Like radiant Hesper, when his golden hayre


s: In th'ocean billowes he hath bathed fayre,


s: Two gentle Knights of lovely face and feature,


s: With gifts of wit and ornaments of nature


s: That like the twins of Iove they seem'd in sight,


s: Which decke the bauldricke of the heavens bright.


s: They two, forth pacing to the rivers side,


s: Receiv'd those two faire brides, their loves delight;


s: Against their brydale day, which is not long:


s: Love, that long since hast to thy mighty powre


s: And raging now therein with restlesse stowre*,


s: Faine would I seeke to ease my bitter smart


s: Or ought that else might to thee pleasing bee.


s: And now t'asswage the force of this new flame,


s: And make thee more propitious in my need,


s: I meane to sing the praises of thy name,


s: By which thou madest many harts to bleed


s: Of mighty victors, with wide wounds embrewed,


s: And by thy cruell darts to thee subdewed.


s: Through the sharp sorrowes which thou hast me bred,


s: Should faint, and words should faile me to relate


s: The wondrous triumphs of thy great god-hed:


s: But, if thou wouldst vouchsafe to overspred


s: Come, then, O come, thou mightie God of Love!


s: Out of thy silver bowres and secret blisse,


s: Bathing thy wings in her ambrosial kisse,


s: Come softly, and my feeble breast inspire


s: And ye, sweet Muses! which have often proved


s: The piercing points of his avengefull darts,


s: And ye, fair Nimphs! which oftentimes have loved


s: Prepare yourselves, and open wide your harts


s: For to receive the triumph of your glorie,


s: That made you merie oft when ye were sorrie.


s: And ye, faire blossoms of youths wanton breed!


s: Which in the conquests of your beautie bost,


s: Wherewith your lovers feeble eyes you feed,


s: But sterve their harts, that needeth nourture most,


s: Prepare your selves to march amongst his host,


s: And all the way this sacred hymne do sing,


s: Made in the honor of your soveraigne king.


s: Great God of Might, that reignest in the mynd,


s: And all the bodie to thy hest doest frame,


s: That doest the lions and fell tigers tame,


s: Making their cruell rage thy scornfull game,


s: And in their roring taking great delight,


s: Who can expresse the glorie of thy might?


s: When thy great mother Venus first thee bare,


s: And yet a chyld, renewing still thy yeares,


s: And yet the eldest of the heavenly peares?


s: For ere this worlds still moving mightie masse


s: In which his goodly face long hidden was


s: From heavens view, and in deep darknesse kept,


s: Love, that had now long time securely slept


s: Gan reare his head, by Clotho being waked:


s: And taking to him wings of his own heat,


s: Kindled at first from heavens life-giving fyre,


s: And, like fresh eagle, made his hardy flight


s: Thro all that great wide wast, yet wanting light.


s: Yet wanting light to guide his wandring way,


s: His own faire mother, for all creatures sake,


s: Did lend him light from her owne goodly ray;


s: Then through the world his way he gan to take,


s: The world, that was not till he did it make,


s: Whose sundrie parts he from themselves did sever.


s: The which before had lyen confused ever.


s: The earth, the ayre, the water, and the fyre,


s: Then gan to raunge themselves in huge array,


s: Each against other by all meanes they may,


s: Threatning their owne confusion and decay:


s: Till Love relented their rebellious yre.


s: He then them tooke, and, tempering goodly well


s: Their contrary dislikes with loved meanes,


s: Did place them all in order, and compell


s: To keepe themselves within their sundrie raines*,


s: They mix themselves, and shew their kindly might.


s: So ever since they firmely have remained,


s: Through which now all these things that are contained


s: Within this goodly cope, both most and least,


s: Their being have, and daily are increast


s: Through secret sparks of his infused fyre,


s: Which in the barraine cold he doth inspyre.


s: To multiply the likenesse of their kynd,


s: Whilest they seeke onely, without further care,


s: To quench the flame which they in burning fynd;


s: But man, that breathes a more immortall mynd,


s: Some sparks remaining of that heavenly fyre,


s: Therefore in choice of love he doth desyre


s: That seemes on earth most heavenly to embrace,


s: That same is Beautie, borne of heavenly race.


s: For sure, of all that in this mortall frame


s: Contained is, nought more divine doth seeme,


s: Or that resembleth more th'immortall flame


s: Of heavenly light, than Beauties glorious beam.


s: What wonder then, if with such rage extreme


s: Frail men, whose eyes seek heavenly things to see,


s: Which well perceiving, that imperious boy


s: Doth therewith tip his sharp empoisned darts,


s: Which glancing thro the eyes with* countenance coy


s: Kest not till they have pierst the trembling harts,


s: And kindled flame in all their inner parts,


s: Which suckes the blood, and drinketh up the lyfe,


s: Of carefull wretches with consuming griefe.


s: Thenceforth they playne, and make full piteous mone


s: The daies they waste, the nights they grieve and grone,


s: Their lives they loath, and heavens light disdaine;


s: No light but that whose lampe doth yet remaine


s: Fresh burning in the image of their eye,


s: They deigne to see, and seeing it still dye.


s: The whylst thou, tyrant Love, doest laugh and scorne


s: At their complaints, making their paine thy play;


s: Whylest they lye languishing like thrals forlorne,


s: The whyles thou doest triumph in their decay;


s: Thou doest emmarble the proud hart of her


s: Whose love before their life they doe prefer.


s: So hast thou often done (ay me the more!)


s: To me thy vassall, whose yet bleeding hart


s: With thousand wounds thou mangled hast so sore,


s: That whole remaines scarse any little part;


s: Thou hast enfrosen her disdainefull brest,


s: That no one drop of pitie there doth rest.


s: Sith thou doest shew no favour unto mee,


s: Ne once move ruth in that rebellious dame,


s: Somewhat to slacke the rigour of my flame?


s: Certes small glory doest thou winne hereby,


s: To let her live thus free, and me to dy.


s: But if thou be indeede, as men thee call,


s: The worlds great parent, the most kind preserver


s: Of living wights, the soveraine lord of all,


s: How falles it then that with thy furious fervour


s: Thou doest afflict as well the not-deserver,


s: As him that doeth thy lovely heasts despize,


s: And on thy subiects most doth tyrannize?


s: By so hard handling those which best thee serve,


s: That, ere thou doest them unto grace restore,


s: Thou mayest well trie if they will ever swerve,


s: And mayest them make it better to deserve,


s: And, having got it, may it more esteeme;


s: For things hard gotten men more dearely deeme.


s: So hard those heavenly beauties be enfyred,


s: As things divine least passions doe impresse;


s: The more of stedfast mynds to be admyred,


s: The more they stayed be on stedfastnesse;


s: But baseborne minds such lamps regard the lesse,


s: Which at first blowing take not hastie fyre;


s: Such fancies feele no love, but loose desyre.


s: Above the reach of loathly sinfull lust,


s: Whose base affect*, through cowardly distrust


s: Of his weake wings, dare not to heaven fly,


s: But like a moldwarpe** in the earth doth ly.


s: His dunghill thoughts, which do themselves enure


s: To dirtie drosse, no higher dare aspyre;


s: The flaming light of that celestiall fyre


s: And makes him mount above the native might


s: Of heavie earth, up to the heavens hight.


s: Such is the powre of that sweet passion,


s: That it all sordid basenesse doth expell,


s: Unto a fairer forme, which now doth dwell


s: In his high thought, that would it selfe excell;


s: Which he beholding still with constant sight,


s: Admires the mirrour of so heavenly light.


s: Whose image printing in his deepest wit,


s: Still full, yet never satisfyde with it;


s: Like Tantale, that in store doth sterved ly,


s: For nought may quench his infinite desyre,


s: Once kindled through that first conceived fyre.


s: Ne thinks on ought but how it to attaine;


s: His care, his ioy, his hope, is all on this,


s: That seemes in it all blisses to containe,


s: In sight whereof all other blisse seemes vaine:


s: Thrice happie man, might he the same possesse,


s: He faines himselfe, and doth his fortune blesse.


s: And though he do not win his wish to end,


s: Yet thus farre happie he himselfe doth weene,


s: That heavens such happie grace did to him lend


s: As thing on earth so heavenly to have seene,


s: His harts enshrined saint, his heavens queene,


s: Then forth he casts in his unquiet thought,


s: What brave exploit, what perill hardly wrought,


s: What puissant conquest, what adventurous paine,


s: May please her best, and grace unto him gaine;


s: He dreads no danger, nor misfortune feares,


s: His faith, his fortune, in his breast he beares.


s: Thou art his god, thou art his mightie guyde,


s: Thou, being blind, letst him not see his feares,


s: But carriest him to that which he had eyde,


s: With which thou armest his resistlesse hand.


s: Achilles preassing through the Phrygian glaives*,


s: Of damned fiends, to get his love retyre;


s: For both through heaven and hell thou makest way,


s: And if by all these perils and these paynes


s: What heavens of ioy then to himselfe he faynes!


s: Had it beene death, yet would he die againe,


s: To live thus happie as her grace to gaine.


s: Yet when he hath found favour to his will,


s: But forceth further on, and striveth still


s: T'approch more neare, till in her inmost brest


s: And yet not best, but to be lov'd alone;


s: His troubled mynd with more then hellish paine!


s: Sights never seene, and thousand shadowes vaine,


s: To breake his sleepe and waste his ydle braine:


s: Thou that hast never lov'd canst not beleeve


s: Least part of th'evils which poore lovers greeve.


s: The gnawing envie, the hart-fretting feare,


s: The vaine surmizes, the distrustfull showes,


s: The false reports that flying tales doe beare,


s: The doubts, the daungers, the delayes, the woes,


s: With thousands more then any tongue can tell,


s: Yet is there one more cursed then they all,


s: That cancker-worme, that monster, Gelosie,


s: Which eates the heart and feedes upon the gall,


s: Ah, gods! that ever ye that monster placed


s: In gentle Love, that all his ioyes defaced!


s: By these, O Love! thou doest thy entrance make


s: Unto thy heaven, and doest the more endeere


s: Thy pleasures unto those which them partake,


s: As after stormes, when clouds begin to cleare,


s: The sunne more bright and glorious doth appeare;


s: So thou thy folke, through paines of Purgatorie,


s: Dost beare unto thy blisse, and heavens glorie.


s: Where they doe feede on nectar heavenly-wize,


s: Of Venus dearlings, through her bountie blest;


s: With rose and lillies over them displayd.


s: There with thy daughter Pleasure they doe play


s: Their hurtlesse sports, without rebuke or blame,


s: Their quiet heads, devoyd of guilty shame,


s: After full ioyance of their gentle game;


s: Then her they crowne their goddesse and their queene,


s: And decke with floures thy altars well beseene.


s: Ay me! deare Lord, that ever I might hope,


s: For all the paines and woes that I endure,


s: Then would I thinke these paines no paines at all,


s: And all my woes to be but penance small.


s: Then would I sing of thine immortal praise


s: An heavenly hymne such as the angels sing,


s: And thy triumphant name then would I raise


s: My guide, my god, my victor, and my king:


s: Till then, drad Lord! vouchsafe to take of me


s: This simple song, thus fram'd in praise of thee.


s: Ah! whither, Love! wilt thou now carry mee?


s: What wontlesse fury dost thou now inspire


s: Into my feeble breast, too full of thee?


s: Whylest seeking to aslake thy raging fyre,


s: Thou in me kindlest much more great desyre,


s: And up aloft above my strength doth rayse


s: The wondrous matter of my fire to praise.


s: That as I earst in praise of thine owne name,


s: And, with the brightnesse of her beautie cleare,


s: The ravisht hearts of gazefull men might reare


s: From whence proceeds such soule-enchanting might.


s: Therto do thou, great Goddesse! Queene of Beauty,


s: Mother of Love and of all worlds delight,


s: Without whose soverayne grace and kindly dewty


s: Nothing on earth seems fayre to fleshly sight,


s: Doe thou vouchsafe with thy love-kindling light


s: And beautifie this sacred hymne of thyne:


s: That both to thee, to whom I meane it most,


s: And eke to her whose faire immortall beame


s: That now it wasted is with woes extreame,


s: It may so please, that she at length will streame


s: Some deaw of grace into my withered hart,


s: To make al things such as we now behold,


s: It seems that he before his eyes had plast


s: A goodly paterne, to whose perfect mould


s: That now so faire and seemely they appeare


s: That wondrous paterne, wheresoere it bee,


s: Whether in earth layd up in secret store,


s: Or else in heaven, that no man may it see


s: With sinfull eyes, for feare it do deflore,


s: Is perfect Beautie, which all men adore;


s: Whose face and feature doth so much excell


s: All mortal sence, that none the same may tell.


s: And the grosse matter of this earthly myne


s: Which closeth it thereafter doth refyne,


s: Doing away the drosse which dims the light


s: Of that faire beame which therein is empight*.


s: For, through infusion of celestiall powre,


s: The duller earth it quickneth with delight,


s: And life-full spirits privily doth powre


s: Through all the parts, that to the lookers sight


s: They seeme to please; that is thy soveraine might,


s: O Cyprian queene! which, flowing from the beame


s: Of thy bright starre, thou into them doest streame.


s: That is the thing which giveth pleasant grace


s: To all things faire, that kindleth lively fyre;


s: Light of thy lampe; which, shyning in the face,


s: Thence to the soule darts amorous desyre,


s: And robs the harts of those which it admyre;


s: Therewith thou pointest thy sons poysned arrow,


s: That wounds the life and wastes the inmost marrow.


s: That Beautie is nought else but mixture made


s: Of colours faire, and goodly temp'rament


s: Of pure complexions, that shall quickly fade


s: And passe away, like to a sommers shade;


s: Of parts well measurd, with meet disposition!


s: Hath white and red in it such wondrous powre,


s: That it can pierce through th'eyes unto the hart,


s: And therein stirre such rage and restlesse stowre*,


s: As nought but death can stint his dolours smart?


s: That it can rob both sense, and reason blynd?


s: Why doe not then the blossomes of the field,


s: Which are arayd with much more orient hew,


s: And to the sense most daintie odours yield,


s: Worke like impression in the lookers vew?


s: Or why doe not faire pictures like powre shew,


s: But ah! beleeve me there is more then so,


s: That workes such wonders in the minds of men;


s: I, that have often prov'd, too well it know,


s: Shall find by trial, and confesse it then,


s: That Beautie is not, as fond men misdeeme,


s: An outward shew of things that onely seeme.


s: For that same goodly hew of white and red


s: With which the cheekes are sprinckled, shall decay,


s: And those sweete rosy leaves, so fairly spred


s: To that they were, even to corrupted clay:


s: That golden wyre, those sparckling stars so bright,


s: Shall turne to dust, and lose their goodly light.


s: But that faire lampe, from whose celestiall ray


s: That light proceedes which kindleth lovers fire,


s: But, when the vitall spirits doe espyre,


s: For it is heavenly borne, and cannot die,


s: For when the soule, the which derived was,


s: At first, out of that great immortall Spright,


s: By whom all live to love, whilome did pas


s: Down from the top of purest heavens hight


s: To be embodied here, it then tooke light


s: And lively spirits from that fayrest starre


s: Which lights the world forth from his firie carre.


s: Which powre retayning still, or more or lesse,


s: When she in fleshly seede is eft* enraced**,


s: Through every part she doth the same impresse,


s: According as the heavens have her graced,


s: And frames her house, in which she will be placed,


s: Fit for her selfe, adorning it with spoyle


s: Of th'heavenly riches which she robd erewhyle.


s: Thereof it comes that these faire soules which have


s: The most resemblance of that heavenly light


s: Frame to themselves most beautifull and brave


s: Their fleshly bowre, most fit for their delight,


s: And the grosse matter by a soveraine might


s: Temper so trim, that it may well be seene


s: And hath in it the more of heavenly light,


s: For of the soule the bodie forme doth take;


s: For soule is forme, and doth the bodie make.


s: Therefore, where-ever that thou doest behold


s: A comely corpse*, with beautie faire endewed,


s: Know this for certaine, that the same doth hold


s: A beauteous soule with fair conditions thewed**,


s: Fit to receive the seede of vertue strewed;


s: For all that faire is, is by nature good;


s: That is a sign to know the gentle blood.


s: Yet oft it falles that many a gentle mynd


s: Either by chaunce, against the course of kynd*,


s: Or through unaptnesse in the substance fownd,


s: Which it assumed of some stubborne grownd,


s: That will not yield unto her formes direction,


s: But is deform'd with some foule imperfection.


s: And oft it falles, (ay me, the more to rew!)


s: That goodly Beautie, albe heavenly borne,


s: Is foule abusd, and that celestiall hew,


s: Which doth the world with her delight adorne,


s: Made but the bait of sinne, and sinners scorne,


s: Whilest every one doth seeke and sew to have it,


s: But every one doth seeke but to deprave it.


s: Yet nathëmore is that faire Beauties blame,


s: Nothing so good, but that through guilty shame


s: Nathelesse the soule is faire and beauteous still,


s: For things immortall no corruption take.


s: But ye, faire Dames! the worlds deare ornaments,


s: Let not your beames with such disparagements


s: Doe still preserve your first informed grace,


s: Whose shadow yet shynes in your beauteous face.


s: Loath that foule blot, that hellish fiërbrand,


s: Disloiall lust, fair Beauties foulest blame,


s: That base affections, which your eares would bland*,


s: Which will the garland of your glorie marre,


s: And quench the light of your brightshyning starre.


s: But gentle Love, that loiall is and trew,


s: And add more brightnesse to your goodly hew


s: From light of his pure fire; which, by like way


s: Kindled of yours, your likenesse doth display;


s: Like as two mirrours, by opposd reflection,


s: Doe both expresse the faces first impression.


s: Therefore, to make your beautie more appeare,


s: It you behoves to love, and forth to lay


s: That heavenly riches which in you ye beare,


s: That men the more admyre their fountaine may;


s: For else what booteth that celestiall ray,


s: But, in your choice of loves, this well advize,


s: That likest to your selves ye them select,


s: The which your forms first sourse may sympathize,


s: And with like beauties parts be inly deckt;


s: For if you loosely love without respect,


s: Whose unlike parts amongst themselves do iarre.


s: Of likely* harts composd of** starres concent,


s: Which ioyne together in sweete sympathie,


s: To work each others ioy and true content,


s: Which they have harbourd since their first descent


s: Out of their heavenly bowres, where they did see


s: Then wrong it were that any other twaine


s: Should in Loves gentle band combyned bee,


s: But those whom Heaven did at first ordaine,


s: And made out of one mould the more t'agree;


s: For all that like the beautie which they see


s: Straight do not love; for Love is not so light


s: As straight to burne at first beholders sight.


s: But they which love indeede looke otherwise,


s: With pure regard and spotlesse true intent,


s: Unto their mind, voide of all blemishment;


s: Which it reducing to her first perfection,


s: Beholdeth free from fleshes frayle infection.


s: Which in it selfe it hath remaining still,


s: Of that first sunne, yet sparckling in his sight,


s: An heavenly beautie to his fancies will;


s: The mirrour of his owne thought doth admyre.


s: And with his spirits proportion to agree,


s: And yet indeede her fairnesse doth exeede.


s: For lovers eyes more sharply sighted bee


s: Then other mens, and in deare loves delight


s: Through mutuall receipt of beamës bright,


s: Which carrie privie message to the spright,


s: And to their eyes that inmost faire display,


s: As plaine as light discovers dawning day.


s: Therein they see, through amorous eye-glaunces,


s: Annies of Loves still flying too and fro,


s: Which dart at them their litle fierie launces;