(That neuer heard of _Helicon_ before)
Performe my promise past: when they refuse
Poore Shepheards Plaints? yet will I still adore
Thy sacred Name, al though I write no more:
Yet hope I shall, if this accepted bee:
If not, in silence sleepe eternally.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
_CYNTHIA._
[Illustration]
Now was the Welkyn all inuelloped
With duskie Mantle of the sable Night:
And CYNTHIA lifting vp her drouping head,
Blusht at the Beautie of her borrowed light,
When Sleepe now summon'd euery mortal wight.
Then loe (me thought) I saw or seem'd to see,
An heauenly Creature like an Angell bright,
That in great haste came pacing towards me:
Was neuer mortall eye beheld so faire a Shee.
Thou lazie man (quoth she) what mak'st thou heere
(Luld in the lap of Honours Enimie?)
I heere commaund thee now for to appeare
(By vertue of IOVES mickle Maiestie)
In yonder Wood. (Which with her finger shee
Out-poynting) had no sooner turn'd her face,
And leauing mee to muze what she should bee,
Yuanished into some other place:
But straite (me thought) I saw a rout of heauenlie Race.
Downe in a Dale, hard by a Forrest side,
(Vnder the shaddow of a loftie Pine,)
Not far from whence a trickling streame did glide,
Did nature by her secret art combine,
A pleasant Arbour, of a spreading Vine:
Wherein Art stroue with nature to compaire,
That made it rather seeme a thing diuine
Being scituate all in the open Aire:
A fairer nere was seene, if any seene so faire.
There might one see, and yet not see (indeede)
Fresh _Flora_ flourishing in chiefest Prime,
Arrayed all in gay and gorgeous weede,
The Primrose and sweet-smelling Eglantine,
As fitted best beguiling so the time:
And euer as she went she strewd the place,
Red-roses mixt with Daffadillies fine,
For Gods and Goddesses, that in like case
In this same order sat, with il-beseeming grace.
First, in a royall Chaire of massie gold,
(Bard all about with plates of burning steele)
Sat _Iupiter_ most glorious to behold,
And in his hand was placed Fortunes wheele:
The which he often turn'd, and oft did reele.
And next to him, in griefe and gealouzie,
(If sight may censure what the heart doth feele)
In sad lament was placed _Mercurie;_
That dying seem'd to weep, and weeping seem'd to die.
On th'other side, aboue the other twaine,
(Delighting as it seem'd to sit alone)
Sat _Mulciber;_ in pride and high disdaine,
Mounted on high vpon a stately throne,
And euen with that I heard a deadly grone:
Muzing at this, and such an vncouth sight,
(Not knowing what shoulde make that piteous mone)
I saw three furies, all in Armour dight,
With euery one a Lampe, and euery one a light.
I deemed so; nor was I much deceau'd,
For poured forth in sensuall Delight,
There might I see of Sences quite bereau'd
King _Priams_ Sonne, that _Alexander_ hight
(Wrapt in the Mantle of eternall Night.)
And vnder him, awaiting for his fall,
Sate Shame, here Death, and there sat fel Despight,
That with their Horrour did his heart appall:
Thus was his Blisse to Bale, his Hony turn'd to gall.
In which delight feeding mine hungry eye,
Of two great Goddesses a sight I had,
And after them in wondrous Iollity,
(As one that inly ioy'd, so was she glad)
The Queene of Loue full royallie yclad,
In glistring Gold, and peerelesse precious stone,
There might I spie: and her Companion had,
Proud _Paris_, Nephew to _Laomedon_,
That afterward did cause the Death of many a one.
By this the formost melting all in teares,
And rayning downe resolued Pearls in showers,
Gan to approach the place of heauenly Pheares,
And with her weeping, watring all their Bowers,
Throwing sweet Odors on those fading flowers,
At length, she them bespake thus mournfullie.
High _Ioue_ (quoth she) and yee Cœlestiall powers,
That here in Iudgement sit twixt her and mee,
Now listen (for a while) and iudge with equitie.
Sporting our selues to day, as wee were woont
(I meane, I, _Pallas_, and the Queene of Loue.)
Intending with _Diana_ for to hunt,
On _Ida_ Mountaine top our skill to proue,
A golden Ball was trindled from aboue,
And on the Rinde was writ this Poesie,
PVLCHERIMÆ for which a while we stroue,
Each saying shee was fairest of the three,
When loe a shepheards Swaine not far away we see.
I spi'd him first, and spying thus bespake,
Shall yonder Swaine vnfolde the mysterie?
Agreed (quoth _Venus_) and by _Stygian_ Lake,
To whom he giues the ball so shall it bee:
Nor from his censure will I flie, quoth shee,
(Poynting to _Pallas_) though I loose the gole.
Thus euery one yplac'd in her degree,
The Shepheard comes, whose partial eies gan role,
And on our beuties look't, and of our beuties stole.
I promis'd wealth, _Minerua_ promised wit,
(Shee promis'd wit to him that was vnwise,)
But he (fond foole) had soone refused it,
And minding to bestow that glorious Prize,
On _Venus_, that with pleasure might suffize
His greedie minde in loose lasciuiousnes:
Vpon a sudden, wanting goode aduice,
Holde heere (quoth he) this golden Ball possesse,
Which _Paris_ giues to thee for meede of worthines,
Thus haue I shew'd the summe of all my sute,
And as a Plaintiffe heere appeale to thee,
And to the rest. Whose folly I impute
To filthie lust, and partialitie,
That made him iudge amisse: and so doo we
(Quoth _Pallas_, _Venus_,) nor will I gaine-say,
Although it's mine by right, yet willinglie,
I heere disclaime my title and obey:
When silence being made, _Ioue_ thus began to saie.
Thou _Venus_, art my darling, thou my deare,
(_Minerua_) shee, my sister and my wife:
So that of all a due respect I beare,
Assign'd as one to end this doubtfull strife,
(Touching your forme, your fame, your loue, your life)
Beauty is vaine much like a gloomy light,
And wanting wit is counted but a trife,
Especially when Honour's put to flight:
Thus of a lonely, soone becomes a loathly sight.
VVit without wealth is bad, yet counted good,
wealth wanting wisdom's worse, yet deem'd as wel,
From whence (for ay) doth flow, as from a flood,
A pleasant Poyson, and a heauenly Hell,
where mortall men do couet still to dwell.
Yet one there is to Vertue so inclin'd,
That as for Maiesty she beares the Bell,
So in the truth who tries her princelie minde,
Both Wisdom, Beauty, Wealth, and all in her shall find.
In Westerne world amids the Ocean maine,
In compleat Vertue shining like the Sunne,
In great Renowne a maiden Queene doth raigne,
Whose royall Race, in Ruine first begun,
Till Heauens bright Lamps dissolue shall nere be done:
In whose faire eies Loue linckt with vertues been,
In euerlasting Peace and Vnion.
Which sweet Consort in her full well beseeme
Of Bounty, and of Beauty fairest Fayrie Queene.
And to conclude, the gifts in her yfound,
Are all so noble, royall, and so rare,
That more and more in her they doe abound;
In her most peerelesse Prince without compare,
Endowing still her minde with vertuous care:
That through the world (so wide) the flying fame,
(And Name that Enuies selfe cannot impaire,)
Is blown of this faire Queen, this gorgeous dame,
Fame borrowing al men's mouths to royalize the same.
And with this sentence _Iupiter_ did end,
This is the Pricke (quoth he), this is the praies,
To whom, this as a Present I will send,
That shameth _Cynthia_ in her siluer Raies,
If so you three this deed doe not displease.
Then one, and all, and euery one of them,
To her that is the honour of her daies,
A second _Iudith_ in IERVSALEM.
To her we send this Pearle, this Iewell, and this Iem.
Then call'd he vp the winged _Mercury_,
(The mighty Messenger of Gods enrold,)
And bad him hither hastily to hie,
Whom tended by her Nymphes he should behold,
(Like Pearles ycouched all in shining gold.)
And euen with that, from pleasant slumbring sleepe,
(Desiring much these wonders to vnfold)
I wak'ning, when _Aurora_ gan to peepe,
Depriu'd so soone of my sweet Dreame, gan almost weepe.
_The Conclusion._
Thus, sacred Virgin, Muse of chastitie,
This difference is betwixt the Moone and thee:
Shee shines by Night; but thou by Day do'st shine:
Shee Monthly changeth; thou dost nere decline:
And as the Sunne, to her, doth lend his light,
So hee, by thee, is onely made so bright:
Yet neither Sun, nor Moone, thou canst be named,
Because thy light hath both their beauties shamed:
Then, since an heauenly Name doth thee befall,
Thou VIRGO art: (if any Signe at all).
FINIS.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
[_SONNETS._]
_SONNET. I._
[Illustration]
Sporting at fancie, setting light by loue,
There came a theefe, and stole away my heart,
(And therefore robd me of my chiefest part)
Yet cannot Reason him a felon proue.
For why his beauty (my hearts thiefe) affirmeth,
Piercing no skin (the bodies fensiue wall)
And hauing leaue, and free consent withall,
Himselfe not guilty, from loue guilty tearmeth,
Conscience the Iudge, twelue Reasons are the Iurie,
They finde mine eies the be[a]utie t' haue let in,
And on this verdict giuen, agreed they bin,
VVherefore, because his beauty did allure yee,
Your Doome is this: in teares still to be drowned,
VVhen his faire forehead with disdain is frowned.
_SONNET. II._
[Illustration]
Be[a]uty and Maiesty are falne at ods,
Th'one claimes his cheeke, the other claimes his chin;
Then Vertue comes, and puts her title in.
(Quoth she) I make him like th'immortall Gods.
(Quoth Maiestie) I owne his lookes, his Brow,
His lips, (quoth Loue) his eies, his faire is mine.
And yet (quoth Maiesty) he is not thine,
I mixe Disdaine with Loues congealed Snow.
I, but (quoth Loue) his lockes are mine (by right)
His stately gate is mine (quoth Maiestie,)
And mine (quoth Vertue) is his Modestie.
Thus as they striue about this heauenly wight,
At last the other two to Vertue yeeld,
The lists of Loue, fought in faire Beauties field.
_SONNET. III._
[Illustration]
The Stoicks thinke, (and they come neere the truth,)
That vertue is the chiefest good of all,
The Academicks on _Idea_ call.
The Epicures in pleasure spend their youth,
The Perrepatetickes iudge felicitie,
To be the chiefest good aboue all other,
One man, thinks this: and that conceaues another:
So that in one thing very few agree.
Let Stoicks haue their Vertue if they will,
And all the rest their chiefe-supposed good,
Let cruell Martialists delight in blood,
And Mysers ioy their bags with gold to fill:
My chiefest good, my chiefe felicity,
Is to be gazing on my loues faire eie.
_SONNET. IIII._
[Illustration]
Two stars there are in one faire firmament,
(Of some intitled _Ganymedes_ sweet face),
VVhich other stars in brightnes doe disgrace,
As much as _Po_ in clearenes passeth _Trent_.
Nor are they common natur'd stars: for why,
These stars when other shine vaile their pure light,
And when all other vanish out of sight,
They adde a glory to the worlds great eie.
By these two stars my life is onely led,
In them I place my ioy, in them my pleasure,
Loue's piercing Darts, and Natures precious treasure
With their sweet foode my fainting soule is fed:
Then when my sunne is absent from my sight
How can it chuse (with me) but be dark night?
_SONNET. V._
[Illustration]
It is reported of faire _Thetis_ Sonne,
(_Achilles_ famous for his chiualry,
His noble minde and magnanimity,)
That when the Troian wars were new begun,
Whos'euer was deepe-wounded with his speare,
Could neuer be recured of his maime,
Nor euer after be made whole againe:
Except with that speares rust he holpen were.
Euen so it fareth with my fortune now,
Who being wounded with his piercing eie,
Must either thereby finde a remedy,
Or els to be releeu'd, I know not how.
Then if thou hast a minde still to annoy me,
Kill me with kisses, if thou wilt destroy me.
_SONNET. VI._
[Illustration]
Sweet Corrall lips, where Nature's treasure lies,
The balme of blisse, the soueraigne salue of sorrow,
The secret touch of loues heart-burning arrow,
Come quench my thirst or els poor _Daphnis_ dies.
One night I dream'd (alas twas but a Dreame)
That I did feele the sweetnes of the same,
Where-with inspir'd, I young againe became,
And from my heart a spring of blood did streame,
But when I wak't, I found it nothing so,
Saue that my limbs (me thought) did waxe more strong
And I more lusty far, and far more yong.
This gift on him rich Nature did bestow.
Then if in dreaming so, I so did speede,
What should I doe, if I did so indeede?
_SONNET. VII._
[Illustration]
Sweet _Thames_ I honour thee, not for thou art
The chiefest Riuer of the fairest Ile,
Nor for thou dost admirers eies beguile,
But for thou hold'st the keeper of my heart,
For on thy waues, (thy Christal-billow'd waues,)
My fairest faire, my siluer Swan is swimming:
Against the sunne his pruned feathers trimming:
Whilst _Neptune_ his faire feete with water laues,
Neptune, I feare not thee, not yet thine eie,
And yet (alas) _Apollo_ lou'd a boy,
And _Cyparissus_ was _Siluanus_ ioy.
No, no, I feare none but faire _Thetis_, I,
For if she spie my Loue, (alas) aie me,
My mirth is turn'd to extreame miserie.
_SONNET. VIII._
[Illustration]
Sometimes I wish that I his pillow were,
So might I steale a kisse, and yet not seene,
So might I gaze vpon his sleeping eine,
Although I did it with a panting feare:
But when I well consider how vaine my wish is,
Ah foolish Bees (thinke I) that doe not sucke
His lips for hony; but poore flowers doe plucke
Which haue no sweet in them: when his sole kisses,
Are able to reuiue a dying soule.
Kisse him, but sting him not, for if you doe,
His angry voice your flying will pursue:
But when they heare his tongue, what can controule,
Their back-returne? for then they plaine may see,
How hony-combs from his lips dropping bee.
_SONNET. IX._
[Illustration]
_Diana_ (on a time) walking the wood,
To sport herselfe, of her faire traine forlorne,
Chaunc't for to pricke her foote against a thorne,
And from thence issu'd out a streame of blood.
No sooner shee was vanisht out of sight,
But loues faire Queen came there away by chance,
And hauing of this hap a glym'ring glance,
She put the blood into a christall bright,
When being now come vnto mount _Rhodope_,
With her faire hands she formes a shape of Snow,
And blends it with this blood; from whence doth grow
A lonely creature, brighter than the Dey.
And being christned in faire _Paphos_ shrine,
She call'd him _Ganymede:_ as all diuine.
_SONNET. X._
[Illustration]
Thus was my loue, thus was my _Ganymed_,
(Heauens ioy, worlds wonder, natures fairest work,
In whose aspect Hope and Dispaire doe lurke)
Made of pure blood in whitest snow yshed,
And for sweete _Venus_ only form'd his face,
And his each member delicately framed,
And last of all faire _Ganymede_ him named,
His limbs (as their Creatrix) her imbrace.
But as for his pure, spotles, vertuous minde,
Because it sprung of chaste _Dianaes_ blood,
(Goddesse of Maides, directresse of all good,)
Hit wholy is to chastity inclinde.
And thus it is: as far as I can proue,
He loues to be beloued, but not to loue.
_SONNET XI._
[Illustration]
Sighing, and sadly sitting by my Loue,
He ask't the cause of my hearts sorrowing,
Coniuring me by heauens eternall King
To tell the cause which me so much did moue.
Compell'd: (quoth I) to thee will I confesse,
Loue is the cause; and only loue it is
That doth depriue me of my heauenly blisse.
Loue is the paine that doth my heart oppresse.
And what is she (quoth he) whom thou dos't loue?
Looke in this glasse (quoth I) there shalt thou see
The perfect forme of my fælicitie.
When, thinking that it would strange Magique proue
He open'd it: and taking of the couer,
He straight perceau'd himselfe to be my Louer.
_SONNET. XII._
[Illustration]
Some talke of _Ganymede_ th' _Idalian_ Boy,
And some of faire _Adonis_ make their boast,
Some talke of him whom louely _Læda_ lost,
And some of _Ecchoes_ loue that was so coy.
They speake by heere-say, I of perfect truth,
They partially commend the persons named,
And for them, sweet Encomions haue framed:
I onely t'him haue sacrifized my youth.
As for those wonders of antiquitie,
And those whom later ages haue inioy'd,
(But ah what hath not cruell death destroide?
Death, that enuies this worlds felicitie),
They were (perhaps) lesse faire then Poets write.
But he is fairer then I can indite.
_SONNET. XIII._
[Illustration]
Speake Eccho, tell; how may I call my loue? _Loue._
But how his Lamps that are so christaline? _Eyne._
Oh happy starrs that make your heauens diuine:
And happy Iems that admiration moue.
How tearm'st his golden tresses wau'd with aire? _Haire._
Oh louely haire of your more-louely Maister,
Image of loue, faire shape of Alablaster,
Why do'st thou driue thy Louer to dispaire?
How do'st thou cal the bed wher beuty grows? _Rose._
Faire virgine-Rose, whose mayden blossoms couer
The milke-white Lilly, thy imbracing Louer:
Whose kisses makes thee oft thy red to lose.
And blushing oft for shame, when he hath kist thee,
He vades away, and thou raing'st where it list thee.
_SONNET. XIIII._
[Illustration]
Here, hold this gloue (this milk-white cheueril gloue)
Not quaintly ouer-wrought with curious knots,
Not deckt with golden spangs, nor siluer spots,
Yet wholsome for thy hand as thou shalt proue.
Ah no; (sweet boy) place this gloue neere thy heart,
Weare it, and lodge it still within thy brest,
So shalt thou make me (most vnhappy,) blest.
So shalt thou rid my paine, and ease my smart:
How can that be (perhaps) thou wilt reply,
A gloue is for the hand not for the heart,
Nor can it well be prou'd by common art,
Nor reasons rule. To this, thus answere I:
If thou from gloue do'st take away the g,
Then gloue is loue: and so I send it thee.
_SONNET. XV._
[Illustration]
A[h] fairest _Ganymede_, disdaine me not,
Though silly Sheepeheard I, presume to loue thee,
Though my harsh songs and Sonnets cannot moue thee,
Yet to thy beauty is my loue no blot.
_Apollo_, _Ioue_, and many Gods beside,
S' daind not the name of cuntry shepheards swains
Nor want we pleasure, though we take some pains,
We liue contentedly: a thing call'd pride,
Which so corrupts the Court and euery place,
(Each place I meane where learning is neglected,
And yet of late, euen learnings selfe's infected)
I know not what it meanes, in any case:
Wee onely (when _Molorchus_ gins to peepe)
Learne for to folde, and to vnfold our sheepe.
_SONNET. XVI._
[Illustration]
Long haue I long'd to see my Loue againe,
Still haue I wisht, but neuer could obtaine it;
Rather than all the world (if I might gaine it)
Would I desire my loues sweet precious gaine.
Yet in my soule I see him euerie day,
See him, and see his still sterne countenaunce,
But (ah) what is of long continuance,
Where Maiestie and Beautie beares the sway?
Sometimes, when I imagine that I see him,
(As loue is full of foolish fantasies)
VVeening to kisse his lips, as my loues fee's,
I feele but Aire: nothing but Aire to bee him.
Thus with _Ixion_, kisse I clouds in vaine:
Thus with _Ixion_, feele I endles paine.
_SONNET. XVII._
[Illustration]
Cherry-lipt _Adonis_ in his snowie shape,
Might not compare with his pure Iuorie white,
On whose faire front a Poets pen may write,
Whose rosiate red excels the crimson grape,
His loue-enticing delicate soft limbs,
Are rarely fram'd t'intrap poore gazing eies:
His cheekes, the Lillie and Carnation dies,
With louely tincture which _Apolloes_ dims.
His lips ripe strawberries in Nectar wet,
His mouth a Hiue, his tongue a hony-combe,
Where Muses (like Bees) make their mansion.
His teeth pure Pearle in blushing Correll set.
Oh how can such a body sinne-procuring,
Be slow to loue, and quicke to hate, enduring?
_SONNET. XVIII._
[Illustration]
Not _Megabætes_ nor _Cleonymus_,
(Of whom great _Plutarch_ makes such mention,
Praysing their faire with rare inuention)
As _Ganymede_ were halfe so beauteous.
They onely pleas'd the eies of two great Kings,
But all the worlde at my loue stands amazed,
Nor one that on his Angels face hath gazed,
But (rauisht with delight) him Presents brings.
Some weaning Lambs, and some a suckling Kyd,
Some Nuts, and fil-beards, others Peares and Plums,
Another with a milk-white Heyfar comes;
As lately _Ægons_ man (_Damætas_) did:
But neither he, nor all the Nymphs beside,
Can win my _Ganymede_, with them t'abide.
_SONNET. XIX._
[Illustration]
Ah no; nor I my selfe: though my pure loue
(Sweete _Ganymede_) to thee hath still beene pure,
And euen till my last gaspe shall aie endure,
Could euer thy obdurate beuty moue:
Then cease oh Goddesse sonne (for sure thou art,
A Goddesse sonne that canst resist desire)
Cease thy hard heart, and entertaine loues fire,
Within thy sacred breast: by Natures art.
And as I loue thee more then any Creature,
(Loue thee, because thy beautie is diuine;
Loue thee, because my selfe, my soule is thine:
Wholie deuoted to thy louelie feature),
Euen so of all the vowels, I and V,
Are dearest vnto me, as doth ensue.
_SONNET. XX._
But now my Muse toyld with continuall care,
Begins to faint, and slacke her former pace,
Expecting fauour from that heauenly grace,
That maie (in time) her feeble strength repaire.
Till when (sweete youth) th'essence of my soule,
(Thou that dost sit and sing at my hearts griefe.
Thou that dost send thy shepheard no reliefe)
Beholde, these lines; the sonnes of Teares and Dole.
Ah had great _Colin_ chiefe of sheepheards all,
Or gentle _Rowland_, my professed friend,
Had they thy beautie, or my pennance pend,
Greater had beene thy fame, and lesse my fall:
But since that euerie one cannot be wittie,
Pardon I craue of them, and of thee, pitty.
FINIS.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
_AN ODE._
[Illustration]