coast And let that double-headed mountain hallow No more the honour'd name of great Apollo And may the Pegasean spring that uses To cheer the palats of the thirstie Muses Drie up and let this happie Isle of thine Preserve Apolloes harp where every line Carries a Suada with 't and doth display The banners of heav'n-born Urania Henceforth let all the world thy verse admire Before that Thracean Orpheus charming lyre He but enchanted Beasts but thy divine And higher aires bring Deities to this Isle of thine A. C. MAns Bodie 's like a house his greater bones Are the main timber and the lesser ones Are smaller splints his ribs are laths daub'd o're Plaister'd with flesh and bloud his mouth 's the doore His throat 's the narrow entrie and his heart Is the great chamber full of curious art His midriffe is a large partition-wall 'Twixt the great chamber and the spacious hall His stomack is the kitchin where the meat Is often but half sod for want of heat His splene's a vessell nature does allot To take the skumme that rises from the pot His lungs are like the bellows that respire In ev'ry office quickning ev'ry fire His nose the chimney is whereby are vented Such fumes as with the bellows are augmented His bowels are the sink whose part 's to drein All noisome filth and keep the kitchin clean His eyes are crystall windows cleare and bright Let in the object and let out the sight And as the timber is or great or small Or strong or weak 't is apt to stand or fall Yet is the likeliest building sometimes known To fall by obvious chances overthrown Ofttimes by tempests by the full-mouth'd blasts Of heav'n sometimes by fire sometimes it wastes Through unadvis'd neglect put case the stuffe Were ruine-proofe by nature strong enough To conquer time and age put case it should Ne're know an end alas our leases would What hast thou then proud flesh and bloud to boast Thy dayes are evil at best but few at most But sad as merriest and but weak at strongest Vnsure at surest and but short at longest FRAN. QUARLES THE PURPLE ISLAND OR THE ISLE OF MAN CANT I. STAN I. THe warmer Sun the golden Bull outran And with the Twins made haste to inne and play Scatt'ring ten thousand flowres he new began To paint the world and piece the length'ning day The world more aged by new youths accrewing Ah wretched man this wretched world pursuing Which still grows worse by age older by renewing 2 The shepherd-boyes who with the Muses dwell Met in the plain their May-lords new to chuse For two they yearely chuse to order well Their rurall sports and yeare that next ensues Now were they sat where by the orchyard walls The learned Chame with stealing water crawls And lowly down before that royall temple falls 3 Among the rout they take two gentle swains Whose sprouting youth did now but greenly bud Well could they pipe and sing but yet their strains Were onely known unto the silent wood Their nearest bloud from self-same fountains flow Their souls self-same in nearer love did grow So seem'd two joyn'd in one or one disjoyn'd in two 4 Now when the shepherd-lads with common voice Their first consent had firmly ratifi'd A gentle boy thus 'gan to wave their choice Thirsil said he though yet thy Muse untri'd Hath onely learn'd in private shades to feigne Soft sighs of love unto a looser strain Or thy poore Thelgons wrong in mournfull verse to plain 5 Yet since the shepherd-swains do all consent To make thee lord of them and of their art And that choice lad to give a full content Hath joyn'd with thee in office as in heart Wake wake thy long thy too long sleeping Muse And thank them with a song as is the use Such honour thus conferr'd thou mayst not well refuse 6 Sing what thou list be it of Cupids spite Ah lovely spite and spitefull lovelinesse Or Gemma's grief if sadder be thy sprite Begin thou loved swain with good successe Ah said the bashfull boy such wanton toyes A better minde and sacred vow destroyes Since in a higher love I setled all my joyes 7 New light new love new love new life hath bred A life that lives by love and loves by light A love to him to whom all loves are wed A light to whom the Sunne is darkest night Eyes light hearts love souls onely life he is Life soul love heart light eye and all are his He eye light heart love soul he all my joy blisse 8 But if you deigne my ruder pipe to heare Rude pipe unus'd untun'd unworthy hearing These infantine beginnings gently bear Whose best desert and hope must be your bearing But you O Muses by soft Chamus sitting Your daintie songs unto his murmures fitting Which bears the under-song unto your chearfull dittying 9 Tell me ye Muses what our father-ages Have left succeeding times to play upon What now remains unthought on by those Sages Where a new Muse may trie her pineon What lightning Heroes like great Peleus heir Darting his beams through our hard-frozen aire May stirre up gentle heat and vertues wane repair 10 Who knows not Iason or bold Tiphys hand That durst unite what Natures self would part He makes Isles continent and all one land O're seas as earth he march'd with dangerous art He rides the white-mouth'd waves and scorneth all Those thousand deaths wide gaping for his fall He death defies fenc't with a thin low wooden wall 11 Who ha's not often read Troyes twice-sung fires And at the second time twice better sung Who ha's not heard th' Arcadian shepherds quires Which now have gladly chang'd their native tongue And sitting by slow Mincius sport their fill With sweeter voice and never equall'd skill Chaunting their amorous layes unto a Romane quill 12 And thou choice wit Loves scholar and Loves master Art known to all where Love himself is known Whether thou bidd'st Vlysses hie him faster Or dost thy fault and distant exile moan Who ha's not seen upon the mourning stage Dire Atreus feast and wrong'd Medea's rage Marching in tragick state and buskin'd equipage 13 And now of late th' Italian fisher-swain Sits on the shore to watch his trembling line There teaches rocks and prouder seas to plain By Nesis fair and fairer Mergiline While his thinne net upon his oars twin'd With wanton strife catches the Sunne and winde Which still do slip away and still remain behinde 14 And that French Muses eagle eye and wing Hath soar'd to heav'n and there hath learn'd the art To frame Angelick strains and canzons sing Too high and deep for every shallow heart Ah blessed soul in those celestiall rayes Which gave thee light these lower works to blaze Thou sitt'st emparadis'd and chaunt'st eternall layes 15 Thrice happy wits which in your springing May Warm'd with the Sunne of well deserved favours Disclose your buds and your fair blooms display Perfume the aire
first in middle ward did justly go In goodly arms a fresh and lovely Swain Vaunting himself Loves twin but younger brother Well mought it be for ev'n their very mother With pleasing errour oft mistook the one for th' other 38 As when fair Paris gave that golden ball A thousand doubts ranne in his stagg'ring breast All lik'd him well fain would he give it all Each better seems and still the last seems best Doubts ever new his reaching hand deferr'd The more he looks the more his judgement err'd So she first this then that then none then both preferr'd 39 Like them their armour seem'd full neare of kinne In this they onely differ th' elder bent His higher soul to heav'n the younger Twinne 'Mong mortals here his love and kindenesse spent Teaching strange alchymie to get a living By selling land and to grow rich by giving By emptying filling bags so heav'n by earth atchieving 40 About him troop the poore with num'rous trains Whom he with tender care and large expence With kindest words and succour entertains Ne looks for thanks or thinks of recompence His wardrobe serves to cloath the naked side And shamefull parts of bared bodies hide If other cloaths he lackt his own he would divide 41 To rogues his gate was shut but open lay Kindely the weary traveller inviting Oft therefore Angels hid in mortall clay And God himself in his free roofs delighting Lowly to visit him would not disdain And in his narrow cabin oft remain Whom heav'n earth all the world cannot contain 42 His table still was fill'd with wholesome meat Not to provoke but quiet appetite And round about the hungry freely eat With plenteous cates cheering their feeble sprite Their earnest vows broke open heav'ns wide doore That not in vain sweet Plentie evermore With gracious eye looks down upon his blessed store 43 Behinde attend him in an uncouth wise A troop with little caps and shaved head Such whilome was infranched bondmens guise New freed from cruell masters servile dread These had he lately bought from captive chain Hence they his triumph sing with joyfull strain And on his head due praise and thousand blessings rain 44 He was a father to the fatherlesse To widows he suppli'd an husbands care Nor would he heap up woe to their distresse Or by a Guardians name their state impair But rescue them from strong oppressours might Nor doth he weigh the great mans heavie spight Who fears the highest Iudge needs fear no mortall wight 45 Once every week he on his progresse went The sick to visit and those meager swains Which all their weary life in darknesse spent Clogg'd with cold iron prest with heavy chains He hoords not wealth for his loose heir to spend it But with a willing hand doth well expend it Good then is onely good when to our God we lend it 46 And when the dead by cruell tyrants spight Lie out to rav'nous birds and beasts expos'd His yearnfull heart pitying that wretched sight In seemly graves their weary flesh enclos'd And strew'd with dainty flowers the lowly herse Then all alone the last words did rehearse Bidding them softly sleep in his sad sighing verse 47 So once that royall Maid fierce Thebes beguil'd Though wilfull Creon proudly did forbid her Her brother from his home and tombe exil'd While willing night in darknesse safely hid her She lowly laid in earths all-covering shade Her dainty hands not us'd to such a trade She with a mattock toils and with a weary spade 48 Yet feels she neither sweat nor irksome pain Till now his grave was fully finished Then on his wounds her cloudy eyes 'gin rain To wash the guilt painted in bloudy red And falling down upon his gored side With hundred varied plaints she often cri'd Oh had I di'd for thee or with thee might have di'd 49 Ay me my ever wrong'd and banisht brother How can I fitly thy hard fate deplore Or in my breast so just complainings smother To thy sad chance what can be added more Exile thy home thy home a tombe thee gave Oh no such little room thou must not have But for thy banisht bones I wretch must steal a grave 50 But whither wofull Maid have thy complaints With fellow passion drawn my feeling mone But thus this Love deals with those murd'red Saints Weeps with the sad and sighs with those that grone But now in that beech grove we 'l safely play And in those shadows mock the boyling ray Which yet increases more with the decreasing day CANT X. THe Shepherds to the woodie mount withdrew Where th' hillock seats shades yeeld a canopie Whose tops with violets di'd all in blue Might seem to make a little azure skie And that round hill which their weak heads maintain'd A lesser Atlas seem'd whose neck sustain'd The weight of all the heav'ns which fore his shoulders pain'd 2 And here and there sweet Primrose scattered Spangling the blue fit constellations make Some broadly flaming their fair colours spread Some other winkt as yet but half awake Fit were they plac't and set in order due Nature seem'd work by art so lively true A little heav'n on earth in narrow space she drew 3 Upon this earthly heav'n the shepherds play The time beguiling and the parching light Till the declining Sunne and elder day Abate their flaming heat and youthfull might The sheep had left the shades to minde their meat Then all returning to their former seat Thirsil again began his wearie song repeat 4 Great power of Love with what commanding fire Dost thou enflame the worlds wide Regiment And kindely heat in every heart inspire Nothing is free from thy sweet government Fish burn in seas beasts birds thy weapons prove By thee dead elements and heavens move Which void of sense it self yet are not void of love 5 But those twinne Loves which from thy seas of light To us on earth derive their lesser streams Though in their force they shew thy wondrous might On thee reflecting back their glorious beams Yet here encountred with so mightie foe Had need both arm'd and surely guarded go But most thy help they need do not thy help foreslow 6 Next to the younger Love Irenus went Whose frostie head proclaim'd his winter age His spring in many battels had he spent But now all weapons chang'd for counsell sage His heavie sword the witnesse of his might Upon a lopped tree he idlely pight There hid in quiet sheath sleeps it in endlesse night 7 Patience his shield had lent to ward his breast Whose golden plain three Olive-branches dresse The word in letters large was fair exprest Thrice happie authour of a happie peace Rich plenty yeelds him power power stores his will Will ends in works good works his treasures fill Earths slave heav'ns heir he is as God payes good for ill 8 By him Andreos pac't of middle age His minde as farre from rashnesse as from fears Hating base thoughts
Thou beauties lilie set in heav'nly earth Thy fairs unpattern'd all perfections stain Sure heav'n with curious pencil at thy birth In thy rare face her own full picture drew It is a strong verse here to write but true Hyperboles in others are but half thy due 31 Upon her forehead Love his trophies fits A thousand spoils in silver arch displaying And in the midst himself full proudly sits Himself in awfull majestie araying Upon her brows lies his bent Ebon bow And ready shafts deadly those weapons show Yet sweet that death appear'd lovely that deadly blow 32 And at the foot of this celestiall frame Two radiant starres then starres yet better being Endu'd with living fire and seeing flame Yet with heav'ns starres in this too neare agreeing They timely warmth themselves not warm inspire These kindle thousand hearts with hot desire And burning all they see feel in themselves no fire 33 Ye matchlesse starres yet each the others match Heav'ns richest diamonds set on Ammel white From whose bright spheres all grace the Graces catch And will not move but by your load-starres bright How have you stoln and stor'd your armourie With Loves and deaths strong shafts and from your skie Poure down thick showers of darts to force whole armies flie 34 Above those Sunnes two Rainbows high aspire Not in light shews but sadder liveries drest Fair Iris seem'd to mourn in sable tire Yet thus more sweet the greedie eye they feast And but that wondrous face it well allow'd Wondrous it seem'd that two fair Rainbows show'd Above their sparkling Sunnes without or rain or cloud 35 A bed of lilies flower upon her cheek And in the midst was set a circling rose Whose sweet aspect would force Narcissus seek New liveries and fresher colours choose To deck his beauteous head in snowie tire But all in vain for who can hope t' aspire To such a fair which none attain but all admire 36 Her rubie lips lock up from gazing sight A troop of pearls which march in goodly row But when she deignes those precious bones undight Soon heav'nly notes from those divisions flow And with rare musick charm the ravisht eares Danting bold thoughts but cheering modest fears The spheres so onely sing so onely charm the spheres 37 Her daintie breasts like to an Aprill rose From green-silk fillets yet not all unbound Began their little rising heads disclose And fairly spread their silver circlets round From those two bulwarks Love doth safely fight Which swelling easily may seem to sight To be enwombed both of pleasure and delight 38 Yet all these Starres which deck this beauteous skie By force of th' inward Sunne both shine and move Thron'd in her heart sits Loves high majestie In highest majestie the highest Love As when a taper shines in glassie frame The sparkling crystall burns in glitt'ring flame So does that brightest Love brighten this lovely dame 39 Thus and much fairer fair Parthenia Glist'ring in arms her self presents to sight As when th' Amazon Queen Hippolyta With Theseus entred lists in single fight With equall arms her mighty foe opposing Till now her bared head her face disclosing Conquer'd the conquerour wan the fight by losing 40 A thousand Knights woo'd her with busie pain To thousand she her virgin grant deni'd Although her deare-sought love to entertain They all their wit and all their strength appli'd Yet in her heart Love close his scepter swayd That to an heav'nly spouse her thoughts betraid Where she a maiden wife might live and wifely maid 41 Upon her steps a virgin Page attended Fair Erythre whose often-blushing face Sweetly her in-born shame-fac't thoughts commended The faces change prov'd th' hearts unchanged grace Which she a shrine to puritie devotes So when cleare ivorie vermeil fitly blots By stains it fairer grows and lovelier by its spots 42 Her golden hair her silver forehead high Her teeth of solid eyes of liquid pearl But neck and breast no man might bare descrie So sweetly modest was this bashfull girle But that sweet paradise ah could we see On these white mountlets daintier apples be Then those we bought so deare on Edens tempting tree 43 These noble Knights this threatned fort defend These and a thousand moe heroick Swains That to this ' stressed State their service lend To free from force and save from captive chains But now too late the battell to recite For Hesperus heav'ns tapers 'gins to light And warns each starre to wait upon their Mistres Night CANT XI THe early Morn lets out the peeping day And strew'd his paths with golden Marygolds The Moon grows wanne and starres flie all away Whom Lucifer locks up in wonted folds Till light is quencht and heav'n in seas hath flung The headlong day to th' hill the shepherds throng And Thirsil now began to end his task and song 2 Who now alas shall teach my humble vein That never yet durst peep from covert glade But softly learnt for fear to sigh and plain And vent her griefs to silent myrtils shade Who now shall teach to change my oaten quill For trumpet ' larms or humble verses fill With gracefull majestie and loftie rising skill 3 Ah thou dread Spirit shed thy holy fire Thy holy flame into my frozen heart Teach thou my creeping measures to aspire And swell in bigger notes and higher art Teach my low Muse thy fierce alarums ring And raise my soft strain to high thundering Tune thou my loftie song thy battels must I sing 4 Such as thou wert within the sacred breast Of that thrice famous Poet-Shepherd-King And taught'st his heart to frame his Canto's best Of all that e're thy glorious works did sing Or as those holy Fishers once amongs Thou flamedst bright with sparkling parted tongues And brought'st down heav'n to earth in those all-conqu'ring songs 5 These mighty Heroes fill'd with justest rage To be in narrow walls so closely pent Glitt'ring in arms and goodly equipage Stood at the Castles gate now ready bent To sally out and meet the enemie A hot disdain sparkled in every eye Breathing out hatefull warre and deadly enmitie 6 Thither repairs the carefull Intellect With his fair Spouse Voletta heav'nly fair With both their daughter whose divine aspect Though now sad damps of sorrow much empair Yet through those clouds did shine so glorious bright That every eye did homage to the sight Yeelding their captive hearts to that commanding light 7 But who may hope to paint such majestie Or shadow well such beautie such a face Such beauteous face unseen to mortall eye Whose powerfull looks and more then mortall grace Loves self hath lov'd leaving his heav'nly throne With amorous sighs and many a lovely mone Whom all the world would wooe woo'd her his onely one 8 Farre be that boldnesse from thy humble swain Fairest Ectecta to describe thy beautie And with unable skill thy glory stain Which ever he admires with humble dutie But who to view such blaze of beautie longs Go
cure on this my plaint is grounded Nicaea Cures are diseases when the wounds are easing Why would'st thou have me please thee by displeasing Algon Scorn'd love is death loves mutuall wounds delighting Happie thy love my love to thine uniting Love paying debts grows rich requited in requiting Damon 18 What lives alone Nicaea starres most chaste Have their conjunctions spheares their mixt embraces And mutuall folds Nothing can single last But die in living in increasing waste Nicaea Their joyning perfects them but us defaces Algon That 's perfect which obtains his end your graces Receive their end in love She that 's alone Dies as she lives no number is in one Thus while she 's but her self she 's not her self she 's none Nicaea 19 Why blam'st thou then my stonie hard confection Which nothing loves thou single nothing art Algon Love perfects what it loves thus thy affection Married to mine makes mine and thy perfection Nicaea Well then to passe our Tryphon in his art And in a moment cure a wounded heart If fairest Darwin whom I serve approve Thy suit and thou wilt not thy heart remove I 'le joyn my heart to thine and answer thee in love 20 The sunne is set adieu Algon 'T is set to me Thy parting is my ev'n thy presence light Nicaea Farewell Algon Thou giv'st thy wish it is in thee Unlesse thou wilt haplesse I cannot be Damon Come Algon cheerly home the theevish night Steals on the world and robs our eyes of sight The silver streams grow black home let us coast There of loves conquest may we safely boast Soonest in love he winnes that oft in love hath lost FINIS ECLOG VI. THOMALIN Thirsil Thomalin A Fisher-boy that never knew his peer In daintie songs the gentle Thomalin With folded arms deep sighs heavy cheer Where hundred Nymphs hundred Muses inne Sunk down by Chamus brinks with him his deare Deare Thirsil lay oft times would he begin To cure his grief and better way advise But still his words when his sad friend he spies Forsook his silent tongue to speak in watrie eyes 2 Under a sprouting vine they carelesse lie Whose tender leaves bit with the Eastern blast But now were born and now began to die The latter warned by the formers haste Thinly for fear salute the envious skie Thus as they sat Thirsil embracing fast His loved friend feeling his panting heart To give no rest to his increasing smart At length thus spake while sighs words to his grief impart Thirsil 3 Thomalin I see thy Thirsil thou neglect'st Some greater love holds down thy heart in fear Thy Thirsils love and counsel thou reject'st Thy soul was wont to lodge within my eare But now that port no longer thou respect'st Yet hath it still been safely harbour'd there My eare is not acquainted with my tongue That either tongue or eare should do thee wrong Why then should'st thou conceal thy hidden grief so long Thom. 4 Thirsil it is thy love that makes me hide My smother'd grief from thy known faithfull eare May still my Thirsil safe and merry ' bide Enough is me my hidden grief to bear For while thy breast in hav'n doth safely ride My greater half with thee rides safely there Thirsil So thou art well but still my better part My Thomalin sinks loaden with his smart Thus thou my finger cur'st and wound'st my bleeding heart 5 How oft hath Thomalin to Thirsil vowed That as his heart so he his love esteem'd Where are those oaths where is that heart bestowed Which hides it from that breast which deare it deem'd And to that heart room in his heart allowed That love was never love but onely seem'd Tell me my Thomalin what envious thief Thus robs thy joy tell me my liefest lief Thou little lov'st me friend if more thou lov'st thy grief Thom. 6 Thirsil my joyous spring is blasted quite And winter storms prevent the summers ray All as this vine whose green the Eastern spite Hath di'd to black his catching arms decay And letting go their hold for want of might Mar'l winter comes so soon in first of May. Thirsil Yet see the leaves do freshly bud again Thou drooping still di'st in this heavie strain Nor can I see or end or cause of all thy pain Thom. 7 No marvel Thirsil if thou dost not know This grief which in my heart lies deeply drown'd My heart it self though well it feels his wo Knows not the wo it feels the worse my wound Which though I rankling finde I cannot show Thousand fond passions in my breast abound Fear leagu'd to joy hope and despair together Sighs bound to smiles my heart though prone to either While both it would obey 'twixt both obeyeth neither 8 Oft blushing flames leap up into my face My guiltlesse cheek such purple flash admires Oft stealing tears slip from mine eyes apace As if they meant to quench those causelesse fires My good I hate my hurt I glad embrace My heart though griev'd his grief as joy desires I burn yet know no fuel to my firing My wishes know no want yet still desiring Hope knows not what to hope yet still in hope aspiring Thirsil 9 Too true my fears alas no wicked sprite No writhel'd witch with spells or powerfull charms Or hellish herbs digg'd in as hellish night Gives to thy heart these oft and fierce alarms But Love too hatefull Love with pleasing spite And spitefull pleasure thus hath bred thy harms And seeks thy mirth with pleasance to destroy 'T is Love my Thomalin my liefest boy 'T is Love robs me of thee and thee of all thy joy Thomal 10 Thirsil I ken not what is hate or Love Thee well I love and thou lov'st me as well Yet joy no torment in this passion prove But often have I heard the fishers tell He 's not inferiour to the mighty Iove Iove heaven rules Love Iove heav'n earth and hell Tell me my friend if thou dost better know Men say he goes arm'd with his shafts and bow Two darts one swift as fire as lead the other slow Thirsil 11 Ah heedlesse boy Love is not such a lad As he is fancy'd by the idle swain With bow and shafts and purple feathers clad Such as Diana with her buskin'd train Of armed Nymphs along the forrests glade With golden quivers in Thessalian plain In level race outstrips the jumping Deer With nimble feet or with a mighty spear Flings down a bristled bore or els a squalid bear 12 Love 's sooner felt then seen his substance thinne Betwixt those snowy mounts in ambush lies Oft in the eyes he spreads his subtil ginne He therefore soonest winnes that fastest flies Fly thence my deare fly fast my Thomalin Who him encounters once for ever dies But if he lurk between the ruddy lips Unhappie soul that thence his Nectar sips While down into his heart the sugred poison slips 13 Oft in a voice he creeps down through the eare Oft from a blushing cheek he
reside Where every Grace her naked sight afforded And Majestie with Love sat well accorded A little map of heav'n sweet influence giving More perfect yet in this it was a heaven living 8 Yet now this heav'n with melting clouds was stain'd Her starry eyes with sister grief infected Might seem the Pleiades so fast they rain'd And though her tongue to comfort she directed Sighs waiting on each word like grief detected That in her face you now might plainly see Sorrow to sit for Love Pitie for Majestie 9 At length when now those storms she had allay'd A league with grief for some short time indenting She 'gan to speak and sister onely said The sad Elisa soon her words preventing El. In vain you think to ease my hearts tormenting Words comforts hope all med'cine is in vain My heart most hates his cure loves his pleasing pain Al. 10 As vain to weep since fate cannot reprieve El. Teares are most due when there is no reprieving Al. When doom is past weak hearts that fondly grieve El. A helplesse griefs sole joy is joylesse grieving Al. To losses old new losse is no relieving You lose your teares El. When that I onely fear For ever now is lost poore losse to lose a teare Al. 11 Nature can teach that who is born must die El. And Nature teaches teares in griefs tormenting Al. Passions are slaves to Reasons monarchie El. Reason best shews her reason in lamenting Al. Religion blames impatient discontenting El. Not passion but excesse Religion branded Nor ever countermands what Natures self commanded Al. 12 That hand which gave him first into your hand To his own hand doth now again receive him Impious and fond to grudge at his command Who once by death from death doth ever reave him He lives by leaving life which soon would leave him Thus God and him you wrong by too much crying Who living dy'd to life much better lives by dying El. 13 Not him I plain ill would it fit our loves In his best state to shew my hearts repining To mourn at others good fond envy proves I know his soul is now more brightly shining Then all the starres their light in one combining No dearest soul so lifting up her eyes Which shew'd like watry suns quench't in the moister skies 14 My deare my dearest Irby at that name As at a well-known watch-word forth there pressed Whole flouds of teares and straight a suddain quame Seizing her heart her tongue with weight oppressed And lockt her grief within her soul distressed There all in vain he close and hidden lies Silence is sorrows speech his tongue speaks in her eyes 15 Till grief new mounted on uneven wings Of loud-breath'd sighs his leaden weight up sending Back to the tongue his heavie presence brings His usher teares deep grones behinde attending And in his name her breath most gladly spending As if he gone his name were all her joying Irby I never grudg'd thee heav'n and heav'ns enjoying 16 'T is not thy happinesse that breeds my smart It is my losse and cause that made me lose thee Which hatching first this tempest in my heart Thus justly rages he that lately chose thee To live with him where thou might'st safe repose thee Hath found some cause out of my little caring By spoiling thine to spare and spoil my life by sparing 17 Whither ah whither shall I turn my head Since thou my God so sore my heart hast beaten Thy rods yet with my bloud are warm and red Thy scourge my soul hath drunk my flesh hath eaten Who helps when thou my Father so dost threaten Thou hid'st thy eyes or if thou dost not hide them So dost thou frown that best I hidden may abide them 18 I weeping grant what ever may be dreaded All ill thou canst inflict I have deserved Thy mercy I I mercie onely pleaded Most wretched men if all that from thee swerved By merit onely in just weight were served If nought thou giv'st but what desert doth get me Oh give me nothing then for nothing I intreat thee 19 Ah wherefore are thy mercies infinite If thou dost hourd them up and never spend them Mercy 's no mercy hid in envious night The rich mans goods while in his chest he penn'd them Were then no goods much better to misspend them Why mak'st thou such a rod so fierce dost threat me Thy frowns to me were rods thy forehead would have beat me 20 Thou seiz'd my joy ah he is dead and gone That might have dress'd my wounds when thus they smarted To all my griefs I now am left alone Comfort 's in vain to hopelesse grief imparted Hope comfort joy with him are all departed Comfort hope joy lifes flatterers most I flie you And would not deigne to name but naming to defie you Al. 21 Sister too farre your passions violent heat And griefs too headlong in your plaint convay you You feel your stripes but mark not who does beat 'T is he that takes away who can repay you This grief to other rods doth open lay you He bindes your grief to patience not dejection Who bears the first not well provokes a new correctiō El. 22 I know 't is true but sorrows blubber'd eye Fain would not see and cannot well behold it My heart surround with grief is swoll'n so high It will not sink till I alone unfold it But grows more strong the more you do withhold it Leave me a while alone griefs tide grows low And ebs when private tears the eye-banks overflow 23 She quickly rose and readie now to go Remember measure in your griefs complaining His last his dying words command you so So left her and Elisa sole remaining Now every grief more boldly entertaining They flock about her round so one was gone And twentie fresh arriv'd ' Lone grief is least alone 24 Thus as she sat with fixt and setled eye Thousand fond thoughts their wandring shapes depainted Now seem'd she mounted to the crystall skie And one with him and with him fellow-sainted Straight pull'd from heav'n then again she fainted Thus while their numerous thoughts each fancie brought The minde all idle sat much thinking lost her thought 25 And fancy finding now the dulled sight Idle with businesse to her soul presented While th' heavy minde obscur'd his shaded light Her wofull body from her head absented And suddain starting with that thought tormented A thing impossible too true she found The head was gone and yet the headlesse body sound 26 Nor yet awake she cries ah this is wrong To part what Natures hand so neare hath tied Stay oh my head and take thy trunk along But then her minde recall'd her errour spied And sigh'd to see how true the fancy lied Which made the eye his instrument to see That true which being true it self must nothing be 27 Vile trunk saies she thy head is ever gone Vile headlesse trunk why art thou not engraved One wast thou once with him now art
gold in deepest centre dwells So sweetest violets trail on lowly ground So richest pearls ly clos'd in vilest shells So lowest dales we let at highest rates So creeping strawberries yeeld daintiest cates The Highest highly loves the low the loftie hates 17 Upon his shield was drawn that Shepherd lad Who with a sling threw down faint Israels fears And in his hand his spoils and trophies glad The Monsters sword and head he bravely bears Plain in his lovely face you might behold A blushing meeknesse met with courage bold Little not little worth was fairly wrote in gold 18 With him his kinsman both in birth and name Obedience taught by many bitter showers In humble bonds his passions proud to tame And low submit unto the higher powers But yet no servile yoke his forehead brands For ti'd in such an holy service bands In this obedience rules and serving thus commands 19 By them went Fido Marshal of the field Weak was his mother when she gave him day And he at first a sick and weakly childe As e're with tears welcom'd the sunnie ray Yet when more yeares afford more growth might A champion stout he was and puissant Knight As ever came in field or shone in armour bright 20 So may we see a little lionet When newly whelpt a weak and tender thing Despis'd by every beast but waxen great When fuller times full strength and courage bring The beasts all crouching low their King adore And dare not see what they contemn'd before The trembling forrest quakes at his affrighting roar 21 Mountains he flings in seas with mighty hand Stops and turns back the Sunnes impetuous course Nature breaks natures laws at his command No force of hell or heav'n withstands his force Events to come yet many ages hence He present makes by wondrous prescience Proving the senses blinde by being blinde to sense 22 His sky-like arms di'd all in blue and white And set with golden starres that flamed wide His shield invisible to mortall sight Yet he upon it easily descri'd The lively semblance of his dying Lord Whose bleeding side with wicked steel was gor'd Which to his fainting spirits new courage would afford 23 Strange was the force of that enchanted shield Which highest powers to it from heav'n impart For who could bear it well and rightly wield It sav'd from sword and spear and poison'd dart Well might he slip but yet not wholly fall No finall losse his courage might appall Growing more sound by wounds and rising by his fall 24 So some have feign'd that Tellus giant sonne Drew many new-born lives from his dead mother Another rose as soon as one was done And twentie lost yet still remain'd another For when he fell and kist the barren heath His parent straight inspir'd successive breath And though her self was dead yet ransom'd him from death 25 With him his Nurse went carefull Acoe Whose hands first from his mothers wombe did take him And ever since have foster'd tenderly She never might she never would forsake him And he her lov'd again with mutuall band For by her needfull help he oft did stand When else he soon would fail and fall in foemens hand 26 With both sweet Meditation ever pac't His Nurses daughter and his Foster-sister Deare as his soul he in his soul her plac't And oft embrac't and oft by stealth he kist her For she had taught him by her silent talk To tread the safe and dangerous wayes to balk And brought his God with him him with his God to walk 27 Behinde him Penitence did sadly go Whose cloudie dropping eyes were ever raining Her swelling tears which ev'n in ebbing flow Furrow her cheek the sinfull puddles draining Much seem'd she in her pensive thought molested And much the mocking world her soul infested More she the hatefull world and most her self detested 28 She was the object of lewd mens disgrace The squint-ey'd wrie-mouth'd scoffe of carnall hearts Yet smiling heav'n delights to kisse her face And with his bloud God bathes her painfull smarts Afflictions iron flail her soul had thrasht Sharp Circumcisions knife her heart had slasht Yet was it angels wine which in her eyes was masht 29 With her a troop of mournfull grooms abiding Help with their sullen blacks their Mistresse wo Amendment still but still his own faults chiding And Penance arm'd with smarting whips did go Then sad Remorse came sighing all the way Last Satisfaction giving all away Much surely did he owe much more he would repay 30 Next went Elpinus clad in skie-like blue And through his arms few starres did seem to peep Which there the workmans hand so finely drew That rockt in clouds they softly seem'd to sleep His rugged shield was like a rockie mold On which an anchour bit with surest hold I hold by being held was written round in gold 31 Nothing so cheerfull was his thoughtfull face As was his brother Fido's Fear seem'd dwell Close by his heart his colour chang'd apace And went and came that sure all was not well Therefore a comely Maid did oft sustain His fainting steps and fleeting life maintain Pollicita she hight which ne're could lie or feigne 32 Next to Elpinus marcht his brother Love Not that great Love which cloth'd his Godhead bright With rags of flesh and now again above Hath drest his flesh in heav'ns eternall light Much lesse the brat of that false Cyprian dame Begot by froth and fire in bed of shame And now burns idle hearts swelt'ring in lustfull flame 33 But this from heav'n brings his immortall race And nurst by Gratitude whose carefull arms Long held and hold him still in kinde embrace But train'd to daily warres and fierce alarms He grew to wondrous strength and beautie rare Next that God-Love from whom his off-springs are No match in earth or heav'n may with this Love compare 34 His Page who from his side might never move Remembrance on him waits in books reciting The famous passions of that highest Love His burning zeal to greater flames exciting Deep would he sigh and seem empassion'd sore And oft with tears his backward heart deplore That loving all he could he lov'd that Love no more 35 Yet sure he truely lov'd and honour'd deare That glorious name for when or where he spi'd Wrong'd or in hellish speech blasphem'd did heare Boldly the rash blasphemer he defi'd And forc't him eat the words he foully spake But if for him he grief or death did take That grief he counted joy and death life for his sake 36 His glitt'ring arms drest all with firie hearts Seem'd burn in chaste desire and heav'nly flame And on his shield kinde Ionathan imparts To his souls friend his robes and princely name And kingly throne which mortals so adore And round about was writ in golden ore Well might he give him all that gave his life before 37 These led the Vantguard and an hundred moe Fill'd up the emptie ranks with ord'red train But
to the sunnie ray With gold enamels fair the silver white There heav'nly loves their prettie sportings play Firing their darts in that wide flaming light Her daintie neck spread with that silver mold Where double beautie doth it self unfold In th' own fair silver shines and fairer borrow'd gold 86 His breast a rock of purest alabaster Where Loves self sailing shipwrackt often sitteth Hers a twinne-rock unknown but to th' ship-master Which harbours him alone all other splitteth Where better could her love then here have nested Or he his thoughts then here more sweetly feasted Then both their love thoughts in each are ever rested 87 Runne now you shepherd-swains ah run you thither Where this fair Bridegroom leads the blessed way And haste you lovely maids haste you together With this sweet Bride while yet the sunne-shine day Guides your blinde steps while yet loud summons call That every wood hill resounds withall Come Hymen Hymen come drest in thy golden pall 88 The sounding Echo back the musick flung While heav'nly spheres unto the voices playd But see the day is ended with my song And sporting bathes with that fair Ocean Maid Stoop now thy wing my Muse now stoop thee low Hence mayst thou freely play and rest thee now While here I hang my pipe upon the willow bough 89 So up they rose while all the shepherds throng With their loud pipes a countrey triumph blew And led their Thirsil home with joyfull song Mean time the lovely Nymphs with garlands new His locks in Bay and honour'd Palm-tree bound With Lilies set and Hyacinths around And Lord of all the yeare and their May-sportings crown'd FINIS PISCATORIE ECLOGS AND OTHER POETICALL MISCELLANIES By P. F. ¶ Printed by the Printers to the UNIVERSITIE of CAMBRIDGE 1633. Anag Edward Benlowes Sun-warde beloved While Panses Sun = ward look that glorious Light With gentle Beames entring their purple Bowers Shedds there his Love heat and fair to sight Prints his bright forme within their golden flowers Look in their Leaves and see begotten there The Sun̄es lesse Son̄e glitring in acure sphere So when from Shades of superstitious night Mine eye turn'd to the Sun his heavnly powers Stampt on my new-born spirit his Image bright And Love Light Life into my bosome Showers This difference They in themselves have moving But his sweet Love mee dead and Sensles proving First Loves and drawes to Love Then Lover my Soule for Loving P. F ΑΛΙΕΓΤΙΚΟ'ΠOR PISCATORIE ECLOGUES ECLOG I. AMYNTAS IT was the time faithfull Halcyone Once more enjoying new-liv'd Ceyx bed Had left her young birds to the wavering sea Bidding him calm his proud white-curled head And change his mountains to a champian lea The time when gentle Flora's lover reignes Soft creeping all along green Neptunes smoothest plains 2 When haplesse Thelgon a poore fisher-swain Came from his boat to tell the rocks his plaining In rocks he found and the high-swelling main More sense more pitie farre more love remaining Then in the great Amyntas fierce disdain Was not his peer for song 'mong all the lads Whole shrilling pipe or voice the sea-born maiden glads 3 About his head a rocky canopie And craggy hangings round a shadow threw Rebutting Phoebus parching fervencie Into his bosome Zephyr softly flew Hard by his feet the sea came waving by The while to seas and rocks poore swain he sang The while the seas rocks answ'ring loud echoes-rang 4 You goodly Nymphs that in your marble cell In spending never spend your sportfull dayes Or when you list in pearled boats of shell Glide on the dancing wave that leaping playes About the wanton skiffe and you that dwell In Neptunes court the Oceans plenteous throng Deigne you to gently heare sad Thelgons plaining song 5 When the raw blossome of my youth was yet In my first childhoods green enclosure bound Of Aquadune I learnt to fold my net And spread the sail and beat the river round And withy labyrinths in straits to set And guide my boat where Thames and Isis heire By lowly Aeton slides and Windsor proudly fair 6 There while our thinne nets dangling in the winde Hung on our oars tops I learnt to sing Among my Peers apt words to fitly binde In numerous verse witnesse thou crystall Spring Where all the lads were pebles wont to finde And you thick hasles that on Thamis brink Did oft with dallying boughs his silver waters drink 7 But when my tender youth 'gan fairly blow I chang'd large Thames for Chamus narrower seas There as my yeares so skill with yeares did grow And now my pipe the better sort did please So that with Limnus and with Belgio I durst to challenge all my fisher-peers That by learn'd Chamus banks did spend their youthfull yeares 8 And Ianus self that oft with me compared With his oft losses rais'd my victory That afterward in song he never dared Provoke my conquering pipe but enviously Deprave the songs which first his songs had marred And closely bite when now he durst not bark Hating all others light because himself was dark 9 And whether nature joyn'd with art had wrought me Or I too much beleev'd the fishers praise Or whether Phoebus self or Muses taught me Too much enclin'd to verse and Musick playes So farre credulitie and youth had brought me I sang sad Telethusa's frustrate plaint And rustick Daphnis wrong and magicks vain restraint 10 And then appeas'd young Myrtilus repining At generall contempt of shepherds life And rais'd my rime to sing of Richards climbing And taught our Chame to end the old-bred strife Mythicus claim to Nicias resigning The while his goodly Nymphs with song delighted My notes with choicest flowers garlands sweet requited 11 From thence a Shepherd great pleas'd with my song Drew me to Basilissa's Courtly place Fair Basilissa fairest maid among The Nymphs that white-cliffe Albions forrests grace Her errand drove my slender bark along The seas which wash the fruitfull Germans land And swelling Rhene whose wines run swiftly o're the sand 12 But after bold'ned with my first successe I durst assay the new-found paths that led To slavish Mosco's dullard sluggishnesse Whose slothfull Sunne all winter keeps his bed But never sleeps in summers wakefulnesse Yet all for nought another took the gain Faitour that reapt the pleasure of anothers pain 13 And travelling along the Northern plains At her command I past the bounding Twead And liv'd a while with Caledonian swains My life with fair Amyntas there I led Amyntas fair whom still my sore heart plains Yet seem'd he then to love as he was loved But ah I fear true love his high heart never proved 14 And now he haunts th' infamous woods and downs And on Napaean Nymphs doth wholly dote What cares he for poore Thelgons plaintfull sounds Thelgon poore master of a poorer boat Ianus is crept from his wont prison bounds And fits the Porter to his eare and minde What hope Amyntas love a fisher-swain should finde
lea And horses trampling on his ycie face Where Phoebus prison'd in the frozen glasse All winter cannot move his quenched light Nor in the heat will drench his chariot bright Thereby the tedious yeare is all one day and night 14 Yet little thank and lesse reward he got He never learn'd to sooth the itching eare One day as chanc't he spies that painted boat Which once was his though his of right it were He bought it now again and bought it deare But Chame to Gripus gave it once again Gripus the basest and most dung-hil swain That ever drew a net or fisht in fruitfull main 15 Go now ye fisher-boyes go learn to play To play and sing along your Chamus shore Go watch and toyl go spend the night and day While windes waves while storms tempests roar And for your trade consume your life and store Lo your reward thus will your Chamus use you Why should you plain that lozel swains refuse you Chamus good fishers hates the Muses selves abuse you Thomal 16 Ah Thelgon poorest but the worthiest swain That ever grac't unworthy povertie How ever here thou liv'dst in joylesse pain Prest down with grief and patient miserie Yet shalt thou live when thy proud enemie Shall rot with scorn and base contempt opprest Sure now in joy thou safe and glad dost rest Smil'st at those eager foes which here thee so molest Thirsil 17 Thomalin mourn not for him he 's sweetly sleeping In Neptunes court whom here he sought to please While humming rivers by his cabin creeping Rock soft his slumbering thoughts in quiet ease Mourn for thy self here windes do never cease Our dying life will better fit thy crying He softly sleeps and blest is quiet lying Who ever living dies he better lives by dying Thomal 18 Can Thirsil then our Chame abandon ever And never will our fishers see again Thirsil Who 'gainst a raging stream doth vain endeavour To drive his boat gets labour for his pain When fates command to go to lagge is vain As late upon the shore I chanc't to play I heard a voice like thunder lowdly say Thirsil why idle liv'st Thirsil away away 19 Thou God of seas thy voice I gladly heare Thy voice thy voice I know I glad obey Onely do thou my wandring whirry steer And when it erres as it will eas'ly stray Upon the rock with hopefull anchour stay Then will I swimme where 's either sea or shore Where never swain or boat was seen afore My trunk shall be my boat my arm shall be my oare 20 Thomalin me thinks I heare thy speaking eye Woo me my posting journey to delay But let thy love yeeld to necessitie With thee my friend too gladly would I stay And live and die were Thomalin away Though now I half unwilling leave his stream How ever Chame doth Thirsil lightly deem Yet would thy Thirsil lesse proud Chamus scorns esteem Thom. 21 Who now with Thomalin shall sit and sing Who left to play in lovely myrtils shade Or tune sweet ditties to as sweet a string Who now those wounds shall ' swage in covert glade Sweet-bitter wounds which cruel love hath made You fisher-boyes and sea-maids dainty crue Farewell for Thomalin will seek a new And more respectfull stream ungratefull Chame adieu Thirsil 22 Thomalin forsake not thou the fisher-swains Which hold thy stay and love at dearest rate Here mayst thou live among their sportfull trains Till better times afford thee better state Then mayst thou follow well thy guiding fate So live thou here with peace and quiet blest So let thy love afford thee ease and rest So let thy sweetest foe recure thy wounded breast 23 But thou proud Chame which thus hast wrought me spite Some greater river drown thy hatefull name Let never myrtle on thy banks delight But willows pale the badge of spite and blame Crown thy ungratefull shores with scorn and shame Let dirt and mud thy lazie waters seise Thy weeds still grow thy waters still decrease Nor let thy wretched love to Gripus ever cease 24 Farewell ye streams which once I loved deare Farewell ye boyes which on your Chame do float Muses farewell if there be Muses here Farewell my nets farewell my little boat Come sadder pipe farewell my merry note My Thomalin with thee all sweetnesse dwell Think of thy Thirsil Thirsil loves thee well Thomalin my dearest deare my Thomalin farewell Dorus. 25 Ah haplesse boy the fishers joy and pride Ah wo is us we cannot help thy wo Our pity vain ill may that swain betide Whose undeserved spite hath wrong'd thee so Thirsil with thee our joy and wishes go Myrtil 26 Dorus some greater power prevents thy curse So vile so basely lives that hatefull swain So base so vile that none can wish him worse But Thirsil much a better state doth gain For never will he finde so thanklesse main FINIS ECLOG III. MYRTILVS A Fisher-lad no higher dares he look Myrtil sat down by silver Medwayes shore His dangling nets hung on the trembling oare Had leave to play so had his idle hook While madding windes the madder Ocean shook Of Chamus had he learnt to pipe and sing And frame low dirties to his humble string 2 There as his boat late in the river stray'd A friendly fisher brought the boy to view Coelia the fair whose lovely beauties drew His heart from him into that heav'nly maid There all his wandring thoughts there now they staid All other fairs all other love defies In Coelia he lives for Coelia dies 3 Nor durst the coward woo his high desiring For low he was lower himself accounts And she the highest height in worth surmounts But sits alone in hell his heav'n admiring And thinks with sighs to fanne but blows his firing Nor does he strive to cure his painfull wound For till this sicknesse never was he sound 4 His blubber'd face was temper'd to the day All sad he look't that sure all was not well Deep in his heart was hid an heav'nly hell Thick clouds upon his watrie eye-brows lay Which melting showre and showring never stay So sitting down upon the sandy plain Thus 'gan he vent his grief and hidden pain 5 You sea-born maids that in the Ocean reigne If in your courts is known Loves matchlesse power Kindling his fire in your cold watry bower Learn by your own to pity others pain Tryphon that know'st a thousand herbs in vain But know'st not one to cure a love-sick heart See here a wound that farre outgoes thy art 6 Your stately seas perhaps with loves fire glow And over-seeth their banks with springing tide Mustring their white-plum'd waves with lordly pride They soon retire and lay their curl'd heads low So sinking in themselves they backward go But in my breast full seas of grief remain Which ever flow and never ebbe again 7 How well fair Thetis in thy glasse I see As in a crystal all my raging pains Late thy green fields slept in their even plains
While smiling heav'ns spread round a canopie Now tost with blasts and civil enmitie While whistling windes blow trumpets to their fight And roaring waves as drummes whet on their spite 8 Such cruel storms my restles heart command Late thousand joyes securely lodged there Ne fear'd I then to care ne car'd to fear But pull'd the prison'd fishes to the land Or spite of windes pip't on the golden sand But since love sway'd my breast these seas alarms Are but dead pictures of my raging harms 9 Love stirres desire desire like stormy winde Blows up high swelling waves of hope and fear Hope on his top my trembling heart doth bear Up to my heav'n but straight my lofty minde By fear sunk in despair deep drown'd I finde But ah your tempests cannot last for ever But ah my storms I fear will leave me never 10 Haples and fond too fond more haples swain Who lovest where th' art scorn'd scorn'st where th' art loved Or learn to hate where thou hast hatred proved Or learn to love where thou art lov'd again Ah cease to love or cease to woo thy pain Thy love thus scorn'd is hell do not so earn it At least learn by forgetting to unlearn it 11 Ah fond and haples swain but much more fond How canst unlearn by learning to forget it When thought of what thou should'st unlearn does whet it And surer ties thy minde in captive bond Canst thou unlearn a ditty thou hast con'd Canst thou forget a song by oft repeating Thus much more wilt thou learn by thy forgetting 12 Haplesse and fond most fond more haplesse swain Seeing thy rooted love will leave thee never She hates thy love love thou her hate for ever In vain thou hop'st hope yet though still in vain Joy in thy grief and triumph in thy pain And though reward exceedeth thy aspiring Live in her love and die in her admiring 13 Fair-cruel maid most cruel fairer ever How hath foul rigour stol'n into thy heart And on a comick stage hath learnt thee art To play a Tyrant-tragical deceiver To promise mercy but perform it never To look more sweet maskt in thy looks disguise Then Mercy self can look with Pities eyes 14 Who taught thy honied tongue the cunning slight To melt the ravisht eare with musicks strains And charm the sense with thousand pleasing pains And yet like thunder roll'd in flames and night To break the rived heart with fear and fright How rules therein thy breast so quiet state Spite leagu'd with mercy love with lovelesse hate 15 Ah no fair Coelia in thy sunne-like eye Heav'n sweetly smiles those starres soft loving fire And living heat not burning flames inspire Love's self enthron'd in thy brows ivorie And every grace in heavens liverie My wants not thine me in despairing drown When hell presumes no mar'l if heavens frown 16 Those gracefull tunes issuing from glorious spheares Ravish the eare and soul with strange delight And with sweet Nectar fill the thirsty sprite Thy honied tongue charming the melted eares Stills stormy hearts and quiets frights and fears My daring heart provokes thee and no wonder When earth so high aspires if heavens thunder 17 See see fair Coelia seas are calmly laid And end their boisterous threats in quiet peace The waves their drummes the windes their trumpets cease But my sick love ah love full ill apayd Never can hope his storms may be allayd But giving to his rage no end or leisure Still restles rests Love knows no mean or measure 18 Fond boy she justly scorns thy proud desire While thou with singing would'st forget thy pain Go strive to empty the still-flowing main Go fuell seek to quench thy growing fire Ah foolish boy scorn is thy musicks hire Drown then these flames in seas but ah I fear To fire the main and to want water there 19 There first thy heav'n I saw there felt my hell There smooth-calm seas rais'd storms of fierce desires There cooling waters kindled burning fires Nor can the Ocean quench them in thy cell Full stor'd with pleasures all my pleasures fell Die then fond lad ah well my death may please thee But love thy love not life not death must ease me 20 So down he swowning sinks nor can remove Till fisher-boyes fond fisher-boyes revive him And back again his life and loving give him But he such wofull gift doth much reprove Hopelesse his life for hopelesse is his love Go then most loving but most dolefull swain Well may I pitie she must cure thy pain FINIS ECLOG IIII. CHROMIS Thelgon Chromis Thel CHromis my joy why drop thy rainie eyes And sullen clouds hang on thy heavie brow Seems that thy net is rent and idle lies Thy merry pipe hangs broken on a bough But late thy time in hundred joyes thou spent'st Now time spends thee while thou in vain lament'st Chrom 2 Thelgon my pipe is whole and nets are new But nets and pipe contemn'd and idle lie My little reed that late so merry blew Tunes sad notes to his masters miserie Time is my foe and hates my rugged rimes And I as much hate both that hate and times Thel 3 What is it then that causeth thy unrest Or wicked charms or loves new-kindled fire Ah! much I fear love eats thy tender breast Too well I know his never quenched ire Since I Amyntas lov'd who me disdains And loves in me nought but my grief and pains Chrom 4 No lack of love did ever breed my smart I onely learn'd to pity others pain And ward my breast from his deceiving art But one I love and he loves me again In love this onely is my greatest sore He loves so much and I can love no more 5 But when the fishers trade once highly priz'd And justly honour'd in those better times By every lozel-groom I see despis'd No marvel if I hate my jocond rimes And hang my pipe upon a willow bough Might I grieve ever if I grieve not now Thel 6 Ah foolish boy why should'st thou so lament To be like him whom thou dost like so well The Prince of fishers thousand tortures rent To heav'n lad thou art bound the way by hell Would'st thou ador'd and great and merry be When he was mockt debas'd and dead for thee 7 Mens scorns should rather joy then sorrow move For then thou highest art when thou art down Their storms of hate should more blow up my love Their laughters my applause their mocks my crown Sorrow for him and shame let me betide Who for me wretch in shame and sorrow died Chrom 8 Thelgon 't is not my self for whom I plain My private losse full easie could I bear If private losse might help the publick gain But who can blame my grief or chide my fear Since now the fishers trade and honour'd name Is made the common badge of scorn and shame 9 Little know they the fishers toilsome pain Whose labour with his age still growing spends not His care and watchings
either And both upon one poore heart ever feeding I hill cold despair most cold yet cooling neither In midst of fires his ycie frosts is breeding So fires and frosts to make a perfect hell Meet in one breast in one house friendly dwell Tir'd in this toylsome way my deep affection I ever forward runne and never ease me I dare not swerve her eye is my direction A heavie grief and weighty love oppresse me Desire and hope two spurres that forth compell'd me But awfull fear abridle still withheld me Twice have I plung'd and flung and strove to cast This double burden from my weary heart Fast though I runne and stop they sit as fast Her looks my bait which she doth seld ' impart Thus fainting still some inne I wish and crave Either her maiden bosome or my grave A vow BY hope and fear by grief and joy opprest With deadly hate more deadly love infected Without within in body soul distrest Little by all least by my self respected But most most there where most I lov'd neglected Hated and hating life to death I call Who scorns to take what is refus'd by all Whither ah whither then wilt thou betake thee Despised wretch of friends of all forlorn Since hope and love and life and death forsake thee Poore soul thy own tormenter others scorn Whither poore soul ah whither wilt thou turn What inne what host scorn'd wretch wilt thou now chuse thee The common host and inne death grave refuse thee To thee great Love to thee I prostrate fall That right'st in love the heart in false love swerved On thee true Love on thee I weeping call I who am scorn'd where with all truth I served On thee so wrong'd where thou hast so deserved Disdain'd where most I lov'd to thee I plain me Who truly lovest those who fools disdain thee Thou never-erring Way in thee direct me Thou Death of death oh in thy death engrave me Thou hated Love with thy firm love respect me Thou freest Servant from this yoke unslave me Glorious Salvation for thy glory save me So neither love nor hate scorn death shall move me But with thy love great Love I still shall love thee On womens lightnesse VVHo sowes the sand or ploughs the easie shore Or strives in nets to prison in the winde Yet I fond I more fond and senselesse more Thought in sure love a womans thoughts to binde Fond too fond thoughts that thought in love to tie One more inconstant then inconstancie Look as it is with some true April day Whose various weather stores the world with flowers The sunne his glorious beams doth fair display Then rains and shines again and straight it lowres And twenty changes in one houre doth prove So and more changing is a womans love Or as the hairs which deck their wanton heads Which loosely fly and play with every winde And with each blast turn round their golden threads Such as their hair such is their looser minde The difference this their hair is often bound But never bonds a woman might impound False is their flattering colour false and fading False is their flattering tongue false every part Their hair is forg'd their silver foreheads shading False are their eyes but falsest is their heart Then this in consequence must needs ensue All must be false when every part 's untrue Fond then my thoughts which thought a thing so vain Fond hopes that anchour on so false a ground Fond love to love what could not love again Fond heart thus fir'd with love in hope thus drown'd Fond thoughts fond heart fond hope but fondest I To grasp the winde and love inconstancie A reply upon the fair M. S. A Daintie maid that drawes her double name From bitter sweetnesse with sweet bitternesse Did late my skill and faulty verses blame And to her loving friend did plain confesse That I my former credit foul did shame And might no more a poets name professe The cause that with my verse she was offended For womens levitie I discommended Too true you said that poet I was never And I confesse it fair if that content ye That then I playd the poet lesse then ever Not for of such a verse I now repent me Poets to feigne and make fine lies endeavour But I the truth truth ah too certain sent ye Then that I am no poet I denie not For when their lightnesse I condemne I ly not But if my verse had ly'd against my minde And praised that which truth cannot approve And falsly said they were as fair as kinde As true as sweet their faith could never move But sure is linkt where constant love they finde That with sweet braving they vie truth and love If thus I write it cannot be deni'd But I a poet were so foul I ly'd But give me leave to write as I have found Like ruddy apples are their outsides bright Whose skin is fair the core or heart unsound Whose cherry-cheek the eye doth much delight But inward rottennesse the taste doth wound Ah! were the taste so good as is the sight To pluck such apples lost with self same price Would back restore us part of paradise But truth hath said it truth who dare denie Men seldome are more seldome women sure But if fair-sweet thy truth and constancie To better faith thy thoughts and minde procure If thy firm truth could give firm truth the lie If thy first love will first and last endure Thou more then woman art if time so proves thee And he more then a man that loved loves thee An Apologie for the premises to the Ladie Culpepper WHo with a bridle strives to curb the waves Or in a cypresse chest locks flaming fires So when love angred in thy bosome raves And grief with love a double flame inspires By silence thou mayst adde but never lesse it The way is by expressing to represse it Who then will blame affection not respected To vent in grief the grief that so torments him Passion will speak in passion if neglected Love that so soon will chide as soon repents him And therefore boyish Love's too like a boy With a toy pleas'd displeased with a toy Have you not seen when you have chid or fought That lively picture of your lovely beauty Your pretty childe at first to lowre or pout But soon again reclaim'd to love and duty Forgets the rod and all her anger ends Playes on your lap or on your neck depends Too like that pretty childe is childish Love That when in anger he is wrong'd or beat Will rave and chide and every passion prove But soon to smiles and fawns turns all his heat And prayes and swears he never more will do it Such one is Love alas that women know it But if so just excuse will not content ye But still you blame the words of angry Love Here I recant and of those words repent me In signe hereof I offer now to prove That changing womens love is
THE PURPLE ISLAND OR THE ISLE OF MAN TOGETHER WITH PISCATORIE ECLOGS AND OTHER POETICALL MISCELLANIES By P. F. ¶ Printed by the Printers to the Universitie of CAMBRIDGE 1633. TO MY MOST WORTHY AND LEARNED FRIEND EDWARD BENLOWES ESQVIRE SIR AS some Optick-glasses if we look one way increase the object if the other lessen the quantity Such is an Eye that looks through Affection It doubles any good and extenuates what is amisse Pardon me Sir for speaking plain truth such is that eye whereby you have viewed these raw Essayes of my very unripe yeares and almost childehood How unseasonable are Blossomes in Autumne unlesse perhaps in this age where are more flowers then fruit I am entring upon my Winter and yet these Blooms of my first Spring must now shew themselves to our ripe wits which certainly will give them no other entertainment but derision For my self I cannot account that worthy of your Patronage which comes forth so short of my Desires thereby meriting no other light then the fire But since you please to have them see more Day then their credit can well endure marvel not if they flie under your Shadow to cover them from the piercing eye of this very curious yet more censorious age In letting them abroad I desire onely to testifie how much I preferre your desires before mine own and how much I owe to You more then any other This if they witnesse for me it is all their service I require Sir I leave them to your tuition and entreat you to love him who will contend with you in nothing but to out-love you and would be known to the world by no other Name then Your true friend P. F. Hilgay May 1. 1633. To the Readers HE that would learn Theologie must first studie Autologie The way to God is by our selves It is a blinde and dirty way it hath many windings and is easie to be lost This Poem will make thee understand that way and therefore my desire is that thou maist understand this Poem Peruse it as thou shouldst thy self from thy first sheet to thy last The first view perchance may runne thy judgement in debt the second will promise payment and the third will perform promise Thou shalt finde here Philosophie and Moralitie two curious handmaids dressing the Kings daughter whose garments smell of Myrrhe and Cassia and being wrought with needlework and gold shall make thee take pleasure in her beautie Here are no blocks for the purblinde no snares for the timerous no dangers for the bold I invite all sorts to be readers all readers to be understanders all understanders to be happie DANIEL FEATLY D. D. ON THE EXCELLENT MORALL POEM ENTITULED THE ISLE OF MAN LOrd how my youth with this vain world hath err'd Applauding theirs as th' onely happy fate Whom to some Empire bloud choice chance preferr'd Or who of learned arts could wisely prate Or travelling the world had well conferr'd Mens natures with the mysteries of state But now thy wiser Muse hath taught me this That these and most men else do aim at blisse But these and most men else do take their aim amisse Reigne o're the world not o're this Isle of Man Worse then a slave thou thine own slaves obey'st Study all arts devis'd since time began And not thy self thou studiest not but play'st Out-travell wise Ulysses if you can Yet misse this Isle thou travell'st not but stray'st Let me O Lord but reigne o're mine own heart And master be of this self-knowing art I 'le dwell in th' Isle of Man ne're travell forrain part E. BENLOVVES E. BENEVOLUS INgeniose tuo ne libro supprime nomen Ingenio Authorem deteget ille suo Nempe verecundo memini te scribere vati Quod pulchrè ingenio quadrat amice tuo QVid tuas retegis nimis tegendo Noctiluca faces pates latendo Ipsa es sphaera tuae comésque stellae Diem si repetas die latebis Non te nox tenebris tegit fovendo Sed te nox tenebris fovendo prodit TO THE LEARNED AUTHOUR SONNE AND BROTHER TO two judicious Poets himself the third not second to either GRave Father of this Muse thou deem'st too light To wear thy name 'cause of thy youthfull brain It seems a sportfull childe resembling right Thy wittie childehood not thy graver strain Which now esteems these works of fancie vain Let not thy childe thee living orphan be Who when th' art dead will give a life to thee How many barren wits would gladly own How few o' th' pregnantest own such another Thou Father art yet blushest to be known And though 't may call the best of Muses Mother Yet thy severer judgement would it smother O judge not Thou let Readers judge thy book Such Cates should rather please the Guest then Cook O but thou fear'st't will stain the reverend gown Thou wearest now nay then fear not to show it For were 't a stain 't were natures not thine own For thou art Poet born who know thee know it Thy brother sire thy very name 's a Poet. Thy very name will make these Poëms take These very Poëms else thy name will make W. BENLOWES TO THE INGENIOUS COMPOSER OF THIS PASTORALL THE SPENCER of this age I Vow sweet stranger if my lazie quill Had not been disobedient to fulfill My quick desires this glory which is thine Had but the Muses pleased had been mine My Genius jumpt with thine the very same Was our Foundation in the very Frame Thy Genius jumpt with mine it got the start In nothing but Prioritie and Art If my ingenious Rivall these dull times Should want the present strength to prize thy rhymes The time-instructed children of the next Shall fill thy margent and admire the text Whos 's well read lines will teach them how to be The happie knowers of themselves and thee FRAN. QUARLES TO THE UNKNOWN Mr P. F. UPON SURVAY of his ISLE OF MAN REnowned Authour let it not seem strange A Merchants eye Should thus thy Island range It is a Merchants progresse to surround The earth and seek out undiscover'd ground What though my foot hath trod the fourefold shore And eyes survaid their subdivided store Yet rarer wonders in this Isle of thine I view'd this day then in twice six yeares time Iustly didst thou great Macedo repine That thou could'st adde no other world to thine He is not truely great nor stout who can Curb the great world and not the lesser Man And thou whose name the Western world impos'd Vpon it self first by thy skill disclos'd Yet is thy skill by this farre overcome Who hath descri'd an unknown World at home A World which to search out subdue and till Is the best object of mans wit strength skill A World where all may dangerlesse obtain Without long travell cheapest greatest gain LOD. ROBERTS ON THE MOST ACCURATE POEM INSCRIBED THE PVRPLE ISLAND HEnceforth let wandring Delos cease to boast Herself the God of Learnings dearest
Leagu'd to the neighbour towns with sure and friendly bands 3 Such as that starre which sets his glorious chair In midst of heav'n and to dead darknesse here Gives light and life such is this citie fair Their ends place office state so nearely neare That those wise ancients from their natures sight And likenesse turn'd their names and call'd aright The sunne the great worlds heart the heart the lesse worlds light 4 This middle coast to all the Isle dispends All heat and life hence it another Guard Beside those common to the first defends Built whole of massie stone cold drie and hard Which stretching round about his circling arms Warrants these parts from all exteriour harms Repelling angry force securing all alar'ms 5 But in the front two fair twin-bulwarks rise In th' Arren built for strength and ornament In Thelu of more use and larger size For hence the young Isle draws his nourishment Here lurking Cupid hides his bended bow Here milkie springs in sugred rivers flow Which first gave th' infant Isle to be and then to grow 6 For when the lesser Island still increasing In Venus temple to some greatnesse swells Now larger rooms and bigger spaces seizing It stops the Hepar rivers backward reels The stream and to these hills bears up his flight And in these founts by some strange hidden might Dies his fair rosie waves into a lily white 7 So where fair Medway down the Kentish dales To many towns her plenteous waters dealing Lading her banks into wide Thamis falls The big-grown main with fomie billows swelling Stops there the sudding stream her steddy race Staggers awhile at length flies back apace And to the parent fount returns its fearfull pace 8 These two fair mounts are like two hemispheres Endow'd with goodly gifts and qualities Whose top two little purple hillocks reares Most like the Poles in heavens Axletrees And round about two circling altars gire In blushing red the rest in snowy tire Like Thracian Haemus looks which ne're feels Phoebus fire 9 That mighty hand in these dissected wreathes Where moves our Sunne his thrones fair picture gives The pattern breathlesse but the picture breathes His highest heav'n is dead our low heav'n lives Nor scorns that loftie one thus low to dwell Here his best starres he sets and glorious cell And fills with saintly spirits so turns to heav'n from hell 10 About this Region round in compasse stands A Guard both for defence and respiration Of sixtie foure parted in severall bands Half to let out the smokie exhalation The other half to draw in fresher windes Beside both these a third of both their kindes That lets both out in which no enforcement bindes 11 This third the merrie Diazome we call A border-citie these two coasts removing Which like a balk with his crosse-builded wall Disparts the terms of anger and of loving Keeps from th' Heart-citie fuming kitchin fires And to his neigbours gentle windes inspires Loose when he sucks in aire contract when he expires 12 The Diazome of severall matter 's fram'd The first moist soft harder the next and drier His fashion like the fish a Raia nam'd Fenc'd with two walls one low the other higher By eight streams water'd two from Hepar low And from th' Heart-town as many higher go But two twice told down from the Cephal mountain flow 13 Here sportfull Laughter dwells here ever sitting Defies all lumpish griefs and wrinkled care And twentie merrie-mates mirth causes fitting And smiles which Laughters sonnes yet infants are But if this town be fir'd with burnings nigh With selfsame flames high Cephals towers fry Such is their feeling love and loving sympathie 14 This coast stands girt with a peculiar wall The whole precinct and every part defending The chiefest Citie and Imperiall Is fair Kerdia farre his bounds extending Which full to know were knowledge infinite How then should my rude pen this wonder write Which thou who onely mad'st it onely know'st aright 15 In middle of this middle Regiment Kerdia seated lies the centre deem'd Of this whole Isle and of this government If not the chiefest this yet needfull'st seem'd Therfore obtain'd an equall distant seat More fitly hence to shed his life and heat And with his yellow streams the fruitfull Island wet 16 Flankt with two severall walls for more defence Betwixt them ever flows a wheyish moat In whose soft waves and circling profluence This Citie like an Isle might safely float In motion still a motion fixt not roving Most like to heav'n in his most constant moving Hence most here plant the seat of sure and active loving 17 Built of a substance like smooth porphyrie His matter hid and like it self unknown Two rivers of his own another by That from the Hepar rises like a crown Infold the narrow part for that great All This his works glory made pyramicall Then crown'd with triple wreath cloath'd in scarlet pall 18 The Cities self in two partitions reft That on the right this on the other side The right made tributarie to the left Brings in his pension at his certain tide A pension of liquours strangely wrought Which first by Hepars streams are hither brought And here distill'd with art beyond or words or thought 19 The grosser waves of these life-streams which here With much yet much lesse labour is prepar'd A doubtfull chanel doth to Pneumon bear But to the left those labour'd extracts shar'd As through a wall with hidden passage slide Where many secret gates gates hardly spi'd With safe convoy give passage to the other side 20 At each hand of the left two streets stand by Of severall stuffe and severall working fram'd With hundred crooks and deep-wrought cavitie Both like the eares in form and so are nam'd I' th' right hand street the tribute liquour sitteth The left forc't aire into his concave getteth Which subtile wrought thinne for future workmen sitteth 21 The Cities left side by some hid direction Of this thinne aire and of that right sides rent Compound together makes a strange confection And in one vessel both together meynt Stills them with equall never-quenched firing Then in small streams through all the Island wiring Sends it to every part both heat and life inspiring 22 In this Heart-citie foure main streams appeare One from the Hepar where the tribute landeth Largely poures out his purple river here At whose wide mouth a band of Tritons standeth Three Tritons stand who with their three-forkt mace Drive on and speed the rivers flowing race But strongly stop the wave if once it back repace 23 The second is that doubtfull chanel lending Some of this tribute to the Pneumon nigh Whose springs by carefull guards are watcht that sending From thence the waters all regresse denie The third unlike to this from Pneumon flowing And his due ayer-tribute here bestowing Is kept by gates and
as much as desperate rage The worlds loud thund'rings he unshaken heares Nor will he death or life or seek or flie Readie for both He is as cowardly That longer fears to live as he that fears to die 9 Worst was his civil warre where deadly fought He with himself till Passion yeelds or dies All heart and hand no tongue not grimme but stout His flame had counsell in 't his furie eyes His rage well temper'd is no fear can dant His reason but cold bloud is valiant Well may he strength in death but never courage want 10 But like a mighty rock whose unmov'd sides The hostile sea assaults with furious wave And 'gainst his head the boist'rous North-winde rides Both fight and storm and swell and roar and rave Hoarse surges drum loud blasts their trumpets strain Th' heroick cliffe laughs at their frustrate pain Waves scatter'd drop in tears windes broken whining plain 11 Such was this Knights undanted constancie No mischief weakens his resolved minde None fiercer to a stubborn enemie But to the yeelding none more sweetly kinde His shield an even-ballast ship embraves Which dances light while Neptune wildely raves His word was this I fear but heav'n nor windes nor waves 12 And next Macrothumus whose quiet face No cloud of passion ever shadowed Nor could hot anger Reasons rule displace Purpling the scarlet cheek with firie red Nor could revenge clad in a deadly white With hidden malice eat his vexed sprite For ill he good repay'd and love exchang'd for spite 13 Was never yet a more undanted spirit Yet most him deem'd a base and tim'rous swain But he well weighing his own strength and merit The greatest wrong could wisely entertain Nothing resisted his commanding spear Yeelding it self to him a winning were And though he di'd yet dead he rose a conquerer 14 His naturall force beyond all nature stretched Most strong he is because he will be weak And happie most because he can be wretched Then whole and sound when he himself doth break Rejoycing most when most he is tormented In greatest discontents he rests contented By conquering himself all conquests he prevented 15 His rockie arms of massie adamant Safely could back rebutt the hardest blade His skinne it self could any weapon dant Of such strange mold and temper was he made Upon his shield a Palm-tree still increased Though many weights his rising arms depressed His word was Rising most by being most oppressed 16 Next him Androphilus whose sweetest minde 'Twixt mildenesse temper'd and low courtesie Could leave as soon to be as not be kinde Churlish despite ne're lookt from his calm eye Much lesse commanded in his gentle heart To baser men fair looks he would impart Nor could he cloak ill thoughts in complementall art 17 His enemies knew not how to discommend him All others dearely lov'd fell ranc'rous Spite And vile Detraction fain would reprehend him And oft in vain his name they closely bite As popular and flatterer accusing But he such slavish office much refusing Can eas'ly quit his name from their false tongues abusing 18 His arms were fram'd into a glitt'ring night Whose sable gown with starres all spangled wide Affords the weary traveller cheerfull light And to his home his erring footsteps guide Upon his ancient shield the workman fine Had drawn the Sunne whose eye did ne're repine To look on good and ill his word To all I shine 19 Fair Vertue where stay'st thou in poore exile Leaving the Court from whence thou took'st thy name While in thy place is stept Disdaining vile And Flatterie base sonne of Need and Shame And with them surly Scorn and hatefull Pride Whose artificiall face false colours di'd Which more display her shame then loathsome foulnesse hide 20 Late there thou livedst with a gentle Swain As gentle Swain as ever lived there Who lodg'd thee in his heart and all thy train Where hundred other Graces quarter'd were But he alas untimely dead and gone Leaves us to rue his death and thee to mone That few were ever such now those few are none 21 By him the stout Encrates boldly went Assailed oft by mightie enemies Which all on him alone their spite misspent For he whole armies single bold defies With him nor might nor cunning slights prevail All force on him they trie all forces fail Yet still assail him fresh yet vainly still assail 22 His body full of vigour full of health His table feeds not lust but strength and need Full stor'd with plenty not by heaping wealth But topping rank desires which vain exceed On 's shield an hand from heav'n an orchyard dressing Pruning superfluous boughs the trees oppressing So adding fruit his word By lessening increasing 23 His setled minde was written in his face For on his forehead cheerfull gravitie False joyes and apish vanities doth chase And watchfull care did wake in either eye His heritance he would not lavish sell Nor yet his treasure hide by neighbouring hell But well he ever spent what he had gotten well 24 A lovely pair of twins clos'd either side Not those in heav'n the flowrie Geminies Are half so lovely bright the one his Bride Agnia chaste was joyn'd in Hymens ties And love as pure as heav'ns conjunction Thus she was his and he her flesh and bone So were they two in sight in truth entirely one 25 Upon her arched brow unarmed Love Triumphing sat in peacefull victorie And in her eyes thousand chaste Graces move Checking vain thoughts with awfull majestie Ten thousand moe her fairer breast contains Where quiet meeknesse every ill restrains And humbly subject spirit by willing service reignes 26 Her skie-like arms glitter'd in golden beams And brightly seem'd to flame with burning hearts The scalding ray with his reflected streams Fire to their flames but heav'nly fire imparts Upon her shield a pair of Turtles shone A loving pair still coupled ne're alone Her word Though one when two yet either two or none 27 With her her sister went a warlike Maid Parthenia all in steel and gilded arms In needles stead a mighty spear she swayd With which in bloudy fields and fierce alarms The boldest champion she down would bear And like a thunderbolt wide passage tear Flinging all to the earth with her enchanted spear 28 Her goodly armour seem'd a garden green Where thousand spotlesse lilies freshly blew And on her shield the ' lone bird might be seen Th' Arabian bird shining in colours new It self unto it self was onely mate Ever the same but new in newer date And underneath was writ Such is chaste single state 29 Thus hid in arms she seem'd a goodly Knight And fit for any warlike exercise But when she list lay down her armour bright And back resume her peacefull Maidens guise The fairest Maid she was that ever yet Prison'd her locks within a golden net Or let them waving hang with roses fair beset 30 Choice Nymph the crown of chaste Diana's train
with courage to recall And rouze her fainting head which down as oft would fall 30 All so a Lilie prest with heavie rain Which fills her cup with showers up to the brinks The wearie stalk no longer can sustain The head but low beneath the burden sinks Or as a virgin Rose her leaves displayes Whom too hot scorching beams quite disarayes Down flags her double ruffe and all her sweet decayes 31 Th' undanted Maid feeling her feet denie Their wonted dutie to a tree retir'd Whom all the rout pursue with deadly crie As when a hunted Stag now welnigh tir'd Shor'd by an oak 'gins with his head to play The fearfull hounds dare not his horns assay But running round about with yelping voices bay 32 And now perceiving all her strength was spent Lifting to listning heav'n her trembling eyes Thus whispring soft her soul to heav'n she sent Thou chastest Love that rul'st the wandring skies More pure then purest heavens by thee moved If thine own love in me thou sure hast proved If ever thou my self my vows my love hast loved 33 Let not this Temple of thy spotlesse love Be with foul hand and beastly rage defil'd But when my spirit shall his camp remove And to his home return too long exil'd Do thou protect it from the ravenous spoil Of ranc'rous enemies that hourely toil Thy humble votarie with loathsome spot to foil 34 With this few drops fell from her fainting eyes To dew the fading roses of her cheek That much high Love seem'd passion'd with those cries Much more those streams his heart and patience break Straight he the charge gives to a winged Swain Quickly to step down to that bloudie plain And aid her wearie arms and rightfull cause maintain 35 Soon stoops the speedie Herauld through the aire Where chaste Agneia and Encrates fought See see he cries where your Parthenia fair The flower of all your armie hemm'd about With thousand enemies now fainting stands Readie to fall into their murdring hands Hie ye oh hie ye fast the highest Love commands 36 They casting round about their angrie eye The wounded Virgin almost sinking spi'd They prick their steeds which straight like lightning flie Their brother Continence runnes by their side Fair Continence that truely long before As his hearts liege this Ladie did adore And now his faithfull love kindled his hate the more 37 Encrates and his Spouse with flashing sword Assail the scatter'd troops that headlong flie While Continence a precious liquour pour'd Into the wound and suppled tenderly Then binding up the gaping orifice Reviv'd the spirits that now she 'gan to rise And with new life confront her heartlesse enemies 38 So have I often seen a purple flower Fainting through heat hang down her drooping head But soon refreshed with a welcome shower Begins again her lively beauties spread And with new pride her silken leaves display And while the Sunne doth now more gently play Lay out her swelling bosome to the smiling day 39 Now rush they all into the flying trains Bloud fires their bloud and slaughter kindles fight The wretched vulgar on the purple plains Fall down as thick as when a rustick wight From laden oaks the plenteous akorns poures Or when the blubbring ayer sadly lowres And melts his sullen brow and weeps sweet April showers 40 The greedy Dragon that aloof did spie So ill successe of this renewed fray More vext with losse of certain victorie Depriv'd of so assur'd and wished prey Gnashed his iron teeth for grief and spite The burning sparks leap from his flaming sight And forth his smoking jawes steams out a smouldring night 41 Straight thither sends he in a fresh supply The swelling band that drunken Methos led And all the rout his brother Gluttonie Commands in lawlesse bands disordered So now they bold restore their broken fight And fiercely turn again from shamefull flight While both with former losse sharpen their raging spite 42 Freshly these Knights assault these fresher bands And with new battell all their strength renew Down fell Geloios by Encrates hands Agneia Moechus and Anagnus slew And spying Methos fenc't in 's iron vine Pierc't his swoln panch there lies the grunting swine And spues his liquid soul out in his purple wine 43 As when a greedy lion long unfed Breaks in at length into the harmlesse folds So hungry rage commands with fearfull dread He drags the silly beasts nothing controlls The victour proud he spoils devours and tears In vain the keeper calls his shepherd peers Mean while the simple flock gaze on with silent fears 44 Such was the slaughter these three Champions made But most Encrates whose unconquer'd hands Sent thousand foes down to th' infernall shade With uselesse limbes strewing the bloudie sands Oft were they succourd fresh with new supplies But fell as oft the Dragon grown more wise By former losse began another way devise 45 Soon to their aid the Cyprian band he sent For easie skirmish clad in armour light Their golden bowes in hand stood ready bent And painted quivers furnisht well for fight Stuck full of shafts whose heads foul poyson stains Which dipt in Phlegethon by hellish swains Bring thousand painfull deaths and thousand deadly pains 46 Thereto of substance strange so thinne and slight And wrought by subtil hand so cunningly That hardly were discern'd by weaker fight Sooner the heart did feel then eye could see Farre off they stood and flung their darts around Raining whole clouds of arrows on the ground So safely others hurt and never wounded wound 47 Much were the Knights encumbred with these foes For well they saw and felt their enemies But when they back would turn the borrow'd blows The light-foot troop away more swiftly flies Then do their winged arrows through the winde And in their course oft would they turn behinde And with their glancing darts their hot pursuers blinde 48 As when by Russian Volgha's frozen banks The false-back Tartars fear with cunning feigne And poasting fast away in flying ranks Oft backward turn and from their bowes down rain Whole storms of darts so do they flying fight And what by force they lose they winne by slight Conquerd by standing out and conquerours by flight 49 Such was the craft of this false Cyprian crue Yet oft they seem'd to slack their fearfull pace And yeeld themselves to foes that fast pursue So would they deeper wound in nearer space In such a fight he winnes that fastest flies Flie flie chaste Knights such subtil enemies The vanquisht cannot live and conqu'rour surely dies 50 The Knights opprest with wounds and travel past Began retire and now were neare to fainting With that a winged Poast him speeded fast The Generall with these heavy newes acquainting He soon refresht their hearts that 'gan to tire But let our weary Muse a while respire Shade we our scorched heads from Phoebus parching fire CANT XII THe shepherds guarded from the sparkling heat Of blazing aire upon the flowrie banks Where
kisse his rod 17 My deare once all my joy now all my care To these my words these my last words apply thee Give me thy hand these my last greetings are Shew me thy face I never more shall eye thee Ah would our boyes our lesser selves were by thee Those my ' live pictures to the world I give So single onely die in them twice-two I live 18 Your little souls your sweetest times enjoy And softly spend among your mothers kisses And with your prettie sports and hurtlesse joy Supply your weeping mothers grievous misses Ah while you may enjoy your little blisses While yet you nothing know when back you view Sweet will this knowledge seem when yet you nothing knew 19 For when to riper times your yeares arrive No more ah then no more may you go play you Lancht in the deep farre from the wished hive Change of worlds tépests through blinde seas will sway you Till to the long-long'd haven they convey you Through many a wave this brittle life must passe And cut the churlish seas shipt in a bark of glasse 20 How many ships in quick-sands swallow'd been What gaping waves whales monsters there expect you How many rocks much sooner felt then seen Yet let no fear no coward fright affect you He holds the stern and he will safe direct you Who to my sails thus long so gently blew That now I touch the shore before the seas I knew 21 I touch the shore and see my rest preparing Oh blessed God! how infinite a blessing Is in this thought that through this troubled faring Through all the faults this guiltie age depressing I guiltlesse past no helplesse man oppressing And coming now to thee lift to the skies Unbribed hands cleans'd heart and never tainted eyes 22 Life life how many Sylla's dost thou hide In thy calm streams which sooner kill then threaten Gold honour greatnesse and their daughter pride More quiet lives and lesse with tempests beaten Whose middle state content doth richly sweeten He knows not strife or brabling lawyers brawls His love and wish live pleas'd within his private walls 23 The King he never sees nor fears nor prayes Nor sits court-promise and false hopes lamenting Within that house he spends and ends his dayes Where day he viewed first his hearts contenting His wife and babes nor sits new joyes inventing Unspotted there and quiet he remains And 'mong his duteous sonnes most lov'd and fearlesse reignes 24 Thou God of peace with what a gentle tide Through this worlds raging tempest hast thou brought me Thou thou my open soul didst safely hide When thousand crafty foes so nearely sought me Els had the endlesse pit too quickly caught me That endlesse pit where it is easier never To fall then being fall'n to cease from falling ever 25 I never knew or want or luxurie Much lesse their followers or cares tormenting Or ranging lust or base-bred flatterie I lov'd and was belov'd with like consenting My hate was hers her joy my sole contenting Thus long I liv'd and yet have never prov'd Whether I lov'd her more or more by her was lov'd 26 Foure babes the fift with thee I soon shall finde With equall grace in soul and bodie fram'd And left these goods might swell my bladder'd minde Which last I name but should not last be nam'd A sicknesse long my stubborn heart hath tam'd And taught me pleasing goods are not the best But most unblest he lives that lives here ever blest 27 Ah life once vertues spring now sink of evil Thou change of pleasing pain and painfull pleasure Thou brittle painted bubble shop o' th' devil How dost thou bribe us with false gilded treasure That in thy joyes we finde no mean or measure How dost thou witch I know thou dost deceive me I know I should I must and yet I would not leave thee 28 Ah death once greatest ill now onely blessing Untroubled sleep short travel ever resting All sicknesse cure thou end of all distressing Thou one meals fast usher to endlesse feasting Though hopelesse griefs crie out thy aid requesting Though thou art sweetned by a life most hatefull How is 't that when thou com'st thy coming is ungratefull 29 Frail flesh why would'st thou keep a hated guest And him refuse whom thou hast oft invited Life thy tormenter death thy sleep and rest And thou poore soul why at his sight art frighted Who clears thine eyes and makes thee eagle-sighted Mount now my soul seat thee in thy throne Thou shalt be one with him by whom thou first wast one 30 Why should'st thou love this star this borrow'd light And not that Sunne at which thou oft hast guessed But guess'd in vain which dares thy piercing sight Which never was which cannot be expressed Why lov'st thy load joy'st to be oppressed Seest thou those joyes those thousand thousand graces Mount now my soul leap to those outstretcht embraces 31 Deare countrey I must leave thee and in thee No benefit which most doth pierce and grieve me Yet had not hasty death prevented me I would repay my life and somewhat give thee My sonnes for that I leave and so I leave thee Thus heav'n commands the lord outrides the page And is arriv'd before death hath prevented age 32 My dearest Bettie my more loved heart I leave thee now with thee all earthly joying Heav'n knows with thee alone I sadly part All other earthly sweets have had their cloying Yet never full of thy sweet loves enjoying Thy constant loves next heav'n I did referre them Had not much grace prevail'd 'fore heav'n I should preferre them 33 I leave them now the trumpet calls away In vain thine eyes beg for some times reprieving Yet in my children here immortall stay In one I die in many ones am living In them and for them stay thy too much grieving Look but on them in them thou still wilt see Marry'd with thee again thy twice-two Antonie 34 And when with little hands they stroke thy face As in thy lap they sit ah carelesse playing And stammering ask a kisse give them a brace The last from me and then a little staying And in their face some part of me survaying In them give me a third and with a teare Shew thy deare love to him who lov'd thee ever deare 35 And now our falling house leans all on thee This little nation to thy care commend them In thee it lies that hence they want not me Themselves yet cannot thou the more defend them And when green age permits to goodnesse bend them A mother were you once now both you are Then with this double style double your love and care 36 Turn their unwarie steps into the way What first the vessel drinks it long retaineth No barres will hold when they have us'd to stray And when for me one asks and weeping plaineth Point thou to heav'n and say he there remaineth And if they live in grace grow and persever There shall they