seen The Sword it self is blunted on the Skin This vain Attempt the Chief no longer bears But round his hollow Temples and his Ears His Buckler beats The Son of Neptune stun'd With these repeated Buffets quits his Ground A sickly Sweat succeeds and Shades of Night Inverted Nature swims before his Sight Th' insulting Victor presses on the more And treads the Steps the vanquish'd trod before Nor Rest nor Respite gives A Stone there lay Behind his trembling Foe and stop'd his way Achilles took th' Advantage which he found O'er-turn'd and push'd him backward on the Ground His Buckler held him under while he press'd With both his Knees above his panting Breast Unlac'd his Helm About his Chin the Twist He ty'd and soon the strangled Soul dismiss'd With eager haste he went to strip the Dead The vanish'd Body from his Arms was fled His Sea-God Sire t' immortalize his Fame Had turn'd it to the Bird that bears his Name A Truce succeeds the Labours of this Day And Arms suspended with a long delay While Trojan Walls are kept with Watch and Ward The Greeks before their Trenches mount the Guard The Feast approach'd when to the blue-Ey'd Maid His Vows for Cygnus slain the Victor paid And a white Heyfer on her Altar laid The reeking Entrails on the Fire they threw And to the Gods the grateful Odour flew Heav'n had its part in Sacrifice The rest Was broil'd and roasted for the future Feast The chief invited Guests were set around And Hunger first asswag'd the Bowls were crown'd Which in deep Draughts their Cares and Labours drown'd The mellow Harp did not their Ears employ And mute was all the Warlike Symphony Discourse the Food of Souls was their Delight And pleasing Chat prolong'd the Summers-night The Subject Deeds of Arms and Valour shown Or on the Trojan side or on their own Of Dangers undertaken Fame atchiev'd They talk'd by turns the Talk by turns reliev'd What Things but these cou'd fierce Achilles tell Or what cou'd fierce Achilles hear so well The last great Act perform'd of Cygnus slain Did most the Martial Audience entertain Wondring to find a Body free by Fate From Steel and which cou'd ev'n that Steel rebate Amaz'd their Admiration they renew And scarce Pelides cou'd believe it true Then Nestor thus What once this Age has known In fated Cygnus and in him alone Those Eyes have seen in Caeneus long before Whose Body not a thousand Swords cou'd bore Caeneus in Courage and in Strength excell'd And still his Othry's with his Fame is fill'd But what did most his Martial Deeds adorn Though since he chang'd his Sex a Woman born A Novelty so strange and full of Fate His list'ning Audience ask'd him to relate Achilles thus commends their common Sute O Father first for Prudence in repute Tell with that Eloquence so much thy own What thou hast heard or what of Caeneus known What was he whence his change of Sex begun What Trophies join'd in Wars with thee he won Who conquer'd him and in what fatal Strife The Youth without a Wound cou'd lose his Life Neleides then though tardy Age and Time Have shrunk my Sinews and decay'd my Prime Though much I have forgotten of my Store Yet not exhausted I remember more Of all that Arms atchiev'd or Peace design'd That Action still is fresher in my Mind Than ought beside If Reverend Age can give To Faith a Sanction in my third I live 'T was in my second Cent'ry I survey'd Young Caenis then a fair Thessalian Maid Caenis the bright was born to high Command A Princess and a Native of thy Land Divine Achilles every Tongue proclaim'd Her Beauty and her Eyes all Hearts inflam'd Peleus thy Sire perhaps had sought her Bed Among the rest but he had either led Thy Mother then or was by Promise ty'd But she to him and all alike her Love deny'd It was her Fortune once to take her way Along the sandy Margin of the Sea The Pow'r of Ocean view'd her as she pass'd And lov'd as soon as seen by Force embrac'd So Fame reports Her Virgin-Treasure seiz'd And his new Joys the Ravisher so pleas'd That thus transported to the Nymph he cry'd Ask what thou wilt no Pray'r shall be deny'd This also Fame relates The haughty Fair Who not the Rape ev'n of a God cou'd bear This Answer proud return'd To mighty Wrongs A mighty Recompence of right belongs Give me no more to suffer such a Shame But change the Woman for a better Name One Gift for all She said and while she spoke A stern majestick manly Tone she took A Man she was And as the Godhead swore To Caeneus turn'd who Caenis was before To this the Lover adds without request No force of Steel shou'd violate his Breast Glad of the Gift the new-made Warrior goes And Arms among the Greeks and longs for equal Foes Now brave Perithous bold Ixion's Son The Love of fair Hippodame had won The Cloud-begotten Race half Men half Beast Invited came to grace the Nuptial Feast In a cool Cave's recess the Treat was made Whose entrance Trees with spreading Boughs o'ershade They sate And summon'd by the Bridegroom came To mix with those the Lapythaean Name Nor wanted I The Roofs with Joy resound And Hymen Io Hymen rung around Rais'd Altars shone with holy Fires the Bride Lovely her self and lovely by her side A bevy of bright Nimphs with sober Grace Came glitt'ring like a Star and took her Place Her heav'nly Form beheld all wish'd her Joy And little wanted but in vain their Wishes all employ For One most Brutal of the Brutal Brood Or whether Wine or Beauty fir'd his Blood Or both at once beheld with lustful Eyes The Bride at once resolv'd to make his Prize Down went the Board and fastning on her Hair He seiz'd with sudden Force the frighted Fair. 'T was Eurytus began His bestial Kind His Crime pursu'd and each as pleas'd his Mind Or her whom Chance presented took The Feast An Image of a taken Town express'd The Cave resounds with Female Shrieks we rise Mad with Revenge to make a swift Reprise And Theseus first what Frenzy has possess'd O Eurytus he cry'd thy brutal Breast To wrong Perithous and not him alone But while I live two Friends conjoyn'd in one To justify his Threat he thrusts aside The Crowd of Centaurs and redeems the Bride The Monster nought reply'd For Words were vain And Deeds cou'd only Deeds unjust maintain But answers with his Hand and forward press'd With Blows redoubled on his Face and Breast An ample Goblet stood of antick Mold And rough with Figures of the rising Gold The Hero snatch'd it up And toss'd in Air Full at the Front of the foul Ravisher He falls and falling vomits forth a Flood Of Wine and Foam and Brains and mingled Blood Half roaring and half neighing through the Hall Arms Arms the double form'd with Fury call To wreak their Brother's death A Medley-Flight Of Bowls
out so clear That Men and Angels might rejoice to hear Ev'n wondring Philomel forgot to sing And learn'd from Her to welcome in the Spring The Tow'r of which before was mention made Within whose Keep the captive Knights were laid Built of a large Extent and strong withal Was one Partition of the Palace Wall The Garden was enclos'd within the Square Where young Emilia took the Morning-Air It happen'd Palamon the Pris'ner Knight Restless for Woe arose before the Light And with his Jaylor's leave desir'd to breathe An Air more wholesom than the Damps beneath This granted to the Tow'r he took his way Cheer'd with the Promise of a glorious Day Then cast a languishing Regard around And saw with hateful Eyes the Temples crown'd With golden Spires and all the Hostile Ground He sigh'd and turn'd his Eyes because he knew 'T was but a larger Jayl he had in view Then look'd below and from the Castles height Beheld a nearer and more pleasing Sight The Garden which before he had not seen In Springs new Livery clad of White and Green Fresh Flow'rs in wide Parterres and shady Walks between This view'd but not enjoy'd with Arms across He stood reflecting on his Country's Loss Himself an Object of the Publick Scorn And often wish'd he never had been born At last for so his Destiny requir'd With-walking giddy and with thinking tir'd He thro' a little Window cast his Sight Tho' thick of Bars that gave a scanty Light But ev'n that Glimmering serv'd him to descry Th' inevitable Charms of Emily Scarce had he seen but seiz'd with sudden Smart Stung to the Quick he felt it at his Heart Struck blind with overpowering Light he stood Then started back amaz'd and cry'd aloud Young Arcite heard and up he ran with haste To help his Friend and in his Arms embrac'd And ask'd him why he look'd so deadly wan And whence and how his change of Cheer began Or who had done th' Offence But if said he Your Grief alone is hard Captivity For Love of Heav'n with Patience undergo A cureless Ill since Fate will have it so So stood our Horoscope in Chains to lie And Saturn in the Dungeon of the Sky Or other baleful Aspect rul'd our Birth When all the friendly Stars were under Earth Whate'er betides by Destiny 't is done And better bear like Men than vainly seek to shun Nor of my Bonds said Palamon again Nor of unhappy Planets I complain But when my mortal Anguish caus'd my Cry That Moment I was hurt thro' either Eye Pierc'd with a Random-shaft I faint away And perish with insensible Decay A Glance of some new Goddess gave the Wound Whom like Acteon unaware I found Look how she walks along yon shady Space Not Juno moves with more Majestick Grace And all the Cyprian Queen is in her Face If thou art Venus for thy Charms confess That Face was form'd in Heav'n nor art thou less Disguis'd in Habit undisguis'd in Shape O help us Captives from our Chains to scape But if our Doom be past in Bonds to lie For Life and in a loathsom Dungeon die Then be thy Wrath appeas'd with our Disgrace And shew Compassion to the Theban Race Oppress'd by Tyrant Pow'r While yet he spoke Arcite on Emily had fix'd his Look The fatal Dart a ready Passage found And deep within his Heart infix'd the Wound So that if Palamon were wounded sore Arcite was hurt as much as he or more Then from his inmost Soul he sigh'd and said The Beauty I behold has struck me dead Unknowingly she strikes and kills by chance Poyson is in her Eyes and Death in ev'ry Glance O I must ask nor ask alone but move Her Mind to Mercy or must die for Love Thus Arcite And thus Palamon replies Eager his Tone and ardent were his Eyes Speak'st thou in earnest or in jesting Vein Jesting said Arcite suits but ill with Pain It suits far worse said Palamon again And bent his Brows with Men who Honour weigh Their Faith to break their Friendship to betray But worst with Thee of Noble Lineage born My Kinsman and in Arms my Brother sworn Have we not plighted each our holy Oath That one shou'd be the Common Good of both One Soul shou'd both inspire and neither prove His Fellows Hindrance in pursuit of Love To this before the Gods we gave our Hands And nothing but our Death can break the Bands This binds thee then to farther my Design As I am bound by Vow to farther thine Nor canst nor dar'st thou Traytor on the Plain Appeach my Honour or thy own maintain Since thou art of my Council and the Friend Whose Faith I trust and on whose Care depend And would'st thou court my Ladies Love which I Much rather than release would chuse to die But thou false Arcite never shalt obtain Thy bad Pretence I told thee first my Pain For first my Love began e'er thine was born Thou as my Council and my Brother sworn Art bound t' assist my Eldership of Right Or justly to be deem'd a perjur'd Knight Thus Palamon But Arcite with disdain In haughty Language thus reply'd again Forsworn thy self The Traytor 's odious Name I first return and then disprove thy Claim If Love be Passion and that Passion nurst With strong Desires I lov'd the Lady first Canst thou pretend Desire whom Zeal inflam'd To worship and a Pow'r Coelestial nam'd Thine was Devotion to the Blest above I saw the Woman and desir'd her Love First own'd my Passion and to thee commend Th'important Secret as my chosen Friend Suppose which yet I grant not thy Desire A Moment elder than my Rival Fire Can Chance of seeing first thy Title prove And know'st thou not no Law is made for Love Law is to Things which to free Choice relate Love is not in our Choice but in our Fate Laws are but positive Loves Pow'r we see Is Natures Sanction and her first Decree Each Day we break the Bond of Humane Laws For Love and vindicate the Common Cause Laws for Defence of Civil Rights are plac'd Love throws the Fences down and makes a general Waste Maids Widows Wives without distinction fall The sweeping Deluge Love comes on and covers all If then the Laws of Friendship I transgress I keep the Greater while I break the Less And both are mad alike since neither can possess Both hopeless to be ransom'd never more To see the Sun but as he passes o'er Like Esop's Hounds contending for the Bone Each pleaded Right and wou'd be Lord alone The fruitless Fight continu'd all the Day A Cur came by and snatch'd the Prize away As Courtiers therefore justle for a Grant And when they break their Friendship plead their Want So thou if Fortune will thy Suit advance Love on nor envy me my equal Chance For I must love and am resolv'd to try My Fate or failing in th' Adventure die Great was their Strife which hourly was renew'd Till each with
mortal Hate his Rival view'd Now Friends no more nor walking Hand in Hand But when they met they made a surly Stand And glar'd like angry Lions as they pass'd And wish'd that ev'ry Look might be their last It chanc'd at length Perithous came t' attend This worthy Theseus his familiar Friend Their Love in early Infancy began And rose as Childhood ripen'd into Man Companions of the War and lov'd so well That when one dy'd as ancient Stories tell His Fellow to redeem him went to Hell But to pursue my Tale to welcome home His Warlike Brother is Perithous come Arcite of Thebes was known in Arms long since And honour'd by this young Thessalian Prince Theseus to gratifie his Friend and Guest Who made our Arcite's Freedom his Request Restor'd to Liberty the Captive Knight But on these hard Conditions I recite That if hereafter Arcite shou'd be found Within the Compass of Athenian Ground By Day or Night or on whate'er Pretence His Head shou'd pay the Forfeit of th' Offence To this Perithous for his Friend agreed And on his Promise was the Pris'ner freed Unpleas'd and pensive hence he takes his way At his own Peril for his Life must pay Who now but Arcite mourns his bitter Fate Finds his dear Purchase and repents too late What have I gain'd he said in Prison pent If I but change my Bonds for Banishment And banish'd from her Sight I suffer more In Freedom than I felt in Bonds before Forc'd from her Presence and condemn'd to live Unwelcom Freedom and unthank'd Reprieve Heav'n is not but where Emily abides And where she 's absent all is Hell besides Next to my Day of Birth was that accurst Which bound my Friendship to Perithous first Had I not known that Prince I still had been In Bondage and had still Emilia seen For tho' I never can her Grace deserve 'T is Recompence enough to see and serve O Palamon my Kinsman and my Friend How much more happy Fates thy Love attend Thine is th' Adventure thine the Victory Well has thy Fortune turn'd the Dice for thee Thou on that Angels Face maist feed thy Eyes In Prison no but blissful Paradise Thou daily seest that Sun of Beauty shine And lov'st at least in Loves extreamest Line I mourn in Absence Loves Eternal Night And who can tell but since thou hast her Sight And art a comely young and valiant Knight Fortune a various Pow'r may cease to frown And by some Ways unknown thy Wishes crown But I the most forlorn of Humane Kind Nor Help can hope nor Remedy can find But doom'd to drag my loathsom Life in Care For my Reward must end it in Despair Fire Water Air and Earth and Force of Fates That governs all and Heav'n that all creates Nor Art nor Natures Hand can ease my Grief Nothing but Death the Wretches last Relief Then farewel Youth and all the Joys that dwell With Youth and Life and Life it self farewell But why alas do mortal Men in vain Of Fortune Fate or Providence complain God gives us what he knows our Wants require And better Things than those which we desire Some pray for Riches Riches they obtain But watch'd by Robbers for their Wealth are slain Some pray from Prison to be freed and come When guilty of their Vows to fall at home Murder'd by those they trusted with their Life A favour'd Servant or a Bosom Wife Such dear-bought Blessings happen ev'ry Day Because we know not for what Things to pray Like drunken Sots about the Streets we roam Well knows the Sot he has a certain Home Yet knows not how to find th' uncertain Place And blunders on and staggers ev'ry Pace Thus all seek Happiness but few can find For far the greater Part of Men are blind This is my Case who thought our utmost Good Was in one Word of Freedom understood The fatal Blessing came From Prison free I starve abroad and lose the Sight of Emily Thus Arcite but if Arcite thus deplore His Suff'rings Palamon yet suffers more For when he knew his Rival freed and gone He swells with Wrath he makes outrageous Moan He frets he fumes he stares he stamps the Ground The hollow Tow'r with Clamours rings around With briny Tears he bath'd his fetter'd Feet And dropp'd all o'er with Agony of Sweat Alas he cry'd I Wretch in Prison pine Too happy Rival while the Fruit is thine Thou liv'st at large thou draw'st thy Native Air Pleas'd with thy Freedom proud of my Despair Thou may'st since thou hast Youth and Courage join'd A sweet Behaviour and a solid Mind Assemble ours and all the Theban Race To vindicate on Athens thy Disgrace And after by some Treaty made possess Fair Emily the Pledge of lasting Peace So thine shall be the beauteous Prize while I Must languish in Despair in Prison die Thus all th' Advantage of the Strife is thine Thy Portion double Joys and double Sorrows mine The Rage of Jealousie then fir'd his Soul And his Face kindl'd like a burning Coal Now cold Despair succeeding in her stead To livid Paleness turns the glowing Red. His Blood scarce Liquid creeps within his Veins Like Water which the freezing Wind constrains Then thus he said Eternal Deities Who rule the World with absolute Decrees And write whatever Time shall bring to pass With Pens of Adamant on Plates of Brass What is the Race of Humane Kind your Care Beyond what all his Fellow-Creatures are He with the rest is liable to Pain And like the Sheep his Brother-Beast is slain Cold Hunger Prisons Ills without a Cure All these he must and guiltless oft endure Or does your Justice Pow'r or Prescience fail When the Good suffer and the Bad prevail What worse to wretched Vertue could befall If Fate or giddy Fortune govern'd all Nay worse than other Beasts is our Estate Them to pursue their Pleasures you create We bound by harder Laws must curb our Will And your Commands not our Desires fulfil Then when the Creature is unjustly slain Yet after Death at least he feels no Pain But Man in Life surcharg'd with Woe before Not freed when dead is doom'd to suffer more A Serpent shoots his Sting at unaware An ambush'd Thief forelays a Traveller The Man lies murder'd while the Thief and Snake One gains the Thickets and one thrids the Brake This let Divines decide but well I know Just or unjust I have my Share of Woe Through Saturn seated in a luckless Place And Juno's Wrath that persecutes my Race Or Mars and Venus in a Quartil move My Pangs of Jealousie for Arcite's Love Let Palamon oppress'd in Bondage mourn While to his exil'd Rival we return By this the Sun declining from his Height The Day had shortned to prolong the Night The lengthen'd Night gave length of Misery Both to the Captive Lover and the Free For Palamon in endless Prison mourns And Arcite forfeits Life if he returns The Banish'd never hopes his Love to see Nor hopes
and pow'rful Charms When yielded she lay curling in thy Arms Ev'n by thy Shame if Shame it may be call'd When Vulcan had thee in his Net inthrall'd O envy'd Ignominy sweet Disgrace When ev'ry God that saw thee wish'd thy Place By those dear Pleasures aid my Arms in Fight And make me conquer in my Patron 's Right For I am young a Novice in the Trade The Fool of Love unpractis'd to persuade And want the soothing Arts that catch the Fair But caught my self lie strugling in the Snare And she I love or laughs at all my Pain Or knows her Worth too well and pays me with Disdain For sure I am unless I win in Arms To stand excluded from Emilia's Charms Nor can my Strength avail unless by thee Endu'd with Force I gain the Victory Then for the Fire which warm'd thy gen'rous Heart Pity thy Subject's Pains and equal Smart So be the Morrows Sweat and Labour mine The Palm and Honour of the Conquest thine Then shall the War and stern Debate and Strife Immortal be the Bus'ness of my Life And in thy Fane the dusty Spoils among High on the burnish'd Roof my Banner shall be hung Rank'd with my Champions Bucklers and below With Arms revers'd th' Atchievements of my Foe And while these Limbs the Vital Spirit feeds While Day to Night and Night to Day succeeds Thy smoaking Altar shall be fat with Food Of Incence and the grateful Steam of Blood Burnt Off'rings Morn and Ev'ning shall be thine And Fires eternal in thy Temple shine This Bush of yellow Beard this Length of Hair Which from my Birth inviolate I bear Guiltless of Steel and from the Razour free Shall fall a plenteous Crop reserv'd for thee So may my Arms with Victory be blest I ask no more let Fate dispose the rest The Champion ceas'd there follow'd in the Close A hollow Groan a murm'ring Wind arose The Rings of Ir'n that on the Doors were hung Sent out a jarring Sound and harshly rung The bolted Gates flew open at the Blast The Storm rush'd in and Arcite stood agast The Flames were blown aside yet shone they bright Fann'd by the Wind and gave a ruffl'd Light Then from the Ground a Scent began to rise Sweet-smelling as accepted Sacrifice This Omen pleas'd and as the Flames aspire With od'rous Incence Arcite heaps the Fire Nor wanted Hymns to Mars or Heathen Charms At length the nodding Statue clash'd his Arms And with a sullen Sound and feeble Cry Half sunk and half pronounc'd the Word of Victory For this with Soul devout he thank'd the God And of Success secure return'd to his Abode These Vows thus granted rais'd a Strife above Betwixt the God of War and Queen of Love She granting first had Right of Time to plead But he had granted too nor would recede Jove was for Venus but he fear'd his Wife And seem'd unwilling to decide the Strife Till Saturn from his Leaden Throne arose And found a Way the Diff'rence to compose Though sparing of his Grace to Mischief bent He seldom does a Good with good Intent Wayward but wise by long Experience taught To please both Parties for ill Ends he sought For this Advantage Age from Youth has won As not to be outridden though outrun By Fortune he was now to Venus Trin'd And with stern Mars in Capricorn was join'd Of him disposing in his own Abode He sooth'd the Goddess while he gull'd the God Cease Daughter to complain and stint the Strife Thy Palamon shall have his promis'd Wife And Mars the Lord of Conquest in the Fight With Palm and Laurel shall adorn his Knight Wide is my Course nor turn I to my Place Till length of Time and move with tardy Pace Man feels me when I press th' Etherial Plains My Hand is heavy and the Wound remains Mine is the Shipwreck in a Watry Sign And in an Earthy the dark Dungeon mine Cold shivering Agues melancholy Care And bitter blasting Winds and poison'd Air Are mine and wilful Death resulting from Despair The throtling Quinsey 't is my Star appoints And Rheumatisms I send to rack the Joints When Churls rebel against their Native Prince I arm their Hands and furnish the Pretence And housing in the Lion's hateful Sign Bought Senates and deserting Troops are mine Mine is the privy Pois'ning I command Unkindly Seasons and ungrateful Land By me Kings Palaces are push'd to Ground And Miners crush'd beneath their Mines are found 'T was I slew Samson when the Pillar'd Hall Fell down and crush'd the Many with the Fall My Looking is the Sire of Pestilence That sweeps at once the People and the Prince Now weep no more but trust thy Grandsire's Art Mars shall be pleas'd and thou perform thy Part. 'T is ill though diff'rent your Complexions are The Family of Heav'n for Men should war Th' Expedient pleas'd where neither lost his Right Mars had the Day and Venus had the Night The Management they left to Chrono's Care Now turn we to th' Effect and sing the War In Athens all was Pleasure Mirth and Play All proper to the Spring and spritely May Which ev'ry Soul inspir'd with such Delight 'T was Justing all the Day and Love at Night Heav'n smil'd and gladded was the Heart of Man And Venus had the World as when it first began At length in Sleep their Bodies they compose And dreamt the future Fight and early rose Now scarce the dawning Day began to spring As at a Signal giv'n the Streets with Clamours ring At once the Crowd arose confus'd and high Ev'n from the Heav'n was heard a shouting Cry For Mars was early up and rowz'd the Sky The Gods came downward to behold the Wars Sharpning their Sights and leaning from their Stars The Neighing of the gen'rous Horse was heard For Battel by the busie Groom prepar'd Rustling of Harness ratling of the Shield Clatt ring of Armour furbish'd for the Field Crowds to the Castle mounted up the Street Batt'ring the Pavement with their Coursers Feet The greedy Sight might there devour the Gold Of glittring Arms too dazling to behold And polish'd Steel that cast the View aside And Crested Morions with their Plumy Pride Knights with a long Retinue of their Squires In gawdy Liv'ries march and quaint Attires One lac'd the Helm another held the Lance A third the shining Buckler did advance The Courser paw'd the Ground with restless Feet And snorting foam'd and champ'd the Golden Bit. The Smiths and Armourers on Palfreys ride Files in their Hands and Hammers at their Side And Nails for loosen'd Spears and Thongs for Shields provide The Yeomen guard the Streets in seemly Bands And Clowns come crowding on with Cudgels in their Hands The Trumpets next the Gate in order plac'd Attend the Sign to sound the Martial Blast The Palace-yard is fill'd with floating Tides And the last Comers bear the former to the Sides The Throng is in the midst The common Crew Shut out the Hall admits the better Few
shalt thou wait Thy vow'd Revenge At once he said and threw His Ashen-Spear which quiver'd as it flew With all his Force and all his Soul apply'd The sharp Point enter'd in the Centaur's Side Both Hands to wrench it out the Monster join'd And wrench'd it out but left the Steel behind Stuck in his Lungs it stood Inrag'd he rears His Hoofs and down to Ground thy Father bears Thus trampled under Foot his Shield defends His Head his other Hand the Lance protends Ev'n while he lay extended on the Dust He sped the Centaur with one single Thrust Two more his Lance before transfix'd from far And two his Sword had slain in closer War To these was added Dorylas Who spread A Bull 's two goring Horns around his Head With these he push'd in Blood already dy'd Him fearless I approach'd and thus defy'd Now Monster now by Proof it shall appear Whether thy Horns are sharper or my Spear At this I threw For want of other Ward He lifted up his Hand his Front to guard His Hand it pass'd And fix'd it to his Brow Loud Shouts of ours attend the lucky Blow Him Peleus finish'd with a second Wound Which through the Navel pierc'd He reel'd around And drag'd his dangling Bowels on the Ground Trod what he drag'd and what he trod he crush'd And to his Mother-Earth with empty Belly rush'd Nor cou'd thy Form O Cyllarus foreslow Thy Fate if Form to Monsters Men allow Just bloom'd thy Beard Thy Beard of golden Hew Thy Locks in golden Waves about thy Shoulders flew Sprightly thy Look Thy Shapes in ev'ry part So clean as might instruct the Sculptor's Art As far as Man extended Where began The Beast the Beast was equal to the Man Add but a Horses Head and Neck and he O Castor was a Courser worthy thee So was his Back proportion'd for the Seat So rose his brawny Chest so swiftly mov'd his Feet Coal-black his Colour but like Jet it shone His Legs and flowing Tail were White alone Belov'd by many Maidens of his Kind But fair Hylonome possess'd his Mind Hylonome for Features and for Face Excelling all the Nymphs of double Race Nor less her Blandishments than Beauty move At once both loving and confessing Love For him she dress'd For him with Female Care She comb'd and set in Curls her auborn Hair Of Roses Violets and Lillies mix'd And Sprigs of flowing Rosemary betwixt She form'd the Chaplet that adorn'd her Front In Waters of the Pagasaean Fount And in the Streams that from the Fountain play She wash'd her Face and bath'd her twice a Day The Scarf of Furs that hung below her Side Was Ermin or the Panther's spotted Pride Spoils of no common Beast With equal Flame They lov'd Their Sylvan Pleasures were the same All Day they hunted And when Day expir'd Together to some shady Cave retir'd Invited to the Nuptials both repair And Side by Side they both ingage in War Uncertain from what Hand a flying Dart At Cyllarus was sent which pierc'd his Heart The Javelin drawn from out the mortal Wound He faints with staggring Steps and seeks the Ground The Fair within her Arms receiv'd his fall And strove his wandring Spirits to recal And while her Hand the streaming Blood oppos'd Join'd Face to Face his Lips with hers she clos'd Stiffled with Kisses a sweet Death he dies She fills the Fields with undistinguish'd Cries At least her Words were in her Clamour drown'd For my stun'd Ears receiv'd no vocal Sound In madness of her Grief she seiz'd the Dart New-drawn and reeking from her Lover's Heart To her bare Bosom the sharp Point apply'd And wounded fell and falling by his Side Embrac'd him in her Arms and thus embracing dy'd Ev'n still methinks I see Phaeocomes Strange was his Habit and as odd his Dress Six Lion's Hides with Thongs together fast His upper part defended to his Waist And where Man ended the continued Vest Spread on his Back the Houss and Trappings of a Beast A Stump too heavy for a Team to draw It seems a Fable tho' the Fact I saw He threw at Pholon the descending Blow Divides the Skull and cleaves his Head in two The Brains from Nose and Mouth and either Ear Came issuing out as through a Colendar The curdled Milk or from the Press the Whey Driv'n down by Weights above is drain'd away But him while stooping down to spoil the Slain Pierc'd through the Paunch I tumbled on the Plain Then Chthonyus and Teleboas I slew A Fork the former arm'd a Dart his Fellow threw The Javelin wounded me behold the Skar Then was my time to seek the Trojan War Then I was Hector's Match in open Field But he was then unborn at least a Child Now I am nothing I forbear to tell By Periphantas how Pyretus fell The Centaur by the Knight Nor will I stay On Amphyx or what Deaths he dealth that Day What Honour with a pointless Lance he won Stuck in the front of a four-footed Man What Fame young Macareus obtain'd in Fight Or dwell on Nessus now return'd from Flight How Prophet Mopsus not alone devin'd Whose Valour equall'd his foreseeing Mind Already Caeneus with his conquering Hand Had slaughter'd five the boldest of their Band. Pyrachmus Helymus Antimachus Bromus the Brave and stronger Stiphelus Their Names I number'd and remember well No Trace remaining by what Wounds they fell Latreus the bulkiest of the double Race Whom the spoil'd Arms of slain Halesus grace In Years retaining still his Youthful Might Though his black Hairs were interspers'd with White Betwixt th' imbattled Ranks began to prance Proud of his Helm and Macedonian Lance And rode the Ring around that either Hoast Might hear him while he made this empty Boast And from a Strumpet shall we suffer Shame For Caenis still not Caeneus is thy Name And still the Native Softness of thy Kind Prevails and leaves the Woman in thy Mind Remember what thou wert what Price was paid To change thy Sex To make thee not a Maid And but a Man in shew Go Card and Spin And leave the Business of the War to Men. While thus the Boaster exercis'd his Pride The fatal Spear of Caeneus reach'd his Side Just in the mixture of the Kinds it ran Betwixt the neather Breast and upper Man The Monster mad with Rage and stung with Smart His Lance directed at the Hero's Heart It strook But bounded from his harden'd Breast Like Hail from Tiles which the safe House invest Nor seem'd the Stroke with more effect to come Than a small Pebble falling on a Drum He next his Fauchion try'd in closer Fight But the keen Fauchion had no Pow'r to bite He thrust the blunted Point return'd again Since downright Blows he cry'd and Thrusts are vain I 'll prove his Side In strong Embraces held He prov'd his Side his Side the Sword repell'd His hollow Belly eccho'd to the Stroke Untouch'd his Body as a solid Rock Aim'd at his Neck at last
And his own Work as in Creation bless'd The Tempter saw him too with envious Eye And as on Job demanded leave to try He took the time when Richard was depos'd And High and Low with happy Harry clos'd This Prince tho' great in Arms the Priest withstood Near tho' he was yet not the next of Blood Had Richard unconstrain'd resign'd the Throne A King can give no more than is his own The Title stood entail'd had Richard had a Son Conquest an odious Name was laid afide Where all submitted none the Battle try'd The senseless Plea of Right by Providence Was by a flatt'ring Priest invented since And lasts no longer than the present sway But justifies the next who comes in play The People's Right remains let those who dare Dispute their Pow'r when they the Judges are He join'd not in their Choice because he knew Worse might and often did from Change ensue Much to himself he thought but little spoke And Undepriv'd his Benefice forsook Now through the Land his Cure of Souls he stretch'd And like a Primitive Apostle preach'd Still Chearful ever Constant to his Call By many follow'd Lov'd by most Admir'd by All. With what he beg'd his Brethren he reliev'd And gave the Charities himself receiv'd Gave while he Taught and Edify'd the more Because he shew'd by Proof 't was easy to be Poor He went not with the Crowd to see a Shrine But fed us by the way with Food divine In deference to his Virtues I forbear To shew you what the rest in Orders were This Brillant is so Spotless and so Bright He needs no Foyl But shines by his own proper Light THE MONUMENT OF A Fair Maiden Lady Who dy'd at Bath and is there Interr'd BElow this Marble Monument is laid All that Heav'n wants of this Celestial Maid Preserve O sacred Tomb thy Trust consign'd The Mold was made on purpose for the Mind And she wou'd lose if at the latter Day One Atom cou'd be mix'd of other Clay Such were the Features of her heav'nly Face Her Limbs were form'd with such harmonious Grace So faultless was the Frame as if the Whole Had been an Emanation of the Soul Which her own inward Symmetry reveal'd And like a Picture shone in Glass Anneal'd Or like the Sun eclips'd with shaded Light Too piercing else to be sustain'd by Sight Each Thought was visible that rowl'd within As through a Crystal Case the figur'd Hours are seen And Heav'n did this transparent Veil provide Because she had no guilty Thought to hide All white a Virgin-Saint she sought the Skies For Marriage tho' it sullies not it dies High tho' her Wit yet Humble was her Mind As if she cou'd not or she wou'd not find How much her Worth transcended all her Kind Yet she had learn'd so much of Heav'n below That when arriv'd she scarce had more to know But only to refresh the former Hint And read her Maker in a fairer Print So Pious as she had no time to spare For human Thoughts but was confin'd to Pray'r Yet in such Charities she pass'd the Day 'T was wond'rous how she found an Hour to Pray A Soul so calm it knew not Ebbs or Flows Which Passion cou'd but curl not discompose A Female Softness with a manly Mind A Daughter duteous and a Sister kind In Sickness patient and in Death resign'd CYMON AND IPHIGENIA FROM BOCCACE CYMON AND IPHIGENIA FROM BOCCACE Poeta loquitur OLD as I am for Ladies Love unfit The Pow'r of Beauty I remember yet Which once inflam'd my Soul and still inspires my If Love be Folly the severe Divine Wit Has felt that Folly tho' he censures mine Pollutes the Pleasures of a chast Embrace Acts what I write and propagates in Grace With riotous Excess a Priestly Race Suppose him free and that I forge th' Offence He shew'd the way perverting first my Sense In Malice witty and with Venom fraught He makes me speak the Things I never thought Compute the Gains of his ungovern'd Zeal Ill sutes his Cloth the Praise of Railing well The World will think that what we loosly write Tho' now arraign'd he read with some delight Because he seems to chew the Cud again When his broad Comment makes the Text too plain And teaches more in one explaining Page Than all the double Meanings of the Stage What needs he Paraphrase on what we mean We were at worst but Wanton he 's Obscene I nor my Fellows nor my Self excuse But Love 's the Subject of the Comick Muse Nor can we write without it nor would you A Tale of only dry Instruction view Nor Love is always of a vicious Kind But oft to virtuous Acts inflames the Mind Awakes the sleepy Vigour of the Soul And brushing o'er adds Motion to the Pool Love studious how to please improves our Parts With polish'd Manners and adorns with Arts. Love first invented Verse and form'd the Rhime The Motion measur'd harmoniz'd the Chime To lib'ral Acts inlarg'd the narrow-Soul'd Soften'd the Fierce and made the Coward Bold The World when wast he Peopled with increase And warring Nations reconcil'd in Peace Ormond the first and all the Fair may find In this one Legend to their Fame design'd When Beauty fires the Blood how Love exalts the Mind IN that sweet Isle where Venus keeps her Court And ev'ry Grace and all the Loves resort Where either Sex is form'd of softer Earth And takes the bent of Pleasure from their Birth There liv'd a Cyprian Lord above the rest Wise Wealthy with a num'rous Issue blest But as no Gift of Fortune is sincere Was only wanting in a worthy Heir His eldest Born a goodly Youth to view Excell'd the rest in Shape and outward Shew Fair Tall his Limbs with due Proportion join'd But of a heavy dull degenerate Mind His Soul bely'd the Features of his Face Beauty was there but Beauty in disgrace A clownish Mien a Voice with rustick sound And stupid Eyes that ever lov'd the Ground He look'd like Nature's Error as the Mind And Body were not of a Piece design'd But made for two and by mistake in one were join'd The ruling Rod the Father's forming Care Were exercis'd in vain on Wit 's despair The more inform'd the less he understood And deeper sunk by flound'ring in the Mud. Now scorn'd of all and grown the publick Shame The People from Galesus chang'd his Name And Cymon call'd which signifies a Brute So well his Name did with his Nature sute His Father when he found his Labour lost And Care employ'd that answer'd not the Cost Chose an ungrateful Object to remove And loath'd to see what Nature made him love So to his Country-Farm the Fool confin'd Rude Work well suted with a rustick Mind Thus to the Wilds the sturdy Cymon went A Squire among the Swains and pleas'd with Banishment His Corn and Cattle were his only Care And his supreme Delight a Country-Fair It happen'd on a Summers Holiday That to the
be persuaded to take the same with his If I had taken to the Church as he affirms but which was never in my Thoughts I should have had more Sense if not more Grace than to have turn'd my self out of my Benefice by writing Libels on my Parishioners But his Account of my Manners and my Principles are of a Piece with his Cavils and his Poetry And so I have done with him for ever As for the City Bard or Knight Physician I hear his Quarrel to me is that I was the Author of Absalom and Architophel which he thinks is a little hard on his Fanatique Patrons in London But I will deal the more civilly with his two Poems because nothing ill is to be spoken of the Dead And therefore Peace be to the Manes of his Arthurs I will only say that it was not for this Noble Knight that I drew the Plan of an Epick Poem on King Arthur in my Preface to the Translation of Iuvenal The Guardian Angels of Kingdoms were Machines too ponderous for him to manage and therefore he rejected them as Dares did the Whirl-bats of Eryx when they were thrown before him by Entellus Yet from that Preface he plainly took his Hint For he began immediately upon the Story though he had the Baseness not to acknowledge his Benefactor but in Head of it to traduce me in a Libel I shall say the less of Mr. Collier because in many Things he has tax'd me justly and I have pleaded Guilty to all Thoughts and Expressions of mine which can be truly argu'd of Obscenity Profaneness or Immorality and retract them If he be my Enemy let him triumph if he be my Friend as I have given him no Personal Occasion to be otherwise he will be glad of my Repentance It becomes me not to draw my Pen in the Defence of a bad Cause when I have so often drawn it for a good one Yet it were not difficult to prove that in many Places he has perverted my Meaning by his Glosles and interpreted my Words into Blasphemy and Baudry of which they were not guilty Besides that he is too much given to Horse-play in his Raillery and comes to Battel like a Dictatour from the Plough I will not say The Zeal of God s House has eaten him up but I am sure it has devour'd some Part of his Good Manners and Civility It might also be doubted whether it were altogether Zeal which prompted him to this rough manner of Proceeding perhaps it became not one of his Function to rake into the Rubbish of Ancient and Modern Plays a Divine might have employ'd his Pains to better purpose than in the Nastiness of Plautus and Aristophanes whose Examples as they excuse not me so it might be possibly suppos'd that he read them not without some Pleasure They who have written Commentaries on those Poets or on Horace Juvenal and Martial have explain'd some Vices which without their Interpretation had been unknown to Modern Times Neither has he judg'd impartially betwixt the former Age and us There is more Baudry in one Play of Fletcher's call'd The Custom of the Country than in all ours together Yet this has been often acted on the Stage in my remembrance Are the Times so much more reform'd now than they were Five and twenty Years ago If they are I congratulate the Amendment of our Morals But I am not to prejudice the Cause of my Fellow-Poets though I abandon my own Defence They have some of them answer'd for themselves and neither they nor I can think Mr. Collier so formidable an Enemy that we should shun him He has lost Ground at the latter end of the Day by pursuing his Point too far like the Prince of Condé at the Battel of Senneph From Immoral Plays to No Plays ab abusu ad usum non valet consequentia But being a Party I am not to erect my self into a Judge As for the rest of those who have written against me they are such Scoundrels that they deserve not the least Notice to be taken of them B and M are only distinguish'd from the Crowd by being remember'd to their Infamy Demetri Teque Tigelli Discipularum inter jubeo plorare cathedras TO HER GRACE THE DUTCHESS OF ORMOND With the following POEM of Palamon and Arcite FROM CHAUCER TO HER GRACE THE DUTCHESS OF ORMOND MADAM THe Bard who first adorn'd our Native Tongue Tun'd to his British Lyre this ancient Song Which Homer might without a Blush reherse And leaves a doubtful Palm in Virgil's Verse He match'd their Beauties where they most excell Of Love sung better and of Arms as well Vouchsafe Illustrious Ormond to behold What Pow'r the Charms of Beauty had of old Nor wonder if such Deeds of Arms were done Inspir'd by two fair Eyes that sparkled like your own If Chaucer by the best Idea wrought And Poets can divine each others Thought The fairest Nymph before his Eyes he set And then the fairest was Plantagenet Who three contending Princes made her Prize And rul'd the Rival-Nations with her Eyes Who left Immortal Trophies of her Fame And to the Noblest Order gave the Name Like Her of equal Kindred to the Throne You keep her Conquests and extend your own As when the Stars in their Etherial Race At length have roll'd around the Liquid Space At certain Periods they resume their Place From the same Point of Heav'n their Course advance And move in Measures of their former Dance Thus after length of Ages she returns Restor'd in you and the same Place adorns Or you perform her Office in the Sphere Born of her Blood and make a new Platonick Year O true Plantagenet O Race Divine For Beauty still is fatal to the Line Had Chaucer liv'd that Angel-Face to view Sure he had drawn his Emily from You Or had You liv'd to judge the doubtful Right Your Noble Palamon had been the Knight And Conqu'ring Theseus from his Side had sent Your Gen'rous Lord to guide the Theban Government Time shall accomplish that and I shall see A Palamon in Him in You an Emily Already have the Fates your Path prepar'd And sure Presage your future Sway declar'd When Westward like the Sun you took your Way And from benighted Britain bore the Day Blue Triton gave the Signal from the Shore The ready Nereids heard and swam before To smooth the Seas a soft Etesian Gale But just inspir'd and gently swell'd the Sail Portunus took his Turn whose ample Hand Heav'd up the lighten'd Keel and sunk the Sand And steer'd the sacred Vessel safe to Land The Land if not restrain'd had met Your Way Projected out a Neck and jutted to the Sea Hibernia prostrate at Your Feet ador'd In You the Pledge of her expected Lord Due to her Isle a venerable Name His Father and his Grandsire known to Fame Aw'd by that House accustom'd to command The sturdy Kerns in due Subjection stand Nor hear the Reins in any Foreign Hand At
the Captive Lord his Liberty 'T is hard to say who suffers greater Pains One sees his Love but cannot break his Chains One free and all his Motions uncontroul'd Beholds whate'er he wou'd but what he wou'd behold Judge as you please for I will haste to tell What Fortune to the banish'd Knight befel When Arcite was to Thebes return'd again The Loss of her he lov'd renew'd his Pain What could be worse than never more to see His Life his Soul his charming Emily He rav'd with all the Madness of Despair He roar'd he beat his Breast he tore his Hair Dry Sorrow in his stupid Eyes appears For wanting Nourishment he wanted Tears His Eye-balls in their hollow Sockets sink Bereft of Sleep he loaths his Meat and Drink He withers at his Heart and looks as wan As the pale Spectre of a murder'd Man That Pale turns Yellow and his Face receives The faded Hue of sapless Boxen Leaves In solitary Groves he makes his Moan Walks early out and ever is alone Nor mix'd in Mirth in youthful Pleasure shares But sighs when Songs and Instruments he hears His Spirits are so low his Voice is drown'd He hears as from afar or in a Swound Like the deaf Murmurs of a distant Sound Uncomb'd his Locks and squalid his Attire Unlike the Trim of Love and gay Desire But full of museful Mopings which presage The loss of Reason and conclude in Rage This when he had endur'd a Year and more Now wholly chang'd from what he was before It happen'd once that slumbring as he lay He dreamt his Dream began at Break of Day That Hermes o'er his Head in Air appear'd And with soft Words his drooping Spirits cheer'd His Hat adorn'd with Wings disclos'd the God And in his Hand he bore the Sleep-compelling Rod Such as he seem'd when at his Sire's Command On Argus Head he laid the Snaky Wand Arise he said to conqu'ring Athens go There Fate appoints an End of all thy Woe The Fright awaken'd Arcite with a Start Against his Bosom bounc'd his heaving Heart But soon he said with scarce-recover'd Breath And thither will I go to meet my Death Sure to be slain but Death is my Desire Since in Emilia's Sight I shall expire By chance he spy'd a Mirrour while he spoke And gazing there beheld his alter'd Look Wondring he saw his Features and his Hue So much were chang'd that scarce himself he knew A sudden Thought then starting in his Mind Since I in Arcite cannot Arcite find The World may search in vain with all their Eyes But never penetrate through this Disguise Thanks to the Change which Grief and Sickness give In low Estate I may securely live And see unknown my Mistress Day by Day He said and cloth'd himself in course Array A lab'ring Hind in shew Then forth he went And to th' Athenian Tow'rs his Journey bent One Squire attended in the same Disguise Made conscious of his Master's Enterprize Arriv'd at Athens soon he came to Court Unknown unquestion'd in that thick Resort Proff'ring for Hire his Service at the Gate To drudge draw Water and to run or wait So fair befel him that for little Gain He serv'd at first Emilia's Chamberlain And watchful all Advantages to spy Was still at Hand and in his Master's Eye And as his Bones were big and Sinews strong Refus'd no Toil that could to Slaves belong But from deep Wells with Engines Water drew And us'd his Noble Hands the Wood to hew He pass'd a Year at least attending thus On Emily and call'd Philostratus But never was there Man of his Degree So much esteem'd so well belov'd as he So gentle of Condition was he known That through the Court his Courtesie was blown All think him worthy of a greater Place And recommend him to the Royal Grace That exercis'd within a higher Sphere His Vertues more conspicuous might appear Thus by the general Voice was Arcite prais'd And by Great Theseus to high Favour rais'd Among his Menial Servants first enroll'd And largely entertain'd with Sums of Gold Besides what secretly from Thebes was sent Of his own Income and his Annual Rent This well employ'd he purchas'd Friends and Fame But cautiously conceal'd from whence it came Thus for three Years he liv'd with large Increase In Arms of Honour and Esteem in Peace To Theseus Person he was ever near And Theseus for his Vertues held him dear The End of the First Book PALAMON AND ARCITE OR The Knight's Tale. BOOK II. WHile Arcite lives in Bliss the Story turns Where hopeless Palamon in Prison mourns For six long Years immur'd the captive Knight Had dragg'd his Chains and scarcely seen the Light Lost Liberty and Love at once he bore His Prison pain'd him much his Passion more Nor dares he hope his Fetters to remove Nor ever wishes to be free from Love But when the sixth revolving Year was run And May within the Twins receiv'd the Sun Were it by Chance or forceful Destiny Which forms in Causes first whate'er shall be Assisted by a Friend one Moonless Night This Palamon from Prison took his Flight A pleasant Beverage he prepar'd before Of Wine and Honey mix'd with added Store Of Opium to his Keeper this he brought Who swallow'd unaware the sleepy Draught And snor'd secure till Morn his Senses bound In Slumber and in long Oblivion drown'd Short was the Night and careful Palamon Sought the next Covert e'er the Rising Sun A thick spread Forest near the City lay To this with lengthen'd Strides he took his way For far he cou'd not fly and fear'd the Day Safe from Pursuit he meant to shun the Light Till the brown Shadows of the friendly Night To Thebes might favour his intended Flight When to his Country come his next Design Was all the Theban Race in Arms to join And war on Theseus till he lost his Life Or won the Beauteous Emily to Wife Thus while his Thoughts the lingring Day beguile To gentle Arcite let us turn our Style Who little dreamt how nigh he was to Care Till treacherous Fortune caught him in the Snare The Morning-Lark the Messenger of Day Saluted in her Song the Morning gray And soon the Sun arose with Beams so bright That all th' Horizon laugh'd to see the joyous Sight He with his tepid Rays the Rose renews And licks the dropping Leaves and dries the Dews When Arcite left his Bed resolv'd to pay Observance to the Month of merry May Forth on his fiery Steed betimes he rode That scarcely prints the Turf on which he trod At ease he seem'd and pransing o'er the Plains Turn'd only to the Grove his Horses Reins The Grove I nam'd before and lighting there A Woodbind Garland sought to crown his Hair Then turn'd his Face against the rising Day And rais'd his Voice to welcom in the May. For thee sweet Month the Groves green Liv'ries wear If not the first the fairest of the Year For thee the Graces lead the dancing
Hours And Nature's ready Pencil paints the Flow'rs When thy short Reign is past the Fev'rish Sun The sultry Tropick fears and moves more slowly on So may thy tender Blossoms fear no Blite Nor Goats with venom'd Teeth thy Tendrils bite As thou shalt guide my wandring Feet to find The fragrant Greens I seek my Brows to bind His Vows address'd within the Grove he stray'd Till Fate or Fortune near the Place convey'd His Steps where secret Palamon was laid Full little thought of him the gentle Knight Who flying Death had there conceal'd his Flight In Brakes and Brambles hid and shunning Mortal Sight And less he knew him for his hated Foe But fear'd him as a Man he did not know But as it has been said of ancient Years That Fields are full of Eyes and Woods have Ears For this the Wise are ever on their Guard For Unforeseen they say is unprepar'd Uncautious Arcite thought himself alone And less than all suspected Palamon Who listning heard him while he search'd the Grove And loudly sung his Roundelay of Love But on the sudden stopp'd and silent stood As Lovers often muse and change their Mood Now high as Heav'n and then as low as Hell Now up now down as Buckets in a Well For Venus like her Day will change her Cheer And seldom shall we see a Friday clear Thus Arcite having sung with alter'd Hue Sunk on the Ground and from his Bosom drew A desp'rate Sigh accusing Heav'n and Fate And angry Juno's unrelenting Hate Curs'd be the Day when first I did appear Let it be blotted from the Calendar Lest it pollute the Month and poison all the Year Still will the jealous Queen pursue our Race Cadmus is dead the Theban City was Yet ceases not her Hate For all who come From Cadmus are involv'd in Cadmus Doom I suffer for my Blood Unjust Decree That punishes another's Crime on me In mean Estate I serve my mortal Foe The Man who caus'd my Countrys Overthrow This is not all for Juno to my shame Has forc'd me to forsake my former Name Arcite I was Philostratus I am That Side of Heav'n is all my Enemy Mars ruin'd Thebes his Mother ruin'd me Of all the Royal Race remains but one Beside my self th' unhappy Palamon Whom Theseus holds in Bonds and will not free Without a Crime except his Kin to me Yet these and all the rest I cou'd endure But Love 's a Malady without a Cure Fierce Love has pierc'd me with his fiery Dart He fries within and hisses at my Heart Your Eyes fair Emily my Fate pursue I suffer for the rest I die for you Of such a Goddess no Time leaves Record Who burn'd the Temple where she was ador'd And let it burn I never will complain Pleas'd with my Suff'rings if you knew my Pain At this a sickly Qualm his Heart assail'd His Ears ring inward and his Senses fail'd No Word miss'd Palamon of all he spoke But soon to deadly Pale he chang'd his Look He trembl'd ev'ry Limb and felt a Smart As if cold Steel had glided through his Heart Nor longer staid but starting from his Place Discover'd stood and shew'd his hostile Face False Traytor Arcite Traytor to thy Blood Bound by thy sacred Oath to seek my Good Now art thou found forsworn for Emily And dar'st attempt her Love for whom I die So hast thou cheated Theseus with a Wile Against thy Vow returning to beguile Under a borrow'd Name As false to me So false thou art to him who set thee free But rest assur'd that either thou shalt die Or else renounce thy Claim in Emily For though unarm'd I am and freed by Chance Am here without my Sword or pointed Lance Hope not base Man unquestion'd hence to go For I am Palamon thy mortal Foe Arcite who heard his Tale and knew the Man His Sword unsheath'd and fiercely thus began Now by the Gods who govern Heav'n above Wert thou not weak with Hunger mad with Love That Word had been thy last or in this Grove This Hand should force thee to renounce thy Love The Surety which I gave thee I defie Fool not to know that Love endures no Tie And Jove but laughs at Lovers Perjury Know I will serve the Fair in thy despight But since thou art my Kinsman and a Knight Here have my Faith to morrow in this Grove Our Arms shall plead the Titles of our Love And Heav'n so help my Right as I alone Will come and keep the Cause and Quarrel both unknown With Arms of Proof both for my self and thee Chuse thou the best and leave the worst to me And that at better ease thou maist abide Bedding and Clothes I will this Night provide And needful Sustenance that thou maist be A Conquest better won and worthy me His Promise Palamon accepts but pray'd To keep it better than the first he made Thus fair they parted till the Morrows Dawn For each had laid his plighted Faith to pawn Oh Love Thou sternly dost thy Pow'r maintain And wilt not bear a Rival in thy Reign Tyrants and thou all Fellowship disdain This was in Arcite prov'd and Palamon Both in Despair yet each would love alone Arcite return'd and as in Honour ty'd His Foe with Bedding and with Food supply'd Then e'er the Day two Suits of Armour sought Which born before him on his Steed he brought Both were of shining Steel and wrought so pure As might the Strokes of two such Arms endure Now at the Time and in th' appointed Place The Challenger and Challeng'd Face to Face Approach each other from afar they knew And from afar their Hatred chang'd their Hue. So stands the Thracian Heardsman with his Spear Full in the Gap and hopes the hunted Bear And hears him rustling in the Wood and sees His Course at Distance by the bending Trees And thinks Here comes my mortal Enemy And either he must fall in Fight or I This while he thinks he lifts aloft his Dart A gen'rous Chilness seizes ev'ry Part The Veins pour back the Blood and fortifie the Heart Thus pale they meet their Eyes with Fury burn None greets for none the Greeting will return But in dumb Surliness each arm'd with Care His Foe profest as Brother of the War Then both no Moment lost at once advance Against each other arm'd with Sword and Lance They lash they foin they pass they strive to bore Their Corslets and the thinnest Parts explore Thus two long Hours in equal Arms they stood And wounded wound till both were bath'd in Blood And not a Foot of Ground had either got As if the World depended on the Spot Fell Arcite like an angry Tyger far'd And like a Lion Palamon appear'd Or as two Boars whom Love to Battel draws With rising Bristles and with froathy Jaws Their adverse Breasts with Tusks oblique they wound With Grunts and Groans the Forest rings around So fought the Knights and fighting must abide Till Fate an Umpire sends
holds That to be wise and love Is hardly granted to the Gods above See how the Madmen bleed Behold the Gains With which their Master Love rewards their Pains For sev'n long Years on Duty ev'ry Day Lo their Obedience and their Monarch's Pay Yet as in Duty bound they serve him on And ask the Fools they think it wisely done Nor Ease nor Wealth nor Life it self regard For 't is their Maxim Love is Love's Reward This is not all the Fair for whom they strove Nor knew before nor could suspect their Love Nor thought when she beheld the Fight from far Her Beauty was th' Occasion of the War But sure a gen'ral Doom on Man is past And all are Fools and Lovers first or last This both by others and my self I know For I have serv'd their Sovereign long ago Oft have been caught within the winding Train Of Female Snares and felt the Lovers Pain And learn'd how far the God can Humane Hearts constrain To this Remembrance and the Pray'rs of those Who for th' offending Warriors interpose I give their forfeit Lives on this accord To do me Homage as their Sov'reign Lord And as my Vassals to their utmost Might Assist my Person and assert my Right This freely sworn the Knights their Grace obtain'd Then thus the King his secret Thoughts explain'd If Wealth or Honour or a Royal Race Or each or all may win a Ladies Grace Then either of you Knights may well deserve A Princess born and such is she you serve For Emily is Sister to the Crown And but too well to both her Beauty known But shou'd you combate till you both were dead Two Lovers cannot share a single Bed As therefore both are equal in Degree The Lot of both be left to Destiny Now hear th' Award and happy may it prove To her and him who best deserves her Love Depart from hence in Peace and free as Air Search the wide World and where you please repair But on the Day when this returning Sun To the same Point through ev'ry Sign has run Then each of you his Hundred Knights shall bring In Royal Lists to fight before the King And then the Knight whom Fate or happy Chance Shall with his Friends to Victory advance And grace his Arms so far in equal Fight From out the Bars to force his Opposite Or kill or make him Recreant on the Plain The Prize of Valour and of Love shall gain The vanquish'd Party shall their Claim release And the long Jars conclude in lasting Peace The Charge be mine t' adorn the chosen Ground The Theatre of War for Champions so renown'd And take the Patrons Place of either Knight With Eyes impartial to behold the Fight And Heav'n of me so judge as I shall judge aright If both are satisfi'd with this Accord Swear by the Laws of Knighthood on my Sword Who now but Palamon exults with Joy And ravish'd Arcite seems to touch the Sky The whole assembl'd Troop was pleas'd as well Extol'd th' Award and on their Knees they fell To bless the gracious King The Knights with Leave Departing from the Place his last Commands receive On Emily with equal Ardour look And from her Eyes their Inspiration took From thence to Thebes old Walls pursue their Way Each to provide his Champions for the Day It might be deem'd on our Historian's Part Or too much Negligence or want of Art If he forgot the vast Magnificence Of Royal Theseus and his large Expence He first enclos'd for Lists a level Ground The whole Circumference a Mile around The Form was Circular and all without A Trench was sunk to Moat the Place about Within an Amphitheatre appear'd Rais'd in Degrees to sixty Paces rear'd That when a Man was plac'd in one Degree Height was allow'd for him above to see Eastward was built a Gate of Marble white The like adorn'd the Western opposite A nobler Object than this Fabrick was Rome never saw nor of so vast a Space For rich with Spoils of many a conquer'd Land All Arts and Artists Theseus could command Who sold for Hire or wrought for better Fame The Master-Painters and the Carvers came So rose within the Compass of the Year An Ages Work a glorious Theatre Then o'er its Eastern Gate was rais'd above A Temple sacred to the Queen of Love An Altar stood below On either Hand A Priest with Roses crown'd who held a Myrtle Wand The Dome of Mars was on the Gate oppos'd And on the North a Turret was enclos'd Within the Wall of Alabaster white And crimson Coral for the Queen of Night Who takes in Sylvan Sports her chaste Delight Within these Oratories might you see Rich Carvings Pourtraitures and Imagery Where ev'ry Figure to the Life express'd The Godhead's Pow'r to whom it was address'd In Venus Temple on the Sides were seen The broken Slumbers of inamour'd Men Pray'rs that ev'n spoke and Pity seem'd to call And issuing Sighs that smoak'd along the Wall Complaints and hot Desires the Lover's Hell And scalding Tears that wore a Channel where they fell And all around were Nuptial Bonds the Ties Of Loves Assurance and a Train of Lies That made in Lust conclude in Perjuries Beauty and Youth and Wealth and Luxury And spritely Hope and short-enduring Joy And Sorceries to raise th' Infernal Pow'rs And Sigils fram'd in Planetary Hours Expence and After-thought and idle Care And Doubts of motley Hue and dark Despair Suspicions and fantastical Surmise And Jealousie suffus'd with Jaundice in her Eyes Discolouring all she view'd in Tawney dress'd Down-look'd and with a Cuckow on her Fist. Oppos'd to her on t' other Side advance The costly Feast the Carol and the Dance Minstrels and Musick Poetry and Play And Balls by Night and Turnaments by Day All these were painted on the Wall and more With Acts and Monuments of Times before And others added by Prophetick Doom And Lovers yet unborn and Loves to come For there th' Idalian Mount and Citheron The Court of Venus was in Colours drawn Before the Palace-gate in careless Dress And loose Array sat Portress Idleness There by the Fount Narcissus pin'd alone There Samson was with wiser Solomon And all the mighty Names by Love undone Medea's Charms were there Circean Feasts With Bowls that turn'd inamour'd Youth to Beasts Here might be seen that Beauty Wealth and Wit And Prowess to the Pow'r of Love submit The spreading Snare for all Mankind is laid And Lovers all betray and are betray'd The Goddess self some noble Hand had wrought Smiling she seem'd and full of pleasing Thought From Ocean as she first began to rise And smooth'd the ruffl'd Seas and clear'd the Skies She trode the Brine all bare below the Breast And the green Waves but ill conceal'd the rest A Lute she held and on her Head was seen A Wreath of Roses red and Myrtles green Her Turtles fann'd the buxom Air above And by his Mother stood an Infant-Love With Wings unfledg'd his Eyes were
Manner and the Means prepare Possession more than Conquest is my Care Mars is the Warriour's God in him it lies On whom he favours to confer the Prize With smiling Aspect you serenely move In your fifth Orb and rule the Realm of Love The Fates but only spin the courser Clue The finest of the Wooll is left for you Spare me but one small Portion of the Twine And let the Sisters cut below your Line The rest among the Rubbish may they sweep Or add it to the Yarn of some old Miser's Heap But if you this ambitious Pray'r deny A Wish I grant beyond Mortality Then let me sink beneath proud Arcite's Arms And I once dead let him possess her Charms Thus ended he then with Observance due The sacred Incence on her Altar threw The curling Smoke mounts heavy from the Fires At length it catches Flame and in a Blaze expires At once the gracious Goddess gave the Sign Her Statue shook and trembl'd all the Shrine Pleas'd Palamon the tardy Omen took For since the Flames pursu'd the trailing Smoke He knew his Boon was granted but the Day To distance driv'n and Joy adjourn'd with long Delay Now Morn with Rosie Light had streak'd the Sky Up rose the Sun and up rose Emily Address'd her early Steps to Cynthia's Fane In State attended by her Maiden Train Who bore the Vests that Holy Rites require Incence and od'rous Gums and cover'd Fire The plenteous Horns with pleasant Mead they crown Nor wanted ought besides in honour of the Moon Now while the Temple smoak'd with hallow'd Steam They wash the Virgin in a living Stream The secret Ceremonies I conceal Uncouth perhaps unlawful to reveal But such they were as Pagan Use requir'd Perform'd by Women when the Men retir'd Whose Eyes profane their chast mysterious Rites Might turn to Scandal or obscene Delights Well-meaners think no Harm but for the rest Things Sacred they pervert and Silence is the best Her shining Hair uncomb'd was loosly spread A Crown of Mastless Oak adorn'd her Head When to the Shrine approach'd the spotless Maid Had kindling Fires on either Altar laid The Rites were such as were observ'd of old By Statius in his Theban Story told Then kneeling with her Hands across her Breast Thus lowly she preferr'd her chast Request O Goddess Haunter of the Woodland Green To whom both Heav'n and Earth and Seas are seen Queen of the nether Skies where half the Year Thy Silver Beams descend and light the gloomy Sphere Goddess of Maids and conscious of our Hearts So keep me from the Vengeance of thy Darts Which Niobe's devoted Issue felt When hissing through the Skies the feather'd Deaths were dealt As I desire to live a Virgin-life Nor know the Name of Mother or of Wife Thy Votress from my tender Years I am And love like thee the Woods and Sylvan Game Like Death thou know'st I Ioath the Nuptial State And Man the Tyrant of our Sex I hate A lowly Servant but a lofty Mate Where Love is Duty on the Female Side On theirs meer sensual Gust and sought with surly Pride Now by thy triple Shape as thou art seen In Heav'n Earth Hell and ev'ry where a Queen Grant this my first Desire let Discord cease And make betwixt the Rivals lasting Peace Quench their hot Fire or far from me remove The Flame and turn it on some other Love Or if my frowning Stars have so decreed That one must be rejected one succeed Make him my Lord within whose faithful Breast Is fix'd my Image and who loves me best But oh ev'n that avert I chuse it not But take it as the least unhappy Lot A Maid I am and of thy Virgin-Train Oh let me still that spotless Name retain Frequent the Forests thy chast Will obey And only make the Beasts of Chace my Prey The Flames ascend on either Altar clear While thus the blameless Maid address'd her Pray'r When lo the burning Fire that shone so bright Flew off all sudden with extinguish'd Light And left one Altar dark a little space Which turn'd self-kindl'd and renew'd the Blaze That other Victour-Flame a Moment stood Then fell and lifeless left th' extinguish'd Wood For ever lost th' irrevocable Light Forsook the blackning Coals and sunk to Night At either End it whistled as it flew And as the Brands were green so dropp'd the Dew Infected as it fell with Sweat of Sanguin Hue. The Maid from that ill Omen turn'd her Eyes And with loud Shrieks and Clamours rent the Skies Nor knew what signifi'd the boding Sign But found the Pow'rs displeas'd and fear'd the Wrath Divine Then shook the Sacred Shrine and sudden Light Sprung through the vaulted Roof and made the Temple bright The Pow'r behold the Pow'r in Glory shone By her bent Bow and her keen Arrows known The rest a Huntress issuing from the Wood Reclining on her Cornel Spear she stood Then gracious thus began Dismiss thy Fear And Heav'ns unchang'd Decrees attentive hear More pow'rful Gods have torn thee from my Side Unwilling to resign and doom'd a Bride The two contending Knights are weigh'd above One Mars protects and one the Queen of Love But which the Man is in the Thund'rer's Breast This he pronounc'd 't is he who loves thee best The Fire that once extinct reviv'd again Foreshews the Love allotted to remain Farewell she said and vanish'd from the Place The Sheaf of Arrows shook and rattl'd in the Case Agast at this the Royal Virgin stood Disclam'd and now no more a Sister of the Wood But to the parting Goddess thus she pray'd Propitious still be present to my Aid Nor quite abandon your once favour'd Maid Then sighing she return'd but smil'd betwixt With Hopes and Fears and Joys with Sorrows mixt The next returning Planetary Hour Of Mars who shar'd the Heptarchy of Pow'r His Steps bold Arcite to the Temple bent T' adore with Pagan Rites the Pow'r Armipotent Then prostrate low before his Altar lay And rais'd his manly Voice and thus began to pray Strong God of Arms whose Iron Scepter sways The freezing North and Hyperborean Seas And Scythian Colds and Thracia's Wintry Coast Where stand thy ' Steeds and thou art honour'd most There most but ev'ry where thy Pow'r is known The Fortune of the Fight is all thy own Terrour is thine and wild Amazement flung From out thy Chariot withers ev'n the Strong And Disarray and shameful Rout ensue And Force is added to the fainting Crew Acknowledg'd as thou art accept my Pray'r If ought I have atchiev'd deserve thy Care If to my utmost Pow'r with Sword and Shield I dar'd the Death unknowing how to yield And falling in my Rank still kept the Field Then let my Arms prevail by thee sustain'd That Emily by Conquest may be gain'd Have pity on my Pains nor those unknown To Mars which when a Lover were his own Venus the Publick Care of all above Thy stubborn Heart has softned into Love Now by her Blandishments
of Necessity Take what he gives since to rebel is vain The Bad grows better which we well sustain And cou'd we chuse the Time and chuse aright T is best to die our Honour at the height ' When we have done our Ancestors no Shame But serv'd our Friends and well secur'd our Fame Then should we wish our happy Life to close And leave no more for Fortune to dispose So should we make our Death a glad Relief From future Shame from Sickness and from Grief Enjoying while we live the present Hour And dying in our Excellence and Flow'r Then round our Death-bed ev'ry Friend shou'd run And joy us of our Conquest early won While the malicious World with envious Tears Shou'd grudge our happy End and wish it Theirs Since then our Arcite is with Honour dead Why shou'd we mourn that he so soon is freed Or call untimely what the Gods decreed With Grief as just a Friend may be deplor'd From a foul Prison to free Air restor'd Ought he to thank his Kinsman or his Wife Cou'd Tears recall him into wretched Life Their Sorrow hurts themselves on him is lost And worse than both offends his happy Ghost What then remains but after past Annoy To take the good Vicissitude of Joy To thank the gracious Gods for what they give Possess our Souls and while we live to live Ordain we then two Sorrows to combine And in one Point th' Extremes of Grief to join That thence resulting Joy may be renew'd As jarring Notes in Harmony conclude Then I propose that Palamon shall be In Marriage join'd with beauteous Emily For which already I have gain'd th' Assent Of my free People in full Parliament Long Love to her has born the faithful Knight And well deserv'd had Fortune done him Right 'T is time to mend her Fault since Emily By Arcite's Death from former Vows is free If you Fair Sister ratifie th' Accord And take him for your Husband and your Lord. 'T is no Dishonour to confer your Grace On one descended from a Royal Race And were he less yet Years of Service past From grateful Souls exact Reward at last Pity is Heav'ns and yours Nor can she find A Throne so soft as in a Womans Mind He said she blush'd and as o'eraw'd by Might Seem'd to give Theseus what she gave the Knight Then turning to the Theban thus he said Small Arguments are needful to persuade Your Temper to comply with my Command And speaking thus he gave Emilia's Hand Smil'd Venus to behold her own true Knight Obtain the Conquest though he lost the Fight And bless'd with Nuptial Bliss the sweet laborious Night Eros and Anteros on either Side One fir'd the Bridegroom and one warm'd the Bride And long-attending Hymen from above Showr'd on the Bed the whole Idalian Grove All of a Tenour was their After-Life No Day discolour'd with Domestick Strife No Jealousie but mutual Truth believ'd Secure Repose and Kindness undeceiv'd Thus Heavn beyond the Compass of his Thought Sent him the Blessing he so dearly bought So may the Queen of Love long Duty bless And all true Lovers find the same Success The End of the Third Book TO MY Honour'd Kinsman JOHN DRIDEN OF CHESTERTON IN THE COUNTY OF HUNTINGDON ESQUIRE TO My Honour'd Kinsman JOHN DRIDEN OF CHESTERTON IN THE COUNTY of HUNTINGDON ESQUIRE HOW Bless'd is He who leads a Country Life Unvex'd with anxious Cares and void of Strife Who studying Peace and shunning Civil Rage Enjoy'd his Youth and now enjoys his Age All who deserve his Love he makes his own And to be lov'd himself needs only to be known Just Good and Wise contending Neighbours come From your Award to wait their final Doom And Foes before return in Friendship home Without their Cost you terminate the Cause And save th' Expence of long Litigious Laws Where Suits are travers'd and so little won That he who conquers is but last undone Such are not your Decrees but so design'd The Sanction leaves a lasting Peace behind Like your own Soul Serene a Pattern of your Mind Promoting Concord and composing Strife Lord of your self uncumber'd with a Wife Where for a Year a Month perhaps a Night Long Penitence succeeds a short Delight Minds are so hardly match'd that ev'n the first Though pair'd by Heav'n in Paradise were curs'd For Man and Woman though in one they grow Yet first or last return again to Two He to God's Image She to His was made So farther from the Fount the Stream at random stray'd How cou'd He stand when put to double Pain He must a Weaker than himself sustain Each might have stood perhaps but each alone Two Wrestlers help to pull each other down Not that my Verse wou'd blemish all the Fair But yet if some be Bad 't is Wisdom to beware And better shun the Bait than struggle in the Snare Thus have you shunn'd and shun the married State Trusting as little as you can to Fate No Porter guards the Passage of your Door T' admit the Wealthy and exclude the Poor For God who gave the Riches gave the Heart To sanctifie the Whole by giving Part Heav'n who foresaw the Will the Means has wrought And to the Second Son a Blessing brought The First-begotten had his Father's Share But you like Jacob are Rebecca's Heir So may your Stores and fruitful Fields increase And ever be you bless'd who live to bless As Ceres sow'd where e'er her Chariot flew As Heav'n in Desarts rain'd the Bread of Dew So free to Many to Relations most You feed with Manna your own Israel-Host With Crowds attended of your ancient Race You seek the Champian-Sports or Sylvan-Chace With well-breath'd Beagles you surround the Wood Ev'n then industrious of the Common Good And often have you brought the wily Fox To suffer for the Firstlings of the Flocks Chas'd ev'n amid the Folds and made to bleed Like Felons where they did the murd'rous Deed. This fiery Game your active Youth maintain'd Not yet by Years extinguish'd though restrain'd You season still with Sports your serious Hours For Age but tastes of Pleasures Youth devours The Hare in Pastures or in Plains is found Emblem of Humane Life who runs the Round And after all his wand'ring Ways are done His Circle fills and ends where he begun Just as the Setting meets the Rising Sun Thus Princes ease their Cares But happier he Who seeks not Pleasure thro' Necessity Than such as once on slipp'ry Thrones were plac'd And chasing sigh to think themselves are chas'd So liv'd our Sires e'er Doctors learn'd to kill And multiply'd with theirs the Weekly Bill The first Physicians by Debauch were made Excess began and Sloth sustains the Trade Pity the gen'rous Kind their Cares bestow To search forbidden Truths a Sin to know To which if Humane Science cou'd attain The Doom of Death pronounc'd by God were vain In vain the Leech wou'd interpose Delay Fate fastens first and vindicates the Prey What Help from
of Meeting were deny'd But all those Wants ingenious Love supply'd Th' inventive God who never fails his Part Inspires the Wit when once he warms the Heart When Guiscard next was in the Circle seen Where Sigismonda held the Place of Queen A hollow Cane within her Hand she brought But in the Concave had enclos'd a Note With this she seem'd to play and as in sport Toss'd to her Love in presence of the Court Take it she said and when your Needs require This little Brand will serve to light your Fire He took it with a Bow and soon divin'd The seeming Toy was not for nought design'd But when retir'd so long with curious Eyes He view'd the Present that he found the Prize Much was in little writ and all convey'd With cautious Care for fear to be betray'd By some false Confident or Fav'rite Maid The Time the Place the Manner how to meet Were all in punctual Order plainly writ But since a Trust must be she thought it best To put it out of Laymens Pow't at least And for their solemn Vows prepar'd a Priest Guiscard her secret Purpose understood With Joy prepar'd to meet the coming Good Nor Pains nor Danger was resolv'd to spare But use the Means appointed by the Fair. Near the proud Palace of Salerno stood A Mount of rough Ascent and thick with Wood Through this a Cave was dug with vast Expence The Work it seem'd of some suspicious Prince Who when abusing Pow'r with lawless Might From Publick Justice would secure his Flight The Passage made by many a winding Way Reach'd ev'n the Room in which the Tyrant lay Fit for his Purpose on a lower Floor He lodg'd whose Issue was an Iron Door From whence by Stairs descending to the Ground In the blind Grot a safe Retreat he found It s Outlet ended in a Brake o'ergrown With Brambles choak'd by Time and now unknown A Rift there was which from the Mountains Height Convey'd a glimmering and malignant Light A Breathing-place to draw the Damps away A Twilight of an intercepted Day The Tyrants Den whose Use though lost to Fame Was now th' Apartment of the Royal Dame The Cavern only to her Father known By him was to his Darling-Daughter shown Neglected long she let the Secret rest Till Love recall'd it to her lab'ring Breast And hinted as the Way by Heav'n design'd The Teacher by the Means he taught to blind What will not Women do when Need inspires Their Wit or Love their Inclination fires Though Jealousie of State th' Invention found Yet Love refin'd upon the former Ground That Way the Tyrant had reserv'd to fly Pursuing Hate now serv'd to bring two Lovers nigh The Dame who long in vain had kept the Key Bold by Desire explor'd the secret Way Now try'd the Stairs and wading through the Night Search'd all the deep Recess and issu'd into Light All this her Letter had so well explain'd Th' instructed Youth might compass what remain'd The Cavern-mouth alone was hard to find Because the Path disus'd was out of mind But in what Quarter of the Cops it lay His Eye by certain Level could survey Yet for the Wood perplex'd with Thorns he knew A Frock of Leather o'er his Limbs he drew And thus provided search'd the Brake around Till the choak'd Entry of the Cave he found Thus all prepar'd the promis'd Hour arriv'd So long expected and so well contriv'd With Love to Friend th' impatient Lover went Fenc'd from the Thorns and trod the deep Descent The conscious Priest who was suborn'd before Stood ready posted at the Postern-door The Maids in distant Rooms were sent to rest And nothing wanted but th' invited Guest He came and knocking thrice without delay The longing Lady heard and turn'd the Key At once invaded him with all her Charms And the first Step he made was in her Arms The Leathern Out-side boistrous as it was Gave way and bent beneath her strict Embrace On either Side the Kisses flew so thick That neither he nor she had Breath to speak The holy Man amaz'd at what he saw Made haste to sanctifie the Bliss by Law And mutter'd fast the Matrimony o're For fear committed Sin should get before His Work perform'd he left the Pair alone Because he knew he could not go too soon His Presence odious when his Task was done What Thoughts he had beseems not me to say Though some surmise he went to fast and pray And needed both to drive the tempting Thoughts away The Foe once gone they took their full Delight 'T was restless Rage and Tempest all the Night For greedy Love each Moment would employ And grudg'd the shortest Pauses of their Joy Thus were their Loves auspiciously begun And thus with secret Care were carried on The Stealth it self did Appetite restore And look'd so like a Sin it pleas'd the more The Cave was now become a common Way The Wicket often open'd knew the Key Love rioted secure and long enjoy'd Was ever eager and was never cloy'd But as Extremes are short of Ill and Good And Tides at highest Mark regorge the Flood So Fate that could no more improve their Joy Took a malicious Pleasure to destroy Tancred who fondly lov'd and whose Delight Was plac'd in his fair Daughters daily Sight Of Custom when his State-Affairs were done Would pass his pleasing Hours with her alone And as a Father's Privilege allow'd Without Attendance of th' officious Crowd It happen'd once that when in Heat of Day He try'd to sleep as was his usual Way The balmy Slumber fled his wakeful Eyes And forc'd him in his own despite to rise Of Sleep forsaken to relieve his Care He sought the Conversation of the Fair But with her Train of Damsels she was gone In shady Walks the scorching Heat to shun He would not violate that sweet Recess And found besides a welcome Heaviness That seiz'd his Eyes and Slumber which forgot When call'd before to come now came unsought From Light retir'd behind his Daughters Bed He for approaching Sleep compos'd his Head A Chair was ready for that Use design'd So quilted that he lay at ease reclin'd The Curtains closely drawn the Light to skreen As if he had contriv'd to lie unseen Thus cover'd with an artificial Night Sleep did his Office soon and seal'd his Sight With Heav'n averse in this ill-omen'd Hour Was Guiscard summon'd to the secret Bow'r And the fair Nymph with Expectation fir'd From her attending Damsels was retir'd For true to Love she measur'd Time so right As not to miss one Moment of Delight The Garden seated on the level Floor She left behind and locking ev'ry Door Thought all secure but little did she know Blind to her Fate she had inclos'd her Foe Attending Guiscard in his Leathern Frock Stood ready with his thrice-repeated Knock Thrice with a doleful Sound the jarring Grate Rung deaf and hollow and presag'd their Fate The Door unlock'd to known Delight they haste And panting in each
Feasts on Holydays The good old Huswife tucking up her Gown The Table sets th' invited Gods lie down The Trivet-Table of a Foot was lame A Blot which prudent Baucis overcame Who thrusts beneath the limping Leg a Sherd So was the mended Board exactly rear'd Then rubb'd it o'er with newly-gather'd Mint A wholesom Herb that breath'd a grateful Scent Pallas began the Feast where first was seen The party colour'd Olive Black and Green Autumnal Cornels next in order serv'd In Lees of Wine well pickl'd and preserv'd A Garden-Sallad was the third Supply Of Endive Radishes and Succory Then Curds and Cream the Flow'r of Country-Fare And new-laid Eggs which Baucis busie Care Turn'd by a gentle Fire and roasted rear All these in Earthen Ware were serv'd to Board And next in place an Farthen Pitcher stor'd With Liquor of the best the Cottage cou'd afford This was the Tables Ornament and Pride With Figures wrought Like Pages at his Side Stood Beechen Bowls and these were shining clean Vernish'd with Wax without and lin'd within By this the boiling Kettle had prepar'd And to the Table sent the smoaking Lard On which with eager Appetite they dine A sav'ry Bit that serv'd to rellish Wine The Wine it self was suiting to the rest Still working in the Must and lately press'd The Second Course succeeds like that before Plums Apples Nuts and of their Wintry Store Dry Figs and Grapes and wrinkl'd Dates were set In Canisters t' enlarge the little Treat All these a Milk-white Honey-comb surround Which in the midst the Country-Banquet crown'd But the kind Hosts their Entertainment grace With hearty Welcom and an open Face In all they did you might discern with ease A willing Mind and a Desire to please Mean time the Beechen Bowls went round and still Though often empty'd were observ'd to fill Fill'd without Hands and of their own accord Ran without Feet and danc'd about the Board Devotion seiz'd the Pair to see the Feast With Wine and of no common Grape increas'd And up they held their Hands and fell to Pray'r Excusing as they cou'd their Country Fare One Goose they had 't was all they cou'd allow A wakeful Cent'ry and on Duty now Whom to the Gods for Sacrifice they vow Her with malicious Zeal the Couple view'd She ran for Life and limping they pursu'd Full well the Fowl perceiv'd their bad intent And wou'd not make her Masters Compliment But persecuted to the Pow'rs she flies And close between the Legs of Jove she lies He with a gracious Ear the Suppliant heard And sav'd her Life then what he was declar'd And own'd the God The Neighbourhood said he Shall justly perish for Impiety You stand alone exempted but obey With speed and follow where we lead the way Leave these accurs'd and to the Mountains Height Ascend nor once look backward in your Flight They haste and what their tardy Feet deny'd The trusty Staff their better Leg supply'd An Arrows Flight they wanted to the Top And there secure but spent with Travel stop Then turn their now no more forbidden Eyes Lost in a Lake the floated Level lies A Watry Desart covers all the Plains Their Cot alone as in an Isle remains Wondring with weeping Eyes while they deplore Their Neighbours Fate and Country now no more Their little Shed scarce large enough for Two Seems from the Ground increas'd in Height and Bulk to grow A stately Temple shoots within the Skies The Crotches of their Got in Columns rise The Pavement polish'd Marble they behold The Gates with Sculpture grac'd the Spires and Tiles of Gold Then thus the Sire of Gods with Look serene Speak thy Desire thou only Just of Men And thou O Woman only worthy found To be with such a Man in Marriage bound A while they whisper then to Jove address'd Philemon thus prefers their joint Request We crave to serve before your sacred Shrine And offer at your Altars Rites Divine And since not any Action of our Life Has been polluted with Domestick Strife We beg one Hour of Death that neither she With Widows Tears may live to bury me Nor weeping I with wither'd Arms may bear My breathless Baucis to the Sepulcher The Godheads sign their Suit They run their Race In the same Tenor all th' appointed Space Then when their Hour was come while they relate These past Adventures at the Temple-gate Old Baucis is by old Philemon seen Sprouting with sudden Leaves of spritely Green Old Baucis look'd where old Philemon stood And saw his lengthen'd Arms a sprouting Wood New Roots their fasten'd Feet begin to bind Their Bodies stiffen in a rising Rind Then e'er the Bark above their Shoulders grew They give and take at once their last Adieu At once Farewell O faithful Spouse they said At once th' incroaching Rinds their closing Lips invade Ev'n yet an ancient Tyanaean shows A spreading Oak that near a Linden grows The Neighbourhood confirm the Prodigie Grave Men not vain of Tongue or like to lie I saw my self the Garlands on their Boughs And Tablets hung for Gifts of granted Vows And off'ring fresher up with pious Pray'r The Good said I are God's peculiar Care And such as honour Heav'n shall heav'nly Honour share PYGMALION AND THE STATUE Out of the Tenth Book OF OVID'S Metamorphoses PYGMALION AND THE STATUE Out of the Tenth Book of OVID'S METAMORPHOSES The Propaetides for their impudent Behaviour being turn'd into Stone by Venus Pygmalion Prince of Cyprus detested all Women for their Sake and resolv'd never to marry He falls in love with a Statue of his own making which is chang'd into a Maid whom he marries One of his Descendants is Cinyras the Father of Myrrha the Daughter incestuously loves her own Father for which she is chang'd into the Tree which bears her Name These two Stories immediately follow each other and are admirably well connected PYgmalion loathing their lascivious Life Abhorr'd all Womankind but most a Wife So single chose to live and shunn'd to wed Well pleas'd to want a Consort of his Bed Yet fearing Idleness the Nurse of Ill In Sculpture exercis'd his happy Skill And carv'd in Iv'ry such a Maid so fair As Nature could not with his Art compare Were she to work but in her own Defence Must take her Pattern here and copy hence Pleas'd with his Idol he commends admires Adores and last the Thing ador'd desires A very Virgin in her Face was seen And had she mov'd a living Maid had been One wou'd have thought she cou'd have stirr'd but strove With Modesty and was asham'd to move Art hid with Art so well perform'd the Cheat It caught the Carver with his own Deceit He knows 't is Madness yet he must adore And still the more he knows it loves the more The Flesh or what so seems he touches oft Which feels so smooth that he believes it soft Fir'd with this Thought at once he strain'd the Breast And on the Lips a burning Kiss impress'd 'T is
true the harden'd Breast resists the Gripe And the cold Lips return a Kiss unripe But when retiring back he look'd agen To think it Iv'ry was a Thought too mean So wou'd believe she kiss'd and courting more Again embrac'd her naked Body o'er And straining hard the Statue was afraid His Hands had made a Dint and hurt his Maid Explor'd her Limb by Limb and fear'd to find So rude a Gripe had left a livid Mark behind With Flatt'ry now he seeks her Mind to move And now with Gifts the pow'rful Bribes of Love He furnishes her Closet first and fills The crowded Shelves with Rarities of Shells Adds Orient Pearls which from the Conchs he drew And all the sparkling Stones of various Hue And Parrots imitating Humane Tongue And Singing-birds in Silver Cages hung And ev'ry fragrant Flow'r and od'rous Green Were sorted well with Lumps of Amber laid between Rich fashionable Robes her Person deck Pendants her Ears and Pearls adorn her Neck Her taper'd Fingers too with Rings are grac'd And an embroider'd Zone surrounds her slender Waste Thus like a Queen array'd so richly dress'd Beauteous she shew'd but naked shew'd the best Then from the Floor he rais'd a Royal Bed With Cov'rings of Sydonian Purple spread The Solemn Rites perform'd he calls her Bride With Blandishments invites her to his Side And as she were with Vital Sense possess'd Her Head did on a plumy Pillow rest The Feast of Venus came a Solemn Day To which the Cypriots due Devotion pay With gilded Horns the Milk-white Heifers led Slaughter'd before the sacred Altars bled Pygmalion off'ring first approach'd the Shrine And then with Pray'rs implor'd the Pow'rs Divine Almighty Gods if all we Mortals want If all we can require be yours to grant Make this fair Statue mine he wou'd have said But chang'd his Words for shame and only pray'd Give me the Likeness of my Iv'ry Maid The Golden Goddess present at the Pray'r Well knew he meant th' inanimated Fair And gave the Sign of granting his Desire For thrice in chearful Flames ascends the Fire The Youth returning to his Mistress hies And impudent in Hope with ardent Eyes And beating Breast by the dear Statue lies He kisses her white Lips renews the Bliss And looks and thinks they redden at the Kiss He thought them warm before Nor longer stays But next his Hand on her hard Bosom lays Hard as it was beginning to relent It seem'd the Breast beneath his Fingers bent He felt again his Fingers made a Print 'T was Flesh but Flesh so firm it rose against the Dint The pleasing Task he fails not to renew Soft and more soft at ev'ry Touch it grew Like pliant Wax when chafing Hands reduce The former Mass to Form and frame for Use. He would believe but yet is still in pain And tries his Argument of Sense again Presses the Pulse and feels the leaping Vein Convinc'd o'erjoy'd his studied Thanks and Praise To her who made the Miracle he pays Then Lips to Lips he join'd now freed from Fear He found the Savour of the Kiss sincere At this the waken'd Image op'd her Eyes And view'd at once the Light and Lover with surprize The Goddess present at the Match she made So bless'd the Bed such Fruitfulness convey'd That e'er ten Moons had sharpen'd either Horn To crown their Bliss a lovely Boy was born Paphos his Name who grown to Manhood wall'd The City Paphos from the Founder call'd CINYRAS AND MYRRHA Out of the Tenth Book OF OVID'S Metamorphoses CINYRAS AND MYRRHA Out of the Tenth Book of OVID'S METAMORPHOSES There needs no Connection of this Story with the Former for the Beginning of This immediately follows the End of the Last The Reader is only to take notice that Orpheus who relates both was by Birth a Thracian and his Country far distant from Cyprus where Myrrha was born and from Arabia whither she fled You will see the Reason of this Note soon after the first Lines of this Fable NOr him alone produc'd the fruitful Queen But Cinyras who like his Sire had been A happy Prince had he not been a Sire Daughters and Fathers from my Song retire I sing of Horrour and could I prevail You shou'd not hear or not believe my Tale. Yet if the Pleasure of my Song be such That you will hear and credit me too much Attentive listen to the last Event And with the Sin believe the Punishment Since Nature cou'd behold so dire a Crime I gratulate at least my Native Clime That such a Land which such a Monster bore So far is distant from our Thracian Shore Let Araby extol her happy Coast Her Cinamon and sweet Amomum boast Her fragrant Flow'rs her Trees with precious Tears Her second Harvests and her double Years How can the Land be call'd so bless'd that Myrrha bears Nor all her od'rous Tears can cleanse her Crime Her Plant alone deforms the happy Olime Cupid denies to have inflam'd thy Heart Disowns thy Love and vindicates his Dart Some Fury gave thee those infernal Pains And shot her venom'd Vipers in thy Veins To hate thy Sire had meritted a Curse But such an impious Love deserv'd a worse The Neighb'ring Monarchs by thy Beauty led Contend in Crowds ambitious of thy Bed The World is at thy Choice except but one Except but him thou canst not chuse alone She knew it too the miserable Maid E'er impious Love her better Thoughts betray'd And thus within her secret Soul she said Ah Myrrha whither wou'd thy Wishes tend Ye Gods ye sacred Laws my Soul defend From such a Crime as all Mankind detest And never lodg'd before in Humane Breast But is it Sin Or makes my Mind alone Th' imagin'd Sin For Nature makes it none What Tyrant then these envious Laws began Made not for any other Beast but Man The Father-Bull his Daughter may bestride The Horse may make his Mother-Mare a Bride What Piety forbids the lusty Ram Or more salacious Goat to rut their Dam The Hen is free to wed the Chick she bore And make a Husband whom she hatch'd before All Creatures else are of a happier Kind Whom nor ill-natur'd Laws from Pleasure bind Nor Thoughts of Sin disturb their Peace of Mind But Man a Slave of his own making lives The Fool denies himself what Nature gives Too busie Senates with an over-care To make us better than our Kind can bear Have dash'd a Spice of Envy in the Laws And straining up too high have spoil'd the Cause Yet some wise Nations break their cruel Chains And own no Laws but those which Love ordains Where happy Daughters with their Sires are join'd And Piety is doubly paid in Kind O that I had been born in such a Clime Not here where 't is the Country makes the Crime But whither wou'd my impious Fancy stray Hence Hopes and ye forbidden Thoughts away His Worth deserves to kindle my Desires But with the Love that Daughters bear to Sires Then had not
Cinyras my Father been What hinder'd Myrrha's Hopes to be his Queen But the Perverseness of my Fate is such That he 's not mine because he 's mine too much Our Kindred-Blood debars a better Tie He might be nearer were he not so nigh Eyes and their Ojects never must unite Some Distance is requir'd to help the Sight Fain wou'd I travel to some Foreign Shore Never to see my Native Country more So might I to my self my self restore So might my Mind these impious Thoughts remove And ceasing to behold might cease to love But stay I must to seed my famish'd Sight To talk to kiss and more if more I might More impious Maid What more canst thou design To make a monstrous Mixture in thy Line And break all Statutes Humane and Divine Canst thou be call'd to save thy wretched Life Thy Mother's Rival and thy Father's Wife Confound so many sacred Names in one Thy Brother's Mother Sister to thy Son And fear'st thou not to see th' Infernal Bands Their Heads with Snakes with Torches arm'd their Hands Full at thy Face th' avenging Brands to bear And shake the Serpents from their hissing Hair But thou in time th' increasing Ill controul Nor first debauch the Body by the Soul Secure the sacred Quiet of thy Mind And keep the Sanctions Nature has design'd Suppose I shou'd attempt th' Attempt were vain No Thoughts like mine his sinless Soul profane Observant of the Right and O that he Cou'd cure my Madness or be mad like me Thus she But Cinyras who daily sees A Crowd of Noble Suitors at his Knees Among so many knew not whom to chuse Irresolute to grant or to refuse But having told their Names enquir'd of her Who pleas'd her best and whom she would prefer The blushing Maid stood silent with Surprize And on her Father fix'd her ardent Eyes And looking sigh'd and as she sigh'd began Round Tears to shed that scalded as they ran The tender Sire who saw her blush and cry Ascrib'd it all to Maiden-modesty And dry'd the falling Drops and yet more kind He stroak'd her Cheeks and holy Kisses join'd She felt a secret Venom fire her Blood And found more Pleasure than a Daughter shou'd And ask'd again what Lover of the Crew She lik'd the best she answer'd One like you Mistaking what she meant her pious Will He prais'd and bad her so continue still The Word of Pious heard she blush'd with shame Of secret Guilt and cou'd not bear the Name 'T was now the mid of Night when Slumbers close Our Eyes and sooth our Cares with soft Repose But no Repose cou'd wretched Myrrha find Her Body rouling as she rould her Mind Mad with Desire she ruminates her Sin And wishes all her Wishes o'er again Now she despairs and now resolves to try Wou'd not and wou'd again she knows not why Stops and returns makes and retracts the Vow Fain wou'd begin but understands not how As when a Pine is hew'd upon the Plains And the last mortal Stroke alone remains Lab'ring in Pangs of Death and threatning all This way and that she nods considring where to fall So Myrrha's Mind impell'd on either Side Takes ev'ry Bent but cannot long abide Irresolute on which she shou'd relie At last unfix'd in all is only fix'd to die On that sad Thought she rests resolv'd on Death She rises and prepares to choak her Breath Then while about the Beam her Zone she ties Dear Cinyras farewell she softly cries For thee I die and only wish to be Not hated when thou know'st I die for thee Pardon the Crime in pity to the Cause This said about her Neck the Noose she draws The Nurse who lay without her faithful Guard Though not the Words the Murmurs overheard And Sighs and hollow Sounds Surpriz'd with Fright She starts and leaves her Bed and springs a Light Unlocks the Door and entring out of Breath The Dying saw and Instruments of Death She shrieks she cuts the Zone with trembling haste And in her Arms her fainting Charge embrac'd Next for she now had leisure for her Tears She weeping ask'd in these her blooming Years What unforeseen Misfortune caus'd her Care To loath her Life and languish in Despair The Maid with down-cast Eyes and mute with Grief For Death unfinish'd and ill-tim'd Relief Stood sullen to her Suit The Beldame press'd The more to know and bar'd her wither'd Breast Adjur'd her by the kindly Food shew drew From those dry Founts her secret Ill to shew Sad Myrrha sigh'd and turn'd her Eyes aside The Nurse still urg'd and wou'd not be deny'd Nor only promis'd Secresie but pray'd She might have leave to give her offer'd Aid Good-will she said my want of Strength supplies And Diligence shall give what Age denies If strong Desires thy Mind to Fury move With Charms and Med'cines I can cure thy Love If envious Eyes their hurtful Rays have cast More pow'rful Verse shall free thee from the Blast If Heav'n offended sends thee this Disease Offended Heav'n with Pray'rs we can appease What then remains that can these Cares procure Thy House is flourishing thy Fortune sure Thy careful Mother yet in Health survives And to thy Comfort thy kind Father lives The Virgin started at her Father's Name And sigh'd profoundly conscious of the Shame Nor yet the Nurse her impious Love divin'd But yet surmis'd that Love disturb'd her Mind Thus thinking she pursu'd her Point and laid And lull'd within her Lap the mourning Maid Then softly sooth'd her thus I guess your Grief You love my Child your Love shall find Relief My long experienc'd Age shall be your Guide Relie on that and lay Distrust aside No Breath of Air shall on the Secret blow Nor shall what most you fear your Father know Struck once again as with a Thunder-clap The guilty Virgin bounded from her Lap And threw her Body prostrate on the Bed And to conctal her Blushes hid her Head There silent lay and warn'd her with her Hand To go But she receiv'd not the Command Remaining still importunate to know Then Myrrha thus Or ask no more or go I prethee go or staying spare my Shame What thou wou'dst hear is impious ev'n to name At this on high the Beldame holds her Hands And trembling both with Age and Terrour stands Adjures and falling at her Feet intreats Sooths her with Blandishments and frights with Threats To tell the Crime intended or disclose What Part of it she knew if she no farther knows And last if conscious to her Counsel made Confirms anew the Promise of her Aid Now Myrrha rais'd her Head but soon oppress'd With Shame reclin'd it on her Nurses Breast Bath'd it with Tears and strove to have confess'd Twice she began and stopp'd again she try'd The falt'ring Tongue its Office still deny'd At last her Veil before her Face she spread And drew a long preluding Sigh and said O happy Mother in thy Marriage-bed Then groan'd and ceas'd the good Old
Greenwood-shade he took his way For Cymon shun'd the Church and us'd not much to Pray His Quarter-Staff which he cou'd ne'er forsake Hung half before and half behind his Back He trudg'd along unknowing what he sought And whistled as he went for want of Thought By Chance conducted or by Thirst constrain'd The deep Recesses of the Grove he gain'd Where in a Plain defended by the Wood Crept through the matted Grass a Chrystal Flood By which an Alablaster Fountain stood And on the Margin of the Fount was laid Attended by her Slaves a sleeping Maid Like Dian and her Nymphs when tir'd with Sport To rest by cool Eurotas they resort The Dame herself the Goddess well express'd Not more distinguish'd by her Purple Vest Than by the charming Features of her Face And ev'n in Slumber a superiour Grace Her comely Limbs compos'd with decent Care Her Body shaded with a slight Cymarr Her Bosom to the view was only bare Where two beginning Paps were scarcely spy'd For yet their Places were but signify'd The fanning Wind upon her Bosom blows To meet the fanning Wind the Bosom rose The fanning Wind and purling Streams continue her repose The Fool of Nature stood with stupid Eyes And gaping Mouth that testify'd Surprize Fix'd on her Face nor cou'd remove his Sight New as he was to Love and Novice in Delight Long mute he stood and leaning on his Staff His Wonder witness'd with an Ideot laugh Then would have spoke but by his glimmering Sense First found his want of Words and fear'd Offence Doubted for what he was he should be known By his Clown-Accent and his Country-Tone Through the rude Chaos thus the running Light Shot the first Ray that pierc'd the Native Night Then Day and Darkness in the Mass were mix'd Till gather'd in a Globe the Beams were fix'd Last shon the Sun who radiant in his Sphere Illumin'd Heav'n and Earth and rowl'd around the Year So Reason in this Brutal Soul began Love made him first suspect he was a Man Love made him doubt his broad barbarian Sound By Love his want of Words and Wit he found That sense of want prepar'd the future way To Knowledge and discols'd the promise of a Day What not his Father's Care nor Tutor's Art Cou'd plant with Pains in his unpolish'd Heart The best Instructor Love at once inspir'd As barren Grounds to Fruitfulness are fir'd Love taught him Shame and Shame with Love at Strife Soon taught the sweet Civilities of Life His gross material Soul at once could find Somewhat in her excelling all her Kind Exciting a Desire till then unknown Somewhat unfound or found in her alone This made the first Impression in his Mind Above but just above the Brutal Kind For Beasts can like but not distinguish too Nor their own liking by reflection know Nor why they like or this or t'other Face Or judge of this or that peculiar Grace But love in gross and stupidly admire As Flies allur'd by Light approach the Fire Thus our Man-Beast advancing by degrees First likes the whole than sep'rates what he sees On sev'ral Parts a sev'ral Praise bestows The ruby Lips the well-proportion'd Nose The snowy Skin the Raven-glossy Hair The dimpled Cheek the Forehead rising fair And ev'n in Sleep it self a smiling Air. From thence his Eyes descending view'd the rest Her plump round Arms white Hands and heaving Breast Long on the last he dwelt though ev'ry part A pointed Arrow sped to pierce his Heart Thus in a trice a Judge of Beauty grown A Judge erected from a Country-Clown He long'd to see her Eyes in Slumber bid And wish'd his own cou'd pierce within the Lid He wou'd have wak'd her but restrain'd his Thought And Love new-born the first good Manners taught An awful Fear his ardent Wish withstood Nor durst disturb the Goddess of the Wood For such she seem'd by her celestial Face Excelling all the rest of human Race And Things divine by common Sense he knew Must be devoutly seen at distant view So checking his Desire with trembling Heart Gazing he stood nor would nor could depart Fix'd as a Pilgrim wilder'd in his way Who dares not stir by Night for fear to stray But stands with awful Eyes to watch the dawn of Day At length awaking Iphigene the Fair So was the Beauty call'd who caus'd his Care Unclos'd her Eyes and double Day reveal'd While those of all her Slaves in Sleep were seal'd The slavering Cudden prop'd upon his Staff Stood ready gaping with a grinning Laugh To welcome her awake nor durst begin To speak but wisely kept the Fool within Then she What make you Cymon here alone For Cymon's Name was round the Country known Because descended of a noble Race And for a Soul ill sorted with his Face But still the Sot stood silent with Surprize With fix'd regard on her new open'd Eyes And in his Breast receiv'd th' invenom'd Dart A tickling Pain that pleas'd amid the Smart But conscious of her Form with quick distrust She saw his sparkling Eyes and fear'd his brutal Lust This to prevent she wak'd her sleepy Crew And rising hasty took a short Adieu Then Cymon first his rustick Voice essay'd With proffer'd Service to the parting Maid To see her safe his Hand she long deny'd But took at length asham'd of such a Guide So Cymon led her home and leaving there No more wou'd to his Country Clowns repair But sought his Father's House with better Mind Refusing in the Farm to be confin'd The Father wonder'd at the Son's return And knew not whether to rejoice or mourn But doubtfully receiv'd expecting still To learn the secret Causes of his alter'd Will Nor was he long delay'd the first Request He made was like his Brothers to be dress'd And as his Birth requir'd above the rest With ease his Sute was granted by his Syre Distinguishing his Heir by rich Attire His Body thus adorn'd he next design'd With lib'ral Arts to cultivate his Mind He sought a Tutor of his own accord And study'd Lessons he before abhorr'd Thus the Man-Child advanc'd and learn'd so fast That in short time his Equals he surpass'd His brutal Manners from his Breast exil'd His Mien he fashion'd and his Tongue he fil'd In ev'ry Exercise of all admir'd He seem'd nor only seem'd but was inspir'd Inspir'd by Love whose Business is to please He Rode he Fenc'd he mov'd with graceful Ease More fam'd for Sense for courtly Carriage more Than for his brutal Folly known before What then of alter'd Cymon shall we say But that the Fire which choak'd in Ashes lay A Load too heavy for his Soul to move Was upward blown below and brush'd away by Love Love made an active Progress through his Mind The dusky Parts he clear'd the gross refin'd The drowsy wak'd and as he went impress'd The Maker's Image on the human Beast Thus was the Man amended by Desire And tho'he lov'd perhaps with too much Fire His Father all his Faults with
Reason scan'd And lik'd an error of the better Hand Excus'd th' excess of Passion in his Mind By Flames too fierce perhaps too much refin'd So Cymon since his Sire indulg'd his Will Impetuous lov'd and would be Cymon still Galesus he disown'd and chose to bear The Name of Fool confirm'd and Bishop'd by the Fair. To Cipseus by his Friends his Sute he mov'd Cipseus the Father of the Fair he lov'd But he was pre-ingag'd by former Ties While Cymon was endeav'ring to be wise And Iphigene oblig'd by former Vows Had giv'n her Faith to wed a Foreign Spouse Her Sire and She to Rhodian Pasimond Tho'both repenting were by Promise bound Nor could retract and thus as Fate decreed Tho'better lov'd he spoke too late to speed The Doom was past the Ship already sent Did all his tardy Diligence prevent Sigh'd to herself the fair unhappy Maid While stormy Cymon thus in secret said The time is come for Iphigene to find The Miracle she wrought upon my Mind Her Charms have made me Man her ravish'd Love In rank shall place me with the Bless'd above For mine by Love by Force she shall be mine Or Death if Force should fail shall finish my Design Resolv'd he said And rigg'd with speedy Care A Vessel strong and well equipp'd for War The secret Ship with chosen Friends he stor'd And bent to die or conquer went aboard Ambush'd he lay behind the Cyprian Shore Waiting the Sail that all his Wishes bore Nor long expected for the following Tide Sent out the hostile Ship and beauteous Bride To Rhodes the Rival Bark directly steer'd When Cymon sudden at her Back appear'd And stop'd her Flight Then standing on his Prow In haughty Terms he thus defy'd the Foe Or strike your Sails at Summons or prepare To prove the last Extremities of War Thus warn'd the Rhodians for the Fight provide Already were the Vessels Side by Side These obstinate to save and those to seize the Bride But Cymon soon his crooked Grapples cast Which with tenacious hold his Foes embrac'd And arm'd with Sword and Shield amid the Press he pass'd Fierce was the Fight but hast'ning to his Prey By force the furious Lover freed his way Himself alone dispers'd the Rhodian Crew The Weak disdain'd the Valiant overthrew Cheap Conquest for his following Friends remain'd He reap'd the Field and they but only glean'd His Victory confess'd the Foes retreat And cast their Weapons at the Victor's Feet Whom thus he chear'd O Rhodian Youth I fought For Love alone nor other Booty sought Your Lives are safe your Vessel I resign Yours be your own restoring what is mine In Iphigene I claim my rightful Due Rob'd by my Rival and detain'd by you Your Pasimond a lawless Bargain drove The Parent could not sell the Daughters Love Or if he cou'd my Love disdains the Laws And like a King by Conquest gains his Cause Where Arms take place all other Pleas are vain Love taught me Force and Force shall Love maintain You what by Strength you could not keep release And at an easy Ransom buy your Peace Fear on the conquer'd Side soon sign'd th' Accord And Iphigene to Cymon was restor'd While to his Arms the blushing Bride he took To seeming Sadness she compos'd her Look As if by Force subjected to his Will Tho' pleas'd dissembling and a Woman still And for she wept he wip'd her falling Tears And pray'd her to dismiss her empty Fears For yours I am he said and have deserv'd Your Love much better whom so long I serv'd Than he to whom your formal Father ty'd Your Vows and sold a Slave not sent a Bride Thus while he spoke he seiz'd the willing Prey As Paris bore the Spartan Spouse away Faintly she scream'd and ev'n her Eyes confess'd She rather would be thought than was Distress'd Who now exults but Cymon in his Mind Vain hopes and empty Joys of human Kind Proud of the present to the future blind Secure of Fate while Cymon plows the Sea And steers to Candy with his conquer'd Prey Scarce the third Glass of measur'd Hours was run When like a fiery Meteor sunk the Sun The Promise of a Storm the shifting Gales Forsake by Fits and fill the flagging Sails Hoarse Murmurs of the Main from far were heard And Night came on not by degrees prepar'd But all at once at once the Winds arise The Thunders roul the forky Lightning flies In vain the Master issues out Commands In vain the trembling Sailors ply their Hands The Tempest unforeseen prevents their Care And from the first they labour in despair The giddy Ship betwixt the Winds and Tides Forc'd back and forwards in a Circle rides Stun'd with the diff'rent Blows then shoots amain Till counterbuff'd she stops and sleeps again Not more aghast the proud Archangel fell Plung'd from the height of Heav'n to deepest Hell Than stood the Lover of his Love possess'd Now curs'd the more the more he had been bless'd More anxious for her Danger than his own Death he defies but would be lost alone Sad Iphigene to Womanish Complaints Adds pious Pray'rs and wearies all the Saints Ev'n if she could her Love she would repent But since she cannot dreads the Punishment Her forfeit Faith and Pasimond betray'd Are ever present and her Crime upbraid She blames herself nor blames her Lover less Augments her Anger as her Fears increase From her own Back the Burden would remove And lays the Load on his ungovern'd Love Which interposing durst in Heav'n's despight Invade and violate another's Right The Pow'rs incens'd awhile deferr'd his Pain And made him Master of his Vows in vain But soon they punish'd his presumptuous Pride That for his daring Enterprize she dy'd Who rather not resisted than comply'd Then impotent of Mind with alter'd Sense She hugg'd th' Offender and forgave th' Offence Sex to the last Mean time with Sails declin'd The wand'ring Vessel drove before the Wind Toss'd and retoss'd alost and then alow Nor Port they seek nor certain Course they know But ev'ry moment wait the coming Blow Thus blindly driv'n by breaking Day they view'd The Land before 'em and their Fears renew'd The Land was welcome but the Tempest bore The threaten'd Ship against a rocky Shore A winding Bay was near to this they bent And just escap'd their Force already spent Secure from Storms and panting from the Sea The Land unknown at leisure they survey And saw but soon their sickly Sight withdrew The rising Tow'rs of Rhodes at distant view And curs'd the hostile Shoar of Pasimond Sav'd from the Seas and shipwreck'd on the Ground The frighted Sailors try'd their Strength in vain To turn the Stern and tempt the stormy Main But the stiff Wind withstood the lab'ring Oar And forc'd them forward on the fatal Shoar The crooked Keel now bites the Rhodian Strand And the Ship moor'd constrains the Crew to land Yet still they might be safe because unknown But as ill Fortune seldom comes alone The
Palamon answered and sayde agayn Cosyn forsoth of this opinion Thou hast a vaine imaginacion This prison caused me not to crye But I was hurt right now through myn eye Into myn hert that woll my bane be The fayreness of a lady that I se Yonde in the gardyn roming to and fro Is cause of all my cryeng and wo I not where she be woman or goddesse But Venus it is sothly as I gesse And therwithall on knees down lie fyll And said Venus if it be thy wyll You in this garden thus to transfigure Beforne me sorrowfull wretched creature Out of this prison helpe that we may scape And if our desteny be so ishape By eterne worde to dyen in prison Of our lynage haue some compassion That is so lowe ybrought by tyranny And with that worde Arcite gan espy Where as the lady romed to and fro And with that sight her bewte hurt him so That if that Palamon was wounded sore Arcite was hurt as much as he or more And with a sigh he said pitously The fresh beutie sleeth me sodenly Of her that rometh in yonder place And but I haue her mercy and her grace That I may seen her at the lesto way I nam but deed there nys no more to say This Palamon whan he these words herd Dispitously he loked and answerd Whether sayest thou this in ernest or in play Nay quod Arcite in ernest by my fay God helpe me so me list full yuell to pley This Palamon gan knit his browes twey It were quod he to the no great honour To be false ne for to be traytour Tome that am thy cosyn and thy brother I sworne full depe and eche of vs to other That neuer for to dyen in the payne Till that the deth departe vs twayne Neither of vs in loue to hindre other Ne in none other case my leue brother But that thou shuldest truly further me In eury case as I shulde further the This was thine othe and mine also certain I wote it well thou darst it not withsayn Thus art thou of my counsell out of doubte And now thou woldest falsly ben aboute To love my lady whom I loue and serue And euer shall till that myn herte sterue Now certes false Arcite thou shalt not so I loued her first and tolde the my wo As to my counsell and to my brother sworne To further me as I haue tolde beforne For which thou art ibounden as a knight To helpen me if it lye in thy might Or els thou art false I dare well saine This Arcite full proudly spake againe Thou shalt quod he be rather false than I And thou art false I tell the vtterly For paramount I Ioued her first or thou What wilt thou sain thou wist it nat or now Whether she be woman or goddesse Thine is affection of holinesse And mine is loue as to a creature For which I tolde the mine auenture As to my cosyn and my brother sworne Suppose that thou louea'st her beforne Wost thou not well the olde clerks sawe That who shall giue a louer any lawe Loue is a gretter lawe by my pan Than may be yeuen to any erthly man And therfore posityfe lawe and such decre Is broken all day for loue in eche degre A man mote nedes loue maugre his heed He may nat fleen it though he shuld be deed All be she maide widowe or wife And eke it is not likely all thy life To stonden in her grace no more shall I For well thou wost thy selfe verely That thou and I be dampned to prison Perpetuell vs gaineth no raunson We striuen as did the houndes for the bone That foughten al day and yet her part was non Ther cam a cur whil that they wer so wroth And bare away the bone from hem both And therfore at kings court my brother Eche man for him selfe there is none other Loue if thou list for I loue and ay shall And sothly lefe brother this is all Here in this prison mote we endure And euerich of vs taken his auenture Great was the strife betwix hem twey If that I had leyser for to sey But to theffect it happed on a dey To tell it you shortly as I may A worthy duke that hight Perithous That felowe was to duke Theseus Sith thilke day that they were children lite Was come to Athenes his felowe to visite And for to play as he was wont to do For in this world he loued no man so And he loued him as tenderly againe So wel they loued as old bokes sayne That when that one was deed sothly to tell His fellow went and sought him down in hell But of that story list me not to write Duke Perithous loued well Arcite And had him know at Thebes yere by yere And finally at request and prayere Of Perithous withouten any raunson Duke Theseus let him out of prison Frely to gon whither him list ouer all In such a gyse as I you tellen shall This was the forwarde plainly to endite Betwixt duke Theseus and him Arcite That if so were that Arcite were yfounde Ever in his life by day night or stormde In any countre of this duke Theseus And he were caught it was acorded thus That with a swerd he should lese his heed There was none other remedy ne reed But taketh his leue and homward him sped Let him beware his necke lieth to wedd How great sorowe suffereth now Arcite The dethe he feleth through his hert smite He wepeth waileth and crieth pitously To sleen him selfe he waiteth priuely And said alas the day that I was borne Now is my prison worse than beforne Now is me shapen eternally to dwell Nought in purgatory but in hell Alas that euer I knew Perithous For els had I dwelt with Theseus Ifetered in his prison euermo Then had I be in blisse and nat in wo Only the sight of her whom that I serue Though that I neuer her grace may deserue Wolde haue suffised right ynough for me O dere cosyn Palamon quod he Thine is the victorie of this auenture Ful blisful in prison mayst thou endure In prison Nay certes but in paradise Well hath fortune to the turned the dise That hast the sight of her and I thabsence For possible is sithens thou hast her presence And art a knight a worthie man and able That by sum case syn fortune is changeable Thou maist somtime to thy desire attaine But I that am exiled and baraine Of all grace and in so great dispeyre That there nys water either lyre ne eyre Ne creature that of him maked is That may me heale 〈◊〉 done comfort in this Wel ought I sterue in wan hope and distresse Farewell my life my lust and my gladnesse Alas why playnen men so in commune Of purveyance of God or of fortune That yeueth him full oft in many agise Well bette than hem self can deuise Some man desireth to haue richesse That cause is of
oft tolde thee here beforn And hast be iaped here duke Theseus And falsely hast chaunged thy name thus I will be dedde or els thou shalt die Thou shalt not loue my ladie Emelie But I woll loue her only and no mo For I am Palamon thy mortall fo Though that I haue no weapen in this place But out of prison am astert by grace I dred nat that either thou shalt die Or thou ne shalt nat louen Emelye These which thou wilt or thou shalt not astert This Arcite with full dispitous hert When he hym knewe and had his tale herd As fers as a Lion pulled out his sweard And saied By God that sitteth aboue Ne wer that thou art sicke and wod for loue And eke that thou no weapen hast in this place Thou shouldest neuer out this groue pace That thou ne shouldest dien of mine honde For I defie the suertie and the bonde Which that thou saist that I haue made to thee What very foole thinke wel that loue is free And I will loue her maugre all thy might But for asmoch as thou art a knight And wilnest to daren here by battaile Haue here mi truth to morrow I will not fail Without wittyng of any other wight That here I will be founden as a knight And bringen harneis right inough for thee And chese the best and leaue the worst for me And meate and drinke this night will I bring Inough for thee and clothes for thy bedding And if so be that thou my ladie win And slea me in this wodde there I am in Thou maiest well haue thy ladie as for me This Palamon answered I grant it thee And thus thei been departed till a morrow When ech of hem had laied his faith to borow O Cupide out of all charitee O reigne that wouldest haue no felow with thee Full soth is saied that loue ne lordship Woll nat his thankes haue any feliship We finde that of Arcite and Palamon Arcite is ridden anon into the toun And on the morow or it were daie light Full priuely twoo harneis had he dight Bothe sufficient and mete to darreigne The battail in the field betwixt hem tweine And on his horse alone as he was borne He carrieth all his harneis him beforne And in the groue at time and place iset That Arcite and this Palamon been met To changen gan the colour in her face Right as the hunter in the royume of Trace That standeth at a gappe with a speare When hunted is the lion or the beare And hereth him rushing in the leues And breaketh the bowes in the greues And thinketh here cometh my mortal enemy Without faile he must be dede or I For either I mote slea him at the gap Or he motessea me if me mishap So ferden thei in chaunging of her hewe As far as eueriche of other knewe There was no good daie ne no saluing But streight without word or rehersing Eueriche of hem helped for to arme other As friendly as he were his own brother And after that with sharpe speares strong Thei foinen eche at other wonder long Thou mightest wenen that this Palamon In his fighting were a wodde Lion And as a cruel Tigre was Arcite As wild Bores gan they fight and smite That frothen white as some for ire woode Vp to the ancle foughten they in her bloode And in this wise I let hem fighting dwell As foorth I woll of Thesens you tell The destinie and the minister generall That executeth in the worlde ouer all The purueyance that God hath said beforne So strong it is that though the world had sworne The contrary of thing be ye and naie Yet sometime it sholl fall on a daie That fell neuer yet in a thousand yere For certainly our appetites here Be it of warre peace hate or loue All is ruled by the sight aboue This meane I now by mightie Theseus That for to hunt is so desirous And namely at the great Hart in Maie That in his bed there daweth him day That he nys clad and ready for to ride With hunt and horne and houndes him beside For in his hunting hath he soche delit That it is all his ioie and appetite To been himselfe the greate hartes bane For after Mars he serueth now Diane Clere was the day as I haue tolde or this And Theseus with all ioy and blis With his Ipolita the faire quene And Emely iclothen all in grene An hunting been thei ridden rially And to the groue that stood there fast by In which ther was an Hart as men hun told Duke Theseus the streight way hath holde And to the land he rideth him full right For thither was the hart wont to haue his flight And ouer a broke and so foorth on his weie This duke wol haue a cours at him or twey With houndes soch as him list commaunde And when the duke was comen into the launde Under the soone he looked and that anon He was ware of Arcite and Palamon That foughten breme as it were bulles two The bright swordes wenten to and fro So hodiously that with the lest stroke It semed that it would haue fellen an oke But what thei weren nothing he ne wote This Duke with his sporrs his courser smote And at a start he was betwixt hem two And pulled out his sworde and cried ho No more on pain of lesing your hedde By mightie Mars he shall anone be dedde That smiteth any stroke that I may seen But telleth me what mister men ye been That been so hardie for to fighten here Without judge or other officere As though it were in listes rially This Palamon answered hastely And said Sir what nedeth words mo We haue the death deserued bothe two Two woful wretches been we and caitiues That been encombred of our own liues And as thou art a rightful lorde and judge Ne yeue us neither mercie ne refuge But slea me first for sainct charitee But slea my felowe as well as me Or slea him first for though thou knowe it lite This is thy mortall foe this is Arcite That fro thy land is banished on his hedde For which he hath deserued to be dedde For this is he that came unto thy yate And saied that he hight Philostrate Thus hath he iaped full many a yere And thou hast made him thy chiefe squiere And this is he that loueth Emelye For sith the daie is come that I shall die I make plainly my confession I am thilke wofull Palamon That hath thy prison broke wickedly I am thy mortall foe and he am I That loueth so hote Emelye the bright That I woll die here present in her sight Therefore I aske death and my iewise But slea my felowe in the same wise For both we haue deserued to be slain This worthy duke answered anon again And saied this is a short conclusion Your owne mouth by your confession Hath damned you and I woll it recorde It nedeth not to
pine you with a corde Ye shall be dedde by mighty Mars the redde The quene anon for very woman hedde Gan for to wepe and so did Emelye And all the ladies in the companie Great pitie was it as thought hem all That euer soch a chaunce was befall For gentilmen thei were of great estate And nothing but for loue was this debate And saw her bloody woundes wide and sore And all criden both lesse and more Haue mercie lord upon us wemen all And on her bare knees doune thei fall And would haue kist his fete there he stode Till at the last astaked was his mode For pitie renneth sone in gentle hert And though he first for ire quoke and stert He hath concluded shortly in a clause The Trespasses of hem both and eke the cause And although his ire her gilt accused Yet in his reason he hem both excused As thus he thought well that euery man Woll helpe himselfe in loue all that he can And eke deliuer himself out of prison And eke his heart had compassion Of wemen for they wepen euery in one And in his gentle hert he thought anone And soft vnto himselfe he saied fie Upon a lorde that woll haue no mercie But be a Lion both in worde and deede To hem that been in repentance and dreede As well as to a proud dispitous man That will maintain that he first began That lorde hath little of discrecion That in soch case can no diffinicion But waieth pride and humblenesse after one And shortly when his ire was thus agone He gan to looken up with iyen light And spake these wordes all one hight The God of loue ah benedicite How mighty and how great a lorde is he Again his might there gaineth no obstacles He may be cleaped a God for his miracles For he can maken at his owne gise Of euerich heart as him list deuise Loe here this Arcite and this Palamon That quietly were out of my prison gon And might haue liued in Thebes rially And knowen I am her mortall enemie And that her death is in my power also And yet hath loue maugre her iyen two Brought hem hither both for to die Now loketh is not this a great follie Who may be a fool but if he loue Behold for Goddes sake that sitteth aboue See how they blede be they nat wel araied Thus hath her lord the god of loue him paied Her wager and her fees for her seruice And yet thei wenen to be full wise That serue loue for ought that may befall But yet is this the best game of all That she for whom they haue this jolitie Cen hem therefore as moch thanke as me She wote no more of all this hote fare By God than wote a Cokowe or an Hare But all mote been assaied hote and cold A man mote been a foole other young or old I wotte it by my selfe full yore agone For in my time a seruant was I one And therefore sith I knowe of loues pain I wote how sore it can a man distrain As he that oft hath be caught in her laas I you foryeue all hooly this trespaas At the request of the quene that kneleth here And eke of Emelye my sister dere And ye shall both anon unto me swere That ye shall neuer more my countre dere Ne make warre upon me night ne daie But been my friends in all that ye maie I you foryeue this trespas euery dele And thei hem sware his asking faire and wele And him of lordship and of mercie praied And he hem graunted grace and thus he saied To speake of worthie linage and richesse Though that she were a quene or a princesse Ilke of you both is worthy doubtles To wed when time is but netheles I speake as for my sister Emelye For whom ye haue this strief and ielousy Ye wote your selfe she maie not wedde two At ones though ye fighten euer mo But one of you all be him lothe or lefe He mote go pipe in an Iue lefe This is to saie she maie not haue both Ne been ye neuer so ielous ne so wroth And therefore I you put in this degre That ech of you shall haue his destine As him is shape and herken in what wise Lo here your end of that I shall deuise My will is this for plat conclusion Without any replication If that you liketh taketh it for the best That euerich of you shall go where him lest Frely without ransom or danger And this day fiftie wekes ferre ne nere Euerich of you shall bring an C. knights Armed for the lestes vpon all rightes Alredy to darrein here by battaile And this behote I you withouten faile Upon my truthe as I am true knight That whether of you bothe hath that might That is to saie that whether he or thou May with his hundred as I spake of now Slea his contrary or out of Iistes driue Him shall I yeue Emelye to wiue To whom that fortune yeueth so faire a grace The lestes shall I make in this place And God so wisely on my soul rewe As I shall euen judge be and trewe Ye shal non other ende with me make That one of you shall be dedde or take And ye thinken this is well isaied Saith your aduise and hold you well apaid This is your end and your conclusion Who loketh lightly now but Palamon Who springeth vp for ioie but Arcite Who could tell or who could endite The ioye that is made in this place When Theseus had doen so faire a grace But doun on knees went euery maner wight And thanked him with all her hert and might And namely these Thebanes many asithe And thus with good hope and hert blithe They taken her leue and homeward gan they ride To Thebes ward with old walles wide I trawe men would deme it negligence If I foryetten to tell the dispence Of Theseus that goeth busely To maken up the lestes rially That such a noble Theatre as it was I dare well saie in this world there nas The circute a mile was about Walled with stone and diched all about Round was the shape in maner of a compas Full of degrees the hight of sixtie paas That when a man was set on one degree He letted not his felowe for to see Eastward there stode a gate of marble wite Westward right such another in the opposite And shortly to conclude such a place Was none in yearth as in so litell space For in the londe there nas no craftes man That Geometrie or Arithmetike can Ne purtreiture ne caruer of Images That Theseus ne gaue him mete and wages That Theatre to make and deuise And for to do his Rite and Sacrifice He Eastward hath vpon the yate aboue In worship of Venus the Goddesse of loue Doe make an auter and an oratorie And on the West-side in memorie Of Mars he maked such an other That cost of golde largely a fother And Northward in a
turret in the wall Of Alabaster white and redde Corall An oratorie rich for to see In worship of Diane the Goddes of chastite Hath Theseus doe wrought in noble wise But yet had I foryetten to deuise The noble caruings and the purtreitures The shape the countnaunce and the figures That were in the oratories three First in the temple of Venus thou maist se Wrought on the wall full pitously to behold The broken flepes and the sighes cold The fault teares and the weymenting The fire strokes and the desiring That loues seruauntes in this life enduren The othes that her couenauntes assuren Pleasaunce and hope desire foolehardinesse Beautie and youth bandrie and richesse Charmes and sorcerie leesings and flatterie Dispence bufinesse and ielousie That weared of yelowe goldes a garlande And a Cokow sitting on her hande Feastes instruments carolles and daunces Justes and araie and all the circumstaunces Of loue which I reken and reken shall By order were painted on the wall And more than I can make mencion For sothly all the mount of Citheton Where Venus hath her principal dwelling Was shewed on the wall in purtreing With all the joy and the lustinesse Nought was foryetten the portresse idlenesse Ne Narcissus the fair of yore agone Ne yet the folie of king Salomon Ne yet the great strength of Hercules Th enchauntment of Medea and Circes Ne of Turnus with his hardie fers corage The rich Cresus caitife in seruage Thus may you sen that wisedom ne richesse Beuty ne sleight strength ne hardinesse Ne maie with Venus hold champartie For as her list the world may she gie Lo all these folke so cought were in her laas Till thei for wofull ost saied alas Sufficeth here one example dr two And though I could reken a thousand mo The statue of Venus glorious to se Was maked fleting in the large see And fro the nauell doune all couered was With waues grene and bright as any glas A citriole in her right hand had she And on her hedde full seemely for to se A rose garland fresh and wel smelling Aboue her hedde doues flittering Before her stood her sonne Cupido Upon his shoulders winges had he two And blind he was as it is ost sene A bow he had and arrowes bright and kene Why should I not as well tellen all The purgatory that was ther about ouer all Within the temple of mightie Mars the rede All painted was the wal in length and in brede Like to the Estris of the grisly place That hight the great Temple of Mars in Trace In thilke cold frosty region There Mars hath his soueraine mancion First on the wall was painted a forest In which there wonneth nother man ne best With knottie and knarie trees old Of stubbes sharpe and hidous to behold In which there was a romble and a shwow As though a storme should breake euery bow And dounward vnder a hill vnder a bent There stode the temple of Mars armipotent Wrought all of burned stele of which th'entre Was long and streight and gastly for to se And therout came soch a rage and soch a vise That it made all the gates for to rise The northern light in at the dores shone For window on the wall was there none Through which men might any light discern The dores were all of athamant eterne Yelenched ouerthwart and hedlong With Iron tough for to maken it strong Euery piller the temple to susteine Was tonne great of yren bright and shene There saw I first the darke imagining Of felonie and eke the oompassing The cruell ire redde as any glede The pick-purse and eke the pale drede The smiler with the knife vnder the cloke The shepen brenning with the blacke smoke The treason of the murdring in the bedde The open warre with woundes all be bledde Conteke with blody kniues and sharpe manace All full of chirking was that sory place The slear of himself yet saw I there His hart blode hath bathed all his here The naile ydriuen in the shode on hight With colde death with mouth gaping vpright A middes of the temple sate Mischaunce With discomfort and sory countenaunce Yet saw I Wodnesse laghing in his 〈◊〉 Armed complaint on theft and fiers courage The carraine in the 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 A thousand slain and 〈◊〉 istorue The tiraunt with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 force 〈◊〉 The toune 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was nothing 〈◊〉 Yet saw I brent the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The hunter istrangled with the 〈◊〉 The Sow fretting the child in 〈◊〉 The coke is scalded for all his long ladell Nought was foryetten the infortune of 〈◊〉 The Carter ouer-ridden by his own cart 〈◊〉 Vnder the whele full low he lay a doun There were also of Martes deuision The Barbour the Botcher and the Smith That forgeth sharp swordes on the stith And all aboue depainted in a toure Saw I conquest sitting in great honour With the sharpe sword ouer his hedde Hanging by a subtill twined thredde Depainted was there the slaughter of Julius Of great Nero and of Antonius All be that thilke time they were vnborne Yet was her death depainted there beforne By manacing of Mars right by figure So was it shewed in that portreiture As is depainted in the certes aboue Who shall be dead or els slain for loue Sufficeth one ensample in stories old I may not reken them all though 〈◊〉 would The statue of Mars upon a carte stode Armed and loked grim as he were wode And ouer his head there shinen two figures Of sterres that been cleped in Scriptures That one Puella hight that other Rubeus This God of armes was arraied thus A wolfe there stode beforne him at his fete With iyen redde and of a man he ete With subtell pensill was painted this story In redouting of Marce and of his glory Now to the temple of Diane the chast As shortly as I can I woll me hast To tell you all the description Depainted been the walles vp and doune Of hunting and of shamfast chastite There saw I how wofull Calistope When that Diane greued was with her Was tourned fro a woman to a bere And afterward was she made the lode sterre Thus was it painted I can say no ferre Her soone is eke a sterre as men may see There saw I Diane tourned vnto a tree I meane not the goddesse Diane But Venus doughter which that hight Dane There saw I Atheon an hert ymaked For vengeance that he saw Diane all naked I saw how that his hounds haue 〈◊〉 cought And freten him for they knew him nought Yet ypainted wasaslitell ferthermore How Athalant hunted the wilde bore And Meltager and many other mo For which Diane wrought him care and wo There saw I many another wonder storie Which me 〈◊〉 to draw in memorie This goddesse full well vpon an hert shete With small houndes all about her fete And vnderneth her fete she had a Moone Woxing it was and should wane soone In gaudie greene her statue clothed was
or they of me So that I haue my lady in mine armes For though so be that Mars is god of Armes Your vertue is so great in heauen aboue That if you liste I shall well haue my loue Thy temple shall I worship euer 〈◊〉 And on thine aulter where I ride or go I woll done sacrifice and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And if'ye woll not so my lady swere Than pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 haue lost my life Though 〈◊〉 winne her to wife This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and ende of my pray ere Yeue me my lady thou 〈◊〉 lady deere What the orison was done of Palamon His sacrifice 〈◊〉 did and that anon Full pitously with all circumstaunces All tell I nat as now his obseruaunces But at the last the statue of Venus shoke And made a signe whereby that he toke That his prayer 〈◊〉 was that day For though the signe shewed a delay Yet wist he well that graunted was his bone And with glad hert he went him home full sone Began to Venus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vp rose the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And vnto the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Her maidens the which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Full redily with 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 they had The encense the clothes and the 〈◊〉 all That to the sacrifice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The hornes full of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gise There lacked naught to 〈◊〉 her sacrifice Smoking the temple full of clothes fayre This Emelye with herte debonayre Her body wishe with 〈◊〉 of a well But how she did right I dare not tell But it be any thing in generall And yet it were a game to here it all To him that meaneth wel it were no charge But it is good a man be at his large Her bright heare was unkempt and vntressed all A crowne of a grene oke 〈◊〉 Vpon her hed set ful sayre and mete Two fyres on the aulter gan she bete And did her things as men may 〈◊〉 In Stace of Thebes and these bokes olde Whan kendled was the 〈◊〉 with pitous chere Vnto Diane she spake as ye may here O chaste goddesse of the woddes grene To whom both heuen and yearth and see is sene Quene of the reigne of Pluto derke and low Goddesse of maidens that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath know Full many a yere and woste what I desire As kepe me fro the vengeance of thine yre That Acteon abought cruelly Chaste Goddesse well woste thou that I Desyre to ben a mayde all my life Ne neuer woll I be loue ne wife I am thou woste well of thy company A mayde and loue hunting and venery And for to walken in the woddes wilde And not for to ben a wife and ben with childe Nought will I know company of man Now helpe me lady sith you may and can For tho thre formes that thou hast in thee And Palamon that hath such a loue to me And eke Arcite that loueth me so sore This grace I pray thee withouten more And send loue and peace betwixt hem two And fro me turne away her hertes so That all her hot loue and her desire And all her busy turment and all her fire Be queint or turned in another place And if so be thou wolte not do me that grace Or if so be my destiny be shapen so That I shall nedes haue one of hem two As sende me him that most desireth me Beholde goddesse of clene chastite The bitter teares that on my chekes fall Syn thou art a mayde and keper of vs all My maidenhede thou kepe and wel conserue And while I liue a maiden woll I thee serue The fyres brenne upon the auter clere While Emelye was thus in her prayere But sodenly she sawe a thing queynte For right anon one of the fyres queynte And quicked again and after that anon That other fyre was queynte and all agon And as it queynte it made a whistling As done these wete brondes in her brenning And at the brondes ende out ran anone As it were bloddy droppes many a one For which so sore agaste was Emelye That she was well nye madde and gan to crye For she ne wiste what it signified But onely for the feare thus she cried And wept that it was pite for to here And therewithal Diane gan to appere With bow in honde right as an hunteresse And said doughter stint thine heuinesse Among the goddes hie it is affirmed And by eterne word written and confirmed Thou shalt ben wedded to one of tho That haue for thee so moch care and wo But vnto which of hem I may not tell Farewell for I may no lenger dwell The fires which on mine auter brenne Shall declaren er that thou gon henne This auenture of loue as in this case And with that word the arrows in the case Of the goddesse clatteren fast and ring And forth she went and made vaneshing For which this Emely astonied was And said what mounteth this alas I put me vnder thy protection Diane and under thy disposicion And home she goeth the next way This is the effect there is no more to say The next house of Mars following this Arcite unto the temple walked is Of fiers Mars to done his sacrifice With all the might of his paynem wise With piteous hert and hie devocion Right thus to Mars he said his orison O stronge God that in the reignes cold Of Trace honoured art and lord yhold And hast in euery reigne and euery lond Of armes all the bridle in thine hond And hem fortunest as the list deuise Accept of me my pitous sacrifice If so be my thought may deserue And that my might be worthy for to serue Thy godhead that I may bene one of thine Than pray I thee that thou rue on my pine For thilke paine and thilke hot fire In which thou brentest why 〈◊〉 for desire What thou vsedest the faire beaute Of faire yong fresh Venus fre And haddest her in thine armes at thy will Although thou ones on a time misfill What Vulcanus had caught thee in his laas And found thee ligging by his wife alas For thilke sorrowe that was in thine herte Haue ruthe as well on my pains smerte I am yong and vnconning as thou wost And as I trow with loue offended most That euer was any liues creature For she that doth me al this wo endure Ne retcheth neuer where I sinke or flete And well I wote or she me mercy hete I mote with strength win her in this place And well I wote without helpe or grace Of thee ne may my strength not auaile Than help me lord to morrow in my battaile For thilke fire that whilom brent thee As well as the fire now brenneth me And do that I to morrow haue the victorie Mine be the trauell and thine be the glorie Thy souereign temple wol I most honouren Of any place and alway most labouren In thy pleasaunce and in thy crafts strong And in thy temple I woll my banner hong And all the armes of my companie And
and the sore Encreaseth at his hert more and more The clotered blode for any liche crafte Corrumped and is in his body laste That neither veineblode he ventousing Ne drinke of herbes may be helping By vertue expulsed or anymall For thilke vertue cleaped naturall Ne may the venim vold ne ekpell The pipes of his longes began to swell And euery lacerte in his brest adoun Is shent with venim and corrupcion Him gaineth neither for to get his life Vomite upwarde ne dounward laxatife All is to brust thilke region Nature hath no dominacion And certainly ther as nature wol not wirch Farwel phisike go beare the corse to 〈◊〉 This is all and some that Arcite must die For which he 〈◊〉 after Emelye And Palamon his cosyn dere Then said he thus as ye shall after here Nought may my wofull 〈◊〉 in my 〈◊〉 Declare a point of all my sorowes 〈◊〉 To you my lady that I loue most But I bequeth the seruice of my gost To you abouen any creature Sin that my life may no lenger dure Alas the wo alas my paines strong That I for you haue suffered and so long Alas the dethe alas myn Emely Alas departing of our company Alas myn hertes quene alas my liues wife Myn hertes lady ender of my life What is the world what asken men to haue Now with his loue now in his cold graue Alone withouten any company Farwel my swete foe myn Emely And soft take me in your armes twey For the loue of God herkeneth what I sey I haue here with my cosin Palamon Had strife and rancour many a daie agon For loue of you and for my ielousie And Jupiter so wisely my soule gie To speaken of a seruant properlie With circumstances all trulie That is to say trouth honour and knighthede Wisedome humblesse estate and hie kinrede Fredome and all that longeth to that art So Jupiter haue of my soule part As in this world right now knowe I non So worth to be loued as Palamon That serueth you and woll doen all his life And if that you shall euer been a wife Foryet not Palamon the gentle man And with that worde his speche fail began For from his feete vnto his brest was come The colde death that hath hym nome And yet more ouer for in his armes two The vital strength is lost and all ago Saue onely the intellect without more That dwelleth in his hert sicke and sore Gan failen when the hert felt death Dusked his iyen two and failed breath But on his Ladie yet cast he his iye His last worde was mercie Emelye His spirite chaunged and out went there Whetherwarde I cannot tell ne where Therefore I stint I am no diuinistre Of soules finde I not in this registre Ne me leste not thilke opinion to tell Of hem though they writen where thei dwell Arcite is cold that Mars his souse gie Now woll I speke foorth of Emelye Shright Emelye and houlen Palamon And Theseus his suster vp toke anon Swouning and bare her fro his corse awaie What helpeth it to tary forth the daie To tellen how she wept bothe euen and morow For in such case women haue much sorowe When that her husbands been fro hem go That for the more partie they sorowen so Or els fallen in such maladie That at the last certainly they die Infinite been the sorowe and the teres Of old folke and folke of tender yeres In all the toune for death of this Theban For hym there wepeth bothe child and man So great wepyng was there not certain When Hector was brought all fresh islain To Troie Alas the pite that was there Cratching of chekes rentyng eke here Why woldest thou be dedde thus women crie And haddest gold inough and Emelye No man maie glad Theseus Sauing his old father Egeus That knewe this worlds transmutacion As he had seen it bothe up and doun Joie after wo and wo after gladnesse And shewed him ensamples and likenesse Right as there died neuer man quod he That he ne liued in yearth in some degree Right so there liued neuer man he saied In this world that sometime he ne deied This world is but a throughfare full of wo And we been pilgrimes passing to and fro Death is an end of euery worldes sore And over all this yet saied he moche more To this effect full wisely to exhort The people that they should hem recomfort Duke Theseus with all his busie cure Casteth now where that the sepulture O good Arcite shall best imaked bee And eke moste honourable of degree And at the last he tooke conclusion That there as Arcite and Palamon Had for love the battaile hem between That in the same selue groue swete and grene There as he had his amerous desires His complaint and for loue his hote fires He would make a fire in which the offis Funerall he might hem all accomplis He hath anon commaunded to hack and hew The okes old and laie hem all on a rew In culpons well arraied for to brenne His officers with swift foote they renne And right anon at his commaundement And after Theseus hath he isent After a beare and it all oversprad With cloth of gold the richest that he had And of the same sute he clothed Arcite Upon his handes his gloues white Eke on his hedde a croune of Laurell grene And in his hand a sworde full bright and kene He laied hym bare the visage on the bere Therewith he wept that pite was to here And for the people should seen hym all When it was daie he brought him to the hall That rorreth of the crie and of the sorowes soun Then gan this woful Theban Palamon With glittering beard and ruddie shining heres In clothes blacke dropped all with teres And passing other of wepyng Emelye The rufullest of all the companie And in as much as the service should bee The more noble and riche in his degree Duke Theseus let foorth the stedes bring That trapped were in stele all glitering And couered with the armes of Dan Arcite Upon these stedes great and white Ther saten folk of which one bare his sheld Another his speare in his hand held The third bare with him a bowe Turkes Of brent gold was the case and eke the harnes And ridden foorth apace with sorie chere Toward the groue as ye shall after here The noblest of the Grekes that there were Upon her shoulders carried the bere With slake pace and iyen redde and white Throughout the cite by the maister strete That sprad was al with blake and that wonder hie Right of the same is the strete iwrie Upon the right hand went Egeus And on the other side Duke Theseus With vessels in her hand of gold full fine All full of honie milke blode and wine Eke Palamon with full great companie And after that came woful Emelye With fire in hand as was that time the gise To doen the office of funerall
serueth you with wil hert and might And euer hath done sith ye first him knew That ye shal of your grace vpon him rew And take him for husbonde and for lord Lene me your hand for this is our accord Let see now of your womanly pite He is a king's brother's sonne parde And though he were a poore bachelere Sin he hath serued you so many a yere And had for you so great aduersite It must been considered leueth me For gentle mercie ought to passen right Than said he thus to Palamon the knight I trow ther need little sarmoning To make you assenten to this thing Cometh nere and taketh your lady by the hond Betwixt hem was maked anon the bond That hight Matrimonie or Marriage By al the counsail of the baronage And thus with al blisse and melodie Hath Palamon iwedded Emelye And God that al this world hath wrought Send him his loue that it hath so dere bought For now is Palamon in al we le Liuing in blisse in riches and in hele And Emelye him loueth so tenderly And he her serueth so gentelly That neuer was ther no word hem bitween Of ielousie or of any other tene Thus endeth Palamon and Emelye And God saue al this faire company THE TALE OF THE Nun's Priest As it was written by GEFFREY CHAUCER The COCK and the FOX The Moral whereof is To embrace True Friends and to beware of Flatterers A Pore wedowe somedele istept in age War whilom dwelling in a poore cotage Beside a groue stonding in a dale This wedowe of which I tell you my tale Sens the day that she was last a wife In pacience led a full simple life For litell was her catell and her rent By husbondry of such as God her sent She fond her self and eke her daughters two Thre large sowes had she and no mo Thre kine and eke a shepe that hight Mall Well sooty was her boure and eke her hall In which she ete many a slender mole Of poinant sauce ne knew she never a dole Ne deinty morcell passed through her throte Her diet was accordaunt to her cote Replection ne made her never fike A temperate diete was her Phisike And exercise and hertes suffisaunce The gout let her nothing for to daunce Ne apoplexy shent nat her heed No wine ne dranke she white ne reed Her bord was most serued with white and black Milk and brounbreed in which she found no lack Seind bakon and somtime an eye or twey For she was as it were a maner dey A yerde she had enclosed all about With stickes and dry diched without In which she had a cocke hight Chaunteclere In all the land of crowing nas his pere His voice was merier than the mery orgon On masse daies that in the churches gon Well sikerer was his crowing in his loge Than is a clocke or in an abbey an orloge By nature he knew ech assencion Of the equinoctiall in the toun For when degrees xv were assended Than crew he that it might not be amended His come was redder than the fine corall And battelled as it had be a castell wall His bill was blacke as any iet it shone Like asure were his legges and his tone His nailes whiter than the lilly floure And like the burned gold was his colour This gentel cocke had in governaunce Seuen hennes to done his plesaunce Which were his susters and his paramours And wonder like to him as of colours Of which the fayrest hewed in the throte Was called faire Damosell Pertelote He fethered her a hundred times a day And she him pleseth all that euer she may Curteis she was discrete and debonaire And compeneable and bare her self so faire Sens the time that she was seuenight old That truelich she hath the hert in hold Of Chaunteclere looking in euery lith He loueth her so that well was him therwith But such a joy it was to here him sing Whan the bright sunne gan to spring In swete acord my lefe is ferre in lond For that time as I haue vnderstond Beestes and birdes could speke and sing And it so fell that in the dawning As Chaunteclere among his wiues all Sat on his perch that was in the hall And next him sat his faire Pertelote This Chaunteclere gan to grone in his throte As a man in his dreme is drenched sore And whan that Pertelote thus herd him rore She was agast and said hert dere What eyleth you to grone in this manere Ye be a very sleper sie for shame And he answered thus by God madame I pray you that ye take it not in grefe By God I mette I was in such mischiefe Right now that yet mine hert is sore afright Now God qd he my sweuen retch aright And kepe my body out of foule prisoun Me mette that I romed vp and doun Within our yerd where I saw a beest Was like an hound and would haue made areest Vpon my body and would haue had me deed His colour was betwixt yelow and reed And tipped was his taile and both his eeres With black vnlike the remnant of his heere 's His snout small with glowing eyen twey Yet for his loke almost for feare I dey This causeth me my groning doutlesse Away qd she sie for shame hertlesse Alas qd she for by God aboue Now haue ye lost my hert and all my loue I cannot loue a coward by my faith For certes what so any woman saith We all desire if that it might be To haue husbondes hardie wise and fre And secrete and no nigard ne no fole Ne him that is agast of euery tole Ne none auantour by that God aboue How durst ye say for shame vnto your loue That any sweuen might make you aferd Haue you no mannes hert and haue a berd Alas and con ye be aferd of sweuenis Nothing but vanite God wotte in sweuen is Swens ben engendred of repleccions And of fume and of commpleccions When humours ben to habundant in a wight Certes this dreme which ye haue met to night I tell you trouth ye may trust me Cometh of superfluite and reed colour parde Which cause folke to drede in her dremes Of arowes and of fire with reed lemes Of reed bestes that woll hem bite Of conteke and of waspes great and lite Right as the humour of melancoly Causeth many a man in slepe to cry For sere of great bulles and beres blake Or els that blake diuels wol hem take Of other humours could I tell also That werke a man in slepe much wo But I wol passe as lightly as I can Lo Caton which that was so wise a man Said he not thus do not force of dremes Now sir qd she when we flie fro the bemes For Goddes loue as taketh some laxatine Vp perill of my soule and of my life I counsaile you the best I woll not lye That both of colour and of melancolie Ye purge you and for ye shul not tary Though
widow that contraried that he said But said he was worthy han his life And with that word vp stert the old wife Which that the knight fond sitting on the grene Mercy qd she my soueraine lady quene Er that your court depart do me right I taught this answere vnto this knight For which he plight me his trouth there The first thing I would of him requere He wold it do if it lay in his might Before the court than pray I the sir knight Qd. she that thou me take vnto thy wife For well thou woost that I haue kept thy life If I say false say nay vpon thy say This knight answerd alas and welaway I wot right well that such was my behest For Goddes loue chese a new request Take all my good and let my body go Nay qd she than I shrewe vs both two For though that I be soule olde and pore I nolde for al the metall ne the ore That under yerth is graue or lithe aboue But if I thy wife were and thy loue My loue qd he nay my dampnacion Alas that any of my nacion Should ever so foule disparaged be But al for nought the ende is this that he Constrained was that nedes must he her wed And taketh this olde wife and goeth to bed Now wolden some men say perauenture That for my negligence I do no cure To tellen you the ioy and the array That at the feast was that ilke day To the which thing answere shortly I shall I say there was no ioy ne feest at all There nas but heuinesse and much sorowe For priuely he wedded her on a morowe And al day after hid him as an oule So wo was him his wife loked so foule Gret was the sorow the knizt had in his thouzt Whan he was with his wife a bedde ibrought He waloweth and turneth to and fro His olde wife lay smiling euermo And said O dere husbonde O benedicite Fareth euery knight thus as ye Is this the lawe of king Artours house Is euery knight of his loue so daungerouse I am your own loue and eke your wife I am she which that saued hath your life And certes yet did I neuer you vnright Why fare ye thus with me the first night Ye faren like a man that had loste his wit Fy what is my gilt for gods loue tell me it And it shal be amended if I may Amended qd this knight alas nay nay That woll not ben amended neuer mo Thou art so lothly and so olde also And therto comen of so lowe a kinde That litle wonder is thouz I walow and winde So would god qd he min her would brezt Is this qd she the cause of your vnrest Ye certainly qd he no wonder nis Now sir qd she I couth amend all this If that me list er it were daies three So wel ye might beare you vnto me But for ye speke of such gentilnesse As is discended out of olde richesse That therfore shullen ye be gentilmen Such errogaunce is not worthe an hen Lo who that is moste vertuous alway Preuy and aperte and most entendeth aye To do the gentil dedes that he can Take him for the greatest gentilman Christ wuld we claimed of him our gentilnesse Not of our elders for our old richesse For though they yeue vs all her heritage For which we claymen to ben of hie parage Yet may they not byqueth for nothing To none of vs her vertuous liuing That made hem gentilmen icalled be And bad vs followen hem in such degre Wel can the wise poete of Florence That hight Daunte speke in this sentence Lo in such maner rime is Daunte's tale Ful selde vp riseth by his braunches smale Prowesse of man for God of his goodnesse Wol that we claim of him our gentilnesse For of our elders may we nothing claime But temporal thing that men may hurt and maime Eke euery wight wot this as wel as I If gentilnes were planted naturally Vnto a certain linage doun the line Preuy and aperte than wold they neuer fine To done of gentilnesse the fair office They might don no vilany ne vice Take fire and beare it into the derkest hous Bitwixt this and the mount Caucasus And let men shitte the dores and go thenne Yet wol the fire as fayre lye and brenne As twentie thousand men might it beholde His office naturall ay wol it holde Vp peril of my life till that it dye Here may ye se well how that gentrye Is not annexed to possession Sithen folke don not lier operacion Alway as doth the fire lo in his kinde For God it wot men may ful often finde A lordes sonne done shame and vilany And he that wol haue prise of his gentry For he was born of a gentil house And had his elders noble and vertuouse And nil him selfe don no gentil dedes Ne folow his gentle auncetre that deed is He nis not gentil be he duke or erle Fye villaines sinful dedes maketh a cherle For gentilnesse nis but the renomie Of thine aunceters for her high bountie Which is a strong thing to thy persone The gentilnesse commeth fro God alone Than cometh our very gentilnesse of grace It was nothing biqueth vs with our place Thinketh how noble as saith Valerius Was thilke Tullius Hostilius That out of pouertie rose to hie noblesse Redeth Seneck and redeth eke Boece There shall ye seen expresse no drede is That he is gentile that doth gentile dedis And therefore dere husbond I thus conclude Al were it that mine aunceters were rude Yet may that hie god and so hope I Graunt me grace to liue vertously Than am I gentil whan I beginne To liue vertuously and leuen sinne And there as ye of pouertie me repreue The hie God on whom that we bileue In wilful pouerte chese to lede his life And certes euery man maide and wife May vnderstond Jesu heuen king Ne would not chese a viciouse liuing Glad pouerte is an honest thing certain This wol Seneck and other clerkes saine Who so would holde him paide of his pouert I holde him riche all had he not shert He that coueiteth is a full poore wight For he wold han that is not in his might But he that nought hath ne conceiteth to haue Is rich although ye hold him but a knaue Very pouerte is sinne properly Juuenal saith of pouert merily The poore man whan he goeth by the way Biforne theues he may sing and play Pouert is hatefull good and as I gesse A full great bringer out of businesse A great amender eke of sapience To him that taketh it in pacience Pouert is although it seme elenge Possession that no wight wol challenge Pouerte ful often whan a man is lowe Maketh his god and eke himselfe to knowe Pouert a spectacle is as thinketh me Through which one may his very frends se. And therefore sin that I you not greue Of my pouert no more me repreue Now sir