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
others Arms embrac'd Rush to the conscious Bed a mutual Freight And heedless press it with their wonted Weight The sudden Bound awak'd the sleeping Sire And shew'd a Sight no Parent can desire His opening Eyes at once with odious View The Love discover'd and the Lover knew He would have cry'd but hoping that he dreamt Amazement ty'd his Tongue and stopp'd th' Attempt Th' ensuing Moment all the Truth declar'd But now he stood collected and prepar'd For Malice and Revenge had put him on his Guard So like a Lion that unheeded lay Dissembling Sleep and watchful to betray With inward Rage he meditates his Prey The thoughtless Pair indulging their Desires Alternate kindl'd and then quench'd their Fires Nor thinking in the Shades of Death they play'd Full of themselves themselves alone survey'd And too secure were by themselves betray'd Long time dissolv'd in Pleasure thus they lay Till Nature could no more suffice their Play Then rose the Youth and through the Cave again Return'd the Princess mingl'd with her Train Resolv'd his unripe Vengeance to defer The Royal Spy when now the Coast was clear Sought not the Garden but retir'd unseen To brood in secret on his gather'd Spleen And methodize Revenge To Death he griev'd And but he saw the Crime had scarce believ'd Th' Appointment for th' ensuing Night he heard And therefore in the Cavern had prepar'd Two brawny Yeomen of his trusty Guard Scarce had unwary Guiscard set his Foot Within the farmost Entrance of the Grot When these in secret Ambush ready lay And rushing on the sudden seiz'd the Prey Encumber'd with his Frock without Defence An easie Prize they led the Pris'ner thence And as commanded brought before the Prince The gloomy Sire too sensible of Wrong To vent his Rage in Words restrain'd his Tongue And only said Thus Servants are preferr'd And trusted thus their Sov'reigns they reward Had I not seen had not these Eyes receiv'd Too clear a Proof I could not have believ'd He paus'd and choak'd the rest The Youth who saw His forfeit Life abandon'd to the Law The Judge th' Accuser and th' Offence to him Who had both Pow'r and Will t' avenge the Crime No vain Defence prepar'd but thus reply'd The Faults of Love by Love are justifi'd With unresisted Might the Monarch reigns He levels Mountains and he raises Plains And not regarding Diff'rence of Degree Abas'd your Daughter and exalted me This bold Return with seeming Patience heard The Pris'ner was remitted to the Guard The sullen Tyrant slept not all the Night But lonely walking by a winking Light Sobb'd wept and groan'd and beat his wither'd Breast But would not violate his Daughters Rest Who long expecting lay for Bliss prepar'd Listning for Noise and griev'd that none she heard Oft rose and oft in vain employ'd the Key And oft accus'd her Lover of Delay And pass'd the tedious Hours in anxious Thoughts away The Morrow came and at his usual Hour Old Tancred visited his Daughters Bow'r Her Cheek for such his Custom was he kiss'd Then bless'd her kneeling and her Maids dismiss'd The Royal Dignity thus far maintain'd Now left in private he no longer feign'd But all at once his Grief and Rage appear'd And Floods of Tears ran trickling down his Beard O Sigismonda he began to say Thrice he began and thrice was forc'd to stay Till Words with often trying found their Way I thought O Sigismonda But how blind Are Parents Eyes their Childrens Faults to find Thy Vertue Birth and Breeding were above A mean Desire and vulgar Sense of Love Nor less than Sight and Hearing could convince So fond a Father and so just a Prince Of such an unforeseen and unbeliev'd Offence Then what indignant Sorrow must I have To see thee lie subjected to my Slave A Man so smelling of the Peoples Lee The Court receiv'd him first for Charity And since with no Degree of Honour grac'd But only suffer'd where he first was plac'd A grov'ling Infect still and so design'd By Natures Hand nor born of Noble Kind A Thing by neither Man nor Woman priz'd And scarcely known enough to be despis'd To what has Heav'n reserv'd my Age Ah! why Should Man when Nature calls not chuse to die Rather than stretch the Span of Life to find Such Ills as Fate has wisely cast behind For those to feel whom fond Desire to live Makes covetous of more than Life can give Each has his Share of Good and when 't is gone The Guest though hungry cannot rise too soon But I expecting more in my own wrong Protracting Life have liv'd a Day too long If Yesterday cou'd be recall'd again Ev'n now would I conclude my happy Reign But 't is too late my glorious Race is run And a dark Cloud o'ertakes my setting Sun Hadst thou not lov'd or loving sav'd the Shame If not the Sin by some Illustrious Name This little Comfort had reliev'd my Mind 'T was frailty not unusual to thy Kind But thy low Fall beneath thy Royal Blood Shews downward Appetite to mix with Mud Thus not the least Excuse is left for thee Nor the least Refuge for unhappy me For him I have resolv'd whom by Surprize I took and scarce can call it in Disguise For such was his Attire as with Intent Of Nature suited to his mean Descent The harder Question yet remains behind What Pains a Parent and a Prince can find To punish an Offence of this degenerate Kind As I have lov'd and yet I love thee more Than ever Father lov'd a Child before So that Indulgence draws me to forgive Nature that gave thee Life would have thee live But as a Publick Parent of the State My Justice and thy Crime requires thy Fate Fain would I chuse a middle Course to steer Nature 's too kind and Justice too severe Speak for us both and to the Balance bring On either side the Father and the King Heav'n knows my Heart is bent to favour thee Make it but scanty weight and leave the rest to me Here stopping with a Sigh he pour'd a Flood Of Tears to make his last Expression good She who had heard him speak nor saw alone The secret Conduct of her Love was known But he was taken who her Soul possess'd Felt all the Pangs of Sorrow in her Breast And little wanted but a Womans Heart With Cries and Tears had testifi'd her Smart But in-born Worth that Fortune can controul New strung and stiffer bent her softer Soul The Heroine assum'd the Womans Place Confirm'd her Mind and fortifi'd her Face Why should she beg or what cou'd she pretend When her stern Father had condemn'd her Friend Her Life she might have had but her Despair Of saving his had put it past her Care Resolv'd on Fate she would not lose her Breath But rather than not die sollicit Death Fix'd on this Thought she not as Women use Her Fault by common Frailty would excuse But boldly justifi'd her Innocence And while the Fact was
shou'd I grant thou didst not rightly see Then thou wert first deceiv'd and I deceiv'd by thee But if thou shalt alledge through Pride of Mind Thy Blood with one of base Condition join'd 'T is false for 't is not Baseness to be Poor His Poverty augments thy Crime the more Upbraids thy Justice with the scant Regard Of Worth Whom Princes praise they shou'd reward Are these the Kings intrusted by the Crowd With Wealth to be dispens'd for Common Good The People sweat not for their King's Delight T' enrich a Pimp or raise a Parasite Theirs is the Toil and he who well has serv'd His Country has his Countrys Wealth deserv'd Ev'n mighty Monarchs oft are meanly born And Kings by Birth to lowest Rank return All subject to the Pow'r of giddy Chance For Fortune can depress or can advance But true Nobility is of the Mind Not giv'n by Chance and not to Chance resign'd For the remaining Doubt of thy Decree What to resolve and how dispose of me Be warn'd to cast that useless Care aside My self alone will for my self provide If in thy doting and decrepit Age Thy Soul a Stranger in thy Youth to Rage Begins in cruel Deeds to take Delight Gorge with my Blood thy barb'rous Appetite For I so little am dispos'd to pray For Life I would not cast a Wish away Such as it is th' Offence is all my own And what to Guiscard is already done Or to be done is doom'd by thy Decree That if not executed first by thee Shall on my Person be perform'd by me Away with Women weep and leave me here Fix'd like a Man to die without a Tear Or save or slay us both this present Hour 'T is all that Fate has left within thy Pow'r She said Nor did her Father fail to find In all she spoke the Greatness of her Mind Yet thought she was not obstinate to die Nor deem'd the Death she promis'd was so nigh Secure in this Belief he left the Dame Resolv'd to spare her Life and save her Shame But that detested Object to remove To wreak his Vengeance and to cure her Love Intent on this a secret Order sign'd The Death of Guiscard to his Guards enjoin'd Strangling was chosen and the Night the Time A mute Revenge and blind as was the Crime His faithful Heart a bloody Sacrifice Torn from his Breast to glut the Tyrant's Eyes Clos'd the severe Command For Slaves to Pay What Kings decree the Soldier must obey Wag'd against Foes and when the Wars are o'er Fit only to maintain Despotick Pow'r Dang'rous to Freedom and desir'd alone By Kings who seek an Arbitrary Throne Such were these Guards as ready to have slain The Prince himself allur'd with greater gain So was the Charge perform'd with better Will By Men inur'd to Blood and exercis'd in Ill. Now though the sullen Sire had eas'd his Mind The Pomp of his Revenge was yet behind A Pomp prepar'd to grace the Present he design'd A Goblet rich with Gems and rough with Gold Of Depth and Breadth the precious Pledge to hold With cruel Care he chose The hollow Part Inclos'd the Lid conceal'd the Lover's Heart Then of his trusted Mischiefs one he sent And bad him with these Words the Gift present Thy Father sends thee this to cheer thy Breast And glad thy Sight with what thou lov'st the best As thou hast pleas'd his Eyes and joy'd his Mind With what he lov'd the most of Humane Kind E'er this the Royal Dame who well had weigh'd The Consequence of what her Sire had said Fix'd on her Fate against th' expected Hour Procur'd the Means to have it in her Pow'r For this she had distill'd with early Care The Juice of Simples friendly to Despair A Magazine of Death and thus prepar'd Secure to die the fatal Message heard Then smil'd severe nor with a troubl'd Look Or trembling Hand the Fun'ral Present took Ev'n kept her Count'nance when the Lid remov'd Disclos'd the Heart unfortunately lov'd She needed not be told within whose Breast It lodg'd the Message had explain'd the rest Or not amaz'd or hiding her Surprize She sternly on the Bearer fix'd her Eyes Then thus Tell Tancred on his Daughters part The Gold though precious equals not the Heart But he did well to give his best and I Who wish'd a worthier Urn forgive his Poverty At this she curb'd a Groan that else had come And pausing view'd the Present in the Tomb Then to the Heart ador'd devoutly glew'd Her Lips and raising it her Speech renew'd Ev'n from my Day of Birth to this the Bound Of my unhappy Being I have found My Father's Care and Tenderness express'd But this last Act of Love excels the rest For this so dear a Present bear him back The best Return that I can live to make The Messenger dispatch'd again she view'd The lov'd Remains and sighing thus pursu'd Source of my Life and Lord of my Desires In whom I liv'd with whom my Soul expires Poor Heart no more the Spring of Vital Heat Curs'd be the Hands that tore thee from thy Seat The Course is finish'd which thy Fates decreed And thou from thy Corporeal Prison freed Soon hast thou reach'd the Goal with mended Pace A World of Woes dispatch'd in little space Forc'd by thy Worth thy Foe in Death become Thy Friend has lodg'd thee in a costly Tomb There yet remain'd thy Fun'ral Exequies The weeping Tribute of thy Widows Eyes And those indulgent Heav'n has found the way That I before my Death have leave to pay My Father ev'n in Cruelty is kind Or Heav'n has turn'd the Malice of his Mind To better Uses than his Hate design'd And made th' Insult which in his Gift appears The Means to mourn thee with my pious Tears Which I will pay thee down before I go And save my self the Pains to weep below If Souls can weep though once I meant to meet My Fate with Face unmov'd and Eyes unwet Yet since I have thee here in narrow Room My Tears shall set thee first afloat within thy Tomb Then as I know thy Spirit hovers nigh Under thy friendly Conduct will I fly To Regions unexplor'd secure to share Thy State nor Hell shall Punishment appear And Heav'n is double Heav'n if thou art there She said Her brim-full Eyes that ready stood And only wanted Will to weep a Flood Releas'd their watry Store and pour'd amain Like Clouds low hung a sober Show'r of Rain Mute solemn Sorrow free from Female Noise Such as the Majesty of Grief destroys For bending o'er the Cup the Tears she shed Seem'd by the Posture to discharge her Head O'er-fill'd before and oft her Mouth apply'd To the cold Heart she kiss'd at once and cry'd Her Maids who stood amaz'd nor knew the Cause Of her Complaining nor whose Heart it was Yet all due Measures of her Mourning kept Did Office at the Dirge and by Infection wept And oft enquir'd th' Occasion of her Grief Unanswer'd
but by Sighs and offer'd vain Relief At length her Stock of Tears already shed She wip'd her Eyes she rais'd her drooping Head And thus pursu'd O ever faithful Heart I have perform'd the Ceremonial Part The Decencies of Grief It rests behind That as our Bodies were our Souls be join'd To thy whate'er abode my Shade convey And as an elder Ghost direct the way She said and bad the Vial to be brought Where she before had brew'd the deadly Draught First pouring out the med'cinable Bane The Heart her Tears had rins'd she bath'd again Then down her Throat the Death securely throws And quaffs a long Oblivion of her Woes This done she mounts the Genial Bed and there Her Body first compos'd with honest Care Attends the welcom Rest Her Hands yet hold Close to her Heart the Monumental Gold Nor farther Word she spoke but clos'd her Sight And quiet sought the Govert of the Night The Damsels who the while in Silence mourn'd Not knowing nor suspecting Death suborn'd Yet as their Duty was to Tancred sent Who conscious of th' Occasion fear'd th' Event Alarm'd and with presaging Heart he came And drew the Curtains and expos'd the Dame To loathsom Light then with a late Relief Made vain Efforts to mitigate her Grief She what she could excluding Day her Eyes Kept firmly seal'd and sternly thus replies Tancred restrain thy Tears unsought by me And Sorrow unavailing now to thee Did ever Man before afflict his Mind To see th' Effect of what himself design'd Yet if thou hast remaining in thy Heart Some Sense of Love some unextinguish'd Part Of former Kindness largely once profess'd Let me by that adjure thy harden'd Breast Not to deny thy Daughters last Request The secret Love which I so long enjoy'd And still conceal'd to gratifie thy Pride Thou hast disjoin'd but with my dying Breath Seek not I beg thee to disjoin our Death Where-e'er his Corps by thy Command is laid Thither let mine in publick be convey'd Expos'd in open View and Side by Side Acknowledg'd as a Bridegroom and a Bride The Prince's Anguish hinder'd his Reply And she who felt her Fate approaching nigh Seiz'd the cold Heart and heaving to her Breast Here precious Pledge she said securely rest These Accents were her last the creeping Death Benum'd her Senses first then stopp'd her Breath Thus she for Disobedience justly dy'd The Sire was justly punish'd for his Pride The Youth least guilty suffer'd for th' Offence Of Duty violated to his Prince Who late repenting of his cruel Deed One common Sepulcher for both decreed Intomb'd the wretched Pair in Royal State And on their Monument inscrib'd their Fate BAUCIS AND PHILEMON Out of the Eighth Book OF OVID'S Metamorphoses BAUCIS AND PHILEMON Out of the Eighth Book of OVID's METAMORPHOSES The Author pursuing the Deeds of Theseus relates how He with his Friend Perithous were invited by Achelous the River-God to stay with him till his Waters were abated Achelous entertains them with a Relation of his own Love to Perimele who was chang'd into an Island by Neptune at his Request Perithous being an Atheist derides the Legend and denies the Power of the Gods to work that Miracle Lelex another Companion of Theseus to constrm the Story of Achelous relates another Metamorphosis of Baucis and Philemon into Trees of which he was partly an Eye-witness THus Achelous ends His Audience hear With admiration and admiring fear The Pow'rs of Heav'n except Ixion's Son Who laugh'd at all the Gods believ'd in none He shook his impious Head and thus replies These Legends are no more than pious Lies You attribute too much to Heavenly Sway To think they give us Forms and take away The rest of better Minds their Sense declar'd Against this Doctrine and with Horrour heard Then Lelex rose an old experienc'd Man And thus with sober Gravity began Heav'ns Pow'r is Infinite Earth Air and Sea The Manufacture Mass the making Pow'r obey By Proof to clear your Doubt In Phrygian Ground Two neighb'ring Trees with Walls encompass'd round Stand on a mod'rate Rise with wonder shown One a hard Oak a softer Linden one I saw the Place and them by Pittheus sent To Phrygian Realms my Grandsire's Government Not far from thence is seen a Lake the Haunt Of Coots and of the fishing Cormorant Here Jove with Hermes came but in Disguise Of mortal Men conceal'd their Deities One laid aside his Thunder one his Rod And many toilsom Steps together trod For Harbour at a thousand Doors they knock'd Not one of all the thousand but was lock'd At last an hospitable House they found A homely Shed the Roof not far from Ground Was thatch'd with Reeds and Straw together bound There Baucis and Philemon liv'd and there Had liv'd long marry'd and a happy Pair Now old in Love though little was their Store Inur'd to Want their Poverty they bore Nor aim'd at Wealth professing to be poor For Master or for Servant here to call Was all alike where only Two were All. Command was none where equal Love was paid Or rather both commanded both obey'd From lofty Roofs the Gods repuls'd before Now stooping enter'd through the little Door The Man their hearty Welcome first express'd A common Settle drew for either Guest Inviting each his weary Limbs to rest But e'er they sat officious Baucis lays Two Cushions stuff'd with Straw the Seat to raise Course but the best she had then rakes the Load Of Ashes from the Hearth and spreads abroad The living Coals and lest they shou'd expire With Leaves and Barks she feeds her Infant-fire It smoaks and then with trembling Breath she blows Till in a chearful Blaze the Flames arose With Brush-wood and with Chips she strengthens these And adds at last the Boughs of rotten Trees The Fire thus form'd she sets the Kettle on Like burnish'd Gold the little Seether shone Next took the Coleworts which her Husband got From his own Ground a small well-water'd Spot She stripp'd the Stalks of all their Leaves the best She cull'd and then with handy-care she dress'd High o'er the Hearth a Chine of Bacon hung Good old Philemon seiz'd it with a Prong And from the sooty Rafter drew it down Then cut a Slice but scarce enough for one Yet a large Portion of a little Store Which for their Sakes alone he wish'd were more This in the Pot he plung'd without delay To tame the Flesh and drain the Salt away The Time between before the Fire they sat And shorten'd the Delay by pleasing Chat. A Beam there was on which a Beechen Pail Hung by the Handle on a driven Nail This fill'd with Water gently warm'd they set Before their Guests in this they bath'd their Feet And after with clean Towels dry'd their Sweat This done the Host produc'd the genial Bed Sallow the Feet the Borders and the Sted Which with no costly Coverlet they spread But course old Garments yet such Robes as these They laid alone at
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
Knight was present to her Mind And anxious oft she started on the way And thought the Horseman-Ghost came thundring for his Prey Return'd she took her Bed with little Rest But in short Slumbers dreamt the Funeral Feast Awak'd she turn'd her Side and slept again The same black Vapors mounted in her Brain And the same Dreams return'd with double Pain Now forc'd to wake because afraid to sleep Her Blood all Fever'd with a furious Leap She sprung from Bed distracted in her Mind And fear'd at ev'ry Step a twitching Spright behind Darkling and desp'rate with a stagg'ring pace Of Death afraid and conscious of Disgrace Fear Pride Remorse at once her Heart assail'd Pride put Remorse to flight but Fear prevail'd Friday the fatal Day when next it came Her Soul forethought the Fiend would change his Game And her pursue or Theodore be slain And two Ghosts join their Packs to hunt her o'er the Plain This dreadful Image so possess'd her Mind That desp'rate any Succour else to find She ceas'd all farther hope and now began To make reflection on th' unhappy Man Rich Brave and Young who past expression lov'd Proof to Disdain and not to be remov'd Of all the Men respected and admir'd Of all the Dames except her self desir'd Why not of her Preferr'd above the rest By him with Knightly Deeds and open Love profess'd So had another been where he his Vows address'd This quell'd her Pride yet other Doubts remain'd That once disdaining she might be disdain'd The Fear was just but greater Fear prevail'd Fear of her Life by hellish Hounds assail'd He took a low'ring leave but who can tell What outward Hate might inward Love conceal Her Sexes Arts she knew and why not then Might deep dissembling have a place in Men Here Hope began to dawn resolv'd to try She fix'd on this her utmost Remedy Death was behind but hard it was to die T was time enough at last on Death to call The Precipice in sight A Shrub was all That kindly stood betwixt to break the fatal fall One Maid she had belov'd above the rest Secure of her the Secret she confess'd And now the chearful Light her Fears dispell'd She with no winding turns the Truth conceal'd But put the Woman off and stood reveal'd With Faults confess'd commission'd her to go If Pity yet had place and reconcile her Foe The welcom Message made was soon receiv'd 'T was what he wish'd and hop'd but scarce believ'd Fate seem'd a fair occasion to present He knew the Sex and fear'd she might repent Should he delay the moment of Consent There yet remain'd to gain her Friends a Care The modesty of Maidens well might spare But she with such a Zeal the Cause embrac'd As Women where they will are all in hast That Father Mother and the Kin beside Were overborn by fury of the Tide With full consent of all she chang'd her State Resistless in her Love as in her Hate By her Example warn'd the rest beware More Easy less Imperious were the Fair And that one Hunting which the Devil design'd For one fair Female lost him half the Kind CEYX AND ALCYONE Connection of this Fable with the former Ceyx the Son of Lucifer the Morning Star and King of Trachin in Thessaly was married to Alcyone Daughter to AEolus God of the Winds Both the Husband and the Wife lov'd each other with an entire Affection Daedalion the Elder Brother of Ceyx whom he succeeded having been turn'd into a Falcon by Apollo and Chione Daedalion's Daughter slain by Diana Ceyx prepares a Ship to sail to Claros there to consult the Oracle of Apollo and as Ovid seems to intimate to enquire how the Anger of the Gods might be atton'd THESE Prodigies afflict the pious Prince But more perplex'd with those that happen'd since He purposes to seek the Clarian God Avoiding Delphos his more fam'd Abode Since Phlegyan Robbers made unsafe the Road. Yet cou'd he not from her he lov'd so well The fatal Voyage he resolv'd conceal But when she saw her Lord prepar'd to part A deadly Cold ran shiv'ring to her Heart Her faded Cheeks are chang'd to Boxen Hue And in her Eyes the Tears are ever new She thrice assay'd to Speak her Accents hung And faltring dy'd unfinish'd on her Tongue Or vanish'd into Sighs With long delay Her Voice return'd and found the wonted way Tell me my Lord she said what Fault unknown Thy once belov'd Alcyone has done Whether ah whether is thy Kindness gone Can Ceyx then sustain to leave his Wife And unconcern'd forsake the Sweets of Life What can thy Mind to this long Journey move Or need'st thou absence to renew thy Love Yet if thou go'st by Land tho' Grief possess My Soul ev'n then my Fears will be the less But ah be warn'd to shun the Watry Way The Face is frightful of the stormy Sea For late I saw a-drift disjointed Planks And empty Tombs erected on the Banks Nor let false Hopes to trust betray thy Mind Because my Sire in Caves constrains the Wind Can with a Breath their clam'rous Rage appease They fear his Whistle and forsake the Seas Not so for once indulg'd they sweep the Main Deaf to the Call or hearing hear in vain But bent on Mischief bear the Waves before And not content with Seas insult the Shoar When Ocean Air and Earth at once ingage And rooted Forrests fly before their Rage At once the clashing Clouds to Battle move And Lightnings run across the Fields above I know them well and mark'd their rude Comport While yet a Child within my Father's Court In times of Tempest they command alone And he but sits precarious on the Throne The more I know the more my Fears augment And Fears are oft prophetick of th' event But if not Fears or Reasons will prevail If Fate has fix'd thee obstinate to sail Go not without thy Wife but let me bear My part of Danger with an equal share And present what I suffer only fear Then o'er the bounding Billows shall we fly Secure to live together or to die These Reasons mov'd her starlike Husband's Heart But still he held his Purpose to depart For as he lov'd her equal to his Life He wou'd not to the Seas expose his Wife Nor cou'd be wrought his Voyage to refrain But sought by Arguments to sooth her Pain Nor these avail'd at length he lights on one With which so difficult a Cause he won My Love so short an absence cease to fear For by my Father's holy Flame I swear Before two Moons their Orb with Light adorn If Heav'n allow me Life I will return This Promise of so short a stay prevails He soon equips the Ship supplies the Sails And gives the Word to launch she trembling views This pomp of Death and parting Tears renews Last with a Kiss she took a long farewel Sigh'd with a sad Presage and swooning fell While Ceyx seeks Delays the lusty Crew Rais'd on their Banks their Oars
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
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
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
pious Love And where the Pains with which ten Months I strove Ah! hadst thou dy'd my Son in Infant-years Thy little Herse had been bedew'd with Tears Thou liv'st by me to me thy Breath resign Mine is the Merit the Demerit thine Thy Life by double Title I require Once giv'n at Birth and once preserv'd from Fire One Murder pay or add one Murder more And me to them who fell by thee restore I wou'd but cannot My Son's Image stands Before my Sight and now their angry Hands My Brothers hold and Vengeance these exact This pleads Compassion and repents the Fact He pleads in vain and I pronounce his Doom My Brothers though unjustly shall o'ercome But having paid their injur'd Ghosts their Due My Son requires my Death and mine shall his pursue At this for the last time she lifts her Hand Averts her Eyes and half unwilling drops the Brand. The Brand amid the flaming Fewel thrown Or drew or seem'd to draw a dying Groan The Fires themselves but faintly lick'd their Prey Then loath'd their impious Food and wou'd have shrunk away Just then the Heroe cast a doleful Cry And in those absent Flames began to fry The blind Contagion rag'd within his Veins But he with manly Patience bore his Pains He fear'd not Fate but only griev'd to die Without an honest Wound and by a Death so dry Happy Ancaeus thrice aloud he cry'd With what becoming Fate in Arms he dy'd Then call'd his Brothers Sisters Sire around And her to whom his Nuptial Vows were bound Perhaps his Mother a long Sigh he drew And his Voice failing took his last Adieu For as the Flames augment and as they stay At their full Height then languish to decay They rise and sink by Fits at last they soar In one bright Blaze and then descend no more Just so his inward Heats at height impair Till the last burning Breath shoots out the Soul in Air. Now lofty Calidon in Ruines lies All Ages all Degrees unsluice their Eyes And Heav'n Earth resound with Murmurs Groans Cries Matrons and Maidens beat their Breasts and tear Their Habits and root up their scatter'd Hair The wretched Father Father now no more With Sorrow sunk lies prostrate on the Floor Deforms his hoary Locks with Dust obscene And curses Age and Ioaths a Life prolong'd with Pain By Steel her stubborn Soul his Mother freed And punish'd on her self her impious Deed. Had I a hundred Tongues a Wit so large As cou'd their hundred Offices discharge Had Phoebus all his Helicon bestow'd In all the Streams inspiring all the God Those Tongues that Wit those Streams that God in vain Wou'd offer to describe his Sisters pain They beat their Breasts with many a bruizing Blow Till they turn'd livid and corrupt the Snow The Corps they cherish while the Corps remains And exercise and rub with fruitless Pains And when to Fun'ral Flames 't is born away They kiss the Bed on which the Body lay And when those Fun'ral Flames no longer burn The Dust compos'd within a pious Urn Ev'n in that Urn their Brother they confess And hug it in their Arms and to their Bosoms press His Tomb is rais'd then stretch'd along the Ground Those living Monuments his Tomb surround Ev'n to his Name inscrib'd their Tears they pay Till Tears and Kisses wear his Name away But Cynthia now had all her Fury spent Not with less Ruine than a Race content Excepting Gorge perish'd all the Seed And * Dejanira Her whom Heav'n for Hercules decreed Satiate at last no longer she pursu'd The weeping Sisters but with Wings endu'd And Horny Beaks and sent to flit in Air Who yearly round the Tomb in Feather'd Flocks repair SIGISMONDA AND GUISCARDO FROM BOCCACE SIGISMONDA AND GUISCARDO FROM BOCCACE WHile Norman Tancred in Salerno reign'd The Title of a Gracious Prince he gain'd Till turn'd a Tyrant in his latter Days He lost the Lustre of his former Praise And from the bright Meridian where he stood Descending dipp'd his Hands in Lovers Blood This Prince of Fortunes Favour long possess'd Yet was with one fair Daughter only bless'd And bless'd he might have been with her alone But oh how much more happy had he none She was his Care his Hope and his Delight Most in his Thought and ever in his Sight Next nay beyond his Life he held her dear She liv'd by him and now he liv'd in her For this when ripe for Marriage he delay'd Her Nuptial Bands and kept her long a Maid As envying any else should share a Part Of what was his and claiming all her Heart At length as Publick Decency requir'd And all his Vassals eagerly desir'd With Mind averse he rather underwent His Peoples Will than gave his own Consent So was she torn as from a Lover's Side And made almost in his despite a Bride Short were her Marriage-Joys for in the Prime Of Youth her Lord expir'd before his time And to her Father's Court in little space Restor'd anew she held a higher Place More lov'd and more exalted into Grace This Princess fresh and young and fair and wise The worshipp'd Idol of her Father's Eyes Did all her Sex in ev'ry Grace exceed And had more Wit beside than Women need Youth Health and Ease and most an amorous Mind To second Nuptials had her Thoughts inclin'd And former Joys had left a secret Sting behind But prodigal in ev'ry other Grant Her Sire left unsupply'd her only Want And she betwixt her Modesty and Pride Her Wishes which she could not help would hide Resolv'd at last to lose no longer Time And yet to please her self without a Crime She cast her Eyes around the Court to find A worthy Subject suiting to her Mind To him in holy Nuptials to be ty'd A seeming Widow and a secret Bride Among the Train of Courtiers one she found With all the Gifts of bounteous Nature crown'd Of gentle Blood but one whose niggard Fate Had set him far below her high Estate Guiscard his Name was call'd of blooming Age Now Squire to Tancred and before his Page To him the Choice of all the shining Crowd Her Heart the noble Sigismonda vow'd Yet hitherto she kept her Love conceal'd And with close Glances ev'ry Day beheld The graceful Youth and ev'ry Day increas'd The raging Fire that burn'd within her Breast Some secret Charm did all his Acts attend And what his Fortune wanted hers could mend Till as the Fire will force its outward way Or in the Prison pent consume the Prey So long her earnest Eyes on his were set At length their twisted Rays together met And he surpriz'd with humble Joy survey'd One sweet Regard shot by the Royal Maid Not well assur'd while doubtful Hopes he nurs'd A second Glance came gliding like the first And he who saw the Sharpness of the Dart Without Defence receiv'd it in his Heart In Publick though their Passion wanted Speech Yet mutual Looks interpreted for each Time Ways and Means
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
never must the Council share One gracious Word is for a Wife too much Such is a Marriage-Vow and Jove's own Faith is such Then thus the Sire of Gods and Men below What I have hidden hope not thou to know Ev'n Goddesses are Women And no Wife Has Pow'r to regulate her Husband's Life Counsel she may and I will give thy Ear The Knowledge first of what is fit to hear What I transact with others or alone Beware to learn nor press too near the Throne To whom the Goddess with the charming Eyes What hast thou said O Tyrant of the Skies When did I search the Secrets of thy Reign Though priviledg'd to know but priviledg'd in vain But well thou dost to hide from common Sight Thy close Intrigues too bad to bear the Light Nor doubt I but the Silver-footed Dame Tripping from Sea on such an Errand came To grace her Issue at the Grecians Cost And for one peevish Man destroy an Host. To whom the Thund'rer made this stern Reply My Houshold Curse my lawful Plague the Spy Of Jove's Designs his other squinting Eye Why this vain prying and for what avail Jove will be Master still and Juno fail Shou'd thy suspicious Thoughts divine aright Thou but becom'st more odlous to my Sight For this Attempt uneasy Life to me Still watch'd and importun'd but worse for thee Curb that impetuous Tongue before too late The Gods behold and tremble at thy Fate Pitying but daring not in thy Defence To lift a Hand against Omnipotence This heard the Imperious Queen sate mute with Fear Nor further durst incense the gloomy Thunderer Silence was in the Court at this Rebuke Nor cou'd the Gods abash'd sustain their Sov'reigns Look The Limping Smith observ'd the sadden'd Feast And hopping here and there himself a Jest Put in his Word that neither might offend To Jove obsequious yet his Mother's Friend What end in Heav'n will be of civil War If Gods of Pleasure will for Mortals jar Such Discord but disturbs our Jovial Feast One Grain of Bad embitters all the best Mother tho' wise your self my Counsel weigh 'T is much unsafe my Sire to disobey Not only you provoke him to your Cost But Mirth is marr'd and the good Chear is lost Tempt not his heavy Hand for he has Pow'r To throw you Headlong from his Heav'nly Tow'r But one submissive 〈◊〉 which you let fall Will make 〈◊〉 good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All. He said no more but crown'd a Bowl unbid The laughing Nectar overlook'd the Lid Then put it to her Hand and thus pursu'd This cursed Quarrel be no more renew'd Be as becomes a Wife 〈◊〉 still Though griev'd yet subject to her Husband 's Will. I wou'd not see you beaten yet affraid Of Jove's superiour Force I dare not aid Too well I know him since that hapless Hour When I and all the Gods employ'd our Pow'r To break your Bonds Me by the Heel he drew And o'er Heav'n's Battlements with Fury threw All Day I fell My Flight at Morn begun And ended not but with the setting Sun Pitch'd on my Head at length the Lemnian ground Receiv'd my batter'd Skull the Sinthians heal'd my Wound At Vulcan's homely Mirth his Mother smil'd And smiling took the Cup the Clown had fill'd The Reconciler Bowl went round the Board Which empty'd the rude Skinker still restor'd Loud Fits of Laughter seiz'd the Guests to see The limping God so deft at his new Ministry The Feast continu'd till declining Light They drank they laugh'd they lov'd and then 't was Night Nor wanted tuneful Harp nor vocal Quire The Muses sung Apollo touch'd the Lyre Drunken at last and drowsy they depart Each to his House Adorn'd with labour'd Art Of the lame Architect The thund'ring God Ev'n he withdrew to rest and had his Load His swimming Head to needful Sleep apply'd And Juno lay unheeded by his Side THE COCK and the FOX OR THE TALE OF THE NUN's PRIEST FROM CHAUCER THE COCK and the FOX OR THE TALE OF THE NUN's PRIEST THere liv'd as Authors tell in Days of Yore A Widow somewhat old and very poor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cottage lonely stood Well thatch'd and under covert of a Wood. This Dowager on whom my Tale I found Since last she laid her Husband in the Ground A simple sober Life in patience led And had but just enough to buy her Bread But Huswifing the little Heav'n had lent She duly paid a Groat for Quarter-Rent A Yard she had with Pales enclos'd about Some high some low and a dry Ditch without Within this Homestead liv'd without a Peer For crowing loud the noble Chanticleer So hight her Cock whose singing did surpass The merry Notes of Organs at the Mass. More certain was the crowing of a Cock To number Hours than is an Abbey-clock And sooner than the Mattin-Bell was rung He clap'd his Wings upon his Roost and sung For when Degrees fifteen ascended right By sure Instinct he knew 't was One at Night High was his Comb and Coral-red withal In dents embattel'd like a Castle-Wall His Bill was Raven-black and shon like Jet Blue were his Legs and Orient were his Feet White were his Nails like Silver to behold His Body glitt'ring like the burnish'd Gold This gentle Cock for solace of his Life Six Misses had beside his lawful Wife Scandal that spares no King tho' ne'er so good Says they were all of his own Flesh and Blood His Sisters both by Sire and Mother's side And sure their likeness show'd them near ally'd But make the worst the Monarch did no more Than all the Ptolomey's had done before When Incest is for Int'rest of a Nation 'T is made no Sin by Holy Dispensation Some Lines have been maintain'd by this alone Which by their common Ugliness are known But passing this as from our Tale apart Dame Partlet was the Soveraign of his Heart Ardent in Love outragious in his Play He feather'd her a hundred times a Day And she that was not only passing fair But was withal discreet and debonair Resolv'd the passive Doctrin to fulfil Tho' loath And let him work his wicked Will At Board and Bed was affable and kind According as their Marriage-Vow did bind And as the Churches Precept had enjoin'd Ev'n since she was a Sennight old they say Was chast and humble to her dying Day Nor Chick nor Hen was known to disobey By this her Husband's Heart she did obtain What cannot Beauty join'd with Virtue gain She was his only Joy and he her Pride She when he walk'd went pecking by his side If spurning up the Ground he sprung a Corn The Tribute in his Bill to her was born But oh what Joy it was to hear him sing In Summer when the Day began to spring Stretching his Neck and warbling in his Throat Solus cum Sola then was all his Note For in the Days of Yore the Birds of Parts Were bred to Speak and Sing and learn the lib'ral Arts. It happ'd that perching on the
Parlor-beam Amidst his Wives he had a deadly Dream Just at the Dawn and sigh'd and groan'd so fast As ev'ry Breath he drew wou'd be his last Dame Partlet ever nearest to his Side Heard all his piteous Moan and how he cry'd For Help from Gods and Men And sore aghast She peck'd and pull'd and waken'd him at last Dear Heart said she for Love of Heav'n declare Your Pain and make me Partner of your Care You groan Sir ever since the Morning-light As something had disturb'd your noble Spright And Madam well I might said Chanticleer Never was Shrovetide-Cock in such a fear Ev'n still I run all over in a Sweat My Princely Senses not recover'd yet For such a Dream I had of dire Portent That much I fear my Body will be shent It bodes I shall have Wars and woful Strife Or in a loathsom Dungeon end my Life Know Dame I dreamt within my troubled Breast That in our Yard I saw a murd'rous Beast That on my Body would have made Arrest With waking Eyes I ne'er beheld his Fellow His Colour was betwixt a Red and Yellow Tipp'd was his Tail and both his pricking Ears With black and much unlike his other Hairs The rest in shape a Beagle's Whelp throughout With broader Forehead and a sharper Snout Deep in his Front were sunk his glowing Eyes That yet methinks I see him with Surprize Reach out your Hand I drop with clammy Sweat And lay it to my Heart and feel it beat Now fy for Shame quoth she by Heav'n above Thou hast for ever lost thy Ladies Love No Woman can endure a Recreant Knight He must be bold by Day and free by Night Our Sex desires a Husband or a Friend Who can our Honour and his own defend Wise Hardy Secret lib'ral of his Purse A Fool is nauseous but a Coward worse No bragging Coxcomb yet no baffled Knight How dar'st thou talk of Love and dar'st not Fight How dar'st thou tell thy Dame thou art affer'd Hast thou no manly Heart and hast a Beard If ought from fearful Dreams may be divin'd They signify a Cock of Dunghill-kind All Dreams as in old Gallen I have read Are from Repletion and Complexion bred From rising Fumes of indigested Food And noxious Humors that infect the Blood And sure my Lord if I can read aright These foolish Fancies you have had to Night Are certain Symptoms in the canting Style Of boiling Choler and abounding Bile This yellow Gaul that in your Stomach floats Ingenders all these visionary Thoughts When Choler overflows then Dreams are bred Of Flames and all the Family of Red Red Dragons and red Beasts in sleep we view For Humors are distinguish'd by their Hue. From hence we dream of Wars and Warlike Things And Wasps and Hornets with their double Wings Choler adust congeals our Blood with Fear Then black Bulls toss us and black Devils tear In sanguine airy Dreams aloft we bound With Rhumes oppress'd we sink in Rivers drown'd More I could say but thus conclude my Theme The dominating Humour makes the Dream Cato was in his time accounted Wise And he condemns them all for empty Lies Take my Advice and when we fly to Ground With Laxatives preserve your Body sound And purge the peccant Humors that abound I should be Ioath to lay you on a Bier And though there lives no ' Pothecary near I dare for once prescribe for your Disease And save long Bills and a damn'd Doctor 's Fees Two Soveraign Herbs which I by practise know And both at Hand for in our Yard they grow On peril of my Soul shall rid you wholly Of yellow Choler and of Melancholy You must both Purge and Vomit but obey And for the love of Heav'n make no delay Since hot and dry in your Complexion join Beware the Sun when in a vernal Sign For when he mounts exalted in the Ram If then he finds your Body in a Flame Replete with Choler I dare lay a Groat A Tertian Ague is at least your Lot Perhaps a Fever which the Gods forefend May bring your Youth to some untimely end And therefore Sir as you desire to live A Day or two before your Laxative Take just three Worms nor over nor above Because the Gods unequal Numbers love These Digestives prepare you for your Purge Of Fumetery Centaury and Spurge And of Ground-Ivy add a Leaf or two All which within our Yard or Garden grow Eat these and be my Lord of better Cheer Your Father's Son was never born to fear Madam quoth he Grammercy for your Care But Cato whom you quoted you may spare 'T is true a wise and worthy Man he seems And as you say gave no belief to Dreams But other Men of more Authority And by th' Immortal Pow'rs as wise as He Maintain with sounder Sense that Dreams forbode For Homer plainly says they come from God Nor Cato said it But some modern Fool Impos'd in Cato's Name on Boys at School Believe me Madam Morning Dreams foreshow Th' events of Things and future Weal or Woe Some Truths are not by Reason to be try'd But we have sure Experience for our Guide An ancient Author equal with the best Relates this Tale of Dreams among the rest Two Friends or Brothers with devout Intent On some far Pilgrimage together went It happen'd so that when the Sun was down They just arriv'd by twilight at a Town That Day had been the baiting of a Bull 'T was at a Feast and ev'ry Inn so full That no void Room in Chamber or on Ground And but one sorry Bed was to be found And that so little it would hold but one Though till this Hour they never lay alone So were they forc'd to part one stay'd behind His Fellow sought what Lodging he could find At last he found a Stall where Oxen stood And that he rather chose than lie abroad 'T was in a farther Yard without a Door But for his ease well litter'd was the Floor His Fellow who the narrow Bed had kept Was weary and without a Rocker slept Supine he snor'd but in the dead of Night He dreamt his Friend appear'd before his Sight Who with a ghastly Look and doleful Cry Said help me Brother or this Night I die Arise and help before all Help be vain Or in an Oxes Stall I shall be slain Rowz'd from his Rest he waken'd in a start Shiv'ring with Horror and with aking Heart At length to cure himself by Reason tries 'T was but a Dream and what are Dreams but Lies So thinking chang'd his Side and clos'd his Eyes His Dream returns his Friend appears again The Murd'rers come now help or I am slain 'T was but a Vision still and Visions are but vain He dreamt the third But now his Friend appear'd Pale naked pierc'd with Wounds with Blood besmear'd Thrice warn'd awake said he Relief is late The Deed is done but thou revenge my Fate Tardy of Aid unseal thy heavy Eyes Awake and with
think it was to give consent But struggling with his own Desires he went With large Expence and with a pompous Train Provided as to visit France or Spain Or for some distant Voyage o'er the Main But Love had clipp'd his Wings and cut him short Confin'd within the purlieus of his Court Three Miles he went nor farther could retreat His Travels ended at his Country-Seat To Chassis pleasing Plains he took his way There pitch'd his Tents and there resolv'd to stay The Spring was in the Prime the neighb'ring Grove Supply'd with Birds the Choristers of Love Musick unbought that minister'd Delight To Morning-walks and lull'd his Cares by Night There he discharg'd his Friends but not th' Expence Of frequent Treats and proud Magnificence He liv'd as Kings retire though more at large From publick Business yet with equal Charge With House and Heart still open to receive As well content as Love would give him leave He would have liv'd more free but many a Guest Who could forsake the Friend pursu'd the Feast It happ'd one Morning as his Fancy led Before his usual Hour he left his Bed To walk within a lonely Lawn that stood On ev'ry side surrounded by the Wood Alone he walk'd to please his pensive Mind And sought the deepest Solitude to find 'T was in a Grove of spreading Pines he stray'd The Winds within the quiv'ring Branches plaid And Dancing-Trees a mournful Musick made The Place it self was suiting to his Care Uncouth and Salvage as the cruel Fair. He wander'd on unknowing where he went Lost in the Wood and all on Love intent The Day already half his Race had run And summon'd him to due Repast at Noon But Love could feel no Hunger but his own While list'ning to the murm'ring Leaves he stood More than a Mile immers'd within the Wood At once the Wind was laid the whisp'ring sound Was dumb a rising Earthquake rock'd the Ground With deeper Brown the Grove was overspred A suddain Horror seiz'd his giddy Head And his Ears tinckled and his Colour fled Nature was in alarm some Danger nigh Seem'd threaten'd though unseen to mortal Eye Unus'd to fear he summon'd all his Soul And stood collected in himself and whole Not long For soon a Whirlwind rose around And from afar he heard a screaming sound As of a Dame distress'd who cry'd for Aid And fill'd with loud Laments the secret Shade A Thicket close beside the Grove there stood With Breers and Brambles choak'd and dwarfish Wood From thence the Noise Which now approaching near With more distinguish'd Notes invades his Ear He rais'd his Head and saw a beauteous Maid With Hair dishevell'd issuing through the Shade Stripp'd of her Cloaths and e'en those Parts reveal'd Which modest Nature keeps from Sight conceal'd Her Face her Hands her naked Limbs were torn With passing through the Brakes and prickly Thorn Two Mastiffs gaunt and grim her Flight pursu'd And oft their fasten'd Fangs in Blood embru'd Oft they came up and pinch'd her tender Side Mercy O Mercy Heav'n she ran and cry'd When Heav'n was nam'd they loos'd their Hold again Then sprung she forth they follow'd her amain Not far behind a Knight of swarthy Face High on a Coal-black Steed pursu'd the Chace With flashing Flames his ardent Eyes were fill'd And in his Hands a naked Sword he held He chear'd the Dogs to follow her who fled And vow'd Revenge on her devoted Head As Theodore was born of noble Kind The brutal Action rowz'd his manly Mind Mov'd with unworthy Usage of the Maid He though unarm'd resolv'd to give her Aid A Saplin Pine he wrench'd from out the Ground The readiest Weapon that his Fury found Thus furnish'd for Offence he cross'd the way Betwixt the graceless Villain and his Prey The Knight came thund'ring on but from afar Thus in imperious Tone forbad the War Cease Theodore to proffer vain Relief Nor stop the vengeance of so just a Grief But give me leave to seize my destin'd Prey And let eternal Justice take the way I but revenge my Fate disdain'd betray'd And suff'ring Death for this ungrateful Maid He say'd at once dismounting from the Steed For now the Hell-hounds with superiour Speed Had reach'd the Dame and fast'ning on her Side The Ground with issuing Streams of Purple dy'd Stood Theodore surpriz'd in deadly Fright With chatt'ring Teeth and bristling Hair upright Yet arm'd with inborn Worth What e'er said he Thou art who know'st me better than I thee Or prove thy rightful Cause or be defy'd The Spectre fiercely staring thus reply'd Know Theodore thy Ancestry I claim And Guido Cavalcanti was my Name One common Sire our Fathers did beget My Name and Story some remember yet Thee then a Boy within my Arms I laid When for my Sins I lov'd this haughty Maid Not less ador'd in Life nor serv'd by Me Than proud Honoria now is lov'd by Thee What did I not her stubborn Heart to gain But all my Vows were answer'd with Disdain She scorn'd my Sorrows and despis'd my Pain Long time I dragg'd my Days in fruitless Care Then loathing Life and plung'd in deep Despair To finish my unhappy Life I fell On this sharp Sword and now am damn'd in Hell Short was her Joy for soon th' insulting Maid By Heav'n's Decree in the cold Grave was laid And as in unrepenting Sin she dy'd Doom'd to the same bad Place is punish'd for her Pride Because she deem'd I well deserv'd to die And made a Merit of her Cruelty There then we met both try'd and both were cast And this irrevocable Sentence pass'd That she whom I so long pursu'd in vain Should suffer from my Hands a lingring Pain Renew'd to Life that she might daily die I daily doom'd to follow she to fly No more a Lover but a mortal Foe I seek her Life for Love is none below As often as my Dogs with better speed Arrest her Flight is she to Death decreed Then with this fatal Sword on which I dy'd I pierce her open'd Back or tender Side And tear that harden'd Heart from out her Breast Which with her Entrails makes my hungry Hounds a Feast Nor lies she long but as her Fates ordain Springs up to Life and fresh to second Pain Is sav'd to Day to Morrow to be slain This vers'd in Death th' infernal Knight relates And then for Proof fulfill'd their common Fates Her Heart and Bowels through her Back he drew And fed the Hounds that help'd him to pursue Stern'd look'd the Fiend as frustrate of his Will Not half suffic'd and greedy yet to kill And now the Soul expiring through the Wound Had left the Body breathless on the Ground When thus the grisly Spectre spoke again Behold the Fruit of ill-rewarded Pain As many Months as I sustain'd her Hate So many Years is she condemn'd by Fate To daily Death and ev'ry several Place Conscious of her Disdain and my Disgrace Must witness her just Punishment and be A Scene of
Triumph and Revenge to me As in this Grove I took my last Farewel As on this very spot of Earth I fell As Friday saw me die so she my Prey Becomes ev'n here on this revolving Day Thus while he spoke the Virgin from the Ground Upstarted fresh already clos'd the Wound And unconcern'd for all she felt before Precipitates her Flight along the Shore The Hell-hounds as ungorg'd with Flesh and Blood Pursue their Prey and seek their wonted Food The Fiend remounts his Courser mends his Pace And all the Vision vanish'd from the Place Long stood the noble Youth oppress'd with Awe And stupid at the wond'rous Things he saw Surpassing common Faith transgressing Nature's Law He would have been asleep and wish'd to wake But Dreams he knew no long Impression make Though strong at first If Vision to what end But such as must his future State portend His Love the Damsel and himself the Fiend But yet reflecting that it could not be From Heav'n which cannot impious Acts decree Resolv'd within himself to shun the Snare Which Hell for his Distruction did prepare And as his better Genius should direct From an ill Cause to draw a good effect Inspir'd from Heav'n he homeward took his way Nor pall'd his new Design with long delay But of his Train a trusty Servant sent To call his Friends together at his Tent. They came and usual Salutations paid With Words premeditated thus he said What you have often counsell'd to remove My vain pursuit of unreguarded Love By Thrift my sinking Fortune to repair Tho' late yet is at last become my Care My Heart shall be my own my vast Expence Reduc'd to bounds by timely Providence This only I require invite for me Honoria with her Father's Family Her Friends and mine the Cause I shall display On Friday next for that 's th' appointed Day Well pleas'd were all his Friends the Task was light The Father Mother Daughter they invite Hardly the Dame was drawn to this repast But yet resolv'd because it was the last The Day was come the Guests invited came And with the rest th'inexorable Dame A Feast prepar'd with riotons Expence Much Cost more Care and most Magnificence The Place ordain'd was in that haunted Grove Where the revenging Ghost pursu'd his Love The Tables in a proud Pavilion spred With Flow'rs below and Tissue overhead The rest in rank Honoria chief in place Was artfully contriv'd to set her Face To front the Thicket and behold the Chace The Feast was serv'd the time so well forecast That just when the Dessert and Fruits were plac'd The Fiend's Alarm began the hollow sound Sung in the Leaves the Forest shook around Air blacken'd rowl'd the Thunder groan'd the Ground Nor long before the loud Laments arise Of one distress'd and Mastiffs mingled Cries And first the Dame came rushing through the Wood And next the famish'd Hounds that sought their Food And grip'd her Flanks and oft essay'd their Jaws in Blood Last came the Fellon on the Sable Steed Arm'd with his naked Sword and urg'd his Dogs to speed She ran and cry'd her Flight directly bent A Guest unbidden to the fatal Tent The Scene of Death and Place ordain'd for Punishment Loud was the Noise aghast was every Guest The Women shriek'd the Men forsook the Feast The Hounds at nearer distance hoarsly bay'd The Hunter clos'd pursu'd the visionary Maid She rent the Heav'n with loud Laments imploring Aid The Gallants to protect the Ladies right Their Fauchions brandish'd at the grisly Spright High on his Stirups he provok'd the Fight Then on the Crowd he cast a furious Look And wither'd all their Strength before he strook Back on your Lives let be said he my Prey And let my Vengeance take the destin'd way Vain are your Arms and vainer your Defence Against th' eternal Doom of Providence Mine is th' ungrateful Maid by Heav'n design'd Mercy she would hot give nor Mercy shall she find At this the former Tale again he told With thund'ring Tone and dreadful to behold Sunk were their Hearts with Horror of the Crime Nor needed to be warn'd a second time But bore each other back some knew the Face And all had heard the much lamented Case Of him who fell for Love and this the fatal Place And now th' infernal Minister advanc'd Seiz'd the due Victim and with Fury lanch'd Her Back and piercing through her inmost Heart Drew backward as before th' offending part The reeking Entrails next he tore away And to his meagre Mastiffs made a Prey The pale Assistants on each other star'd With gaping Mouths for issuing Words prepar'd The still born founds upon the Palate hung And dy'd imperfect on the faltring Tongue The Fright was general but the Female Band A helpless Train in more Confusion stand With Horror shuddring on a heap they run Sick at the sight of hateful Justice done For Conscience rung th' Alarm and made the Case their own So spread upon a Lake with upward Eye A plump of Fowl behold their Foe on high They close their trembling Troop and all attend On whom the sowsing Eagle will descend But most the proud Honoria fear'd th' event And thought to her alone the Vision sent Her Guilt presents to her distracted Mind Heav'ns Justice Theodore's revengeful Kind And the same Fate to the same Sin assign'd Already sees her self the Monster 's Prey And fecls her Heart and Entrails torn away 'T was a mute Scene of Sorrow mix'd with fear Still on the Table lay th' unfinish'd Cheer The Knight and hungry Mastiffs stood around The mangled Dame lay breathless on the Ground When on a suddain reinspired with Breath Again she rose again to suffer Death Nor stay'd the Hell-hounds nor the Hunter stay'd But follow'd as before the flying Maid Th' Avenger took from Earth th' avenging Sword And mounting light as Air his Sable Steed he spurr'd The Clouds dispell'd the Sky resum'd her Light And Nature stood recover'd of her Fright But Fear the last of Ills remain'd behind And Horror heavy sat on ev'ry Mind Nor Theodore incourag'd more his Feast But sternly look'd as hatching in his Breast Some deep Design which when Honoria view'd The fresh Impulse her former Fright renew'd She thought her self the trembling Dame who fled And him the grisly Ghost that spurr'd th' infernal Steed The more dismay'd for when the Guests withdrew Their courteous Host saluting all the Crew Regardless pass'd her o'er nor grac'd with kind adieu That Sting infix'd within her haughty Mind The downfal of her Empire she divin'd And her proud Heart with secret Sorrow pin'd Home as they went the sad Discourse renew'd Of the relentless Dame to Death pursu'd And of the Sight obscene so lately view'd None durst arraign the righteous Doom she bore Ev'n they who pity'd most yet blam'd her more The Parallel they needed not to name But in the Dead they damn'd the living Dame At ev'ry little Noise she look'd behind For still the
underneath Bright Lucifer unlike himself appears That Night his heav'nly Form obscur'd with Tears And since he was forbid to leave the Skies He muffled with a Cloud his mournful Eyes Mean time Alcyone his Fate unknown Computes how many Nights he had been gone Observes the waning Moon with hourly view Numbers her Age and wishes for a new Against the promis'd Time provides with care And hastens in the Woof the Robes he was to wear And for her Self employs another Loom New-dress'd to meet her Lord returning home Flatt'ring her Heart with Joys that never were to come She sum'd the Temples with an odrous Flame And oft before the sacred Altars came To pray for him who was an empty Name All Pow'rs implor'd but far above the rest To Juno she her pious Vows address'd Her much-lov'd Lord from Perils to protect And safe o'er Seas his Voyage to direct Then pray'd that she might still possess his Heart And no pretending Rival share a part This last Petition heard of all her Pray'r The rest dispers'd by Winds were lost in Air. But she the Goddess of the Nuptial-Bed Tir'd with her vain Devotions for the Dead Resolv'd the tainted Hand should be repell'd Which Incense offer'd and her Altar held Then Iris thus bespoke Thou faithful Maid By whom thy Queen's Commands are well convey'd Hast to the House of Sleep and bid the God Who rules the Night by Visions with a Nod Prepare a Dream in Figure and in Form Resembling him who perish'd in the Storm This Form before Alcyone present To make her certain of the sad Event Indu'd with Robes of various Hew she flies And flying draws an Arch a segment of the Skies Then leaves her bending Bow and from the steep Descends to search the silent House of Sleep Near the Cymmerians in his dark Abode Deep in a Cavern dwells the drowzy God Whose gloomy Mansion nor the rising Sun Nor setting visits nor the lightsome Noon But lazy Vapors round the Region fly Perpetual Twilight and a doubtful Sky No crowing Cock does there his Wings display Nor with his horny Bill provoke the Day Nor watchful Dogs nor the more wakeful Geese Disturb with nightly Noise the sacred Peace Nor Beast of Nature nor the Tame are nigh Nor Trees with Tempests rock'd nor human Cry But safe Repose without an air of Breath Dwells here and a dumb Quiet next to Death An Arm of Lethe with a gentle flow Arising upwards from the Rock below The Palace moats and o'er the Pebbles creeps And with soft Murmers calls the coming Sleeps Around its Entry nodding Poppies grow And all cool Simples that sweet Rest bestow Night from the Plants their sleepy Virtue drains And passing sheds it on the silent Plains No Door there was th' unguarded House to keep On creaking Hinges turn'd to break his Sleep But in the gloomy Court was rais'd a Bed Stuff'd with black Plumes and on an Ebon-sted Black was the Cov'ring too where lay the God And slept supine his Limbs display'd abroad About his Head fantastick Visions fly Which various Images of Things supply And mock their Forms the Leaves on Trees not more Nor bearded Ears in Fields nor Sands upon the Shore The Virgin entring bright indulg'd the Day To the brown Cave and brush'd the Dreams away The God disturb'd with this new glare of Light Cast sudden on his Face unseal'd his Sight And rais'd his tardy Head which sunk agen And sinking on his Bosom knock'd his Chin At length shook off himself and ask'd the Dame And asking yawn'd for what intent she came To whom the Goddess thus O sacred Rest Sweet pleasing Sleep of all the Pow'rs the best O Peace of Mind repairer of Decay Whose Balms renews the Limbs to Labours of the Day Care shuns thy soft approach and sullen flies away Adorn a Dream expressing human Form The Shape of him who suffer'd in the Storm And send it flitting to the Trachin Court The Wreck of wretched Ceyx to report Before his Queen bid the pale Spectre stand Who begs a vain Relief at Juno's Hand She said and scarce awake her Eyes cou'd keep Unable to support the fumes of Sleep But fled returning by the way she went And swerv'd along her Bow with swift ascent The God uneasy till he slept again Resolv'd at once to rid himself of Pain And tho' against his Custom call'd aloud Exciting Morpheus from the sleepy Crowd Morpheus of all his numerous Train express'd The Shape of Man and imitated best The Walk the Words the Gesture cou'd supply The Habit mimick and the Mien bely Plays well but all his Action is confin'd Extending not beyond our human kind Another Birds and Beasts and Dragons apes And dreadful Images and Monster shapes This Demon Icelos in Heav'ns high Hall The Gods have nam'd but Men Phobetor call A third is Phantasus whose Actions roul On meaner Thoughts and Things devoid of Soul Earth Fruits and Flow'rs he represents in Dreams And solid Rocks unmov'd and running Streams These three to Kings and Chiefs their Scenes display The rest before th' ignoble Commons play Of these the chosen Morpheus is dispatch'd Which done the lazy Monarch overwatch'd Down from his propping Elbow drops his Head Dissolv'd in Sleep and shrinks within his Bed Darkling the Demon glides for Flight prepar'd So soft that scarce his fanning Wings are heard To Trachin swift as Thought the flitting Shade Through Air his momentary Journey made Then lays aside the steerage of his Wings Forsakes his proper Form assumes the Kings And pale as Death despoil'd of his Array Into the Queen's Apartment takes his way And stands before the Bed at dawn of Day Unmov'd his Eyes and wet his Beard appears And shedding vain but seeming real Tears The briny Water dropping from his Hairs Then staring on her with a ghastly Look And hollow Voice he thus the Queen bespoke Know'st thou not me Not yet unhappy Wife Or are my Features perish'd with my Life Look once again and for thy Husband lost Lo all that 's left of him thy Husband's Ghost Thy Vows for my return were all in vain The stormy South o'ertook us in the Main And never shalt thou see thy living Lord again Bear witness Heav'n I call'd on Thee in Death And while I call'd a Billow stop'd my Breath Think not that flying Fame reports my Fate I present I appear and my own Wreck relate Rise wretched Widow rise nor undeplor'd Permit my Ghost to pass the Stygian Ford But rise prepar'd in Black to mourn thy perish'd Lord. Thus said the Player-God and adding Art Of Voice and Gesture so perform'd his part She thought so like her Love the Shade appears That Ceyx spake the Words and Ceyx shed the Tears She groan'd her inward Soul with Grief opprest She sigh'd she wept and sleeping beat her Breast Then stretch'd her Arms t' embrace his Body bare Her clasping Arms inclose but empty Air At this not yet awake she cry'd O stay One is our Fate and
Assumes the God Affects to nod And seems to shake the Spheres III. The Praise of Bacchus then the sweet Musician sung Of Bacchus ever Fair and ever Young The jolly God in Triumph comes Sound the Trumpets beat the Drums Flush'd with a purple Grace He shews his honest Face Now gives the Hautboys breath He comes He comes Bacchus ever Fair and Young Drinking Joys did first ordain Bacchus Blessings are a Treasure Drinking is the Soldiers Pleasure Rich the Treasure Sweet the Pleasure Sweet is Pleasure after Pain CHORUS Bacchus Blessings are a Treasure Drinking is the Soldier 's Pleasure Rich the Treasure Sweet the Pleasure Sweet is Pleasure after Pain IV. Sooth'd with the Sound the King grew vain Fought all his Battails o'er again And thrice He routed all his Foes and thrice he slew the slain The Master saw the Madness rise His glowing Cheeks his ardent Eyes And while He Heav'n and Earth defy'd Chang'd his Hand and check'd his Pride He chose a Mournful Muse Soft Pity to infuse He sung Darius Great and Good By too severe a Fate Fallen fallen fallen fallen Fallen from his high Estate And weltring in his Blood Deserted at his utmost Need By those his former Bounty fed On the bare Earth expos'd He lies With not a Friend to close his Eyes With down-cast Looks the joyless Victor sate Revolving in his alter'd Soul The various Turns of Chance below And now and then a Sigh he stole And Tears began to flow CHORUS Revolving in his alter'd Soul The various Turns of Chance below And now and then a Sigh he stole And Tears began to flow V. The Mighty Master smil'd to see That Love was in the next Degree 'T was but a Kindred-Sound to move For Pity melts the Mind to Love Softly sweet in Lydian Measures Soon he sooth'd his Soul to Pleasures War he sung is Toil and Trouble Honour but an empty Bubble Never ending still beginning Fighting still and still destroying If the World be worth thy Winning Think O think it worth Enjoying Lovely Thais sits besides thee Take the Good the Gods provide thee The Many rend the Skies with loud Applause So Love was Crown'd but Musique won the Cause The Prince unable to conceal his Pain Gaz'd on the Fair Who caus'd his Care And sigh'd and look'd sigh'd and look'd Sigh'd and look'd and sigh'd again At length with Love and Wine at once oppress'd The vanquish'd Victor sunk upon her Breast CHORUS The Prince unable to conceal his Pain Gaz'd on the Fair Who caus'd his Care And sigh'd and look'd sigh'd and look'd Sigh'd and look'd and sigh'd again At length with Love and Wine at once oppress'd The vanquish'd Victor sunk upon her Breast VI. Now strike the Golden Lyre again A lowder yet and yet a lowder Strain Break his Bands of Sleep asunder And rouze him like a rattling Peal of Thunder Hark hark the horrid Sound Has rais'd up his Head As awak'd from the Dead And amaz'd he stares around Revenge Revenge Timotheus cries See the Furies arise See the Snakes that they rear How they hiss in their Hair And the Sparkles that flash from their Eyes Behold a ghastly Band Each a Torch in his Hand Those are Grecian Ghosts that in Battail were slain And unbury'd remain Inglorious on the Plain Give the Vengeance due To the Valiant Crew Behold how they toss their Torches on high How they point to the Persian Abodes And glitt'ring Temples of their Hostile Gods The Princes applaud with a furious Joy And the King seiz'd a Flambeau with Zeal to destroy Thais led the Way To light him to his Prey And like another Hellen fir'd another Troy CHORUS And the King seiz'd a Flambeau with Zeal to destroy Thais led the Way To light him to his Prey And like another Hellen fir'd another Troy VII Thus long ago ' Ere heaving Bellows learn'd to blow While Organs yet were mute Timotheus to his breathing Flute And sounding Lyre Cou'd swell the Soul to rage or kindle soft Desire At last Divine Cecilia came Inventress of the Vocal Frame The sweet Enthusiast from her Sacred Store Enlarg'd the former narrow Bounds And added Length to solemn Sounds With Nature's Mother-Wit and Arts unknown before Let old Timotheus yield the Prize Or both divide the Crown He rais'd a Mortal to the Skies She drew an Angel down Grand CHORUS At last Divine Cecilia came Inventress of the Vocal Frame The sweet Enthusiast from her Sacred Store Enlarg'd the former narrow Bounds And added Length to solemn Sounds With Nature's Mother-Wit and Arts unknown before Let old Timotheus yield the Prize Or both divide the Crown He rais'd a Mortal to the Skies She drew an Angel down THE Twelfth BOOK OF OVID HIS METAMORPHOSES Wholly Translated THE Twelfth Book OF THE METAMORPHOSES Wholly Translated Connection to the End of the Eleventh Book AEsacus the Son of Priam loving a Country-Life forsakes the Court Living obscurely he falls in Love with a Nymph who flying from him was kill'd by a Serpent for Grief of this he wou'd have drown'd himself but by the pity of the Gods is turn'd into a Cormorant Priam not hearing of AEsacus believes him to be dead and raises a Tomb to preserve his Memory By this Transition which is one of the finest in all Ovid the Poet naturally falls into the Story of the Trojan War which is summ'd up in the present Book but so very briefly in many Places that Ovid seems more short than Virgil contrary to his usual Style Yet the House of Fame which is here describ'd is one of the most beautiful Pieces in the whole Metamorphoses The Fight of Achilles and Cygnus and the Fray betwixt the Lapythae and Centaurs yield to no other part of this Poet And particularly the Loves and Death of Cyllarus and Hylonome the Male and Female Centaur are wonderfully moving PRiam to whom the Story was unknown As dead deplor'd his Metamorphos'd Son A Cenotaph his Name and Title kept And Hector round the Tomb with all his Brothers wept This pious Office Paris did not share Absent alone and Author of the War Which for the Spartan Queen the Grecians drew T' avenge the Rape and Asia to subdue A thousand Ships were man'd to sail the Sea Nor had their just Resentments found delay Had not the Winds and Waves oppos'd their way At Aulis with United Pow'rs they meet But there Cross-winds or Calms detain'd the Fleet. Now while they raise an Altar on the Shore And Jove with solemn Sacrifice adore A boding Sign the Priests and People see A Snake of size immense ascends a Tree And in the leavy Summet spy'd a Neast Which o'er her Callow young a Sparrow press'd Eight were the Birds unfledg'd their Mother flew And hover'd round her Care but still in view Till the fierce Reptile first devour'd the Brood Then siez'd the flutt'ring Dam and drunk her Blood This dire Ostent the fearful People view Calchas alone by Phoebus taught foreknew What Heav'n decreed
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
run Riot and transgress the Goal And therefore I conclude whatever lies In Earth or flits in Air or fills the Skies All suffer change and we that are of Soul And Body mix'd are Members of the whole Then when our Sires or Grandsires shall forsake The Forms of Men and brutal Figures take Thus hous'd securely let their Spirits rest Nor violate thy Father in the Beast Thy Friend thy Brother any of thy Kin If none of these yet there 's a Man within O spare to make a Thyestaean Meal T' inclose his Body and his Soul expel Ill Customs by degrees to Habits rise Ill Habits soon become exalted Vice What more advance can Mortals make in Sin So near Perfection who with Blood begin Deaf to the Calf that lies beneath the Knife Looks up and from her Butcher begs her Life Deaf to the harmless Kid that e'er he dies All Methods to procure thy Mercy tries And imitates in vain thy Children's Cries Where will he stop who feeds with Houshold Bread Then eats the Poultry which before he fed Let plough thy Steers that when they lose their Breath To Nature not to thee they may impute their Death Let Goats for Food their loaded Udders lend And Sheep from Winter-cold thy Sides defend But neither Sprindges Nets nor Snares employ And be no more Ingenious to destroy Free as in Air let Birds on Earth remain Nor let insidious Glue their Wings constrain Nor opening Hounds the trembling Stag affright Nor purple Feathers intercept his Flight Nor Hooks conceal'd in Baits for Fish prepare Nor Lines to heave 'em twinkling up in Air. Take not away the Life you cannot give For all Things have an equal right to live Kill noxious Creatures where 't is Sin to save This only just Prerogative we have But nourish Life with vegetable Food And shun the sacrilegious tast of Blood These Precepts by the Samian Sage were taught Which Godlike Numa to the Sabines brought And thence transferr'd to Rome by Gift his own A willing People and an offer'd Throne O happy Monarch sent by Heav'n to bless A Salvage Nation with soft Arts of Peace To teach Religion Rapine to restrain Give Laws to Lust and Sacrifice ordain Himself a Saint a Goddess was his Bride And all the Muses o'er his Acts preside THE CHARACTER OF A Good Parson Imitated from CHAUCER And Inlarg'd A Parish-Priest was of the Pilgrim-Train An Awful Reverend and Religious Man His Eyes diffus'd a venerable Grace And Charity it self was in his Face Rich was his Soul though his Attire was poor As God had cloath'd his own Embassador For such on Earth his bless'd Redeemer bore Of Sixty Years he seem'd and well might last To Sixty more but that he liv'd too fast Refin'd himself to Soul to curb the Sense And made almost a Sin of Abstinence Yet had his Aspect nothing of severe But such a Face as promis'd him sincere Nothing reserv'd or sullen was to see But sweet Regards and pleasing Sanctity Mild was his Accent and his Action free With Eloquence innate his Tongue was arm'd Tho' harsh the Precept yet the Preacher charm'd For letting down the golden Chain from high He drew his Audience upward to the Sky And oft with holy Hymns he charm'd their Ears A Musick more melodious than the Spheres For David left him when he went to rest His Lyre and after him he sung the best He bore his great Commission in his Look But sweetly temper'd Awe and soften'd all he spoke He preach'd the Joys of Heav'n and Pains of Hell And warn'd the Sinner with becoming Zeal But on Eternal Mercy lov'd to dwell He taught the Gospel rather than the Law And forc'd himself to drive but lov'd to draw For Fear but freezes Minds but Love like Heat Exhales the Soul sublime to seek her Native Seat To Threats the stubborn Sinner oft is hard Wrap'd in his Crimes against the Storm prepar'd But when the milder Beams of Mercy play He melts and throws his cumb'rous Cloak away Lightnings and Thunder Heav'ns Artillery As Harbingers before th' Almighty fly Those but proclaim his Stile and disappear The stiller Sound succeeds and God is there The Tythes his Parish freely paid he took But never Su'd or Curs'd with Bell and Book With Patience bearing wrong but off ring none Since every Man is free to lose his own The Country-Churles according to their Kind Who grudge their Dues and love to be behind The less he sought his Off'rings pinch'd the more And prais'd a Priest contented to be Poor Yet of his little he had some to spare To feed the Famish'd and to cloath the Bare For Mortify'd he was to that degree A poorer than himself he wou'd not see True Priests he said and Preachers of the Word Were only Stewards of their Soveraign Lord Nothing was theirs but all the publick Store Intrusted Riches to relieve the Poor Who shou'd they steal for want of his Relief He judg'd himself Accomplice with the Thief Wide was his Parish not contracted close In Streets but here and there a straggling House Yet still he was at Hand without Request To serve the Sick to succour the Distress'd Tempting on Foot alone without affright The Dangers of a dark tempestuous Night All this the good old Man perform'd alone Nor spar'd his Pains for Curate he had none Nor durst he trust another with his Care Nor rode himself to Pauls the publick Fair To chaffer for Preferment with his Gold Where Bishopricks and sine Cures are fold But duly watch'd his Flock by Night and Day And from the prowling Wolf redeem'd the Prey And hungry sent the wily Fox away The Proud he tam'd the Penitent he chear'd Nor to rebuke the rich Offender fear'd His Preaching much but more his Practice wrought A living Sermon of the Truths he taught For this by Rules severe his Life he squar'd That all might see the Doctrin which they heard For Priests he said are Patterns for the rest The Gold of Heav'n who bear the God Impress'd But when the precious Coin is kept unclean The Soveraign's Image is no longer seen If they be foul on whom the People trust Well may the baser Brass contract a Rust. The Prelate for his Holy Life he priz'd The worldly Pomp of Prelacy despis'd His Saviour came not with a gawdy Show Nor was his Kingdom of the World below Patience in Want and Poverty of Mind These Marks of Church and Churchmen he design'd And living taught and dying left behind The Crown he wore was of the pointed Thorn In Purple he was Crucify'd not born They who contend for Place and high Degree Are not his Sons but those of Zebadee Not but he knew the Signs of Earthly Pow'r Might well become St. Peter's Successor The Holy Father holds a double Reign The Prince may keep his Pomp the Fisher must be plain Such was the Saint who shone with every Grace Reflecting Moses-like his Maker's Face God saw his Image lively was express'd
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
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
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