's desired O that breath The cause of life should be the cause of death That who is shipwrackt on loues hidden shelfe Doth liuâ— to others dies vnto her selfe Why might not I attempt by Death as yet To gaine that freedome which I could not get Being hind'red heretofore a time as free A place as fit offers it selfe to me Whose seed of ill is growne to such a height That makes the earth groane to support his weight Who so is lull'd asleepe with Mida's treasures And onely feares by death to lose lifes pleasures Let them feare death but since my fault is such And onely fault that I haue lou'd too much On ioyes of life why should I stand for those Which I neere had I surely cannot lose Admit a while I to these thoughts consented Death can be but deferred not preuented Then raging with delay her teares that fell Vsher'd her way and she into a Well Straight-waies leapt after O! how desperation Attends vpon the minde enthral'd to passion The fall of her did make the God below Starting to wonder whence that noise should grow Whether some ruder Clowne in spight did fling A Lambe vntimely falne into his Spring And if it were he solemnly then swore His Spring should flow some other way no more Should it in wanton manner ere be seene To writhe in knots or giue a gowne of greene Vnto their Meadowes nor be seene to play Nor driue the Rushy-mils that in his way The Shepherds made but rather for their lot Send them red waters that their sheepe should rot And with such Moorish Springs embrace their field That it should nought but Mosse and Rushes yeeld Vpon each hillocke where the merry Boy Sits piping in the shades his Notes of ioy Hee 'd shew his anger by some floud at hand And turne the same into a running sand Vpon the Oake the Plumbe-tree and the Holme The Stock-doue and the Blackbird should not come Whose muting on those trees doe make to grow Rots curing Hyphear and the Misseltâ—â— Nor shall this helpe their sheep whose stomacks failes By tying knots of wooll neere to their tailes But as the place next to the knot doth die So shall it all the body mortifie Thus spake the God but when as in the water The corps came sinking downe he spide the matter And catching softly in his armes the Maid He brought her vp and hauing gently laid Her on his banke did presently command Those waters in her to come forth at hand They straight came gushing out and did contest Which chiefly should obey their Gods behest This done her then pale lips he straight held ope And from his siluer haire let fall a drop Into her mouth of such an excellence That call'd backe life which grieu'd to part from thence Being for troth assur'd that then this one She ne'er possest a fairer mansion Then did the God her body forwards steepe And cast her for a while into a sleepe Sitting still by her did his full view take Of Natures Master-peece Here for her sake My Pipe in silence as of right shall mourne Till from the watring we againe returne THE SECOND SONG THE ARGVMENT Obliuions Spring and Dory's loue With faire Marina's rape first moâ—e Mine Oaten Pipe which after sings The birth of two renowned Springs NOw till the Sunne shall leaue vs to our rest And Cynthia haue her Brothers place possest I shall goe on and first in diffring stripe The floud-Gods speech thus tune on Oaten Pipe Or mortall or a power aboue I â—â—rag'd by Fury or by Loue Or both I know not such a deed Thou would'st effected that I bleed To thinke thereon alas poore elfe What growne a traitour to thy selfe This face this haire this hand so pure Were not ordain'd for nothing sure Nor was it meant so sweet a breath Should be expos'd by such a death But rather in some louers brest Be giuen vp the place that best Befits a louer yeeld his soule Nor should those mortals ere controule The Gods that in their wisdome sage Appointed haue what Pilgrimage Each one should runne and why should men A bridge the iourney set by them But much I wonder any wight If he did turne his outward sight Into his inward dar'd to act Hâ—r death whose body is compact Of all the beauties euer Nature Laid vp in store for earthly creature No sauage beast can be so cruell To rob the earth of such a Iewell Rather the stately Vnicorne Would in his breast enraged scorne That Maids committed to his charge By any beast in Forrest large Should so be wronged Satyres rude Durst not attempt or ere intrude With such a minde the flowry balkes Where harmlesse Virgins haue their walkes Would she be won with me to stay My waters should bring from the Sea The Corrall red as tribute due And roundest pearles of Orient hue Or in the richer veines of ground Should seeke for her the Diamond And whereas now vnto my Spring They nothing else but grauell bring They should within a Mine of Gold â—n piercing manner long time hold And hauing it to dust well wrought By them it hither should be brought With which I le paue and ouer-spread My bottome where her foot shall tread The best of Fishes in my flood Shall giue themselues to be her food The Trout the Dace the Pike the Brâ—am The Eele that loues the troubled streame The Millers thombe the hiding Loach The Perch the euer-nibling Roach The Shoats with whom is Tanie fraught The foolish Gudgâ—on quickly caught And last the little Minnow-fish Whose chiefe delight in grauell is In right she cannot me despise Because so low mine Empire lies For I could tell how Natures store Of Maiesty appeareth more In waters then in all the rest Of Elements It seem'd herbest To giue the waues most strength and power For they doe swallow and deuoure The earth the waters quench and kill The flames of fire and mounting still Vp in the aire are seene to be As challenging a Seignorie Within the heauens and to be one That should haue like dominion They be a seeling and a floore Of clouds caus'd by the vapours store Arising from them vitall spirit By which all things their life inherit From them is stopped kept asunder And what 's the reason else of Thunder Of lightnings flashes all about That with such violence breake out Causing such troubles and such iarres As with it selfe the world had warres And can there any thing appeare More wonderfull then in the aire Congealed waters oft to spie Continuing pendant in the Skie Till falling downe in haile or snow They make those mortall wights below To runne and euer helpe desire From his for Element the fire Which fearing then to come abroad Within doores maketh his aboad Or falling downe oft time in raine Doth giue greene Liueries to the plaine Make Shepheards Lambs fit for the dish And giueth nutriment to fish Which nourisheth all things of worth The earth
strong 〈◊〉 When if a Carriers 〈◊〉 be brought vnto him His Mans â—an hold his â—oor whilst 〈…〉 him Remorce was so inforc'd to binde him stronger Because his faults requiâ—â—d infliction longer Then any 〈◊〉 prest wighâ— which many a day Since 〈…〉 himselfe had past that way When all the cruell tormentâ— he had burne Galâ—ed with chaines and on the 〈◊〉 high 〈◊〉 Pinching with glowing pincers his owne heart All â—ame and restlesse full of woundâ— and smart He 〈◊〉 Posterne 〈◊〉 â—o inward hiâ—s And from the gate a two-fold path describe One leading vp a hill Repentance way And as more worthy on the right hand lay The other head-long steepe and lik'ned well Vnto the path which tendeth downe to hellâ— All steps that thither went shew'd no returning The port to paines and to eternall mourning Where certaine Death liu'd in an Ebon chaire The soules blacke homicide meager Despaire Had his abodes there gainst the craggie rocks Some dasht their 〈…〉 with relentlesse 〈◊〉 Others on trees ô most accursed elites Are fastening knots so to vndâ—â— themselues Here one in sinne not daring to appeare At Mercies seat with one 〈◊〉 or â—eare Within 〈…〉 was 〈…〉 an eye That vnto God it might for 〈…〉 cry There from a Rocke a 〈…〉 newly fell All torne in peeces to goâ— whole to Hell Here with a sleepie Potion one thinkes fit To graspt with death but 〈…〉 know 〈…〉 There in â— gool◠〈◊〉 their liues 〈◊〉 And die in water to reuiue in fire Here hangs the bloud upon the guiltlesse stones There wormes 〈…〉 Here lyes and 〈…〉 Without 〈◊〉 her liâ—â—s of 〈…〉 Scattring the ground and as 〈…〉 As they at vertue spurâ—ed in the world Fye haplesse wretch ô that 〈…〉 Measur'st Gods mercy by thine owne deseruing Which cry'st distrustfull of the power of 〈◊〉 My sinnes are greater then can be forgiueâ— Which still are ready 〈…〉 At euery stripe of worldly miserie O learne thou in whose 〈◊〉 the Dragon liâ—kâ—s Gods Mercy 〈◊〉 is o'erall hiâ— workes Know he is pitifull apt to forgiue Would not a sinners death but that he liue O euer euer rest vpon that word Which doth assure thee though his two edg'd Sword Be drawne in Iustice gainst thy sinfull soule To separate the rotten from the whole Yet if a sacrifice of prayer be sent him He will not strike or if he strike repent him Let none despaire for cursed Iudas sinne Was not so much in yeelding vp the King Of life to death as when he thereupon Wholy dispair'd of Gods remission 〈◊〉 long doubting stood which way were best To leade his steps at last preferring rest As foolishly he thought before the paine Was to be past ere he could well attaine The high-built Palace 〈◊〉 aduenture on Thaâ— path which led to 〈◊〉 confusion When sodainly a voice as sweet as 〈◊〉 With words diuine began entice his 〈◊〉 Whereat as in a rapture on the ground 〈…〉 lay and all his senses 〈◊〉 A time of rest onely that facultie Which neuer can be seene nor euer dye That in the essence of an endlesse Nature Doâ— sympathize with the All-good Creator That onely wak'd which cannot be inâ—err'd And from a heauenly Quire this diâ—ty heard Vaine man doe not mistrust Of heauen winning Nor though the most vniust Despaire for sinning God will be seene his sentence changing If he behold thee wicked wayes estranging Climbe vp where pleasures dwell In flowry Allies And taste the liuing â—ell That decks the Vallies Faire Metanoia is attending To crowne thee with those ioyes which know 〈◊〉 ending Herewith on leaden wings Slâ—â—pe from him flew When on his arme he rose and sadly threw Shrill acclamationâ— while an hollow caue Or hanging hill or heauen 〈◊〉 answer gaue O sacred Essence lightning me this houre How may I lightly stilâ— thy great Power Eccâ— Power Power but of whence vnder the green-wood spray Or liu'st in heaâ—'n say Eccâ— In Heauens 〈◊〉 In heauens aye â— tell may I it obtaine By almes by fasting prayer by paine Ecch. By paine Shew me the paine it shall be vndergone I to mine end will still goe on Ecch. Goe on But whither On Shew me the place the time What if the Mountain I do climbe Ecch. Doe climbe Is that the way to ioyes which still endure O bid my soule of it be sure Ecch. Be sure Then thus assured doe I climbe the hill Heauen be my guide in this thy will Ecch. I will As when a maid taught from her mother wing To tune her voyce vnto a siluer string When she should run she rests rests when should run And ends her lesson hauing now begun Now misseth she her stop then in her song And doing of her best she still is wrong Begâ—ns againe and yet againe strikes false Then in a chafe forsakes her Virginals And yet within an houre she tries anew That with her daily paines Arts chiefest due She gaines that charming skill and can no lesse Taâ—e the fierce walkers of the wildernesse Then that Oâ—agrin Harpist for whose lay Tigers with hunger pinde and left their pray So Riot when he gan to climbe the hill Here maketh haste and there long standeth still Now getteth vp a step then fals againe Yet not despairing all his nerues doth straine To clamber vp a new then slide his feet And downe he comes but giues not ouer yet For with the maid he hopes a time will be When merit shall be linkt with industry Now as an Angler melancholy standing Vpon a greene banke yeelding roome for landing A wrigling yellow worme thrust on his hooke Now in the midst he throwes then in a nooke Here puls his line there throwes it in againe Mâ—ndeth his Corke and Bait but all in vaine He long stands viewing of the curled streame At last a hungry Pike or well-growne Breame Snatch at the worme and hasting fast away He knowing it a Fish of stubborne sway Puls vp his rod but soft as hauing skill Wherewith the hooke fast holds the Fishes gill Then all his line he freely yeeldeth him Whilst furiously all vp and downe doth swim Th'insnared Fish here on the top doth sâ—ud There vnderneath the banks then in the mud And with his franticke fits so scares the shole That each one takes his hyde or starting hole By this the Pâ—ke cleane wearied vnderneath A Willow lyes and pants if Fishes breath Wherewith the Angler gently puls him to him And least his haste might happen to vndoe him Layes downe his rod then takes his line in hand And by degrees getting the Fish to land Walkes to another Poole at length is winner Of such a dish as serues him for his dinner So when the Climber halfe the way had got Musing he stood and busily gan plot How since the mount did alwaies steeper tend He might with steps secure his iourney end At last as wandring Boyes to gather Nuts A hooked Pole he from a Hasell cuts Now throwes it here then there to take some hold But bootlesse
Cernaâ—Ile in Affricks siluer maine Nor lustfull-bloodyâ— Tereus Thracian straine Nor any other Lording of the ayre Durst with this Eirie for their wing compare About his sides a thousand Seaguls bred The Mâ—uy and the Halcyon famosed For colours rare and for the peacefull Seas Round the Sicilian coast her brooding dayes Pussins as thicke as Starlings in a Fen Were fetcht from thence there sate the Pewet hen And in the clefts the Martin built his nest But those by this curst caitife dispossest Of roost and nest the least of life the most All left that place and sought a safer coast In stead of them the Caterpiller hants And Canâ—re-worme among the tender plants That here and there in nooks and corners grew Of Cormorants and Locusts not a few The cramming Rauen and a hundred more Deuouring creatures yet when from the shore Limos came wading as he easily might Except at high tydes all would take their flighâ— Or hide themselues in some deepe hole or other Lest one deuourer should deuoure another Neere to the shore that bord'red on the Rocke No merry Swaine was seene to feed his Flocke No lusty Neat-heard thither droue his Kine Nor boorish Hog-heard fed his rooting Swine A stony ground it was sweet Herbage fail'd Nought there but weeds which Limos strongly nail'd Tore from their mothers brest to stuffe his maw No Crab-tree bore his load nor Thorne his haw As in a Forest well compleat with Deere We see the Hollies Ashes euery where Rob'd of their cloathing by the browsing Game So neere the Rocke all trees where e're you came To cold Decembers wrath stood void of barke Here danc'd no Nymph no early-rising Larke Sung vp the Plow-man and his drowsie mate All round the Rocke barren and desolate In midst of that huge pile was Limos Caue Full large and round wherein a Millers knaue Might for his Horse and Querne haue roome at will Where was out-drawne by some inforced skill What mighty conquests were atchieu'd by him First stood the siege of great Ierusalem Within whose triple wall and sacred Citie Weepe ye stone-hearted men oh read and pittie 'T is Sions cause inuokes your briny teares Can any dry eye be when she appeares As I must sing her oh if such there be Flie flie th' abode of men and hasten thee Into the Desart some high Mountaine vnder Or at thee boyes will hisse and old men wonder Here sits a mother weeping pale and wan With fixed eyes whose hopelesse thoughts seem'd ran How since for many daies no food she casted Her Meale her Oyle consum'd all spent all wasted For one poore day she might attaine supply And desp'rate of ought else sit pine and dye At last her minde meets with her tender childe That in the cradle lay of Oziers wilde Which taken in her armes she giues the teat From whence the little wretch with labour great Not one poore drop can sucke whereat she wood Cries out ô heauen â—are all the founts of food Exhausted quite and must my Infanâ— yong Be fed with shooes yet wanting those ere â—ong Feed on it selfe No first the roome that gaue Him soule and life shall be his timelesse graue My dugs thy best reliefe through griping hunger Flow now no more my babe Then since no longer By râ—e thou canst be fed nor any other Be thou the Nurse and feed thy dying Mother Thâ—n in another place she straight appeares Seeâ—hing her suckling in her scalding teares From whence not farre the Paintâ—r made her stand Tearing his sod flesh with her cruell hand In gobbets which she ate O cursed wombe That to thy selfe art both the graue and tombe A little sweet lad there seemes to intreat With held vp hands his famisht Sire for meat Who wanting ought to giue his hoped ioy But throbs and sighes the ouer-hungry boy For some poore bit in darke nooks making quest His Sachell finds which growes a gladsome feast To him and both his Parents Then next day He chewes the points wherewith he vs'd to play Deuouring last his Books of euery kinde They fed his body which should feede his minde But when his Sachell Points Books all were gone Before his Sire he droopes and dies anon In height of Art then had the Work-man done A pious zealous most religious sonne Who on the enemy excursion made And spight of danger strongly did inuade Their victuals conuoy bringing from them home Dri'd figs Dates Almonds and such fruits as come To the beleagring foe and sate's the want Therewith of those who from a tender plant Bred him a man for armes thus oft he went And Storke-like sought his Parents nourishment Till Fates decreed he on the Roman Speares Should giue his bloud for them who gaue him theirs A Million of such throes did Famine bring Vpon the Citie of the mighty King Till as her people all her buildings rare Consum'd themselues and dim'd the lightsome ayre Neere this the curious Pencell did expresse A large and solitary wildernesse Whose high well limmed Oakes in growing show'd As they would case strong Atâ—as of his load Here vnderneath a tree in heauy plight Her bread and pot of water wasted quite Aegyptian Hagar nipt with hunger fell Sate rob'd of hope her Infant Ishmael Farre from her being laid full sadly seem'd To cry for meat his cry she nought esteem'd But kept her still and turn'd her face away Knowing all meanes were bootlesse to assay In such a Desert and since now they must Sleepe their eternall sleepe and cleane to dust She chose apart to graspe one death alone Rather then by her babe a million Then Eresichthons case in Ouids Song Was portraied out and many moe along The insides of the Caue which were descride By many loope-holes round on euery side These faire Marina view'd left all alone The Caue fast shut Limos for pillage gone Neere the wash'd shore mong roots and breers and thorns A Bullocke findes who deluing with his hornes The hurtlesse earth the while his tough hoofe tore The yeelding turffe in furious rage he bore His head among the boughs that held it round While with his bellowes all the shores resound Him Limos kil'd and hal'd with no small paine Vnto the Rocke fed well then goes againe Which seru'd Marina fit for had his food Fail'd him her veines had fail'd their deerest blood Now great Hyperion left his golden throne That on the dancing waues in glory shone For whose declining on the Westerne shore The orientall hils blacke mantles wore And thence apace the gentle Twi-light fled That had from hideous cauernes vshered All-drowsie Night who in a Carre of Iet By Sâ—eeds of Iron-gray which mainly swet Moist drops on all the world drawne through the skie The helps of darknesse waited orderly First thicke clouds rose from all the liquid plaines Then mists from Marishes and grounds whose veines Were Conduit-pipes to many a crystall spring From standing Pooles and Fens were following Vnhealthy fogs each Riuer