 | Argalvs and Parthenia |  |
My Honorable Lord,
If my vntimely answer hath preuentedSome further words your passion would haue vented,
Pardon my haste; which, in a ruder fashion
Sought onely to diuide you, from your passion:
The loue you beare Parthenia must claime
The priuiledge of mine eare, and in her name,
(Though from an absent mind as yet vnknowne)
Returne I thankes, with intrest of my owne.
The little iudgement, that the gods haue lent
Her downy yeares (though in a small extent)
Does challenge the whole freedome of her choyce,
In the resignement of a mothers voice:
The sprightly fancies of a virgins mind
Enter themselues, and hate to be confinde;
The hidden Embers of a louers fire
Desire no bellowes, but their owne desire,
And like to Dedalus his forge, if blowne
Burnes dimme and dyes; blazes, if let alone;
Louers affect, without aduisement, that
Which being most perswaded to, they hate.
My Lord, adiourne your passion, and refer
The fortune of your suite to time, and her.
16
The Saile his fancy is; A storme of winde,
His vncontrouled passion; the Stear's
His reason; Rocks and Sands, are doubts and feares;
Your storme being great, like a wise Pilot, beare
But little Saile, and stoutly ply the Steare.
Leaue then the violence of your thoughts to me,
My Lord, too hasty Gamesters ouersee.
Goe, moue Parthenia, and let Iuno's blessing
Attend your hopefull suite, in the suppressing
Loues common euills; and if her warme desire
Show but a sparke, leaue me to blow the fire.
Goe, lose no time: Louers must be laborious;
My Lord goe prosperous, and returne victorious.
With that Demagoras (prostrate on the ground,
As if his eares had heard that blessed sound,
Wherewith the Delphian oracle acquites
The accepted sacrifice) performes the rites
Of quicke deuotion, to that heauenly voice,
Which fed his soule with the malignant ioyes
Of vow'd reuenge; vp, from the floore he starts,
Blesses the tongue that blest him; and departs.
As if his eares had heard that blessed sound,
Wherewith the Delphian oracle acquites
The accepted sacrifice) performes the rites
Of quicke deuotion, to that heauenly voice,
Which fed his soule with the malignant ioyes
Of vow'd reuenge; vp, from the floore he starts,
Blesses the tongue that blest him; and departs.
By this time, had the heauen-surrounding Steeds
Quell'd their proud courage, turn'd their fainting head
Into the lower Hemispheare, to coole
Their flaming nostrills in the Westerne poole,
When as the dainty and mollitious ayre
Had bid the Lady of the Pallace, share
In her refined pleasures, and inuited
Her gentle steps, fully to be delighted
In those sweet walkes, where Flora's liberall hand
Had giuen more freely, then to all the land;
There walked she; and in her various minde,
Proiects and casts about which way to finde
The progresse of the yong Partheniaes heart;
Likes this way: then a second thought does thwart
The first; Likes that way; then a third, the second:
One while she likes the match, and then she reckon'd
Demagoras vertues: now her feare entices
Her thoughts to alter; then she counts his vices:
Sometimes she cals his vowes and oathes to minde:
Another while, thinkes oathes and words but winde.
She likes, dislikes; Her doubtfull thoughts doe vary,
Resolues, and then resolues the quite contrary.
One while she feares, that his maligne aspect
Will giue the virgin cause to disaffect:
And then, propounds to her ambitious thoughts
His wealth, the golden couer of all faults:
And, from the Chaos of her doubt, digests
Her feares; creates a world of wealth, and rests.
With that, she straight vnfixt her fastned eyes
From off the ground; and, looking vp, espyes
The faire Parthenia, in a louely bowre,
Spending the treasure of an euening houre:
There sate she, reading the sweet-sad discourses
Of Charicleas loue: the entercourses
Of whose mixt fortunes taught her tender heart
To feele the selfe same ioy, the selfe same smart:
She read, she wept; and, as she wept, she smil'd,
As if her equall eyes had reconcilde
The extremes of ioy and griefe: she closde the booke,
Then op'ned it, and with a milder looke,
She pities louers; musing then a while,
She teaches smiles to weepe; and teares, to smile:
At length, her broken thoughts she thus discouers.
Quell'd their proud courage, turn'd their fainting head
Into the lower Hemispheare, to coole
Their flaming nostrills in the Westerne poole,
When as the dainty and mollitious ayre
Had bid the Lady of the Pallace, share
In her refined pleasures, and inuited
Her gentle steps, fully to be delighted
In those sweet walkes, where Flora's liberall hand
Had giuen more freely, then to all the land;
17
Proiects and casts about which way to finde
The progresse of the yong Partheniaes heart;
Likes this way: then a second thought does thwart
The first; Likes that way; then a third, the second:
One while she likes the match, and then she reckon'd
Demagoras vertues: now her feare entices
Her thoughts to alter; then she counts his vices:
Sometimes she cals his vowes and oathes to minde:
Another while, thinkes oathes and words but winde.
She likes, dislikes; Her doubtfull thoughts doe vary,
Resolues, and then resolues the quite contrary.
One while she feares, that his maligne aspect
Will giue the virgin cause to disaffect:
And then, propounds to her ambitious thoughts
His wealth, the golden couer of all faults:
And, from the Chaos of her doubt, digests
Her feares; creates a world of wealth, and rests.
With that, she straight vnfixt her fastned eyes
From off the ground; and, looking vp, espyes
The faire Parthenia, in a louely bowre,
Spending the treasure of an euening houre:
There sate she, reading the sweet-sad discourses
Of Charicleas loue: the entercourses
Of whose mixt fortunes taught her tender heart
To feele the selfe same ioy, the selfe same smart:
She read, she wept; and, as she wept, she smil'd,
As if her equall eyes had reconcilde
The extremes of ioy and griefe: she closde the booke,
Then op'ned it, and with a milder looke,
She pities louers; musing then a while,
She teaches smiles to weepe; and teares, to smile:
18
Vnconstant state of poore distressed louers!
Is all extreame in loue? No meane at all?
No draughts indifferent? either honey or Gall?
Hath Cupids Vniuerse no temp'rate Zone,
Either a torrid or a frozen one?
Alas, alas, poore louers. As she spake
Is all extreame in loue? No meane at all?
No draughts indifferent? either honey or Gall?
Hath Cupids Vniuerse no temp'rate Zone,
Either a torrid or a frozen one?
Alas, alas, poore louers. As she spake
Those words, from her disclosed lips there brake
A gentle sigh; and after that, another:
With that steps in her vnexpected mother.
Haue ye beheld, when Titans lustfull head
Hath newly diu'd into the seagreene bed
Of Thetis, how the bashfull Horizone.
(Enforc'd to see what should be seene by none)
Lookes red for shame; and blushes to discouer
Th'incestuous pleasures of the heauen borne louer?
So look'd Parthenia, when the sudden eye
Of her vnwelcome mother did descry
Her secret passion: The mothers smile
Brought forth the daughters blush; and leuell coyle
They smil'd and blush; one smile begate another:
The daughter blusht, because the iealous mother
Smil'd on her; and the silent mother smilde,
To see the conscious blushing of her childe,
At length, growne great with words, she did awake
Her forced silence, and she thus bespake.
A gentle sigh; and after that, another:
With that steps in her vnexpected mother.
Haue ye beheld, when Titans lustfull head
Hath newly diu'd into the seagreene bed
Of Thetis, how the bashfull Horizone.
(Enforc'd to see what should be seene by none)
Lookes red for shame; and blushes to discouer
Th'incestuous pleasures of the heauen borne louer?
So look'd Parthenia, when the sudden eye
Of her vnwelcome mother did descry
Her secret passion: The mothers smile
Brought forth the daughters blush; and leuell coyle
They smil'd and blush; one smile begate another:
The daughter blusht, because the iealous mother
Smil'd on her; and the silent mother smilde,
To see the conscious blushing of her childe,
At length, growne great with words, she did awake
Her forced silence, and she thus bespake.
Blush not, my fairest daughter; Tis no shame
To pitty louers, or lament that flame,
Which worth and beauty kindles in the brest:
Tis charity to succour the distrest.
The disposition of a generous heart
Makes euery griefe her owne, at least beares part.
What marble, ah what adamantine eare
Ere heard the flames of Troy, without a teare?
Much more the scorching of a louers fire,
(Whose desprate fewell is his owne desire)
May boldly challenge euery gentle heart.
To be iointenants in his secret smart:
Why dost thou blush? why did those pearly teares
Slide downe? Feare not: this Arbour hath no eares;
Here's none but we; speake then: It is no shame
To shed a teare; thy mother did the same:
Say; hath the winged wanton, with his dart,
Sent ere a message to thy wounded heart?
Speake, in the name of Hymen I coniure thee;
If so, I haue a Baulsome shall recure thee:
I feare, I feare, the yong Laconian Lord
Hath lately left some indigested word
In thy cold stomack: which, for want of Art
I doubt, I doubt, lyes heauy at thy heart:
If that be all, reuealing brings reliefe:
Silence in loue but multiplies a griefe:
Hid sorrow's desperate, not to be endur'd,
Which being but disclos'd, is easly cur'd:
Perchance, thou lou'st Demagoras; and wouldst smother
Thy close affection from thy angry mother,
And reape the dainty fruits of loue, vnseene;
I did the like, or thou hadst neuer beene;
Stolne goods are sweetest: If it be thy minde
To loue in secret, I will be as blinde
As he that wounded thee; or if thou dare
Acquaint thy mother, then a mothers care
Shall be redoubled, till thy thoughts acquire
The sweet fruition of thy choice desire:
Thou lou'st Demagoras; If thy lips deny,
Thy conscious heart must giue thy lips the lye:
And if thy liking countermand my will,
Thy punishment shall be to loue him still:
Then loue him still, and let his hopes inherit
The crowne, belonging to so faire a merit,
His thoughts are noble, and his fame appeares
To speake, at least, an age aboue his yeares.
The blood of his increasing honour springs
From the high stock of the Arcadian Kings:
The gods haue blest him with a liberall hand,
Enricht him with the prime of all the land:
Honour and wealth attend his gates, and what
Can he command, that he possesses not?
All which, and more, (if mothers can diuine)
The fortune of thy beauty hath made thine:
He is thy Captiue, and thy conquering eyes
Haue tooke him prisner: hee submits, and lies
At thy deare mercie, hoping ne're to be
Ransom'd from death, by any price, but thee.
Wrong not thy selfe in being too too nice,
And what (perchance) may not be proferd twise,
Accept at first: It is a foolish minde
To be too coy: Occasion's bald behind:
Tis not the common worke of euery day,
T'afford such offers: Take them while you may:
Times alter: youth and beauty are but blasts;
Vse then thy time, whil'st youth and beauty lasts:
For if that loath'd and infamous reproach
Of a stale maide, but offer to incroach
Vpon opinion; th'art in estimation,
Like garments, kept till they be out of fashion:
Thy worth, thy wit, thy vertues all must stand
Like goods at outcries, priz'd at second hand.
Resolue thee then, t'enlarge thy Virgin life,
With th'onourable freedome of a wife,
And let the fruits of that blest marriage be
A liuing pledge betwixt my Child and me.
To pitty louers, or lament that flame,
Which worth and beauty kindles in the brest:
Tis charity to succour the distrest.
The disposition of a generous heart
Makes euery griefe her owne, at least beares part.
19
Ere heard the flames of Troy, without a teare?
Much more the scorching of a louers fire,
(Whose desprate fewell is his owne desire)
May boldly challenge euery gentle heart.
To be iointenants in his secret smart:
Why dost thou blush? why did those pearly teares
Slide downe? Feare not: this Arbour hath no eares;
Here's none but we; speake then: It is no shame
To shed a teare; thy mother did the same:
Say; hath the winged wanton, with his dart,
Sent ere a message to thy wounded heart?
Speake, in the name of Hymen I coniure thee;
If so, I haue a Baulsome shall recure thee:
I feare, I feare, the yong Laconian Lord
Hath lately left some indigested word
In thy cold stomack: which, for want of Art
I doubt, I doubt, lyes heauy at thy heart:
If that be all, reuealing brings reliefe:
Silence in loue but multiplies a griefe:
Hid sorrow's desperate, not to be endur'd,
Which being but disclos'd, is easly cur'd:
Perchance, thou lou'st Demagoras; and wouldst smother
Thy close affection from thy angry mother,
And reape the dainty fruits of loue, vnseene;
I did the like, or thou hadst neuer beene;
Stolne goods are sweetest: If it be thy minde
To loue in secret, I will be as blinde
As he that wounded thee; or if thou dare
Acquaint thy mother, then a mothers care
Shall be redoubled, till thy thoughts acquire
The sweet fruition of thy choice desire:
20
Thy conscious heart must giue thy lips the lye:
And if thy liking countermand my will,
Thy punishment shall be to loue him still:
Then loue him still, and let his hopes inherit
The crowne, belonging to so faire a merit,
His thoughts are noble, and his fame appeares
To speake, at least, an age aboue his yeares.
The blood of his increasing honour springs
From the high stock of the Arcadian Kings:
The gods haue blest him with a liberall hand,
Enricht him with the prime of all the land:
Honour and wealth attend his gates, and what
Can he command, that he possesses not?
All which, and more, (if mothers can diuine)
The fortune of thy beauty hath made thine:
He is thy Captiue, and thy conquering eyes
Haue tooke him prisner: hee submits, and lies
At thy deare mercie, hoping ne're to be
Ransom'd from death, by any price, but thee.
Wrong not thy selfe in being too too nice,
And what (perchance) may not be proferd twise,
Accept at first: It is a foolish minde
To be too coy: Occasion's bald behind:
Tis not the common worke of euery day,
T'afford such offers: Take them while you may:
Times alter: youth and beauty are but blasts;
Vse then thy time, whil'st youth and beauty lasts:
For if that loath'd and infamous reproach
Of a stale maide, but offer to incroach
Vpon opinion; th'art in estimation,
Like garments, kept till they be out of fashion:
21
Like goods at outcries, priz'd at second hand.
Resolue thee then, t'enlarge thy Virgin life,
With th'onourable freedome of a wife,
And let the fruits of that blest marriage be
A liuing pledge betwixt my Child and me.
So said; The faire Parthenia (in whose heart
Her owne affections yet had got the start
Of her obedience) makes a sudden pause,
Striues with her thoughts, obiects the binding lawes
Of filiall duty, to her best affection;
Sometimes submits vnto her owne election,
Sometimes vnto her mothers: thus diuided
In her distracted fancy, sometimes guided
By one desire, and sometimes by another,
She thus replide to her attentiue mother.
Her owne affections yet had got the start
Of her obedience) makes a sudden pause,
Striues with her thoughts, obiects the binding lawes
Of filiall duty, to her best affection;
Sometimes submits vnto her owne election,
Sometimes vnto her mothers: thus diuided
In her distracted fancy, sometimes guided
By one desire, and sometimes by another,
She thus replide to her attentiue mother.
| Argalvs and Parthenia | |