University of Virginia Library

Ye Nuptial Powers! Thou who the Genial Bed
Guard'st O Lucina! Thou, by whose Rules led,
Tiphys the bold Subduer of the Main,
Learnt the first Ship to guide as with a Rein.
Dread Soveraign of the Seas! thou ever bright
Phœbus, who to the world divid'st thy light.
Three-formed Hecate! that dost display
On nightly Mysteries thy conscious Ray;
And all ye Gods by whom false Jason swore!
Or you, Medea, rather should implore
Dark Chaos! deeps Infernal! damned souls!
The King who Hells sad Monarchy controuls,
And Queen with better Faith was Ravish'd; hear!
Hear whilst we imprecate! and ye severe
Scourgers of Guilt, Eumenides! with Hands
All bloody, grasping your Sulphureous Brands,
With snaky Curls, and squalid Looks, appear
As horrid, at our Nuptials as you were.

Death on the new-made Bride, on Corinths King,
And our own Progeny, untimely bring.
And with some Imprecation yet more dire,
'Gainst my false Husband, my fell Mind inspire.
Live he; through unknown Cities helpless roam,
A fearful Exile, without House or Home.
Wish me his Wife again; Harbour, distrest,
From Strangers crave; already a known Guest.
And, than which, none a greater curse can be,
Children beget he like himself, and me.
See! our Revenge does on our Wish attend;
These we have born: Complaints in vain we spend,
Why rush we not upon our Foes, and there
The Bridal Tapers from the Bearers tear,
Extinguish them, and bury all in Night?

Behold'st thou this, thou Fountain of all light,
Phœbus the radiant Author of our Race;
And driv'st through Crystal Skies, thy wonted space?
Run'st thou not back unto the East, and Day
Remeasur'st? O! to me resign thy sway;
Give me the Guidance of those burning Reins
That rule the Coursers with the fiery Manes,
I'd scourge till Corinth, whose small Land divides
Two opposit Seas, and breaks their batt'ring Tides,
Consum'd in Flames, should make them way to joyn.
Nought rests to do; but that a Nuptial Pine
We bear; and when the holy Pray'rs, and all
The Rites are done, then, that our Victims fall.
Through thine own Bowels reach at thy Revenge,
Soul, if thou liv'st, all Womanish Fears estrange,
Let thy stout mind on her old strength presume,
And more than Scythian Ferity assume.
What Ills once Colchos, now shall Corinth see,
Horrid, unperpetrated Cruelty,
Terror to Men and Gods, works in my Mind;
Wounds, Death, spred Funerals of Limbs disjoyn'd;
Pish! what slight, trivial Ills do we recount?
Acts of our Virgin hands: Our Rage should mount;
Ills more sublime, more horrid Acts of Blood
Suit with our married state, and Motherhood.
Courage then: On, to act thy Tragedy
With all thy Fury; that Posterity
Thy fatal Nuptials and Divorce may find
Equally signal;—Stay; thou rash of mind!
Thy spouse by what means leav'st thou?—by the same
I once did follow him: banish fond shame;
Nor waste in dull Delays thy vengeful Plot;
Be quick! by Ills leave, what by Ills we got.

Ye Gods, whose Empire in the skies,
Or in the tumid Ocean lies!
These Princely Nuptials, bless we pray,
Whilst holy Honours for the Day
The duly-favouring People pay.
First to those Powers that Thunder fling,
And Scepters bear, for Offering
A Bull, white without spot, shall die,
A Heifer that did never try
The servile Yoke, than snow more white,
Thee, O Lucina! does delight.
To her, who Mars his bloody hands,
Do's manacle in peaceful Bands,
Who strifes of Nations do's compose,
Whose Horn with growing plenty flows,
Shall fall a gentler Sacrifice.
And thou who these Solemnities,
And Rites legitimate dost grace,
And the nights sullen darkness chase
With thy auspicious hand, come drown'd
In Wine, thy Head with Roses crown'd.
And thou bright Star, with silver Ray,
Fore-runner of the Night, and Day;
That slow to those dost still return,
Who with Loves mutual Flames do burn.
Mothers that long, Daughters new wed
Wish thee thy early Beams to spread.
'Mong the Cecropian Dames, the Pride
For Beauty, veil unto the Bride
The Virgins of the Walless Town
Who on Taygetus his Crown,
Themselves (as is their Countries guise)
In manly Pastimes exercise.
And those their limbs in Dirce lave
Or in Alpheus sacred Wave.

To the Æsonian Youth, for Grace
And Form, shall Bacchus self give place,
Who to the Yoke fierce Tygers chains,
Or he who o're the Tripods reigns,
Mild Brother to the sterner Maid.
The Swan-got Twins fair Leda laid,
Castor, with Pollux who for blow
Of weighty Cæstus all out-go,
Yield to Æsonides the day.
So, so Cælestial powers we pray,
All Wives excel the Beauteous Bride,
The Bride-groom pass all Men beside.

When with the Virgin Choir she joins
Her Look 'bove all with Lustre shines.
So when the Sun his Beams displays,
The Splendour of the Stars decays.
So fade the Pleiades, scarce seen,
When with her borrow'd Shine, Night's Queen
Inorbs her Crescent, so to th'Eye
White blushes with Phœnician Dye.
So when Day dawns, Sol's ruddy Light
Shews to the Dew-wet Shepherds Sight.

From Phasis horrid Bed releast,
Wont with unwilling hand, the Breast
To touch of such a barbarous Bride,
With Parents wills first ratifi'd,
Now happy Wed a Grecian Dame.
Now Youths with Taunts permissive, Game
And in loose Rhimes chant sportive words,
Rare is this Licence 'gainst your Lords.
Fair Issue of the God of Wine,
'Tis time to light thy carved Pine:
With Wine-wet Fingers, then put out
The solemn Flame; whilst all the Rout
With mirthful Jollity do's ring,
And the Fescennine Youths do sing
Their Festive Flouts; she want these Rites,
And Grace of Hymeneal Lights,
Who as a Fugitive shall wed
Her self unto a Forein Bed.