Diana of George of Montemayor :: :: University of Virginia Library

Louers, record my memorie, and name,
For one that is more happie then the rest:
And solemnize my conquest and my fame,
Which I haue got in being onely blest:
Extoll my glorie to the loftie sunne,
Which with this famous triumph I haue wonne,
To be the happiest man, that hath beene borne,
Of all, that haue to loue allegeance sworne.

What louer yet was found vnto this howre
(Though in his loue most fauour'd he had beene)
Of greefe that had not tasted yet some sowre,
And had not felt some paine, and sorrowes seene?
Or who hath with such sweete his loue endured,
(Though of his Mistresse he were most assured,
And though she loued him with truest hart)
That felt not yet a little iealous smart?

Amongst all these, I onely am exempted
From sorrowes, troubles, from mishaps and paines:
With both handes full I liue in ioies contented:
And more if I did tell, yet more remaines:
Secure I am, that in my happy brest
Vile iealousie shall neuer build her nest:
And that I may with greefe be neuer paid,
A strong and firme foundation I haue laid.

Nothing in all the world shall breake this chaine
(If cruell death doth spare me with her dart)
And yet if loue in sepulcher remaine,
Death shall not there dissolue it in my hart:
See then how that most strong it needes must be,

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Since to my will I wrought the same in me.
And for you may not say that I doe mooue it
With blazons, barke with reasons I will prooue it.

Who to himselfe could be so inhumane
(Vnlesse he were depriued of his wit)
That swimming in a pleasant Ocean
Of ioies, would wish for greefe, not finding it.
Such ioies I taste, as neuer more I could,
My loue admits no sadnes, though I would:
For (yet admit) that I would now procure it,
My loue is such, that it will not endure it.

I haue good fortune at mine owne commaund,
Since I haue fauours at mine owne free will:
My loue to her, her loue to me is pawn'd,
Which fortunes spite and time shall neuer spill.
But now if ought with greefe my minde may mooue,
It is, to haue Corriuals in my loue:
But they my ioy, and glorie doe augment,
For more they are, the more is my content.

If any care for these Corriuals dooe
(These faithfull louers) in my brest remaine,
Then see, how that with earnest suites I wooe,
And seeke them for my Shepherdesse againe:
And (truly) if it lay within my power,
A thousand I would send her euery hower:
But since I am so rude, and but a clowne,
I cannot set her golden praises downe.

If that with all the faire one should resort,
Shewing her vertues, and each goodly grace:
Little should then my homely praise import,
Hauing the world at her commaund and trace:
For (saying naught) her praise she better would
Her selfe disclose, though I said all I could:
And how much more, since I want skill, and art,
Of her to blazon foorth the meanest part.

But now behold how far from that aboue
I haue estraied (my promise and intent)
My promise was, with reasons now to prooue,
That crosse, nor care my ioies could not preuent.
I know not, if by rashnes, or aduice,
It was my thought, that did my toong entice?
For when I thinke to praise my Shepherdesse,
Then straight my toong doth in her fauour presse.

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It takes no heede, and hath but small remorce,
To whom, what, where, how oft, why, how and when
Her praises be, nor of her little force,
Nor vertues of this fairest one: But then,
All in a heate, her praise begins to babble,
And I to stay such furie far vnable:
For thousand times I sharply chide the same,
But more I chide, the more it is to blame.

Counsell I giue it, and with counsell threate,
That neuer it presume to meddle heere,
By telling it, it is too base a seate
For her high praise, that neuer had her peere:
But shamelesse it replies: let this not greeue thee,
And boldly saies: T'is true I doe beleeue thee.
For I confesse I neuer did suffice,
But such a want I hope my will supplies.

As to a foole, seeing her follies such,
Sometimes I yeeld at length, to leaue the raine:
If then my Nymph so basely it doth touch,
It doth deserue no punishment, nor paine:
For howsoere she praise her: In the end
I feare not, that my loue it will offend:
But to returne fro whence my toong did run,
Breefly I will conclude what I begun.

Another Cupid raignes within my brest,
Then Venus sonne that blinde, and franticke boy:
Diuers his works, intent and interest,
His fashions, sportes, his pleasure and his ioy
No slightes, deceites, nor woes he doth inspire,
He burnes not like to that vnseemely fire:
From reason, will my loue cannot entice,
Since that it is not placed in this vice.

For beautie I loue not my Shepherdesse
(Although she may be lou'd for passing faire)
Beautie in her the lest part doth possesse,
(Though hers doth make all others to despaire)
For mildnes, wisedome, and for vertues sake,
This zealous loue I first did vndertake:
And so my loue is honest, chaste, and sure,
Not wanton, fleshly, filthie, nor vnpure.

I wish my flockes greene grasse may neuer finde,
Nor cleerest springs, their burning thirst to slake,
Nor shades enioy in heate, nor coolest winde,

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And that they may no profit to me make,
That March may come with rigour, to their harme,
And sheds and sheltor want to keepe them warme,
If euer any wicked thought had past
My loue, but what was honest, cleene, and chaste.

The Iuniper oile may neuer helpe my flockes,
With lothsome mangie being ouerrun,
Milke faile my sheepe, decay my countrie stockes
And little kid by hunger be vndone:
And let my masty lay him downe to sleepe,
So that the woolfe doth kill him, and my sheepe,
If in my loue I euer had inuention
Of wickednes, bad thought, or bad intention.

But thinke not that my loue so chaste and pure,
Without the slaine of vaine and wanton thought,
And louing so sincerely, and so sure,
From vertue of mine owne proceedeth not:
Onely from her alone it is proceeding,
That no foule thought doth suffer to be breeding:
Dishonest motions in a fleshly soule
Her modest sight most brauely doth controule.

For plainly, and not vainly, I suspect,
That if some boldface yonker did bewray
His wanton loue, or did to her detect
His thoughts, that did from honestie estray,
In looking on her onely, I durst sweare,
His wordes would freeze within his mouth for feare,
And that he could not onely speake for shame,
But neuer durst againe presume the same.

If in this song I purposed to touch
Her honestie, and vertues to explaine,
I knowe I am not worthy for so much,
When thousand bookes cannot the same containe:
And more, that once I somewhat sung, and saide
Before, and that my voice was then afraide,
For being so base: Now must it erre, as lately,
Since that her praise is growne more high and stately.

Then louing, as you see, with such successe,
I doe not feare disfauours any whit,
Musing alone on my faire Shepherdesse,
Fauours doe come by heapes, my minde to fit,
And so of her I neuer beg, nor craue them,
But in this sort continually I haue them:

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As many as my handes can hold and borrow,
Wherefore I liue in ioy deuoid of sorrow.

Louing in this same sort, there is no feare
Of iealousie, that's either true or fained:
A riuall heere sweete companie doth beare,
And all that in chaste loue in one are chained:
Yet name of Riuall fits not well this place,
Since chastitie together all imbrace:
Nor different mindes we can be said to carie,
Since our intents in no one point doe varie.

Come then all you that loue, come by and by,
Leaue euery one his Shepherdesse, and loue,
Come loue my Shepherdesse, and for her die
In that that's pure, and commeth from aboue:
And you shall see how that your fortunes far
It dignifies, to loue this radiant star
Of vertue, and the time you shall auerre
Ill spent, that is not spent in louing her.