The Whole Works of William Browne of Tavistock ... Now first collected and edited, with a memoir of the poet, and notes, by W. Carew Hazlitt, of the Inner Temple |
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 | The Whole Works of William Browne |  |
This sigh'd, she wept (low leaning on her hand)
Her briny teares downe rayning on the sand,
Which seene by (them, that sport it in the Seas
On Dolphins backes) the faire Nereides,
They came on shore, and slily as they fell
Conuai'd each teare into an Oyster-shell,
And by some power that did affect the Girles,
Transform'd those liquid drops to orient Pearles,
And strew'd them on the shore: for whose rich prize
In winged Pines, the Roman Colonies
Flung through the deepe Abysse to our white rocks
For Iems to decke their Ladyes golden lockes:
Who valew'd them as highly in their kinds
As those the Sun-burnt Æthiopian finds.
Her briny teares downe rayning on the sand,
Which seene by (them, that sport it in the Seas
On Dolphins backes) the faire Nereides,
They came on shore, and slily as they fell
Conuai'd each teare into an Oyster-shell,
And by some power that did affect the Girles,
Transform'd those liquid drops to orient Pearles,
And strew'd them on the shore: for whose rich prize
In winged Pines, the Roman Colonies
Flung through the deepe Abysse to our white rocks
For Iems to decke their Ladyes golden lockes:
Who valew'd them as highly in their kinds
As those the Sun-burnt Æthiopian finds.
Long on the shore, distrest Marina lay:
For he that opes the pleasant sweets of May
Beyond the Noon-stead so farre droue his teame,
That Haruest-folkes (with curds and clouted creame,
With cheese and butter, cakes, and cates enow,
That are the Yeomans from the yoake or Cowe)
On sheafes of corne were at their noonshuns close,
Whilst them merrily the Bag-pipe goes:
Ere from her hand she lifted vp her head,
Where all the Graces then inhabited.
When casting round her ouer-drowned eyes,
(So haue I seene a Iem of mickle price
Roule in a Scallop-shell with water fild)
She, on a marble rocke at hand behild
In Characters deepe cut with Iron stroke,
A Shepherds moane, which read by her, thus spoke:
Ah heauy Shepherd (who so ere thou be)
Quoth faire Marina, I doe pitty thee:
For who by death is in a true friend crost,
Till he be earth, he halfe himselfe hath lost.
More happy deeme I thee, lamented Swaine,
Whose body lies among the scaly traine,
Since I shall neuer thinke, that thou canst dye,
Whilst Willy liues, or any Poetry:
For well it seemes in versing he hath skill,
And though he (ayded from the sacred Hill)
To thee with him no equall life can giue,
Yet by this Pen thou maist for euer liue.
With this a beame of sudden brightnesse flyes
Vpon her face, so dazeling her cleere eyes,
That neither flowre nor grasse which by her grew
She could discerne cloath'd in their perfect hue.
For as a Wag (to sport with such as passe)
Taking the Sun-beames in a Looking-glasse,
Conuayes the Ray into the eyes of one,
Who (blinded) either stumbles at a stone,
Or as he dazeled walkes the peopled streets,
Is ready iustling euery man he meets:
So then Apollo did in glory cast
His bright beames on a rocke with gold enchast,
And thence the swift reflection of their light
Blinded those eyes: The chiefest Stars of night.
When streight a thick-swolne Cloud (as if it sought
In beauties minde to haue a thankfull thought)
Inuail'd the lustre of great Titans Carre,
And she beheld, from whence she sate not farre,
Cut on a high-brow'd Rocke (inlaid with gold)
This Epitaph, and read it, thus enrold.
Had scarcely made; when o're the hill behinde
She heard a woman cry; Ah well-a-day,
What shall I doe? goe home, or flye, or stay.
Admir'd Marina rose, and with a pace
As gracefull as the Goddesses did trace
O're stately Ida (when fond Paris doome
Kindled the fire, should mighty Troy entombe.)
She went to aid the woman in distresse,
(True beauty neuer was found mercilesse)
Yet durst she not goe nye, lest (being spide)
Some villaines outrage, that might then betide
(For ought she knew) vnto the crying Maid,
Might graspe with her: by thickets which arai'd
The high Sea-bounding hill, so neere she went,
She saw what wight made such lowd dreriment.
Lowd? yes: sung right: for since the Azure skie
Imprison'd first the world, a mortals cry
With greater clangor neuer pierc'd the ayre.
For he that opes the pleasant sweets of May
172
That Haruest-folkes (with curds and clouted creame,
With cheese and butter, cakes, and cates enow,
That are the Yeomans from the yoake or Cowe)
On sheafes of corne were at their noonshuns close,
Whilst them merrily the Bag-pipe goes:
Ere from her hand she lifted vp her head,
Where all the Graces then inhabited.
When casting round her ouer-drowned eyes,
(So haue I seene a Iem of mickle price
Roule in a Scallop-shell with water fild)
She, on a marble rocke at hand behild
In Characters deepe cut with Iron stroke,
A Shepherds moane, which read by her, thus spoke:
Glide soft ye siluer Floods,
And euery Spring:
Within the shady Woods,
Let no Bird sing!
Nor from the Groue a Turtle Doue,
Be seene to couple with her loue,
But silence on each Dale and Mountaine dwell
Whilst Willy bids his friend and ioy Farewell.
And euery Spring:
Within the shady Woods,
Let no Bird sing!
Nor from the Groue a Turtle Doue,
Be seene to couple with her loue,
But silence on each Dale and Mountaine dwell
Whilst Willy bids his friend and ioy Farewell.
But (of great Thetis traine)
Yee Mermaids faire,
That on the shores doe plaine
Your Sea-greene haire,
As ye in tramels knit your locks
Weepe yee; and so inforce the rocks
In heauy murmures through the broad shores tell,
How Willy bade his friend and ioy Farewell.
Yee Mermaids faire,
That on the shores doe plaine
Your Sea-greene haire,
As ye in tramels knit your locks
Weepe yee; and so inforce the rocks
In heauy murmures through the broad shores tell,
How Willy bade his friend and ioy Farewell.
Cease, cease, yee murdring winds
To moue a waue;
But if with troubled minds
You seeke his graue;
Know 'tis as various as your selues,
Now in the deepe, then on the shelues,
His coffin toss'd by fish and surges fell,
Whilst Willy weepes and bids all ioy Farewell.
To moue a waue;
But if with troubled minds
You seeke his graue;
173
Now in the deepe, then on the shelues,
His coffin toss'd by fish and surges fell,
Whilst Willy weepes and bids all ioy Farewell.
Had he Arion like
Beene iudg'd to drowne,
Hee on his Lute could strike
So rare a sowne;
A thousand Dolphins would haue come
And ioyntly striue to bring him home.
But he on Ship-boord dide, by sicknesse fell,
Since when his Willy bade all ioy Farewell.
Beene iudg'd to drowne,
Hee on his Lute could strike
So rare a sowne;
A thousand Dolphins would haue come
And ioyntly striue to bring him home.
But he on Ship-boord dide, by sicknesse fell,
Since when his Willy bade all ioy Farewell.
Great Neptune heare a Swaine!
His Coffin take,
And with a golden chaine
(For pittie) make
It fast vnto a rocke neere land!
Where eu'ry calmy morne Ile stand
And ere one sheepe out of my fold I tell,
Sad Willy's Pipe shall bid his friend Farewell.
His Coffin take,
And with a golden chaine
(For pittie) make
It fast vnto a rocke neere land!
Where eu'ry calmy morne Ile stand
And ere one sheepe out of my fold I tell,
Sad Willy's Pipe shall bid his friend Farewell.
Quoth faire Marina, I doe pitty thee:
For who by death is in a true friend crost,
Till he be earth, he halfe himselfe hath lost.
More happy deeme I thee, lamented Swaine,
Whose body lies among the scaly traine,
Since I shall neuer thinke, that thou canst dye,
Whilst Willy liues, or any Poetry:
For well it seemes in versing he hath skill,
And though he (ayded from the sacred Hill)
To thee with him no equall life can giue,
Yet by this Pen thou maist for euer liue.
With this a beame of sudden brightnesse flyes
Vpon her face, so dazeling her cleere eyes,
174
She could discerne cloath'd in their perfect hue.
For as a Wag (to sport with such as passe)
Taking the Sun-beames in a Looking-glasse,
Conuayes the Ray into the eyes of one,
Who (blinded) either stumbles at a stone,
Or as he dazeled walkes the peopled streets,
Is ready iustling euery man he meets:
So then Apollo did in glory cast
His bright beames on a rocke with gold enchast,
And thence the swift reflection of their light
Blinded those eyes: The chiefest Stars of night.
When streight a thick-swolne Cloud (as if it sought
In beauties minde to haue a thankfull thought)
Inuail'd the lustre of great Titans Carre,
And she beheld, from whence she sate not farre,
Cut on a high-brow'd Rocke (inlaid with gold)
This Epitaph, and read it, thus enrold.
In depth of waues long hath Alexis slept,
So choicest Iewels are the closest kept;
Whose death the land had seene, but it appeares
To counteruaile his losse, men wanted teares.
So here he lyes, whose Dirge each Mermaid sings,
For whom the Clouds weepe raine, the Earth her springs.
Her eyes these lines acquainted with her minde
So choicest Iewels are the closest kept;
Whose death the land had seene, but it appeares
To counteruaile his losse, men wanted teares.
So here he lyes, whose Dirge each Mermaid sings,
For whom the Clouds weepe raine, the Earth her springs.
Had scarcely made; when o're the hill behinde
She heard a woman cry; Ah well-a-day,
What shall I doe? goe home, or flye, or stay.
Admir'd Marina rose, and with a pace
As gracefull as the Goddesses did trace
O're stately Ida (when fond Paris doome
Kindled the fire, should mighty Troy entombe.)
She went to aid the woman in distresse,
(True beauty neuer was found mercilesse)
175
Some villaines outrage, that might then betide
(For ought she knew) vnto the crying Maid,
Might graspe with her: by thickets which arai'd
The high Sea-bounding hill, so neere she went,
She saw what wight made such lowd dreriment.
Lowd? yes: sung right: for since the Azure skie
Imprison'd first the world, a mortals cry
With greater clangor neuer pierc'd the ayre.
| The Whole Works of William Browne | |