University of Virginia Library

Thus this sweete Ladies sad exposure was
Of all these moodes in men, the only glasse:
But now the man that next to Ioue comptrold
The triple world got with a shoure of gold:
(Armed with Medusa's head, and Enyos eye:
The Adamantine sword of Mercury
The helme of Pluto, and Minerua's Mirror,
That from the Gorgus made his passe with Terror)
Came to the rescue of this enuied mayd:
Drew neere, and first, in admiration stay'd
That for the common ill of all the land,
She the particular obloquie should stand:
And that a beauty, no lesse then diuine
Should men and women finde so serpentine
As but to thinke her any such euent:
Much lesse that eies and hands should giue consent
To such a danger and to such a death.
But though the whole Realme laboured vnderneath
So foule an error, yet since Ioue and he
Tendred her beauty, and integretie,
In spight of all the more he set vp spirrit
To doe her right; the more all wrong'd her merit,
He that both vertue had, and beauty too
Equall with her to both knew what to doe:
The Ruthles still go laught at to the Graue
Those that no good will doe, no goodnesse haue:
The minde a spirit is, and cal'd the glasse
In which we see God; and corporeall grace
The mirror is, in which we see the minde.
Amongst the fairest women you could finde
Then Perseus, none more faire; mongst worthiest men,
No one more manly: This the glasse is then
To shew where our complexion is combinde;
A womans beauty, and a manly minde:
Such was the halfe-diuine-borne Troian Terror
Where both Sex graces, met as in their Mirror.
Perseus of Loues owne forme, those fiue parts had
Which some giue man, that is the loueliest made:
Or rather that is loueliest enclin'd,
And beares (with shape) the beauty of the mind:
Young was he, yet not youthfull, since mid-yeeres,
The golden meane holds in mens loues and feares:
Aptly composde, and soft (or delicate)
Flexible (or tender) calme (or temperate)
Of these fiue, three, make most exactly knowne,
The Bodies temperate complexion:
The other two, the order doe expresse,
The measure and whole Trim of comelinesse.
A temperate corporature (learn'd Nature saith)
A smooth, a soft, a solid flesh bewrayeth:
Which state of body shewes th'affections State
Jn all the humours, to be moderate;
For which cause, soft or delicate they call
Our conquering Perseus, and but yong withall,
Since time or yeeres in men too much reuolu'd,
The subtiler parts of humour being resolu'd,
More thicke parts rest, of fire and aire the want,
Makes earth and water more predominant:
Flexible they calde him, since his quicke conceit,
And pliant disposition, at the height
Tooke each occasion, and to Acts approu'd,
As soone as he was full inform'd, he mou'd,
Not flexible, as of inconstant state,
Nor soft, as if too much effeminate,
For these to a complexion moderate
(Which we before affirme in him) imply,
A most vnequall contrariety.
Composure fit for Ioues sonne Perseus had,
And to his forme, his mind fit answere made:
“As to be lou'd, the fairest fittest are;
“To loue so to, most apt are the most faire,
“Light like it selfe, transparent bodies makes,
“At ones act, th'other ioint impression takes.
“Perseus, (as if transparent) at first sight,
“Was shot quite thorough with her beauties light:
“Beauty breedes loue, loue consummates a man.
“For loue, being true, and Eleutherean,
“No Jniurie nor contumelie beares;
“That his beloued, eyther feeles or feares,
“All good-wils enterchange it doth conclude
“And mans whole summe holds, which is gratitude:
“No wisdome, noblesse, force of armes, nor lawes,
“Without loue, wins man, his compleat applause:
“Loue, makes him valiant, past all else desires
“For Mars, that is, of all heau'ns erring fires
“Most full of fortitude (since he inspires
“Men with most valour) Cytherea tames:
“For when in heau'ns blunt Angels shine his flames,
“Or he, his second or eight house ascends
“Of rul'd Natiuities; and then portends
“Ill to the then-borne: Venus in aspect
“Sextile, or Trine doth (being conioyn'd) correct
“His most malignitie: And when his starre
“The birth of any gouernes (fit for warre
“The Jssue making much to wrath enclin'd
“And to the ventrous greatnesse of the minde)
“Jf Venus neere him shine she doth not let
“His magnanimity, but in order set
“The vice of Anger making Mars more milde
“And gets the mastry of him in the childe:
“Mars neuer masters her; but if she guide
“She loue inclines: and Mars set by her side
“Her fires more ardent render, with his heat:
“So that if he at any birth be set
“In th'house of Venus, Libra, or the Bull,
“The then-borne burnes, and loues flames feels at full.