 | Poems of Thomas, Lord Vaux |  |
XIV. THE ASSAULT OF CUPID VPON THE FORT WHERE THE LOUER'S HART LAY WOUNDED, AND HOW HE WAS TAKEN.
When Cupid scalèd first the fort,
Wherein my hart lay wonnded sore,
The battrie was of such a sort
That I must yeeld or die therefore.
Wherein my hart lay wonnded sore,
The battrie was of such a sort
That I must yeeld or die therefore.
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There saw I Loue upon the wall,
And he his banner did display;
Alarme, alarme, he 'gan to call,
And bad his souldiers keepe aray.
And he his banner did display;
Alarme, alarme, he 'gan to call,
And bad his souldiers keepe aray.
The armes the which that Cupid beare,
Were piercèd harts, with teares besprent;
In siluer and sable to declare
The stedfast loue he alwayes meant.
Were piercèd harts, with teares besprent;
In siluer and sable to declare
The stedfast loue he alwayes meant.
There might you see his band all drest,
In colours like to white and black,
With poulder and with pellets prest,
To bring them foorth to spoile and sacke.
In colours like to white and black,
With poulder and with pellets prest,
To bring them foorth to spoile and sacke.
Good will the maister of the shot,
Stoode in the Rampier, braue and proude;
Expence of poulder he spared not,
Assault, assault to crie aloude.
Stoode in the Rampier, braue and proude;
Expence of poulder he spared not,
Assault, assault to crie aloude.
There might you heare the Cannons rore,
Ech peece discharged a Louer's looke,
Which had the power to rent, and tore
In any place where as they tooke.
Ech peece discharged a Louer's looke,
Which had the power to rent, and tore
In any place where as they tooke.
And even with the trumpets sowne
The scaling ladders were up set,
And Beauty walken vp and downe,
With bow in hand and arrowes whet.
The scaling ladders were up set,
And Beauty walken vp and downe,
With bow in hand and arrowes whet.
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Then first Desire begun to skale
And shrouded him under his targe,
As one the worthiest of them all,
And aptest for to giue the charge.
And shrouded him under his targe,
As one the worthiest of them all,
And aptest for to giue the charge.
The pushèd souldiers with their pikes,
And Holberds, with handy strokes,
The Hargabush in flesh it lights,
And dimps the aire with mistie smokes.
And Holberds, with handy strokes,
The Hargabush in flesh it lights,
And dimps the aire with mistie smokes.
And as it is now souldiers vse,
When shot and pouder gins to want,
I hangèd vp my flag of truce,
And pleaded for my liue's graunt.
When shot and pouder gins to want,
I hangèd vp my flag of truce,
And pleaded for my liue's graunt.
When Fansie thus had made her breach,
And Beautie entred with her band,
With bag and baggage, siely wretch,
I yeeld into Beautie's hand.
And Beautie entred with her band,
With bag and baggage, siely wretch,
I yeeld into Beautie's hand.
Then Beautie had to blow retreite,
And euerie souldier to retire,
And Mercy mild, with speede to fet,
Me captiue, bound as prisoner.
And euerie souldier to retire,
And Mercy mild, with speede to fet,
Me captiue, bound as prisoner.
Madam (quoth I) sith that this day,
Had seruèd you at all assayes;
I yeeld to you without delay,
Here of the Fortresse all the keyes;
Had seruèd you at all assayes;
I yeeld to you without delay,
Here of the Fortresse all the keyes;
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And sith that I have bene the marke,
At whome you shot at with your eye,
Needes must you with your handy warke
Or salue my sore, or let me die.
At whome you shot at with your eye,
Needes must you with your handy warke
Or salue my sore, or let me die.
| Poems of Thomas, Lord Vaux | |