University of Virginia Library



Parcarum Epithalamion.

O you this kingdomes glory that shall be
Parents to so renownd a Progenie
As earth shall enuie, and heauen glory in,
Accept of their liues threds, which Fates shal spin
Their true spoke oracle, and liue to see
Your sonnes sonnes enter such a Progenie,
As to the last times of the world shall last:
Haste you that guide the web, haste spindles haste.
See Hesperus, with nuptiall wishes crownd,
Take and enioy; In all ye wish abound,
Abound, for who should wish crowne with her store
But you that slew what barren made the shore?
You that in winter, make your spring to come
Your Summer needs must be Elisium:
A race of mere soules springing, that shall cast
Their bodies off in cares, and all ioyes taste.
Haste then that sacred web, haste spindles haste.


Joue loues not many, therefore let those few
That his guifts grace, affect still to renew:
For none can last the same; that proper is
To onely more then Semideities:
To last yet by renewing, all that haue
More merit then to make their birth their graue,
As in themselues life, life in others saue:
First to be great seeke, then lou'd, then to last:
Haste you that guide the web, haste spindles haste.
She comes, ô Bridegroom shew thy selfe enflam'd
And of what tender tinder Loue is flam'd:
Catch with ech sparke, her beauties hurle about:
Nay with ech thoght of her be rapt throughout;
Melt let thy liuer, pant thy startled heart:
Mount Loue on earthquakes in thy euery part:
A thousand hewes on thine, let her lookes cast;
Dissolue thy selfe to be by her embrac't,
Haste ye that guide the web, haste spindles haste.


As in each bodie, there is ebbe and flood
Of blood in euery vaine, of spirits in blood;
Of Ioyes in spirits, of the Soule in Ioyes,
And nature through your liues, this change imploies
To make her constant: so each minde retaines
Manners and customs, where vicicitude reignes:
Opinions, pleasures, which such change enchains.
And in this enterchange all man doth last,
Haste then who guide the web, haste spindles haste.
Who bodie loues best, feedes on dantiest meats,
Who fairest seed seekes, fairest women gets:
Who loues the minde, with loueliest disciplines
Loues to enforme her, in which verity shines.
Her beauty yet, we see not, since not her:
But bodies (being her formes) who faire formes beare
We view, and chiefely seeke her beauties there.
The fairest then, for faire birth, see embrac't,
Haste ye that guide the web, haste spindles haste.


Starres ye are now, and ouershine the earth:
Starres shall ye be heereafter, and your birth
In bodies rule heere, as your selues in heau'n,
What heer Detraction steals, shall there be giuen:
The boūd that heer you freed shal triumph there
The chaine that touch't her wrists shal be a starre
Your beauties few can view, so bright they are:
Like you shalbe your birth, with grace disgrac't
Haste ye that rule the web, haste spindles haste.
Thus by diuine instinct, the fates enrag'd,
Of Perseus and Andromeda presag'd
Who, (when the worthy nuptial State was done
And that act past, which only two makes one,
Flesh of each flesh and bone of eithers bone)
Left Cepheus Court; both freed and honoured.
The louing Victor, and blest Bride-groome led
Home to the Seriphins, his rescu'd Bride;
Who (after issue highly magnifi'd


Both rapt to heau'n, did constellations reigne,
And to an Asterisme was turn'd the chaine
That onely touch't his grace of flesh & blood,
In all which stands the Fates kinde Omen good.