The complete works of John Lyly now for the first time collected and edited from the earliest quartos with life, bibliography, essays, notes and index by R. Warwick Bond |
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The complete works of John Lyly | ||
446
The Oration of faire Neæra.
When
Neptune late bestowed on me this barke,
And sent by me this present to your Grace:
Thus Nereus sung, who neuer sings but truth.
Thine eyes (Neæra) shall in time behold
A sea-borne Queene, worthy to gouerne Kings,
On her depends the Fortune of thy boate,
If shee but name it with a blisfull word.
And view it with her life inspiring beames.
Her beames yeeld gentle influence, like fayre starres,
Her siluer sounding word is prophesie.
Speake sacred Sybill, giue some prosperous name,
That it may dare attempt a golden fleece,
Or diue for pearles, and lay them in thy lap.
For winde and waues, and all the worlde besides,
Will make her way, whom thou shalt doome to blisse,
For what is Sybils speech, but oracle?
Here her Maiesty named the Pinnace, the
Bonaduenture, and Neæra
went on with her speech, as followeth.
And sent by me this present to your Grace:
Thus Nereus sung, who neuer sings but truth.
Thine eyes (Neæra) shall in time behold
A sea-borne Queene, worthy to gouerne Kings,
On her depends the Fortune of thy boate,
If shee but name it with a blisfull word.
And view it with her life inspiring beames.
Her beames yeeld gentle influence, like fayre starres,
Her siluer sounding word is prophesie.
Speake sacred Sybill, giue some prosperous name,
That it may dare attempt a golden fleece,
Or diue for pearles, and lay them in thy lap.
For winde and waues, and all the worlde besides,
Will make her way, whom thou shalt doome to blisse,
For what is Sybils speech, but oracle?
I now
Neæraes barke is fortunate,
And in thy seruice shall imploy her saile,
And often make returne to thy auaile.
O liue in endlesse ioy, with glorious fame,
Sound Trumpets, sound, in honor of her name.
And in thy seruice shall imploy her saile,
And often make returne to thy auaile.
O liue in endlesse ioy, with glorious fame,
Sound Trumpets, sound, in honor of her name.
The complete works of John Lyly | ||