University of Virginia Library

[Now was oure Heavenly vaulte deprived of the Lighte]

Now was oure Heavenly vaulte deprived of the Lighte
With Sunnes Departe, and nowe the Darcknes of the Nighte,
Did light those Beamy starres wch greater light did Darcke,
Nowe eche thinge wch enjoyed that fyery quickning sparcke,
Whiche lyfe ys calde were mooved theyre Spirites to repose,
And wanting use of eyes, theyre eyes began to Close,
And silence sweete eche where with one Consent embraste,
(A Musick sweete to one in Carefull Musick plaste)
And Mother Earthe now cladd in Morning weedes did breathe,
A Dull desyer to kisse the Image of oure Deathe.
When I Disgraced wretche, not wretched then did give,
My sences suche Release, as they wch quyett live,
Whose braynes boyle not in woes, nor brestes wth beatinges ake,
With Natures prayse are wonte in safty home to take.
Farr from my thoughtes was oughte whereto theyre myndes aspire,
Who under Courtly pompes do hatche a base desyer.
Free all my powers were, from those Captiving snares,
Wch Heavenly purest giftes defyle in muddy Cares.
Ne coulde my sowle yt self accuse of suche a faulte,
As tender Conscyence mighte wth furyous panges assault,
But like the feeble Flower (whose stalke can not sustayne,
His weighty Topp) his Topp dothe downeward dropping leane.
Or as the silly Byrde in well acquaynted Nest
Dothe hyde his heade wth Cares, but onely howe to Rest.
So I in simple Course, and unitangled mynde,
Did suffer drowsy liddes myne eyes (then clere) to blynde.
And laying downe my heade, did natures Rule observe,
Whiche sences up dothe shutt, the senses to preserve.
They first theyre use forgatt, then fancy lost theyre force,
Till Deadly sleepe at lengthe possest my Living Corse.
A Living Corse I lay, but, ah my Wakefull mynde,
(Wch made of heavenly stuff, no mortall chaunge dothe bynde).
Flewe up with Freer winges, of Flesshly bondage free.
And having plaste my thoughtes, my thoughtes thus placed mee,
Mee thoughte, nay, sure I was, I was in fayrest wood,
Of Samothea Land, a Lande wch whilome stood,
An Honor to the Worlde, while Honor was theyre ende,
And while theyre Lyne of yeares they did in vertue spend.
But there I was; and there my Callmy thoughtes I fedd,
On Natures sweete repast, as helthfull sences ledd.
Her giftes my study was, her beutyes were my sporte,
My worcke her worckes to knowe, her Dwelling my Resort.
Those Lampes of Heavenly fyer to fixed motion bounde,
For ever turning Spheres the never mooving grounde.
What essence destny hathe yf fortune bee or no,
Whence oure Immortall sowles, to mortall Earthe doo flowe.
What Lyfe yt ys, and howe that all these Lyves do gather,
With owteward Makers force, or like an Inward Father.
Suche thoughtes (mee thought) I thought, and straynd my single mynde,
Then voyde of nerer Cares, the Depthes of thinges to fynde.
Who, Loe, wth hugest Noyse, suche noyse as Tower makes,
When yt (blowne up with myne) a falle of Rwyn takes.
Or suche a Noyse yt was, as hyest Thunders sende,
Or Canons thunder like all shott together lend.
The Moone a sunder rent (O Gods) o pardon mee,
That forste wth greef revayles what greeved eyes did see.
The Moone a sonder rent, whereat with sodeyn falle,
(More swifte then Faulcons stoope, to feeding Falconers calle).
There came a Charyott fayre by Doves and Sparowes guyded
Whose stormelike Course stayde not, till hard by mee yt byded
I wretche astonisht was, and thought the Deathfull Doome,
Of heaven of Earthe of hell of tyme and place was come.
But streight there issued forthe twoo Ladyes, (Ladyes sure,
They seemde to mee) on whome did wayte a virgyn pure,
Straunge were the Ladyes Weedes, yet more unfitt then straunge,
The first with Clothes tuckt up, as Nimphes in woodes do Range.
Tuckt upp even to the Knees, with Bowe and Arrowes prest,
Her Right arme naked was, discovered was her brest.
But hevy was her pace, and suche a Maigre cheare,
As litle hunting mynde (god knowes) did there appeare.
The other had with Arte (more then oure woemen knowe)
As stuff ment for the sale sett oute to glaring showe,
A wanton womans face, and wth Curlde knottes had twynde,
Her hayer wch by the help of Paynters Cunning shynde,
When I suche guests did see come oute of suche a howse,
The Mountaynes great wth Chylde I thought brought forthe a mowse.
But walking forthe, the first, thus to the seconde sayde,
Venus come on, (sayde shee) Diana yow are obayde,
Those Names abasht mee muche, when those great names I hearde,
All thoughe theyre fame (mee seemd) from truth had greatly jarrd.
As I thus musing stoode, Diana calde to her,
Her wayting Nymphe, a Nymphe, that did excell as farr,
All thinges that earst I sawe, as Oryent Perles exceede,
That wch theyre Mother highte, or else theyre silly seede.
In Deede a perfect Hue, in deede a sweete Consent,
Of all those graces giftes the Heavens have ever lent.
And so shee was attyrde, as one that did not pryze,
So muche her pereles partes, nor yet coulde them despize.
But calde she came apace, a pace wherein did moove,
The Band of Beutyes all the litle worlde of Love.
And bending humbled eyes (O eyes the Sunne of Lighte)
Shee wayted Mistrys will, who thus disclosde her spright
Sweete Mira myne (quoth shee) the pleasures of my mynde,
In whome of all my Rules the perfect proof I fynde,
To onely thee, (thow seest) wee graunt this speciall grace,
Us to attend in this moste private tyme and place.
Bee silent therefore, nowe, and so bee silent still,
Of what thow seest close up in secrett knott thy will.
Shee answerd was with looke and well performed behest,
And Mira I admirde, her shape, sancke in my brest.
But thus with Irefull eyes, and face that shoke with spyte,
Diana did begyn̄: What mooved mee to invite
Youre presence, Sister Dere, first to my moovy spheare,
And hether now vouchsafe to take with willing eare.
I knowe full well yow knowe, what discord long hathe raignd,
Betwixt us twoo how muche that discord fowle hathe stainde,
Bothe oure estates while eache the other did deprave,
Prooff speakes to muche to us, that feeling tryall have.
Oure names are quite forgott, oure Temples are Defaste
Oure offeringes spoylde, oure Preestes from Preesthood are displaste?
Ys this the fruite of stryfe, those thowsand Churches hye,
Those thowsand Alters fayre, now in the Dust to lye?
In mortall myndes oure myndes but Planetes names preserve,
No knee once bowed forsoothe, for them they say wee serve,
Are wee theyre Servauntes growne? no Doubt a Noble stay,
Celestiall powers to wormes Joves Children serve to play,
But suche they say wee bee, this prayse oure Discord bredd,
While wee for mutuall stryfe, a stryving passyon fedd.
But let us wyser bee, and what fowle discorde brake,
Somuche more stronge ageane let safest Concord make.
Oure yeares do yet requyer, yow see wee bothe doo feele,
The weykning work of tymes for ever whirling wheele.
All thoughe wee bee Devyne, oure Graundsire Saturn ys,
With ages force decayde, yet once the heven̄ was his.
And now before wee seeke by wyse Appollos skill,
Oure younge yeares to renewe (for so hee saithe hee will)
Lett us a perfect peace betuixt us twoo Resolve,
Whiche lest the Ruynous want of government dissolve,
Let one the Princes bee, to her the other yeelde,
(For vayne Equality ys but Contentions feelde)
And let her have the giftes that shoulde in bothe remayne,
In her lett Beuty bothe and Chastenes fully raigne.
So as yf I prevayle, yow give youre giftes to mee,
Yf yow, on yow I lay, what in my office bee.
Now resteth onely this, wch of us Twoo ys shee,
To whome precedentes shall of bothe accorded bee.
For that (so that yow like) hereby dothe lye a youthe,
(Shee beckened unto mee) as yet of spottless truthe.
Who may this Doubt discerne for better witt then Lott
Becometh us, in us, Fortune determyns nott.
This Crowne of Amber fayre, (an Amber Crowne shee helde)
To worthyest lett hym give, when bothe hee hathe beheld.
And bee yt as hee saythe, Venus was glad to heare,
Suche proffer made wch shee well shewde wth smyling chere,
As thoughe shee were the same, as when by Paris doome,
Shee had cheef Goddesses in beuty overcome.
And surely thus gan say, I never soughte debate,
Diana dere, my mynde to love and not to hate,
Was ever apte, but yow my pastymes did despyse,
I never spyted yow, but thought yow overwyse.
Nowe kyndenes proffered ys, none kynder ys then I,
And so moste redy am, this meane of peace to try.
And lett hym bee oure Judge: The Ladd dothe please mee well,
Thus bothe did come to mee and bothe began to tell.
(For bothe, together spake, eche lothe to bee behynde)
That they by solempne oathe theyre Deityes wold bynde,
To stand unto my will, theyre will they made mee knowe,
I that was first agast, when first I sawe theyre shawe
(Now boulder waxte) waxt prowde that I suche sway might beare,
For, nere acquayntance dothe diminish reverent feare.
And having bounde them fast by Stix, they shoulde obay,
To all what I decreed, did thus my verdict say.
How yll bothe yow can Rule, well hathe youre Discorde taughte,
Ne yet, (for oughte I see) youre Beutyes merit oughte.
To yonder Nymphe therefore, to Mira, I did poynt,
The Crowne above yow bothe, for ever I appoynt,
I woulde have spoken owte but oute they bothe did Crye,
Fye, Fye what have wee done, ungodly Rebell fye,
But nowe wee must needes yeelde to what oure Oathes requyre,
Yet thow shalt not goo free, (quoth Venus) suche a fyer,
Her Beuty kyndle shall within thy foolish mynde,
That thow full ofte shalt wish thy Judging eyes were blynde,
Nay, then (Diana sayde) thee Chastenes I will give,
In asshes of Dispayre, though burnt shall make thee live.
Nay, thow (sayde bothe) shalt see suche beames shyne in her face,
That thow shalt never dare seeke help of wretched Case.
And with that Cursed Curse, away to heavens they fledd,
First having all theyre giftes uppon fayre Mira spredd.
The Rest I can not tell, for therewithall I wakte,
And founde with Deadly feare that all my synewes shakte.
Was yt a Dreame? O Dreame how haste thow wrought in mee?
That I thinges earst unseene, shoulde first in Dreaming see.
And then (O Traytor sleepe) made for to bee oure Rest
Howe haste thow framde the payne wherewith I am opprest.
O Cowarde Cupide thus doest thow thy honor keepe?
Unarmde, alas unarmde to take a Man asleepe?