SKIA NUKTOS[Greek]. The Shadovv of Night Cantaining Two Poeticall Hymnes, Deuised by G. C. [i.e. George Chapman] |
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 | SKIA NUKTOS[Greek]. The Shadovv of Night |  |
Versus mei habebunt aliquantum Noctis.
Antilo.
Antilo.
TO MY DEARE AND MOST VVORTHY FRIEND MASTER MATHEW ROYDON.
Hymnus in Noctem.
Great
Goddesse to whose throne in Cynthian fires,
This earthlie Alter endlesse fumes exspires,
Therefore, in fumes of sighes and fires of griefe,
To fearefull chances thou sendst bold reliefe,
Happie, thrise happie Type, and nurse of death;
VVho breathlesse, feedes on nothing but our breath,
In whom must vertue and her issue liue,
Or dye for euer, now let humor giue
Seas to mine eyes, that I may quicklie weepe
The shipwracke of the world: or let soft sleepe
(Binding my sences) lose my working soule,
That in her highest pitch, she may controule
The court of skill, compact of misterie,
VVanting but franchisement and memorie
To reach all secrets: then in blisfull trance,
Raise her (deare Night to that perseuerance,
That in my torture, she all earths may sing,
And force to tremble in her trumpeting
Heauens christall temples: in her powrs implant
Skill of my griefs, and she can nothing want.
This earthlie Alter endlesse fumes exspires,
Therefore, in fumes of sighes and fires of griefe,
To fearefull chances thou sendst bold reliefe,
Happie, thrise happie Type, and nurse of death;
VVho breathlesse, feedes on nothing but our breath,
In whom must vertue and her issue liue,
Or dye for euer, now let humor giue
Seas to mine eyes, that I may quicklie weepe
The shipwracke of the world: or let soft sleepe
(Binding my sences) lose my working soule,
That in her highest pitch, she may controule
The court of skill, compact of misterie,
VVanting but franchisement and memorie
To reach all secrets: then in blisfull trance,
Raise her (deare Night to that perseuerance,
That in my torture, she all earths may sing,
And force to tremble in her trumpeting
Heauens christall temples: in her powrs implant
Skill of my griefs, and she can nothing want.
Then like fierce bolts, well rammd with heate & cold
In Ioues Artillerie, my words vnfold,
To breake the labyrinth of euerie eare,
And make ech frighted soule come forth and heare,
Let them breake harts, as well as yeelding ayre,
That all mens bosoms (pierst with no affaires,
But gaine of riches) may be lanced wide,
And with the threates of vertue terrified.
In Ioues Artillerie, my words vnfold,
And make ech frighted soule come forth and heare,
Let them breake harts, as well as yeelding ayre,
That all mens bosoms (pierst with no affaires,
But gaine of riches) may be lanced wide,
And with the threates of vertue terrified.
Sorrowes deare soueraigne, and the queene of rest,
That when vnlight some, vast, and indigest
The formelesse matter of this world did lye,
Fildst euery place with thy Diuinitie,
VVhy did thy absolute and endlesse sway,
Licence heauens torch, the scepter of the Day,
Distinguisht intercession to thy throne,
That long before, all matchlesse rulde alone?
VVhy letst thou order, orderlesse disperse,
The fighting parents of this vniuerse?
VVhen earth, the ayre, and sea, in fire remaind,
VVhen fire, the sea, and earth, the ayre containd,
VVhen ayre, the earth, and fire, the sea enclosde,
VVhen sea, fire, ayre, in earth were indisposde,
Nothing, as now, remainde so out of kinde,
All things in grosse, were finer then refinde,
Substance was sound within, and had no being,
Now forme giues being; all our essence seeming,
Chaos had soule without a bodie then,
Now bodies liue without the soules of men,
Lumps being digested; monsters, in our pride.
That when vnlight some, vast, and indigest
The formelesse matter of this world did lye,
Fildst euery place with thy Diuinitie,
VVhy did thy absolute and endlesse sway,
Licence heauens torch, the scepter of the Day,
Distinguisht intercession to thy throne,
That long before, all matchlesse rulde alone?
VVhy letst thou order, orderlesse disperse,
The fighting parents of this vniuerse?
VVhen earth, the ayre, and sea, in fire remaind,
VVhen fire, the sea, and earth, the ayre containd,
VVhen ayre, the earth, and fire, the sea enclosde,
VVhen sea, fire, ayre, in earth were indisposde,
Nothing, as now, remainde so out of kinde,
All things in grosse, were finer then refinde,
Substance was sound within, and had no being,
Now forme giues being; all our essence seeming,
Chaos had soule without a bodie then,
Now bodies liue without the soules of men,
Lumps being digested; monsters, in our pride.
And as a wealthie fount, that hils did hide,
Let forth by labor of industrious hands,
Powres out her treasure through the fruitefull strands,
Seemely diuided to a hunderd streames,
VVhose bewties shed such profitable beames,
And make such Orphean Musicke in their courses,
That Citties follow their enchanting forces,
VVho running farre, at length ech powres her hart
Into the bosome of the gulfie desart,
As much confounded there, and indigest,
As in the chaos of the hills comprest:
So all things now (extract out of the prime)
Are turnd to chaos, and confound the time.
Let forth by labor of industrious hands,
Powres out her treasure through the fruitefull strands,
Seemely diuided to a hunderd streames,
VVhose bewties shed such profitable beames,
That Citties follow their enchanting forces,
VVho running farre, at length ech powres her hart
Into the bosome of the gulfie desart,
As much confounded there, and indigest,
As in the chaos of the hills comprest:
So all things now (extract out of the prime)
Are turnd to chaos, and confound the time.
A stepdame Night of minde about vs clings,
VVho broodes beneath her hell obscuring wings,
VVorlds of confusion, where the soule defamde,
The bodie had bene better neuer framde,
Beneath thy soft, and peace-full couert then,
(Most sacred mother both of Gods and men)
Treasures vnknowne, and more vnprisde did dwell;
But in the blind borne shadow of this hell,
This horrid stepdame, blindnesse of the minde,
Nought worth the sight, no sight, but worse then blind,
A Gorgon that with brasse, and snakie brows,
(Most harlot-like) her naked secrets shows:
For in th' expansure, and distinct attire,
Of light, and darcknesse, of the sea, and fire,
Of ayre, and earth, and all, all these create,
First set and rulde, in most harmonious state,
Disiunction showes, in all things now amisse,
By that first order, what confusion is:
Religious curb, that manadgd men in bounds,
Of publique wellfare, lothing priuate grounds,
(Now cast away, by selfe lou's paramores)
All are transformd to Calydonian bores,
That kill our bleeding vines, displow our fields,
Rend groues in peeces; all things nature yeelds
Supplanting: tumbling vp in hills of dearth,
The fruitefull disposition of the earth,
Ruine creates men: all to slaughter bent,
Like enuie, fed with others famishment.
VVho broodes beneath her hell obscuring wings,
VVorlds of confusion, where the soule defamde,
The bodie had bene better neuer framde,
Beneath thy soft, and peace-full couert then,
(Most sacred mother both of Gods and men)
Treasures vnknowne, and more vnprisde did dwell;
But in the blind borne shadow of this hell,
This horrid stepdame, blindnesse of the minde,
Nought worth the sight, no sight, but worse then blind,
A Gorgon that with brasse, and snakie brows,
(Most harlot-like) her naked secrets shows:
For in th' expansure, and distinct attire,
Of light, and darcknesse, of the sea, and fire,
Of ayre, and earth, and all, all these create,
First set and rulde, in most harmonious state,
Disiunction showes, in all things now amisse,
By that first order, what confusion is:
Religious curb, that manadgd men in bounds,
Of publique wellfare, lothing priuate grounds,
(Now cast away, by selfe lou's paramores)
All are transformd to Calydonian bores,
That kill our bleeding vines, displow our fields,
Rend groues in peeces; all things nature yeelds
The fruitefull disposition of the earth,
Ruine creates men: all to slaughter bent,
Like enuie, fed with others famishment.
And what makes men without the parts of men,
Or in their manhoods, lesse then childeren,
But manlesse natures? all this world was namde
A world of him, for whom it first was framde,
(VVho (like a tender Cheurill,) shruncke with fire)
Of base ambition, and of selfe-desire,
His armes into his shoulders crept for feare
Bountie should vse them; and fierce rape forbeare,
His legges into his greedie belly runne,
The charge of hospitalitie to shunne)
In him the world is to a lump reuerst,
That shruncke from forme, that was by forme disperst,
And in nought more then thanklesse auarice,
Not rendring vertue her deserued price:
Kinde Amalthæa was transferd by Ioue,
Into his sparckling pauement, for her loue,
Though but a Goate, and giuing him her milke,
Basenesse is flintie; gentrie soft as silke,
In heauens she liues, and rules a liuing signe
In humane bodies: yet not so diuine,
That she can worke her kindnesse in our harts.
Or in their manhoods, lesse then childeren,
But manlesse natures? all this world was namde
A world of him, for whom it first was framde,
(VVho (like a tender Cheurill,) shruncke with fire)
Of base ambition, and of selfe-desire,
His armes into his shoulders crept for feare
Bountie should vse them; and fierce rape forbeare,
His legges into his greedie belly runne,
The charge of hospitalitie to shunne)
In him the world is to a lump reuerst,
That shruncke from forme, that was by forme disperst,
And in nought more then thanklesse auarice,
Not rendring vertue her deserued price:
Kinde Amalthæa was transferd by Ioue,
Into his sparckling pauement, for her loue,
Though but a Goate, and giuing him her milke,
Basenesse is flintie; gentrie soft as silke,
In heauens she liues, and rules a liuing signe
In humane bodies: yet not so diuine,
That she can worke her kindnesse in our harts.
The sencelesse Argiue ship, for her deserts,
Bearing to Colchos, and for bringing backe,
The hardie Argonauts, secure of wracke,
The fautor and the God of gratitude,
VVould not from number of the starres exclude.
A thousand such examples could I cite,
To damne stone-pesants, that like Typhons fight
Against their Maker, and contend to be
Of kings, the abiect slaues of drudgerie.
Proud of that thraldome: loue the kindest lest,
And hate, not to be hated of the best.
Bearing to Colchos, and for bringing backe,
The hardie Argonauts, secure of wracke,
The fautor and the God of gratitude,
VVould not from number of the starres exclude.
A thousand such examples could I cite,
To damne stone-pesants, that like Typhons fight
Of kings, the abiect slaues of drudgerie.
Proud of that thraldome: loue the kindest lest,
And hate, not to be hated of the best.
If then we frame mans figure by his mind,
And that at first, his fashion was assignd,
Erection in such God-like excellence
For his soules sake, and her intelligence:
She so degenerate, and growne deprest,
Content to share affections with a beast,
The shape wherewith he should be now indude,
Must beare no signe of mans similitude.
Therefore Promethean Poets with the coles
Of their most geniale, more-then-humane soules
In liuing verse, created men like these,
VVith shapes of Centaurs, Harpie, Lapithes,
That they in prime of erudition,
VVhen almost sauage vulgar men were growne,
Seeing them selues in those Pierean founts,
Might mend their mindes, asham'd of such accounts.
So when ye heare, the sweetest Muses sonne,
VVith heauenly rapture of his Musicke, wonne
Rockes, forrests, floods, and winds to leaue their course
In his attendance: it bewrayes the force
His wisedome had, to draw men growne so rude
To ciuill loue of Art, and Fortitude,
And not for teaching others insolence,
Had he his date-exceeding excellence
VVith soueraigne Poets, but for vse applyed,
And in his proper actes exemplified.
And that at first, his fashion was assignd,
Erection in such God-like excellence
For his soules sake, and her intelligence:
She so degenerate, and growne deprest,
Content to share affections with a beast,
The shape wherewith he should be now indude,
Must beare no signe of mans similitude.
Therefore Promethean Poets with the coles
Of their most geniale, more-then-humane soules
In liuing verse, created men like these,
VVith shapes of Centaurs, Harpie, Lapithes,
That they in prime of erudition,
VVhen almost sauage vulgar men were growne,
Seeing them selues in those Pierean founts,
Might mend their mindes, asham'd of such accounts.
So when ye heare, the sweetest Muses sonne,
VVith heauenly rapture of his Musicke, wonne
Rockes, forrests, floods, and winds to leaue their course
In his attendance: it bewrayes the force
His wisedome had, to draw men growne so rude
To ciuill loue of Art, and Fortitude,
And not for teaching others insolence,
Had he his date-exceeding excellence
VVith soueraigne Poets, but for vse applyed,
And in his proper actes exemplified.
And that in calming the infernall kinde,
To wit, the perturbations of his minde,
And bringing his Eurydice from hell,
(VVhich Iustice signifies) is proued well.
But if in rights obseruance any man
Looke backe, with boldnesse lesse then Orphean,
Soone falls he to the hell from whence he rose:
The fiction then would temprature dispose,
In all the tender motiues of the minde,
To make man worthie his hel-danting kinde.
The golden chaine of Homers high deuice
Ambition is, or cursed auarice,
VVhich all Gods haling being tyed to Ioue,
Him from his setled height could neuer moue:
Intending this, that though that powrefull chaine
Of most Herculean vigor to constraine
Men from true vertue, or their pristine states
Attempt a man that manlesse changes hates,
And is enobled with a deathlesse loue
Of things eternall, dignified aboue:
Nothing shall stirre him from adorning still
This shape with vertue, and his powre with will.
To wit, the perturbations of his minde,
(VVhich Iustice signifies) is proued well.
But if in rights obseruance any man
Looke backe, with boldnesse lesse then Orphean,
Soone falls he to the hell from whence he rose:
The fiction then would temprature dispose,
In all the tender motiues of the minde,
To make man worthie his hel-danting kinde.
The golden chaine of Homers high deuice
Ambition is, or cursed auarice,
VVhich all Gods haling being tyed to Ioue,
Him from his setled height could neuer moue:
Intending this, that though that powrefull chaine
Of most Herculean vigor to constraine
Men from true vertue, or their pristine states
Attempt a man that manlesse changes hates,
And is enobled with a deathlesse loue
Of things eternall, dignified aboue:
Nothing shall stirre him from adorning still
This shape with vertue, and his powre with will.
But as rude painters that contend to show
Beasts, foules or fish, all artlesse to bestow
On euery side his natiue counterfet,
Aboue his head, his name had neede to set:
So men that will be men, in more then face,
(As in their foreheads) should in actions place
More perfect characters, to proue they be
No mockers of their first nobilitie:
Else may they easly passe for beasts or foules:
Soules praise our shapes, and not our shapes our soules.
Beasts, foules or fish, all artlesse to bestow
On euery side his natiue counterfet,
Aboue his head, his name had neede to set:
So men that will be men, in more then face,
(As in their foreheads) should in actions place
More perfect characters, to proue they be
No mockers of their first nobilitie:
Else may they easly passe for beasts or foules:
Soules praise our shapes, and not our shapes our soules.
And as when Chloris paints th' ennamild meads,
A flocke of shepherds to the bagpipe treads
Rude rurall dances with their countrey loues:
Some a farre off obseruing their remoues,
Turnes, and returnes, quicke footing, sodaine stands,
Reelings aside, od actions with their hands;
Now backe, now forwards, now lockt arme in arme,
Not hearing musicke, thinke it is a charme,
That like loose froes at Bacchanalean feasts,
Makes them seeme franticke in their barraine iestes.
And being clusterd in a shapelesse croude,
VVith much lesse admiration are allowd.
So our first excellence, so much abusd,
And we (without the harmonie was vsd,
VVhen Saturnes golden scepter stroke the strings
Of Ciuill gouernement) make all our doings
Sauour of rudenesse, and obscuritie,
And in our formes shew more deformitie,
Then if we still were wrapt, and smoothered
In that confusion, out of which we fled.
A flocke of shepherds to the bagpipe treads
Some a farre off obseruing their remoues,
Turnes, and returnes, quicke footing, sodaine stands,
Reelings aside, od actions with their hands;
Now backe, now forwards, now lockt arme in arme,
Not hearing musicke, thinke it is a charme,
That like loose froes at Bacchanalean feasts,
Makes them seeme franticke in their barraine iestes.
And being clusterd in a shapelesse croude,
VVith much lesse admiration are allowd.
So our first excellence, so much abusd,
And we (without the harmonie was vsd,
VVhen Saturnes golden scepter stroke the strings
Of Ciuill gouernement) make all our doings
Sauour of rudenesse, and obscuritie,
And in our formes shew more deformitie,
Then if we still were wrapt, and smoothered
In that confusion, out of which we fled.
And as when hosts of starres attend thy flight,
(Day of deepe students, most contentfull night)
The morning (mounted on the Muses stead)
Vshers the sonne from Vulcans golden bed,
And then from forth their sundrie roofes of rest,
All sorts of men, to sorted taskes addrest,
Spreade this inferiour element: and yeeld
Labour his due: the souldier to the field,
States-men to counsell, Iudges to their pleas,
Merchants to commerce, mariners to seas:
All beasts, and birds, the groues and forrests range,
To fill all corners of this round Exchange,
Till thou (deare Night, ô goddesse of most worth)
Letst thy sweet seas of golden humor forth
And Eagle like dost with thy starrie wings,
Beate in the foules, and beasts to Somnus lodgings,
And haughtie Day to the infernall deepe,
Proclaiming scilence studie, ease, and sleepe.
All things before thy forces put in rout,
Retiring where the morning fir'd them out.
(Day of deepe students, most contentfull night)
The morning (mounted on the Muses stead)
Vshers the sonne from Vulcans golden bed,
And then from forth their sundrie roofes of rest,
All sorts of men, to sorted taskes addrest,
Spreade this inferiour element: and yeeld
Labour his due: the souldier to the field,
States-men to counsell, Iudges to their pleas,
Merchants to commerce, mariners to seas:
All beasts, and birds, the groues and forrests range,
To fill all corners of this round Exchange,
Till thou (deare Night, ô goddesse of most worth)
Letst thy sweet seas of golden humor forth
Beate in the foules, and beasts to Somnus lodgings,
And haughtie Day to the infernall deepe,
Proclaiming scilence studie, ease, and sleepe.
All things before thy forces put in rout,
Retiring where the morning fir'd them out.
So to the chaos of our first descent,
(All dayes of honor, and of vertue spent)
VVe basely make retrait, and are no lesse
Then huge impolisht heapes of filthinesse.
Mens faces glitter, and their hearts are blacke,
But thou (great Mistresse of heauens gloomie racke)
Art blacke in face, and glitterst in thy heart.
There is thy glorie, riches, force, and Art;
Opposed earth, beates blacke and blewe thy face,
And often doth thy heart it selfe deface,
For spite that to thy vertue-famed traine,
All the choise worthies that did euer raigne
In eldest age, were still preferd by Ioue,
Esteeming that due honor to his loue.
There shine they: not to sea-men guides alone,
But sacred presidents to euerie one.
There fixt for euer, where the Day is driuen,
Almost foure hundred times a yeare from heauen.
In hell then let her sit, and neuer rise,
Till Morns leaue blushing at her cruelties.
(All dayes of honor, and of vertue spent)
VVe basely make retrait, and are no lesse
Then huge impolisht heapes of filthinesse.
Mens faces glitter, and their hearts are blacke,
But thou (great Mistresse of heauens gloomie racke)
Art blacke in face, and glitterst in thy heart.
There is thy glorie, riches, force, and Art;
Opposed earth, beates blacke and blewe thy face,
And often doth thy heart it selfe deface,
For spite that to thy vertue-famed traine,
All the choise worthies that did euer raigne
In eldest age, were still preferd by Ioue,
Esteeming that due honor to his loue.
There shine they: not to sea-men guides alone,
But sacred presidents to euerie one.
There fixt for euer, where the Day is driuen,
Almost foure hundred times a yeare from heauen.
In hell then let her sit, and neuer rise,
Till Morns leaue blushing at her cruelties.
Meane while, accept, as followers of thy traine,
(Our better parts aspiring to thy raigne)
Vertues obscur'd, and banished the day,
VVith all the glories of this spongie sway,
Prisond in flesh, and that poore flesh in bands
Of stone, and steele, chiefe flowrs of vertues Garlands.
(Our better parts aspiring to thy raigne)
Vertues obscur'd, and banished the day,
VVith all the glories of this spongie sway,
Prisond in flesh, and that poore flesh in bands
Of stone, and steele, chiefe flowrs of vertues Garlands.
O then most tender fortresse of our woes,
That bleeding lye in vertues ouerthroes,
Hating the whoredome of this painted light:
Raise thy chast daughters, ministers of right,
The dreadfull and the iust Eumenides,
And let them wreake the wrongs of our disease,
Drowning the world in bloud, and staine the skies
VVith their spilt soules, made drunke with tyrannies.
That bleeding lye in vertues ouerthroes,
Hating the whoredome of this painted light:
Raise thy chast daughters, ministers of right,
The dreadfull and the iust Eumenides,
And let them wreake the wrongs of our disease,
Drowning the world in bloud, and staine the skies
VVith their spilt soules, made drunke with tyrannies.
Fall Hercules from heauen in tempestes hurld,
And cleanse this beastly stable of the world:
Or bend thy brasen bow against the Sunne,
As in Tartessus, when thou hadst begunne
Thy taske of oxen: heat in more extreames
Then thou wouldst suffer, with his enuious beames.
Now make him leaue the world to Night and dreames.
Neuer were vertues labours so enuy'd
As in this light: shoote, shoote, and stoope his pride:
Suffer no more his lustfull rayes to get
The Earth with issue: let him still be set
In Somnus thickets: bound about the browes,
VVith pitchie vapours, and with Ebone bowes.
And cleanse this beastly stable of the world:
Or bend thy brasen bow against the Sunne,
As in Tartessus, when thou hadst begunne
Thy taske of oxen: heat in more extreames
Then thou wouldst suffer, with his enuious beames.
Now make him leaue the world to Night and dreames.
Neuer were vertues labours so enuy'd
As in this light: shoote, shoote, and stoope his pride:
Suffer no more his lustfull rayes to get
The Earth with issue: let him still be set
In Somnus thickets: bound about the browes,
VVith pitchie vapours, and with Ebone bowes.
Rich-tapird sanctuarie of the blest,
Pallace of Ruth, made all of teares, and rest,
To thy blacke shades and desolation,
I consecrate my life; and liuing mone,
VVhere furies shall for euer fighting be,
And adders hisse the world for hating me,
Foxes shall barke, and Night-rauens belch in grones,
And owles shall hollow my confusions:
There will I furnish vp my funerall bed,
Strewd with the bones and relickes of the dead.
Atlas shall let th' Olimpick burthen fall,
To couer my vntombed face withall.
And when as well, the matter of our kind,
As the materiall substance of the mind,
Shall cease their reuolutions, in abode
Of such impure and vgly period,
As the old essence, and insensiue prime:
Then shall the ruines of the fourefold time,
Turnd to that lumpe (as rapting Torrents rise)
For euer murmure forth my miseries.
Pallace of Ruth, made all of teares, and rest,
To thy blacke shades and desolation,
I consecrate my life; and liuing mone,
VVhere furies shall for euer fighting be,
And adders hisse the world for hating me,
Foxes shall barke, and Night-rauens belch in grones,
And owles shall hollow my confusions:
There will I furnish vp my funerall bed,
Strewd with the bones and relickes of the dead.
Atlas shall let th' Olimpick burthen fall,
And when as well, the matter of our kind,
As the materiall substance of the mind,
Shall cease their reuolutions, in abode
Of such impure and vgly period,
As the old essence, and insensiue prime:
Then shall the ruines of the fourefold time,
Turnd to that lumpe (as rapting Torrents rise)
For euer murmure forth my miseries.
Ye liuing spirits then, if any liue,
VVhom like extreames, do like affections giue,
Shun, shun this cruell light, and end your thrall,
In these soft shades of sable funerall:
From whence with ghosts, whō vengeance holds frō rest,
Dog-fiends and monsters hanting the distrest,
As men whose parents tyrannie hath slaine,
VVhose sisters rape, and bondage do sustaine.
But you that nere had birth, nor euer prou'd,
How deare a blessing tis to be belou'd,
VVhose friends idolatrous desire of gold,
To scorne, and ruine haue your freedome sold:
VVhose vertues feele all this, and shew your eyes,
Men made of Tartar, and of villanies.
Aspire th' extraction, and the quintessence
Of all the ioyes in earths circumference:
VVith ghosts, fiends, monsters: as men robd and rackt,
Murtherd in life: from shades with shadowes blackt:
Thunder your wrongs, your miseries and hells,
And with the dismall accents of your knells,
Reuiue the dead, and make the liuing dye
In ruth, and terror of your torturie:
Still all the powre of Art into your grones,
Scorning your triuiall and remissiue mones,
Compact of fiction, and hyperboles,
(Like wanton mourners, cloyd with too much ease)
Should leaue the glasses of the hearers eyes
Vnbroken, counting all but vanities.
But paint, or else create in serious truth,
A bodie figur'd to your vertues ruth,
That to the sence may shew what damned sinne,
For your extreames this Chaos tumbles in.
But wo is wretched me, without a name:
Vertue feeds scorne, and noblest honor, shame:
Pride bathes in teares of poore submission,
And makes his soule, the purple he puts on.
VVhom like extreames, do like affections giue,
Shun, shun this cruell light, and end your thrall,
In these soft shades of sable funerall:
From whence with ghosts, whō vengeance holds frō rest,
Dog-fiends and monsters hanting the distrest,
As men whose parents tyrannie hath slaine,
VVhose sisters rape, and bondage do sustaine.
But you that nere had birth, nor euer prou'd,
How deare a blessing tis to be belou'd,
VVhose friends idolatrous desire of gold,
To scorne, and ruine haue your freedome sold:
VVhose vertues feele all this, and shew your eyes,
Men made of Tartar, and of villanies.
Aspire th' extraction, and the quintessence
Of all the ioyes in earths circumference:
VVith ghosts, fiends, monsters: as men robd and rackt,
Murtherd in life: from shades with shadowes blackt:
Thunder your wrongs, your miseries and hells,
And with the dismall accents of your knells,
Reuiue the dead, and make the liuing dye
In ruth, and terror of your torturie:
Still all the powre of Art into your grones,
Compact of fiction, and hyperboles,
(Like wanton mourners, cloyd with too much ease)
Should leaue the glasses of the hearers eyes
Vnbroken, counting all but vanities.
But paint, or else create in serious truth,
A bodie figur'd to your vertues ruth,
That to the sence may shew what damned sinne,
For your extreames this Chaos tumbles in.
But wo is wretched me, without a name:
Vertue feeds scorne, and noblest honor, shame:
Pride bathes in teares of poore submission,
And makes his soule, the purple he puts on.
Kneele then with me, fall worme-like on the ground,
And from th' infectious dunghill of this Round,
From mens brasse wits, and golden foolerie,
VVeepe, weepe your soules, into felicitie:
Come to this house of mourning, serue the night,
To whom pale day (with whoredome soked quite)
Is but a drudge, selling her beauties vse
To rapes, adultries, and to all abuse.
Her labors feast imperiall Night with sports,
VVhere Loues are Christmast, with all pleasures sorts:
And whom her fugitiue, and far-shot rayes
Disioyne, and driue into ten thousand wayes,
Nights glorious mantle wraps in safe abodes,
And frees their neckes from seruile labors lodes:
Her trustie shadowes, succour men dismayd,
VVhom Dayes deceiptfull malice hath betrayd:
From the silke vapors of her Iuery port,
Sweet Protean dreames she sends of euery sort:
Some taking formes of Princes, to perswade
Of men deiect, we are their equals made,
Some clad in habit of deceased friends,
For whom we mournd, and now haue wisht amends,
And some (deare fauour) Lady-like attyrd,
VVith pride of Beauties full Meridian fir'd:
VVho pitie our contempts, reuiue our harts:
For wisest Ladies loue the inward parts.
And from th' infectious dunghill of this Round,
From mens brasse wits, and golden foolerie,
VVeepe, weepe your soules, into felicitie:
Come to this house of mourning, serue the night,
To whom pale day (with whoredome soked quite)
Is but a drudge, selling her beauties vse
To rapes, adultries, and to all abuse.
Her labors feast imperiall Night with sports,
VVhere Loues are Christmast, with all pleasures sorts:
And whom her fugitiue, and far-shot rayes
Disioyne, and driue into ten thousand wayes,
Nights glorious mantle wraps in safe abodes,
And frees their neckes from seruile labors lodes:
Her trustie shadowes, succour men dismayd,
VVhom Dayes deceiptfull malice hath betrayd:
From the silke vapors of her Iuery port,
Sweet Protean dreames she sends of euery sort:
Some taking formes of Princes, to perswade
Some clad in habit of deceased friends,
For whom we mournd, and now haue wisht amends,
And some (deare fauour) Lady-like attyrd,
VVith pride of Beauties full Meridian fir'd:
VVho pitie our contempts, reuiue our harts:
For wisest Ladies loue the inward parts.
If these be dreames, euen so are all things else,
That walke this round by heauenly sentinels:
But from Nights port of horne she greets our eyes
VVith grauer dreames inspir'd with prophesies,
VVhich oft presage to vs succeeding chances,
VVe proouing that awake, they shew in trances.
If these seeme likewise vaine, or nothing are
Vaine things, or nothing come to vertues share:
For nothing more then dreames, with vs shee findes:
Then since all pleasures vanish like the windes,
And that most serious actions not respecting
The second light, are worth but the neglecting,
Since day, or light, in anie qualitie,
For earthly vses do but serue the eye.
And since the eyes most quicke and dangerous vse,
Enflames the heart, and learnes the soule abuse,
Since mournings are preferd to banquettings,
And they reach heauen, bred vnder sorrowes wings.
Since Night brings terror to our frailties still,
And shamelesse Day, doth marble vs in ill.
That walke this round by heauenly sentinels:
But from Nights port of horne she greets our eyes
VVith grauer dreames inspir'd with prophesies,
VVhich oft presage to vs succeeding chances,
VVe proouing that awake, they shew in trances.
If these seeme likewise vaine, or nothing are
Vaine things, or nothing come to vertues share:
For nothing more then dreames, with vs shee findes:
Then since all pleasures vanish like the windes,
And that most serious actions not respecting
The second light, are worth but the neglecting,
Since day, or light, in anie qualitie,
For earthly vses do but serue the eye.
And since the eyes most quicke and dangerous vse,
Enflames the heart, and learnes the soule abuse,
Since mournings are preferd to banquettings,
And they reach heauen, bred vnder sorrowes wings.
Since Night brings terror to our frailties still,
And shamelesse Day, doth marble vs in ill.
All you possest with indepressed spirits,
Indu'd with nimble, and aspiring wits,
Come consecrate with me, to sacred Night
Your whole endeuours, and detest the light.
Sweete Peaces richest crowne is made of starres,
Most certaine guides of honord Marinars,
No pen can any thing eternall wright,
That is not steept in humor of the Night.
Indu'd with nimble, and aspiring wits,
Come consecrate with me, to sacred Night
Your whole endeuours, and detest the light.
Sweete Peaces richest crowne is made of starres,
No pen can any thing eternall wright,
That is not steept in humor of the Night.
Hence beasts, and birds to caues and bushes then,
And welcome Night, ye noblest heires of men,
Hence Phebus to thy glassie strumpets bed,
And neuer more let Themis daughters spred,
Thy golden harnesse on thy rosie horse,
But in close thickets run thy oblique course.
And welcome Night, ye noblest heires of men,
Hence Phebus to thy glassie strumpets bed,
And neuer more let Themis daughters spred,
Thy golden harnesse on thy rosie horse,
But in close thickets run thy oblique course.
See now ascends, the glorious Bride of Brides,
Nuptials, and triumphs, glittring by her sides,
Iuno and Hymen do her traine adorne,
Ten thousand torches round about them borne:
Dumbe Silence mounted on the Cyprian starre,
VVith becks, rebukes the winds before his carre,
VVhere she aduanst; beates downe with cloudie mace,
The feeble light to blacke Saturnius pallace:
Behind her, with a brase of siluer Hynds,
In Iuorie chariot, swifter then the winds,
In great Hyperions horned daughter drawne
Enchantresse-like, deckt in disparent lawne,
Circkled with charmes, and incantations,
That ride huge spirits, and outragious passions:
Musicke, and moode, she loues, but loue she hates,
(As curious Ladies do, their publique cates)
This traine, with meteors, comets, lightenings,
The dreadfull presence of our Empresse sings:
VVhich grant for euer (ô eternall Night)
Till vertue flourish in the light of light.
Nuptials, and triumphs, glittring by her sides,
Iuno and Hymen do her traine adorne,
Ten thousand torches round about them borne:
Dumbe Silence mounted on the Cyprian starre,
VVith becks, rebukes the winds before his carre,
VVhere she aduanst; beates downe with cloudie mace,
The feeble light to blacke Saturnius pallace:
Behind her, with a brase of siluer Hynds,
In Iuorie chariot, swifter then the winds,
In great Hyperions horned daughter drawne
Enchantresse-like, deckt in disparent lawne,
Circkled with charmes, and incantations,
That ride huge spirits, and outragious passions:
Musicke, and moode, she loues, but loue she hates,
(As curious Ladies do, their publique cates)
This traine, with meteors, comets, lightenings,
The dreadfull presence of our Empresse sings:
VVhich grant for euer (ô eternall Night)
Till vertue flourish in the light of light.
Explicit Hymnus.
Hymnus in Cynthiam.
Natures
bright eye-sight, and the Nights faire soule,
That with thy triple forehead dost controule
Earth, seas, and hell: and art in dignitie
The greatest, and swiftest Planet in the skie:
That with thy triple forehead dost controule
Earth, seas, and hell: and art in dignitie
The greatest, and swiftest Planet in the skie:
Peacefull, and warlike, and the powre of fate,
In perfect circle of whose sacred state,
The circles of our hopes are compassed:
All wisedome, beautie, maiestie and dread,
VVrought in the speaking pourtrait of thy face.
Great Cynthia, rise out of thy Latmian pallace,
VVash thy bright bodie, in th' Atlanticke streames,
Put on those robes that are most rich in beames:
And in thy All ill-purging puritie,
(As if the shadie Cytheron did frie
In sightfull furie of a solemne fire)
Ascend thy chariot, and make earth admire
Thy old swist changes, made a yong fixt prime,
O let thy beautie scorch the wings of time,
That fluttering he may fall before thine eyes,
And beate him selfe to death before he rise:
And as heauens Geniall parts were cut away
By Saturnes hands, with adamantine Harpey,
Onely to shew, that since it was composd
Of vniuersall matter: it enclosd
No powre to procreate another heauen.
So since that adamantine powre is giuen
To thy chast hands, to cut of all desire
Of fleshly sports, and quench to Cupids fire:
Let it approue: no change shall take thee hence,
Nor thy throne beare another inference:
For if the enuious forehead of the earth
Lowre on thy age, and claime thee as her birth.
Tapers, nor torches, nor the forrests burning,
Soule-winging musicke, nor teare-stilling mourning,
(Vsd of old Romanes and rude Macedons
In thy most sad, and blacke discessions)
VVe know can nothing further thy recall,
VVhen Nights darke robes (whose obiects blind vs all)
Shall celebrate thy changes funerall.
But as in that thrise dreadfull foughten field
Of ruthlesse Cannas, when sweet Rule did yeeld,
Her beauties strongest proofs, and hugest loue:
VVhen men as many as the lamps aboue,
Armd Earth in steele, and made her like the skies,
That two Auroraes did in one day rise.
Then with the terror of the trumpets call,
The battels ioynd as if the world did fall:
Continewd long in life-disdaining fight,
Ioues thundring Eagles featherd like the night,
Hou'ring aboue them with indifferent wings,
Till Bloods sterne daughter, cruell Tyche flings
The chiefe of one side, to the blushing ground,
And then his men (whom griefs, and feares confound)
Turnd all their cheerfull hopes to grimme despaire,
Some casting of their soules into the aire,
Some taken prisners, some extreamely maimd,
And all (as men accurst) on fate exclaimd.
So (gracious Cynthia) in that sable day,
VVhen interposed earth takes thee away,
(Our sacred chiefe and soueraigne generall,
As chrimsine a retrait, and steepe a fall
VVe feare to suffer from this peace, and height,
VVhose thancklesse sweet now cloies vs with receipt.
In perfect circle of whose sacred state,
The circles of our hopes are compassed:
All wisedome, beautie, maiestie and dread,
VVrought in the speaking pourtrait of thy face.
Great Cynthia, rise out of thy Latmian pallace,
VVash thy bright bodie, in th' Atlanticke streames,
Put on those robes that are most rich in beames:
And in thy All ill-purging puritie,
(As if the shadie Cytheron did frie
In sightfull furie of a solemne fire)
Ascend thy chariot, and make earth admire
Thy old swist changes, made a yong fixt prime,
O let thy beautie scorch the wings of time,
That fluttering he may fall before thine eyes,
And beate him selfe to death before he rise:
And as heauens Geniall parts were cut away
By Saturnes hands, with adamantine Harpey,
Onely to shew, that since it was composd
Of vniuersall matter: it enclosd
No powre to procreate another heauen.
To thy chast hands, to cut of all desire
Of fleshly sports, and quench to Cupids fire:
Let it approue: no change shall take thee hence,
Nor thy throne beare another inference:
For if the enuious forehead of the earth
Lowre on thy age, and claime thee as her birth.
Tapers, nor torches, nor the forrests burning,
Soule-winging musicke, nor teare-stilling mourning,
(Vsd of old Romanes and rude Macedons
In thy most sad, and blacke discessions)
VVe know can nothing further thy recall,
VVhen Nights darke robes (whose obiects blind vs all)
Shall celebrate thy changes funerall.
But as in that thrise dreadfull foughten field
Of ruthlesse Cannas, when sweet Rule did yeeld,
Her beauties strongest proofs, and hugest loue:
VVhen men as many as the lamps aboue,
Armd Earth in steele, and made her like the skies,
That two Auroraes did in one day rise.
Then with the terror of the trumpets call,
The battels ioynd as if the world did fall:
Continewd long in life-disdaining fight,
Ioues thundring Eagles featherd like the night,
Hou'ring aboue them with indifferent wings,
Till Bloods sterne daughter, cruell Tyche flings
The chiefe of one side, to the blushing ground,
And then his men (whom griefs, and feares confound)
Turnd all their cheerfull hopes to grimme despaire,
Some casting of their soules into the aire,
Some taken prisners, some extreamely maimd,
And all (as men accurst) on fate exclaimd.
VVhen interposed earth takes thee away,
(Our sacred chiefe and soueraigne generall,
As chrimsine a retrait, and steepe a fall
VVe feare to suffer from this peace, and height,
VVhose thancklesse sweet now cloies vs with receipt.
The Romanes set sweet Musicke to her charmes,
To raise thy stoopings, with her ayrie armes:
Vsde loud resoundings with auspicious brasse:
Held torches vp to heauen, and flaming glasse,
Made a whole forrest but a burning eye,
T'admire thy mournefull partings with the skye.
The Macedonians were so stricken dead,
VVith skillesse horrour of thy changes dread:
They wanted harts, to lift vp sounds, or fires,
Or eyes to heauen; but vsd their funerall tyres,
Trembld, and wept; assur'd some mischiefs furie
VVould follow that afflicting Augurie.
To raise thy stoopings, with her ayrie armes:
Vsde loud resoundings with auspicious brasse:
Held torches vp to heauen, and flaming glasse,
Made a whole forrest but a burning eye,
T'admire thy mournefull partings with the skye.
The Macedonians were so stricken dead,
VVith skillesse horrour of thy changes dread:
They wanted harts, to lift vp sounds, or fires,
Or eyes to heauen; but vsd their funerall tyres,
Trembld, and wept; assur'd some mischiefs furie
VVould follow that afflicting Augurie.
Nor shall our wisedomes be more arrogant
(O sacred Cynthia) but beleeue thy want
Hath cause to make vs now as much affraid:
Nor shall Democrates who first is said,
To reade in natures browes, thy chaunges cause,
Perswade our sorrowes to a vaine applause.
(O sacred Cynthia) but beleeue thy want
Hath cause to make vs now as much affraid:
Nor shall Democrates who first is said,
To reade in natures browes, thy chaunges cause,
Perswade our sorrowes to a vaine applause.
Times motion, being like the reeling sunnes,
Or as the sea reciprocallie runnes,
Hath brought vs now to their opinions;
As in our garments, ancient fashions
Are newlie worne; and as sweet poesie
VVill not be clad in her supremacie
VVith those straunge garments (Romes Hexameters)
As she is English: but in right prefers
Our natiue robes, (put on with skilfull hands
English heroicks) to those antick garlands,
Accounting it no meede but mockerie,
VVhen her steepe browes alreadie prop the skie,
To put on startups, and yet let it fall.
No otherwise (O Queene celestiall)
Can we beleeue Ephesias state wilbe
But spoile with forreine grace, and change with thee
The purenesse of thy neuer-tainted life,
Scorning the subiect title of a wife,
Thy bodie not composed in thy birth,
Of such condensed matter as the earth,
Thy shunning faithlesse mens societie,
Betaking thee to hounds, and Archerie
To deserts, and inaccessible hills,
Abhorring pleasure in earths common ills,
Commit most willing rapes on all our harts:
And make vs tremble, lest thy soueraigne parts
(The whole preseruers of our happinesse)
Should yeeld to change, Eclips, or heauinesse.
And as thy changes happen by the site,
Neare, or farre distance, of thy fathers light,
VVho (set in absolute remotion) reaues
Thy face of light, and thee all darkned leaues:
So for thy absence, to the shade of death
Our soules fly mourning, winged with our breath.
Or as the sea reciprocallie runnes,
Hath brought vs now to their opinions;
As in our garments, ancient fashions
Are newlie worne; and as sweet poesie
VVill not be clad in her supremacie
VVith those straunge garments (Romes Hexameters)
As she is English: but in right prefers
English heroicks) to those antick garlands,
Accounting it no meede but mockerie,
VVhen her steepe browes alreadie prop the skie,
To put on startups, and yet let it fall.
No otherwise (O Queene celestiall)
Can we beleeue Ephesias state wilbe
But spoile with forreine grace, and change with thee
The purenesse of thy neuer-tainted life,
Scorning the subiect title of a wife,
Thy bodie not composed in thy birth,
Of such condensed matter as the earth,
Thy shunning faithlesse mens societie,
Betaking thee to hounds, and Archerie
To deserts, and inaccessible hills,
Abhorring pleasure in earths common ills,
Commit most willing rapes on all our harts:
And make vs tremble, lest thy soueraigne parts
(The whole preseruers of our happinesse)
Should yeeld to change, Eclips, or heauinesse.
And as thy changes happen by the site,
Neare, or farre distance, of thy fathers light,
VVho (set in absolute remotion) reaues
Thy face of light, and thee all darkned leaues:
So for thy absence, to the shade of death
Our soules fly mourning, winged with our breath.
Then set thy Christall, and Imperiall throne,
(Girt in thy chast, and neuer-loosing zone)
Gainst Europs Sunne directly opposit,
And giue him darknesse, that doth threat thy light.
(Girt in thy chast, and neuer-loosing zone)
Gainst Europs Sunne directly opposit,
And giue him darknesse, that doth threat thy light.
O how accurst are they thy fauour scorne?
Diseases pine their flockes, tares spoile their corne:
Old men are blind of issue, and young wiues
Bring forth abortiue frute, that neuer thriues.
Diseases pine their flockes, tares spoile their corne:
Bring forth abortiue frute, that neuer thriues.
But then how blest are they thy fauour graces,
Peace in their hearts, and youth raignes in their faces:
Health strengths their bodies, to subdue the seas,
And dare the Sunne, like Thebane Hercules
To calme the furies, and to quench the fire:
As at thy altars, in thy Persicke Empire,
Thy holy women walkt with naked soles
Harmelesse, and confident, on burning coles:
The vertue-temperd mind, euer preserues,
Oyles, and expulsatorie Balme that serues
To quench lusts fire, in all things it annoints,
And steeles our feet to march on needles points:
And mongst her armes, hath armour to repell
The canon, and the firie darts of hell:
She is the great enchantresse that commands
Spirits of euery region, seas, and lands,
Round heauen it selfe, and all his seuen-fold heights,
Are bound to serue the strength of her conceipts:
A perfect type of thy Almightie state,
That holdst the thread, and rul'st the sword of fate.
Peace in their hearts, and youth raignes in their faces:
Health strengths their bodies, to subdue the seas,
And dare the Sunne, like Thebane Hercules
To calme the furies, and to quench the fire:
As at thy altars, in thy Persicke Empire,
Thy holy women walkt with naked soles
Harmelesse, and confident, on burning coles:
The vertue-temperd mind, euer preserues,
Oyles, and expulsatorie Balme that serues
To quench lusts fire, in all things it annoints,
And steeles our feet to march on needles points:
And mongst her armes, hath armour to repell
The canon, and the firie darts of hell:
She is the great enchantresse that commands
Spirits of euery region, seas, and lands,
Round heauen it selfe, and all his seuen-fold heights,
Are bound to serue the strength of her conceipts:
A perfect type of thy Almightie state,
That holdst the thread, and rul'st the sword of fate.
Then you that exercise the virgine Court
Of peacefull Thespya, my muse consort,
Making her drunken with Gorgonean Dews,
And therewith, all your Extasies infuse,
That she may reach the top-lesse starrie brows
Of steepe Olympus, crownd with freshest bows
Of Daphnean Laurell, and the praises sing
Of mightie Cynthia: truely figuring,
(As she is Heccate) her soueraigne kinde,
And in her force, the forces of the mind:
An argument to rauish and refine
An earthly soule, and make it meere diuine.
Sing then withall, her Pallace brightnesse bright,
The dasle-sunne perfections of her light,
Circkling her face with glories, sing the walkes,
VVhere in her heauenly Magicke mood she stalkes.
Her arbours, thickets, and her wondrous game,
(A huntesse, being neuer matcht in fame)
Presume not then ye flesh confounded soules,
That cannot beare the full Castalian bowles,
VVhich seuer mounting spirits from the sences,
To looke in this deepe fount for thy pretenses:
The iuice more cleare then day, yet shadows night,
VVhere humor challengeth no drop of right:
But iudgement shall displaie, to purest eyes
VVith ease, the bowells of these misteries.
Of peacefull Thespya, my muse consort,
Making her drunken with Gorgonean Dews,
And therewith, all your Extasies infuse,
That she may reach the top-lesse starrie brows
Of steepe Olympus, crownd with freshest bows
Of Daphnean Laurell, and the praises sing
Of mightie Cynthia: truely figuring,
(As she is Heccate) her soueraigne kinde,
And in her force, the forces of the mind:
An earthly soule, and make it meere diuine.
Sing then withall, her Pallace brightnesse bright,
The dasle-sunne perfections of her light,
Circkling her face with glories, sing the walkes,
VVhere in her heauenly Magicke mood she stalkes.
Her arbours, thickets, and her wondrous game,
(A huntesse, being neuer matcht in fame)
Presume not then ye flesh confounded soules,
That cannot beare the full Castalian bowles,
VVhich seuer mounting spirits from the sences,
To looke in this deepe fount for thy pretenses:
The iuice more cleare then day, yet shadows night,
VVhere humor challengeth no drop of right:
But iudgement shall displaie, to purest eyes
VVith ease, the bowells of these misteries.
See then this Planet of our liues discended
To rich Ortigia, gloriouslie attended,
Not with hir fiftie Ocean Nimphs: nor yet
Hir twentie forresters: but doth beget
By powrefull charmes, delight some seruitors
Of flowrs, and shadows, mists, and meteors:
Her rare Elisian Pallace she did build
VVith studied wishes, which sweet hope did guild
VVith sunnie foyle, that lasted but a day:
For night must needs, importune her away.
The shapes of euerie wholesome flowre and tree
She gaue those types of hir felicitie.
And Forme her selfe, she mightelie coniurd
Their priselesse values, might not be obscurd,
VVith disposition baser then diuine,
But make that blissfull court of hers to shine
VVith all accomplishment of Architect,
That not the eye of Phebus could detect.
Forme then, twixt two superior pillers framd.
This tender building, Pax Imperij nam'd,
VVhich cast a shadow, like a Pyramis
VVhose basis, in the plaine or back part is
Of that queint worke: the top so high extended,
That it the region of the Moone transcended:
VVithout, within it, euerie corner fild
By bewtious forme, as her great mistresse wild.
Here as she sits, the thunder-louing Ioue
In honors past all others showes his loue,
Proclaiming her in compleat Emperie,
Of what soeuer the Olympick skie
VVith tender circumuecture doth embrace
The chiefest Planet, that doth heauen enchace:
Deare Goddesse, prompt, benigne, and bounteous,
That heares all prayers, from the least of vs
Large riches giues, since she is largely giuen,
And all that spring from seede of earth and heauen
She doth commaund: and rules the fates of all,
Old Hesiod sings her thus celestiall:
And now to take the pleasures of the day,
Because her night starre soone will call away,
She frames of matter intimate before,
(To wit, a bright, and daseling meteor)
A goodlie Nimph, whose bewtie, bewtie staines
Heau'ns with her iewells; giues all the raines
Of wished pleasance; frames her golden wings,
But them she bindes vp close with purple strings,
Because she now will haue her run alone,
And bid the base, to all affection.
And Euthimya is her sacred name,
Since she the cares and toyles of earth must tame:
Then straight the flowrs, the shadowes and the mists,
(Fit matter for most pliant humorists)
She hunters makes: and of that substance hounds
VVhose mouths deafe heauē, & furrow earth with woūds,
And maruaile not a Nimphe so rich in grace
To hounds rude pursutes should be giuen in chase:
For she could turne her selfe to euerie shape
Of swiftest beasts, and at her pleasure scape,
VVealth faunes on fooles; vertues are meate for vices,
VVisedome conformes her selfe to all earths guises,
Good gifts are often giuen to men past good,
And Noblesse stoops sometimes beneath his blood.
To rich Ortigia, gloriouslie attended,
Not with hir fiftie Ocean Nimphs: nor yet
Hir twentie forresters: but doth beget
By powrefull charmes, delight some seruitors
Of flowrs, and shadows, mists, and meteors:
Her rare Elisian Pallace she did build
VVith studied wishes, which sweet hope did guild
VVith sunnie foyle, that lasted but a day:
For night must needs, importune her away.
The shapes of euerie wholesome flowre and tree
She gaue those types of hir felicitie.
And Forme her selfe, she mightelie coniurd
Their priselesse values, might not be obscurd,
VVith disposition baser then diuine,
But make that blissfull court of hers to shine
That not the eye of Phebus could detect.
Forme then, twixt two superior pillers framd.
This tender building, Pax Imperij nam'd,
VVhich cast a shadow, like a Pyramis
VVhose basis, in the plaine or back part is
Of that queint worke: the top so high extended,
That it the region of the Moone transcended:
VVithout, within it, euerie corner fild
By bewtious forme, as her great mistresse wild.
Here as she sits, the thunder-louing Ioue
In honors past all others showes his loue,
Proclaiming her in compleat Emperie,
Of what soeuer the Olympick skie
VVith tender circumuecture doth embrace
The chiefest Planet, that doth heauen enchace:
Deare Goddesse, prompt, benigne, and bounteous,
That heares all prayers, from the least of vs
Large riches giues, since she is largely giuen,
And all that spring from seede of earth and heauen
She doth commaund: and rules the fates of all,
Old Hesiod sings her thus celestiall:
And now to take the pleasures of the day,
Because her night starre soone will call away,
She frames of matter intimate before,
(To wit, a bright, and daseling meteor)
A goodlie Nimph, whose bewtie, bewtie staines
Heau'ns with her iewells; giues all the raines
Of wished pleasance; frames her golden wings,
But them she bindes vp close with purple strings,
Because she now will haue her run alone,
And bid the base, to all affection.
Since she the cares and toyles of earth must tame:
Then straight the flowrs, the shadowes and the mists,
(Fit matter for most pliant humorists)
She hunters makes: and of that substance hounds
VVhose mouths deafe heauē, & furrow earth with woūds,
And maruaile not a Nimphe so rich in grace
To hounds rude pursutes should be giuen in chase:
For she could turne her selfe to euerie shape
Of swiftest beasts, and at her pleasure scape,
VVealth faunes on fooles; vertues are meate for vices,
VVisedome conformes her selfe to all earths guises,
Good gifts are often giuen to men past good,
And Noblesse stoops sometimes beneath his blood.
The hounds that she created, vast, and fleete
VVere grimme Melampus, with th' Ethiops feete,
VVhite Leucon; all eating Pamphagus,
Sharp-sighted Dorceus, wild Oribasus
Storme-breathing Lelaps, and the sauage Theron,
VVingd-footed Pterelas, and Hinde-like Ladon,
Greedie Harpyia, and the painted Stycté,
Fierce Trigis, and the thicket-searcher Agre,
The blacke Melaneus, and the bristled Lachne,
Leane lustfull Cyprius, and big chested Aloe.
These and such other now the forrest rang'd,
And Euthimya to a Panther changd,
Holds them sweet chase; their mouths they freely spend,
As if the earth in sunder they would rend.
VVhich change of Musick likt the Goddesse so,
That she before her formost Nimphe would go,
And not a huntsman there was eagrer seene
In that sports loue, (yet all were wondrous keene)
Then was their swift, and windie-footed queene.
But now this spotted game did thicket take,
VVhere not a hound could hungred passage make:
Such proofe the couret was, all armd in thorne,
VVith which in their attempts, the doggs were torne,
And fell to howling in their happinesse:
As when a flocke of schoole boys, whom their mistresse
(Held closelie to their bookes) gets leaue to sport,
And then like toyle-freed deare, in headlong sort
VVith shoutes, and shrieks, they hurrey from the schoole.
Some strow the woods, some swimme the siluer poole:
All as they list to seuerall pastimes fall,
To feede their famisht wantonnesse with all.
VVhen strait, within the woods some wolfe or beare,
The heedlesse lyms of one doth peecemeale teare,
Affrighteth other, sends some bleeding backe,
And some in greedie whirle pitts suffer wracke.
So did the bristled couert check with wounds
The licorous hast of these game greedie hounds.
VVere grimme Melampus, with th' Ethiops feete,
VVhite Leucon; all eating Pamphagus,
Sharp-sighted Dorceus, wild Oribasus
Storme-breathing Lelaps, and the sauage Theron,
VVingd-footed Pterelas, and Hinde-like Ladon,
Greedie Harpyia, and the painted Stycté,
Fierce Trigis, and the thicket-searcher Agre,
The blacke Melaneus, and the bristled Lachne,
Leane lustfull Cyprius, and big chested Aloe.
These and such other now the forrest rang'd,
And Euthimya to a Panther changd,
Holds them sweet chase; their mouths they freely spend,
As if the earth in sunder they would rend.
VVhich change of Musick likt the Goddesse so,
That she before her formost Nimphe would go,
And not a huntsman there was eagrer seene
In that sports loue, (yet all were wondrous keene)
But now this spotted game did thicket take,
VVhere not a hound could hungred passage make:
Such proofe the couret was, all armd in thorne,
VVith which in their attempts, the doggs were torne,
And fell to howling in their happinesse:
As when a flocke of schoole boys, whom their mistresse
(Held closelie to their bookes) gets leaue to sport,
And then like toyle-freed deare, in headlong sort
VVith shoutes, and shrieks, they hurrey from the schoole.
Some strow the woods, some swimme the siluer poole:
All as they list to seuerall pastimes fall,
To feede their famisht wantonnesse with all.
VVhen strait, within the woods some wolfe or beare,
The heedlesse lyms of one doth peecemeale teare,
Affrighteth other, sends some bleeding backe,
And some in greedie whirle pitts suffer wracke.
So did the bristled couert check with wounds
The licorous hast of these game greedie hounds.
In this vast thicket, (whose descriptions task
The penns of furies, and of feends would aske:
So more then humane thoughted horrible)
The soules of such as liu'd implausible,
In happie Empire of this Goddesse glories,
And scornd to crowne hir Phanes with sacrifice
Did ceaselesse walke; expiring fearefull grones,
Curses, and threats for their confusions.
Her darts, and arrowes, some of them had slaine,
Others hir doggs eate, painting hir disdaine,
After she had transformd them into beasts:
Others her monsters carried to their nests,
Rent them in peeces, and their spirits sent
To this blind shade, to waile their banishment.
The huntsmen hearing (since they could not heare)
Their hounds at fault; in eager chase drew neare,
Mounted on Lyons, Vnicorns, and Bores,
And saw their hounds lye licking of their sores,
Some yerning at the shroud, as if they chid
Her stinging toungs, that did their chase forbid:
By which they knew the game was that way gone.
Then ech man forst the beast he rode vpon,
T'assault the thicket; whose repulsiue thorns
So gald the Lyons, Bores, and Vnicorns,
Dragons, and wolues; that halfe their courages
VVere spent in rores, and sounds of heauines:
Yet being the Princeliest, and hardiest beasts,
That gaue chiefe fame to those Ortygian forests,
And all their riders furious of their sport,
A fresh assault they gaue, in desperate sort:
And with their falchions made their wayes in wounds:
The thicket opend, and let in the hounds.
But from her bosome cast prodigious cries,
VVrapt in her Stigian fumes of miseries:
VVhich yet the breaths of those couragious steads
Did still drinke vp, and cleerd their ventrous heads:
As when the fierie coursers of the sunne,
Vp to the pallace of the morning runne,
And from their nosthrills blow the spitefull day:
So yet those foggie vapors, made them way.
But preasing further, saw such cursed sights,
Such Ætnas filld with strange tormented sprites,
That now the vaprous obiect of the eye
Out-pierst the intellect in facultie.
Basenesse vas Nobler then Nobilitie:
For ruth (first shaken from the braine of Loue,
And loue the soule of vertue) now did moue,
Not in their soules (spheres meane enough for such)
But in their eyes: and thence did conscience touch
Their harts with pitie: where her proper throne,
Is in the minde, and there should first haue shone:
Eyes should guide bodies and our soules our eyes,
But now the world consistes on contraries:
So sence brought terror, where the mindes presight
Had saft that feare, and done but pittie right,
But seruile feare, now forgd a wood of darts
VVithin their eyes, and cast them through their harts:
Then turnd they bridle, then halfe slaine with feare,
Ech did the other backwardes ouerbeare,
As when th' Italian Duke, a troupe of horse
Sent out in hast against some English force,
From statelie sited sconce-torne Nimigan,
Vnder whose walles the wall most Cynthian,
Stretcheth her siluer limms loded with wealth,
Hearing our horse were marching downe by stealth.
(VVho looking for them) warres quicke Artizan
Fame-thriuing Vere, that in those Countries wan
More fame then guerdon; ambuscados laide
Of certaine foote, and made full well appaide
The hopefull enemie, in sending those
The long-expected subiects of their blowes
To moue their charge; which strait they giue amaine,
VVhen we retiring to our strength againe,
The foe pursewes assured of our liues,
And vs within our ambuscado driues,
VVho straight with thunder of the drums and shot,
Tempest their wraths on them that wist it not.
Then (turning headlong) some escapt vs so,
Some left to ransome, some to ouerthrow,
In such confusion did this troupe retire,
And thought them cursed in that games desire:
Out flew the houndes, that there could nothing finde,
Of the slye Panther, that did beard the winde,
Running into it full, to clog the chase,
And tire her followers with too much solace.
And but the superficies of the shade,
Did onely sprinckle with the sent she made,
As when the sunne beames on high billowes fall,
And make their shadowes dance vpon a wall,
That is the subiect of his faire reflectings:
Or else; as when a man in summer euenings,
Something before sunneset, when shadows bee
Rackt with his stooping, to the highest degree,
His shadow clymes the trees, and skales a hill,
VVhile he goes on the beaten passage still,
So sleightlie toucht the Panther with her sent,
This irksome couert, and away she went,
Downe to a fruitfull Iland sited by,
Full of all wealth, delight, and Emperie,
Euer with child of curious Architect,
Yet still deliuerd: pau'd with Dames select,
On whom rich feete, in fowlest bootes might treade,
And neuer fowle them: for kinde Cupid spreade,
Such perfect colours, on their pleasing faces,
That their reflects clad fowlest weeds with graces,
Bewtie strikes fancie blind; pyed show deceau's vs,
Sweet banquets tempt our healths, whē temper leaues vs
Inchastitie, is euer prostitute,
VVhose trees we loth, when we haue pluckt their fruite.
The penns of furies, and of feends would aske:
So more then humane thoughted horrible)
The soules of such as liu'd implausible,
In happie Empire of this Goddesse glories,
And scornd to crowne hir Phanes with sacrifice
Did ceaselesse walke; expiring fearefull grones,
Curses, and threats for their confusions.
Her darts, and arrowes, some of them had slaine,
Others hir doggs eate, painting hir disdaine,
After she had transformd them into beasts:
Others her monsters carried to their nests,
Rent them in peeces, and their spirits sent
The huntsmen hearing (since they could not heare)
Their hounds at fault; in eager chase drew neare,
Mounted on Lyons, Vnicorns, and Bores,
And saw their hounds lye licking of their sores,
Some yerning at the shroud, as if they chid
Her stinging toungs, that did their chase forbid:
By which they knew the game was that way gone.
Then ech man forst the beast he rode vpon,
T'assault the thicket; whose repulsiue thorns
So gald the Lyons, Bores, and Vnicorns,
Dragons, and wolues; that halfe their courages
VVere spent in rores, and sounds of heauines:
Yet being the Princeliest, and hardiest beasts,
That gaue chiefe fame to those Ortygian forests,
And all their riders furious of their sport,
A fresh assault they gaue, in desperate sort:
And with their falchions made their wayes in wounds:
The thicket opend, and let in the hounds.
But from her bosome cast prodigious cries,
VVrapt in her Stigian fumes of miseries:
VVhich yet the breaths of those couragious steads
Did still drinke vp, and cleerd their ventrous heads:
As when the fierie coursers of the sunne,
Vp to the pallace of the morning runne,
And from their nosthrills blow the spitefull day:
So yet those foggie vapors, made them way.
But preasing further, saw such cursed sights,
Such Ætnas filld with strange tormented sprites,
That now the vaprous obiect of the eye
Out-pierst the intellect in facultie.
Basenesse vas Nobler then Nobilitie:
And loue the soule of vertue) now did moue,
Not in their soules (spheres meane enough for such)
But in their eyes: and thence did conscience touch
Their harts with pitie: where her proper throne,
Is in the minde, and there should first haue shone:
Eyes should guide bodies and our soules our eyes,
But now the world consistes on contraries:
So sence brought terror, where the mindes presight
Had saft that feare, and done but pittie right,
But seruile feare, now forgd a wood of darts
VVithin their eyes, and cast them through their harts:
Then turnd they bridle, then halfe slaine with feare,
Ech did the other backwardes ouerbeare,
As when th' Italian Duke, a troupe of horse
Sent out in hast against some English force,
From statelie sited sconce-torne Nimigan,
Vnder whose walles the wall most Cynthian,
Stretcheth her siluer limms loded with wealth,
Hearing our horse were marching downe by stealth.
(VVho looking for them) warres quicke Artizan
Fame-thriuing Vere, that in those Countries wan
More fame then guerdon; ambuscados laide
Of certaine foote, and made full well appaide
The hopefull enemie, in sending those
The long-expected subiects of their blowes
To moue their charge; which strait they giue amaine,
VVhen we retiring to our strength againe,
The foe pursewes assured of our liues,
And vs within our ambuscado driues,
VVho straight with thunder of the drums and shot,
Tempest their wraths on them that wist it not.
Some left to ransome, some to ouerthrow,
In such confusion did this troupe retire,
And thought them cursed in that games desire:
Out flew the houndes, that there could nothing finde,
Of the slye Panther, that did beard the winde,
Running into it full, to clog the chase,
And tire her followers with too much solace.
And but the superficies of the shade,
Did onely sprinckle with the sent she made,
As when the sunne beames on high billowes fall,
And make their shadowes dance vpon a wall,
That is the subiect of his faire reflectings:
Or else; as when a man in summer euenings,
Something before sunneset, when shadows bee
Rackt with his stooping, to the highest degree,
His shadow clymes the trees, and skales a hill,
VVhile he goes on the beaten passage still,
So sleightlie toucht the Panther with her sent,
This irksome couert, and away she went,
Downe to a fruitfull Iland sited by,
Full of all wealth, delight, and Emperie,
Euer with child of curious Architect,
Yet still deliuerd: pau'd with Dames select,
On whom rich feete, in fowlest bootes might treade,
And neuer fowle them: for kinde Cupid spreade,
Such perfect colours, on their pleasing faces,
That their reflects clad fowlest weeds with graces,
Bewtie strikes fancie blind; pyed show deceau's vs,
Sweet banquets tempt our healths, whē temper leaues vs
Inchastitie, is euer prostitute,
VVhose trees we loth, when we haue pluckt their fruite.
Hither this Panther fled, now turnd a Bore
More huge then that th' Ætolians plagud so sore,
And led the chase through noblest mansions,
Gardens and groues, exempt from Parragons,
In all things ruinous, and slaughtersome,
As was that scourge to the Ætolian kingdome:
After as if a whirlewind draue them one,
Full crie, and close, as if they all were one
The hounds pursew, and fright the earth with sound,
Making her tremble, as when windes are bound
In her cold bosome, fighting for euent:
VVith whose fierce Ague all the world is rent.
More huge then that th' Ætolians plagud so sore,
And led the chase through noblest mansions,
Gardens and groues, exempt from Parragons,
In all things ruinous, and slaughtersome,
As was that scourge to the Ætolian kingdome:
After as if a whirlewind draue them one,
Full crie, and close, as if they all were one
The hounds pursew, and fright the earth with sound,
Making her tremble, as when windes are bound
In her cold bosome, fighting for euent:
VVith whose fierce Ague all the world is rent.
But dayes arme (tir'd to hold her torch to them)
Now let it fall within the Ocean streame,
The Goddesse blew retrait, and with her blast,
Her morns creation did like vapours wast:
The windes made wing, into the vpper light,
And blew abroad the sparckles of the night.
Then (swift as thought) the bright Titanides
Guide and great soueraigne of the marble seas,
VVith milkwhite Heiffers, mounts into her Sphere,
And leaues vs miserable creatures here,
Now let it fall within the Ocean streame,
The Goddesse blew retrait, and with her blast,
Her morns creation did like vapours wast:
The windes made wing, into the vpper light,
And blew abroad the sparckles of the night.
Then (swift as thought) the bright Titanides
Guide and great soueraigne of the marble seas,
VVith milkwhite Heiffers, mounts into her Sphere,
And leaues vs miserable creatures here,
Thus nights, faire dayes: thus griefs do ioyes supplant:
Thus glories grauen in steele and Adamant
Neuer supposd to wast, but grow by wasting,
(Like snow in riuers falne) consume by lasting.
O then thou great Elixer of all treasures,
From whom we multiplie our world of pleasures,
Discend againe, ah neuer leaue the earth,
But as thy plenteous humors gaue vs birth,
So let them drowne the world in night, and death
Before this ayre, leaue breaking with thy breath.
Come Goddesse come, the double fatherd sonne,
Shall dare no more amongst thy traine to runne,
Nor with poluted handes to touch thy vaile:
His death was darted from the Scorpions taile,
For which her forme to endlesse memorie,
VVith other lamps, doth lend the heauens an eye,
And he that shewd such great presumption,
Is hidden now, beneath a little stone.
Thus glories grauen in steele and Adamant
Neuer supposd to wast, but grow by wasting,
(Like snow in riuers falne) consume by lasting.
O then thou great Elixer of all treasures,
From whom we multiplie our world of pleasures,
Discend againe, ah neuer leaue the earth,
But as thy plenteous humors gaue vs birth,
So let them drowne the world in night, and death
Before this ayre, leaue breaking with thy breath.
Shall dare no more amongst thy traine to runne,
Nor with poluted handes to touch thy vaile:
His death was darted from the Scorpions taile,
For which her forme to endlesse memorie,
VVith other lamps, doth lend the heauens an eye,
And he that shewd such great presumption,
Is hidden now, beneath a little stone.
If proude Alpheus offer force againe,
Because he could not once thy loue obtaine,
Thou and thy Nimphs shall stop his mouth with mire,
And mocke the fondling, for his mad aspire.
Thy glorious temple (great Lucifera)
That was the studie of all Asia,
Two hunderd twentie sommers to erect,
Built by Chersiphrone thy Architect,
In which two hundred, twentie columns stood,
Built by two hunderd twentie kings of blood,
Of curious bewtie, and admired height,
Pictures and statues, of as praysefull sleight,
Conuenient for so chast a Goddesse phane,
(Burnt by Herostratus) shall now againe,
Be reexstruct, and this Ephesia be
Thy countries happie name, come here with thee,
As it was there so shall it now be framde,
And thy faire virgine-chamber euer namde:
And as in reconstruction of it there,
There Ladies did no more their iewells weare,
But franckly contribute them all to raise,
A worke of such a chast Religious prayse:
So will our Ladies; for in them it lyes,
To spare so much as would that worke suffice:
Our Dames well set their iewels in their myndes,
In-sight illustrates; outward brauerie blindes,
The minde hath in her selfe a Deitie,
And in the stretching circle of her eye
All things are compast, all things present still,
VVill framd to powre, doth make vs what we will,
But keepe your iewels, make ye brauer yet,
Elisian Ladies; and (in riches set,
Vpon your foreheads), let vs see your harts:
Build Cynthiaes Temple in your vertuous parts,
Let euerie iewell be a vertues glasse:
And no Herostratus shall euer race,
Those holy monuments: but pillers stand,
VVhere euery Grace, and Muse shall hang her garland.
Because he could not once thy loue obtaine,
Thou and thy Nimphs shall stop his mouth with mire,
And mocke the fondling, for his mad aspire.
Thy glorious temple (great Lucifera)
That was the studie of all Asia,
Two hunderd twentie sommers to erect,
Built by Chersiphrone thy Architect,
In which two hundred, twentie columns stood,
Built by two hunderd twentie kings of blood,
Of curious bewtie, and admired height,
Pictures and statues, of as praysefull sleight,
Conuenient for so chast a Goddesse phane,
(Burnt by Herostratus) shall now againe,
Be reexstruct, and this Ephesia be
Thy countries happie name, come here with thee,
As it was there so shall it now be framde,
And thy faire virgine-chamber euer namde:
And as in reconstruction of it there,
There Ladies did no more their iewells weare,
But franckly contribute them all to raise,
A worke of such a chast Religious prayse:
So will our Ladies; for in them it lyes,
To spare so much as would that worke suffice:
In-sight illustrates; outward brauerie blindes,
The minde hath in her selfe a Deitie,
And in the stretching circle of her eye
All things are compast, all things present still,
VVill framd to powre, doth make vs what we will,
But keepe your iewels, make ye brauer yet,
Elisian Ladies; and (in riches set,
Vpon your foreheads), let vs see your harts:
Build Cynthiaes Temple in your vertuous parts,
Let euerie iewell be a vertues glasse:
And no Herostratus shall euer race,
Those holy monuments: but pillers stand,
VVhere euery Grace, and Muse shall hang her garland.
The minde in that we like, rules euery limme,
Giues hands to bodies, makes them make them trimme:
VVhy then in that the body doth dislike,
Should not his sword as great a vennie strike?
The bit, and spurre that Monarcke ruleth still,
To further good things, and to curb the ill,
He is the Ganemede, the birde of Ioue,
Rapt to her soueraignes bosome for his loue,
His bewtie was it, not the bodies pride,
That made him great Aquarius stellified:
And that minde most is bewtifull and hye,
And nearest comes to a Diuinitie,
That furthest is from spot of earths delight,
Pleasures that lose their substance with their sight,
Such one, Saturnius rauisheth to loue,
And fills the cup of all content to Ioue.
Giues hands to bodies, makes them make them trimme:
VVhy then in that the body doth dislike,
Should not his sword as great a vennie strike?
The bit, and spurre that Monarcke ruleth still,
To further good things, and to curb the ill,
He is the Ganemede, the birde of Ioue,
Rapt to her soueraignes bosome for his loue,
His bewtie was it, not the bodies pride,
That made him great Aquarius stellified:
And that minde most is bewtifull and hye,
And nearest comes to a Diuinitie,
That furthest is from spot of earths delight,
Pleasures that lose their substance with their sight,
Such one, Saturnius rauisheth to loue,
And fills the cup of all content to Ioue.
If wisedome be the mindes true bewtie then,
And that such bewtie shines in vertuous men,
If those sweet Ganemedes shall onely finde,
Loue of Olimpius, are those wizerds wise,
That nought but gold, and his dyiections prise:
This bewtie hath a fire vpon her brow,
That dimmes the Sunne of base desires in you,
And as the cloudie bosome of the tree,
VVhose branches will not let the summer see,
His solemne shadows; but do entertaine,
Eternall winter: so thy sacred traine,
Thrise mightie Cynthia should be frozen dead,
To all the lawlesse flames of Cupids Godhead.
To this end let thy beames diuinities,
For euer shine vpon their sparckling eyes,
And be as quench to those pestiferent fires,
That through their eyes, impoison their desires,
Thou neuer yet wouldst stoope to base assault,
Therefore those Poetes did most highly fault,
That fainde thee fiftie children by Endimion,
And they that write thou hadst but three alone,
Thou neuer any hadst, but didst affect,
Endimion for his studious intellect.
Thy soule-chast kisses were for vertues sake,
And since his eyes were euermore awake,
To search for knowledge of thy excellence,
And all Astrologie: no negligence,
Or female softnsse fede his learned trance,
Nor was thy vaile once toucht with dalliance,
VVise Poetes faine thy Godhead properlie,
The thresholds of mens doores did fortifie,
And therefore built they thankefull alters there,
Seruing thy powre, in most religious feare.
Deare precident for vs to imitate,
VVhose dores thou guardst against Imperious fate,
Keeping our peacefull households safe from sack,
And free'st our ships, when others suffer wracke.
Thy virgin chamber then that sacred is,
No more let hold, an idle Salmacis,
Nor let more sleights, Cydippe iniurie:
Nor let blacke Ioue possest in Scicilie,
Rauish more maids, but maids subdue his might,
VVith well-steeld lances of thy watchfull sight.
And that such bewtie shines in vertuous men,
Loue of Olimpius, are those wizerds wise,
That nought but gold, and his dyiections prise:
This bewtie hath a fire vpon her brow,
That dimmes the Sunne of base desires in you,
And as the cloudie bosome of the tree,
VVhose branches will not let the summer see,
His solemne shadows; but do entertaine,
Eternall winter: so thy sacred traine,
Thrise mightie Cynthia should be frozen dead,
To all the lawlesse flames of Cupids Godhead.
To this end let thy beames diuinities,
For euer shine vpon their sparckling eyes,
And be as quench to those pestiferent fires,
That through their eyes, impoison their desires,
Thou neuer yet wouldst stoope to base assault,
Therefore those Poetes did most highly fault,
That fainde thee fiftie children by Endimion,
And they that write thou hadst but three alone,
Thou neuer any hadst, but didst affect,
Endimion for his studious intellect.
Thy soule-chast kisses were for vertues sake,
And since his eyes were euermore awake,
To search for knowledge of thy excellence,
And all Astrologie: no negligence,
Or female softnsse fede his learned trance,
Nor was thy vaile once toucht with dalliance,
VVise Poetes faine thy Godhead properlie,
The thresholds of mens doores did fortifie,
And therefore built they thankefull alters there,
Seruing thy powre, in most religious feare.
Deare precident for vs to imitate,
Keeping our peacefull households safe from sack,
And free'st our ships, when others suffer wracke.
Thy virgin chamber then that sacred is,
No more let hold, an idle Salmacis,
Nor let more sleights, Cydippe iniurie:
Nor let blacke Ioue possest in Scicilie,
Rauish more maids, but maids subdue his might,
VVith well-steeld lances of thy watchfull sight.
Then in thy cleare, and Isie Pentacle,
Now execute a Magicke miracle:
Slip euerie sort of poisoned herbes, and plants,
And bring thy rabid mastifs to these hants.
Looke with thy fierce aspect, be terror-strong;
Assume thy wondrous shape of halfe a furlong:
Put on thy feete of Serpents, viperous hayres,
And act the fearefulst part of thy affaires:
Conuert the violent-courses of thy floods,
Remoue whole fields of corne, and hugest woods,
Cast hills into the sea, and make the starrs,
Drop out of heauen, and lose thy Mariners.
So shall the wonders of thy power be seene,
And thou for euer liue the Planets Queene.
Now execute a Magicke miracle:
Slip euerie sort of poisoned herbes, and plants,
And bring thy rabid mastifs to these hants.
Looke with thy fierce aspect, be terror-strong;
Assume thy wondrous shape of halfe a furlong:
Put on thy feete of Serpents, viperous hayres,
And act the fearefulst part of thy affaires:
Conuert the violent-courses of thy floods,
Remoue whole fields of corne, and hugest woods,
Cast hills into the sea, and make the starrs,
Drop out of heauen, and lose thy Mariners.
So shall the wonders of thy power be seene,
And thou for euer liue the Planets Queene.
Explicit Hymnus.
Omnis vt vmbra.
FINIS.
| SKIA NUKTOS[Greek]. The Shadovv of Night | |