Natures Picture Drawn by Fancies Pencil To the Life Being several Feigned Stories, Comical, Tragical, Tragi-comical, Poetical, Romancical, Philosophical, Historical, and Moral: Some in Verse, some in Prose; some Mixt, and some by Dialogues. Written by the Thrice Noble, Illustrious, and most Excellent Princess, The Duchess of Newcastle [i.e. Margaret Cavendish]. The Second Edition |
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 | Natures Picture Drawn by Fancies Pencil To the Life |  |
At last her Malice set a-work her Tongue,
And at the Prince she evil words out flung,
Which he receiv'd with a submissive face,
Turning those scorns as favours of her grace.
But when she had with Scorns his Patience try'd,
She (for to vent her Spleen) in Passion cry'd.
Some of the Company there jesting by
The other Lady, ask'd if she would cry:
She answer made, she had not the like cause;
Nor had she broke the Modest Civil Laws:
But if her Passion had misled her Tongue,
She would have wept to water, or else flung
Her self to dust, for want of moisture dye,
Unless her life could issue through her eye.
But when the Prince perceiv'd such storms to rise,
And showring tears to fall from beauteous eyes,
He did absent himself, and shun'd to be
A trouble to the Princess Company.
But when the Queen had try'd all means she could
To alter his affections, nothing would;
She then their Marriage strove for to prevent,
And to the Army she the Prince soon sent;
Then order gave, Not to return again,
But with the Army there for to remain.
He to his Mistress went, his leave to take,
Perswading her a Journey she would make
Unto the Army, and there to agree,
When they should meet, & straight-way married be.
At last she did resolve to leave the Court,
And privately with great speed to transport
Her Person to the Prince where he was gone,
For ne're till then she found her self alone.
When the Army began for to retire
To Winter-Quarters, he did there desire
His Mistress Company, and then did write
To those he had entrusted, how they might
Convey her safely: but by some mistake,
The Queen had means this his Letter to take;
Which when she read, all in a rage she grew,
And then his Letter into the fire she threw.
Which when sh' had told her Neece, they both did strive,
And both in Council sate, for to contrive
To hinder her wish'd-meeting; wherefore they
Did think it best, the Lady to convey
Unto some private place, and then give out
That she was dead, which soon was spread about,
And every one in censuring spent some breath,
And most did judg she dy'd a violent death.
But the Queen's anger only would destroy
Their Loves, because her Neece then should enjoy
The Prince, on whom her heart in love was set,
And us'd all means she could, his love to get.
But though at first they thought the Prince might mourn;
Yet when his grief had been by time out-worn,
He then might take the Princess for his Wife,
Concealing the young Lady all her life.
And though they did not murther her, yet they
Did strive to grieve and cross her every way:
Wherefore they did agree that some should tell
Her, that the Prince in Battel fell.
The report of her death spread far and near;
And at last came unto the Prince his ear:
The news struck him so hard, as it did make
His strength grow weak, and all his limbs to shake.
But when his strength return'd, his mind sad grew,
And from all company himself withdrew:
No Orders he would give, but left the care
Of all the Army to an Officer:
And from th' Army, without the Queen's consent,
He did return, and to his Father went,
And told him, he all worldly things did wave,
Had buri'd them all in his Mistress Grave,
And the remainder of his days would spend
In holy Devotion, his Prayers would send
Unto the Gods; and my dear Saint, said he,
Will be a Mediator there for me:
His Father did disswade him all he could,
But all in vain, a Hermit be he would.
Instead of Palaces, he chose a Cell,
Left Courts and Camps, did solitary dwell:
Instead of Clothes that rich and costly were,
He wore a Garment made of Camel's hair.
Instead of Arms, a Hermit's Habit took;
And for a Sword, he us'd a Prayer-book:
Instead of treading Measures in a dance,
And wanton Eyes that oft would side-ways glance;
His knees upon hard stone did bowing bend,
And his sad Eyes unto the Earth descend:
Instead of flattering words to tempt Maids fair,
No words did speak but what were us'd in Prayer.
All wild & wandring thoughts were now compos'd,
And the dead object of his Mistress clos'd,
Like Multitudes that gather in a Ring,
To view some curious or some wondrous thing:
Or like a devout Congregation met,
Will strive about the Altar near to set:
So did his Thoughts near her Idea get,
Which, as a Goddess, in his Soul did set:
Then he an Altar built of Marble white,
And Waxen Tapers round about did light:
Her Picture on this Altar plac'd was high,
There to be seen with an up-lifted Eye.
She was his Saint, and he there every day
Did offer Tears and Sighs, to her did pray,
And her implore, she would the Gods request
To take his Soul, his Body lay to rest.
And at the Prince she evil words out flung,
Which he receiv'd with a submissive face,
Turning those scorns as favours of her grace.
25
She (for to vent her Spleen) in Passion cry'd.
Some of the Company there jesting by
The other Lady, ask'd if she would cry:
She answer made, she had not the like cause;
Nor had she broke the Modest Civil Laws:
But if her Passion had misled her Tongue,
She would have wept to water, or else flung
Her self to dust, for want of moisture dye,
Unless her life could issue through her eye.
But when the Prince perceiv'd such storms to rise,
And showring tears to fall from beauteous eyes,
He did absent himself, and shun'd to be
A trouble to the Princess Company.
But when the Queen had try'd all means she could
To alter his affections, nothing would;
She then their Marriage strove for to prevent,
And to the Army she the Prince soon sent;
Then order gave, Not to return again,
But with the Army there for to remain.
He to his Mistress went, his leave to take,
Perswading her a Journey she would make
Unto the Army, and there to agree,
When they should meet, & straight-way married be.
At last she did resolve to leave the Court,
And privately with great speed to transport
Her Person to the Prince where he was gone,
For ne're till then she found her self alone.
26
To Winter-Quarters, he did there desire
His Mistress Company, and then did write
To those he had entrusted, how they might
Convey her safely: but by some mistake,
The Queen had means this his Letter to take;
Which when she read, all in a rage she grew,
And then his Letter into the fire she threw.
Which when sh' had told her Neece, they both did strive,
And both in Council sate, for to contrive
To hinder her wish'd-meeting; wherefore they
Did think it best, the Lady to convey
Unto some private place, and then give out
That she was dead, which soon was spread about,
And every one in censuring spent some breath,
And most did judg she dy'd a violent death.
But the Queen's anger only would destroy
Their Loves, because her Neece then should enjoy
The Prince, on whom her heart in love was set,
And us'd all means she could, his love to get.
But though at first they thought the Prince might mourn;
Yet when his grief had been by time out-worn,
He then might take the Princess for his Wife,
Concealing the young Lady all her life.
And though they did not murther her, yet they
Did strive to grieve and cross her every way:
Wherefore they did agree that some should tell
Her, that the Prince in Battel fell.
27
And at last came unto the Prince his ear:
The news struck him so hard, as it did make
His strength grow weak, and all his limbs to shake.
But when his strength return'd, his mind sad grew,
And from all company himself withdrew:
No Orders he would give, but left the care
Of all the Army to an Officer:
And from th' Army, without the Queen's consent,
He did return, and to his Father went,
And told him, he all worldly things did wave,
Had buri'd them all in his Mistress Grave,
And the remainder of his days would spend
In holy Devotion, his Prayers would send
Unto the Gods; and my dear Saint, said he,
Will be a Mediator there for me:
His Father did disswade him all he could,
But all in vain, a Hermit be he would.
Instead of Palaces, he chose a Cell,
Left Courts and Camps, did solitary dwell:
Instead of Clothes that rich and costly were,
He wore a Garment made of Camel's hair.
Instead of Arms, a Hermit's Habit took;
And for a Sword, he us'd a Prayer-book:
Instead of treading Measures in a dance,
And wanton Eyes that oft would side-ways glance;
His knees upon hard stone did bowing bend,
And his sad Eyes unto the Earth descend:
28
No words did speak but what were us'd in Prayer.
All wild & wandring thoughts were now compos'd,
And the dead object of his Mistress clos'd,
Like Multitudes that gather in a Ring,
To view some curious or some wondrous thing:
Or like a devout Congregation met,
Will strive about the Altar near to set:
So did his Thoughts near her Idea get,
Which, as a Goddess, in his Soul did set:
Then he an Altar built of Marble white,
And Waxen Tapers round about did light:
Her Picture on this Altar plac'd was high,
There to be seen with an up-lifted Eye.
She was his Saint, and he there every day
Did offer Tears and Sighs, to her did pray,
And her implore, she would the Gods request
To take his Soul, his Body lay to rest.
| Natures Picture Drawn by Fancies Pencil To the Life | |