Mel Heliconium or, Poeticall Honey, Gathered out of The Weeds of Parnassus ... By Alexander Rosse |
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DIANA.
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 | CHAP. IV. D Mel Heliconium |  |
DIANA.
123
Must shun the worlds impure society;
And idlenesse, for want of exercise,
Corrupts our limbs, and kills our souls with vice.
On cloud-transcending meditations
We must have still our conversations;
In Cities, chaste Diana never dwels,
But in green woods, and on the airy hils:
In woods she hunts wilde beasts, on hils she dances,
And on her shoulder blades her bow advances:
Oreades about her in a ring
In measures trace the ground, and sweetly sing.
Oh that I had Diana's wings, that I
From tumults to these calm retreats might flye,
Where she amongst her Nymphs doth reign as queen,
Where Flora keeps her fragrant Magazin;
Where wood-Musitians with their warbling throats
Chant forth untaught, but yet melodious notes
Neer Chrystall-brested rivers; O that I
Could still enjoy this harmlesse companie,
Which know-not pride, nor malice, nor deceits,
Nor flattery, the moth and bane of states.
O that I had Diana's silver bow,
To kill my beastly sins, before they grow
Too savage; if I had the nimble feet
Of her two Stags, then would I be as fleet
As they, to run the way of Gods commands,
Then would I hold the Lyon in my hands,
And Leopard; O if I could subdue
My wilde unruly sins, a savage crew.
O let my weary soul be carried, Lord,
124
And let thy fear, and milk-white innocence,
Be these two Stags to draw my soul from hence.
And whil'st my glasse runs in obscurity,
Let me not lose my virgin purity;
And let not fair Diana, thy chaste love,
Thy spotlesse Church, thy silver feather'd Dove
Abuse her self with grosse idolatry,
And lose the honour of virginity.
Let that Ephesian perish with disgrace,
Who would her Temple and her state deface:
Let no Records eternize that foul name,
And let it not be mention'd but with shame.
| CHAP. IV. D Mel Heliconium | |