A Marriage Trivmphe Solemnized in an Epithalamivm In Memorie of the happie Nuptials betwixt the High and Mightie Prince Count Palatine. And the most Excellent Princesse the Lady Elizabeth. Written by Thomas Heywood |
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 | A Marriage Trivmphe Solemnized in an Epithalamivm |  |
Novv the wet Winter of our teares are past,
And see, the cheerefull Spring appeares at last,
Now we may calculate by the Welkins racke
Æolus hath chaste the Clouds that were so blacke:
And th' are beyond the Hiperboreans runne
That haue so late eclipst Great Brittaines Sonne.
O thou my Muse, that whilome maskt in sable,
Exclaiming on the fates and chance vnstable,
Accusing Phisicke, and her want of skill,
And Natures hard-heart, that her owne would kill:
On Death, and his fell tyranny exclaiming,
Chance, Fortune, Destiny, and all things blaming;
Inueighing against howres, daies, months, and time,
That cropt so sweet a blossome in his prime.
Against Mortality, that could not saue
So choyce a Gemme from th' all-deuouring graue;
But most against the cause, Brittaines Transgressions,
That so soone cal'd him to that heauenly Sessions.
Where from this earthy Mansion being translated,
He now for ay remaines a Prince instated.
No more let vs our ancient griefes pursue,
Or the swift torrent of our teares renue.
No more let vs with clamors fill the sky.
Or make th' heauens eccho to each dole full cry.
No more disturbe his soft sleepe, since 'tis best
We wake him not from his eternall rest.
Yet who could blame my Muse, that did lament
To see so faire a branch, so rudely rent
From such a stately, and broad-bearing tree,
That might haue borne like fruit? For who to see
So rich a treasure in a moment wasted,
Such goodly fruit, not fully ripe, yet blasted,
So rich a roab, so soone dispoild as worne,
Such generall hopes destroid as soone as borne,
But with impartiall iudgements must confesse,
No Muse, that can sing, but could shrieke no lesse?
Those that loue day, must thinke it much too soone,
To see the glorious Sunne to set at noone.
And none but such as hate the cherefull light,
(Murderers and Theives) at mid-day wish it night
Is it because we breake the Gods decree,
That Tantalus we are punisht like to thee:
Thou that their secrets durst presume to tell,
Art with perpetuall hunger plagu'd in hell,
Yet sundry delicates before thee stand,
Which thou maist reach, not cōpasse with thy hand.
So haue the Gods dealt with vs, for some crime,
To let vs see the glory of our time,
As a faire marke, at which the world might gaze,
And put the wondring Nations in a maze.
But as we stretch our hands to reach our ioy,
They snatch it hence, and all our hopes destroy.
But now my Muse, shake off this gloomy sorrow,
And a bright saffron roab from Hymen borrow.
Thou that before in Rauens plumes didst sing,
Now get thee feathers from the Swans white wing,
And take an equall flight with Venus Doues,
To tune soft layes of Nuptials, and sweet Loues.
And see, the cheerefull Spring appeares at last,
Now we may calculate by the Welkins racke
Æolus hath chaste the Clouds that were so blacke:
And th' are beyond the Hiperboreans runne
That haue so late eclipst Great Brittaines Sonne.
O thou my Muse, that whilome maskt in sable,
Exclaiming on the fates and chance vnstable,
And Natures hard-heart, that her owne would kill:
On Death, and his fell tyranny exclaiming,
Chance, Fortune, Destiny, and all things blaming;
Inueighing against howres, daies, months, and time,
That cropt so sweet a blossome in his prime.
Against Mortality, that could not saue
So choyce a Gemme from th' all-deuouring graue;
But most against the cause, Brittaines Transgressions,
That so soone cal'd him to that heauenly Sessions.
Where from this earthy Mansion being translated,
He now for ay remaines a Prince instated.
No more let vs our ancient griefes pursue,
Or the swift torrent of our teares renue.
No more let vs with clamors fill the sky.
Or make th' heauens eccho to each dole full cry.
No more disturbe his soft sleepe, since 'tis best
We wake him not from his eternall rest.
Yet who could blame my Muse, that did lament
To see so faire a branch, so rudely rent
From such a stately, and broad-bearing tree,
That might haue borne like fruit? For who to see
So rich a treasure in a moment wasted,
Such goodly fruit, not fully ripe, yet blasted,
So rich a roab, so soone dispoild as worne,
Such generall hopes destroid as soone as borne,
But with impartiall iudgements must confesse,
No Muse, that can sing, but could shrieke no lesse?
Those that loue day, must thinke it much too soone,
To see the glorious Sunne to set at noone.
(Murderers and Theives) at mid-day wish it night
Is it because we breake the Gods decree,
That Tantalus we are punisht like to thee:
Thou that their secrets durst presume to tell,
Art with perpetuall hunger plagu'd in hell,
Yet sundry delicates before thee stand,
Which thou maist reach, not cōpasse with thy hand.
So haue the Gods dealt with vs, for some crime,
To let vs see the glory of our time,
As a faire marke, at which the world might gaze,
And put the wondring Nations in a maze.
But as we stretch our hands to reach our ioy,
They snatch it hence, and all our hopes destroy.
But now my Muse, shake off this gloomy sorrow,
And a bright saffron roab from Hymen borrow.
Thou that before in Rauens plumes didst sing,
Now get thee feathers from the Swans white wing,
And take an equall flight with Venus Doues,
To tune soft layes of Nuptials, and sweet Loues.
For now me thinkes I youthfull Tython see,
The day Aurora, that he married thee.
The expected howre was come, the Matrons shine
In glistring roabes; th' old men, as if Diuine,
Apparreld in rich purple; them betweene,
The sprightly Youths, and beauteous Nymphes are seene.
At length the blushing Bride comes with her haire
Disheuel'd 'bout her shoulders; none so faire
In all that Beuie, though it might appeare,
The choycest beauties were assembled there.
She enters with a sweet commanding grace,
Her very presence paradic'd the place:
Her modest blush amongst the Ladies spred
And cast on all their Cheekes a shame-fast red.
How could they chuse, their looks that seeme diuine
Before she came, eclipst are at her shine?
They all are darkned when she 'gins t'appeare,
And spread her beames in her Illustrious spheare:
All eyes are fixt on her, the youthfull fry,
Amazed stand at her great Maiesty.
The Nymphs and Maids, both enuy and admire
Her matchlesse beauty, state, and rich attire.
The grauer Matrons stand amaz'd with wonder,
The Fathers, as if strooke with Ioues sharpe thunder
Confounded are, as neuer hauing seene
In their long trace of yeares, so faire a Queene.
Not Hecuba, when Priam came to Thrace,
To court her for his Queene, could giue the place
Such ornament: not Spartan Hellen knew,
To attire her person in a forme so true.
Had Perseus in his airy progresse spide
This picture to the marble rocke fast tide,
For her he would haue fought, and as a pray
To the Sea-monster, left Andromeda.
Had Paris seene her, he had nere crost the flood,
Hellen had beene vnrapte, Troy still had stood.
Had Thetis sonne beheld her when he saw
Polyxena, nothing should him with-draw
From dreadfull battle: he had shin'd in steele,
And not vnarm'd beene wounded in the heele.
Had Iuno, Venus, or Minerua, when
They stroue for maistery, seene this Lady, then
As vanquisht, they had left to her the Ball,
Which from his starry throne great Ioue let fall.
But wherefore on her glories doe I dwell,
Whose state my Muse vnable is to tell?
To a bright Iuory Chaire the Bride they bring,
VVhilst all the people Io Pæan sing.
The day Aurora, that he married thee.
The expected howre was come, the Matrons shine
In glistring roabes; th' old men, as if Diuine,
Apparreld in rich purple; them betweene,
The sprightly Youths, and beauteous Nymphes are seene.
At length the blushing Bride comes with her haire
Disheuel'd 'bout her shoulders; none so faire
In all that Beuie, though it might appeare,
The choycest beauties were assembled there.
Her very presence paradic'd the place:
Her modest blush amongst the Ladies spred
And cast on all their Cheekes a shame-fast red.
How could they chuse, their looks that seeme diuine
Before she came, eclipst are at her shine?
They all are darkned when she 'gins t'appeare,
And spread her beames in her Illustrious spheare:
All eyes are fixt on her, the youthfull fry,
Amazed stand at her great Maiesty.
The Nymphs and Maids, both enuy and admire
Her matchlesse beauty, state, and rich attire.
The grauer Matrons stand amaz'd with wonder,
The Fathers, as if strooke with Ioues sharpe thunder
Confounded are, as neuer hauing seene
In their long trace of yeares, so faire a Queene.
Not Hecuba, when Priam came to Thrace,
To court her for his Queene, could giue the place
Such ornament: not Spartan Hellen knew,
To attire her person in a forme so true.
Had Perseus in his airy progresse spide
This picture to the marble rocke fast tide,
For her he would haue fought, and as a pray
To the Sea-monster, left Andromeda.
Had Paris seene her, he had nere crost the flood,
Hellen had beene vnrapte, Troy still had stood.
Had Thetis sonne beheld her when he saw
Polyxena, nothing should him with-draw
From dreadfull battle: he had shin'd in steele,
And not vnarm'd beene wounded in the heele.
They stroue for maistery, seene this Lady, then
As vanquisht, they had left to her the Ball,
Which from his starry throne great Ioue let fall.
But wherefore on her glories doe I dwell,
Whose state my Muse vnable is to tell?
To a bright Iuory Chaire the Bride they bring,
VVhilst all the people Io Pæan sing.
Now see from forth another stately Arch,
Of the great palace, the braue Bride-groome march,
A louely youth, vpon whose face appeares
True signes of man-hood; yet he for his yeares
And beauty, such a generall name hath wonne,
They take him all, for Venus, or her sonne.
A mixed grace he in his visage wore,
And but his habit shewd what sex hee bore
The quickest sighted eye might haue mistooke,
Hauing female beauty in a manly looke.
Such lustre in Adonis cheeke did move,
VVhen he was haunted by the Queene of loue:
So look't Hypolitus when clad in greene,
He was oft Courted by th' Athenian Queene.
Such grace Hypomanes in publike wan,
That day he with the swift Atlanta ran.
So shin'd Perithous amongst the rest,
VVhen mongst the Centaurs Ioues son grac't the feast.
Such seem'd th' Idean sheepheard in the eye
Of faire Oenone, when she saw him lye
Vpon a Violet banke: Such did appeare
Yong Itis, vnto Galatea deere.
Such Ciparissus seem'd, so sweete so faire,
For whom Apollo left his fiery Chaire.
A curious Roabe athwart his shoulders fell,
By some laborious hand Imbroidered well:
Cunning Arachne could no better weaue,
Nor Pallas, should the heauens she once more leaue:
The colour was of Elementall blew
Spotted with golden Starres: heere Comets flew
With blazing trains, some great appeard, some smal,
Some were so wrought that they might seeme to fal,
And shooting towards the earth as darting fire,
Euen in their hottest fury did expire:
Yet in their golden course the way they went,
They seemed to guild the Azure Firmament.
You might in this discoulered Roabe perceiue
The Galaxia a more brightnesse leaue
Then th' other parts of heauen, because so faire
Cassiopeia spreads her glistering haire.
There the quicke-sighted Eagle shines, and Swanne,
And the Argoe that the Fleece of Colchos wanne.
Sagitarius threats the Scorpion to haue slaine,
Who gainst him shakes his poysonous starry traine.
With six bright lamps doth the bold Cētaure stand,
Threatning the Twins, who hold in euery hand
Bright bals of fire, eighteene they be in number,
That if the Centaur stir, his force to cumber.
The Northen Waggoner stands next in roll,
Whō Perseus with his Shield, frights 'bout the Pole.
The wandring Sporades 'mongst these appeare,
Which makes the Galaxia shine more cleere
Then the other parts of heauen, this Thetis wrought
And as a present to the Bridegroome brought:
For who could place them in there rancks more true
Then she, that euery night takes a full view
(From top of Neptunes Tarras) how they stand,
How moue, rise, set, or how the Seas command?
This Mantle doth the Bride-groomes body graspe
Buckled about him with a golden claspe.
And as when Lucifer lifts from the waues
His glorious head, the Stars about him braues,
Who when he moues his sacred front on high,
Seeme in their (almost wasted) oile to die,
And giue him all the glory; with a Crest
As bright as his appeares amongst the rest.
This louely Youth: with many a comely stride
Hee preaceth towards the place where sits his Bride,
Then bowes to her, she blusheth as he bends
And honors low, his faire hand he extends
To ceaze her Iuory Palme, which as he warmes,
Shee breathes into him many thousand charmes
Of loues, affections, zeale, cordiall desires,
Chast wishes, pleasures, mixt with deepe suspires,
Passions, distractions, extasies, amazes,
All these he feeles, when on her eies he gazes:
Till further boldned by a blushing smile,
He leaues his trance, and she discends the while
Yet was all silence, till at this glad close,
Through all the place, a whispering murmure rose:
Some his perfection, some her beauty praise,
And both aboue the highest degree would raise
To exceed all comparison, some sweare
Two such bright Comets, neuer grac't that Spheare,
And as they walke the Virgins strow the way
With Costmary, and sweete Angelica.
With Spyknard, Margerom, and Camomile,
Time, Buglosse, Lauender, and Pimpernell,
Strawbery leaues, Sauory; and Eglantine
With Endiue, Holy-thistle, Sops in Wine,
Smallage, Balme, Germander, Basell and Lilly,
The Pinke, the Flower-de-luce and Daffadilly,
The Gilliflowre, Carnation, white and red,
With various spots and staines enameled,
The Purple Violet, Paunce, and Hearts-ease,
And euery flower that smell, or sight, can please:
The yellow Marigold, the Sunnes owne flower,
Pagle, and Pinke, that decke faire Floraes Bower,
The Dasie, Cowslip, Wal-flower, Columbine;
VVith the broad-leaues late cropt from Bacchus vine,
Besides a thousand other fragrant poses
Of Wood-bine, Rosemary, and sundry Roses:
Next in their way, some pretious garments strow,
Some scatter-gold wrought Arras where they go:
Others before them costly presents cast,
Of Iuory, Corrall, and of Pearle: the last
Bring Gold and Iewels: one presents a Crowne
Vnto the Bride, and giues it as her owne.
Diuers contend where this rich mettall grew,
In Phillipine, in Ophir, or Peru:
Or the Malluccoes: this a Carcanet
Bestowes, with pretious stones of all kind set
Of luster and of beauty, here was found
The hardest, and most quicke, the Diamond,
The Ruby, of a perfect light and life,
The Saphir and the Emerald, at strife,
Which can expresse vnto the eie more true,
The one a grasse-greene, th' other perfect blew,
Heere the discoloured Opal faire did shine,
And Onix deepe, dig'd from the Rocky Mine,
The Topas which, some say, abides the fire,
And Sardonix; what is he can desire
A stone that's wanting as they walke along
The Batchelers, and Virgins with this Song
Tun'd to their aprest Instruments, thus greete
Their Nuptiall Ioyes, with strings and voyces sweete.
Of the great palace, the braue Bride-groome march,
A louely youth, vpon whose face appeares
True signes of man-hood; yet he for his yeares
And beauty, such a generall name hath wonne,
They take him all, for Venus, or her sonne.
A mixed grace he in his visage wore,
And but his habit shewd what sex hee bore
The quickest sighted eye might haue mistooke,
Hauing female beauty in a manly looke.
Such lustre in Adonis cheeke did move,
VVhen he was haunted by the Queene of loue:
So look't Hypolitus when clad in greene,
He was oft Courted by th' Athenian Queene.
Such grace Hypomanes in publike wan,
That day he with the swift Atlanta ran.
So shin'd Perithous amongst the rest,
VVhen mongst the Centaurs Ioues son grac't the feast.
Such seem'd th' Idean sheepheard in the eye
Of faire Oenone, when she saw him lye
Vpon a Violet banke: Such did appeare
Yong Itis, vnto Galatea deere.
For whom Apollo left his fiery Chaire.
A curious Roabe athwart his shoulders fell,
By some laborious hand Imbroidered well:
Cunning Arachne could no better weaue,
Nor Pallas, should the heauens she once more leaue:
The colour was of Elementall blew
Spotted with golden Starres: heere Comets flew
With blazing trains, some great appeard, some smal,
Some were so wrought that they might seeme to fal,
And shooting towards the earth as darting fire,
Euen in their hottest fury did expire:
Yet in their golden course the way they went,
They seemed to guild the Azure Firmament.
You might in this discoulered Roabe perceiue
The Galaxia a more brightnesse leaue
Then th' other parts of heauen, because so faire
Cassiopeia spreads her glistering haire.
There the quicke-sighted Eagle shines, and Swanne,
And the Argoe that the Fleece of Colchos wanne.
Sagitarius threats the Scorpion to haue slaine,
Who gainst him shakes his poysonous starry traine.
With six bright lamps doth the bold Cētaure stand,
Threatning the Twins, who hold in euery hand
Bright bals of fire, eighteene they be in number,
That if the Centaur stir, his force to cumber.
The Northen Waggoner stands next in roll,
Whō Perseus with his Shield, frights 'bout the Pole.
The wandring Sporades 'mongst these appeare,
Which makes the Galaxia shine more cleere
And as a present to the Bridegroome brought:
For who could place them in there rancks more true
Then she, that euery night takes a full view
(From top of Neptunes Tarras) how they stand,
How moue, rise, set, or how the Seas command?
This Mantle doth the Bride-groomes body graspe
Buckled about him with a golden claspe.
And as when Lucifer lifts from the waues
His glorious head, the Stars about him braues,
Who when he moues his sacred front on high,
Seeme in their (almost wasted) oile to die,
And giue him all the glory; with a Crest
As bright as his appeares amongst the rest.
This louely Youth: with many a comely stride
Hee preaceth towards the place where sits his Bride,
Then bowes to her, she blusheth as he bends
And honors low, his faire hand he extends
To ceaze her Iuory Palme, which as he warmes,
Shee breathes into him many thousand charmes
Of loues, affections, zeale, cordiall desires,
Chast wishes, pleasures, mixt with deepe suspires,
Passions, distractions, extasies, amazes,
All these he feeles, when on her eies he gazes:
Till further boldned by a blushing smile,
He leaues his trance, and she discends the while
Yet was all silence, till at this glad close,
Through all the place, a whispering murmure rose:
Some his perfection, some her beauty praise,
And both aboue the highest degree would raise
Two such bright Comets, neuer grac't that Spheare,
And as they walke the Virgins strow the way
With Costmary, and sweete Angelica.
With Spyknard, Margerom, and Camomile,
Time, Buglosse, Lauender, and Pimpernell,
Strawbery leaues, Sauory; and Eglantine
With Endiue, Holy-thistle, Sops in Wine,
Smallage, Balme, Germander, Basell and Lilly,
The Pinke, the Flower-de-luce and Daffadilly,
The Gilliflowre, Carnation, white and red,
With various spots and staines enameled,
The Purple Violet, Paunce, and Hearts-ease,
And euery flower that smell, or sight, can please:
The yellow Marigold, the Sunnes owne flower,
Pagle, and Pinke, that decke faire Floraes Bower,
The Dasie, Cowslip, Wal-flower, Columbine;
VVith the broad-leaues late cropt from Bacchus vine,
Besides a thousand other fragrant poses
Of Wood-bine, Rosemary, and sundry Roses:
Next in their way, some pretious garments strow,
Some scatter-gold wrought Arras where they go:
Others before them costly presents cast,
Of Iuory, Corrall, and of Pearle: the last
Bring Gold and Iewels: one presents a Crowne
Vnto the Bride, and giues it as her owne.
Diuers contend where this rich mettall grew,
In Phillipine, in Ophir, or Peru:
Or the Malluccoes: this a Carcanet
Bestowes, with pretious stones of all kind set
The hardest, and most quicke, the Diamond,
The Ruby, of a perfect light and life,
The Saphir and the Emerald, at strife,
Which can expresse vnto the eie more true,
The one a grasse-greene, th' other perfect blew,
Heere the discoloured Opal faire did shine,
And Onix deepe, dig'd from the Rocky Mine,
The Topas which, some say, abides the fire,
And Sardonix; what is he can desire
A stone that's wanting as they walke along
The Batchelers, and Virgins with this Song
Tun'd to their aprest Instruments, thus greete
Their Nuptiall Ioyes, with strings and voyces sweete.
| A Marriage Trivmphe Solemnized in an Epithalamivm | |