SKIA NUKTOS[Greek]. The Shadovv of Night Cantaining Two Poeticall Hymnes, Deuised by G. C. [i.e. George Chapman] |
 |
Hymnus in Cynthiam.
|
 | SKIA NUKTOS[Greek]. The Shadovv of Night |  |
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.
| SKIA NUKTOS[Greek]. The Shadovv of Night | |