Fovre bookes of Du Bartas I. The Arke, II. Babylon, III. The Colonnyes, IIII. The Columues or Pyllars: In French and English, for the Instrvction and Pleasvre of Svch as Delight in Both Langvages. By William Lisle ... Together with a large Commentary by S. G. S |
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72
When this I wrote, behold, with tysing labour led
Of Pallas heau'nly skill, full heauy grew mine head:
And now and then I strike my chin vpon my brest,
That softly both mine eyes are closed vp to rest
With sweet Ambrosian dew; knit is my senses band,
And fairely slides my pen forth of my fainting hand.
Vpon my flattring couch I spread my selfe againe,
And plonge in Lethe-streame all troubles of my braine:
So drowne I all my care, saue one, that with no trance
Is discontinued, to please and profit France;
Whose sacred forge of loue, that me enflamed keepes,
Will not let sleepe my soule although my body sleepes.
Then golden-winged dreame from of th'East-Indy shore
Came forth at Christall gate, and little while before
The day-gate was vnlockt to valley of pleasant ayre
By fancie led my soule, where day, night, foule and faire,
The North winds & the South, the Summer & Winters hew,
The spring and fall of leafe did neu'r each other ensue:
Where alway raigned May and Zepherus bedight
VVith rosie coronets did breath-on day and night,
A young woods whizzing boughes, that blossomes sweet did yeeld,
And ouall-wise bewald the flowre-embossed field
In middle point of all this ammell-blooming glade
Arose a mighty rocke in footstall-manner made;
Vpon the top thereof a brasse-colosse did stand,
That in the left hand held a flaming fierbrand,
And in the right a spout; she shew'd a golden tongue,
And thence a many chaines all o're the medow sprong,
That worlds of hearers drew, with fine deuise of art;
For some were held by th'eares, & some were held by th'hart.
Before her feet the Boare, that forrest wilde had haunted,
The Tiger slept, and Beare, all aft'r a sort enchaunted.
The neighbour hillocks leapt, and woods reioyced round,
Carranting (as it were) at her sweet voices sound.
Of Pallas heau'nly skill, full heauy grew mine head:
And now and then I strike my chin vpon my brest,
That softly both mine eyes are closed vp to rest
With sweet Ambrosian dew; knit is my senses band,
And fairely slides my pen forth of my fainting hand.
Vpon my flattring couch I spread my selfe againe,
And plonge in Lethe-streame all troubles of my braine:
So drowne I all my care, saue one, that with no trance
Is discontinued, to please and profit France;
Whose sacred forge of loue, that me enflamed keepes,
Will not let sleepe my soule although my body sleepes.
Then golden-winged dreame from of th'East-Indy shore
Came forth at Christall gate, and little while before
The day-gate was vnlockt to valley of pleasant ayre
By fancie led my soule, where day, night, foule and faire,
The North winds & the South, the Summer & Winters hew,
The spring and fall of leafe did neu'r each other ensue:
Where alway raigned May and Zepherus bedight
73
A young woods whizzing boughes, that blossomes sweet did yeeld,
And ouall-wise bewald the flowre-embossed field
In middle point of all this ammell-blooming glade
Arose a mighty rocke in footstall-manner made;
Vpon the top thereof a brasse-colosse did stand,
That in the left hand held a flaming fierbrand,
And in the right a spout; she shew'd a golden tongue,
And thence a many chaines all o're the medow sprong,
That worlds of hearers drew, with fine deuise of art;
For some were held by th'eares, & some were held by th'hart.
Before her feet the Boare, that forrest wilde had haunted,
The Tiger slept, and Beare, all aft'r a sort enchaunted.
The neighbour hillocks leapt, and woods reioyced round,
Carranting (as it were) at her sweet voices sound.
A double circled row of pillers high and dight
By cunning workmans hand all aft'r a Carian right
With bases vnder-pinn'd, to fasten their foundation,
Beset this goodly shrine of eloquent Oration;
And foure by foure bore-vp amid-them one language
Of those that flourish most in this our learned age.
By cunning workmans hand all aft'r a Carian right
With bases vnder-pinn'd, to fasten their foundation,
Beset this goodly shrine of eloquent Oration;
And foure by foure bore-vp amid-them one language
Of those that flourish most in this our learned age.
Among the blessed wits, to whom was giu'n the grace
To beare-vp th'Ebrew tongue in such a sacred place;
The man whose fore-head shines, as doth a blazing starre,
Skie-gracing, frighting-men; who for his scepter barre
A seare, yet budding, rod, and hath in fingers hent
The ten-fould register of Gods Commandement;
Is he that Isac led: and first authoritie,
Both of free stile and verse, left to posteritie:
Such holy works as doe not onely long fore-run
The writings of the Greekes, but all that Greece hath done.
The second Dauid is, whose touch right cunningly
Combined with his voyce drawes downe sweet harmony
From th'Organized heau'ns, on harpe that aye shall sound
As long as dayes great starre shall o're our heads goe round:
Nay long'r, as who can tell, when all these heau'nly lights
Are at their measures end, but that the blessed sprights,
And Champions of Christ, at sound of his accords
Shall honour with a dance th'Almighty Lord of Lords:
When all the Quire of heau'n, and bands of winged ghosts,
Shall Holy, holy sing, O holy Lord of hosts.
The third is Salomon, whose worke more brightly beames
To beare-vp th'Ebrew tongue in such a sacred place;
The man whose fore-head shines, as doth a blazing starre,
Skie-gracing, frighting-men; who for his scepter barre
A seare, yet budding, rod, and hath in fingers hent
The ten-fould register of Gods Commandement;
Is he that Isac led: and first authoritie,
Both of free stile and verse, left to posteritie:
Such holy works as doe not onely long fore-run
The writings of the Greekes, but all that Greece hath done.
The second Dauid is, whose touch right cunningly
Combined with his voyce drawes downe sweet harmony
From th'Organized heau'ns, on harpe that aye shall sound
As long as dayes great starre shall o're our heads goe round:
Nay long'r, as who can tell, when all these heau'nly lights
Are at their measures end, but that the blessed sprights,
74
Shall honour with a dance th'Almighty Lord of Lords:
When all the Quire of heau'n, and bands of winged ghosts,
Shall Holy, holy sing, O holy Lord of hosts.
The third is Salomon, whose worke more brightly beames
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