University of Virginia Library

THE THIRD BOOKE

[When Phaeton fell from Sols bright Throne]

An Eclogue.

Archus.
Come swaine assume thy slighted pipe, and play
Upon thy oaten reed a rounde-lay,
Come warble amorous anthems, call to be
Partakers in thy mirth the Napææ,
That haunt arbusted groves, those rurall powers
That live inshrin'd in oaken curled bowres,
Among the sapplins tall, whose shady roof
Are ringletts knitt of branching elm, star proofe,
Call Natades from their obscure fluse
By which his Alpheus met his Arethuse,
Call mountaine Orcades for to comply
To further with us this solemnity,
Call the thrice three sweet Aganipian Nymphs
That keeps the fancy in Heliconian lymphs
Of eloquence, and straines heroicall
To help us tune our dulcid madrigall.
Avaunt thou Styx borne sadnesse, I'le take care
Thou shalt be mist no more, the shaddow's are
I'th deep of night, when Morpheus Leaden key
Lock-mortalls under a black canopie,
Rejoyce, and Jocæan sing to me
Now Janus folding gates close boulted be,
Sicilian tyrants are returned home
Mars is appeased with a hecatombe.
The tempest's one, the Cyprian ocean's calme,
Our victors browes are crown'd with wreaths of palme.

Plaindor.
For Monuments we've hung up brused armes,
To pleasuers we've converted stern alarms
And dreadfull marches to delightfull greetings,
And harnest squadrons into merry meetings.
Grim Visag'd war hath smooth'd his brow, in stead,
Of mounting of a fiery barbed steed.
To fright pale foes, now all in a qualme
He capes in a Ladyes Amphithalme.
Bends all his nerves, and every meanes he'l prove
To the lacivious pleasing of his love.
No more the fruitfull name of Cuirassier
Shall scare our swaines, or fleet Harquebusier.
We shall dispute no more what Cavallrie
Or ammunition meane, or Infantrie
The Pouldron and Vambrace, the casque the sheare
The flankes both right and left, the front, the reere
Are Exotick words whose very sound
Shall be no more heard in Cyprian ground.
Nor ranck, nor file, lesse when we go a maying
All in a row, or when we be a playng
At Course a Parke, or telling of a tale
To the Ranck't Lasses at a Whitson ale.
I ne're shall see a sword, but such as grow
Upon a flitch of Bacon, never know
An other pike but such as daily glides
Along the softly whistling riv'lets sides
And by Meanders rushie frienged bank,
Where growes the willow greene, and Osier dank
I neere shall Loricate, or imbrace armes
But such as are Floretta's voyce of harmes.
No shield but that of sinowie brawn we'le beare
Turne thou thy blade to knives great warrier
To subdue Geese, and Capons, and carouse
Healths in thy close hilt in a frolick bouse.
To Tabers change thy drum, to kitts thy fife
Let Bagpipes and shrill Harpsicons be rife,
Come change thy trumpet and Bellona's flute
To the loud Cimballs, Violl, Harpe and Lute,
Whilst in this piping time, these Halcion dayes
We doe contest who best their Loves can praise.

Arcas.
Hark Plaindor then how I anatomize
My Julietta, and her encomionize.
Were all the goddesses compos'd in one
They would come short of her perfection.
Gray headed morne blush to see her more bright
Then th' eye of Moone, or her excelled Light.
The dangling Tramells of her curious haire
Then fine faire flax, are far more small and faire.
Those golden threds in an even order set
Entangle hearts, like fishes in a net.
Her front is the perfection of delight
The downe of Uenus doves is not so white.
What covert charmes, what latent magick lies
Within the circles of her speaking eyes.
Beames shot from heaven like to a fiery dart
Transfixt my soule, and scorcht my ravisht heart
When peerlesse beauty did her cheekes compose
Th' ingredients were the Lillie, and fresh rose.
They are like a plum which blush (the sole cause is)
'Cause Phæbus now and then doth steale a kisse.
Her straight nose, dimpled chin, incirled eares
A snowy sute, or Ivory mantle weares.
The porphier portalls of her honour'd words
A relish most mellifluous affords.
From these Jemms clad in rubie livery
I cul fresh balme to heale loves malady
Her teeth like orient pearle or ivory be
Or like the new borne blossomes on a tree.
Her thrice celestiall voyce which blesse our eares
Proclames its consanguinitie with th' spheres.
Her neck more comely then the polish't towre
Whose walles Jove skal'd in a Tagean showre
Her armes in hue heavens milkie zone surpasse
Or white Æquoreall Neptunes fomie face.
Her lovely armes are like prest curds, there stand
Ledas pale Swan immewr'd in either hand.
Now Muse returne into the milkie way
Where Cupid (in a sweat) abathing lay
About this beautious dale on either hand
Loves Alpes and Uenus Pireney mountaines stand,
With Azure curles each is inammel'd round
And with a soft red Porphier berrie crownd.
These are two Apples tane from Paradise
The graces use to sport in wanton wise
Under their shades Pomena's ripe fruit fall
From lofty trees mov'd by no wind at all.
To doe them homage, Cupid sucks from hence
His sunshine dayes and love his influence.
Greece borne and banisht love seeking to find
A domicil where he might sit inshrin'd
Parching himselfe in Juliettas eyes
Intended in her heart to signorize
But finding that too cold for's resience
He tooke his flight to my close heart from thence,
where with some firebrands, which himselfe did lay
He sing'd his wings and must for ever stay.
Her brest a feild of Lillies whiter shewing
Then those Alcinons in thy Garden growing.
Faire Erycina's Ida next to that
Or Athos stand, or Cupids Ararat.
Beneath this lies loves mediterranean
The gulfe of Venice leading to thille of Man.
To praise the Coloums of this structure, this
Adored bulke, this amorous edifice
Were a sit theame for the elaborate lines
Of ever honour'd Maro, whose worth shines
Bright in the lampe of poesie, and raise
As many trumps as men to chant his prayse.
In softnesse they the silke wormes web surpasse
Woven in leavy shop, on Loomes of grasse.
In whitenes Albian clifts, in smoothnes the
Repumicated glasse of Normandy.
Her round small feet beneath her roab doe run
Now out, now in, as if they feard the sun.

Plaindor.
Floretta has for Dioniæa power
To make each place she comes in Cupids bowre.
Nature did summon every grace to meet.
At the composure of a saint so sweet;
And with more beauties they did her invest
Then Cabalinean Poets have exprest
I'th comely Aspect of the Paphian Queene
Or more then in Corinnas face was seene.
My Love a quarrie is, or Cabinet
Where beautious nature her choyce gemmes hath set.
Her amber locks shine like the Topace bright,
Or golden Carbuncle, or Chrysolite
Her eyes at each glance rutilate and sparke
Like Diamonds in murke, tenebrous darke:
Her faire infolded eares, high front, nose, chin
Resemble the hate-spot Emerlin.
Argent and Gules in her cheekes kindly mix
As in the particolour'd Jasponix.
The orifice, or ports of her words are
In colour Corall, in worth Cinoper.
Her pearle like teeth are an even placed row
Of occidentall Margarites which grow
In her fresh Rubie gumms, her round soft brests
Where Cydias pigions fanbricate their nests
Are Alabaster circumstructures, one
Loves Ossa is, the other Pelion.
Warme azure vaines (by prudent Natures skill)
Inamell and inviron either hill,
Streames of dissolved Jazul, circling founts
Of liquid Turkise in these lovely mounts
Make many pretty Islands, which appeare
Some Ovall, some in figure of a Spheare.
Her hands those gemms of love Antimonie
Her digits nayles Arabian Oynx be.
She's a chast Emerauld, and that this list
Might perfect be, her hearts's an Amethist.
Not stubborne and obdurate, but a heart
Soone penetrated with loves wanton dart.
Nor can the buckets of our rustick quire
Quench this Asbeston flaming with Loves fire.
The harmonie of lovelinesse and grace
Combineth in the magique of her face.

Epithalamium.

[Let ruffling Eurus in Æolian jayle]

Let ruffling Eurus in Æolian jayle
Ly close confin'd without maine prise or baile.
Come Amphitrite with thy sea greene traine
Of Nymphs to trip it o're the liquid plaine,
Come Doris with thy watry band, and all
The Druid crew Chrysostomaticall.
Come Crescis, and sweet tongu'd Cymodocea,
With Zantho, and æquoriall Amothea.
With golden tressalines Dexamine
Come hand in hand both blith Cymothæ.
Through Neptunes park this Navy dance before
And usher it to Cyprus peeble shore.

DEORVM DONA

A MASQVE.

[_]

Presented before Flaminius and Clorinda, King and Queene of Cyprus at their Regall Palace in Nicosia.

GENIVS.
When Jove, and nature metamorphosed
The undigested lump, (which was the bed
Of indisposed confusion) a rude load
Where scuffling seedes of things misplac't aboad.
Where springs, ponds, lakes immense and hewtes curl'd
Were with things hot, dry, humid, frigid hurld.
So when the game is playd, the Chessmen be
Though dignified with names of majestie,
Though God-like Kings, or reverend Bishops they,
Or honourable Lords be call'd i'th play,
Or Knights errand or worthies of the growne,
They're altogether into one bag throwne.
But to our taske, when out of this dull masse
By heavenly Alchymie extracted was
A world well orderd, and methodicall,
The fire and thin aire were highest place't
The solid selfe clog'd earth did lowest fall
And was by the vast Ocean imbrac't,
In whose larg precincts many sea-girt lands
And Islands fenced by salt water stands,
Which Amphitrite with her cripst locks hem
So various jemmes inlay a diadem,
Neptune his tributary gods that graces
Gives them the government of these small places,
And let them weare their saphrie crownes, and weild
Their little tridents in their watry feild;
But this faire Isle which of its selfe affordes
Matter to build an Ocean furrowing ship
From the top gallant to the keeles low bottom,
And furnish it with tackling, and munition
Without the help of exotick addition.
Unto his blew hair'd dieties he quarters,
And he himselfe with a brave flying guard
Of winged coursers, her ingarison.
Then her indulgent guardian provided
A ruler worthy of so rare an Isle,
But Jove observing his just government
Tooke him to his Olympus there to be
His colleague, vicegerent, deputy,
His life we lov'd, and wisht, but he expir'd
Your hapinesse is of our hearts desir'd.
And you the orbe where power, and beauty move
Faire Queen of Amathusia, and love,
Each Subject hath erected on his heart
A vestall flaming Altar, to offer up
A thankfull sacrifice for your arivall,
At this white houre, t'inclose so faire a guest
Our Land waxt proud, and I the Genius
Am by so great a presence weakt, and glory
To bid you welcome in your subjects names,
Whose hearts dance in their eyes for joy of you,
Their pulses all beat musique, and their blood
Beat in their blew-rooft channells a soft measure,
Even as the radiant Olympick cole
Whose heate thawes annually the icy pole,
By his coruscant beames correct the sight,
Of mortalls eyes that dare gaze on light,
Even so you move in so sublime a spheare
With awfull reverence, and regall feare,
Majestick Queen, your sacred majestie
Fires kindled by your eyes doe qualifie,
For you (Adored Cypria) had been
The whole worlds Mistris, if no Cyprian Queen.
Phœbus and Cynthia of our hemispheare,
Father, and Mother, of our fertile Ile,
May your admired court, and raigne become
The pattern for all Princes imitation
And be the coppy Kings strive to write after,
Heaven crowne my wish, whilst earth concur to sing
Kind fortune fan you with a courteous wing.

Enter Fortune conducting fame and vertue.
Fortune.
Translucent twins of Love, and majestie
I that of things ad libitum dispose,
And this man elevate, and that depose,
I that advanced Servus Tullius
That tumbling came into the spacious world,
A vassell cadit or cosmopolite.
Even to the Apex of all mundan honour,
I that cast Mustapha the Ideot
From th' Ottoman throne, & sealed Osman there
And dandled him in my lubricious armes,
Till weary of my dalliance I threw him downe,
Invested Mustaph in his pristine state,
Reducing Osman to such penurie
He beggd a draught of water at a fount,
Then out of cruell pitty I commanded
An obscure Ianizary to dispatch him,
I, that made Arlots Illegitimate son
To sway the scepter of rich Albion,
I have depos'd my variablenesse
And sworne alleagence to faire constancie,
I'le never interrupt your happines
By any churlish or disasterous frowne,
Which oath is as irrivocable as
The strickt law of the Meedes and Persians was,
About your palaces the yellow streames
Of Tagus, Isberus, and Pactolus,
Shall run & meet there with the Indian Ganges.
Little petty homagers all stubborne Princes
Shall prostrate their shining scepters at
Your most majestick feet and gredily
Shall glory in your royall servitude,
Crowns pil'd on crownes shall pave your happy paths,
And Captive Kings wait on your chariot.
And erect statues to your memoryes
Which shall survive Egyptian Pyramids,
And last when Hyems hath frozen up the world,
And when old palsie time shall droop, and halt
Being ore worne, and moatheaten with yeares.
Your joyes still bud, and grow, and gemminate
And not be capiable to terminate.

Fame.
Before Joves spangled portalls (with a crew
Of bright aeriall soules) I dwell insphear'd
Chanting the conquests of the son's of valour
And magnifying their great names, which last
Unbitten by the canker worme of time,
I neere can take a trump to carroll forth,
Some royall Potentates heroick name,
But Mars still rounds me in the eare, and sayes,
Fame sing Flaminius worth, whose mighty facts
Hath made the world a register of's acts,
Whose manly heart propitious Jove doth blesse
With haughty spirit, that spirit with successe,
Victorious successe with lasting glory
Which glory makes his martiall feates a story,
Whose spreading fame with gray hair'd time shall vie
And be companion of eternity.
When I would blaze a beauty Uenus comes
And with her fatall magick charmes me thus,
Harke thou repositor of comelinesse,
From Albions Isle where silver Thames dos dally
With the even bosome of the spungie sands
And often wash the fructifying sides
Of her beloved bankes, with wanton tides,
I have transplanted to my Cyprian Isle
Clorinda, from whose fair sun bright eyes
Issue such sparkling heart surprising rayes,
As proclaime her the wonder of her dayes,
Her brow excell's the Rodopeian snow,
Her silken haire which in curld ringlets grow
Might make so many strings for Cupids bow.
Her eyes can make a stubborne souldier melt
Although his heart be hearder then his sheild,
Each smile of hers hath a magnetick force
To attract soules, her Angells voyce can charme
A Satyre rude, and rock his wanton soule
Into Elizian slumbers, let her be
Genophilus the subject of thy song.
Erect a temple to her honoured name
The Virgin quire shall make it their devotion
To pay her gratefull Pæans, and to crowne
With ever springing garlands her faire statue;
I have descended through the silver orbes
To satisfie these dieties, I've tame
A thrill resounding trumpet, new, and clean,
Lest it it should taint my breath, whilst I blaze forth
Your names which as in deep graven characters
Shall last for times immortall processe sure,
Whilst Phœbus, Phæbe, and nights fry indure.

Uertue.
Bright ornaments of the heaven covered world
To whom the far fam'd Cyprian nation bow
I'ts most obsequious, and willing knees,
On whose illustrious fronts the regall crowne
Imprint no rigorous, and austere frownes
Your subjects hopes of joy to batter downe.
But whose auspicious, and calmer eyes
Pronounceth omens of ensueing joy,
And defuse hopes of safety to their hearts,
Which pious reverence doth thaw to streames
Flowing ith' current of obedience.
Your Raigne's become a lecture of pietie
Which transfuse through your court an admiration,
And Zealous ardour of its imitation,
Nay the high towring flames doe penetrate
The dapled skie, and make Gods emulate,
Jove envy your rare vertues (Potent Prince)
And Juno (Mighty Queen) your share of graces,
Which make you so resplendent in all places.
Now the musick sounded and fortune, fame, and vertue, danced to its measures, Corantoes, Durettoes, Moriscoes, Galliards, and sung thus,

Fortune.

Fame.

Uertue.

Fortune.

Uertue.

Fame.

Exeunt.
The Scene was transformed to that part of the Sea, that wastes the Cyprian shore, on the one hand were erected two pedestalls, whereon Captaines lay chained, on the other hand a woman in a sea green drapery heightned with silver, on her head a corona rostrata, with one hand holding the rudder of a ship, with the other a little winged figure with a branch of palme, and a garland, this woman denoted navall victory.
When the soft musick sounded, Neptune and a chorus of Marine Nymphs ascended, with a sea triumphe of children riding on sea horses, and young Tritons, with their writhen trumpets, they all sung this ditty.
Exeunt.
The Scene changed to a magnificent palace, adorned with al manner of diliciousnesse, Comas appeared & said.
Come lets dispeople all foure elements,
And when we've ran through all the register
Of past delights, lets set and study new ones,
Darke vail'd Cotytto stay thy ebon chaire
Wherein thou triumphest with Herate
And let not nice mourne on the Indian steep
Peep from her cabin'd loop hole, let no cock
His matins ring, till pomp, and revellry
Have tane their fills, with masque, and pagentry.
Let midnight see our feast and jollity
And weare a blacker maske, as envious
Of our dance, jocond rebecks, and wreathed smiles.
Now Tellus is arrayd in fresh attire
And prickt, and dect with Flora's tapestrie,
And each groves Quiristers doe warble anthems
And all to grace this nights solemnity.
Now that blith youth upon whose clusterd locks
A wreath of ivy berries set, have crusht
From purple grapes a most Nectarian juce
That mortalls may with freedome entertaine
Blith joy, and debonair mirth, which againe
At this good time to visit mortalls daigne.
Musick whose lofty tones grace Princes crown'd
Unto this novall coronation sound.
Fame with a blast as love as ratling thunder.
Proclaime this pompous frolick holy day,
That Jeve may know of our quips, and cranks
And to beare part in our smooth ditty'd pranks
Leave valted heaven, and his skie Roabes put off
And pure ambrosial weeds of Iris woof,
Attended by Coruscant constellations
Who to present shall make it their next taske
Before your Maiesties an nother masque.