 | Ostella Or the Faction of Love and Beauty Reconcil'd |  |
DAPHNES.
1
When as the soft wings of the Dayhad fann'd the Clouds of Night away,
The early Light did soon discover
where lay the Embleme of a Lover.
2
On a Banck Grief had made Grey:born down with sorrow Daphnes lay;
His Cheeks like Roses ravished,
his Lips like Cherries withered.
3
Clouds of woe his eyes benight,swelling tears entomb their sight,
Which pursu'd like fleeting rain,
made each Channel seem a Main.
54
4
The Brooks his Sorrows had drank dry,replenisht were from either eye.
Untill his sighs made up one Flame
Malic'd by Fate, and parch'd the same.
5
His many Griefs of sense deprive him,his weight of Griefs to sense revive him,
That his troubl'd Soul would force
from a Heart of Flint remorse.
6
Striving with his Fate he riseth,hope of Comfort he despiseth;
Since that blessed means should joy him,
was converted to destroy him.
7
Quoth he, you Pow'rs whose Brest did ne'rknow Pitty, now Exhaust a tear
At your own Cruelty, yet give,
as great a Plague to let me live.
8
Not that one minute can revivemy Sense or keep my Heart alive,
Dead to all joy; to you I'le pay,
my life for th' poor use of one Day.
9
Which I will waste as fast as breathto tell a Story e're my Death,
55
a sad example: thus he plains.
10
Before these sad Trees were bereav'dtheir Virgin-issue, and dis-leav'd,
My Pipe was known to Musick forth
Ostella's Beauty and her worth.
11
Ostella's! she! that was the Flameof ev'ry heart, whose blessed name
As though some Mistery were hid
in it, rejoic'd each Lamb and Kid.
12
Then Apollo did inspirewith Phæbean touch my Lyre,
That Labouring Bees did from my Laies,
at their work rehearse her Praise.
13
Lovely Nutbrown was her hair;her forehead full as smooth as fair;
Her eyes black, shot Beams more bright
then doth the Empress of the Night.
14
When Cupid did intend to stray,he made her Cheeks his Rosie way,
In whose dimples he lay hid
'till by his Power discovered.
56
15
Soft and white as Curds and Creamwere her Limbs; as rich a Theam
As ere Shepheard chose to write
Sonnets on, to Charm the Night.
16
Young and sprightly as the Mornwhen the Spring doth it adorn
Active as the vein of life;
full of mercy, foe to strife.
17
Innocence and spotlesse Truthwere the Jewels to her Youth;
That stainlesse Turtles might envy
the glory of her Purity.
18
Not a Tongue that knew her Namebut were Heraulds to her Fame,
And their Hearts as full of Flame,
each resolv'd to win the Game.
19
'Mongst those Swains my self was one.at the which brake forth a Groan,
Like the Winds long lockt in Earth,
cracks the Ribs e'r't can have birth.
20
He stood and did erect his sightas though his Soul had ta'ne her flight.
57
he seems the Conquerour of death.
21
And then he moans: At that blest time,I had the glory to be prime,
My Pastures full, my Flock did wear,
as rich a wool as any bear.
22
Harmelesse mirth did Crown the Cellwhere my Pipe and I did dwell:
Which invited many a Swain,
that Ostella hop'd to gain.
23
There they tun'd their Reeds by minePan's musick ne'r was more Divine
Sonnets roundly past the throng,
still Ostella grac'd my song.
24
Such as did that favour see,did, yet durst not envy me:
For Love to enjoy his sport
had design'd my Cell his Court.
25
When we tript it on the Green,if Ostella were but seen,
Not a Shepheard there was Lame
danc'd as though from Court he came.
58
26
I that had small Mind to Dance,bequeath'd my senses to a Trance;
Till from the Godhead of her eye,
my Soul receiv'd its liberty.
27
Then with measur'd speed I shew'd,what the Swains in duty ow'd
To Ostella; which! poor they
with their store could never Pay.
28
And then I enter'd to my Bliss,My Guerdion was Ostella's kiss,
Whose strong fires, as soon did aw
my heart, as theirs to softness thaw,
29
When I did kiss, she kist again,as though she would not count in vain,
Sure, Numberless they were, and yet
we told, and did as soon forget.
30
Such soft kisses on the Rosegentle Zephirus bestows:
Nor can th' early sun discover
Chaster heat from his fam'd Lover.
31
Then in th' language of our eyeswe convers'd, and did surprize
59
Boast of Conquest if we would.
32
When I joy'd she was content,When I moan'd she did lament,
At my sadnesse pin'd away,
Joylesse of her life a Day.
33
When some Crosse had me molested,it seiz'd her, her Heart arrested.
Did I look pale, the Native red
of her fair Cheeks, forsook their Bed.
34
Nothing that I said or did,But Ostella favoured,
And those favours I did prize
more than Vesper Cynthia's eyes.
35
Were I sick, she lost her health,my Hearts welfare was her wealth,
And my pain, her pain increas'd;
as mine did, so hers decreas'd.
36
Thus like Twins, whose lives sad Date,doth depend on eithers Fate,
We did live, as from one breath
we deriv'd our lives, our Death.
60
37
Joys we had ev'n such as madeus boast belief, they could not fade:
Pleasures Phœnix like did waste
still renewed by our taste,
38
Turtles never could rejoice,more in one anothers Choice:
Palms so prosper when together,
sunder'd they decay and wither.
39
Such my wounded heart receiv'd,so did hers when as deceiv'd
By th' credulity we had
of our Fate grown too too bad.
40
Oh 'tis dangerous to trust,to smiling fortune, shee's unjust.
For the end she seldome shapes,
like th' beginning with her Rapes,
41
When she flatters she intendsto destroy, and hath her ends:
When she threatens we have lesse
cause to fear, arm'd 'gainst distresse.
42
Deep security we knowdoth turn tail and overthrow:
61
Ours they are not, but our Fates.
43
This experience I too latebought, and at too dear a rate:
Yet the sweets that I did reap
made me deem their price to cheap.
44
We foresaw no Pendent Stormo're our heads, to Menace harm:
But we were of our delight
confident as day of light.
45
But (oh) Fortune that e're whileblest our union with a smile,
Clouds her Brow, and with the noise
of shrill war, severs our Ioys.
46
Peacefull Tempe is becomedeaf with th' jarring Fife and Drum:
Blood doth stein her snowy Brest;
to our cares, hope gives no rest.
47
Ruine doth pursue our Stocksslaughter seizeth on our Flocks,
Plenty suffers with increase,
banishment cause friends to peace.
62
48
'Stead of Pans soft laies, our Earsare inchanted with our fears:
And the surly Cannon knels
sadder farewels than our Bels,
49
Not a Bird dare keep her bough,nor a Heifer guide the Plough;
Nor a Lasse to daunce, or run:
all their dancing dayes are done.
50
Thus our Tempe chang'd is quite:“such pow'r hath Envy o're Delight;
And so sad a place is made,
As where Sun ne'r blest with shade.
51
All our sports are spoil'd, and heShow's the onely Man dares dy,
He that friezeth to the Earth,
he whose scars give life a birth.
52
He that will not flinch his groundtill all's body be one wound,
He, He's the Man, that shall out-live
his Fate, and to Time Trophies give.
53
This is that, which makes the mindof man, as vent'rous as the wind.
63
that her Champion is, in death.
54
Return'd with Conquest is 't not braveOne can say, he past his Grave?
Nay, the very sons of fear,
love of glorious Acts to hear.
55
I exalted with Desire,(fill'd with more than common fire.)
That Ostella, to her Name
might have Honour, sought out fame.
56
See my Errour, Fools so maybring their Torch-light to the day:
For (alas) could she have more
than her own worth own'd before?
57
“Great things many times arisefrom small beginnings, be men wise:
Acts I 've read in Honours Story
'gun with danger, end with glory.
58
These great hopes made many a Swain,to forsake his er'st lov'd Plain,
To lay Hook, and Tarbox by,
And with a sword their room supply.
64
59
When so many Ladds do roam'twere Cowardize to stay at home:
And my thoughts did soar as high
as the proudest Shepheards eye.
60
But Ostella! she that knewno other Blisse than what she drew
From me, (alas) and I. that ne're
drew breath, but from her Sovereign air.
61
She (alas) could not dispensewith my so soon parting thence.
Sorrow'd, then advis'd, quoth she,
thy parting sure will murther me.
62
My life doth depend on thineas I hope thine doth on mine:
Should Death seize thy nobler part
alas, alas, where were my heart.
63
Ne're like cruelty was shownwhen two lives are lost in one:
And with that her sad heart tries
to have passage through her eys.
64
Then I kist, to stop that grief,Mine did need as much relief:
65
Sorrow did our Comfort smother.
65
Her eyes over-flowing showres,might have drowned her Cheeks Flowers,
Had not my sighs dry'd up those tears,
then each Rosie-Bank appears.
66
United to her Sense, at lastquoth she, why dost thou make such hast
To thy own sad Fate and mine,
what have I that is not thine.
67
Or what can there be more dear,to thy self, than thou hast here?
Love no other prize regards
than it self, it, it, rewards.
68
Sure I am thou once did'st prizeno prize dearer than my eyes:
Those thy worth hath made thy own,
can'st thou leave thy joys so soon?
69
Thou by hazarding thy lifemak'st me Widdow e're a Wife.
Such keen fears my heart do gore,
that I ne're shall see thee more.
66
70
But, (alas) I sadly doubtthat thy flame of Love is out:
Fires that fiercely burn do waste
e're they warm, such was thy haste.
71
Blame me not, my Love is such,that it cannot fear too much.
Love is subject to suspect
where it finds the least neglect.
72
And as apt is to believethings which many times deceive,
Confidence (alone) betrayes
like a Theef, us from our ways.
73
Soft suspicion keeps the Roadbrings us safe to our aboad:
'Tis a Lecture Love doth read
that credulity's the fools Creed.
74
If I erre in doubting thee'tis a pleasing fault in me.
And a joy to be deceiv'd
when my fears are not believ'd.
75
But to think that thou wilt gore-assumes again fresh woe
67
I'le refer my good to thine.
76
Fain my heart would give consent,that thou might'st receive Content:
But my fears do check my will;
“thus Love Passions Combat still.
77
When I would say go, my TongueTels me I would do thee wrong.
If stay, I should Cloud that same
might Eternize thy Lov'd Name.
78
Thus poor heart Her love Contendswith her reason who pretends
A claim to love and now agree
onely for the good of me.
79
And at last, as though she meantto breath her last she spake consent
Go, and what Fate follows thee,
assure thy self shall govern me.
80
We kist, and parted. Oh (quoth she)ne're shall this be tan'e from me,
'Till Deaths rude Lips ravish it,
or thy breath revive the heat.
81
With such sadnesse the lov'd Vinedivested of its pride doth pine.
68
when they and their Summer part.
82
Our Hearts with grief like vessels grow,so full they cannot vent their Woe.
Who could part with so much Blisse
on such cruel tears as this.
83
But the Will of Fate must beobeyd, none flies his Dstiny;
And my thoughts pursu'd the worst,
that Heavens Anger ever curst.
84
Parting my promoting hopegives my mind a glorious scope,
And presents such shapes of joy,
that my former Griefs destroy.
85
Loves forgot, and now I craveeither Honour, or a Grave:
Fortune hears my wish, and shews
that she must be won with blows.
86
No attempt I leave unsought,danger hold a thing of nought,
Which I spurn, and take a Pride
in the Bloud falls from my side.
69
87
Courage makes that wound a scratch;Streight at Honours lock I snatch;
For unlesse I have another,
that same wound doth want a Brother.
88
Which I win from the stern foeas my Heart had will'd it so.
All the prize in this I gat,
was th' honour to be envy'd at.
89
In the heat of these sad Warsfame to breed at home fresh jars,
Id'ly rumour'd of my Death,
which was ta'ne by ev'ry breath.
90
Not a Lasse, but did give o'retheir mirth, and my sad loss deplore:
And the home-kept-Lads do strike
Passions Discord much alike.
91
This Ostella's mother hears,sweeter Musick to her Ears
Never came from Brook or Dale,
but she fear'd 'twas but a Tale.
92
While I absent was, there cameA Shepheard great in Purse and Name;
70
breathing Poison through her Ear.
93
But she long before had ta'nean Antidote against that bane,
As fervent was her flames to me
as the light to Day can be.
94
But her cruel Brested Motherlong had practis'd how to smother
Her old flames, and to invest
new thoughts where mine were possest.
95
Now again assaults the Prize,and withall the subtilties
Mothers power, or Womans skill
can invent, she tempts her ill.
96
Twits her with her duty then,tells the choice she'ad made of Men
The very best, rich of cleer bloud
what he wants wealth can make good.
97
But Ostella that could ne'reto such sordid thoughts adhere
In Loves name stands to her guard
and her constancie's her ward.
71
98
Though in th' conflict Nature stroveto defeat the force of love,
Yet her thoughts bring fresh supplies,
arm'd against all Batteries.
99
Which when her spleenfull mother saw,nor fair means win, nor threatning aw,
Knels my Death, as though from thence
she might Warrant her offence.
100
But Ostella th' truest madethat e're at Loves Altar laid
A broken heart, faints and doth die
each minute, fore her Mothers eye.
101
Now they wail, but oh too late,they have kil'd her with my Fate
'Tis vain to Court or waste their breath
shee's become a Bride for Death.
102
Her bloud hath forsook her faceand cold dew usurps the place;
In her Agony doth rave,
fetch my Duphnes from the Grave,
103
Would he die unkinder he,but hark he hath summon'd me,
72
in keeping me from him so long.
104
Thus in pain poor Soul she laywith Snail-like-speed she did decay,
And wasted like a slow soft fire,
that's dead to sight ere't doth expire.
105
I come (quoth she) and bring with memy Hearts unstein'd Virginity,
Unblasted and unpluckt so lay,
and sighing sent her soul away.
106
She parted hence as pure and whiteas the chaste Primrose, when no light,
Rude-hand hath crop't it, doth return
making what was its Womb its Vrn.
107
Near this time the Wars did cease,I arriv'd with Love and Peace,
Near Ostella's home, where I
expected her Lov'd Company.
108
But I found in ev'ry eyeSorrows profuse Livery:
My poor Heart was at a pause
doubting 't was some generall Cause.
73
109
This sad Story I have told,I did hear: but oh! how cold
It struck my Heart; there's none can guesse,
but such whose Cause speaks little lesse.
110
This was her Walk, and here I'le endmy life and Woes, then be my friend
Good Fate, now thou hast let me tell
my own mishaps, ring thou my Knell.
| Ostella Or the Faction of Love and Beauty Reconcil'd | |