The plays & poems of Robert Greene :: :: University of Virginia Library

The euening starre scarce peept from out her lodge
And Phoebus newly gallopt to his rest:
Euen then
Did I
Within my boate sit in the silent streames,
And voyd of cares as he that lies and dreames.

As Phao so a Ferriman I was,
The countrie lasses sayd I was too faire,
With easie toyle I labourd at mine oare,
To passe from side to side who did repaire:
And then
Did I
For paines take pence, and Charon like transport
Assoone the swayne as men of high import.

When want of worke did giue me leaue to rest,
My sport was catching of the wanton fish:
So did I weare the tedious time away,
And with my labour mended oft my dish:
For why
I thought
That idle houres were Calenders of ruth
And time ill spent was preiudice to youth.

I scornd to loue, for were the Nimph as faire,
As she that loued the beauteous Latmian swayne,
Her face, her eyes, her tresses, nor her browes
Like Iuorie could my affection gaine:
For why
I said
With high disdaine, Loue is a base desire,
And Cupids flames, why the'are but watrie fire.

As thus I sat disdayning of proud loue,
Haue ouer Ferriman there cried a boy,
And with him was a paragon, for hue
A louely damosell beauteous and coy,
And there
With her
A maiden, couered with a tawnie vale,
Her face vnseene for breeding louers bale.

297

I stird my boate, and when I came to shoare
The boy was wingd, me thought it was a wonder:
The dame had eyes like lightning, or the flash
That runnes before the hot report of thunder:
Her smiles
Were sweete,
Louely her face: was neere so faire a creature,
For earthly carkasse had a heauenly feature.

My friend (quoth she) sweete Ferriman behold,
We three must passe, but not a farthing fare,
But I will giue (for I am Queene of loue)
The brightest lasse thou lik'st vnto thy share,
Choose where
Thou louest
Be she as faire as Loues sweet Ladie is,
She shall be thine if that will be thy blisse.

With that she smiled with such a pleasing face,
As might haue made the marble rocke relent:
But I that triumpht in disdaine of loue,
Bad fie on him that to fond loue was bent,
And then
Said thus,
So light the Ferriman for loue doth care,
As Venus passe not, if she pay no fare.

At this a frowne sat on her angrie brow,
She winkes vpon her wanton sonne hard by:
He from his quiuer drew a bolt of fire,
And aymd so right as that he pearst mine eye:
And then
Did she
Draw downe the vale that hid the virgins face,
Whose heauenly beautie lightned all the place,

Straight then I leande mine eare vpon mine arme,
And lookt vpon the Nymph (if so) was faire:
Her eyes were starres, and like Apollos locks,
The thought appeard the tramels of her haire,
Thus did
I gaze

298

And suckt in beautie till that sweete desire
Cast fuell on and set my thought on fire.

When I was lodgd within the net of loue
And that they saw my heart was all on flame,
The Nymph away, and with her trips along
The winged boy, and with her goes his dame.
Oh then
I cried
Stay Ladies stay and take not any care,
You all shall passe and pay no penny fare.

Away they fling, and looking coylie backe
They laugh at me: oh with a loude disdaine
I send out sighes to ouertake the Nimph,
And teares as lures to call them backe againe:
But they
Flie thence,
But I sit in my boate, with hand on oare,
And feele a paine, but knowe not whats the sore.

At last I feele it is the flame of loue,
I striue but bootlesse to expresse the paine,
It cooles, it fires, it hopes, it feares, it frets,
And stirreth passions throughout euery vaine.
That downe
I sat,
And sighing did faire Venus lawes approoue,
And swore no thing so sweete and sowre as loue.

Et florida pungunt.