The Complete Works of Sir Philip Sidney :: :: University of Virginia Library

Let mother earth now decke her selfe in flowers,
To see her ofspring seeke a good increase,
Where justest love doth vanquish Cupids powers
And ware of thoughts is swallow'd up in peace
Which never may decrease
But like the turtells faire
Live one in two, a well united paire,
Which that no chaunce may staine,
O Himen long their coupled joyes maintaine.

O heav'n awake shewe forth thy stately face,
Let not these slumbring clowds thy beawties hide,
But with thy cheerefull presence helpe to grace
The honest Bridegroome, and the bashfull Bride,
Whose loves may ever bide,
Like to the Elme and Vyne,
With mutuall embracements them to twyne:
In which delightfull paine,
O Himen long their coupled joyes maintaine.

Yee Muses all which chaste affects allow,
And have to Thyrsis shewd your secret skill,
To this chaste love your sacred favours bow,
And so to him and her your giftes distill,
That they all vice may kill:
And like to lillies pure
May please all eyes, and spotlesse may endure.
Where that all blisse may raigne,
O Himen long their coupled joyes maintaine.

Yee Nymphes which in the waters empire have,
Since Thyrsis musick oft doth yeeld you praise,
Graunt to the thing which we for Thyrsis crave.
Let one time (but long first) close up their daies,
One grave their bodies seaze:

And like two rivers sweete,
When they though divers do together meete:
One streame both streames containe,
O Himen long their coupled joyes maintaine.

Pan, father Pan, the god of silly sheepe,
Whose care is cause that they in number growe,
Have much more care of them that them do keepe,
Since from these good the others good doth flowe,
And make their issue showe
In number like the hearde
Of yonglings, which thy selfe with love hast rearde.
Or like the drops of raine.
O Himen long their coupled joyes maintaine.

Vertue (if not a God) yet Gods chiefe parte,
Be thou the knot of this their open vowe,
That still he be her head, she be his harte,
He leane to her, she unto him do bow:
Each other still allow:
Like Oke and Mistletoe.
Her strength from him, his praise from her do growe.
In which most lovely traine,
O Himen long their coupled joyes maintaine.

But thou foule Cupid syre to lawlesse lust,
Be thou farre hence with thy empoyson'd darte,
Which though of glittring golde, shall heere take rust
Where simple love, which chastnesse doth imparte,
Avoydes thy hurtfull arte,
Not needing charming skill,
Such mindes with sweet affections for to fill,
Which being pure and plaine,
O Himen long their coupled joyes maintaine.

All churlish wordes, shrewd answeres, crabbed lookes,
All privatenes, selfe-seeking, inward spite,
All waywardnes, which nothing kindly brookes,
All strife for toyes, and clayming masters right:
Be hence aye put to flight,
All sturring husbands hate
Gainst neighbors good for womanish debate
Be fled as things most vaine,
O Himen long their coupled joyes maintaine.

All peacock pride, and fruites of peacocks pride
Longing to be with losse of substance gay
With retchlesnes what may thy house betide,
So that you may on hyer slippers stay
For ever hence awaye:
Yet let not sluttery,
The sinke of filth, be counted huswifery:
But keeping holesome meane,
O Himen long their coupled joyes maintaine.

But above all away vile jealousie,
The evill of evils just cause to be unjust,
(How can he love suspecting treacherie?
How can she love where love cannot win trust?)
Goe snake hide thee in dust,
Ne dare once shew thy face,
Where open hartes do holde so constant place,
That they thy sting restraine,
O Himen long their coupled joyes maintaine.

The earth is deckt with flowers, the heav'ns displaid,
Muses graunt guiftes, Nymphes long and joyned life,
Pan store of babes, vertue their thoughts well staid,
Cupids lust gone, and gone is bitter strife,
Happy man, happy wife.
No pride shall them oppresse,
Nor yet shall yeeld to loathsome sluttishnes,
And jealousie is slaine:
For Himen will their coupled joyes maintaine.