 | The Melancholie Knight |  |
Introduction.
VVhen
Phebus Chariot (flaming liuing fire)
Was drawne with winged horses to the West,
And obscure darknesse clad in blacke attire,
Had summon'd euery sleeping eye to rest,
The cloudie curtaines of the heauens were spread,
And glorious day from faire Aurora fled.
Was drawne with winged horses to the West,
And obscure darknesse clad in blacke attire,
Had summon'd euery sleeping eye to rest,
The cloudie curtaines of the heauens were spread,
And glorious day from faire Aurora fled.
The windes were all lockt vp and nothing spoke,
The dribling waters murmur was not heard,
No fire was seene, yet all the ayre seem'd smoke:
The starry lamps were from their shining barr'd
Fower-footed tramplers, all had drowsie heads;
Bush-breeders wrapt vp in their feather-beds.
The dribling waters murmur was not heard,
No fire was seene, yet all the ayre seem'd smoke:
The starry lamps were from their shining barr'd
Fower-footed tramplers, all had drowsie heads;
Bush-breeders wrapt vp in their feather-beds.
An vniuersall slumber ceas'd on all,
To bury cares in sleepes forgetfulnesse,
While dreames and visions did in question call,
Charging the minde with much vnquietnesse,
And did present an obiect to my sight,
That made next day to wonder at last night.
To bury cares in sleepes forgetfulnesse,
Charging the minde with much vnquietnesse,
And did present an obiect to my sight,
That made next day to wonder at last night.
I sawe, (or seem'd to see a well skap'd man,
His body formed comely as I thought;
Yet not describe him pefectly I can,
Because his outside was so ouer-wrought,
With Taylors art, new fashion'd from the stall,
What I beheld was but mans making all.
His body formed comely as I thought;
Yet not describe him pefectly I can,
Because his outside was so ouer-wrought,
With Taylors art, new fashion'd from the stall,
What I beheld was but mans making all.
His face being masked with his hat pull'd downe,
And in french doublet without gowne or cloake,
His hose the largest euer came to towne,
And from his nostrels came much stinking smoake;
Garters would make two ensignes for a neede,
And shoo-ties that for circle did exceede.
And in french doublet without gowne or cloake,
His hose the largest euer came to towne,
And from his nostrels came much stinking smoake;
And shoo-ties that for circle did exceede.
His head hung downe, his armes were held acrosse,
And in his hat a cole-blacke feather stucke,
His melancholy argued some great losse,
He stood so like the picture of ill lucke:
I longed much his humour for to finde
Vntill at length he thus reueal'd his minde.
And in his hat a cole-blacke feather stucke,
His melancholy argued some great losse,
He stood so like the picture of ill lucke:
I longed much his humour for to finde
Vntill at length he thus reueal'd his minde.
| The Melancholie Knight | |