The Third part of the Countesse of Pembrokes Yuychurch Entituled, Amintas Dale. Wherein are the most conceited tales of the Pagan Gods in English Hexameters together with their auncient descriptions and Philosophicall explications. By Abraham Fravnce |
 |
[Myrrha, the fathers hoore, and brothers mother, a myrrhor] |
 | The Third part of the Countesse of Pembrokes Yuychurch |  |
43
[Myrrha, the fathers hoore, and brothers mother, a myrrhor]
Myrrha
, the fathers hoore, and brothers mother, a myrrhor
Of most monstrus lust, was late transformd to a Myrrh-tree:
O how could sweete Myrrh come from so sinful a Myrrha?
Myrrha made Myrrh-tree, brought forth incestuus ofspring,
And yet most delicate, most sweete, most bewtiful ofspring,
Dame Natur's dearling, heu'ns ioy, worlds woonder, Adonis.
Of most monstrus lust, was late transformd to a Myrrh-tree:
O how could sweete Myrrh come from so sinful a Myrrha?
Myrrha made Myrrh-tree, brought forth incestuus ofspring,
And yet most delicate, most sweete, most bewtiful ofspring,
Dame Natur's dearling, heu'ns ioy, worlds woonder, Adonis.
Either take wings, bowe, and shafts from louely Cupido,
Or giue bowe and shafts, and wings to the loued Adonis;
And let louely Cupid stand hard by loued Adonis
Either on others side, and aske, who list, the beholders,
Which is louely Cupid, which is this loued Adonis;
Euery man will swere, that both are louely Cupidoes,
Both are Lords of loue, and neither loued Adonis,
So like euery way were loue and loued Adonis.
Yea such grace, such face, such eyes had loued Adonis,
That very Enuies eyes must needes praise loued Adonis.
Or giue bowe and shafts, and wings to the loued Adonis;
And let louely Cupid stand hard by loued Adonis
Either on others side, and aske, who list, the beholders,
Which is louely Cupid, which is this loued Adonis;
Euery man will swere, that both are louely Cupidoes,
Both are Lords of loue, and neither loued Adonis,
So like euery way were loue and loued Adonis.
Yea such grace, such face, such eyes had loued Adonis,
That very Enuies eyes must needes praise loued Adonis.
Lord, how swift is time, and slideth away on a sudden
Vnperceaud, vnspide? That wretched, lewdly begotten,
Sisters, grandsires son, closd yesterday in a Myrrhe-tree,
Borne but yesterday, is now so louely an infant,
Sweete childe, tall springall, braue youth; that Queene Cytheræa
Loues natures dearling, heu'ns ioy, worlds woonder Adonis.
Vnperceaud, vnspide? That wretched, lewdly begotten,
Sisters, grandsires son, closd yesterday in a Myrrhe-tree,
Borne but yesterday, is now so louely an infant,
Sweete childe, tall springall, braue youth; that Queene Cytheræa
Loues natures dearling, heu'ns ioy, worlds woonder Adonis.
Lord of loue, by a chaunce, as he playd with Queene Aphrodite
His louing mother, did rase her breast with an arrowe.
Hence, qd Lady Venus, with this same paltery arrowe;
And putts back her son: but that same paltery arrow
Gaue her a deeper wound indeede, then first she beleeued.
His louing mother, did rase her breast with an arrowe.
Hence, qd Lady Venus, with this same paltery arrowe;
44
Gaue her a deeper wound indeede, then first she beleeued.
Now Cytheræan bowres and towres Cytheræa renounceth,
Fishy Cnidos, with watry Paphos Cytheræa refuseth,
Yea leaues heau'n it selfe for loue, for loue of Adonis.
Now she delites to be gay, and frames her lookes to be louely,
Trims and tricks her selfe, and all for loue of Adonis.
Sometimes downe by a well with Adonis sweetly she sitteth,
And on Adonis face in well-spring louely she looketh,
And then Adonis lipps with her owne lipps kindely she kisseth,
Rolling tongue, moyst mouth with her owne mouth all to be sucking,
Mouth and tong and lipps, with Ioues drinck Nectar abounding.
Fishy Cnidos, with watry Paphos Cytheræa refuseth,
Yea leaues heau'n it selfe for loue, for loue of Adonis.
Now she delites to be gay, and frames her lookes to be louely,
Trims and tricks her selfe, and all for loue of Adonis.
Sometimes downe by a well with Adonis sweetly she sitteth,
And on Adonis face in well-spring louely she looketh,
And then Adonis lipps with her owne lipps kindely she kisseth,
Rolling tongue, moyst mouth with her owne mouth all to be sucking,
Mouth and tong and lipps, with Ioues drinck Nectar abounding.
Sometimes, louely records for Adonis sake, she reciteth;
How Læander dyde, as he swamme to the bewtiful Hero,
How great Alcides was brought from a club to a distaffe,
How Medea the witch causd golden fleece to be conquerd,
What lost Euridice; who first came safely to Circe.
How Læander dyde, as he swamme to the bewtiful Hero,
How great Alcides was brought from a club to a distaffe,
How Medea the witch causd golden fleece to be conquerd,
What lost Euridice; who first came safely to Circe.
Sometimes vnto the shade of a braunched beech she repaireth,
Where sweete bubling brooke with streames of siluer aboundeth,
And faire-feathred birde on tree-top cherefuly chirpeth;
There her voyce, which makes eu'n Ioue himselfe to be ioying,
Vnto the waters fall, and birds chirpe ioyfuly tuning.
Where sweete bubling brooke with streames of siluer aboundeth,
And faire-feathred birde on tree-top cherefuly chirpeth;
There her voyce, which makes eu'n Ioue himselfe to be ioying,
Vnto the waters fall, and birds chirpe ioyfuly tuning.
Sometimes vnto the woods, and pleasant parks she resorteth,
With tuckt-vp garments, and Quiuer, like to Diana.
And there harmeles game pursu's with loued Adonis,
Trembling hare, swift hart, and Roebuck loftyly horned:
As for Beares, and Woolu's, and such wilde beasts, she detested,
Left any harme might chaunce, by the chace thereof, to Adonis.
With tuckt-vp garments, and Quiuer, like to Diana.
And there harmeles game pursu's with loued Adonis,
Trembling hare, swift hart, and Roebuck loftyly horned:
As for Beares, and Woolu's, and such wilde beasts, she detested,
Left any harme might chaunce, by the chace thereof, to Adonis.
Whilst that Lady Venus did thus conuerse with Adonis,
Making more account of a heauens-ioy, then a heauen,
Ioue sent forth summons through purple-veiled Olympus,
Forth-with commaunding all Gods and euery goddes,
There at a stately triumph, on a certeine time to be present.
Then was Lady Venus compelld to returne to Olympus
Greatly against her minde, and leaue her loued Adonis:
And yet afore she returnd, shee turnd herselfe to Adonis,
And thus tooke her leaue, last leaue of loued Adonis.
Making more account of a heauens-ioy, then a heauen,
Ioue sent forth summons through purple-veiled Olympus,
Forth-with commaunding all Gods and euery goddes,
There at a stately triumph, on a certeine time to be present.
Then was Lady Venus compelld to returne to Olympus
Greatly against her minde, and leaue her loued Adonis:
And yet afore she returnd, shee turnd herselfe to Adonis,
And thus tooke her leaue, last leaue of loued Adonis.
Sweete boy, sith that I must of force now goe to Olympus,
(Neuer afore did I so vnwilling goe to Olympus)
Make much of thyself, and ile make haste from Olympus.
Sweete boy, looke to thyself, goe not too oft to the forrest,
Where sharpe-tusked boares, and rau'nous woolus be resorting,
And strong stoordy Lyons are each where fearefuly roaring.
Parks and launds are walkes more meete for yonker Adonis,
Harts and Hyndes are game more fit for gentle Adonis.
Tis no wit, sweete boy, with a greater foe to be striuing,
Tis no wit, to be stout with strong, to be haughty with hardy:
Forbeare for my sake, for my feare learne to be fearefull,
Meddle not with beasts, whose euery limme is a weapon,
Euery stroake is death: least too stowtharted Adonis
Buy his praise too deare: thy face, yeares, bewty, behauiour
Which possesse my soule, wil neuer moue the deuouring
Woolues, and bristled swine, wil neuer finde any fauour
In blood-thirsting eyes of a rugged bare, or a raging
Ougly Lyon, most ougly Lyon; whose merciles ofspring
Chiefly of all other wilde beasts Cytheræa detesteth.
Then she begins to recount, how fayre and swift Atalanta
Chaunst at length in race to be ouercome, by the golden
Apples, which herselfe of her owne grace, gaue to the thanckles
Hippomenes, whose loue was therefore turnd to a lewd lust,
So lewd; that Cybeles temple was fowly defiled,
And themselues to Lyons, for a iust plague, speedily changed,
Drawing her chariot, whose church they lately prophaned.
(Neuer afore did I so vnwilling goe to Olympus)
Make much of thyself, and ile make haste from Olympus.
Sweete boy, looke to thyself, goe not too oft to the forrest,
Where sharpe-tusked boares, and rau'nous woolus be resorting,
44
Parks and launds are walkes more meete for yonker Adonis,
Harts and Hyndes are game more fit for gentle Adonis.
Tis no wit, sweete boy, with a greater foe to be striuing,
Tis no wit, to be stout with strong, to be haughty with hardy:
Forbeare for my sake, for my feare learne to be fearefull,
Meddle not with beasts, whose euery limme is a weapon,
Euery stroake is death: least too stowtharted Adonis
Buy his praise too deare: thy face, yeares, bewty, behauiour
Which possesse my soule, wil neuer moue the deuouring
Woolues, and bristled swine, wil neuer finde any fauour
In blood-thirsting eyes of a rugged bare, or a raging
Ougly Lyon, most ougly Lyon; whose merciles ofspring
Chiefly of all other wilde beasts Cytheræa detesteth.
Then she begins to recount, how fayre and swift Atalanta
Chaunst at length in race to be ouercome, by the golden
Apples, which herselfe of her owne grace, gaue to the thanckles
Hippomenes, whose loue was therefore turnd to a lewd lust,
So lewd; that Cybeles temple was fowly defiled,
And themselues to Lyons, for a iust plague, speedily changed,
Drawing her chariot, whose church they lately prophaned.
Then, qd shee, fly these; and not these only, but all those
Beasts, that will not fly. Such counsel gaue she Adonis,
But no such counsel would serue too youthful Adonis.
For, no sooner was sweete sea-borne Nymph Aphrodite
Conueyd in chariot by siluer swans to Olympus,
But to the wilde wood went too wilde and wilful Adonis:
Where, when his hounds on a time, by chaunce, had rowzed a wilde-boare,
Himselfe sets on first, and boare in a brauery woundeth.
Boare enrag'de, runs forth, with foaming tusk, to Adonis,
And teares those very parts, those tendrest parts of Adonis,
Which were stil most deare to Adonis deare Aphrodite,
Teares, and wounds, and kills Aphrodites loued Adonis.
Beasts, that will not fly. Such counsel gaue she Adonis,
But no such counsel would serue too youthful Adonis.
For, no sooner was sweete sea-borne Nymph Aphrodite
Conueyd in chariot by siluer swans to Olympus,
But to the wilde wood went too wilde and wilful Adonis:
Where, when his hounds on a time, by chaunce, had rowzed a wilde-boare,
Himselfe sets on first, and boare in a brauery woundeth.
Boare enrag'de, runs forth, with foaming tusk, to Adonis,
And teares those very parts, those tendrest parts of Adonis,
Which were stil most deare to Adonis deare Aphrodite,
Teares, and wounds, and kills Aphrodites loued Adonis.
And now, eu'n iust now, when wilde Boare murdred Adonis,
Ioues great guests were gone, and all solemnities ended,
And sweete louely Venus from Olympus newly departed;
Thinking euery howre to be two, and two to be twenty,
Til she beheld her boy: but alas too soone, she beheld him:
Downe fro the skies she beheld her long-lookt loued Adonis
Dismembred, wounded, with his owne blood all to besprinckled.
Ioues great guests were gone, and all solemnities ended,
And sweete louely Venus from Olympus newly departed;
Thinking euery howre to be two, and two to be twenty,
Til she beheld her boy: but alas too soone, she beheld him:
Downe fro the skies she beheld her long-lookt loued Adonis
Dismembred, wounded, with his owne blood all to besprinckled.
Then to the dolefull dale, where murdred Adonis abideth,
Her milke-white coursers, with might and maine she directeth,
Leaps downe, rents her roabes, and poore breast all to be beateth,
Teares hayre, scratcheth face, and deathswound deadly bewaileth.
Her milke-white coursers, with might and maine she directeth,
45
Teares hayre, scratcheth face, and deathswound deadly bewaileth.
Hellish Fates, qd shee, though world be depriu'd of Adonis
Corps, and loued lymmes, by you; yet world, to the worlds end,
In despite of you, shall yearely remember Adonis,
Yearely remember mee, by remembring yearely Adonis.
Yea, this purpled blood wil I speedily turne to a purple
Flowre; which shalbe a grace to the ground insteede of Adonis.
If that Apollo could transforme his boy Hyacinthus
Into a flowre for a fame, to the mourning flowre Hyacinthus,
Which stil beares, ay, ay, in leaues, in signe of a wailing:
If that Apollo could his dolefull boy Cyparissus
Turne to a dolefull tree, to the ioyles deadly Cupressus,
Shall not Lady Venus doe the like for loued Adonis?
Corps, and loued lymmes, by you; yet world, to the worlds end,
In despite of you, shall yearely remember Adonis,
Yearely remember mee, by remembring yearely Adonis.
Yea, this purpled blood wil I speedily turne to a purple
Flowre; which shalbe a grace to the ground insteede of Adonis.
If that Apollo could transforme his boy Hyacinthus
Into a flowre for a fame, to the mourning flowre Hyacinthus,
Which stil beares, ay, ay, in leaues, in signe of a wailing:
If that Apollo could his dolefull boy Cyparissus
Turne to a dolefull tree, to the ioyles deadly Cupressus,
Shall not Lady Venus doe the like for loued Adonis?
Then with life-giuing Nectar, sweete blood she besprinkleth,
And the besprinkled blood, with a round top swells, as a buble:
Purpled round by degrees, is speedily changd to a purpled
Flowre, that beares faire leaues, and fraile leaues; euery winde-puffe
Blowes them away. So good things goe, so dyed Adonis:
Flowre fades, eye dazeleth, face wrinkleth, bewty decayeth.
And the besprinkled blood, with a round top swells, as a buble:
Purpled round by degrees, is speedily changd to a purpled
Flowre, that beares faire leaues, and fraile leaues; euery winde-puffe
Blowes them away. So good things goe, so dyed Adonis:
Flowre fades, eye dazeleth, face wrinkleth, bewty decayeth.
| The Third part of the Countesse of Pembrokes Yuychurch | |