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 |
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[In King Procae's time, Pomona, the Lady of apples] |
 | The Third part of the Countesse of Pembrokes Yuychurch |  |
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[In King Procae's time, Pomona, the Lady of apples]
In King Procae's time, Pomona, the Lady of apples
Floorisht: faire Pomona, the brauest nimph of a thousand
Wood-nimphs: no wood-nimph was found so good for a garden,
None so circumspect, so cunning was, for an orchyarde.
No wells, no waters, no hills, no dales she frequented,
Fishing, and fouling, and hunting life she refused,
Fruite, and fruite-bearing branches Pomona desired,
Gardens were her ioy, and all her care was her orchyard.
Insteede of keene darts, shee arm's herself with a shredding
Hooke, and therewith cutts and pares the superfluus ofsprings,
And ranck spreading boughes, which waste that natural humor,
Which well sparde, makes stock to be strong, and fruit to be louely.
Floorisht: faire Pomona, the brauest nimph of a thousand
Wood-nimphs: no wood-nimph was found so good for a garden,
None so circumspect, so cunning was, for an orchyarde.
No wells, no waters, no hills, no dales she frequented,
Fishing, and fouling, and hunting life she refused,
Fruite, and fruite-bearing branches Pomona desired,
Gardens were her ioy, and all her care was her orchyard.
Insteede of keene darts, shee arm's herself with a shredding
Hooke, and therewith cutts and pares the superfluus ofsprings,
And ranck spreading boughes, which waste that natural humor,
Which well sparde, makes stock to be strong, and fruit to be louely.
Sometimes tender grifts from better tree she deriueth,
And to a baser stock commits them for to be noorrisht.
Baser stock, full glad, so noble an impe to be fostring,
Giu's it lap for suck, and it most charily tendreth,
And from nipping frosts, with her owne barck dayly defendes it.
Sometimes crumpled strings of thirsting roote she bewatreth,
When raging dog-star burnt fruite-yard all to be scorcheth;
And this is all her ioy, and herein stil she deliteth.
As for Lady Venus, no such pastime she desireth,
But walls her gardens, and orchyards warily wardeth,
And mens sight shunneth, mens company dayly detesteth,
Least by the rurall folk, violence might chaunce to be offred
Vnto her owne sweeteself, or force and spoyle to her orchyard.
And to a baser stock commits them for to be noorrisht.
Baser stock, full glad, so noble an impe to be fostring,
Giu's it lap for suck, and it most charily tendreth,
And from nipping frosts, with her owne barck dayly defendes it.
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When raging dog-star burnt fruite-yard all to be scorcheth;
And this is all her ioy, and herein stil she deliteth.
As for Lady Venus, no such pastime she desireth,
But walls her gardens, and orchyards warily wardeth,
And mens sight shunneth, mens company dayly detesteth,
Least by the rurall folk, violence might chaunce to be offred
Vnto her owne sweeteself, or force and spoyle to her orchyard.
What did not the Satyrs, that frisking lusty Iuuentus,
And Pan with pine-boughes on his horns, and fleshly Priapus,
And old Silenus, well stuft with youthful Iacchus,
Old staggring Tospot Silenus, with many other
Rurall Gods, t'obtaine so sweete and louely a goddes?
Yet more then the Satyrs, then Pan, then fleshly Priapus,
Then th' old Silenus; Vertumnus faithfuly seru'd her,
And more hartily lou'd, though nomore luckily lou'd her.
And Pan with pine-boughes on his horns, and fleshly Priapus,
And old Silenus, well stuft with youthful Iacchus,
Old staggring Tospot Silenus, with many other
Rurall Gods, t'obtaine so sweete and louely a goddes?
Yet more then the Satyrs, then Pan, then fleshly Priapus,
Then th' old Silenus; Vertumnus faithfuly seru'd her,
And more hartily lou'd, though nomore luckily lou'd her.
How many thousand times did he turne himself to a reaper,
And in a reapers weedes, bare sheaues of corne in a bundell,
And when he so was dreast, each man would deeme him a reaper?
How many thousand times did he change himself to a mower,
And with long-toothdrake, with crookt sithe went to the meddowe,
And when he thus made hay, each man tooke him for a mower?
How many times did he then transforme himself to a ploweman,
All in a leather pilch, with a goade in his hand, or a plowestaffe,
And so shapte, each man would sweare that he were but a ploweman?
Yea how oft did he frame and shape himself as a gardner,
Prest with a shredding hooke his vines and trees to be proyning,
And so dight, no-man did doubt, but he was but a gardner?
If that he met with a sweard, or a souldiers coate, or a cassock,
Cassock, coate, and sweard did make him march as a souldier.
And, when baits and hookes, and angling rods he receaued,
Fishers and anglers so well, so right he resembled,
That both Nymph and fish might well therewith be deceaued.
So, and so did this Vertumnus, slippery turnecoate
Turne, and winde, transforme, and change himself to a thousand
Shapes; and all, to behold Pomona the Lady of apples.
And in a reapers weedes, bare sheaues of corne in a bundell,
And when he so was dreast, each man would deeme him a reaper?
How many thousand times did he change himself to a mower,
And with long-toothdrake, with crookt sithe went to the meddowe,
And when he thus made hay, each man tooke him for a mower?
How many times did he then transforme himself to a ploweman,
All in a leather pilch, with a goade in his hand, or a plowestaffe,
And so shapte, each man would sweare that he were but a ploweman?
Yea how oft did he frame and shape himself as a gardner,
Prest with a shredding hooke his vines and trees to be proyning,
And so dight, no-man did doubt, but he was but a gardner?
If that he met with a sweard, or a souldiers coate, or a cassock,
Cassock, coate, and sweard did make him march as a souldier.
And, when baits and hookes, and angling rods he receaued,
Fishers and anglers so well, so right he resembled,
That both Nymph and fish might well therewith be deceaued.
So, and so did this Vertumnus, slippery turnecoate
Turne, and winde, transforme, and change himself to a thousand
Shapes; and all, to behold Pomona the Lady of apples.
At last, with gray heares his wrinckled browes he bespreadeth,
Putts on a red thrumbd hat, with a staffe goe's lasily hobling,
Like to an old Beldame: and thus she begins to be tatling.
Putts on a red thrumbd hat, with a staffe goe's lasily hobling,
Like to an old Beldame: and thus she begins to be tatling.
O braue sweete apples, and ô most bewtiful orchyard,
O paradise-garden, fit for so louely a gardner:
And so giu's her a kisse; (too wanton a kisse for a Beldame.)
Then sits downe on a banck, and casteth her eyes to the garden
Stoarde with trees, and tree's with fruitefull burden abounding.
O paradise-garden, fit for so louely a gardner:
And so giu's her a kisse; (too wanton a kisse for a Beldame.)
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Stoarde with trees, and tree's with fruitefull burden abounding.
Ouer against this banck, where these two fate, was a goodly
Elme, that leant herselfe, as a louing prop to a vine-tree,
Vine-tree inclining, with clustred grapes, on her elme-tree.
See, said th' old Beldame, to the sweete fac'te Lady of apples,
See this loued sight, and marke there, how many thousand
Mutual imbracements, that vine-tree giu's to the elme-tree:
Vine giu's grace to the elme, and elme giu's strength to the vine-tree,
Either an others helpe, and either a ioy to an other.
But yet alas, if th' elme stoode single alone fro the vine-tree,
Or vine-tree be diuorct from her husbands company elmetree,
Elme shuld haue nothing, but fruiteles leaues for a burden,
Vine shuld lye on ground, which now mounts vp to the heauens,
Then let Pomona example take by the vine-tree,
Let Pomona loue, and ioyne herselfe to an elme-tree,
Ioyne herselfe to a mate, or shew herselfe to be willing
For to be ioynd to a mate. O how-many, how-many louers
Should shee haue, if shee once shewd herself to be louing?
Yea eu'n now (though now thou liue here sole in an orchyard,
Sole in an orchyard here, and all inclosd as an anckresse)
Sileni, Fauni, Siluani, all the delightfull
Crewe of rurall Gods, stil run to the Lady of apples.
But thou (if thou wilt haue this thy match to be well made)
Take heede, learne in time, and leand thine eare to a Beldame,
Who, as a woman, must of right, wish well to a woman,
And as an old woman, must needes know more then a damsell,
Disdaine these Demy-gods, that rome and range by the deserts,
Wood-gods, woodden gods, pide Pan, and filthy Priapus,
And take Vertumnus to thy mate, who, more then a thousand
Sileni, Fauni, Siluani, dayly desires thee,
And therefore (sith loue craues loue) more duly deseru's thee.
And take mee for a pledge: for, I know, that nobody better
Know's him then myself: his secreates all he reuealeth
Vnto me, and in mee his surest trust he reposeth.
And take this for a truth, Vertumnus goes not a gadding,
Is not an out-come guest, but dwells hereby as a neighbour.
Neither tak's he delite, his fancies dayly to alter,
Or seeke for new loues, or choyce once made to be changing:
Faithful Vertumnus loues with deuotion endles
First loue and last loue, Pomona the Lady of apples:
And can so conforme, and frame himself to be pleasing,
That, what forme, or face, or shape Pomona desireth,
Into the same himself Vertumnus speedily changeth.
And, if like conceits are alwaies cause of a liking,
You two loue and like with like affection, one thing.
For, Pomona desires and loues faire plentiful orchyards,
And Vertumnus takes first fruites of plentiful orchyards.
And, though Vertumnus doe receaue these duetiful oftrings,
And take in good part Pomonae's bewtiful apples,
Plummes, and grapes, and hearbs, and flowres: yet he chiefly desireth
Not those faire apples, but this faire Lady of apples,
Not Pomonae's goods, but sweete Pomona the goddes,
Not thine, but the alone. Therefore with mercy remember
Vertumnus torments, and thinke, that he mercy desireth
With my mouth: thinke, that with these mine eyes he afordeth
Teares: feare louely Venus, who wills each Nimph to be louely,
Feare Nemesis, that plagues such girles, as loue to beloueles.
Elme, that leant herselfe, as a louing prop to a vine-tree,
Vine-tree inclining, with clustred grapes, on her elme-tree.
See, said th' old Beldame, to the sweete fac'te Lady of apples,
See this loued sight, and marke there, how many thousand
Mutual imbracements, that vine-tree giu's to the elme-tree:
Vine giu's grace to the elme, and elme giu's strength to the vine-tree,
Either an others helpe, and either a ioy to an other.
But yet alas, if th' elme stoode single alone fro the vine-tree,
Or vine-tree be diuorct from her husbands company elmetree,
Elme shuld haue nothing, but fruiteles leaues for a burden,
Vine shuld lye on ground, which now mounts vp to the heauens,
Then let Pomona example take by the vine-tree,
Let Pomona loue, and ioyne herselfe to an elme-tree,
Ioyne herselfe to a mate, or shew herselfe to be willing
For to be ioynd to a mate. O how-many, how-many louers
Should shee haue, if shee once shewd herself to be louing?
Yea eu'n now (though now thou liue here sole in an orchyard,
Sole in an orchyard here, and all inclosd as an anckresse)
Sileni, Fauni, Siluani, all the delightfull
Crewe of rurall Gods, stil run to the Lady of apples.
But thou (if thou wilt haue this thy match to be well made)
Take heede, learne in time, and leand thine eare to a Beldame,
Who, as a woman, must of right, wish well to a woman,
And as an old woman, must needes know more then a damsell,
Disdaine these Demy-gods, that rome and range by the deserts,
Wood-gods, woodden gods, pide Pan, and filthy Priapus,
And take Vertumnus to thy mate, who, more then a thousand
Sileni, Fauni, Siluani, dayly desires thee,
And therefore (sith loue craues loue) more duly deseru's thee.
And take mee for a pledge: for, I know, that nobody better
Know's him then myself: his secreates all he reuealeth
Vnto me, and in mee his surest trust he reposeth.
And take this for a truth, Vertumnus goes not a gadding,
Is not an out-come guest, but dwells hereby as a neighbour.
Neither tak's he delite, his fancies dayly to alter,
Or seeke for new loues, or choyce once made to be changing:
Faithful Vertumnus loues with deuotion endles
First loue and last loue, Pomona the Lady of apples:
And can so conforme, and frame himself to be pleasing,
53
Into the same himself Vertumnus speedily changeth.
And, if like conceits are alwaies cause of a liking,
You two loue and like with like affection, one thing.
For, Pomona desires and loues faire plentiful orchyards,
And Vertumnus takes first fruites of plentiful orchyards.
And, though Vertumnus doe receaue these duetiful oftrings,
And take in good part Pomonae's bewtiful apples,
Plummes, and grapes, and hearbs, and flowres: yet he chiefly desireth
Not those faire apples, but this faire Lady of apples,
Not Pomonae's goods, but sweete Pomona the goddes,
Not thine, but the alone. Therefore with mercy remember
Vertumnus torments, and thinke, that he mercy desireth
With my mouth: thinke, that with these mine eyes he afordeth
Teares: feare louely Venus, who wills each Nimph to be louely,
Feare Nemesis, that plagues such girles, as loue to beloueles.
Then she begins to recount many old wiues tales to the Lady,
How that Anaxarete, for scorning bewtiful Iphis,
Was transformd to a stone: with a thousand more: of a purpose
For to procure her loue: and bade her looke to the fatall
Fall of Anaxarete, and learne thereby to be louely;
So might budding fruite from nipping frosts be defended,
And halfe-ripe apples from blustring windes be protected.
How that Anaxarete, for scorning bewtiful Iphis,
Was transformd to a stone: with a thousand more: of a purpose
For to procure her loue: and bade her looke to the fatall
Fall of Anaxarete, and learne thereby to be louely;
So might budding fruite from nipping frosts be defended,
And halfe-ripe apples from blustring windes be protected.
But sith th' old trott's shifts, and tales were lightly regarded,
Turnecoate Vertumnus to a youth was speedily turned,
Braue youth, gallant youth, as bright and sheene, as Apollo
Seemes, when burning beames, which clouds had lately eclipsed,
Haue their streaming light, and blazing bewty recou'red.
Turnecoate Vertumnus to a youth was speedily turned,
Braue youth, gallant youth, as bright and sheene, as Apollo
Seemes, when burning beames, which clouds had lately eclipsed,
Haue their streaming light, and blazing bewty recou'red.
Youthful Vertumnus to the chereful Lady aproached,
And now offred force: but no force needes to be offred:
Sweete face, and faire lookes, causd castles keyes to be yeelded.
And now offred force: but no force needes to be offred:
Sweete face, and faire lookes, causd castles keyes to be yeelded.
| The Third part of the Countesse of Pembrokes Yuychurch | |