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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[Tiresias, Iunoes and Ioues iudge, blinde, yet a seer] |
 | The Third part of the Countesse of Pembrokes Yuychurch |  |
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[Tiresias, Iunoes and Ioues iudge, blinde, yet a seer]
Tiresias
, Iunoes and Ioues iudge, blinde, yet a seer,
Foretolde Narcissus this destinie. This pretie yong Boy
Shalbe a man many yeares; if he neuer looke on his owne face.
This seemde strange for a while, but th' end proou'd all to be too true.
For, braue Narcissus (when he came at length to the sixteenth
Yeare of his age, and might seeme either a boy, or a batchler)
Had so louely a looke, soe sweete and cheareful a countnance,
That Nymphes and Ladies Narcissus dayly desired:
Yet soe loueles a looke, so prowd and scorneful a countnance,
That Nymphes and Ladies, Narcissus dayly refused.
Eccho once a day, the resounding Eccho, that aunswers
Euery question askt, and yet no question asketh,
Saw this gallant youth, as he hunted a deere by the forrest.
Eccho the tatling Nymph was a true bodie then, not an onely
Voyce, as now: although eu'n then that voyce was abridged
Like as now: and this was done by Iuno the Empresse,
Mother, as it was thought, to the prating Dandiprat Eccho.
For when Ioue with Nymphs himselfe did meane to recomfort
Here and there by the woods, and fetch his flings by the forrests,
Shee with a long discourse her mother Iuno deteigned,
Till Nymphs all were gone, and Ioues deuotion ended.
Foretolde Narcissus this destinie. This pretie yong Boy
Shalbe a man many yeares; if he neuer looke on his owne face.
This seemde strange for a while, but th' end proou'd all to be too true.
For, braue Narcissus (when he came at length to the sixteenth
Yeare of his age, and might seeme either a boy, or a batchler)
Had so louely a looke, soe sweete and cheareful a countnance,
That Nymphes and Ladies Narcissus dayly desired:
Yet soe loueles a looke, so prowd and scorneful a countnance,
That Nymphes and Ladies, Narcissus dayly refused.
Eccho once a day, the resounding Eccho, that aunswers
Euery question askt, and yet no question asketh,
Saw this gallant youth, as he hunted a deere by the forrest.
Eccho the tatling Nymph was a true bodie then, not an onely
Voyce, as now: although eu'n then that voyce was abridged
Like as now: and this was done by Iuno the Empresse,
Mother, as it was thought, to the prating Dandiprat Eccho.
For when Ioue with Nymphs himselfe did meane to recomfort
Here and there by the woods, and fetch his flings by the forrests,
Shee with a long discourse her mother Iuno deteigned,
Till Nymphs all were gone, and Ioues deuotion ended.
Iuno perceauing these tricks, cut short the deluding
Tong of pratling elf: yet pratling elf thus abridged
Of too much tatling and babling in the beginning,
Vseth her ould custome, by redoubling words in an ending.
Therefore when she see's Narcissus goe to the forrest,
Step for step thither by a secret path she repayreth,
Burning still for loue: and as she nearer aproacheth
Vnto the loued boy, soe she more mightily burneth.
How-many thousand times, poore soule, she desirde a desiring
And intreating speech to the wandring boy to be vttring?
But fatall nature would noe-way grant a beginning.
And yet, what nature permits, she greedily listneth
For some sound, which may make her to be quickly resounding.
Tong of pratling elf: yet pratling elf thus abridged
Of too much tatling and babling in the beginning,
Vseth her ould custome, by redoubling words in an ending.
Therefore when she see's Narcissus goe to the forrest,
Step for step thither by a secret path she repayreth,
Burning still for loue: and as she nearer aproacheth
Vnto the loued boy, soe she more mightily burneth.
How-many thousand times, poore soule, she desirde a desiring
And intreating speech to the wandring boy to be vttring?
But fatall nature would noe-way grant a beginning.
And yet, what nature permits, she greedily listneth
For some sound, which may make her to be quickly resounding.
At last Narcissus from his hunting company straying
Wisht and sayd, O God, that I could see, some-body comming.
Eccho repeated agayne these last words, Some-bodie comming.
Some-bodie comming? Where? qd wandring hunter amased,
Come then apace: And, Come then apace, poore Eccho replied.
Narcissus wonders, lookes back, see's noe-body comming;
Why, qd he, callst-thou me, and yet stil runst fro my calling?
Cryest and fliest? And, Cryest and flyest? were dolefuly doobled.
Then, qd Narcissus, let's meete, and both be together:
Eccho, these last words with most affection hearing,
Answered him fiue times, Let's meete, and both be together,
And soe runs to the boy, in a fond conceipt, fro the bushes,
Clips him fast by the neck, and offers friendly to kisse him.
But prowd boy, as prowd as fayre, disdainfuly frowning,
Flies from her embracements, and sayes, Let greedie deuouring
Boares and beares be my graue, if I euer yeeld to thy pleasure.
Eccho sayd nothing, but, I euer yeeld to thy pleasure.
And, for griefe and shame to be too too proudly repulsed,
Hides her-selfe in woods and caues, and dwels by the deserts,
And yet loues him still, still pines with vnhappily louing.
Careful loue, and sleeples cares brought Eccho to nothing,
Nothing but bare bones with an hollow heauie resounding.
For flesh was cleane gone, and quite consum'd to a powder,
And life-giuing blood went all to an ayre from a vapor.
Yea, very bones at last, were made to be stones: the resounding
Voyce, and onely the voyce of forelorne Eccho remaineth:
Eccho remaineth a voyce, in deserts Eccho remaineth,
Eccho noc-where seene, heard euery where by the deserts.
Wisht and sayd, O God, that I could see, some-body comming.
Eccho repeated agayne these last words, Some-bodie comming.
Some-bodie comming? Where? qd wandring hunter amased,
Come then apace: And, Come then apace, poore Eccho replied.
Narcissus wonders, lookes back, see's noe-body comming;
Why, qd he, callst-thou me, and yet stil runst fro my calling?
Cryest and fliest? And, Cryest and flyest? were dolefuly doobled.
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Eccho, these last words with most affection hearing,
Answered him fiue times, Let's meete, and both be together,
And soe runs to the boy, in a fond conceipt, fro the bushes,
Clips him fast by the neck, and offers friendly to kisse him.
But prowd boy, as prowd as fayre, disdainfuly frowning,
Flies from her embracements, and sayes, Let greedie deuouring
Boares and beares be my graue, if I euer yeeld to thy pleasure.
Eccho sayd nothing, but, I euer yeeld to thy pleasure.
And, for griefe and shame to be too too proudly repulsed,
Hides her-selfe in woods and caues, and dwels by the deserts,
And yet loues him still, still pines with vnhappily louing.
Careful loue, and sleeples cares brought Eccho to nothing,
Nothing but bare bones with an hollow heauie resounding.
For flesh was cleane gone, and quite consum'd to a powder,
And life-giuing blood went all to an ayre from a vapor.
Yea, very bones at last, were made to be stones: the resounding
Voyce, and onely the voyce of forelorne Eccho remaineth:
Eccho remaineth a voyce, in deserts Eccho remaineth,
Eccho noc-where seene, heard euery where by the deserts.
Iuno laught no lesse, then when shee saw in Auernus
Prowd Ixions wheele turne with reuolution endles.
Prowd Ixions wheele turne with reuolution endles.
But th' ouer-weening princox, was iustly rewarded;
Who, for not louing others soe loued his owne-self,
That selfe-will, selfe-loue, as he saw himselfe in a fountaine,
Made him loose himselfe, for a fading shade of his owne-self.
Who, for not louing others soe loued his owne-self,
That selfe-will, selfe-loue, as he saw himselfe in a fountaine,
Made him loose himselfe, for a fading shade of his owne-self.
| The Third part of the Countesse of Pembrokes Yuychurch | |