The Golden Aphroditis A pleasant discourse, penned by John Grange ... Whereunto be annexed by the same Authour asvvell certayne Metres upon sundry poyntes, as also divers Pamphlets in prose, which he entituleth His Garden: pleasant to the eare, and delightful to the Reader, if he abuse not the scente of the floures |
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To the Courtelike Dames and Ladie-like Gentlevvomen, the Authour sendeth greeting. |
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 | The Golden Aphroditis |  |
To the Courtelike Dames and Ladie-like Gentlevvomen, the Authour sendeth greeting.
I greete (but whō?) the glittring stars & troupes of Venus crewe,VVith painefull pen of ranging fiste, bedewde with Ganges dew,
So iocundare leades my will, that wanton needlesse toyle
Of Courtlike Dames, my pestred wittes declare seekes to foyle.
Draw neare therfore ye weried Nimphes, with such Mineruas toyles,
And vewe this lading scope, which yeeldes for thē Veneriall foyles.
As none so well as Cæsars penne, could Cæsars deedes indight,
So none but of Morychus secte could dolor put to flight,
Now I who wantes Apollos skill, and eke Dame Pallas witte,
Herein to play Morychus parte, haue thought my selfe most fitte.
Yet shall you finde an Ape, an Ape, in purple be she clothde,
I come not from Trophonius care, for then I should be lothde:
Nor from S. Patrickes purgatorie, but play Nepenthes parte,
The iuyce whereof perforce will keepe such sadnesse frō your harte.
Thus labour I with tooth and nayle of Lethe force to be:
Then with obliuion might I force your carping cares to flee.
VVhiche once exilde, the better might the Muses then take place,
And barefote might the tripping Nimphs the better shew their grace
I ofte haue longde with penne to painte the trade of louers loue,
Yet neare cold find what pen deserude, which was not known before.
Thus dayly musing, where to finde whereon to wreake my spight,
Me thought I harde Apollo sing full sweetely in the night,
And play vpō his twinkling harp, whose warbling notes (me thought)
Perforce cōstraynde my penne to write, what he in songs had tought.
VVhich fed full wel my restles reume with Stories somwhat strāge:
Marke now therfore, who liste to know whereon I list to range.
It chaunste N. C. a valiant knight, possessed riches store,
Yet wāted whom his goodes shold rule when Clothe yeldes no more.
For chaste, and solemne vowe once made, Dianas Nymphe to be,
Dame Nature helde hir as content to heare, and not to see.
VVherefore as one deuoyde of ioy, and hauing issue none,
For that Cibile had transformde into a Lions shape
Hyppomenes his cosin deare: for taking yeelded rape,
VVithout a reuerence of the place: when beautie prickte his harte,
His lust to serue (alas to soone) his hony waxed tarte.
A Nymphe likewise of Scyros Ile, adornde with beautie rare,
Before the Goddes with earnest sute, full oft she did repare:
As for to haue Atlanta fayre to be restorde againe
Vnto hir former shape, which once Cilele (to hir payne)
Togither with Hyppomenes transformde to Lions route,
And set them both at once to drawe hir chariot wheles aboute.
Thus fortune frayle doth turne hir whele, to giue ech mā his chaūce:
And fraught their laūcing ships with wiles, Dan Cupids roūd to daūce
For meeting both (as fortune would) before the Goddes with plaints,
Loue gaue assault, the sparkes whereof, his tender harte attayntes.
Such beautie (as Apollo sayde) consisted in hir face,
That all the Heauens gan cleare to shine, not Phœbus yet in place,
VVho, fearing lest the Gods thēselues with loue should be inflamde,
Sat all on thorne till she was gone, and was he to be blamde?
No, no.
Thus I at length, haue founde a texte to stubbe a ganders quill:
VVhiche if it proue Elleborus, according to my will,
A heauy harte needes must it purge, from care, and pensiue plight,
And like vnto Argivus harte inforce it to be light:
To laugh indeede where cause is none, as this Argivus did,
Yet Aiax rises to frequent, my story doth forbid.
And I forbid a carping knight to catche where catche he can,
For harde it is one dishe to please the mouth of euery man.
VVho spies my fault (as easie) may by suyte I him forbid,
To see and turne it to the worst, as Argus whilome did,
That simple skill (whiche earst I had) I giue it you to vewe,
Not doing as this Argus did, who kepte his vvife in mevv.
For, quicquid in buccam venit, the same with haste I pende,
No maruell then (deare Dames) if ought herein ye may amende.
Thus standing to your curtesie (madames) loade starres of light,
The sequele shal my meaning shew here offred to your sight.
Tam Mineruæ quàm Veneri.
| The Golden Aphroditis | |