University of Virginia Library

Walking alone (all onely full of griefe)
Within a thicket nere to Isis floud,
Weeping my wants, and wailing scant reliefe,
Wringing mine armes (as one with sorrowe wood);
The piteous streames relenting at my mone
Withdrew their tides, and staid to heare me grone.
From foorth the channell, with a sorrowing crie
The Sea-god Glaucus (with his hallowed heares
Wet in the teares of his sad mothers dye)
With piteous lookes before my face appeares;
For whome the Nimphes a mossie coate did frame,
Embroadered with his Sillas heauenly name.
And as I sat vnder a Willow tree,
The louelie honour of faire Thetis bower;
Reposd his head vpon my faintfull knee:
And when my teares had ceast their stormie shower
He dried my cheekes, and then bespake him so,
As when he waild I straight forgot my woe.
Infortunate, why wandreth thy content
From forth his scope as wearied of it selfe;
Thy bookes haue schoold thee from this fond repent,
And thou canst talke by proofe of wauering pelfe:
Unto the world such is inconstancie,
As sapp to tree, as apple to the eye.
Marke how the morne in roseat colour shines,
And straight with cloudes the Sunnie tract is clad;
Then see how pomp through waxe and waine declines,
From high to lowe, from better to the bad:
Take moist from Sea, take colour from his kinde,
Before the world deuoid of change thou finde.
With secret eye looke on the earth a while,
Regard the changes Nature forceth there;
Behold the heauens, whose course all sence beguile;
Respect thy selfe, and thou shalt find it cleere,
That infantlike thou art become a youth,
And youth forespent a wretched age ensu'th.
In searching then the schoolemens cunning noates,
Of heauen, of earth, of flowers, of springing trees,
Of hearbs, of mettall, and of Thetis floates,
Of lawes and nurture kept among the Bees:
Conclude and knowe times change by course of fate,
Then mourne no more, but moane my haples state.
Here gan he pause and shake his heauie head,
And fould his armes, and then vnfould them straight;
Faine would he speake, but tongue was charm'd by dread,
Whil'st I that sawe what woes did him awaight,
Comparing his mishaps and moane with mine,
Gan smile for ioy and drie his drooping eyne.
But (loe) a wonder; from the channels glide
A sweet melodious noyse of musicke rose,
That made the streame to dance a pleasant tide,
The weedes and sallowes neere the bancke that groes
Gan sing, as when the calmest windes accorde
To greete with balmie breath the fleeting forde.
Upon the siluer bosome of the streame
First gan faire Themis shake her amber locks,
Whom all the Nimphs that waight on Neptunes realme
Attended from the hollowe of the rocks.
In briefe, while these rare parragons assemble,
The watrie world to touch their teates doo tremble.
Footing it featlie on the grassie ground,
These Damsels circling with their brightsome faires
The loue-sicke God and I, about vs wound
Like starres that Ariadnes crowne repaires:
Who once hath seene or pride of morne, or day,
Would deeme all pompe within their cheekes did play.
Nais faire Nimph with Bacchus iuorie touch,
Gan tune a passion with such sweete reports,
And euerie word, noate, sigh, and pause was such,
And euerie Cadence fed with such consorts,
As were the Delian Harper bent to heare,
Her statelie straines might tempt his curious care.
Of loue (God wot) the louelie Nimph complained:
But so of loue as forced loue to loue her;
And euen in loue such furious loue remained,
As searching out his powrefull shaft to proue her,
He found his quiuer emptied of the best,
And felt the arrowe sticking in his breast.
Under a Popler Themis did repose her,
And from a brier a sweetfull branch did plucke:
When midst the brier ere she could scarce suppose her
A Nightingale gan sing: but woe the lucke;
The branch so neere her breast, while she did quicke her
To turne her head, on sodaine gan to pricke her.
Whil'st smiling Clore midst her enuious blushes,
Gan blame her feare and pretilie said thus;
Worse prickes than these are found among these bushes,
And yet such prickes are scarcelie feard of vs.
Nat soft (said Chelis) prickes doo make birds sing,
But prickes in Ladies bosomes often sting.
Thus iest they on the Nightingales report,
And on the prickle of the Eglantine
On Nais song, and all the whole consort
In publique this sweete sentence did assigne;
That while some smile, some sigh through change of time;
Some smart, some sport amidst their youthlie prime.
Such wreathes as bound the Thebans iuorie brow;
Such gay trickt garlands pleit these iollie Dames;
The flowres themselues when as the Nimphes gan bowe,
Gan vaile their crestes in honour of their names:
And smilde their sweete and woed with so much glee,
As if they said, sweet Nimph come gather mee.
But penciue Glaucus passionate with painings,
Amidst their reuell thus began his ruth;
Nimphes, flie these Groues late blasted with my plainings,
For cruell Silla nill regard my truth:
And leaue vs two consorted in our gronings,
To register with teares our bitter monings.
The flouds doo faile their course to see our crosse,
The fields forsake their greene to heare our griefe,
The rockes will weepe whole springs to marke our losse,
The hills relent to store our scant reliefe,
The aire repines, the penciue birds are heauie,
The trees to see vs paind no more are leauie.
Ay me, the Shepheards let their flockes want feeding,
And flockes to see their palie face are sorie,
The Nimphes to spie the flockes and shepheards needing
Prepare their teares to heare our tragicke storie:
Whilst we surprisde with griefe cannot disclose them,
With sighing wish the world for to suppose them.
He that hath seene the sweete Arcadian boy
Wiping the purple from his forced wound,
His pretie teares betokening his annoy,
His sighes, his cries, his falling on the ground,
The Ecchoes ringing from the rockes his fall,
The trees with teares reporting of his thrall:
And Venus starting at her loue-mates crie,
Forcing hir birds to hast her chariot on;
And full of griefe at last with piteous eie
Seene where all pale with death he lay alone,
Whose beautie quaild, as wont the Lillies droop
When wastfull winter windes doo make them stoop:
Her daintie hand addrest to dawe her deere,
Her roseall lip alied to his pale cheeke,
Her sighes, and then her lookes and heauie cheere,
Her bitter threates, and then her passions meeke;
How on his senseles corpes she lay a crying,
As if the boy were then but new a dying.
He that hath vewd Angelica the faire
Bestraught with fancie nere the Caspian springs:
Renting the tresses of her golden haire,
How on her harpe with pitious notes she sings
Of Rolands ruth, of Medors false depart,
Sighing each rest from center of her heart.
How now she writes vpon a beechen bow
Her Medors name, and bedlam like againe
Calls all the heauen to witnes of his vow,
And straight againe begins a mournefull straine,
And how in thought of her true faith forsooken
He fled her bowres, and how his league was broken.
Aye me who markes her harpe hang vp againe
Upon the willowes watered with her teares,
And how she rues to read her Rolands paine,
When but the shadowe of his name appeares;
Would make more plainings from his eyes to flee
Than teares distill from amber weeping tree.
He that hath knowne the passionate mishappes
That nere Olimpus faire Lucina felt
When as her Latium loue her fancie trappes,
How with suspect her inward soule dooth melt:
Or markt the Morne her Cephalus complaining,
May then recount the course of all our paining.
But tender Nimphes to you belongs no teene;
Then fauor me in flying from this bower
Whereas but care and thought of crosses been,
Leaue me that loose my selfe through fancies power,
Through fancies power which had I leaue to loose it,
No fancie then should fee me for to choose it.
When you are fled the Heauen shall lowre for sorrowe,
The day orecast shalbe bedtime with sable,
The aire from Sea such streaming showres shall borrow
As earth to beare the brunt shall not be able,
And shippes shall safely saile whereas beforne
The ploughman watcht the reaping of his corne.
Goe you in peace to Neptunes watrie sound,
Na more may Glaucus play him with so prettie;
But shun resort where solace nill be found,
And plaine my Scillaes pride and want of pittie:
Alas sweet Nimphs my Godhead's all in vaine,
For why this brest includes immortall paine.
Scilla hath eyes, but too sweete eyes hath Scilla;
Scilla hath hands, faire hands but coy in touching;
Scilla in wit surpasseth graue Sibilla,
Scilla hath words, but words well storde with grutching;
Scilla a Saint in looke, no Saint in scorning:
Looke Saint-like Scilla, least I die with mourning.
Alas why talke I? Sea-god cease to mourne her,
For in her nay my ioyes are euer ceasing:
Cease life or loue, then shall I neuer blame her;
But neither loue nor life may finde decreasing.
A mortall wound is my immortall being,
Which passeth thought, or eyes aduised seeing.
Herewith his faltring tongue by sighs oppressed
Forsooke his office, and his bloud resorted
To feede the heart that wholly was distressed,
Whilst pale (like Pallas flowre) my knee supported
His feeble head and arme, so full of anguish,
That they which sawe his sorrowes gan to languish.
Themis the coyest of this beauteous traine
On hillie toppes the wonderous Moly found,
Which dipt in balmie deaw she gan to straine,
And brought her present to recure his wound:
Clore she gathered Amaranthus flower,
And Nais Aiax blossom in that stowre.
Some chafe his temples with their louelie hands,
Some sprinkle water on his pale wan cheekes,
Some weepe, some wake, some curse affections bandes;
To see so young, so faire, become so weake:
But not their pitious hearbs, or springs haue working,
To ease that heart where wanton loue is lurking.
Naithles though loath to shewe his holy kindnes
On euerie one he spent a looke for fauour,
And prayed their pardon vouching Cupids blindnes,
(Oh fancies fond that naught but sorrowes sauour);
To see a louely God leaue Sea Nimphes so:
Who cannot doome vpon his deadly woe?
Themis that knewe, that waters long restrained
Breake foorth with greater billowes than the brookes
That swetely float through meades with flowres distained,
With cheerefull laies did raise his heauie lookes;
And bad him speake and tell what him agreeu'd:
For griefes disclos'd (said she) are soone releeu'd.
And as she wisht so all the rest did woe him;
By whose incessant suites at last inuited,
He thus discouered that which did vndoo him,
And orderlie his hideous harmes recited,
When first which fingers wagge he gan to still them,
And thus with drierie tearmes of loue did fill them.
Ah Nimphes (quoth he) had I by reason learnt
That secret art which birdes haue gaind by sence,
By due foresight misfortune to preuent;
Or could my wit controule mine eyes offence:
You then should smile and I should tell such stories,
As woods, and waues should triumph in our glories.
But Nereus daughters, Sea-borne Saints attend,
Lake breeding Geese when from the Easterne clime
They list vnto the westerne waters wend
To choose their place of rest by course of time,
Approaching Taurus haughtie topped hill
They charme their cackle by this wondrous skill.
The climing mountaine neighbouring ayre welnie,
Hath harbored in his rockes and desart haunts
Whole airies of Eagles prest to flie
That gazing on the Sonne their birth right vaunts.
Which birds of Ioue with deadlie fewde pursue
The wandering Geese, when so they presse in vewe.
These fearefull flitting troopes by nature tought,
Passing these dangerous places of pursuit:
When all the desart vales they through haue sought,
With pibbles stop their beakes to make them mute,
And by this meanes their dangerous deathes preuent
And gaine their wished waters of frequent.
But I fond God (I God complaine thy follie)
Let birds by sense exceede my reason farre:
Whilom than I who was more strong and iollie
Who more contemnd affections wanton warre?
Who lesse than I lou'd lustfull Cupids arrowes?
Who now with curse & plagues poore Glaucus harrowes.
How haue I leapt to heare the Tritons play
A harsh retreat vnto the swelling flouds?
How haue I kept the Dolphins at a bay,
When as I ment to charme their wanton moods?
How haue the angrie windes growne calme for loue,
When as these fingers did my harpe strings moue?
Was any Nimph, you Nimphes was euer any
That tangled not her fingers in my tresse?
Some well I wot and of that some full many
Wisht or my faire, or their desire were lesse
Euen Ariadne gazing from the skie
Became enamorde of poore Glaucus eye.
Amidst this pride of youth and beauties treasure
It was my chaunce, you floods can tell my chancing,
Fleeting along Sicillian bounds for pleasure,
To spie a Nimph of such a radiant glancing,
As when I lookt, a beame of subtill firing
From eye to heart incenst a deepe desiring.
Ah had the vaile of reason clad mine eye,
This foe of freedome had not burnt my heart:
But birds are blest, and most accurst am I
Who must reporte her glories to my smart,
The Nimph I sawe and lou'de her, all to cruell
Scilla, faire Scilla, my fond fancies iuell.
Her haire not trust, but scatterd on her brow,
Surpassing Hiblas honnie for the view,
Or softned golden wires; I know not how
Loue with a radiant beautie did pursue
My too iudiciall eyes, in darting fire
That kindled straight in me my fond desire.
Within these snares first was my heart intrapped,
Till through those golden shrowdes mine eies did see
An yuorie shadowed front, wherein was wrapped
Those pretie bowres where Graces couched be:
Next which her cheekes appeerd like crimson silk,
Or ruddie rose bespred on whitest milk.
Twixt which the nose in louely tenor bends,
(Too traitrous pretie for a Louers view:)
Next which her lips like violets commends
By true proportion that which dooth insue;
Which when they smile, present vnto the eies
The Oceans pride and yuorie paradice.
Her pollisht necke of milke white snowes doth shine,
As when the Moone in Winter night beholdes them:
Her breast of alablaster cleere and fine,
Whereon two rising apples faire vnfolds them
Like Cinthias face when in her full she shineth,
And blushing to her Loue-mates bower declineth
From whence in length her armes doo sweetly spred
Like two rare branchie saples in the Spring,
Yeelding fiue louely sprigs from euerie head,
Proportioned alike in euerie thing;
Which featly sprout in length like springborne frends,
Whose pretie tops with fiue sweet roses ends.
But why alas should I that Marble hide
That doth adorne the one and other flanke,
From whence amount of quickned snow doth glide;
Or els the vale that bounds this milkwhite banke,
Where Venus and her sisters hide the fount,
Whose louely Nectar dooth all sweetes surmount.
Confounded with descriptions, I must leaue them;
Louers must thinke, and Poets must report them:
For silly wits may neuer well conceaue them,
Unlesse a speciall grace from heauen consort them.
Aies me, these faires attending Scilla won me:
But now (sweet Nimphes) attēd what hath vndon me.
The louely breast where all this beautie rested,
Shrowded within a world of deepe disdaine:
For where I thought my fancie should be feasted
With kinde affect, alas (vnto my paine)
When first I woode the wanton straight was flying,
And gaue repulse before we talkt of trying.
How oft haue I (too often haue I done so)
In silent night when euerie eye was sleeping,
Drawne neere her caue, in hope her loue were won so,
Forcing the neighboring waters through my weeping
To wake the windes, who did afflict her dwelling
Whilst I with teares my passion was a telling.
When midst the Caspian seas the wanton plaid,
I drew whole wreaths of corrall from the rockes:
And in her lap my heauenly presents laid:
But she vnkind rewarded me with mockes,
Such are the fruites that spring from Ladies coying,
Who smile at teares, and are intrapt with toying.
Tongue might grow wearie to report my wooings,
And heart might burst to thinke of her deniall:
May none be blamde but heauen for all these dooings,
That yeeld no helpes inmidst of all my triall.
Heart, tongue, thought, pen nil serue me to repent me,
Disdaine her selfe should striue for to lament me.
Wretched Loue let me die, end my loue by my death;
Dead alas still I liue, flie my life, fade my loue.
Out alas loue abides, still I ioy vitall breath:
Death in loue, loue is death, woe is me that doo proue.
Paine and woe, care & griefe euery day about me houers:
Thē but death what can quel al ye plages of haples louers?
Aies me my moanings are like water drops
That neede an age to pearce her marble heart,
I sow'd true zeale, yet fruiteles were my crops:
I plighted faith, yet falsehoode wrought my smart:
I praisd her lookes, her lookes dispised Glaucus,
Was euer amorous Sea-god scorned thus?
A hundereth swelling tides my mother spent
Upon these lockes, and all hir Nimphes were prest,
To pleit them faire when to her bowre I went:
He that hath seene the wandring Phœbus crest,
Toucht with the Christall of Eurotas spring,
The pride of these my bushie locks might sing.
But short discourse beseemes my bad successe,
Eache office of a louer I performed:
So feruently my passions did her presse,
So sweete my laies, my speech so well reformed,
That (cruell) when she sawe naught would begile me
With angrie lookes the Nimph did thus exile me.
Packe hence thou fondling to the westerne Seas,
Within some calmy riuer shrowd thy head:
For neuer shall my faire thy loue appease,
Since fancie from this bosome late is fled:
And if thou loue me shewe it in departing:
For why thy presence dooth procure my smarting.
This said with angrie lookes, away she hasted
As fast as flie the flouds before the winds:
When I poore soule with wretched sorrowes wasted,
Exclaimde on loue, which wit and reason blinds:
And banisht from hir bowre with wofull poasting
I bent my selfe to seeke a forreine coasting.
At last in wandring through the greater Seas
It was my chance to passe the noted streights:
And wearied sore in seeking after ease,
Amidst the creekes, and watrie coole receits,
I spied from farre by helpe of sonnie beames
A fruitefull Ile begirt with Ocean streames.
Westward I fleeted, and with heedfull eie
Beheld the chalkie cliffes that tempt the aire,
Till at the last it was my chance to spie
A pleasant entrance to the flouds repaire;
Through which I prest, and wondring there beheld
On either side a sweete and fruitfull field.
Isis (the Ladie of that louely streame)
Made holiday in view of my resort;
And all the Nimphes of that her watrie realme
Gan trip for ioy, to make me mickle sport:
But I poore soule with no such ioyes contented,
Forsooke their bowers, and secretly lamented.
All solitarie rome I heere about,
Now on the shoare, now in the streame I weepe,
Fire burnes within, and gastly feare without,
No rest, no ease, no hope of any sleepe:
Poore banisht God, heere haue I still remained,
Since time my Scilla hath my sutes disdained.
And heere consort I now with haplesse men,
Yeelding them comfort, (though my wound be curelesse)
Songs of remorse I warble now and then,
Wherein I curse fond Loue and Fortune durelesse,
Wan hope my weale, my trust but bad aduenture,
Circumference is care, my heart the center.
Whilest thus he spake, fierce Ate charmde his tongue,
His senses faild, his armes were folded straight,
And now he sighes, and then his heart is stung;
Againe he speakes gainst fancies fond deceit,
And teares his tresses with his fingers faire,
And rents his roabs, halfe mad with deepe dispaire.
The piteous Nimphes that viewd his heauie plight,
And heard the sequell of his bad successe,
Did loose the springs of their remorsefull sight,
And wept so sore to see his scant redresse:
That of their teares there grew a pretie brooke,
Whose Christall cleares the clowdes of penciue looke.
Alas woes me, how oft haue I bewept
So faire, so yong, so louely, and so kinde,
And whilst the God vpon my bosome slept,
Behelde the scarres of his afflicted minde,
Imprinted in his yuorie brow by care,
That fruitlesse fancie left vnto his share.
My wandring lines, bewitch not so my sences:
But gentle Muse direct their course aright,
Delayes in tragicke tales procure offences:
Yeeld me such feeling words, that whilst I wright
My working lines may fill mine eyes with languish,
And they to note my mones may melt with anguish.
The wofull Glaucus thus with woes attainted,
The penciue Nimphes agreeud to see his plight,
The flouds and fields with his laments acquainted,
My selfe amazd to see this heauie sight;
On sodaine Thetis with her traine approched,
And grauely thus her amorous sonne reproched.
My sonne (said she) immortall haue I made thee,
Amidst my watrie realmes who may compare
Or match thy might? Why then should care inuade thee,
That art so yong, so louely, fresh and faire.
Alas fond God, it merits great reprouing
In States of worth, to doate on foolish louing.
Come wend with me, and midst thy Fathers bowre
Let vs disport and frolicke for a while
In spite of Loue: although he powte and lowre,
Good exercise will idle lusts beguile:
Let wanton Scilla coy her where she will,
Liue thou my sonne by reasons leuell still.
Thus said the Goddesse: and although her words
Gaue signes of counsaile, pompe and maiestie:
Yet nathelesse her piteous eye affoords
Some pretie witnesse to the standers by,
That in her thoughts (for all her outward show)
She mournd to see her Sonne amated so.
But (welladay) her words haue little force,
The haples louer worne with working woe,
Upon the ground lay pale as any corse,
And were not teares which from his eyes did flowe,
And sighes that witnesse he enioyd his breath,
They might haue thought him Citizen of death.
Which spectacle of care made Thetis bow,
And call on Glaucus, and command her Sonne
To yeelde her right: and hir aduice allow,
But (woe) the man whome fancie had vndone
Nill marke her rules: nor words, nor weeping teares
Can fasten counsaile in the louers eares.
The Queene of Sea, with all hir Nimphes assured
That no perswasion might releeue his care:
Kneeling adowne, their faltring tongues enured
To tempt faire Venus by their vowed praier:
The course whereof as I could beare in minde
With sorrowing sobbes they vttered in this kinde.
Borne of the Sea, thou Paphian Queene of loue,
Mistris of sweete conspiring harmonie:
Lady of Cipris, for whose sweete behoue
The Seepeheards praise the youth of Thessallie:
Daughter of Ioue and Sister to the Sonne,
Assist poore Glaucus late by loue vndone.
So maist thou baine thee in Th' arcadian brookes,
And play with Vulcans riuall when thou list,
And calme his iealous anger by thy lookes,
And knit thy temples with a roseat twist
If thou thy selfe and thine almightie Sonne,
Assist poore Glaucus late by loue vndone.
May earth still praise thee for her kinde increase:
And beasts adore thee for their fruitfull wombes,
And fowles with noates thy praises neuer cease,
And Bees admire thee for their honnie combes:
So thou thy selfe and thine almightie Sonne,
Assist poore Glaucus late by loue vndone.
No sooner from her reuerent lips were past
Those latter lines, but mounting in the East,
Faire Venus in her iuorie coatch did hast,
And toward those penciue dames, her course addrest;
Her doues so plied their wauing wings with flight,
That straight the sacred Goddesse came in sight.
Upon her head she bare that gorgeous Crowne,
Wherein the poore Amyntas is a starre;
Her louely lockes, her bosome hang adowne
(Those netts that first insnar'd the God of warre:)
Delicious louely shine her prettie eies,
And one her cheekes carnation cloudes arise,
The stately roab she ware vpon her back
Was lillie white, wherein with cullored silke;
Her Nimphes had blaz'd the yong Adonis wrack,
And Lædas rape by Swan as white as milke,
And on her lap her louely Sonne was plaste,
Whose beautie all his mothers pompe defaste.
A wreath of roses hem'd his Temples in,
His tresse was curlde and cleere as beaten gold;
Haught were his lookes, and louely was his skin,
Each part as pure as Heauens eternall mold,
And on his eies a milkewhite wreath was spred,
Which longst his backe, with prettie pleits did shed.
Two daintie wings of partie coulored plumes
Adorne his shoulders dallying with the winde;
His left hand weelds a Torch, that euer fumes:
And in his right, his bowe that fancies bind,
And on his back his Quiuers hangs well stored
With sundrie shaftes, that sundrie hearts haue gored.
The Deities ariu'd in place desired;
Faire Venus her to Thetis first bespake,
Princesse of Sea (quoth she) as you required
From Ceston which my Sonne, my course I take:
Frollick faire Goddesse, Nimphs forsake your plaining,
My Sonne hath power and fauour yet remaining.
With that the reuerend powres each other kissed,
And Cupid smil'd vpon the Nimphes for pleasure:
So naught but Glaucus solace there was missed,
Which to effect the Nimphes withouten measure
Intreate the God, who at the last drewe nie
The place, where Glaucus full of care did lie,
And from his bowe a furious dart hee sent
Into that wound which he had made before:
That like Achilles sworde became the teint
To cure the wound that it had caru'd before:
And sodeinly the Sea-god started vp:
Reuiude, relieud, and free from Fancies cup.
No more of loue, no more of hate he spoke,
No more he forst the sighes from out his breast:
His sodaine ioye his pleasing smiles prouoke,
And all aloft he shakes his bushie creast,
Greeting the Gods and Goddesses beside,
And euerie Nimph vpon that happie tide.
Cupid and he together hand in hand
Approach the place of this renowned traine:
Ladies (said he) releast from amorous band,
Receiue my prisoner to your grace againe.
Glaucus gaue thankes, when Thetis glad with blisse
Embrast his neck, and his kind cheekes did kisse.
To see the Nimphes in flockes about him play,
How Nais kempt his head, and washt his browes:
How Thetis checkt him with his weltaday,
How Clore told him of his amorous vowes,
How Venus praisd him for his faithfull loue,
Within my heart a sodein ioy did moue.
Whilst in this glee this holy troope delight,
Along the streame a farre faire Scilla floated,
And coilie vaunst hir creast in open sight:
Whose beauties all the tides with wonder noated,
Fore whom Palemon and the Tritons danced
Whilst she hir limmes vpon the tide aduanced.
Whose swift approach made all the Godheads wonder:
Glaucus gan smile to see his louelie foe,
Rage almost rent poore Thetis heart asonder:
Was neuer happie troope confused so
As were these deities and daintie dames,
When they beheld the cause of Glaucus blames.
Venus commends the carriage of her eye,
Nais vpbraides the dimple in her chinne,
Cupid desires to touch the wantons thie,
Clore she sweares that euerie eie dooth sinne
That likes a Nimph that so contemneth loue,
As no attempts her lawles heart may moue.
Thetis impatient of her wrong sustained,
With enuious teares her roseat cheekes afflicted;
And thus of Scillas former pride complained;
Cupid (said she) see her that hath inflicted
The deadlie wound that harmde my louelie sonne,
From whome the ofspring of my care begonne.
Oh if there dwell within thy brest my boy
Or grace, or pittie, or remorse (said she)
Now bend thy bowe, abate yon wantons ioy,
And let these Nimphes thy rightfull iustice see.
The God soone won, gan shoote, and cleft her heart
With such a shaft as causd her endles smart.
The tender Nimph attainted vnawares,
Fares like the Libian Lionesse that flies
The Hunters Launce that wounds her in his snares;
Now gins shee loue, and straight on Glaucus cries;
Whilst on the shore the goddesses reioyce,
And all the Nimphes afflict the ayre with noyse.
To shoare she flitts, and swift as Affrick wind
Her footing glides vpon the yeelding grasse,
And wounded by affect recure to finde
She sodainely with sighes approcht the place
Where Glaucus sat, and wearie with her harmes
Gan claspe the Sea-god in her amorous armes.
Glaucus my loue (quoth she) looke on thy louer,
Smile gentle Glaucus on the Nimph that likes thee;
But starke as stone sat he, and list not proue her:
(Ah silly Nimph the selfesame God that strikes thee
With fancies darte, and hath thy freedome slaine)
Wounds Glaucus with the arrowe of disdaine.
Oh kisse no more kind Nimph he likes no kindnes,
Loue sleepes in him, to flame within thy brest,
Cleer'd are his eies, where thine are clad with blindnes;
Free'd be his thoughts, where thine must taste vnrest:
Yet nill she leaue, for neuer loue will leaue her,
But fruiteles hopes and fatall happes deceaue her.
Lord how her lippes doo dwell vpon his cheekes;
And how she lookes for babies in his eies:
And how she sighes, and sweares shee loues and leekes,
And how she vowes, and he her vowes enuies:
Trust me the enuious Nimphs in looking on,
Were forst with teares for to assist her mone.
How oft with blushes would she plead for grace,
How oft with whisperings would she tempt his eares:
How oft with Christall did she wet his face:
How oft she wipte them with her Amber heares:
So oft me thought, I oft in heart desired
To see the end whereto disdaine aspired.
Palemon with the Tritons roare for griefe,
To see the Mistris of their ioyes amated:
But Glaucus scornes the Nimph, that waites reliefe:
And more she loues the more the Sea-god hated,
Such change, such chance, such sutes, such storms beleeue me
Poore silly wretch did hartely agreeue me.
As when the fatall bird of Augurie
Seeing a stormie dismall cloude arise
Within the South, foretells with piteous crie
The weeping tempest, that on sudden hies:
So she poore soule, in view of his disdaine
Began to descant on her future paine.
And fixing eye vpon the fatall ground,
Whole hoasts of flouds drew deaw from out her eyes;
And when through inward griefe the lasse did sound,
The softned grasse like billowes did arise
To woe her brests, and wed her limmes so daintie,
Whom wretched loue had made so weake and faintie,
(Ayes me), methinks I see her Thetis fingers
Renting her locks as she were woe begon her;
And now her lippes vpon his lipping lingers:
Oh lingring paine where loue nill list to mone her?
Rue me that writes, for why her ruth deserues it:
Hope needs must faile, where sorrow scarce preserues it.
To make long tale were tedious to the wofull,
Wofull that read what wofull shee approoued:
In briefe her heart with deepe dispaire was so full,
As since she might not win her sweete beloued.
With hideous cries like winde borne backe she fled
Unto the Sea, and toward Sicillia sped.
Sweete Zephirus vpon that fatall bowre
In haples tide midst watrie world was walking;
Whose milder sighes, alas, had little power
To whisper peace amongst the Godheads talking:
Who all in one conclude for to pursue,
The haples Nimph, to see what would ensue.
Venus her selfe and her faire Sonne gan hie
Within their iuorie Coach drawne forth by doues
After this haples Nimph, their power to trie:
The Nimphes in hope to see their vowed loues,
Gan cut the watrie boasom of the tide,
As in Cayster Phœbus birds doe glide.
Thetis in pompe vpon a Tritons back
Did poast her straight attended by her traine;
But Glaucus free from loue by louers wrack,
Seeing me penciue where I did remaine,
Upon a Dolphin horst me (as he was)
Thus on the Ocean hand in hand we passe.
Our talke midway was nought but still of wonder,
Of change, of chaunce, of sorrow, and her ending;
I wept for want: he said, time bringes men vnder,
And secret want can finde but small befrending.
And as he said, in that before I tried it,
I blamde my wit forewarnd, yet neuer spied it.
What neede I talke the order of my way,
Discourse was steeresman while my barke did saile,
My ship conceit, and fancie was my bay:
If these faile me, then faint my Muse and faile,
Hast brought vs where the haples Nimph soiourned,
Beating the weeping waues that for her mourned.
He that hath seene the Northren blastes dispoile
The pompe of Prime, and with a whistling breath
Blast and dispearse the beauties of the soile;
May thinke vpon her paines more worse than death.
Alas poore Lasse the Ecchoes in the rockes
Of Sicilie, her piteous plaining mockes.
Eccho her selfe when Scilla cried out O loue!
With piteous voice from out her hollow den
Returnd these words, these words of sorrow, (no loue)
No loue (quoth she) then fie on traiterous men,
Then fie on hope: then fie on hope (quoth Eccho)
To euerie word the Nimph did answere so.
For euery sigh, the Rockes returnes a sigh;
For euerie teare, their fountaines yeelds a drop;
Till we at last the place approached nigh,
And heard the Nimph that fed on sorrowes sop
Make woods, and waues, and rockes, and hills admire
The wonderous force of her uvtam'd desire.
Glaucus (quoth she) is faire: whilst Eccho sings
Glaucus is faire: but yet he hateth Scilla
The wretch reportes: and then her armes she wrings
Whilst Eccho tells her this, he hateth Scilla,
No hope (quoth she): no hope (quoth Eccho) then.
Then fie on men: when she said, fie on men.
Furie and Rage, Wan-hope, Dispaire, and Woe
From Ditis den by Ate sent, drewe nie:
Furie was red, with rage his eyes did gloe,
Whole flakes of fire from foorth his mouth did flie,
His hands and armes ibath'd in blood of those
Whome fortune, sinne, or fate made Countries foes.
Rage, wan and pale vpon a Tiger sat,
Knawing vpon the bones of mangled men;
Naught can he view, but he repinde thereat:
His lockes were Snakes bred foorth in Stigian den,
Next whom, Dispaire that deepe disdained elf
Delightlesse liude, still stabbing of her self.
Woe all in blacke, within her hands did beare
The fatall torches of a Funerall,
Her Cheekes were wet, dispearsed was hir heare,
Her voice was shrill (yet loathsome therewith all):
Wan-hope (poore soule) on broken Ancker sitts,
Wringing his armes as robbed of his witts.
These fiue at once the sorrowing Nimph assaile,
And captiue lead her bound into the rocks,
Where howling still she striues for to preuaile,
With no auaile yet striues she: for hir locks
Are chang'd with wonder into hideous sands,
And hard as flint become her snow-white hands.
The waters howle with fatall tunes about her,
The aire dooth scoule when as she turnes within them,
The winds and waues with puffes and billowes skout her;
Waues storme, aire scoules, both wind & waues begin them
To make the place this mournful Nimph doth weepe in,
A haples haunt whereas no Nimph may keepe in.
The Sea-man wandring by that famous Isle,
Shuns all with feare dispairing Scillaes bowre;
Nimphes, Sea-gods, Syrens when they list to smile
Forsake the haunt of Scilla in that stowre:
Ah Nimphes thought I, if euerie coy one felt
The like misshappes, their flintie hearts would melt.
Thetis reioyst to see her foe deprest,
Glaucus was glad, since Scilla was enthrald;
The Nimphs gan smile, to boast their Glaucus rest:
Venus and Cupid in their throanes enstald,
At Thetis beck to Neptunes bowre repaire,
Whereas they feast amidst his pallace faire.
Of pure immortall Nectar is their drinke,
And sweete Ambrosia dainties doo repast them,
The Tritons sing, Palemon smiles to thinke
Upon the chance, and all the Nimphs doo hast them
To trick vp mossie garlands where they woon,
For louely Venus and her conquering Sonne.
From foorth the fountaines of his mothers store,
Glaucus let flie a daintie Christall baine
That washt the Nimphs with labour tir'd before:
Cupid hee trips among this louely traine,
Alonely I apart did write this storie
With many a sigh and heart full sad and sorie.
Glaucus when all the Goddesses tooke rest,
Mounted vpon a Dolphin full of glee:
Conueide me friendly from this honored feast,
And by the way, such Sonnets song to me,
That all the Dolphins neighbouring of his glide
Daunst with delight, his reuerend course beside.
At last he left me, where at first he found me,
Willing me let the world and ladies knowe
Of Scillas pride, and then by oath he bound me
To write no more, of that whence shame dooth grow:
Or tie my pen to Pennie-knaues delight,
But liue with fame, and so for fame to wright.

Lenvoy.

Ladies he left me, trust me I mislay not,
But so he left me as he wild me tell you:
That Nimphs must yeeld, when faithfull louers straie not.
Least through contempt, almightie loue compell you
With Scilla in the rockes to make your biding
A cursed plague, for womens proud back-sliding.