University of Virginia Library

An Eclogue.

Archus.
Come swaine assume thy slighted pipe, and play
Upon thy oaten reed a rounde-lay,
Come warble amorous anthems, call to be
Partakers in thy mirth the Napææ,
That haunt arbusted groves, those rurall powers
That live inshrin'd in oaken curled bowres,
Among the sapplins tall, whose shady roof
Are ringletts knitt of branching elm, star proofe,
Call Natades from their obscure fluse
By which his Alpheus met his Arethuse,
Call mountaine Orcades for to comply
To further with us this solemnity,
Call the thrice three sweet Aganipian Nymphs
That keeps the fancy in Heliconian lymphs
Of eloquence, and straines heroicall
To help us tune our dulcid madrigall.
Avaunt thou Styx borne sadnesse, I'le take care
Thou shalt be mist no more, the shaddow's are
I'th deep of night, when Morpheus Leaden key
Lock-mortalls under a black canopie,
Rejoyce, and Jocæan sing to me
Now Janus folding gates close boulted be,
Sicilian tyrants are returned home
Mars is appeased with a hecatombe.
The tempest's one, the Cyprian ocean's calme,
Our victors browes are crown'd with wreaths of palme.

Plaindor.
For Monuments we've hung up brused armes,
To pleasuers we've converted stern alarms
And dreadfull marches to delightfull greetings,
And harnest squadrons into merry meetings.
Grim Visag'd war hath smooth'd his brow, in stead,
Of mounting of a fiery barbed steed.
To fright pale foes, now all in a qualme
He capes in a Ladyes Amphithalme.
Bends all his nerves, and every meanes he'l prove
To the lacivious pleasing of his love.
No more the fruitfull name of Cuirassier
Shall scare our swaines, or fleet Harquebusier.
We shall dispute no more what Cavallrie
Or ammunition meane, or Infantrie
The Pouldron and Vambrace, the casque the sheare
The flankes both right and left, the front, the reere
Are Exotick words whose very sound
Shall be no more heard in Cyprian ground.
Nor ranck, nor file, lesse when we go a maying
All in a row, or when we be a playng
At Course a Parke, or telling of a tale
To the Ranck't Lasses at a Whitson ale.
I ne're shall see a sword, but such as grow
Upon a flitch of Bacon, never know
An other pike but such as daily glides
Along the softly whistling riv'lets sides
And by Meanders rushie frienged bank,
Where growes the willow greene, and Osier dank
I neere shall Loricate, or imbrace armes
But such as are Floretta's voyce of harmes.
No shield but that of sinowie brawn we'le beare
Turne thou thy blade to knives great warrier
To subdue Geese, and Capons, and carouse
Healths in thy close hilt in a frolick bouse.
To Tabers change thy drum, to kitts thy fife
Let Bagpipes and shrill Harpsicons be rife,
Come change thy trumpet and Bellona's flute
To the loud Cimballs, Violl, Harpe and Lute,
Whilst in this piping time, these Halcion dayes
We doe contest who best their Loves can praise.

Arcas.
Hark Plaindor then how I anatomize
My Julietta, and her encomionize.
Were all the goddesses compos'd in one
They would come short of her perfection.
Gray headed morne blush to see her more bright
Then th' eye of Moone, or her excelled Light.
The dangling Tramells of her curious haire
Then fine faire flax, are far more small and faire.
Those golden threds in an even order set
Entangle hearts, like fishes in a net.
Her front is the perfection of delight
The downe of Uenus doves is not so white.
What covert charmes, what latent magick lies
Within the circles of her speaking eyes.
Beames shot from heaven like to a fiery dart
Transfixt my soule, and scorcht my ravisht heart
When peerlesse beauty did her cheekes compose
Th' ingredients were the Lillie, and fresh rose.
They are like a plum which blush (the sole cause is)
'Cause Phæbus now and then doth steale a kisse.
Her straight nose, dimpled chin, incirled eares
A snowy sute, or Ivory mantle weares.
The porphier portalls of her honour'd words
A relish most mellifluous affords.
From these Jemms clad in rubie livery
I cul fresh balme to heale loves malady
Her teeth like orient pearle or ivory be
Or like the new borne blossomes on a tree.
Her thrice celestiall voyce which blesse our eares
Proclames its consanguinitie with th' spheres.
Her neck more comely then the polish't towre
Whose walles Jove skal'd in a Tagean showre
Her armes in hue heavens milkie zone surpasse
Or white Æquoreall Neptunes fomie face.
Her lovely armes are like prest curds, there stand
Ledas pale Swan immewr'd in either hand.
Now Muse returne into the milkie way
Where Cupid (in a sweat) abathing lay
About this beautious dale on either hand
Loves Alpes and Uenus Pireney mountaines stand,
With Azure curles each is inammel'd round
And with a soft red Porphier berrie crownd.
These are two Apples tane from Paradise
The graces use to sport in wanton wise
Under their shades Pomena's ripe fruit fall
From lofty trees mov'd by no wind at all.
To doe them homage, Cupid sucks from hence
His sunshine dayes and love his influence.
Greece borne and banisht love seeking to find
A domicil where he might sit inshrin'd
Parching himselfe in Juliettas eyes
Intended in her heart to signorize
But finding that too cold for's resience
He tooke his flight to my close heart from thence,
where with some firebrands, which himselfe did lay
He sing'd his wings and must for ever stay.
Her brest a feild of Lillies whiter shewing
Then those Alcinons in thy Garden growing.
Faire Erycina's Ida next to that
Or Athos stand, or Cupids Ararat.
Beneath this lies loves mediterranean
The gulfe of Venice leading to thille of Man.
To praise the Coloums of this structure, this
Adored bulke, this amorous edifice
Were a sit theame for the elaborate lines
Of ever honour'd Maro, whose worth shines
Bright in the lampe of poesie, and raise
As many trumps as men to chant his prayse.
In softnesse they the silke wormes web surpasse
Woven in leavy shop, on Loomes of grasse.
In whitenes Albian clifts, in smoothnes the
Repumicated glasse of Normandy.
Her round small feet beneath her roab doe run
Now out, now in, as if they feard the sun.

Plaindor.
Floretta has for Dioniæa power
To make each place she comes in Cupids bowre.
Nature did summon every grace to meet.
At the composure of a saint so sweet;
And with more beauties they did her invest
Then Cabalinean Poets have exprest
I'th comely Aspect of the Paphian Queene
Or more then in Corinnas face was seene.
My Love a quarrie is, or Cabinet
Where beautious nature her choyce gemmes hath set.
Her amber locks shine like the Topace bright,
Or golden Carbuncle, or Chrysolite
Her eyes at each glance rutilate and sparke
Like Diamonds in murke, tenebrous darke:
Her faire infolded eares, high front, nose, chin
Resemble the hate-spot Emerlin.
Argent and Gules in her cheekes kindly mix
As in the particolour'd Jasponix.
The orifice, or ports of her words are
In colour Corall, in worth Cinoper.
Her pearle like teeth are an even placed row
Of occidentall Margarites which grow
In her fresh Rubie gumms, her round soft brests
Where Cydias pigions fanbricate their nests
Are Alabaster circumstructures, one
Loves Ossa is, the other Pelion.
Warme azure vaines (by prudent Natures skill)
Inamell and inviron either hill,
Streames of dissolved Jazul, circling founts
Of liquid Turkise in these lovely mounts
Make many pretty Islands, which appeare
Some Ovall, some in figure of a Spheare.
Her hands those gemms of love Antimonie
Her digits nayles Arabian Oynx be.
She's a chast Emerauld, and that this list
Might perfect be, her hearts's an Amethist.
Not stubborne and obdurate, but a heart
Soone penetrated with loves wanton dart.
Nor can the buckets of our rustick quire
Quench this Asbeston flaming with Loves fire.
The harmonie of lovelinesse and grace
Combineth in the magique of her face.