The poems of John Marston Edited by Arnold Davenport |
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 | The poems of John Marston |  |
There was a Tyme (& since that time ye sun̄e
Hath yet not through nyne signes of heaven run̄e)
when the high siluan that commaundes thes woodes
& his bright Nymphe fairer then Queen of fludds
Wth moste impacient longings hop'd to veiw
hir face, to whome theire harts deerst zeale was due
Youths ioyes to loue, sweete light vnto the blynde
Beauty to virgins, or what witt can fynde
most deerely wish'd was not so much desier'd
as shee to them: o my dull soule is fir'd
to tell their longings: but it is a peece
that woulde oreloade the famost tounges of Greece
Yet longe they hop'd; till Rumor struck Hope dead
& shewe'd theire wishes were but flattered
For scarce her Chariott cutt the easy earth
& jornied on, when winter wth colde breath
crosseth her way. Her borrowed haire doth shine
wth Glittering Isicles all christaline
Hir browes were perriwigg'd wth softer snowe
Hir russett mantle fring'd wth Ice belowe
Sott stiffly on her back: Shee thus came forth
vsherd wth tempeste of the frosty Northe
And seeing hir shee thought she sure had seene
the sweete breath'd Flora the bright Summers Queene
So full of cheerefull grace she did appeere
yt winter fearde hir face recalde the yeare,
& fors'd vntimely springes to sease hir right
whereatt wth anger, & malitious spighte,
She vowes Reuenge, Straight wth tempestious winges
from Taurus, Alpes & Scithian rockes she flinges
theire covering of, & heere theire thick furr spread
yt patient Earth was allmost smothered
Vpp Boreas mounts & doth so strongly blow
athawart hir way huge driftes of blinding snow
yt mountainelike att length heapes rose so high
Mans sight might doubte whether Heauen or Earth were sky.
Heereat she turned back and lefte hir way
Necessity all mortalls must obay.
wch was no sooner voic'd & hether blowne
it Sadds me but to think what greiffe was showne,
wch to augement (Mishapp nere single falles)
The God of Sadnes & of funeralls
of heauy pensiuenes & discontente
coldly dull Saturne hether straight was sente
My selfe MERYMNA who still waight vppon
pale MELANCHOLY & DESOLATION
vsherd him on, when straite wee strongly sease
all this sadd howse & vow'd no meanes should ease
those heauy bandes wich pensiue Saturne tyde
till wth wished grace this house was beutifide
Pace then no further for vouchsafe to knowe
till hir approach heere can no comfort grow
Tis only one can theire sadd bondage breake
whose worth I may admire not dare to speake
shees so compleate yt her much honored state
giues fortune virtue makes virtue fortunate
as one in whome three rare mixt graces sitt
seene seldome joynd, fortune, beauty, witt.
to this choice Lady, and to her deere fate,
all hartes do open, as alone this Gate
Shee only driues away dull Saturne hence,
She, whome to praise I neede her eloquence
This speach thus Ended prsently Saturne yssued from forth the Porte & curyiously behoulding the Countesses spake thus
Hath yet not through nyne signes of heaven run̄e)
when the high siluan that commaundes thes woodes
& his bright Nymphe fairer then Queen of fludds
Wth moste impacient longings hop'd to veiw
hir face, to whome theire harts deerst zeale was due
Youths ioyes to loue, sweete light vnto the blynde
Beauty to virgins, or what witt can fynde
most deerely wish'd was not so much desier'd
as shee to them: o my dull soule is fir'd
to tell their longings: but it is a peece
that woulde oreloade the famost tounges of Greece
194
& shewe'd theire wishes were but flattered
For scarce her Chariott cutt the easy earth
& jornied on, when winter wth colde breath
crosseth her way. Her borrowed haire doth shine
wth Glittering Isicles all christaline
Hir browes were perriwigg'd wth softer snowe
Hir russett mantle fring'd wth Ice belowe
Sott stiffly on her back: Shee thus came forth
vsherd wth tempeste of the frosty Northe
And seeing hir shee thought she sure had seene
the sweete breath'd Flora the bright Summers Queene
So full of cheerefull grace she did appeere
yt winter fearde hir face recalde the yeare,
& fors'd vntimely springes to sease hir right
whereatt wth anger, & malitious spighte,
She vowes Reuenge, Straight wth tempestious winges
from Taurus, Alpes & Scithian rockes she flinges
theire covering of, & heere theire thick furr spread
yt patient Earth was allmost smothered
Vpp Boreas mounts & doth so strongly blow
athawart hir way huge driftes of blinding snow
yt mountainelike att length heapes rose so high
Mans sight might doubte whether Heauen or Earth were sky.
Heereat she turned back and lefte hir way
Necessity all mortalls must obay.
wch was no sooner voic'd & hether blowne
it Sadds me but to think what greiffe was showne,
wch to augement (Mishapp nere single falles)
The God of Sadnes & of funeralls
of heauy pensiuenes & discontente
coldly dull Saturne hether straight was sente
My selfe MERYMNA who still waight vppon
pale MELANCHOLY & DESOLATION
195
all this sadd howse & vow'd no meanes should ease
those heauy bandes wich pensiue Saturne tyde
till wth wished grace this house was beutifide
Pace then no further for vouchsafe to knowe
till hir approach heere can no comfort grow
Tis only one can theire sadd bondage breake
whose worth I may admire not dare to speake
shees so compleate yt her much honored state
giues fortune virtue makes virtue fortunate
as one in whome three rare mixt graces sitt
seene seldome joynd, fortune, beauty, witt.
to this choice Lady, and to her deere fate,
all hartes do open, as alone this Gate
Shee only driues away dull Saturne hence,
She, whome to praise I neede her eloquence
This speach thus Ended prsently Saturne yssued from forth the Porte & curyiously behoulding the Countesses spake thus
| The poems of John Marston | |