The Poetry of George Wither :: :: University of Virginia Library

Love and service both I owe thee,
And would wait upon thy pleasure,
But I cannot be at leisure;
For I owe this day as debtor
To a thousand times thy better.

170

Hymen now will have effected
What hath been so long expected:
Thame, thy mistress, now unwedded,
Soon must with a prince be bedded.
If thou'lt see her virgin ever,
Come and do it now or never.

Where art thou, oh fair Aurora?
Call in Ver and lady Flora:
And, you daughters of the morning,
In your neat'st and feat'st adorning,
Clear your foreheads and be sprightful
That this day may seem delightful.

All you nymphs that use the mountains,
Or delight in groves and fountains:
Shepherdesses, you that dally
Either upon hill or valley:
And you daughters of the bower,
That acknowledge Vesta's power,

Oh, you sleep too long; awake ye,
See how Time doth overtake ye.
Hark, the lark is up and singeth,
And the house with echoes ringeth.
Precious hours, why neglect ye,
Whilst affairs thus expect ye?

Come away, upon my blessing;
The bride-chamber lies to dressing:
Strow the ways with leaves of roses,
Some make garlands, some make posies:

171

'Tis a favour, and 't may joy you.
That your mistress will employ you,

Where's

Severn.

Sabrina with her daughters
That do sport about her waters,
Those that with their locks of amber
Haunt the fruitful hills of

Wales.

Camber?
We must have to fill the number
All the nymphs of Trent and Humber.

Fie, your haste is scarce sufficing,
For the bride's awake and rising.
Enter, beauties, and attend her,
All your helps and service lend her;
With your quaint'st and new'st devices
Trim your lady, fair Thamisis.

See, she's ready; with joys greet her;
Lads, go bid the bridegroom meet her;
But from rash approach advise him,
Lest a too much joy surprise him:
None I e'er knew yet that dared
View an angel unprepared.

Now unto the church she hies her;
Envy bursts, if she espies her:
In her gestures as she paces
Are united all the graces,
Which who sees and hath his senses
Loves in spite of all defences.

172

O most true majestic creature!
Nobles, did you note her feature?
Felt you not an inward motion
Tempting love to yield devotion,
And as you were e'en desiring
Something check you for aspiring?

That's her virtue, which still tameth
Loose desires and bad thoughts blameth;
For whilst others were unruly,
She observed Diana truly:
And hath by that means obtained
Gifts of her that none have gained.

Yon's the bridegroom, d'ye not spy him?
See how all the ladies eye him.
Venus his perfection findeth,
And no more Adonis mindeth.
Much of him my heart divineth,
On whose brow all virtue shineth.

Two such creatures Nature would not
Let one place long keep—she should not:
One she'll have, she cares not whether,
But our loves can spare her neither.
Therefore, ere we'll so be spited,
They in one shall be united.

Nature's self is well contented
By that means to be prevented.
And behold they are retired,
So conjoin'd, as we desired;

173

Hand in hand not only fixed,
But their hearts are intermixed.

Happy they and we that see it,
For the good of Europe be it.
And hear, heaven, my devotion,
Make this Rhine and Thame an ocean,
That it may with might and wonder
Whelm the pride of

Tiber is the river which runneth by Rome.

Tiber under.

Now yon

Whitehall.

hall their persons shroudeth,
Whither all this people crowdeth:
There they feasted are with plenty,
Sweet ambrosia is no dainty.
Grooms quaff nectar; for there's meeter,
Yea, more costly wines and sweeter.

Young men all, for joy go ring ye,
And your merriest carols sing ye.
Here's of damsels many choices,
Let them tune their sweetest voices.
Fet the Muses, too, to cheer them;
They can ravish all that hear them.

Ladies, 'tis their highness' pleasures
To behold you foot the measures;
Lovely gestures addeth graces,
To your bright and angel faces.
Give your active minds the bridle:
Nothing worse than to be idle.

174

Worthies, your affairs forbear ye,
For the state awhile may spare ye:
Time was that you loved sporting—
Have you quite forgot your courting?
Joy the heart of cares beguileth:

Semel in anno ridet Apol.

Once a year Apollo smileth.

Fellow shepherds, how I pray you
Can your flocks at this time stay you?
Let us also hie us thither,
Let's lay all our wits together,
And some pastoral invent them
That may show the love we meant them.

I myself though meanest stated,
And in court now almost hated,
Will knit up my

Abuses stript and whipt.

Scourge, and venter
In the midst of them to enter;
For I know there's no disdaining
Where I look for entertaining.

See, methinks the very season,

He noteth the mildness of the winter which, excepting that the beginning was very windy, was as temperate as the spring.

As if capable of reason,
Hath lain by her native rigour,
The fair sunbeams have more vigour;
They are Æol's most endeared,
For the air's still'd and cleared.

Fawns and lambs and kids do play,
In the honour of this day;

175

The shrill blackbird and the thrush
Hops about in every bush;
And among the tender twigs
Chant their sweet harmonious jigs.

Yea, and moved by this example

Most men are of opinion that this day every bird doth choose her mate for that year.

They do make each grove a temple
Where their time the best way using,
They their summer loves are choosing.
And, unless some churl do wrong them,
There's not an odd bird among them.

Yet I heard as I was walking
Groves and hills by echoes talking;
Reeds unto the small brooks whistling,
Whilst they danced with pretty rushling.
Then for us to sleep 'twere pity,
Since dumb creatures are so witty.

But oh, Titan, thou dost dally,
Hie thee to thy western valley;
Let this night one hour borrow,
She shall pay't again to-morrow;
And if thou'lt that favour do them,
Send thy sister Phœbe to them.

But she's come herself unasked,
And brings

By these he means the two masques, one of them being presented by the Lords, the other by the Gentry.

gods and heroes masked.
None yet saw or heard in story
Such immortal mortal glory.
View not without preparation,
Lest you faint in admiration.

176

Say, my lords, and speak truth barely,
Moved they not exceeding rarely?
Did they not such praises merit
As if flesh had all been spirit?
True indeed, yet I must tell them
There was one did far excel them.

But, alas! this is ill dealing,
Night unwares away is stealing:
Their delay the poor bed wrongeth
That for bride with bridegroom longeth,
And above all other places
Must be blest with their embraces.

Revellers, then now forbear ye,
And unto your rests prepare ye:
Let's awhile your absence borrow,
Sleep to-night and dance to-morrow.
We could well allow your courting,
But 'twill hinder better sporting.

They are gone, and night all lonely
Leaves the bride with bridegroom only.
Muse, now tell, for thou hast power
To fly through wall or tower,
What contentments their hearts cheereth,
And how lovely she appeareth.

And yet do not; tell it no man,
Rare conceits may so grow common:

177

Do not to the vulgar show them,
'Tis enough that thou dost know them.
Their ill hearts are but the centre,
Where all misconceivings enter.

But thou, Luna, that dost lightly
Haunt our downs and forests nightly;
Thou that favour'st generation,
And art help to procreation;
See their issue thou so cherish,
I may live to see it flourish.

And you planets, in whose power
Doth consist these lives of our,
You that teach us divinations,
Help with all your constellations,
How to frame in her a creature
Blest in fortune, wit, and feature.

Lastly, oh, you angels, ward them,
Set your sacred spells to guard them;
Chase away such fears or terrors
As not being seem through errors;
Yea, let not a dream's molesting
Make them start when they are resting.

But Thou chiefly, most adored,
That shouldst only be implored;
Thou to whom my meaning tendeth,
Whither e'er in show it bendeth;
Let them rest to-night from sorrow
And awake with joy to-morrow.

178

Oh, to my request be heedful,
Grant them that and all things needful.
Let not these my strains of folly
Make true prayer be unholy;
But if I have here offended,
Help, forgive, and see it mended.

Deign me this; and if my Muse's
Hasty issue she peruses,
Make it unto her seem grateful,
Though to all the world else hateful.
But howe'er yet, soul, persever
Thus to wish her good for ever.

Thus ends the day together with my song,
Oh, may the joys thereof continue long!
Let heaven's just, all-seeing, sacred power
Favour this happy marriage day of your;
And bless you in your chaste embraces so,
We Britons may behold before you go
The hopeful issue we shall count so dear,
And whom, unborn, his foes already fear.
Yea, I desire that all your sorrows may
Never be more than they have been to-day.
Which hoping, for acceptance now I sue,
And humbly bid your grace and court adieu.
I saw the sight I came for, which I know
Was more than all the world beside could show
But if amongst Apollo's lays you can
Be pleased to lend a gentle ear to Pan,

179

Or think your country shepherd loves as dear
As if he were a courtier or a peer,
Then I, that else must to my cell of pain,
Will joyful turn unto my flock again,
And there unto my fellow shepherds tell
Why you are lov'd, wherein you do excel.
And when we drive our flocks afield to graze them,
So chant your praises that it shall amaze them:
And think that fate hath new recall'd from death
Their still-lamented sweet Elizabeth.
For though they see the court but now and then,
They know desert as well as greater men:
And honoured fame in them doth live or die,
As well as in the mouth of majesty.
But taking granted what I here entreat,
At heaven for you my devotions beat;
And though I fear fate will not suffer me
To do you service where your fortunes be,
Howe'er my skill hath yet despised seem'd,
And my unripen'd wit been mis-esteem'd,
When all this costly show away shall flit,
And not one live that doth remember it,
If envy's trouble let not to persever,
I'll find a means to make it known for ever.