Chvrchyards Challenge [by Thomas Churchyard] |
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A Story of an Eagle and a Lady, excellently set out in Du Bartas.
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 | Chvrchyards Challenge |  |
A Story of an Eagle and a Lady, excellently set out in Du Bartas.
Mount
Eagle vp, with fame and honour great,
By Pellycan, that feedes her young with blood,
(Of her owne brest), make thou thy noble seat:
Thy vertues doe, surmount all worldly good.
No bird but one, which is a Phenix rare,
Doth thee surpasse, or may with thee compare.
By Pellycan, that feedes her young with blood,
(Of her owne brest), make thou thy noble seat:
Thy vertues doe, surmount all worldly good.
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Doth thee surpasse, or may with thee compare.
The Story.
A Lady once, in Thracia as we read,
Two Eagles found, newe hatched in their neast,
The one she tooke, and did that bird so feede,
(And kept it warme, amid her tender brest),
Tha[illeg.] as this dame, fell sicke vpon a day,
This Eagle flue, abroad to get his pray.
Two Eagles found, newe hatched in their neast,
The one she tooke, and did that bird so feede,
(And kept it warme, amid her tender brest),
Tha[illeg.] as this dame, fell sicke vpon a day,
This Eagle flue, abroad to get his pray.
And what so ere, this Eagle kild in field,
He brought it home, as choycely as he might:
At mistresse foote, the pray then would he yeelde,
Who mused much, to see so strange a sight.
But mistresse health, by this might not be had,
Which daily made, the Eagle wonderous sad.
He brought it home, as choycely as he might:
At mistresse foote, the pray then would he yeelde,
Who mused much, to see so strange a sight.
But mistresse health, by this might not be had,
Which daily made, the Eagle wonderous sad.
But still he flue, to field for dainty fare,
To feede this dame, that long a dying lay:
And when the bird, saw house so full of care,
For mistresse death, whose life was past away.
Upon the bed, he sat and bowd his beake,
Downe to the flore, to heare his mistresse speake.
To feede this dame, that long a dying lay:
And when the bird, saw house so full of care,
For mistresse death, whose life was past away.
Upon the bed, he sat and bowd his beake,
Downe to the flore, to heare his mistresse speake.
Oft would he kisse, her mouth as colde as stone,
And spread his winges, abroad to warme her face:
And in his kind, he made such heauy mone,
As man for wife, may doe in such a case.
But when no life, in mistresse might be found,
With his owne beake, himselfe he gan to wound.
And spread his winges, abroad to warme her face:
And in his kind, he made such heauy mone,
As man for wife, may doe in such a case.
But when no life, in mistresse might be found,
With his owne beake, himselfe he gan to wound.
Brusd all his brest, and body euery where,
Pluckt feathers off, and flung them flat on flore,
Bled out of frame, and did his flesh so teare:
That he could not, no way flye out of dore.
Would take no foode, nor rest, but growling lay;
By bare bedstocke, halfe dead full many a day.
Pluckt feathers off, and flung them flat on flore,
Bled out of frame, and did his flesh so teare:
That he could not, no way flye out of dore.
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By bare bedstocke, halfe dead full many a day.
At length her corse, a funerall must haue,
Where mistresse must, be burnd as was the gyse,
The Eagle then, did follow her to graue:
And vnder winge, did mount aloft in skyes.
And when in fire, was cast this noble dame,
The Eagle flung, himselfe amid the flame.
Where mistresse must, be burnd as was the gyse,
The Eagle then, did follow her to graue:
And vnder winge, did mount aloft in skyes.
And when in fire, was cast this noble dame,
The Eagle flung, himselfe amid the flame.
With pikes and staues, the people held him backe,
That helpt no whit, the Eagle there would burne,
So bent to seeke, in fire his ruine and wracke,
Into the flame, againe he did returne:
Mount Eagle then, from dust and ashes heere,
Unto the clouds, where vertue shineth cleere.
That helpt no whit, the Eagle there would burne,
So bent to seeke, in fire his ruine and wracke,
Into the flame, againe he did returne:
Mount Eagle then, from dust and ashes heere,
Unto the clouds, where vertue shineth cleere.
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