University of Virginia Library

An Epithalamium, design'd for the Nuptials of Sir Andrew Knyvegston my Wives Brother, and Mrs. Elizabeth Stanhope of Elveston my Cousin-german; Their Marriage prevented by her death.

Rise amorous Virgins, rise and dress
The Bride, her Groome's in readiness:
She wakes, and fain would call you from
Your Beds, but blushes; therefore come.
The early Bridesgroom swears he knowes
You dream't to night of pleasing Showes;
Of Hymen joyning willing hands
To be subjected to his bands;
Of Hymen joyning mutual hearts,
And Hymen joyning other Parts,
Or else you did not sleep at all,
For thinking what was to befall
To the fair Virgin, that to night
(Full of soft trembling, and delight)
Must a pure Maiden go to Bed
And rise without her Maidenhead.
But merry Lasses hast; It may
Be your own turn another day:
Attire her quickly, and while you
Are busied so laugh at her too;
And any of you would laugh to be
So happy, and so nigh as she.
Let her be drest as Juno, when
She tempted Jove, scorn'd mortal men:
As the bright Cyprian Queen, when she
Did first enthral War's Deitie:
As the delicious Memphian Dame
When she great Anthony o'recame,
Not by her Souldiers masteries,
But beams of her al-powerful eyes.
Now she is ready, stay a while,
And let us see her blush and smile:
May all the Genial powers Divine,
Most gentle sweet One, now combine
And shower and power upon you two
All that you can desire, they do.
But lead her out; Now go together
To be of two made one, or either:
You go divided, and alone,
But must return both of you One:
He must be hers not his, and she
Must not be hers, but his must be.
Now they do walk triumphant o're
Those fears that troubled them before;
And all their friends attendants by,
All joyful for this day of joy.
She studies not as she doth go,
How she again may answer No;
But unto every thing say I,
As all the Maides would that are by.
He happy man, soon to be blest,
Unto the Temple maketh hast:
And every minute hates that stands
Not 'twixt their hearts but 'twixt their hands.
Behold! they are arrived where
They will be placed in one Sphere,
To run through a most glorious Life
Of Love; most blessed Man and Wife.
Th'Amazed Priest when he espies
The radiant beauties of her eyes,
Cannot believ't the Bride to be,
But an Immortal Deitie
Descended from Olympus Top,
Where they all drink in Hebe's Cup;
Or Cytheræa Queen of love,
Or the chast daughter of high Jove,
The new Solemnities to grace,
Or on the youthful Pair to gaze.
But when he's satisfi'd 'tis she,
He looks no more for fear that he
His heart should deep enthral in love,
Past any hope of a remove.
When both are willing and past woing,
No Marriage can be long a doing:
The Parson asks, and they Consent,
Both eager of their own Content;
Though now and then he smiles, and she
Doth blush to think what soon must be.
Now all is done that's to be done
Within the Church, and they are One;
The Bride-men wish all joy betide
Unto the glad and bashful Bride;
And the Bride-maides do bid the like
To him: which he expects at night.
At their Return (with all the prayers
Of all their Friends for happy years)
A Sumptuous Dinner doth invite
All to't with different Appetite.
Most sit to feed their covetous eyes
With the Brides matchless delicacies:
No other Object can remove
Their looks, and many rose in love,
Some old cold few, and their neer kin
Eat well, and many healths begin
To both their future days of joy,
And the soon getting of a Boy:
Such healths do often make her spred
Her beauteous face with sudden red;
For Virgins often blush to hear
Those things they long for, and love dear.
All Dinner-while a fine-voic'st Boy
Sings many a Song, and many a Toy
Of Love, and of lost Maiden heads,
And all the joyes of Marriage-Beds.
The Bridegroom happiest man of all
May safely take survey (and fall
Into no danger) of the sweet
Delicious Bride; and she doth meet
His every look, and every smile,
And blushes for't all dinner-while.
She is asham'd to look therefore;
And loves so she cannot give o're;
On fire and fire again they set
Their hearts, but careless are of it:
They know the night will come, and then
Th'are sure to cool themselves agen.
Dinner being done, the afternoon
Is tedious in regard of soon;
Yet with variety worn away
Of sports belonging to that day.
They dance, and the fair Bride doth move
In conjuring circles of sweet Love:
She treads so evenly as she meant
To make the ground an Instrument;
And sends up sounds so soft and rare,
Angels might dance unto that Aire.
The Bridegroom's blest by every tongue
Of all the merry various thronge,
To be an Owner of that One,
Whose equal they have never known:
And she is counted happy too,
To be belov'd by him, so true
To her, and worthy unto all,
Both blest in equal Nuptial.
He now dares boldly kiss, and oft
Doth give her hard ones; she him soft.
She is his own, and no delight
He wants, but what will come at night.
Though she's asham'd when he doth kiss,
She's not content when he doth miss.
And thus the Afternoon being spent,
Time draws then nearer their content;
They go to Supper, not to eat,
But both to be reveng'd on meat:
Because, till that be done they know
To bed they must not, cannot go.
Supper being finish't (and indeed
Too much time, knowing what's to succeed)
The fearfull Virgin's lead away
Trembling at what she would assay;
And her undresses tell next morn,
What she must rise, yet wish her turn:
And lay her in a bed so sweet,
Jove would come down to't, did he see't;
Where lies a jewel of richer use
Then either India can produce.
The first assault she wisheth done;
And he that it was but begun:
What between smiles and fears, she lies
In the tru'st posture to entice:
And scarce dares see who looks upon her,
Thinking her honour her dishonour.
Her Bed doth seem the bower of bliss,
Where every sweet and pleasure is:
Her eyes two Lights divine, to smile
On all, and comfort them the while:
Her delicate hair (that's onely found
Upon her Cheeks) a net on ground
Of purest Marble, set to take
Not onely Mars, but all that make
On high Olympus top abode;
Even every stern, and gentler God,
Her Lips the twins of Loveliness,
Like roses on a bank, that bless
The eyes of all the lookers on;
From whence a Zephyrus doth come,
So sweet, and calm, as it would soon
Turn every thing into perfume.
The pleasant Garden of Delight,
Her cheeks mantled with red and white,
Seem like the early morning, e're
The Sun comes in our Hemisphere.
The Stately Column of her Neck,
Is onely worthy to protect
Beauties rich Palace, her fair head,
As smooth as Ivory polished.
She was in bed, and we no more
Could see of all her wondrous store.
Now comes the Bridegroom, now so blest,
His onely miserie's not undrest:
He helps, and they do help him streight;
(Few Men do linger on this night.)
Who soon stands in his Shirt, whil'st she
Doth hide her Face, asham'd to see:
But by her side he's quickly laid
And kisses the fair bashful Maid.
When they hop'd all would leave the Room,
The Bridal Posset in doth come:
A Ceremony he exclaimes
Unfit for Hymens youthful flames,
And all the company prayes, (If we
Must eat it) let it our breakfast be:
And many thought the Virgin kind
Was also of her Bridegroom's mind.
The Company laugh'd, and said 'Twas just
For him to do as others must:
There is no help, he doth obey,
And eats to get them soon away.
The Posset being done, they wish
Goodnight, and leave them to their bliss.
Now he and she are equally
Blest, and possest both of their joy:
And Innocent Love his Part doth play,
And recompences long delay.
Love's is no Coward Fight, although
A Friend meets Friend, and Foe not Foe;
It is a battel sweet, not cruel,
And yet an even and naked duel:
No timorous giving back, yet strife
Perpetual 'twixt man and wife.
As Nilus in one channel bound,
Runs long through Egypts fertile Ground,
And yet at last into seven Currents
Divides his swift and plenteous Torrents,
And separated so runs on
Till it mix with the Ocean:
So, happy Pair, I wish may prove
Your fruitful and auspicious Love;
May you pass through a fortunate
And glorious Life, and know no fate
Sinister whiles you live; and from
Your Loves an hopeful Off-spring come,
That may grow great, and equal good
As you are now! and as their blood:
To honours highest Zenith climbe,
And fix there till the end of time.
As this, I wish full of delight
To you all nights; and so goodnight.