 | The Phoenix and the Turtle |  |
HEREAFTER FOLLOW DIVERSE Poeticall Essaies on the former Subiect; viz: the Turtle and Phœnix.
Done by the best and chiefest of our moderne writers, with their names subscribed to their particular workes: neuer before extant.
And (now first) consecrated by them all generally, to the loue and merite of the true-noble Knight, Sir Iohn Salisburie.
Dignum laude virum Musa vetat mori.
170
[Let the bird of lowdest lay]
Let the bird of lowdest lay,
On the sole Arabian tree,
Herauld sad and trumpet be:
To whose sound chaste wings obay.
On the sole Arabian tree,
Herauld sad and trumpet be:
To whose sound chaste wings obay.
But thou shriking harbinger,
Foule precurrer of the fiend,
Augour of the feuers end,
To this troupe come thou not neere.
Foule precurrer of the fiend,
Augour of the feuers end,
To this troupe come thou not neere.
From this Session interdict
Euery foule of tyrant wing,
Saue the Eagle feath'red King,
Keepe the obsequie so strict.
Euery foule of tyrant wing,
Saue the Eagle feath'red King,
Keepe the obsequie so strict.
Let the Priest in Surples white,
That defunctiue Musicke can,
Be the death-deuining Swan,
Lest the Requiem lacke his right.
That defunctiue Musicke can,
Be the death-deuining Swan,
Lest the Requiem lacke his right.
And thou treble dated Crow,
That thy sable gender mak'st,
With the breath thou giu'st and tak'st,
Mongst our mourners shalt thou go.
That thy sable gender mak'st,
With the breath thou giu'st and tak'st,
Mongst our mourners shalt thou go.
Here the Antheme doth commence,
Loue and Constancie is dead,
Phœnix and the Turtle fled,
In a mutuall flame from hence.
Loue and Constancie is dead,
Phœnix and the Turtle fled,
In a mutuall flame from hence.
So they loued as loue in twaine,
Had the essence but in one,
Two distincts, Diuision none,
Number there in loue was slaine.
Had the essence but in one,
171
Number there in loue was slaine.
Hearts remote, yet not asunder;
Distance and no space was seene,
Twixt this Turtle and his Queene;
But in them it were a wonder.
Distance and no space was seene,
Twixt this Turtle and his Queene;
But in them it were a wonder.
So betweene them Loue did shine,
That the Turtle saw his right,
Flaming in the Phœnix sight;
Either was the others mine.
That the Turtle saw his right,
Flaming in the Phœnix sight;
Either was the others mine.
Propertie was thus appalled,
That the selfe was not the same:
Single Natures double name,
Neither two nor one was called.
That the selfe was not the same:
Single Natures double name,
Neither two nor one was called.
Reason in it selfe confounded,
Saw Diuision grow together,
To themselues yet either neither,
Simple were so well compounded.
Saw Diuision grow together,
To themselues yet either neither,
Simple were so well compounded.
That it cried, how true a twaine,
Seemeth this concordant one,
Loue hath Reason, Reason none,
If what parts, can so remaine.
Seemeth this concordant one,
Loue hath Reason, Reason none,
If what parts, can so remaine.
Whereupon it made this Threne,
To the Phœnix and the Doue,
Co-supremes and starres of Loue,
As Chorus to their Tragique Scene.
To the Phœnix and the Doue,
Co-supremes and starres of Loue,
As Chorus to their Tragique Scene.
172
Threnos.
Beautie, Truth, and Raritie,
Grace in all simplicitie,
Here enclosde, in cinders lie.
Grace in all simplicitie,
Here enclosde, in cinders lie.
Death is now the Phœnix nest,
And the Turtles loyall brest,
To eternitie doth rest.
And the Turtles loyall brest,
To eternitie doth rest.
Leauing no posteritie,
Twas not their infirmitie,
It was married Chastitie.
Twas not their infirmitie,
It was married Chastitie.
Truth may seeme, but cannot be,
Beautie bragge, but tis not she,
Truth and Beautie buried be.
Beautie bragge, but tis not she,
Truth and Beautie buried be.
To this vrne let those repaire,
That are either true or faire,
For these dead Birds, sigh a prayer.
That are either true or faire,
For these dead Birds, sigh a prayer.
William Shake-speare.
| The Phoenix and the Turtle | |