 | Amoretti and Epithalamion |  |
EPIGRAMS.
I.
IN youth, before I waxed old,
The blynd boy, Venus baby,
For want of cunning made me bold,
In bitter hyve to grope for honny:
But, when he saw me stung and cry,
He tooke his wings and away did fly.
The blynd boy, Venus baby,
For want of cunning made me bold,
In bitter hyve to grope for honny:
But, when he saw me stung and cry,
He tooke his wings and away did fly.
II.
As Diane hunted on a day,
She chaunst to come where Cupid lay,
His quiver by his head:
One of his shafts she stole away.
And one of hers did close convay
Into the others stead:
With that Love wounded my Loves hart,
But Diane beasts with Cupids dart.
She chaunst to come where Cupid lay,
His quiver by his head:
One of his shafts she stole away.
And one of hers did close convay
Into the others stead:
With that Love wounded my Loves hart,
But Diane beasts with Cupids dart.
III.
I saw, in secret to my Dame
How little Cupid humbly came,
And sayd to her; 'All hayle, my mother!'
But, when he saw me laugh, for shame
His face with bashfull blood did flame,
Not knowing Venus from the other.
'Then, never blush, Cupid, (quoth I),
For many have err'd in this beauty.'
How little Cupid humbly came,
And sayd to her; 'All hayle, my mother!'
But, when he saw me laugh, for shame
His face with bashfull blood did flame,
Not knowing Venus from the other.
'Then, never blush, Cupid, (quoth I),
For many have err'd in this beauty.'
IV.
Upon a day, as Love lay sweetly slumbring
All in his mothers lap;
A gentle Bee, with his loud trumpet murm'ring,
About him flew by hap.
Whereof when he was wakened with the noyse,
And saw the beast so small;
'Whats this (quoth he) that gives so great a voyce
That wakens men withall?'
In angry wize he flyes about,
And threatens all with corage stout.
All in his mothers lap;
A gentle Bee, with his loud trumpet murm'ring,
About him flew by hap.
Whereof when he was wakened with the noyse,
And saw the beast so small;
'Whats this (quoth he) that gives so great a voyce
That wakens men withall?'
In angry wize he flyes about,
And threatens all with corage stout.
To whom his mother closely smiling sayd,
'Twixt earnest and twixt game:
'See! thou thyselfe likewise art lyttle made,
If thou regard the same.
And yet thou suffrest neyther gods in sky,
Nor men in earth, to rest:
But, when thou art disposed cruelly,
Theyr sleepe thou doost molest.
Then eyther change thy cruelty,
Or give like leave unto the fly.'
'Twixt earnest and twixt game:
'See! thou thyselfe likewise art lyttle made,
If thou regard the same.
And yet thou suffrest neyther gods in sky,
Nor men in earth, to rest:
But, when thou art disposed cruelly,
Theyr sleepe thou doost molest.
Then eyther change thy cruelty,
Or give like leave unto the fly.'
Nathelesse, the cruell boy, not so content,
Would needs the fly pursue;
And in his hand, with heedlesse hardiment,
Him caught for to subdue.
But, when on it he hasty hand did lay,
The Bee him stung therefore:
'Now out alasse, (he cryde), and wel-away!
I wounded am full sore:
The Fly, that I so much did scorne,
Hath hurt me with his little horne.'
Would needs the fly pursue;
And in his hand, with heedlesse hardiment,
Him caught for to subdue.
But, when on it he hasty hand did lay,
The Bee him stung therefore:
'Now out alasse, (he cryde), and wel-away!
I wounded am full sore:
The Fly, that I so much did scorne,
Hath hurt me with his little horne.'
730
Unto his mother straight he weeping came,
And of his griefe complayned:
Who could not chose but laugh at his fond game,
Though sad to see him pained.
'Think now (quod she) my sonne, how great the smart
Of those whom thou dost wound:
Full many thou hast pricked to the hart,
That pitty never found:
Therefore, henceforth some pitty take,
When thou doest spoyle of lovers make.'
And of his griefe complayned:
Who could not chose but laugh at his fond game,
Though sad to see him pained.
'Think now (quod she) my sonne, how great the smart
Of those whom thou dost wound:
Full many thou hast pricked to the hart,
That pitty never found:
Therefore, henceforth some pitty take,
When thou doest spoyle of lovers make.'
She tooke him streight full pitiously lamenting,
And wrapt him in her smock:
She wrapt him softly, all the while repenting
That he the fly did mock.
She drest his wound, and it embaulmed wel
With salve of soveraigne might:
And then she bath'd him in a dainty well,
The well of deare delight.
Who would not oft be stung as this,
To be so bath'd in Venus blis?
And wrapt him in her smock:
She wrapt him softly, all the while repenting
That he the fly did mock.
She drest his wound, and it embaulmed wel
With salve of soveraigne might:
And then she bath'd him in a dainty well,
The well of deare delight.
Who would not oft be stung as this,
To be so bath'd in Venus blis?
The wanton boy was shortly wel recured
Of that his malady:
But he, soone after, fresh againe enured
His former cruelty.
And since that time he wounded hath my selfe
With his sharpe dart of love:
And now forgets the cruell carelesse elfe
His mothers heast to prove.
So now I languish, till he please
My pining anguish to appease.
Of that his malady:
But he, soone after, fresh againe enured
His former cruelty.
And since that time he wounded hath my selfe
With his sharpe dart of love:
And now forgets the cruell carelesse elfe
His mothers heast to prove.
So now I languish, till he please
My pining anguish to appease.
| Amoretti and Epithalamion | |