The vvood-mans bear A poeme. By Io. Syluester.

The Wood-mans Bear . 1. SEuenty nine skore yeeres and seuen Were expired from the birth Of a Babe , be got by Heauen , To bring peace vnto the Earth , Peace that passeth all esteeming , Sinne-bound soules from Hell redeeming . Ver. 2. Phaebus in his yeerely race ( Hauing past the Ram and Steere ) Now began to post apace , Through the Twinnes faire houses cleere , Prancking in perfumed robes , All these goodly nether Globes . Aurora . 3. And Aurora richly dight In an azure mantle faire , Freng'd about with siluer bright , Pearle-deaws dropping through the aire , Hung the gate with golden tissues , Where Hiperions Chariot issues . 4. At which sight ( that all reioyoes ) All the cunning Forest Quyer , Tuning loud their little voyces , Warbled who should warble higher : Striuing all to beare the Bell ( All in vaine ) from Phylomel . 5. When my ioylesse sences dulled With the busie toyle of Cities , Me from pensiue fancies pulled , To goe heare their heauenly ditties : To goe heare , and see , and sent , Sounds , sights , sauours excellent . 6. Wending then through Lawns and Thickets , Where the fearefull Deere do brouze , Where the wanton Fawnes and Prickets , Crop the top of springing boughes : Where the Stag , and light-foot Hinde Skud , and skip , and turne , and winde . 7. While I led my wandring feet , Through a silent shady Groue , Paued thicke with Primrose sweete , As mine eyes about did roue , Neere a spring I chanst to spie , Where a wretched man did lie . 8. Like a Wood-man was his weede , Groueling on the grasse he lay , Mourning so as doth exceed All that euer I can say : Beasts to bellow , birds to sing , Ceast , to see so strange a thing● 9. Wringing hands , and weeping eyes , Heauy sighes , and hollow grones , Wailing words , and wofull cries Were the witnesse of his moanes : Moanes , that might with bitter passion , Mooue a flintie hearts compassion . 10. Faine would I the cause haue kend , That could cause him so complaine : But I feard him to offend With repeating of his paine ; Therefore I expected rather From himselfe the same to gather . 11. Sitting then in shelter shadie , To obserue and marke his mone , Suddenly I saw a Ladie Hasting to him all alone , Clad in Maiden-white and greene : Whom I iudg'd the Forrest Queene . 12. Who the eager game pursuing , Lost her Ladies in the chase , Till she heard the wretches ruing , Vnto whom she hied apase ; Moouing him with mild intreat . To vnsold his griefe so great . 13. When the Queene of Continence , With the musicke of her words , Had by sacred influence Charm'd the edge of sorrows swords : Swords that deeper wound haue made , Then the keene Toledo blade . 14. Faine he would , and yet he fainted To vnfold his fatall griefe : Passions in his face depainted , Striuing whether should be chiefe : Thus at last , though loth and sorry , Sigh'd he out his mournfull story . 15. Madam ( quoth he ) ( yet he knew not What she was ) , that you may see , That I cursed causelesse rue not , Lend a while your care to me , And you shall perceiue the source , Whence my cares haue had their course . 16. Whence my cares and sad incumbers Haue arisen and proceeded : Whose account of countlesse numbers Hath the Oceans sand exceeded ; Whose extreme tormenting smart , Passeth all conceit of heart . 17. Thrice-seuen summers I had seene Deckt in Floraes rich aray ; And as many winters keene , Wrapt in sutes of siluer gray : Yet the Cirian Queenes blind Boy Crudged at my grieselesse ioy . 18. But when on my maiden chin Mother Nature gan ingender Smooth , soft , golden doune , and thin Blades of beuer , silke-like slender , Then he finding fuell sit , Sought for coales to kindle it . 19. Coales he found , but found no fier , For th' East Frisian icie skie Made the sparkes of loues desier Sudden borne , as soone to die : Thus so long as there I bid All was vaine that Venus did ▪ 20. Seeing then that nought might boot , Shee ( consulting with her bastard ) Bid the busie wanton shoot : But alas he durst not dastard , In that quarter well he wist Armes to meet with , me he mist . 21. Therefore wearie of his toile , Hopelesse still of better hap , In that so vnhappie soile , Where few Brutes he could entrap : He forsooke the frozen Ems , Soaring towards siluer Thames . 22. On whose lillie-paued bancks , Where saire water nymphes resorted Plai'd he many wanton pranks , While the silly damzels sported , Wounding with his cruell darts , Their vnwarie tender hearts . 23. Chiefly in my Mother-Towne , Where the Paragon of honor , Vertues praise , and beauties crowne , With sweet Ladies tending on her , Kept her Court in Palla●e royall , Guarded by attendants loyall . 24. There the Paphian Prince ( perceiuing Lords and Ladies , young and old , Apt ( through ease ) for Loues deceiuing ) , Sends about hi● shafts of gold , Striking all saue her he dares not , Dians selfe , the rest he spares not . 25. Hauing triumpht there a season Ouer all degrees and sexes , Planting loue , supplanting reason , Where his darts dire venome vexes : Suddenly he crost the stood , To the famous Seat of Lud. 26. Finding there sufficient fuell , To maintaine his wanton fiers , By and by begins he cruell , To inflame both Sonnes and Siers , Maid and Mistris , Man and Master , Dam and Daughter , light or chaster . 27. Thus he tortures , voide of pitie , Rich and poore , and fond and wise , Through the streetes of all the Citie : Causing by his cruelties , Sighing-singing , freezing-frying , Laughing-weeping , liuing-dying . 28. Fates by this time had contriued Causes that me thither drew , Which ere euer I arriued , This detested Tyrant knew : Wyling waiting time and place , To reuenge his old disgrace . 29. Oftentimes he did attempt Euen in streetes of second Troy , To haue punisht my contempt , By bereauing freedoms ioy ; But vnable there tomatch me , Else-where yet he thought to catch-me . 30. I was wont ( for my disport ) Often in the Summer season , To a Village to res●rt , Famou● for the rathe ripe Peason , Where I en●●th a Plumb-tree shade , Many pleasant walks I made . 31. Till a grasse-borne-kricket mounted , On that goodly Trees faire top , Made his fore-fruit ( rare accounted ) Ouer-soone to fall and drop : Loading euery branch and bow With her brood of krickets now . 32. Hether while I vs'd to haunt , Cupid seeking change gf harbor , Leauing stately Troy-nouant , Lighted vnder this fresh Arbor , Neere the hower when Titan wounds vs , Hides our shaddowes wholly vnder-vs . 33. When the Dwarfting did perceiue me , Me Loues most rebellious skorner , By some cautel to deceiue me , Skipt he soone into a corner : Where left I should spie the Elfe , In a Bear he hid himselfe . 34. Many Beasts , and Birds beside , Adorned with the pride of nature ; Faire of fether , rich of hide , Trim of forme , and tall of stature , Vs'd this Orchard to frequent , Till the Summers heat was spent . 35. But the Bear was my betrayer ; Nay , she was my liues defender : But she was my freedomes slayer ; Nav , she was my thraldomes ender : But she fild my soule with sadnesse ; Nay , she turn'd my griefe to gladnesse . 36. Blessed Bear that beares the bell From the fairest of her kind : Such a Bear as doth excell Those to either Pole assignd : Such a Bear , as 't wold not grieue me , To be Bearward made , beleeue me . 37. In a Crof●e where Musickes King ( Making mends for Daphnes wrong ) Made out of the ground to spring Trees transform'd to Daphnes young : In the Crofte so faire and pleasant , Harbor of the Prince-dish Pheasant . 38. Southward was this white Bear bred , Yet not skorcht with Affrick heate : For her Dam had dipt her head In the Christall waters neat Of a Spring cald Hambarwell , Which can Sun-burnt spots expell : 39. And besides , while young she was , She was carried from that coast , To be taught such practise , as Makes such beasts beloued most . Beast am I to call her beast : Yet indeed a Bear 's a beast . 40. Bear in name , but not in nature , Was this much admired creature , Per●erlesse piece of perfect stature , Full of all desired feature : Feature such , as all too saint , My dull pen presumes to paint . 41. Louely Lilly-white she was , Straight proportion'd , stately-paced , Coy , or kind ( as came to passe ) Curteous-spoken , comely graced : Graces seem'd of graces lauish , Eyes that gaz'd on her to rauish . 42. Locks like streames of licquid Amber , Smooth downe dangling seem'd to spred , Hangings fit for Beauties chamber : Curtins fit for Beauties bed : Of which slender golden sleaue , Loue his wanton nets did weaue . 43. Fore-head faire as summers face , Built vpon two Ebene Arkes ▪ Vnder which in equall space Stood two bright resplendant sparks : Sparkes excelling in their shine , Fairest beames of Ericyne . 44. From those Arkes , betweene these eyes , ( Eyes that arme Loues Archers tillar ) Euen descending did arise , Like a pale Piram●d pillar , That faire dubble-doored port , Where sweet Zephyr loues to sport . 45. On each side whereof extended Fields , wherein did euer grow Roses , Lillies , Violets blended , Steept in streames of sanguine snow : Red-white hils , and white-red plaines Azure vales , and azure vaines . 46. Vaines , whose saphir seas do slide ( Branch-wise winding in and out ) With a gentle flowing tide All that Little World about , Vp and downe , aloft and vnder , To fill all this world with wonder . 47. With her mouth I meddle not , Nor with Ecchoes dainty mazes , Left these hearing any iot Mis reported of her prayses , That in forming it incense To reproue my proud offence . 48. But fond he that ouerskips ( Fearing fancies Had-I-wist ) Those smooth smiling louely lips , Which each other alwaies kist . Sweetly swelling round like cherries , Fragrant as our garden-berries . 49. Lippes like leaues of Damask Rose , Ioyned iust in equall measure , Which in their sweete folds inclose Plenteous store of pretious treasure : Treasures more then may be told , Balme , and Pearles , and purest gold . 50. Balme her breth , for so it smelt ; Pearles , those pales about the Parke , Where that golden Image dwelt , Her pure tongue that most I marke : Such a tongue , as with my tung Neuer can enough be sung . 51. Now remaines of all this I●● Onely that white Iuorie Ball , Dimpled with a chearefull smile , Which the Cape of Loue I call . ●den was this Iland ( Madam ) While I gaz'd , mine eye was Adam . 52. Next he● Swan-like necke I saw , Then those spotlesse snowie mountaines , Which when Loues warme Sunne shall thaw , Shall resolue in Nectar fountaines : Twixt which mountaines lies a valley , Like Joues heauenly milken alley . 53. What my Song should further say , Art enuying my delight , ( As the night conceales the day ) Shrowdes in shaddowes from my sight Art that addes so much to others , Here a world of beauties smothers . 54. Yet not so , but that I saw , As the Sunne shines through the rack , Smalling downe by measures law , Her straight comely shapen backe : Which though well it liked mee , Lest of all I long'd to see . 55. But her slender virgin Waste Made me beare her girdle spight , Which the same by day imbraste , Though it were cast off at night ; That I wisht , I dare not say , To be girdle night and day . 56. Left those hands that here I kisse , As offended therewithall , Rise to chastise mine amisse , Though their rage be rare and small ; Yet God shield her praises singer , Should offend her little finger . 57. Yet I seare in much I shall , For to say her hands are white , Slicke and slender , fingers small , Straight and long ; her knockles dight With curled Roses , and her nailes With pearle-muscles shining skailes . 58. These are praises great , I grant ; But full often heard I before , Many may like honours vant , Such as these haue many more : Hers are such , as such are none , Saue that hers are such alone ? 59. For , if she had liued , when Proud Arachne was aliue , Pallas had not needed then To come downe with her to striue : Her faire fingers , finely fast Had Arachnes cunning past . 60. But when to the musicke choice Of those nimble ioynts she marries Th' Eccho of her Angel-voice , Then the praise and prize she carries Both from Orpheus and Amphion , Shaming Lynus and Arion . 61. Here before her nimble feet Fall we flat ( mine humble muse ) To endeauour ( as is meet ) All our errors to excuse : For these are the beautious bases That support this frame of graces . 62. Now , like as a Princely building , Rare for Modell , rich for matter , Beautified without with guilding , Fond beholders eyes to flatter , Inwardly containeth most Both of cunning and of cost . 63. So this frame , in framing which Nature her owne selfe excelled , Though the outward walles were rich , Yet within the same there dwelled Rarest beauties , richest treasures , Chiefe delights , and choicest pleasures . 64. For within this curious Pallace , Mongst the Muses and the Graces , Phebe chaste , and charming Pallas Kept their Courts in sundry places , Lawes of vertue to enactize , There proclaim'd in daily practize . 65. Here the Foster waxing faint , Looked on the louely Dame , Sighing-saying , Gracious Saint , Heere-hence all my sorrowes cam● Lady , pardon , if my song Haue detain'd yee ouer-long . 66. Not your song you● sorrowes se●ne Longer then I would ( quoth she ) Yet , as yet I cannot deeme How ●our griefes with this agree : For did this faire sight intrap yee , This faire sight might make ye happie . 67. Happie ( me vnhappy most ) ( Then replide he ) had I been , Had my life or light been lost Ere my sight that sight had seene ; Then had I not liu'd to languish In this ease-lesse end-lesse anguish . 68. But because you doubt ( faire Dame ) How from such a heauen as this , Full of euery beauties flame , Full of bounty , full of blisse , Full of each delightfull ioy , Could descend the least auoy . 69. If you daigne attend I le tell , ( As my feeble tongue will let me ) All misfortune that befell , Though the thought thereof doe fret me : Madam , so your kindnes moues me , That to shew you all behoues me : 70. Therefore thinke vpon ( I pray ) What , when first my tale begun , Was forespoken to bewray Shifts of Cythereas sonne , How , for feare I should haue spide him In a Bear the Vrchin hid him . 71. Thence from , crafty Cupid shot All the arrowes of his quiuer : But my heart that yeelded not , Made them all in sunder shiuer : Till he full of shame and sorrow , Better bow and shafts did borrow . 72. Borrow did he of that Bear , Armes more apt to work my wo , Stringing with her golden haire Her faire browes , he made his bow : Whence for shafts he shot likewise , Beames of her keene-peircing cies . 73. Of which Diamond-headed dartes , Beating hard my bosomes Center , Whence resisting power departs , Where but these , none else could enter : Some abiding , some rebounded , Wherewithall the Bear was wounded . 74. Wounded was the gentle Bear , With the weapons that she lent , That she lent ( alas ) for feare , Lest the Loue God should her shent : So we see , who lend their armes , Oft procure their proper harmes . 75. So did harmelesse she ( alas ) That I euer must bemone , Mone I must , for nueer was Marble-hearted Mirmidon But would mone , and morne , and melt , To haue seene the paine she felt . 76. To haue seene her pitious plaining , To haue heard her loud lamenting , To haue thought on her complaining , To imagine her tormenting : Eyes would weep , and eares would wunder , Hardest hart would break in sunder . 77. So mine eyes ▪ mine eares , and heart , Fild with waters , wonders , woes , Drowned , deafned , dead in part , Wel-nigh all their vertues lose Euery sence and all my reason Fled , and faild me for a season . 78. Here when this he had rehearsed , Ere the rufull rest could follow ; So the fresh remembrance pierced , That his voice waxt weake and hollow : Bitter teares abundant dropping , Drowned words their passage stopping . 79. Words were turn'd to sighes and sobbing ; Inward griefes did inlie grone : Hopelesse heart with heauie throbbing , Shew'd all signes of saddest mone . Signes made mone , but voice was mum , Small griefes speake , but great are dumb ▪ 80. Woe begun , and wondrous sorry Was the Goddesse to behold him , Through repeating of his storie In so sad a fit to fold him : Fearing further to prouoke him , Left new seaes of sorrow choke him . 81. For as Sea-coales flame the faster , When we cast cold water on them : Or as Children vnder Master , Morne the more , the more we mone them : So the more she spake , her speeches More increast his cries and skreeches . 82. Yet she would not so forsake him , Left some sauage hungry beast In this tragick trance should take him , Of his flesh to make a feast : Danger of which dire euent , Thus her pitie did preuent . 83. Loud her bugle Horne she blew , Babling Eccho voyce of vallies , Aierie Else , exempt from view , With the Forest musick dallies : Doubling so the curled winde , That the first was hard to finde : 84. Yet her nimble Nvmphs inured Often to the Fairies guile , Could not be so soone allured To ensu her subtle wile : For where first they heard the blast , Thither ward they trip it fast . 85. But because these maids had follow'd Egerly their game together ; They when first their Lady hollow'd , Could not by and by be with her : For before she sound the Foster , All her traine ( I told ye ) lost her . 86. In came these bright beauties than , Where as they their Lady found Standing by this wretched man , That lay there vpon the ground : With which wofull sight amazed , Each on him with wonder gazed . 85. To whom their Goddesse did relate All before that he had told her , All his miserable state : Who did all the while behold her With a heauy halfe shut eye As a man at point to die . 88. At which the Nymphes with pitie moued , Somewhat to asswage his woe For the Beares sake whom he loued , And that him had loued so , Bad him of their helpe assure him , For they could the Art to cure him . 89. For in a Groue thereby , there grew An hearbe which could loues power expell : Which ( but they ) none euer knew , As how it prospered neere a well , Where Diana vsed to bathe her , When the scorching heate did scath her . 90. Which the Siluans of those Groues Held in very high account : For therewith they 〈◊〉 their loues ▪ It was call'd Diana●s Fount , And that Hearb , the pride of Summer , Tooke that speciall vertue from her . 91. And the swiftest of the traine , Away to fetch the same was sent , Which her nimble ioynts did straine , And return'd incontinent , And the simple with her brought , By which the cure was strangely wrought . 92. Which vnto the sence applied As the iuyce thereof he tasted , He might ●eele euen in that tide How his old remembrance wasted By the medicine thus reuealed , Was the wofull Wood-man healed .