Ideas mirrour Amours in quatorzains.

Amour . 1. REade heere ( sweet Mayd ) the story of my wo , The drery abstracts of my endles cares : With my liues sorow enterlyned so , Smok'd with my sighes , and blotted with my teares . The sad memorials of my miseries , Pend in the griefe of myne afflicted ghost : My liues complaint in doleful Elegies , With so pure loue as tyme could neuer boast . Receaue the incense which I offer heere , By my strong fayth ascending to thy fame , My zeale , my hope , my vowes , my praise , my prayer , My soules oblations to thy sacred name . Which name my Muse to highest heauen shal raise , By chast desire , true loue , and vertues praise . Amour . 2. My fayre , if thou wilt register my loue , More then worlds volumes shall thereof arise , Preserue my teares , and thou thy selfe shalt proue A second flood downe rayning from mine eyes . Note but my sighes , and thine eyes shal behold , The Sun-beames smothered with immortall smoke : And if by thee my prayers may be enrold , They heauen and earth to pitty shall prouoke . Looke thou into my breast , and thou shalt see Chaste holy vowes for my soules sacrifice : That soule ( sweet Maide ) which so hath honored thee , Erecting Trophies to thy sacred eyes . Those eyes to my hart shining euer bright , When darknes hath obscur'd each other light . Amour . 3. My thoughts bred vp with Eagle-birds of loue , And for their vertues I desierd to know , Vpon the nest I set them , forth to proue , If they were of the Eagles kinde or no. But they no sooner saw my Sunne appeare , But on her rayes with gazing eyes they stood , Which proou'd my birds delighted in the ayre , And that they came of this rare kinglie brood . But now their plumes full sumd with sweet desire , To shew their kinde , began to clime the skies : Doe what I could my Eaglets would aspire , Straight mounting vp to thy celestiall eyes . And thus ( my faire ) my thoughts away be flowne , And from my breast into thine eyes be gone . Amour . 4. My faire , had I not erst adornd my Lute , With those sweet strings stolne from thy golden hayre , Vnto the world had all my ioyes been mute , Nor had I learn'd to descant on my faire . Had not mine eye seene thy Celestiall eye , Nor my hart knowne the power of thy name , My soule had ne'r felt thy Diuinitie , Nor my Muse been the trumpet of thy fame . But thy diuine perfections by their skill , This miracle on my poore Muse haue tried : And by inspiring , glorifide my quill , And in my verse thy selfe art deified . Thus from thy selfe the cause is thus deriued , That by thy fame all fame shall be suruiued . Amour . 5. Since holy Vestall lawes haue been neglected , The Gods pure fire hath been extinguisht quite : No Virgine once attending on that light , Nor yet those heauenly secrets once respected . 'Till thou alone to pay the heauens their dutie , Within the Temple of thy sacred name , With thine eyes kindling that Celestial flame , By those reflecting Sun-beames of thy beautie . Here Chastity that Vestall most diuine , Attends that Lampe with eye which neuer sleepeth , The volumes of Religions lawes shee keepeth , Making thy breast that sacred reliques shryne , Where blessed Angels singing day and night , Praise him which made that fire , which lends that light . Amour . 6. In one whole world is but one Phoenix found , A Phoenix thou , this Phoenix then alone , By thy rare plume thy kind is easly knowne , With heauenly colours dide , with natures wonder cround , Heape thine own vertues seasoned by their sunne , On heauenlie top of thy diuine desire : Then with thy beautie set the same on fire , So by thy death , thy life shall be begunne . Thy selfe thus burned in this sacred flame , With thine owne sweetnes al the heauens perfuming , And stil increasing as thou art consuming , Shalt spring againe from th' ashes of thy fame ; And mounting vp , shalt to the heauens ascend , So maist thou liue , past world , past fame , past end . Amour . 7. Stay , stay , sweet Time , behold or ere thou passe From world to world , thou long hast sought to see , That wonder now wherein all wonders be , Where heauen beholds her in a mortall glasse . Nay , looke thee Time in this Celestiall glasse , And thy youth past , in this faire mirror see : Behold worlds Beautie in her infancie , What shee was then , and thou or ere shee was . Now passe on Time , to after-worlds tell this , Tell truelie Time what in thy time hath beene , That they may tel more worlds what Time hath seene And heauen may ioy to think on past worlds blisse . Heere make a Period Time , and saie for mee , She was , the like that neuer was , nor neuer more shal be . Amour . 8. Vnto the World , to Learning , and to Heauen , Three nines there are , to euerie one a nine , One number of the earth , the other both diuine , One wonder woman now makes 3. od numbers euen . Nine orders first of Angels be in heauen , Nine Muses doe with learning still frequent : These with the Gods are euer resident : Nine worthy men vnto the world were giuen . My Worthie , one to these nine Worthies , addeth , And my faire Muse , one Muse vnto the nine : And my good Angell in my soule diuine , With one more order , these nine orders gladdeth . My Muse , my Worthy , and my Angell then , Makes euery one of these three nines a ten . Amour . 9. Beauty sometime in all her glory crowned , Passing by that cleere fountaine of thine eye : Her sun-shine face there chaunsing to espy , Forgot herselfe , and thought she had been drowned . And thus whilst Beautie on her beauty gazed , Who then yet liuing , deemd she had been dying , And yet in death , some hope of life espying , At her own rare perfections so amazed ; Twixt ioy and griefe , yet with a smyling frowning , The glorious sun-beames of her eyes bright shining , And shee on her owne destiny diuining , Threw in herselfe , to saue herselfe by drowning . The Well of Nectar , pau'd with pearle and gold , Where shee remaines for all eyes to behold . Amour . 10. Oft taking pen in hand , with words to cast my woes , Beginning to account the sum of all my cares , I well perceiue my griefe innumerable growes , And styll in reckonings rise more millions of dispayres . And thus deuiding of my fatall howres , The payments of my loue I read , and reading crosse , And in substracting , set my sweets vnto my sowres , Th' arerage of my ioyes , directs me to my losse . And thus mine eyes , a debtor to thine eye , Who by extortion gaineth all theyr lookes , My hart hath payd such grieuous vsury , That all her wealth lyes in thy Beauties bookes . And all is 〈◊〉 which hath been due to mee , And I a Banckrupt quite vndone by thee . Amour . 11. Thine eyes taught mee the Alphabet of loue , To con my Cros-rowe ere I learn'd to spell : For I was apt a scholler like to proue , Gaue mee sweet lookes when as I learned well . Vowes were my vowels when I then begun At my first Lesson in thy sacred name , My consonants the next when I had done , Words consonant , and sounding to thy fame . My liquids then were liquid christall teares , My cares my mutes so mute to craue reliefe , My dolefull Dypthongs were my liues dispaires , Redoubling sighes the accents of my griefe : My loues Schoole-mistris now hath taught me so , That I can reade a story of my woe . Amour . 12. Some Athiest or vile Infidell in loue , When I doe speake of thy diuinitie , May blaspheme thus , and say , I flatter thee : And onely write , my skill in verse to proue . See myracles , yee vnbeleeuing see , A dumbe-borne Muse made to expresse the mind , A cripple hand to write , yet lame by kind , One by thy name , the other touching thee . Blind were mine eyes , till they were seene of thine , And mine eares deafe , by thy fame healed be , My vices cur'd , by vertues sprung from thee , My hopes reuiu'd which long in graue had lyne . All vnclean thoughts , foule spirits cast out in mee , By thy great power , and by strong fayth in thee . Amour . 13. Cleere Ankor , on whose siluer-sanded shore , My soule-shrinde Saint , my faire Idea lyes : O blessed Brooke , whose milk-white Swans adore That christall streame refined by her eyes . Where sweet Myrh-breathing Zephyre in the spring , Gently distils his Nectar-dropping showers : Where Nightingals in Arden sit and sing , Amongst those dainty dew-empearled flowers . Say thus fayre Brooke when thou shalt see thy Queene , Loe , heere thy Shepheard spent his wandring yeeres : And in these shades ( deer Nimphe ) he oft hath been , And heere to thee he sacrifiz'd his teares . Fayre Arden , thou by Tempe art alone And thou sweet Ankor art my Helicon . Amour . 14. Looking into the glasse of my youths miseries , I see the vgly face of my deformed cares , With withered browes , all wrinckled with dispaires , That for my mis-spent youth the tears fel from my eyes . Then in these teares , the mirrors of these eyes , Thy fayrest youth and Beautie doe I see , Imprinted in my teares by looking still on thee : Thus midst a thousand woes , ten thousand ioyes arise . Yet in these ioyes , the shadowes of my good , In this fayre limmed ground as white as snow , Paynted the blackest Image of my woe , With murthering hands imbrud in mine own blood . And in thys Image 〈◊〉 darke clowdy eyes , My life , my youth , my loue , I heere Anotamize . Amour . 15. Now Loue , if thou wilt proue a Conqueror , Subdue thys Tyrant euer martyring mee , And but appoint me for her Tormentor , Then for a Monarch will I honour thee . My hart shall be the prison for my fayre , I le fetter her in chaines of purest loue , My sighes shall stop the passage of the ayre : This punishment the pittilesse may moue . With teares out of the Channels of mine eyes , She'st quench her thirst as duly as they fall : Kinde words vnkindest meate I can deuise , My sweet , my faire , my good , my best of all . I le binde her then with my torne-tossed haire , And racke her with a thousand holy wishes . Then on a place prepared for her there , I le execute her with a thousand kisses . Thus will I crucifie my cruell shee , Thus I le plague her which so hath plagued mee . Amour . 16. Vertues Idea in virginitie , By inspiration , came conceau'd with thought : The time is come deluered she must be , Where first my Loue into the world was brought . Vnhappy Borne , of all vnhappy day , So luckles was my Babes natiuity : Saturne chiefe Lord of the Ascendant lay , The wandring Moone in earths triplicitie . Now , or by chaunce , or heauens hie prouidence , His Mother died , and by her Legacie , ( Fearing the stars presaged influence , ) Bequeath'd his wardship to my soueraignes eye ; There hunger star●en , wanting lookes to liue , Still empty gorg'd , with cares consumption pynde , Salt luke-warme teares shee for his drinke did giue , And euer-more with sighes he supt and dynde . And thus ( poore Orphan ) lying in distresse , ●yes in his pangs , God helpe the motherlesse . Amour . 17. If euer wonder could report a wonder , Or tongue of wonder worth could tell a wonder thought , Or euer ioy expresse , what perfect ioy hath taught , Then wonder , tongue , then ioy , might wel report a wonder . Could all conceite conclude , which past conceite admireth , Or could mine eye but ayme , her obiects past perfection , My words might imitate my deerest thoughts direction : And my soule then obtaine which so my soule desireth . Were not Inuention stauld , treading Inuentions maze , Or my swift-winged Muse tyred by too hie flying , Did not perfection still on her perfection gaze , Whilst Loue ( my Phoenix bird ) in her own flame is dying , Inuention and my Muse , perfection and her loue , Should teach the world to know the wonder that I proue . Amour . 18. Some when in ryme they of their Loues doe tell , With flames and lightning their exordiums paynt , Some inuocate the Gods , some spirits of Hell , And heauen , and earth , doe with their woes acquaint . Elizia is too hie a seate for mee , I wyll not come in Stixe nor Phlegiton , The Muses nice , the Furies cruell be , I lyke not Limbo , nor blacke Acheron , Spightfull Errinis frights mee with her lookes , My manhood dares not with foule Ate mell , I quake to looke on Hecats charming bookes , I styll feare bugbeares in Apollos Cell . I passe not for Minerua nor Astraea , But euer call vpon diuine Idea . Amour . 19. If those ten Regions registred by Fame , By theyr ten Sibils haue the world controld , Who prophecied of Christ or ere he came , And of hys blessed birth before fore-told . That man-god now of whom they dyd diuine , This earth of those sweet Prophets hath bereft , And since the world to iudgement doth declyne , In steed of ten , one Sibil to vs left . Thys , pure Idea , vertues right Idea , Shee of whom Merlin long tyme did fore-tell , Excelling her of Delphos or Cumaea , Whose lyfe doth saue a thousand soules from hell : That life ( I meane ) which doth Religion teach , And by example , true repentance preach . Amour . 20. Reading sometyme , my sorrowes to beguile , I find old Poets hylls and floods admire . One , he doth wonder monster-breeding Nyle , Another , meruailes Sulphure Aetnas fire . Now broad-brymd Indus , then of Pindus height , Pelion and Ossa , frosty Caucase old , The Delian Cynthus , then Olympus weight , Slow Arrer , frantick Gallus , Cydnus cold . Some Ganges , Ister , and of Tagus tell , Some whir-poole Po , and slyding Hypasis , Some old Pernassus , where the Muses dwell , Some Helycon , and some faire Simois , A fooles thinke I , had you Idea seene , Poore Brookes and Banks had no such wonders beene . Amour . 21. Letters and lynes we see are soone defaced , Mettles doe waste , and fret with cankers rust , The Diamond shall once consume to dust , And freshest colours with foule staines disgraced . Paper and yncke , can paynt but naked words , To write with blood , of force offends the sight , And if with teares , I find them all too light : And sighes and signes a silly hope affoords . O sweetest shadow , how thou seru'st my turne , Which still shalt be as long as there is Sunne , Nor whilst the world is , neuer shall be done , Whilst Moone shall shyne by night , or any fire shall burne . That euery thing whence shadow doth proceede , May in his shadow my Loues story reade . Amour . 22. My hart imprisoned in a hopeles I le , Peopled with Armies of pale iealous eyes , The shores beset with thousand secret spyes , Must passe by ayre , or else dye in exile . He framd him wings with feathers of his thought , Which by theyr nature learn'd to mount the skye , And with the same he practised to flye , Till he himselfe thys Eagles art had taught . Thus soring still , nor looking once below , So neere thyne eyes celestiall sunne aspyred , That with the rayes his wasting py●eons fired . Thus was the wanton cause of hys owne woe . Downe fell he in thy Beauties O●●an drenched , Yet there he burnes , in fire that s neuer quenched . Amour . 23 Wonder of Heauen , glasse of diuinitie , Rare beauty , Natures ioy , perfections Mother , The worke of that vnited Trinitie , Wherein each fayrest part excelleth other . Loues Methridate , the purest of perfection , Celestiall Image , Load-stone of desire , The soules delight , the sences true direction , Sunne of the world , thou hart reuyuing fire . Why should'st thou place thy Trophies in those eyes , Which scorne the honor that is done to thee , Or make my pen her name imortalize , Who in her pride sdaynes once to looke on mee . It is thy heauen within her face to dwell , And in thy heauen , there onely is my hell . Amour . 24. Our floods-Queene Thames , for shyps & Swans is crowned , And stately Seuerne , for her shores is praised , The christall Trent , for Foords & fishe renowned , And Auons fame , to Albyons Cliues is raysed . Carlegion Chester , vaunts her holy Dee , Yorke , many wonders of her Ouse can tell , The Peake her Doue , whose bancks so fertill bee , And Kent will say , her Medway doth excell . Cotswoold commends her Isis and her Tame , Our Northern borders boast of Tweeds faire flood , Our Westerne parts extoll theyr Wilys fame , And old Legea brags of Danish blood : Ardens sweet Ankor let thy glory be , That fayre Idea shee doth liue by thee . Amour . 25. The glorious sunne went blushing to his bed , When my soules sunne from her fayre Cabynet , Her golden beames had now discouered , Lightning the world , eclipsed by his set . Some muz'd to see the earth enuy the ayre , Which from her lyps exhald refined sweet , A world to see , yet how he ioyd to heare The dainty grasse make musicke with her feete . But my most meruaile was when from the skyes , So Comet-like each starre aduaunc'd her lyght , As though the heauen had now awak'd her eyes , And summond Angels to thys blessed sight . No clowde was seene , but christaline the ayre , Laughing for ioy vpon my louely fayre , Amour . 26. Cupid , dumbe Idoll , peeuish Saint of loue , No more shalt thou nor Saint nor Idoll be , No God art thou , a Goddesse shee doth proue , Of all thine honour shee hath robbed thee . Thy Bowe halfe broke , is peec'd with olde desire , Her Bowe is beauty , with ten thousand strings , Of purest gold , tempred with vertues fire : The least able to kyll an hoste of Kings . Thy shafts be spent , and shee ( to warre appointed ) Hydes in those christall quiuers of her eyes , More Arrowes with hart-piercing mettel poynted , Then there be starres at midnight in the skyes . With these , she steales mens harts for her reliefe , Yet happy he that s robd of such a thiefe . Amour . 27 My Loue makes hote the fire whose heat is spent , The water , moysture from my teares deriueth : And my strong sighes , the ayres weake force reuiueth This loue , tears , sighes , maintaine each one his element The fire , vnto my loue , compare a painted fire , The water , to my teares , as drops to Oceans be , The ayre , vnto my sighes , as Eagle to the fire , The passions of dispaire , but ioyes to my desire . Onely my loue is in the fire ingraued , Onely my teares by Oceans may be gessed , Onely my sighes are by the ayre expressed , Yet fire , water , ayre , of nature not depriued . Whilst fire , water , ayre , twixt heauen & earth shal be , My loue , my teares , my sighes , extinguisht cannot be . Amour . 28. Some wits there be , which lyke my method well , And say my verse runnes in a lofty vayne , Some say I haue a passing pleasing straine , Some say that in my humor I excell . Some , who reach not the height of my conceite , They say , ( as Poets doe ) I vse to fayne , And in bare words paynt out my passions payne . Thus sundry men , their sundry minds repeate . I passe not I how men affected be , Nor who commend or discommend my verse , It pleaseth me if I my plaints rehearse , And in my lynes if shee my loue may see . I proue my verse autentique still in thys , Who writes my Mistres praise , can neuer write amisse . Amour . 29. O eyes , behold your happy Hesperus , That luckie Load-starre of eternall light , Left as that sunne alone to comfort vs , When our worlds sunne is vanisht out of sight . O starre of starres , fayre Planet mildly moouing , O Lampe of vertue , sun-bright , euer shyning , O mine eyes Comet , so admyr'd by louing , O cleerest day-starre , neuer more declyning . O our worlds wonder , crowne of heauen aboue , Thrice happy be those eyes which may behold thee , Lou'd more then life , yet onely art his loue , Whose glorious hand immortall hath enrold thee . O blessed fayre , now vaile those heauenly eyes , That I may blesse mee at thy sweet arise . Amour . 30. Three sorts of Serpents doe resemble thee , That daungerous eye-killing Cockatrice , Th' inchaunting Syren , which doth so entice , The weeping Crocodile : these vile pernicious three . The Basiliske his nature takes from thee , Who for my life in secrete waite do'st lye , And to my hart send'st poyson from thine eye , Thus do I feele the paine , the cause , yet cannot see . Faire-mayd no more , but Mayr-maid be thy name , Who with thy sweet aluring harmony Hast playd the thiefe , and stolne my hart from me . And like a Tyrant mak'st my griefe thy game . Thou Crocodile , who when thou hast me slaine , Lament'st my death , with teares of thy disdaine . Amour . 31. Sitting alone , loue bids me goe and write , Reason plucks backe , commaunding me to stay , Boasting that shee doth still direct the way , Els senceles loue could neuer once endite . Loue growing angry , vexed at the spleene , And scorning Reasons maymed Argument , Straight taxeth Reason , wanting to inuent , Where shee with Loue conuersing hath not beene . Reason reproched with this coy disdaine , Dispighteth Loue , and laugheth at her folly , And Loue contemning Reasons reason wholy , Thought her in weight too light by many a graine Reason put back , doth out of sight remoue , And Loue alone finds reason in my loue . Amour . 32. Those teares which quench my hope , still kindle my desire , Those sighes which coole my hart , are coles vnto my loue . Disdayne Ice to my life , is to my soule a fire , With teares , sighes , & disdaine , thys contrary I proue . Quenchles desire , makes hope burne , dryes my teares , Loue heats my hart , my hart-heat my sighes warmeth , With my soules fire , my life disdaine out-weares , Desire , my loue , my soule , my hope , hart , & life charmeth . My hope becomes a friend to my desire , My hart imbraceth Loue , Loue doth imbrace my hart , My life a Phoenix is in my soules fire , From thence ( they vow ) they neuer will depart . Desire , my loue , my soule , my hope , my hart , my life , With teares , sighes , and disdaine , shall haue immortal strife . Amour . 33. Whilst thus mine eyes doe surfet with delight , My wofull hart imprisond in my breast , Wishing to be trans-formd into my sight , To looke on her by whom mine eyes are blest . But whilst mine eyes thus greedily doe gaze , Behold , their obiects ouer-soone depart , And treading in thys neuer-ending maze , Wish now to be trans-formd into my hart . My hart surcharg'd with thoughts , sighes in abundance raise , My eyes made dim with lookes , poure down a flood of tears , And whilst my hart and eye , enuy each others praise , My dying lookes and thoughts are peiz'd in equall feares . And thus whilst sighes and teares together doe contende , Each one of these , doth ayde vnto the other lende . Amour . 34. My fayre , looke from those turrets of thine eyes , Into the Ocean of a troubled minde , Where my poore soule , the Barke of sorrow lyes , Left to the mercy of the waues and winde . See where shee flotes , laden with purest loue , Which those fayre Ilands of thy lookes affoord , Desiring yet a thousand deaths to proue , Then so to cast her Ballase ouer boord . See how her sayles be rent , her tacklings worne , Her Cable broke , her surest Anchor lost , Her Marryners doe leaue her all forforne , Yet how shee bends towards that blessed Coast. Loe where she drownes , in stormes of thy displeasure , Whose worthy prize should haue enritcht thy treasure . Amour . 35. See chaste Diana , where my harmles hart , Rouz'd from my breast , his sure and safest layre , Nor chaste by hound , nor forc'd by Hunters arte , Yet see how right he comes vnto my fayre . See how my Deere comes to thy Beauties stand , And there stands gazing on those darting eyes , Whilst from theyr rayes by Cupids skilfull hand , Into his hart the piercing Arrow flyes . See how hee lookes vpon his bleeding wound , Whilst thus he panteth for his latest breath , And looking on thee , falls vpon the ground , Smyling , as though he gloried in his death . And wallowing in his blood , some lyfe yet laft , His stone-cold lips doth kisse the blessed shaft . Amour . 36. Sweete sleepe so arm'd wth Beauties arrowes darting , Sleepe in thy Beauty , Beauty in sleepe appeareth , Sleepe lightning Beauty , Beauty sleepes darknes cleereth , Sleepes wonder Beauty , wonders to worlds imparting . Sleep watching Beauty , Beauty waking , sleepe guarding , Beauty in sleepe , sleepe in Beauty charmed , Sleepes aged coldnes , with Beauties fire warmed , Sleepe with delight , Beauty with loue rewarding . Seepe and Beauty , with equall forces stryuing , Beauty her strength vnto sleepes weaknes lending , Sleepe with Beauty , Beauty with sleepe contending , Yet others force , the others force reuiuing : And others foe , the others foe imbrace , Myne eyes beheld thys conflict in thy face . Amour . 37. I euer loue , where neuer hope appeares , Yet hope drawes on my neuer-hoping care , And my liues hope would die but for dyspaire , My neuer certaine ioy , breeds euer-certaine feares . Vncertaine-dread , gyues wings vnto my hope , Yet my hopes wings are loden so with feare , As they cannot ascend to my hopes spheare , Yet feare gyues them more then a heauenly scope : Yet thys large roome is bounded with dyspaire , So my loue is styll fettered with vaine hope , And lyberty depriues hym of hys scope , And thus am I imprisond in the ayre ; Then sweet Dispaire , awhile hold vp thy head , Or all my hope for sorrow will be dead . Amour . 38. If chaste and pure deuotion of my youth , Or glorie of my Aprill-springing yeeres , Vnfained loue , in naked simple truth , A thousand vowes , a thousand sighes and teares : Or if a world of faithfull seruice done , Words , thoughts and deeds deuoted to her honor , Or eyes that haue beheld her as theyr sunne , With admiration , euer looking on her . A lyfe , that neuer ioyd but in her loue , A soule , that euer hath ador'd her name , A fayth , that time nor fortune could not moue , A Muse , that vnto heauen hath raisd her fame . Though these , nor these deserue to be imbraced , Yet faire vnkinde , too good to be disgraced . Amour . 39. Die , die , my soule , and neuer taste of ioy , If sighes , nor teares , nor vowes , nor prayers can moue , If fayth and zeale be but esteemd a toy , And kindnes , be vnkindnes in my loue . Then with vnkindnes , Loue reuenge thy wrong , O sweet'st reuenge that ere the heauens gaue , And with the Swan record thy dying song , And praise her still to thy vntimely graue . So in loues death shall loues perfection proue , That loue diuine which I haue borne to you , By doome concealed to the heauens aboue , That yet the world vnworthy neuer knewe , Whose pure Idea neuer tongue exprest , I feele , you know , the heauens can tell the rest . Amour . 40. O thou vnkindest fayre , most fayrest shee , In thine eyes tryumph murthering my poore hart , Now doe I sweare by heauens , before we part , My halfe-slaine hart shall take reuenge on thee . Thy Mother dyd her lyfe to Death resigne , And thou an Angell art , and from aboue , Thy father was a man , that will I proue , Yet thou a Goddesse art , and so diuine . And thus if thou be not of humaine kinde , A Bastard on both sides needes must thou be , Our Lawes alow no Land to basterdy : By natures Lawes we thee a Bastard finde . Then hence to heauen vnkind , for thy childs part , Goe Bastard , for sure of thence thou art . Amour . 41. Rare of-spring of my thoughts , my deerest Loue , Begot by fancy , on sweet hope exhortiue , In whom all purenes with perfection stroue , Hurt in the Embryon , makes my ioyes abhortiue . And you my sighes , Symtomas of my woe , The dolefull Anthems of my endlesse care , Lyke idle Ecchoes euer aunswering : so , The mournfull accents of my loues dispayre . And thou Conceite , the shadow of my blisse , Declyning with the setting of my sunne , Springing with that , and fading straight with this , Now hast thou end , and now thou wast begun . Now was thy pryme , and loe , now is thy waine , Now wast thou borne , now in thy cradle slayne . Amour . 42 Plac'd in the forlorne hope of all dispayre , Against the Forte where Beauties Army lies , Assayld with death , yet arm'd with gastly feare , Loe thus my loue , my lyfe , my fortune tryes . Wounded with Arrowes from thy lightning eyes , My tongue in payne , my harts counsels bewraying , My rebell thought for me in Ambushe lyes , To my loues foe her Chieftaine still betraying . Record my loue in Ocean waues ( vnkind , ) Cast my desarts into the open ayre , Commit my words vnto the fleeting wind , Cancell my name , and blot it with dispayre , So shall I be , as I had neuer beene , Nor my disgraces to the world be seene . Amour . 43. Why doe I speake of ioy , or write of loue , When my hart is the very Den of horror , And in my soule the paynes of hell I proue , With all his torments and infernall terror . Myne eyes want teares thus to bewayle my woe , My brayne is dry with weeping all too long , My sighes be spent with griefe and sighing so , And I want words for to expresse my wrong But still distracted in loues Lunacy , And Bedlam like thus rauing in my griefe , Now rayle vpon her hayre , now on her eye , Now call her Goddesse , then I call her thiefe , Now I deny her , then I doe confesse her , Now doe I curse her , then againe I blesse her . Amour . 44. My hart the Anuile where my thoughts doe beate , My words the hammers , fashioning my desires , My breast the forge , including all the heate , Loue is the fuell which maintaines the fire . My sighes , the bellowes which the flame increaseth , Filling myne eares with noyse and nightly groning , Toyling with paine , my labour neuer ceaseth , In greevous passions my woes styll bemoning . Myne eyes with teares against the fire stryuing , With scorching gleed my hart to cynders turneth : But with those drops the coles againe reuyuing , Still more and more vnto my torment burneth . With Sisiphus thus doe I role the stone , And turne the wheele with damned Ixion . Amour . 45 Blacke pytchy Night , companyon of my woe , The Inne of care , the Nurse of drery sorrow , Why lengthnest thou thy darkest howres so , Still to prolong my long tyme lookt-for morrow ? Thou Sable shadow , Image of dispayre Portraite of hell , the ayres black mourning weed , Recorder of reuenge , remembrancer of care , The shadow and the vaile of euery sinfull deed . Death like to thee , so lyue thou still in death , The graue of ioy , pryson of dayes delight , Let heauens withdraw their sweet Ambrozian breath , Nor Moone nor stars lend thee their shining light . For thou alone renew'st that olde desire , Which still torments me in dayes burning fire . Amour . 46. Sweet secrecie , what tongue can tell thy worth ? What mortall pen suffyciently can prayse thee ? What curious Pensill serues to lim thee forth ? What Muse hath power , aboue thy height to raise thee ? Strong locke of kindnesse , Closet of loues store , Harts Methridate , the soules preseruatiue , O vertue , which all vertues doe adore , Cheefe good , from whom all good things we deriue . O rare effect , true bond of friendships measure , Conceite of Angels , which all wisdom teachest , O richest Casket of all heauenly treasure , In secret silence , which such wonders preachest , O purest merror , wherein men may see The liuely Image of Diuinitie . Amour . 47. The golden Sunne vpon his fiery wheeles , The horned Ram doth in his course awake : And of iust length our night and day doth make , Flinging the Fishes backward with his heeles . Then to the Tropicke takes his full Careere , Trotting his sun-steeds till the Palfrays sweat , Bayting the Lyon in his furious heat , Till Virgins smyles doe sound his sweet reteere . But my faire Planet , who directs me still , Vnkindly , such distemprature doth bring , Makes Summer Winter , Autumne in the Spring , Crossing sweet nature by vnruly will . Such is the sunne , who guides my youthfull season , Whose thwarting course , depriues the world of reason . Amour . 48. Who list to praise the dayes delicious lyght , Let him compare it to her heauenly eye : The sun-beames to that lustre of her sight , So may the learned like the similie . The mornings Crimson , to her lyps alike , The sweet of Eden , to her breathes perfume , The fayre Elizia , to her fayrer cheeke , Vnto her veynes , the onely Phoenix plume . The Angels tresses , to her tressed hayre , The Galixia , to her more then white : Praysing the fayrest , compare it to my faire , Still naming her , in naming all delight . So may he grace all these in her alone , Superlatiue in all comparison . Amour . 49. Define my loue , and tell the ioyes of heauen , Expresse my woes , and shew the paynes of hell , Declare what fate vnlucky starres haue giuen , And aske a world vpon my life to dwell . Make knowne that fayth , vnkindnes could not moue , Compare my worth with others base desert , Let vertue be the tuch-stone of my loue , So may the heauens reade wonders in my hart . Behold the Clowdes which haue eclips'd my sunne , And view the crosses which my course doth let , Till mee , if euer since the world begunne , So faire a Morning had so foule a set ? And by all meanes , let black vnkindnes proue , The patience of so rare diuine a loue . Amour . 50. When first I ended , then I first began , The more I trauell , further from my rest , Where most I lost , there most of all I wan , Pyned with hunger , rysing from a feast . Mee thinks I flee , yet want I legs to goe , Wise in conceite , in acte a very sot , Rauisht with ioy , amidst a hell of woe , What most I seeme , that surest am I not . I build my hopes , a world aboue the skye , Yet with the Mole , I creepe into the earth , In plenty , am I staru'd with penury , And yet I surfet in the greatest dearth . I haue , I want , dispayre , and yet desire , Burn'd in a Sea of Ice , & drown'd amidst a fire . Amour . 51. Goe you my lynes , Embassadors of loue , With my harts trybute to her conquering eyes , From whence , if you one teare of pitty moue For all my woes , that onely shall suffise . When you Minerua in the sunne behold , At her perfection stand you then and gaze , Where , in the compasse of a Marygold , Meridianis sits within a maze . And let Inuention of her beauty vaunt , When Dorus sings his sweet Pamelas loue , And tell the Gods , Mars is predominant . Seated with Sol , and weares Mineruas gloue . And tell the world , that in the world there is A heauen on earth , on earth no heauen but this . FINIS .

THE EIGHTH EGLOG. Good Gorbo of the golden world , and Saturns raigne doth tell , And afterward doth make reporte , of bonnie Dowsabell . Motto . SHepheard why creepe we in this lowly vaine , as though our muse no store at all affordes , Whilst others vaunt it with the frolicke swayne , and strut the stage with reperfumed wordes . See how these yonkers raue it out in rime , who make a traffique of their rarest wits , And in Bellonas buskin tread it fine , like Bacchus priests raging in franticke fits . Those mirtle Groues decay'd , done growe againe , their rootes refresht with Heliconas spring , Whose pleasant shade inuites the homely swayne , to sit him downe and heare the Muses sing . Then if thy Muse hath spent her wonted zeale , with Iuie twist thy temples shall be crownd , Or if she dares hoyse vp top-gallant sayle , Amongst the rest , then may she be renownd . Gorbo . My boy , these yonkers reachen after fame , and so done presse into the learned troupe , With filed quill to glorifie their name , which otherwise were pend in shamefull coupe . But this hie obiect hath abiected me , and I must pipe amongst the lowly sorte , Those little heard-groomes who admir'd to see , when I by Moone-shine made the fayries sporte . Who dares describe the toyles of Hercules , and puts his hand to fames eternall penne , Must inuocate the soule of Hercules , attended with the troupes of conquered men . Who writes of thrice renowmed Theseus , a monster-tamers rare description , Trophies the iawes of vglie Cerberus , and paynts out Styx , and fiery Acheron . My Muse may not affect night-charming spels , whose force effects th' Olympicke vault to quake , Nor call those grysly Goblins from their Cels , the euer-damned frye of Limbo lake . And who erects the braue Pyramides , of Monarches or renowned warriours , Neede bath his quill for such attempts as these , in flowing streames of learned Maros showres For when the great worlds conquerer began , to proue his helmet and his habergeon , The sweat that from the Poets-God Orpheus ran , foretold his Prophets had to play vpon . When Pens and Launces sawe the Olympiad prize , those chariot triumphes with the Lawrell crowne , Then gan the worthies glorie first to rise , and plumes were vayled to the purple gowne . The grauest Censor , sagest Senator , with wings of Iustice and Religion , Mounted the top of Nimrods statelie Tower , soring vnto that hie celestiall throne : Where blessed Angels in their heauenly queares , chaunt Anthemes with shrill Syren harmonie , Tun'd to the sound of those aye-crouding sphears , Which herien their makers eternitie . Those who foretell the times of vnborne men , and future things in foretime augured , Haue slumbred in that spell-gods darkest den , which first inspir'd his prophesiyng head . Sooth-saying Sibels sleepen long agone , we haue their reede , but few haue cond their Arte , Welch-wisard Merlyn , cleueth to a stone , no Oracle more wonders may impart . The Infant age could deftly caroll loue , till greedy thirst of that ambitious honor , Drew Poets pen , from his sweete lasses gloue , to chaunt of slaughtering broiles & bloody horror . Then Ioues loue-theft was priuily discri'd , how he playd false play in Amphitrios bed , And how Apollo in the mount of Ide , gaue Oenon phisick for her maydenhead . The tender grasse was then the softest bed , the pleasant'st shades were deem'd the statelyest hals , No belly-god with Bacchus banqueted , nor paynted ragges then couered rotten wals . Then simple loue with simple vertue way'd , flowers the fauours which true fayth reuayled , Kindnes with kindnes was againe repay'd , with sweetest kisses couenants were sealed . Then beauties selfe with her selfe beautified , scornd payntings pergit , and the borrowed hayre , Nor monstrous formes deformities did hide , nor foule was vernisht with compounded fayre . The purest fleece then couered purest skin , for pride as then with Lucifer remaynd : Deformed fashions now were to begin , nor clothes were yet with poysned liquor staynd . But when the bowels of the earth were sought , and men her golden intrayles did espie , This mischiefe then into the world was brought , this fram'd the mint which coynd our miserie . Then lofty Pines were by ambition hewne , and men sea-monsters swamme the brackish flood , In waynscot tubs , to seeke out worlds vnknowne , for certain ill to leaue assured good . The starteling steede is manag'd from the field , and serues a subiect to the riders lawes , He whom the churlish bit did neuer weeld , now feels the courb controll his angrie iawes . The hammering Vulcane spent his wasting fire , till he the vse of tempred mettals found , His anuile wrought the steeled cotes attire , and forged tooles to carue the foe-mans wound . The Citie builder then intrencht his towres , and wald his wealth within the fenced towne , Which afterward in bloudy stormy stours , kindled that flame which burnt his Bulwarks downe . And thus began th' Exordium of our woes , the fatall dumbe shewe of our miserie : Here sprang the tree on which our mischiefe growes , the drery subiect of worlds tragedie . Motto . Well , shepheard well , the golden age is gone , wishes may not reuoke that which is past : It were no wit to make two griefes of one , our prouerb sayth , Nothing can alwayes last . Listen to me my louely shepheards ioye , and thou shalt heare with mirth and mickle glee , A pretie Tale , which when I was a boy , my toothles Grandame oft hath tolde to me . Corbo . Shepheard say on , so may we passe the time , There is no doubt it is some worthy ryme . Motto . Farre in the countrey of Arden , There wond a knight hight Cassemen , as bolde as Isenbras : Fell was he and eger bent , In battell and in Tournament , as was the good sir Topas . He had as antique stories tell , A daughter cleaped Dowsabell , a mayden fayre and free : And for she was her fathers heire , Full well she was ycond the leyre , of mickle curtesie . The silke wel couth she twist and twine , And make the fine Marchpine , and with the needle werke , And she couth helpe the priest to say His Mattens on a holyday , and sing a Psalme in Kirke . She ware a frock of frolicke greene , Might well be seeme a mayden Queene , which seemly was to see . A hood to that so neat and fine , In colour like the colombine , y wrought full featuously . Her feature all as fresh aboue , As is the grasse that growes by Doue , as lyth as lasse of Kent : Her skin as soft as Lemster wooll , As white as snow on peakish hull , or Swanne that swims in Trent . This mayden in a morne betime , Went forth when May was in her prime , to get sweete Ce●ywall , The hony-suckle , the Harlocke , The Lilly and the Lady-smocke , to deck her summer hall . Thus as she wandred here and there , Y picking of the bloomed Breere , she chanced to espie A shepheard sitting on a bancke , Like Chanteclere he crowed crancke , and pip'd with merrie glee : He leard his sheepe as he him list , When he would whistle in his fist , to feede about him round : Whilst he full many a caroll sung , Vntill the fields and medowes rung , and that the woods did sound : In fauour this same shepheards swayne , was like the bedlam Tamburlayne , which helde prowd Kings in awe : But meeke he was as Lamb mought be , Y like that gentle Abel he , whom his lewd brother slaw . This shepheard ware a sheepe gray cloke , which was of the finest loke , that could be cut with sheere , His mittens were of Bauzens skinne , His cockers were of Cordiwin , his hood of Meniueere . His aule and lingell in a thong , His tar-boxe on his broad belt hong , his breech of Coyntrie blew : Full crispe and curled were his lockes , His browes as white as Albion rocks , so like a louer true . And pyping still he spent the day , So mery as the Popingay : which liked Dowsabell , That would she ought or would she nought , This lad would neuer from her thought : she in loue-longing fell , At length she tucked vp her frocke , White as the Lilly was her smocke , she drew the shepheard nie , But then the shepheard pyp'd a good , That all his sheepe forsooke their foode , to heare his melodie . Thy sheepe quoth she cannot be leane , That haue a iolly shepheards swayne , the which can pipe so well . Yea but ( sayth he ) their shepheard may , If pyping thus he pine away , in loue of Dowsabell . Of loue fond boy take thou no keepe , Quoth she , looke well vnto thy sheepe , lest they should hap to stray . Quoth he , so had I done full well , Had I not seene fayre Dowsabell , come forth to gather Maye . With that she gan to vaile her head , Her cheekes were like the Roses red , but not a word she sayd . With that the shepheard gan to frowne , He threw his pretie pypes adowne , and on the ground him layd . Sayth she , I may not stay till night , And leaue my summer hall vndight , and all for long of thee . My Coate sayth he , nor yet my foulde , Shall neither sheepe nor shepheard hould , except thou fauour me . Sayth she yet leuer I were dead , Then I should lose my maydenhead , and all for loue of men : Sayth he yet are you too vnkind , If in your heart you cannot finde , to loue vs now and then : And I to thee will be as kinde , As Colin was to Rosalinde , of curtesie the flower : Then will I be as true quoth she , As euer mayden yet might be , vnto her Paramour : With that she bent her snow-white knee , Downe by the shepheard kneeled shee , and him she sweetely kist . With that the shepheard whoop'd for ioy , Quoth he , ther 's neuer shepheards boy , that euer was so blist . Gorbo . Now by my sheep-hooke here 's a tale alone , Learne me the same and I will giue thee hier , This were as good as curds for our Ione , When at a night we sitten by the fire . Motto . Why gentle hodge I will not sticke for that , when we two meeten here another day , But see whilst we haue set vs downe to chat , yon tikes of mine begin to steale away . And if thou wilt but come vnto our greene , on Lammas day when as we haue our feast , Thou shalt sit next vnto our summer Queene , and thou shalt be the onely welcome guest .