FROM PHILOMELA, THE LADY FITZWATER'S NIGHTINGALE. (ED. 1615.) PHILOMELA'S ODE THAT SHE SUNG IN HER ARBOUR. · SITTING by a river's side, Where a silent stream did glide, That such happy bliss doth bring, No such quiet to the mind PHILOMELA'S SECOND ODE. Ir was frosty winter-season, And fair Flora's wealth was geason.+ Meads that erst with green were spread, With choice flowers diap'red, virgin] The 4to. "virgins." geason] i. e. rare, uncommon. Had tawny veils; cold had scanted * For the honour †† of love he shameth, For a minute's pleasure gaining, Then it burns that erst but heat him, SONNET. ON Women Nature did bestow two eyes, Like heaven's bright lamps, in matchless beauty shining, Whose beams do soonest captivate the wise, ANSWER. NATURE foreeseing how men would devise Both these await upon one simple heart, And what they choose, it hides up without change. The emerald will not with his portrait part, No more but one, and heart will never lose him. AN ODE. WHAT is love once disgrac'd, Jove could not hide Io's scape, Nor conceal Calisto's rape: Both did fault, and both were fram'd And greater sin 'cause great of gree; But Vulcan trapp'd her, and her blame Was punish'd with an open shame: *heaven's] The 4to. "Hemians." t who Hymen] The 4to. "whom Heimens." men's] The 4to. "man's." * grec] i. e. degree. FROM THE SECOND PART OF MAMILLIA. (ED. 1593.) VERSES AGAINST THE GENTLEWOMEN OF SICILIA. SINCE lady mild, too base in array, hath liv'd as an exile, None of account but stout; if plain, stale slut, not a courtress: Dames now-a-days, fie, none, if not new-guised in all points: Fancies fine, sauc'd with conceits, quick wits very wily, Words of a saint, but deeds guess how, feign'd faith to deceive men; Courtsies coy, no veil,* but a vaunt, trick'd up like a Tuscan, Pac'd in print, brave lofty looks, not us'd with the vestals; In hearts, too, glorious, not a glance but fit for an empress: As minds most valorous, so strange in array, marry, stately; Up from the waist like a man, new guise to be cas'd in a doublet, Down to the foot perhaps like a maid, but hos'd to the kneestead, Some close-breech'd to the crotch for cold, tush, peace, 'tis a shame, sir! Hairs by birth as black as jet, what! art can amend them, A periwig frounc'd fast to the front, or curl'd with a bodkin; FROM THE ORPHARION. (ED. 1599.) ORPHEUS' SONG. HE that did sing the motions of the stars, Of Hesper, henchman to the day and night; Sings now of love, as taught by proof to sing, Women are false, and love a bitter thing. I lov'd Eurydice, the brightest lass, More fond to like so fair a nymph as she; In Thessaly so bright none ever was, But fair and constant hardly may agree: She slipp'd aside, back to her latest love; THE SONG OF ARION. SEATED upon the crookèd dolphin's back, Scudding amidst the purple-colour'd waves, Hats from France, thick-pearl'd for pride and Gazing aloof for land; Neptune in black, plum'd like a peacock; Ruffs of a size, stiff-starch'd to the neck, of lawn, marry, lawless; Gowns of silk, why, those be too bad, side,† wide with a witness, Small and gent i' the waist, but backs as broad as a burgess; Needless naughts, as crisps and scarfs, worn à la Morisco, Fum'd with sweets, as sweet as chaste, no want but abundance. * veil] Qy. "vail," i. e. mark of recognition? (to "vail (i. e. lower) the bonnet," was a common expression).The 4to. has "vale." tside] i. e. long. Attended with the Tritons as his slaves, Threw forth such storms as made the air thick,§ For grief his lady Thetis was so sick. Such plaints he throbb'd as made the dolphin stay: [health," "Women," quoth he, "are harbours of man's Pleasures for night, and comforts for the day; What are fair women but rich nature's wealth? * Phoebe's] The 4to. "Phoebus." § Threw forth such storms as made the air thick] Here | "air" is a dissyllable: sce Walker's Shakespeare's Verncation, &c., p. 146. "Women are sweets that salve men's sourest ills; SONNET. CUPID abroad was lated in the night, Looking more narrow by the fire's flame, I spied his quiver hanging by his back: Doubting the boy might my misfortune frame, I would have gone for fear of further wrack; But what I drad, did me poor wretch betide, For forth he drew an arrow from his side. He pierc'd the quick, and I began to start, A pleasing wound, but that it was too high; His shaft procur'd a sharp, yet sugar'd smart: Away he flew, for why his wings were dry; But left the arrow sticking in my breast, That sore I griev'd I welcom'd such a guest. FROM PENELOPE'S WEB. (ED. 1601.) SONNET FROM ARIOSTO. THE Sweet content that quiets angry thought, The huswife's means to make true melody, When angry Jove did threat her with a frown, Caus'd Ganymede for nectar fast to hie, With pleasing face to wash such choler down; For angry husbands find the soonest ease, When sweet submission choler doth appease. The laurel that impales the head with praise, The gem that decks the breast of ivory, The pearl that's orient in her silver rays, The crown that honours dames with dignity; No sapphire, gold, green bays, nor margarite, But due obedience worketh this delight. BARMENISSA'S SONG. THE stately state that wise men count their good, Ne stately crown ambition doth require; The sceptre and the glittering pomp of mace, The head impal'd with honour and renown, The kingly throne, the seat and regal place, Are toys that fade when angry Fortune frown: Content is far from such delights as those, Whom woe and danger do envý as foes. The cottage seated in the hollow dale, That Fortune never fears because so low, The quiet mind that want doth set to sale, Sleeps safe when princes seats do overthrow : Want smiles secure when princely thoughts do feel That fear and danger tread upon their heel. Bless Fortune thou whose frown hath wrought thy good, Bid farewell to the crown that ends thy care; The happy Fates thy sorrows have withstood By 'signing want and poverty thy share: For now Content, fond Fortune to despite, With patience 'lows thee quiet and delight. VERSES. ASPIRING thoughts led Phaethon amiss; Proud Icarus did fall, he soar'd so high; Seek not to climb with fond Semiramis, Lest son revenge the father's injury: Take heed, ambition is a sugar'd ill, That Fortune lays, presumptuous minds to spill. The bitter grief that frets the quiet mind, The sting that pricks the froward man to woe, Is envy, which in honour seld we find, And yet to honour sworn a secret foe: Learn this of me, envy not others' state; The fruits of envy are envý and hate. The misty cloud that so eclipseth fame, These blazing comets do foreshow mishap; Let not the flaming lights offend thine eye: + Look ere thou leap, prevent an after-clap; These three, forewarned, well mayest thou fly:+ If now by choice thou aim'st at happy health, Eschew self-love, choose for the common-wealth. Where chilling frost alate did nip, Time causeth hope to have his hap: FROM ARBASTO. (ED. 1626.) SONG. WHEREAT erewhile I wept, I laugh ; My foe constrain'd, my weal supplies: My care is cur'd, yet hath no end; Not that I want, but that I have; My charge was change, yet still I stay; I would have less, and yet I crave: Ay me, poor wretch, that thus do live, Constrain'd to take, yet forc'd to give! She whose delights are signs of death, Who, when she smiles, begins to lour, Constant in this, that still she change, Her sweetest gifts time proves but sour: I live in care, cross'd with her guile; Through her I weep, at her I smile. FROM ALCIDA. (ED. 1617.) VERSES WRITTEN UNDER A PICTURE OF VENUS HOLDING THE BALL THAT BROUGHT TROY TO WHEN Nature forg'd the fair unhappy mould, * SONG. IN time we see the silver drops The craggy stones make soft; With feeble puffs the tallest pine The hardest heart in time doth yield vile] The 4to." vilde": but see note +, p. 167, sec. col. teye] The 4to. "eyes." These three, forewarned, well mayest thou fly] In this line Walker (Shakespeare's Versification, &c., p. 34) "suspects that something s lost." VERSES WRITTEN UNDER A PICTURE OF A PEACOCK. THE bird of Juno glories in his plumes; Till, midst his hot and glorious § fumes, He spies his feet, and then lets fall his plumes. giglot's] See note †, p. 306, sec. col. creeple] A form of cripple, sometimes used by old writers. fair] i. e. beauty. § and glorious] The 4to. "an glorious."-Qy. "and his vain-glorious"? |