To read what manner musicke that mote bee; For all that pleasing is to living eare Was there consorted in one harmonee; Birdes, voices, instruments, windes, waters, all agree: The joyous birdes, shrouded in chearefull shade There, whence that Musick seemed heard to bee, In secret shade after long wanton joyes; That ever mixt their song with light licentious toyes The whiles some one did chaunt this lovely lay: Ah! see, whoso fayre thing doest faine to see. In springing flowre the image of thy day. Ah! see the Virgin Rose, how sweetly shee Doth first peepe foorth with bashfull modestee, That fairer seemes the lesse ye see her may. Lo! see soone after how more bold and free Her bared bosome she doth broad display; Lo! see soone after how she fades and falls away. So passeth, in the passing of a day, Of mortall life the leafe, the bud, the flowre; Ne more doth florish after first decay, That earst was sought to deck both bed and bowre Of many a lady', and many a Paramowre. Gather therefore the Rose whilest yet is prime, Whilest loving thou mayst loved be with equall crime. He ceast; and then gan all the quire of birdes Whose sleepie head she in her lap did soft disposa [From Book iv. 1595 6.] GARDENS OF VENUS. Thus having past all perill, I was come For all that nature by her mother-wit Could frame in earth, and forme of substance base, Was there; and all that nature did omit, Art, playing second natures part, supplyed it. 'No tree, that is of count, in greenewood growes, From lowest Juniper to Ceder tall, No flowre in field, that daintie odour throwes, And deckes his branch with blossomes over all, But there was planted, or grew naturall: Nor sense of man so coy and curious nice, But there it present was, and did fraile sense entice 'In such luxurious plentie of all pleasure, That in this joyous place they mote have joyance frc 2. 'Fresh shadowes, fit to shroud from sunny ray; Faire lawnds, to take the sunne in season dew; Sweet springs, in which a thousand Nymphs did play; Soft rombling brookes, that gentle slomber drew; High reared mounts, the lands about to view; Low looking dales, disloignd from common gaze; Delightfull bowres, to solace lovers trew; False Labyrinthes, fond runners eyes to daze; All which by nature made did nature selfe amaze. 'And all without were walkes and alleyes dight With divers trees enrang'd in even rankes; And here and there were pleasant arbors pight, And shadie seates, and sundry flowring bankes, To sit and rest the walkers wearie shankes: And therein thousand payres of lovers walkt, Praysing their god, and yeelding him great thankes, Ne ever ought but of their true loves talkt, Ne ever for rebuke or blame of any balkt. 'All these together by themselves did sport Brave thoughts and noble deedes did evermore aspire. 'Such were great Hercules and Hyllus deare Myld Titus and Gesippus without pryde; Damon and Pythias, whom death could not sever: In bands of friendship, there did live for ever; Nor happie howre, beheld with gazefull eye, I thought there was none other heaven then this; Might frankely there their loves desire possesse; Much dearer be the things which come through hard distresse 'Yet all those sights, and all that else I saw, Might not my steps withhold, but that forthright Unto that purposd place I did me draw, The temple of great Venus, that is hight Whose goodly workmanship farre past all other WOOING OF AMORET. 'Into the inmost Temple thus I came, Which fuming all with frankensence I found Upon an hundred marble pillors round The roofe up high was reared from the ground, All deckt with crownes, and chaynes, and girlands gay, The which sad lovers for their vowes did pay; And all the ground was strow'd with flowres as fresh as May companion 'An hundred Altars round about were set, All flaming with their sacrifices fire, That with the steme thereof the Temple swet, Every of which was to a damzell hight; For all the Priests were damzels in soft linnen dight 'Right in the midst the Goddesse selfe did stand 'And all about her necke and shoulders flew 'And all about her altar scattered lay Amongst the rest some one, through Loves constrayning But thus brake forth, that all the temple it did fill. |