Fair-Virtue the Mistress of Philarete, Prologue
PHIL'ARETE TO HIS MISTRESSE.
HAile, thou fairest of all Creatures,
VponUpon whom the Sun doth shine:
Modell of all rarest Features,
And perfections most diuine.
Thrice All-haile: And blessed be,
Those, that louelove, and honour thee.
Of thy worth, this rurall Storie,
Thy vnworthy Swaine hath pend:
And, to thy ne're-ending glory,
These plaine Numbers doth commend.
Which, ensuing Times shall warble,
When 'tis lost, that's writ in Marble.
Though thy praise, and high deseruings
Cannot all, be here exprest:
Yet, my louelove, and true-obseruings,
Someway, ought to be profest.
And, where greatest louelove we see,
Highest things attempted be.
By thy Beautie, I hauehave gained,
To behold, the best perfections:
By thy LoueLove, I hauehave obtained,
To enioy the best affections.
And my tongue, to sing thy praise;
LoueLove, and Beautie, thus doth raise.
What, although in rusticke shaddowes,
I, a Shepheards breeding had?
And, confined to these Meadowes;
So, in home-spunn Russet clad?
Such as I, hauehave now and then,
Dar'd as much, as greater men.
Though a stranger to the Muses,
Young, obscured, and despis'd:
Yet, such Art, thy LoueLove infuses,
That, I thus, hauehave Poetiz'd.
Read; and be content to see,
Thy admyred Powre in me.
And, oh grant, thou Sweetest Beautie,
(Wherewith euer Earth was grac't)
That this Trophee of my Dutie,
May with Fauour be imbrac't:
And disdaine not, in these Rymes,
To be sung, to after-Times.
Let those doters on Apollo,
That adore the Muses, so,
(And, like Geese, each other follow)
See, what LoueLove alone, can doe.
For, in LoueLove-layes; Groue, and Field;
Nor to Schools, nor Courts wil yeeld.
On this Glasse, of thy perfection,
If that any Women pry;
Let them thereby take direction,
To adorne themselues thereby.
And, if ought amisse they view,
Let them dresse themselues anew.
Young-men, shall by this, acquainted
With the truest Beauties grow:
So, the Counterfeit, or painted,
They may shun, whē them they know.
But, the Way, all will not find:
For, some eyes hauehave, yet are blind.
Thee, entirely, I hauehave loued,
So, thy Sweetnesse, on me wrought;
Yet, thy Beautie neuer mooued,
Ill temptations, in my thought.
But, still did thy Beauties Ray;
Sun-like, driue those Foggs away.
Those, that MISTRESSES are named,
And for that, suspected be;
Shall not need to be ashamed,
If they patterne take by thee.
Neither shall their SERVANTS feare,
Fauours, openly to weare.
Thou, to no man fauour dainest,
But whats fitting to bestow;
Neither, Seruants entertainest,
That can euer wanton grow.
For, the more they looke on thee;
Their Desires still bettered be.
This, thy Picture, therefore, show I
Naked vntounto eueryevery eye.
Yet, no feare of Riuall know I,
Neither touch of Ielousie.
For, the more make louelove to thee;
I, the more shall pleased be.
I, am no Italian Louer,
That will mewe thee in a Iayle;
But, thy Beautie I discouer,
English-like, without a vaile.
If, thou mayst be wonne away;
Winne and weare thee, he that may.
Yet, in this, thou mayst beleeue me;
(So indifferent though I seeme)
Death with tortures, would not grieue me,
More, then losse of thy esteeme.
For, if VIRTVE me forsake;
All, a scorne of me will make.
Then, as I on Thee relying,
Doe no changing, feare in Thee:
So, by my defects supplying,
From all changing, keepe thou me.
That, vnmatched we may prooue
Thou, for Beautie; I, for LoueLove.
Then, while their Loues, are forgotten,
Who to Pride, and Lust were slaues;
And, their Mistresses quite rotten,
Lye vnthought on, in their graues.
Kings and Queens (in their despight)
Shall, to mind vsus, take delight.