Collection of Poems, Poem 3 – Title page 3

Collection of Poems · Poem 3 – Title page 3

Epithalamion.

The Marriage being on S. Valentines day, the Author ſhowes it by beginning with the ſalutation of a ſuppoſed Valentine.VAlentine, good morrow to thee,

LoueLove and ſeruice both I owe thee:

And would waite vponupon thy pleaſure;

But I cannot be at leaſure:

For, I owe this day as debter,

To (a thouſand times) thy better.

Hymen now will hauehave effected

What hath been ſo long expected:

Thame thy Miſtris, now vnwedded;

Soone, muſt with a Prince be bedded.

If thou'lt ſee her Virgin euer,

Come, and doe it now, or neuer.

Where art thou, oh faire Aurora?

Call in Ver and Lady Flora:

And you daughters of the Morning,

In your near'ſt, and fear'ſt adorning:

Cleare your fore-heads, and be ſprightfull,

That this day may ſeeme delightfull.

All you Nimphs that vſe the Mountaines,

Or delight in groues and fountaines;

Shepheardeſſes, you that dally,

Either vponupon Hill or Valley:

And you daughters of the Bower,

That acknowledge Veſtaes power.

Oh you ſleepe too long; awake yee,

See how Time doth ouertake yee.

Harke, the Larke is vp and ſingeth,

And the houſe with ecchoes ringeth.

Pretious howers, why neglect yee,

Whil'ſt affaires thus expect yee?

Come away vponupon my bleſſing,

The Bride-chamber lies to dreſſing:

Strow the wayes with leaues of Roſes,

Some make garlands, ſome make poſes:

'Tis a fauour, and't may ioy you,

That your Miſtris vvill employ you.

Where's aa…Sabrina, with her daughters,

That doe ſport about her waters:

Thoſe that with their lockes of Amber,

Haunt the fruitfull hills of bbWales,Camber:

We muſt hauehave to fill the number.

All the Nimphs of Trent and Humber.

Fie, your haſte is ſcarce ſufficing,

For the Bride's awake and riſing.

Enter beauties, and attend her;

All your helpes and ſeruice lend her:

With your quaintſt and new'ſt deuiſes,

Trim your Lady, faire Thamiſis.

See; ſhee's ready: with Ioyes greet her,

Lads, goe bid the Bride-groome meet her:

But from raſh approach aduiſe him,

Leſt a too much Ioy ſurprize him,

None I ere knew yet, that dared,

View an Angell vnprepared.

Now vntounto the Church ſhe hies her;

Enuie burſts, if ſhe eſpies her:

In her geſtures as ſhe paces,

Are vnited all the Graces:

Which who ſees and hath his ſenſes,

Loues in ſpight of all defences.

O moſt true maieſtick creature!

Nobles did you note her feature?

Felt you not an inward motion,

Tempting LoueLove to yeeld deuotion;

And as you were euen deſiring,

Something check you for aſpiring?

That's her Vertue which ſtill tameth

Looſe deſires, and bad thoughts blameth:

For whil'ſt others were vnruly,

She obſeru'd Diana truly:

And hath by that meanes obtained

Gifts of her that none hauehave gained.

Yon's the Bride-groome, d'yee not ſpie him?

See how all the Ladies eye him.

Venus his perfection findeth,

And no more Adonis mindeth.

Much of him my heart diuineth:

On whoſe brow all Vertue ſhineth.

Two ſuch Creatures Nature would not

Let one place long keepe: ſhe ſhould not:

One ſhee'l hauehave (ſhe cares not whether,)

But our Loues can ſpare her neither.

Therefore ere we'le ſo be ſpighted,

They in one ſhall be vnited.

Natures ſelfe is well contented,

By that meanes to be preuented.

And behold they are retired,

So conioyn'd, as we deſired:

Hand in hand, not onelyonly fixed,

But their hearts, are intermixed.

Happy they and we that ſee it,

For the good of Europe be it.

And heare Heauen my deuotion,

Make this Rhyne and Thame an Ocean:

That it may with might and wonder,

Whelme the pride of aaTyber … the Ri…er which … Rome.Tyber vnderunder.

Now yon bbWhite…all.Hall their perſons ſhroudeth,

Whither all this people croudeth:

There they feaſted are with plenty,

Sweet Ambroſia is no deinty.

Groomes quaffe Nectar; for theres meeter,

Yea, more coſtly wines and ſweeter.

Young men all, for ioy goe ring yee,

And your merrieſt Carols ſing yee.

Here's of Damzels many choices,

Let them tune their ſweeteſt voyces.

Fet the Muſes to, to cheare them;

They can rauiſh all that heare them.

Ladies, 'tis their Highneſſe pleaſures,

To behold you foot the Meaſures:

Louely geſtures addeth graces,

To your bright and Angell faces.

GiueGive your actiue mindes the bridle:

Nothing worſe then to be idle.

Worthies, your affaires forbeare yee,

For the State a while may ſpare yee:

Time was, that you loued ſporting,

HaueHave you quite forgot your Courting?

Ioy the heart of Cares beguileth:

Once a yeere Apollo ſmileth.Semel in anno ridet Apol.

Follow Shepheards, how I pray you,

Can your flocks at this time ſtay you?

Let vsus alſo hie vsus thither,

Let's lay all our wits together,

And ſome Paſtorall inuent them,

That may ſhow the louelove we ment them.

I my ſelfe though meaneſt ſtated,

And in Court now almoſt hated,

Will knit vp my aaAbuſes ſtript and whipt. He noteth the mildneſſe of the winter which, excepting that the beginning was very windy, was as temperate as the ſpring,Scourge, and venter

In the midſt of them to enter;

For I know, there's no diſdaining,

Where I looke for entertaining.

See, me thinkes the very ſeaſon,

As if capable of Reaſon,

Hath laine by her natiue rigor,

The faire Sun-beames hauehave more vigor.

They are Aeols moſt endeared:

For the Ayre's ſtill'd and cleared.

Fawnes, and Lambs and Kidds doe play,

In the honour of this day:

The ſhrill Black-Bird, and the Thruſh

Hops about in eueryevery buſh:

And among the tender twigs,

Chaunt their ſweet harmonious ijgs.

Moft men … of opinion, …hat this …ay eueryevery …ird doth …huſe her …ate for … yeer.Yea, and mou'd by this example,

They doe make each Groue a temple:

Where their time the beſt way vſing,

They their Summer loues are chuſing.

And vnleſſe ſome Churle do wrong them,

There's not an od bird among them.

Yet I heard as I was walking,

Groues and hills by Ecchoes talking:

Reeds vntounto the ſmall brooks whiſtling,

Whil'ſt they danc't with pretty ruſhling.

Then for vsus to ſleepe 'twere pitty;

Since dumb creatures are ſo witty.

But oh Titan, thou doſt dally,

Hie thee to thy Weſterne Valley:

Let this night one hower borrow:

She ſhall pay't againe to morrow:

And if thou'ſt that fauor do them,

Send thy ſiſter Phabe to them.

But ſhee's come her ſelfe vnasked,

And brings aaBy theſe he means the two Maſques, one of them being preſented by the Lords, the other by the Gentry.Gods and Heroes masked.

None yet ſaw, or heard in ſtorie,

Such immortall, mortall glorie.

View not, without preparation;

Leſt you faint in admiration.

Say my Lords, and ſpeake truth barely,

Mou'd they not exceeding rarely?

Did they not ſuch praiſes merit,

As if fleſh had all beene ſpirit?

True indeed, yet I muſt tell them,

There was One did farre excell them.

But (alas) this is ill dealing,

Night vnawares away is ſtealing:

Their delay the poore bed wrongeth,

That for Bride with Bride-groome longeth:

And aboue all other places,

Muſt be bleſt with their embraces.

Reuellers, then now forbeare yee,

And vntounto your reſts prepare yee:

Let's a while your abſence borrow,

Sleep to night, and dance to morrow.

We could well allow your Courting:

But 'twill hinder better ſporting.

They are gone, and Night all lonely,

Leaues the Bride with Bridegroome onelyonly.

Muſe now tell; (for thou haſt power

To flie thorough wall or tower:)

What contentments their hearts cheareth;

And how louely ſhe appeareth.

And yet doe not; tell it no man,

Rare conceits may ſo grow common:

Doe not to the Vulgar ſhow them,

('Tis enough that thou doſt know them.)

Their ill hearts are but the Center,

Where all miſconceiuings enter.

But thou Luna that doſt lightly,

Haunt our downes and forreſts nightly:

Thou that fauourſt generation,

And art helpe to procreation:

See their iſſue thou ſo cheriſh,

I may liue to ſee it flouriſh.

And you Planets, in whoſe power

Doth conſiſt theſe liues of our;

You that teach vsus Diuinations.

Helpe with all your Conſtellations,

How to frame in Her, a creature,

Bleſt in Fortune, Wit, and Feature.

Laſtly, oh you Angels ward them,

Set your ſacred Spels to gard them;

Chaſe away ſuch feares or terrors,

As not being, ſeeme through errors:

Yea, let not a dreames moleſting,

Make them ſtart when they are reſting.

But THOV chiefly, moſt adored,

That ſhouldſt onelyonly be implored:

Thou to whom my meaning tendeth,

Whether er'e in ſhow it bendeth:

Let them reſt to night from ſorrow,

And awake with ioy to morrow.

Oh, to my requeſt be heedfull,

Grant them that, and all things needfull.

Let not theſe my ſtraines of Folly,

Make true prayer be vnholy:

But if I hauehave here offended:

Helpe, forgiue, and Ice it mended.

Daigne me this. And if my Muſes

Haſtie iſſue; ſhe peruſes;

Make it vntounto her ſeeme gratefull,

Though to all the World elſe hatefull.

But how er'e, yet Soule perſeuer

Thus to wiſh her good for euer.

THus ends the Day, together with my Song;

Oh may the Ioyes there of continue long!

Let Heauens iuſt, all-ſeeing, ſacred power,

Fauour this happy marriage day of your;

And bleſſe you in your chaſt embraces ſo,

We Britains may behold before you goe

The hopefull Iſſue we ſhall count ſo deare,

And whom (vnborne) his foes already feare.

Yea, I deſire, that all your ſorrowes may

Neuer be more, then they hauehave been to day.

Which hoping; for acceptance now I ſue,

And humbly bid your Grace and Court adue.

I ſaw the ſight I came for; which I know

Was more then all, the world beſide could ſhow.

But if amongſt Apolloes Layes, you can

Be pleas'd to lend a gentle eare to Pan;

Or thinke your Country Shepheard loues as deare,

As if he were a Courtier, or a Peere:

Then I, that elſe muſt to my Cell of paine,

Will ioyfull turne vntounto my flocke againe:

And there vntounto my fellow ſhepheards tell,

Why you are lou'd; wherein you doe excell.

And when we driue our flocks a field to graze them,

So chaunt your praiſes, that it ſhall amaze them.

And thinke that Fate hath new recald from death

Their ſtill-lamented, ſweete Elizabeth.

For though they ſee the Court but now and then,

They know deſert as well as Greater men:

And honord Fame in them doth liue or die,

As well as in the mouth of Maieſtie.

But taking granted what I here intreat;

At heauen for you my deuotions beat:

And though I feare, fate will not ſuffer me

To doe you ſeruice, where your Fortunes be:

How ere my skill hath yet deſpiſed ſeem'd,

(And my vnripened wit been miſeſteem'd:)

When all this coſtly Showe away ſhall flit,

And not one liue that doth remember it;

If Enuies trouble let not to perſeuer;

I'le find a meanes to make it knowne for euer.

CERTAINE EPIGRAMS CONCERNING MARRIAGE.

Epigram 1.

TIs ſaid; in Marriage aboue all the reſt

The children of a King finde comforts leaſt,

Becauſe without reſpect of LoueLove or Hate

They muſt, and oft be, ruled by the State:

But if contented LoueLove, Religions care,

Equalitie in State, and yeares declare

A happie Match (as I ſuppoſe no leſſe)

Then rare and great's Elizaes Happineſſe.

Epigram. 2.

GOd was the firſt that Marriage did ordaine,

By making One, Two; and Two, One againe,

Epigram. 3.

SOuldier; of thee I aske, for thou canſt beſt,

Hauing knowne ſorrow, iudge of Ioy and Reſt:

What greater bliſſe, then after all thy harmes,

To hauehave a wife that's faire, and lawfull thine;

And lying priſon'd 'twixt her Iuory armes,

There tell what thou haſt ſcapt by powers diuine?

How many round thee thou haſt murthered ſeene;

How oft thy ſoule hath beene neere hand expiring,

How many times thy fleſh hath wounded been:

Whil'ſt ſhe thy fortune, and thy worth admiring,

With ioy of health, and pitty of thy paine;

Doth weepe and kiſſe, and kiſſe and weepe againe.

Epigram. 4.

FAire Helen hauing ſtain'd her husbands bed,

And mortall hatred 'twixt two Kingdomes bred;

Had ſtill remaining in her ſo much good,

That Heroes for her loſt their deareſt blood:

Then if with all that ill, ſuch worth may laſt,

Oh what is ſhe worth, that's as faire, and chaſt!

Epigram. 5.

OLd Orpheus know a good wiues worth ſo well,

That when his dy'd, he followed her to hell,

And for her loſſe, at the Elizean Groue,

He did not onelyonly Ghoſts to pitty moue,

But the ſad Poet breath'd his ſighes ſo deepe;

'Tis ſaid, the Diuels could not chuſe but weepe.

Epigram. 6.

LOng did I wonder, and I wonder much,

Romes Church ſhould from her Clergie take that due:

Thought I, why ſhould ſhe that contentment grutch?

What, doth ſhe all with continence indue?

No: But why then are they debar'd that ſtate?

Is ſhe become a foe vntounto her owne?

Doth ſhe the members of her body hate?

Or is it for ſome other cauſe vnſhowne?

Oh yes: they find a womans lips ſo dainty:

They tye themſelues from one, cauſe they'l hauehave twenty.

Epigram. 7.

VVOmen, as ſome men ſay▪ vnconſtant be;

'Tis like enough, and ſo no doubt are men:

Nay, if their ſcapes we could ſo plainely ſee,

I feare that ſcarce there will be one for ten.

Men hauehave but their owne luſts that tempt to ill:

Women hauehave luſts, and mens allurements to:

Alas, if their ſtrengths cannot curbe their will;

What ſhould poore women that are weaker do?

Oh they had need be chaſt and looke about them,

That ſtriue 'gainſt luſt within, and knaues without them.

FINIS.

THE SHEPHEARDS HVNTING: Being certaine Eglogues written during the time of the Authors Impriſonment in the Marſhalſey.

By George Wither, Gentleman.

LONDON, Printed by T. S. for Iohn Budge, dwelling in Pauls-Church-yard, at the ſigne of the Greene Dragon, 1622.