Minor Poems of Michael Drayton Part 20

_Rodope._ O had I eyes like _Doridaes_, I would inchant the day And make the Sunne to stand at gaze, Till he forget his way: 60 And cause his Sister _Queene of Streames_, When so I list by night; By her much blushing at my Beames T' eclipse her borrowed light.

_Dorida._ Had I a Cheeke like _Rodopes_, In midst of which doth stand, A Groue of Roses, such as these, In such a snowy land: I would then make the Lilly which we now So much for whitenesse name, 70 As drooping downe the head to bow, And die for very shame.

_Rodope._ Had I a bosome like to thine, When I it pleas'd to show, T' what part o' th' Skie I would incline I would make th' Etheriall bowe, My swannish breast brancht all with blew, In brauery like the spring: In Winter to the generall view Full Summer forth should bring. 80

_Dorida._ Had I a body like my deare, Were I so straight so tall, O, if so broad my shoulders were, Had I a waste so small; I would challenge the proud Queene of loue To yeeld to me for shape, And I should feare that _Mars_ or _Iove_ Would venter for my rape.

_Rodope._ Had I a hand like thee my Gerle, (This hand O let me kisse) 90 These Ivory Arrowes pyl'd with pearle, Had I a hand like this; I would not doubt at all to make, Each finger of my hand To taske swift _Mercury_ to take With his inchanting wand.

_Dorida._ Had I a Theigh like Rodopes; Which twas my chance to viewe, When lying on yon banck at ease, The wind thy skirt vp blew, 100 I would say it were a columne wrought To some intent Diuine, And for our chaste _Diana_ sought, A pillar for her shryne.

_Rodope._ Had I a Leg but like to thine That were so neat, so cleane, A swelling Calfe, a Small so fine, An Ankle, round and leane, I would tell nature she doth misse Her old skill; and maintaine, 110 She shewd her master peece in this, Not to be done againe.

_Dorida._ Had I that Foot hid in those shoos, (Proportion'd to my height) Short Heele, thin Instep, euen Toes, A Sole so wondrous straight, The Forresters and Nimphes at this Amazed all should stand, And kneeling downe, should meekely kisse The Print left in the sand. 120

By this the Nimphes came from their sport, All pleased wondrous well, And to these Maydens make report What lately them befell: One said the dainty _Lelipa_ Did all the rest out-goe, Another would a wager lay She would outstrip a Roe; Sayes one, how like you _Florimel_ There is your dainty face: 130 A fourth replide, she lik't that well, Yet better lik't her grace, She's counted, I confesse, quoth she, To be our onely Pearle, Yet haue I heard her oft to be A melancholy Gerle.

Another said she quite mistoke, That onely was her art, When melancholly had her looke Then mirth was in her heart; 140 And hath she then that pretty trick Another doth reply, I thought no Nimph could haue bin sick Of that disease but I; I know you can dissemble well Quoth one to giue you due, But here be some (who Ile not tell) Can do't as well as you, Who thus replies, I know that too, We haue it from our Mother, 150 Yet there be some this thing can doe More cunningly then other: If Maydens but dissemble can Their sorrow and ther ioy, Their pore dissimulation than, Is but a very toy.

The second Nimphall

LALVS, CLEON, and LIROPE.

_The Muse new Courtship doth deuise, By Natures strange Varieties, Whose Rarieties she here relates, And giues you Pastorall Delicates._

_Lalus_ a Iolly youthfull Lad, With _Cleon_, no lesse crown'd With vertues; both their beings had On the Elizian ground.

Both hauing parts so excellent, That it a question was, Which should be the most eminent, Or did in ought surpa.s.se: This _Cleon_ was a Mountaineer, And of the wilder kinde, 10 And from his birth had many a yeere Bin nurst vp by a Hinde.

And as the sequell well did show, It very well might be; For neuer Hart, nor Hare, nor Roe, Were halfe so swift as he.

But _Lalus_ in the Vale was bred, Amongst the Sheepe and Neate, And by these Nimphes there choicly fed, With Hony, Milke, and Wheate; 20 Of Stature goodly, faire of speech, And of behauiour mylde, Like those there in the Valley rich, That bred him of a chyld.

Of Falconry they had the skill, Their Halkes to feed and flye, No better Hunters ere clome Hill, Nor hollowed to a Cry: In Dingles deepe, and Mountains h.o.r.e, Oft with the bearded Speare 30 They combated the tusky Boare, And slew the angry Beare.

In Musicke they were wondrous quaint, Fine Aers they could deuise; They very curiously could Paint, And neatly Poetize; That wagers many time were laid On Questions that arose, Which song the witty _Lalus_ made, Which _Cleon_ should compose. 40 The stately Steed they manag'd well, Of Fence the art they knew, For Dansing they did all excell The Gerles that to them drew; To throw the Sledge, to pitch the Barre, To wrestle and to Run, They all the Youth exceld so farre, That still the Prize they wonne.

These sprightly Gallants lou'd a La.s.se, Cald _Lirope the bright_, 50 In the whole world there scarcely was So delicate a Wight, There was no Beauty so diuine That euer Nimph did grace, But it beyond it selfe did shine In her more heuenly face: What forme she pleasd each thing would take That ere she did behold, Of Pebbles she could Diamonds make, Grosse Iron turne to Gold: 60 Such power there with her presence came Sterne Tempests she alayd, The cruell Tiger she could tame, She raging Torrents staid, She chid, she cherisht, she gaue life, Againe she made to dye, She raisd a warre, apeasd a Strife, With turning of her eye.

Some said a G.o.d did her beget, But much deceiu'd were they, 70 Her Father was a _Riuelet_, Her Mother was a _Fay_.

Her Lineaments so fine that were, She from the Fayrie tooke, Her Beauties and Complection cleere, By nature from the Brooke.

These Ryualls wayting for the houre (The weather calme and faire) When as she vs'd to leaue her Bower To take the pleasant ayre 80 Acosting her; their complement To her their G.o.ddesse done; By gifts they tempt her to consent, When _Lalus_ thus begun.

_Lalus._ Sweet _Lirope_ I haue a Lambe Newly wayned from the Damme, _* Without Of the right kinde, it is *notted, hornes._ Naturally with purple spotted, Into laughter it will put you, To see how prettily 'twill But you; 90 When on sporting it is set, It will beate you a Corvet, And at euery nimble bound Turne it selfe aboue the ground; When tis hungry it will bleate, From your hand to haue its meate, And when it hath fully fed, It will fetch Iumpes aboue your head, As innocently to expresse Its silly sheepish thankfullnesse, 100 When you bid it, it will play, Be it either night or day, This _Lirope_ I haue for thee, So thou alone wilt liue with me.

_Cleon._ From him O turne thine eare away, And heare me my lou'd _Lirope_, I haue a Kid as white as milke, His skin as soft as _Naples_ silke, His hornes in length are wondrous euen, And curiously by nature writhen; 110 It is of th' Arcadian kinde, Ther's not the like twixt either _Inde_; If you walke, 'twill walke you by, If you sit downe, it downe will lye, It with gesture will you wooe, And counterfeit those things you doe; Ore each Hillock it will vault, And nimbly doe the Summer-sault, Upon the hinder Legs 'twill goe, And follow you a furlong so, 120 And if by chance a Tune you roate, 'Twill foote it finely to your note, Seeke the worlde and you may misse To finde out such a thing as this; This my loue I haue for thee So thou'lt leaue him and goe with me.

_Lirope._ Beleeue me Youths your gifts are rare, And you offer wondrous faire; _Lalus_ for Lambe, _Cleon_ for Kyd, 'Tis hard to iudge which most doth bid, 130 And haue you two such things in store, And I n'er knew of them before?

Well yet I dare a Wager lay That _Brag_ my little Dog shall play, As dainty tricks when I shall bid, As _Lalus_ Lambe, or _Cleons_ Kid.

But t' may fall out that I may neede them Till when yee may doe well to feed them; Your Goate and Mutton pretty be But Youths these are noe bayts for me, 140 Ala.s.se good men, in vaine ye wooe, 'Tis not your Lambe nor Kid will doe.

_Lalus._ I haue two Sparrowes white as Snow, Whose pretty eyes like sparkes doe show; In her Bosome _Venus_ hatcht them Where her little _Cupid_ watcht them, Till they too fledge their Nests forsooke Themselues and to the Fields betooke, Where by chance a Fowler caught them Of whom I full dearely bought them; 150 _* The redde They'll fetch you Conserue from the *Hip, fruit of the And lay it softly on your Lip, smooth Through their nibling bills they'll Chirup Bramble._ And fluttering feed you with the Sirup, And if thence you put them by They to your white necke will flye, And if you expulse them there They'll hang vpon your braded Hayre; You so long shall see them prattle Till at length they'll fall to battle, 160 And when they haue fought their fill, You will smile to see them bill These birds my _Lirope's_ shall be So thou'lt leaue him and goe with me.

_Cleon._ His Sparrowes are not worth a rush I'le finde as good in euery bush, Of Doues I haue a dainty paire Which when you please to take the Air, About your head shall gently houer You Cleere browe from the Sunne to couer, 170 And with their nimble wings shall fan you, That neither Cold nor Heate shall tan you, And like Vmbrellas with their feathers Sheeld you in all sorts of weathers: They be most dainty Coloured things, They haue Damask backs and Chequerd wings, Their neckes more Various Cullours showe Then there be mixed in the Bowe; _Venus_ saw the lesser Doue And therewith was farre in Loue, 180 Offering for't her goulden Ball For her Sonne to play withall; These my _Liropes_ shall be So shee'll leaue him and goe with me.

_Lirope._ Then for Sparrowes, and for Doues I am fitted twixt my Loues, But _Lalus_ I take no delight In Sparowes, for they'll scratch and bite And though ioynd, they are euer wooing Alwayes billing, if not doeing, 190 Twixt _Venus_ b.r.e.a.s.t.s if they haue lyen I much feare they'll infect myne; _Cleon_ your Doues are very dainty, Tame Pidgeons else you know are plenty, These may winne some of your Marrowes I am not caught with Doues, nor Sparrowes, I thanke ye kindly for your Coste, Yet your labour is but loste.

_Lalus._ With full-leau'd Lillies I will stick Thy braded hayre all o'r so thick, 200 That from it a Light shall throw Like the Sunnes vpon the Snow.

Thy Mantle shall be Violet Leaues, With the fin'st the Silkeworme weaues As finely wouen; whose rich smell The Ayre about thee so shall swell That it shall haue no power to mooue.

A Ruffe of Pinkes thy Robe aboue About thy necke so neatly set That Art it cannot counterfet, 210 Which still shall looke so Fresh and new, As if vpon their Roots they grew: And for thy head Ile haue a Tyer Of netting, made of Strawbery wyer, And in each knot that doth compose A Mesh, shall stick a halfe blowne Rose, Red, damaske, white, in order set About the sides, shall run a Fret Of Primroses, the Tyer throughout With Thrift and Dayses frindgd about; 220 All this faire Nimph Ile doe for thee, So thou'lt leaue him and goe with me.

_Cleon._ These be but weeds and Trash he brings, Ile giue thee solid, costly things, His will wither and be gone Before thou well canst put them on; With Currall I will haue thee Crown'd, Whose Branches intricatly wound Shall girt thy Temples euery way; And on the top of euery Spray 230 Shall stick a Pearle orient and great, Which so the wandring Birds shall cheat, That some shall stoope to looke for Cheries, As other for tralucent Berries.

And wondering, caught e'r they be ware In the curld Tramels of thy hayre: And for thy necke a Christall Chaine Whose lincks shapt like to drops of Raine, Vpon thy panting Breast depending, Shall seeme as they were still descending, 240 And as thy breath doth come and goe, So seeming still to ebbe and flow: With Amber Bracelets cut like Bees, Whose strange transparency who sees, With Silke small as the Spiders Twist Doubled so oft about thy Wrist, Would surely thinke aliue they were, From Lillies gathering hony there.

Thy Buskins Ivory, caru'd like Shels Of Scallope, which as little Bels 250 Made hollow, with the Ayre shall Chime, And to thy steps shall keepe the time: Leaue _Lalus_, _Lirope_ for me And these shall thy rich dowry be.

_Lirope._ _Lalus_ for Flowers. _Cleon_ for Iemmes, For Garlands and for Diadems, I shall be sped, why this is braue, What Nimph can choicer Presents haue, With dressing, brading, frowncing, flowring, All your Iewels on me powring, 260 In this brauery being drest, To the ground I shall be prest, That I doubt the Nimphes will feare me, Nor will venture to come neare me; Neuer Lady of the May, To this houre was halfe so gay; All in flowers, all so sweet, From the Crowne, beneath the Feet, Amber, Currall, Ivory, Pearle, If this cannot win a Gerle, 270 Ther's nothing can, and this ye wooe me, Giue me your hands and trust ye to me, (Yet to tell ye I am loth) That I'le haue neither of you both;

_Lalus._ When thou shalt please to stem the flood, (As thou art of the watry brood) I'le haue twelve Swannes more white than Snow, Yokd for the purpose two and two, To drawe thy Barge wrought of fine Reed So well that it nought else shall need, 280 The Traces by which they shall hayle Thy Barge; shall be the winding trayle Of woodbynd; whose braue Ta.s.seld Flowers (The Sweetnesse of the Woodnimphs Bowres) Shall be the Trappings to adorne, The Swannes, by which thy Barge is borne, Of flowred Flags I'le rob the banke Of water-Cans and King-cups ranck To be the Couering of thy Boate, And on the Streame as thou do'st Floate, 290 The _Naiades_ that haunt the deepe, Themselues about thy Barge shall keepe, Recording most delightfull Layes, By Sea G.o.ds written in thy prayse.

And in what place thou hapst to land, There the gentle Siluery sand, Shall soften, curled with the Aier As sensible of thy repayre: This my deare loue I'le doe for thee, So Thou'lt leaue him and goe with me: 300

_Cleon._ Tush Nimphe his Swannes will prove but Geese, His Barge drinke water like a Fleece; A Boat is base, I'le thee prouide, A Chariot, wherein _Ioue_ may ride; In which when brauely thou art borne, Thou shalt looke like the gloryous morne Vshering the Sunne, and such a one As to this day was neuer none, Of the Rarest Indian Gummes, More pretious then your Balsamummes 310 Which I by Art haue made so hard, That they with Tooles may well be Caru'd To make a Coach of: which shall be Materyalls of this one for thee, And of thy Chariot each small peece Shall inlayd be with Amber Greece, And guilded with the Yellow ore Produc'd from _Tagus_ wealthy sh.o.r.e; In which along the pleasant Lawne, With twelue white Stags thou shalt be drawne, 320 Whose brancht palmes of a stately height, With seuerall nosegayes shall be dight; And as thou ryd'st, thy Coach about, For thy strong guard shall runne a Rout, Of Estriges; whose Curled plumes, Sen'sd with thy Chariots rich perfumes, The scent into the Aier shall throw; Whose naked Thyes shall grace the show; Whilst the Woodnimphs and those bred Vpon the mountayns, o'r thy head 330 Shall beare a Canopy of flowers, Tinseld with drops of Aprill showers, Which shall make more glorious showes Then spangles, or your siluer Oas; This bright nimph I'le doe for thee So thou'lt leaue him and goe with me.

_Lirope._ Vie and reuie, like Chapmen profer'd, Would't be receaued what you haue offer'd; Ye greater honour cannot doe me, If not building Altars to me: 340 Both by Water and by Land, Bardge and Chariot at command; Swans vpon the Streame to rawe me, Stags vpon the Land to drawe me, In all this Pompe should I be seene, What a pore thing were a Queene: All delights in such excesse, As but yee, who can expresse: Thus mounted should the Nimphes me see, All the troope would follow me, 350 Thinking by this state that I Would asume a Deitie.

There be some in loue haue bin, And I may commit that sinne, And if e'r I be in loue, With one of you I feare twill proue, But with which I cannot tell, So my gallant Youths farewell.

The third Nimphall

DORON. NAIJS. CLORIS. CLAIA.

DORILVS. CLOE. MERTILLA.

FLORIMEL.

With Nimphes and Forresters.

_Poetick Raptures, sacred fires, With which _Apollo_ his inspires, This Nimphall gives you; and withall Obserues the Muses Festivall._

Amongst th' Elizians many mirthfull Feasts, At which the Muses are the certaine guests, Th' obserue one Day with most Emperiall state, To wise _Apollo_ which they dedicate, The Poets G.o.d; and to his Alters bring Th' enamel'd Brauery of the beauteous spring, And strew their Bowers with euery precious sweet, Which still wax fresh, most trod on with their feet; With most choice flowers each Nimph doth brade her hayre, And not the mean'st but bauldrick wise doth weare 10 Some goodly Garland, and the most renown'd With curious Roseat Anadems are crown'd.

These being come into the place where they Yearely obserue the Orgies to that day, The Muses from their Heliconian spring Their brimfull Mazers to the feasting bring: When with deepe Draughts out of those plenteous Bowles, The iocond Youth haue swild their thirsty soules, They fall enraged with a sacred heat, And when their braines doe once begin to sweat 20 They into braue and Stately numbers breake, And not a word that any one doth speake But tis Prophetick, and so strangely farre In their high fury they transported are, As there's not one, on any thing can straine, But by another answred is againe In the same Rapture, which all sit to heare; When as two Youths that soundly liquord were, _Dorilus_ and _Doron_, two as n.o.ble swayns As euer kept on the Elizian playns, 30 First by their signes attention hauing woonne, Thus they the Reuels frolikly begunne.

Doron. _Come _Dorilus_, let vs be brave, In lofty numbers let vs raue, With Rymes I will inrich thee._

Dorilus. _Content say I, then bid the base, Our wits shall runne the Wildgoosechase, Spurre vp, or I will swich thee._

Doron. _The Sunne out of the East doth peepe, And now the day begins to creepe, 40 Vpon the world at leasure._

Dorilus. _The Ayre enamor'd of the Greaues, The West winde stroaks the velvit leaues And kisses them at pleasure._

Doron. _The spinners webs twixt spray and spray, The top of euery bush make gay, By filmy coards there dangling._

Dorilus. _For now the last dayes euening dew Euen to the full it selfe doth shew, Each bough with Pearle bespangling._ 50

Doron. _O Boy how thy abundant vaine Euen like a Flood breaks from thy braine, Nor can thy Muse be gaged._

Dorilus. _Why nature forth did neuer bring A man that like to me can sing, If once I be enraged._

Doron. _Why _Dorilus_ I in my skill Can make the swiftest Streame stand still, Nay beare back to his springing._