Seven Minor Epics of the English Renaissance (1596-1624) Part 7

_Diella_, Certaine Sonnets, adioyned to the amorous Poeme of _Dom Diego_ and _Gineura_.

_By R. L. Gentleman_.

Benballa, a chi fortuna suona.

AT LONDON, Printed for _Henry Olney_, and are to be sold at his shop in Fleetstreete, neer the Middle-temple gate.

1596.

THE LOVE OF DOM _Diego_ and _Gyneura_.

In _Catheloygne_, o'repeerd by _Pyren_ Mountaines, (a Prouince seated in the East of Spaine, Famous for hunting sports & cleerest fountains) a young heroyck gallant did remaine; Hee, Signior _Dom Diego_ had to name, Who for his constant faith had got such fame.

Nature had tryde her deepest skill on him, (for so the heauen-borne powers had her desired) With such perfection framed shee each lim, that at her owne worke shee herselfe admired.

Maiestick _Ioue_ gaue him a Princely grace, _Apollo_ wit, and _Venus_ gaue his face.

This loue-some youth, kinde Natures fairest child, what for his beautious loue-alluring face, And for he was so gracious and so milde; was deem'd of all to be of heauenly race; Men honord him, and Maydens gaue him loue, To make him famous Men and Maydens stroue.

Hunting he lou'd, nor did he scorne to loue, (a truer-louing hart was neuer knowne) Which well his Mistres cruelly did proue, whose causelesse rigor Fame abroad hath blowne.

But now lets tell, how hee on hunting went, And in what sports such pleasant time he spent.

Soone as the sunne had left his watry bed.

(blushing for shame that he so long had slept) Reuiuing those which duskie Night made dead, when for his welcom Lambes on mountains lept.

Vp starts _Diego_, and with shrill-voyc'd horne.

Tells hounds & huntsmen of a cleere-fac'd morne.

Cloth'd all in Greene, (_Sylua.n.u.s_ lyuery) he wore a low-crown'd hat of finest silke, Whose brim turnd vp, was fastned with a Ruby, and vnderneath, a Pearle as white as milke, A sleeueles coate of Damaske, richly laced With Indian pearle, as thicke as could be placed.

A glistring Cutlax pendent by his side, (he much esteem'd y^t beast-dismembring blade) And halfe-leg'd Buskins curiously ytide with loopes of burnisht gold full finely made, Thus goes _Diego_, chiefest of his name, With siluer-headed speare to finde some game.

Long while it was ere any sport began, at last a Hart his big-growne hornes did shew, VVhich (winding straight the huntsmen) gan to run as fast as arrow from a Parthyan bow: In whose pursute (by wil of powreful Fates) _Diego_ lost himfelfe, and all his mates.

Left thus alone in midst of vnknowne place, he inuocates the fauourable ayde Of _Ariadne_, who with smalest lace, freed Monster-killing _Theseus_, so dismaid, In worser Laborinth did he now remaine, For none saue trees or beasts, could heare him plain.

In these Meanders, stragling heere and there, goes faire _Diego_, listning to each sound, Musing twixt purple hope, and palish feare, he thought to rest him (wearied) on the ground, But see, he heares a farre some forced noyse, A horne, a hound, or els some human voyce.

VVith that, Desire, which scornes least tedious let, directed him vnto that very place, Where loe to hunt the tymerous Hare, were met as Knights, so Ladies, fittest for that chase: Mongst which, there came a Grace of heau[=e]ly faire, Her name _Gyneura_, with the golden hayre.

Her hayre of such corruscant glitterous shine, as are the smallest streames of hottest sunne, Like starres in frostie night, so looke her eyne, within whose Arches Christall springs doe run, Her cheekes faire show of purest Porphyrie, Full curiously were typt with roseall die.

Her lips like ripened Cherries seem'd to be, from out whose concaue Corrall-seeming Fount, Came sweeter breath then muske of Araby, whose teeth y^e white of blanched pearle surmount Her necke the Lillies of _Lyguria_ Did much exceed; Thus looked fayre _Gyneura_.

These Dryades _Diego_ then bespake, with sugred tearmes of mildest curtesie, And crau'd to know which way he best might take with shortest cut, to such a Signiory, Whereat he nam'd himselfe; when presently The Ladies knew him (as a Neyghbour by.)

_Gyneuras_ Mother (cheefe of all the rest) (for that shee knew his birth and his discent) Desir'd him home, he grants her such request, and thanks the Fates that him such hap had lent, For still on faire _Gyneura_ were his eyes, And shee reciprocally on his replyes.

These dumbe Emba.s.sadors, Loues chiefe combatants tell (softly whispring in each others hart) Her of humble seruice; him of acceptance; his craued loue, hers wisht they nere might part, Much talk they had w^t tongues, more w^t their eyes, But (oh) most with their harts, where true loue lies.

Now were they come whereas the good old Lady might boldly welcome her inuited guest, Where after little talke, (Hunters are hungry) they all sat downe vnto a soone-made feast, The Louers fed on glaunces of their eyes, Tis heauenly food when both do simpathize.

At last, the Lady of the house espied the intercourse of those bright Messengers, Who inwardly reioycing, as fast plied hers on her daughter, fittest Harbengers, To bid her keepe the fairest and the best Place in her hart, to entertaine this guest.

Word back againe was sent by her faire light, how that was done already; and replied, The Land-lord o're his Tennant hath such might, that he to enter in is nere denied.

I, in a little corner of my hart Doe liue, (quoth she) he hath the greatest part.

_Diego_ wisht thys supper nere would end, (and yet he long'd to be in priuate place, To ruminate vpon his fairest friend, and to recount the beauties of her face) So wisht _Gyneura_, were neuer such two, That lou'd so deerely as these Louers doe.

The gloomy Curtaines of the tongue-lesse night, were drawne so close as day could not be seene, Now leaden-thoughted _Morpheus_ dyms each sight, now, murder, rapes, and robberies begin: Nature crau'd rest, but restlesse Loue would none, _Diego_, Loues young prentice, thus gan mone.

Oh heauens, what new-founde griefes possesse my mind, what rare impa.s.sionated fits be these?

Cold-burning Feuers in my hart I find, whose opposite effects worke mee no ease, Then loue a.s.sailes the hart with hotest fight, VVhen beauty makes her conqust at first sight.

I little dreamed of thys strange euent, (this harts-inthraller, mindes-disturbing Loue, VVhen with my Huntsmen to the woods I went, Oh neere till now did I his greatnes proue, Whose first impression in the Louers hart, Till then nere tainted, bringeth deepest smart.

Thus lay _Diego_ tossing in his bed, bound to the will of all commaunding beauty, Whom angry _Cupid_ now in tryumph led, expecting from his slaue all seruile duty, Hee might haue freed his prysoner so dismaid, For sighes and grones had double ransome paide.

In like extreames, (Loue loues extremity) did faire _Gyneura_ pa.s.se the long-thought night, Shee raild against fell _Cupids_ crueltie, that so would tyrannize o're a Maydens spright.

There needes no blowes, quoth she, when foes doe yield, Oh cease, take thou the honor of the field.

The valiant Greekes (faire Ilyons fatall Foes) their tedious ten yeres siedge for Spartaes Queen Nere thought so long; (yet long it was) as those loue-scorcht enamored (so restles) now ween This night to be; A night if spent in care, Seemes longer then a thousand pleasant are.

Thus lay they sleeplesse, thoughtfull, euer thinking on sluggish humor of expected Morne, They thought that Louers eyes were neuer winking nor sleepe they e're in whom Loues newly borne.

Hee vow'd, when day was come, to woo his deere, Shee swore such wooing she would gladly heare.

At last, the guyder of the firie Coach, drying his locks wet in _Eurotas_ floud, Gan resalute the world with bright approch, angry he seem'd, for all his face was bloud: _Auroraes_ hast had made him looke so red, For loath he was to leaue faire _Thetis_ bed.

Scarce were his horses put in readines, and he himselfe full mounted on his seate, VVhen _Dom Diego_ full of heauines, abroade did walke, his night talke to repeate Some two howres spent, he in againe retires, And sees his Mistres, whom he now admires.

Whereat inflam'd, (loue brookes no base delay, whose fruite is danger, whose reward is paine) With fine-fil'd termes he giues her the good day, and blushing, she returnes it him againe.

_Endimeons_ blush her beauty did eclypse, His causd by _Cynthiaes_, hers _Adonis_ lyps.

Boldly encourag'd by her milde aspect, he told her that which Louers vse to tell, How he did liue by her faire eyes reflect, and how his hart in midst of hers did dwell.

Much eloquence he vsd, twas needles done, To win that hart which was already won.

Ne're did the dungeon thiefe condemn'd to dye with greater pleasure heare his pardon read, Then did _Gyneura_ heare his Oratorie, (of force sufficient to reuiue the dead) Shee needes must yield; for sure he had the Art, VVith amorous heate to fixe _Dianaes_ hart.

These Louers (thus in this both-pleasing parly) were interrupted by _Geneuraes_ Mother VVho newly vp, (age seldome ryseth early) gan straight salute her guest, so did he her, Some termes of kindnes mutually past, Shee friendly leades him in, to breake his fast.

VVhich done, (as all good manners did require) hee thankt his Hostis for her curtesie, And now at length went home for to retire, where hee was looked for so earnestly, The Lady crau'd if ere hee came that way, To see her house, and there to make some stay.

Then heauily, and with a dying eye, (ioylesse) hee takes his leaue of his faire Loue, VVho for to fauour him, full graciously, with louing count'nance gaue to him her Gloue.

Keepe this (quoth shee) till better fortune fall, My Gloue, my Loue, my hand, my hart, and all.

At this large offer, bashfull modestie, with pure Vermilion stain'd her all faire face, So lookt _Calystone_ at her great bellie, when chast _Ilythia_ spi'd her in such case; Let Louers iudge how grieuous tis to part, From two, twixt whom, there lyueth but one hart.