The Complete Works of Richard Crashaw Volume II Part 67

SERENISSIMAE REGINAE LIBRUM SUUM

COMMENDAT ACADEMIA.

Hunc quoque materna, nimium nisi magna rogamus, Aut aviae saltem sume, Maria, manu.

Est Musa de matre recens rubicundulus infans, Cui pater est partus--quis putet?--ille tuus.

Usque adeo impatiens amor est in virgine Musa: Jam nunc ex illo non negat esse parens.

De nato quot habes olim sperare nepotes, Qui simul et pater est, et facit esse patrem!

TRANSLATION.

TO HER MOST SERENE MAJESTY

THE UNIVERSITY COMMENDS ITS BOOK.

Deign, Queen, to this, unless we ask too much, A mother's, or at least grandmother's, touch.

It is the Muse's rosy infant fine; Its father--who would think?--this Child of thine.

So unrestrain'd the love of virgin Muse, To be a mother thus she can't refuse.

From _him_ what grandsons round thee soon will gather, Who at once father is, and makes a father! R. WI.

PRINCIPI RECENS NATAE

OMEN MATERNAE INDOLIS.[125]

Cresce, o dulcibus imputanda divis; O cresce, et propera, puella princeps, In matris propera venire partes.

Et c.u.m par breve fulminum minorum, Illinc Carolus, et Jacobus inde, In patris faciles subire famam, Ducent fata furoribus decoris; c.u.m terror sacer Anglicique magnum Murmur nominis increpabit omnem Late Bosporon Ottomanicasque Non picto quatiet tremore Lunas; Te tunc altera nec timenda paci Poscent praelia; tu potens pudici Vibratrix oculi, pios in hostes Late dulcia fata dissipabis.

O eum flos tener ille, qui recenti Pressus sidere jam sub ora ludit, Olim fortior omne cuspidatos Evolvet latus aureum per ignes; Quique imbellis adhuc, adultus olim, Puris expatiabitur genarum Campis imperiosior Cupido; O quam certa superbiore penna Ibunt spicula melleaeque mortes, Exultantibus hinc et inde turmis, Quoquo jusseris, impigre volabunt!

O quot corda calentium deorum De te vulnera delicata discent!

O quot pectora principum magistris Fient molle negotium sagittis!

Nam quae non poteris per arma ferri, Cui matris sinus atque utrumque sidus Magnorum patet officina amorum?

Hinc sumas licet, o puella princeps, Quantacunque opus est tibi pharetra.

Centum sume Cupidines ab uno Matris lumine Gratiasque centum Et centum Veneres: adhuc manebunt Centum mille Cupidines; manebunt Tercentum Veneresque Gratiaeque Puro fonte superst.i.tes per aevum.

TRANSLATION.

OF THE PRINCESS MARY.

Grow, maiden Princess, and increase, Thou who with the sweet G.o.ddesses Thy place shalt have; O haste to be Thy mother's own epitome; And when that pair of minor flames, Thy princely brothers Charles and James, Apt in the footsteps of their sire, Lead on the Fates in glorious ire; When o'er the Bosphorus shall creep A thrill of dread, as rolls full deep The murmur of the British name, And with no feign'd alarm shall shame The Turkish Crescent--other wars, And such as bring sweet Peace no tears Shall call thee forth; and from on high The flashing of thy modest eye Shall scatter o'er adoring foes Thick volleys of delicious woes.

O, when that tender bloom which now Plays, lately born, beneath thy brow, In time to come with mightier blaze Shall dart around its pointed rays; When he, the Cupid now so mild, No longer but a harmless child, Shall range in youth's imperious pride Thy cheeks' fair pastures far and wide,-- O then with what unerring skill, Borne on proud wings, thy shafts shall kill, While, where thou bid'st, the honey'd blow Falls ceaseless midst the exulting foe!

How many G.o.d-like b.r.e.a.s.t.s shall learn From thee with Love's rich wounds to burn!

How often shall thy mastering darts Work their sweet will on princely hearts!

For what may she not do in war, Whose mother's breast--with each bright star That rul'd her birth--to her but proves A storehouse of all-conquering loves?

Hence for thy quiver, Princess Maid, Take what thou wilt, nor be afraid.

A hundred Cupids be thy prize, From one of thy bright mother's eyes; A hundred graces add to these, And then a hundred Venuses: A hundred-thousand Cupids still Are hers; three hundred Graces will, With Venuses in equal store, Haunt that pure fount for evermore. CL.

IN NATALES MARIAE PRINCIPIS.[126]

Parce tuo jam, bruma ferox, o parce furori, Pone animos; o pacatae da spiritus aurae, Afflatu leniore gravem demulceat annum.

Res certe et tempus meruit. Licet improbus Auster Saeviat, et rabido multum se murmure volvat; Imbriferis licet impatiens Notus ardeat alis; Hic tamen, hic certe, modo tu non, saeva, negares, Nec Notus impatiens jam, nec foret improbus Auster.

Scilicet hoc decuit? dum nos tam lucida rerum Attollit series, adeo commune serenum Laet.i.tiae vernisque animis micat alta voluptas; Jam torvas acies, jam squallida bella per auras Volvere, et hibernis annum corrumpere nimbis?

Ah melius, quin luce novae reparata juventae Ipsa hodie vernaret hiems, pulchroque tumultu Purpureas properaret opes, effunderet omnes Laeta sinus, nitidumque diem fragrantibus horis Aeternum migrare velit, florumque beata Luxurie, tanta o circ.u.m cunabula surgat, Excipiatque novos et molliter ambiat artus.

Quippe venit, sacris iterum vagitibus ingens Aula sonat, venit en roseo decus addita fratri Blanda soror. Tibi se brevibus, tibi porrigit ulnis, Magne puer, facili tibi torquet hiantia risu Ora; tibi molles lacrymas et n.o.bile murmur Temperat, inque tuo ponit se pendula collo.

Tale decus juncto veluti sub stemmate c.u.m quis Dat sociis lucere rosis sua lilia. Talis Fulget honos medio c.u.m se duo sidera mundo Dulcibus intexunt radiis: nec dignior olim Flagrabat nitidae felix consortio formae, Tunc c.u.m sidereos inter pulcherrima fratres Erubuit primum, et Laedaeo cortice rupto Tyndarida explicuit tenerae nova gaudia frontis.

Sic socium o miscete jubar, tu candide frater, Tuque serena soror. Sic o date gaudia patri, Sic matri c.u.mque ille olim subeuntibus annis, Ire inter proprios magna cervice triumphos.

Egregius volet, atque sua se discere dextra; Te quoque tum pleno mulcebit sidere, et alto Flore tui dulcesque oculos maturior ignis Indole divina, et radiis intinget honoris.

Tunc o te quoties, nisi quod tu pulchrior illa, Esse suam Phben fulsus jurabit Apollo; Tunc o te quoties, nisi quod tu castior illa, Esse suam Venerem Mavors jurabit inanis.

Felix, ah, et cui se non Mars, non aureus ipse Credet Apollo parem; tanta cui conjuge celsus In pulchros properare sinus, et carpere sacras Delicias oculosque tuos, tua basia solus Tum poterit dixisse sua; et se nectare tanto Dum probat esse Deum, superas contemnere mensas.

TRANSLATION.

ON THE BIRTHDAY OF THE PRINCESS MARY.

Forbear thy fury, Winter fierce, forbear; Lay down thy wrath, and let the tranquil air With inspiration mild soothe the stern year: This time deserves it, and occasion dear.

The wild North-wind may rage and wildly bl.u.s.ter; The gusty South its rainy clouds may muster; Yet here at least, if thou but will it so, Neither wild North nor gusty South will blow.

For were it seemly, when events so bright Exalt us, and the universal light Of joy and vernal pleasure thrills the soul, Grim lines of battling tempest-clouds should roll Through all the air, and drown the year with rain?

Better old Winter should bright youth regain, And turn at once to Spring; with tumult sweet Hasten his purple stores, and joyful greet With all his outpour'd heart this shining Day, And bid its fragrant hours for ever stay; Making a radiant wealth of flowers abound Where in her cradle that sweet Child is found, Her tender limbs caress and softly compa.s.s round.

She comes! Once more are heard those blessed cries Within the palace. See a glory rise-- A star-like glory added to the other, A charming sister to a rosy brother!

To this she stretches out her tiny arms, Fair Boy--for thee displays the winsome charms Of her sweet smiles, and checks her gentle tears, And coos and prattles to delight thine ears, Or fondly hangs upon thy neck. Such grace Pleases the eye, when, their stalks joined, you place Lilies with roses to combine their splendour.

And then appears such l.u.s.trous glory tender, When in the midst of heaven, at dewy eve, Two stars their gentle radiance interweave.

Nor loftier grace that beauteous union show'd When from her egg the fairest Helen glow'd Betwixt her starry brothers, and display'd Her tender brow with new delights array'd.

So mix your common beam, thou brother fair And sister mild. Such joys your father share And mother dear! And when, as seasons roll, He moves with head erect and princely soul Amid his proper triumphs, and shall learn Himself by his own deeds, thou shalt discern A riper flame within thee, heavenly dower, And star full-orb'd shalt shine, and full-grown flower; While a soft beauty bathes thy l.u.s.trous eyes, And rays of majesty the world surprise.

Then O how oft, but that thou art more fair, Will some imaginary Phbus swear That thou art his own Phbe! or again But that thou art more chaste, some Mars in vain Will swear thou art his Venus, love's soft strain!

Ah, happy he, to whom nor Mars will dream Nor golden Phbus he can equal seem, Who with a wife so sweet, so fair is blest, And all the fond affection of thy breast, And tender, pure endearments; who alone Can call thy eyes and kisses all his own; And while he quaffs such nectar'd wine of love, Feels like a G.o.d, and scorns the feasts above. R. WI.

AD REGINAM.[127]

Et vero jam tempus erat tibi, maxima mater, Dulcibus his oculis accelerare diem: Tempus erat, ne qua tibi basia blanda vacarent; Sarcina ne collo sit minus apta tuo.

Scilicet ille tuus, timor et spes ille suorum, 5 Quo primum es felix pignore facta parens, Ille ferox iras jam nunc meditatur et enses, Jam patris magis est, jam magis ille suus.

Indolis o stimulos; vix dum illi transiit infans, Jamque sibi impatiens arripit ille virum. 10 Improbus ille suis adeo negat ire sub annis: Jam nondum puer est, major et est puero.

Si quis in aulaeis pictas animatus in iras Stat leo, quem docta cuspide lusit acus, Hostis, io, est; neque enim ille alium dignabitur hostem; 15 Nempe decet tantas non minor ira ma.n.u.s.

Tunc hasta gravis adversum furit; hasta bacillum est; Mox falsum vero vulnere pectus hiat.

Stat leo, ceu stupeat tali bene fixus ab hoste, Ceu quid in his oculis vel timeat vel amet, 20 Tam torvum, tam dulce micant: nescire fatetur Mars ne sub his oculis esset, an esset amor.

Quippe illic Mars est, sed qui bene possit amari; Est et amor certe, sed metuendus amor: Talis amor, talis Mars est ibi cernere; qualis 25 Seu puer hic esset, sive vir ille Deus.

Hic tibi jam scitus succedit in oscula fratris; Res, ecce, in lusus non operosa tuos.

Basia jam veniant tua quantacunque caterva; Jam quocunque tuus murmure ludat amor. 30 En, tibi materies tenera et tractabilis hic est; Hic ad blanditias est tibi cera satis.

Salve infans, tot basiolis, molle argumentum, Maternis labiis dulce negotiolum; O salve; nam te nato, puer auree, natus 35 Et Carolo et Mariae tertius est oculus.

TRANSLATION.