Michael Drayton- Collected Poetical Works

by Michael Drayton

  These in their natures onely are

  Fit to embosse the border,

  Therefore Ile take especiall care

  To place them in their order:

  Sweet-Williams, Campions, Sops-in-Wine

  One by another neatly:

  Thus haue I made this Wreath of mine,

  And finished it featly.

  Lelipa. Your Garland thus you finisht haue,

  Then as we haue attended 150

  Your leasure, likewise let me craue

  I may the like be friended.

  Those gaudy garish Flowers you chuse,

  In which our Nimphes are flaunting,

  Which they at Feasts and Brydals vse,

  The sight and smell inchanting:

  A Chaplet me of Hearbs Ile make

  Then which though yours be brauer,

  Yet this of myne I’le vndertake

  Shall not be short in fauour. 160

  With Basill then I will begin,

  Whose scent is wondrous pleasing,

  This Eglantine I’le next put in,

  The sense with sweetnes seasing.

  Then in my Lauender I’le lay,

  Muscado put among it,

  And here and there a leafe of Bay,

  Which still shall runne along it.

  Germander, Marieram, and Tyme

  Which vsed are for strewing, 170

  With Hisop as an hearbe most pryme

  Here in my wreath bestowing.

  Then Balme and Mynt helps to make vp

  My Chaplet, and for Tryall,

  Costmary that so likes the Cup,

  And next it Penieryall

  Then Burnet shall beare vp with this

  Whose leafe I greatly fansy,

  Some Camomile doth not amisse,

  With Sauory and some Tansy, 180

  Then heere and there I’le put a sprig

  Of Rosemary into it

  Thus not too little or too big

  Tis done if I can doe it.

  Clarinax. Claia your Garland is most gaye,

  Compos’d of curious Flowers,

  And so most louely Lelipa,

  This Chaplet is of yours,

  In goodly Gardens yours you get

  Where you your laps haue laded; 190

  My symples are by Nature set,

  In Groues and Fields vntraded.

  Your Flowers most curiously you twyne,

  Each one his place supplying.

  But these rough harsher Hearbs of mine,

  About me rudely lying,

  Of which some dwarfish Weeds there be,

  Some of a larger stature,

  Some by experience as we see,

  Whose names expresse their nature, 200

  Heere is my Moly of much fame,

  In Magicks often vsed,

  Mugwort and Night-shade for the same

  But not by me abused;

  Here Henbane, Popy, Hemblock here,

  Procuring Deadly sleeping,

  Which I doe minister with Feare,

  Not fit for each mans keeping.

  Heere holy Veruayne, and heere Dill,

  Against witchcraft much auailing. 210

  Here Horhound gainst the Mad dogs ill

  By biting, neuer failing.

  Here Mandrake that procureth loue,

  In poysning philters mixed,

  And makes the Barren fruitfull proue,

  The Root about them fixed.

  Inchaunting Lunary here lyes

  In Sorceries excelling,

  And this is Dictam, which we prize

  Shot shafts and Darts expelling, 220

  Here Saxifrage against the stone

  That Powerfull is approued,

  Here Dodder by whose helpe alone,

  Ould Agues are remoued

  Here Mercury, here Helibore,

  Ould Vlcers mundifying,

  And Shepheards-Purse the Flux most sore,

  That helpes by the applying;

  Here wholsome Plantane, that the payne

  Of Eyes and Eares appeases; 230

  Here cooling Sorrell that againe

  We vse in hot diseases:

  The medcinable Mallow here,

  Asswaging sudaine Tumors,

  The iagged Polypodium there,

  To purge ould rotten humors,

  Next these here Egremony is,

  That helpes the Serpents byting,

  The blessed Betony by this,

  Whose cures deseruen writing: 240

  This All-heale, and so nam’d of right,

  New wounds so quickly healing,

  A thousand more I could recyte,

  Most worthy of Reuealing,

  But that I hindred am by Fate,

  And busnesse doth preuent me,

  To cure a mad man, which of late

  Is from Felicia sent me.

  Claia. Nay then thou hast inough to doe,

  We pity thy enduring, 250

  For they are there infected soe,

  That they are past thy curing.

  THE SIXT NIMPHALL

  SILVIVS, HALCIVS, MELANTHVS.

  A Woodman, Fisher, and a Swaine

  This Nimphall through with mirth maintaine,

  Whose pleadings so the Nimphes doe please,

  That presently they giue them Bayes.

  Cleere had the day bin from the dawne,

  All chequerd was the Skye,

  Thin Clouds like Scarfs of Cobweb Lawne

  Vayld Heauen’s most glorious eye.

  The Winde had no more strength then this,

  That leasurely it blew,

  To make one leafe the next to kisse,

  That closly by it grew.

  The Rils that on the Pebbles playd,

  Might now be heard at will; 10

  This world they onely Musick made,

  Else euerything was still.

  The Flowers like braue embraudred Gerles,

  Lookt as they much desired,

  To see whose head with orient Pearles,

  Most curiously was tyred;

  And to it selfe the subtle Ayre,

  Such souerainty assumes,

  That it receiu’d too large a share

  From natures rich perfumes. 20

  When the Elizian Youth were met,

  That were of most account,

  And to disport themselues were set

  Vpon an easy Mount:

  Neare which, of stately Firre and Pine

  There grew abundant store,

  The Tree that weepeth Turpentine,

  And shady Sicamore.

  Amongst this merry youthfull trayne

  A Forrester they had, 30

  A Fisher, and a Shepheards swayne

  A liuely Countrey Lad:

  Betwixt which three a question grew,

  Who should the worthiest be,

  Which violently they pursue,

  Nor stickled would they be.

  That it the Company doth please

  This ciuill strife to stay,

  Freely to heare what each of these

  For his braue selfe could say: 40

  When first this Forrester (of all)

  That Silvius had to name,

  To whom the Lot being cast doth fall,

  Doth thus begin the Game.

  Silvius. For my profession then, and for the life I lead,

  All others to excell, thus for my selfe I plead;

  I am the Prince of sports, the Forrest is my Fee,

  He’s not vpon the Earth for pleasure liues like me;

  The Morne no sooner puts her rosye Mantle on,

  But from my quyet Lodge I instantly am gone, 50

  When the melodious Birds from euery Bush and Bryer,

  Of the wilde spacious Wasts, make a continuall quire;

  The motlied Meadowes then, new vernisht with the Sunne

  Shute vp their spicy sweets vpon the winds that runne,

  In easly ambling Gales, and softly seeme to pace
,

  That it the longer might their lushiousnesse imbrace:

  I am clad in youthfull Greene, I other colour, scorne,

  My silken Bauldrick beares my Beugle, or my Horne,

  Which setting to my Lips, I winde so lowd and shrill,

  As makes the Ecchoes showte from euery neighbouring Hill: 60

  My Doghooke at my Belt, to which my Lyam’s tyde,

  My Sheafe of Arrowes by, my Woodknife at my Syde,

  My Crosse-bow in my Hand, my Gaffle or my Rack

  To bend it when I please, or it I list to slack,

  My Hound then in my Lyam, I by the Woodmans art

  Forecast, where I may lodge the goodly Hie-palm’d Hart,

  To viewe the grazing Heards, so sundry times I vse,

  Where by the loftiest Head I know my Deare to chuse,

  And to vnheard him then, I gallop o’r the ground

  Vpon my wel-breath’d Nag, to cheere my earning Hound. 70

  Sometime I pitch my Toyles the Deare aliue to take,

  Sometime I like the Cry, the deep-mouth’d Kennell make,

  Then vnderneath my Horse, I staulke my game to strike,

  And with a single Dog to hunt him hurt, I like.

  The Siluians are to me true subiects, I their King,

  The stately Hart, his Hind doth to my presence bring,

  The Buck his loued Doe, the Roe his tripping Mate,

  Before me to my Bower, whereas I sit in State.

  The Dryads, Hamadryads, the Satyres and the Fawnes

  Oft play at Hyde and Seeke before me on the Lawnes, 80

  The frisking Fayry oft when horned Cinthia shines

  Before me as I walke dance wanton Matachynes,

  The numerous feathered flocks that the wild Forrests haunt

  Their Siluan songs to me, in cheerefull dittyes chaunte,

  The Shades like ample Sheelds, defend me from the Sunne,

  Through which me to refresh the gentle Riuelets runne,

  No little bubling Brook from any Spring that falls

  But on the Pebbles playes me pretty Madrigals.

  I’ th’ morne I clime the Hills, where wholsome winds do blow,

  At Noone-tyde to the Vales, and shady Groues below, 90

  T’wards Euening I againe the Chrystall Floods frequent,

  In pleasure thus my life continually is spent.

  As Princes and great Lords haue Pallaces, so I

  Haue in the Forrests here, my Hall and Gallery

  The tall and stately Woods, which vnderneath are Plaine,

  The Groues my Gardens are, the Heath and Downes againe

  My wide and spacious walkes, then say all what ye can,

  The Forrester is still your only gallant man.

  He of his speech scarce made an end,

  But him they load with prayse, 100

  The Nimphes most highly him commend,

  And vow to giue him Bayes:

  He’s now cryde vp of euery one,

  And who but onely he,

  The Forrester’s the man alone,

  The worthyest of the three.

  When some then th’ other farre more stayd,

  Wil’d them a while to pause,

  For there was more yet to be sayd,

  That might deserve applause, 110

  When Halcius his turne next plyes,

  And silence hauing wonne,

  Roome for the fisher man he cryes,

  And thus his Plea begunne.

  Halcius. No Forrester, it so must not be borne away,

  But heare what for himselfe the Fisher first can say,

  The Chrystall current Streames continually I keepe,

  Where euery Pearle-pau’d Foard, and euery Blew-eyd deepe

  With me familiar are; when in my Boate being set,

  My Oare I take in hand, my Augle and my Net 120

  About me; like a Prince my selfe in state I steer,

  Now vp, now downe the Streame, now am I here, now ther,

  The Pilot and the Fraught my selfe; and at my ease

  Can land me where I list, or in what place I please,

  The Siluer-scaled Sholes, about me in the Streames,

  As thick as ye discerne the Atoms in the Beames,

  Neare to the shady Banck where slender Sallowes grow,

  And Willows their shag’d tops downe t’wards the waters bow

  I shove in with my Boat to sheeld me from the heat,

  Where chusing from my Bag, some prou’d especiall bayt, 130

  The goodly well growne Trout I with my Angle strike,

  And with my bearded Wyer I take the rauenous Pike,

  Of whom when I haue hould, he seldome breakes away

  Though at my Lynes full length, soe long I let him play

  Till by my hand I finde he well-nere wearyed be,

  When softly by degrees I drawe him vp to me.

  The lusty Samon to, I oft with Angling take,

  Which me aboue the rest most Lordly sport doth make,

  Who feeling he is caught, such Frisks and bounds doth fetch,

  And by his very strength my Line soe farre doth stretch, 140

  As draws my floating Corcke downe to the very ground,

  And wresting at my Rod, doth make my Boat turne round.

  I neuer idle am, some tyme I bayt my Weeles,

  With which by night I take the dainty siluer Eeles,

  And with my Draughtnet then, I sweepe the streaming Flood,

  And to my Tramell next, and Cast-net from the Mud,

  I beate the Scaly brood, noe hower I idely spend,

  But wearied with my worke I bring the day to end:

  The Naijdes and Nymphes that in the Riuers keepe,

  Which take into their care, the store of euery deepe, 150

  Amongst the Flowery flags, the Bullrushes and Reed,

  That of the Spawne haue charge (abundantly to breed)

  Well mounted vpon Swans, their naked bodys lend

  To my discerning eye, and on my Boate attend,

  And dance vpon the Waues, before me (for my sake)

  To th’ Musick the soft wynd vpon the Reeds doth make

  And for my pleasure more, the rougher Gods of Seas

  From Neptune’s Court send in the blew Neriades,

  Which from his bracky Realme vpon the Billowes ride

  And beare the Riuers backe with euery streaming Tyde, 160

  Those Billowes gainst my Boate, borne with delightfull Gales,

  Oft seeming as I rowe to tell me pretty tales,

  Whilst Ropes of liquid Pearle still load my laboring Oares,

  As streacht vpon the Streame they stryke me to the Shores:

  The silent medowes seeme delighted with my Layes,

  As sitting in my Boate I sing my Lasses praise,

  Then let them that like, the Forrester vp cry,

  Your noble Fisher is your only man say I.

  This speech of Halcius turn’d the Tyde,

  And brought it so about, 170

  That all vpon the Fisher cryde,

  That he would beare it out;

  Him for the speech he made, to clap

  Who lent him not a hand,

  And said t’would be the Waters hap,

  Quite to put downe the Land.

  This while Melanthus silent sits,

  (For so the Shepheard hight)

  And hauing heard these dainty wits,

  Each pleading for his right; 180

  To heare them honor’d in this wise,

  His patience doth prouoke,

  When for a Shepheard roome he cryes,

  And for himselfe thus spoke.

  Melanthus. Well Fisher you haue done, and Forrester for you

  Your Tale is neatly tould, s’are both’s to giue you due,

  And now my turne comes next, then heare a Shepherd speak:

  My watchfulnesse and care giues day scarce leaue to break,

  But to the Fields I haste, my folded flock to see,

&
nbsp; Where when I finde, nor Woolfe, nor Fox, hath iniur’d me, 190

  I to my Bottle straight, and soundly baste my Throat,

  Which done, some Country Song or Roundelay I roate

  So merrily; that to the musick that I make,

  I Force the Larke to sing ere she be well awake;

  Then Baull my cut-tayld Curre and I begin to play,

  He o’r my Shephooke leapes, now th’one, now th’other way,

  Then on his hinder feet he doth himselfe aduance,

  I tune, and to my note, my liuely Dog doth dance,

  Then whistle in my Fist, my fellow Swaynes to call,

  Downe goe our Hooks and Scrips, and we to Nine-holes fall, 200

  At Dust-point, or at Quoyts, else are we at it hard,

  All false and cheating Games, we Shepheards are debard;

  Suruaying of my sheepe if Ewe or Wether looke

  As though it were amisse, or with my Curre, or Crooke

  I take it, and when once I finde what it doth ayle,

  It hardly hath that hurt, but that my skill can heale;

  And when my carefull eye, I cast vpon my sheepe

  I sort them in my Pens, and sorted soe I keepe:

  Those that are bigst of Boane, I still reserue for breed,

  My Cullings I put off, or for the Chapman feed. 210

  When the Euening doth approach I to my Bagpipe take,

  And to my Grazing flocks such Musick then I make,

  That they forbeare to feed; then me a King you see,

  I playing goe before, my Subiects followe me,

  My Bell-weather most braue, before the rest doth stalke,

  The Father of the flocke, and after him doth walke

  My writhen-headed Ram, with Posyes crowned in pride

  Fast to his crooked hornes with Rybands neatly ty’d

  And at our Shepheards Board that’s cut out of the ground,

  My fellow Swaynes and I together at it round, 220

  With Greencheese, clouted Cream, with Flawns, and Custards, stord,

  Whig, Sider, and with Whey, I domineer a Lord,

  When shering time is come I to the Riuer driue,

  My goodly well-fleec’d Flocks: (by pleasure thus I thriue)

  Which being washt at will; vpon the shering day,

  My wooll I foorth in Loaks, fit for the wynder lay,

  Which vpon lusty heapes into my Coate I heaue,

  That in the Handling feeles as soft as any Sleaue,

  When euery Ewe two Lambes, that yeaned hath that yeare,

  About her new shorne neck a Chaplet then doth weare; 230

  My Tarboxe, and my Scrip, my Bagpipe, at my back,

  My Sheephooke in my hand, what can I say I lacke;

  He that a Scepter swayd, a sheephooke in his hand,

  Hath not disdaind to haue, for Shepheards then I stand;

  Then Forester and you my Fisher cease your strife

  I say your Shepheard leads your onely merry life,

  They had not cryd the Forester,