White Leucon; all eating Pamphagus,
Sharp-sighted Dorceus, wild Oribasus
Storme-breathing Lelaps, and the sauage Theron,
Wingd-footed Pterelas, and Hinde-like Ladon,
Greedie Harpyia, and the painted Stycté,
Fierce Tigris, and the thicket-searcher Agre,
The blacke Melaneus, and the bristled Lachne,
Leane-lustfull Cyprius, and big chested Alce.
These and such other now the forrest rang’d,
And Euthimya to a Panther changd,
Holds them sweet chase; their mouths they freely spend,
As if the earth in sunder they would rend.
Which change of Musick likt the Goddesse so,
That she before her formost Nimphe would go,
And not a huntsman there was eagrer seene
In that sports loue, (yet all were wondrous keene)
Then was their swift, and windie-footed queene.
And now this spotted game did thicket take,
Where not a hound could hungred passage make:
Such proofe the couert was, all armd in thorne,
With which in their attempts, the doggs were torne,
And fell to howling in their happinesse:
As when a flocke of schoole-boys, whom their mistresse
(Held closelie to their bookes) gets leaue to sport,
And then like toyle-freed deare, in headlong sort
With shouts, and shrieks, they hurrey from the schoole.
Some strow the woods, some swimme the siluer poole:
All as they list to seuerall pastimes fall,
To feede their famisht wantonnesse with all.
When strait, within the woods some wolfe or beare,
The heedlesse lyms of one doth peecemeale teare,
Affrighteth other, sends some bleeding backe,
And some in greedie whirle pitts suffer wracke:
So did the bristled couert check with wounds
The licorous hast of these game greedie hounds.
In this vast thicket, (whose descriptions task
The penns of furies, and of feends would aske:
So more then humane thoughted horrible)
The soules of such as liu’d implausible,
In happie Empire of this Goddesse glories,
And scornd to crowne hir Phanes with sacrifice
And ceaselesse walke; exspiring fearefull grones,
Curses, and threats for their confusions.
Her darts, and arrowes, some of them had slaine,
Others hir doggs eate, painting hir disdaine,
After she had transformd them into beasts:
Others her monsters carried to their nests,
Rent them in peeces, and their spirits sent
To this blind shade, to waile their banishment.
The huntsmen hearing (since they could not heare)
Their hounds at fault; in eager chase drew neare,
Mounted on Lyons, Vnicorns, and Bores,
And saw their hounds lye licking of their sores,
Some yerning at the shroud, as if they chid
Her stinging toungs, that did their chase forbid:
By which they knew the game was that way gone.
Then ech man forst the beast he rode vpon,
T’assault the thicket; whose repulsiue thorns
So gald the Lyons, Bores, and Vnicorns,
Dragons, and wolues; that halfe their courages
Were spent in rores, and sounds of heauines:
Yet being the Princeliest, and hardiest beasts,
That gaue chiefe fame to those Ortygian forests,
And all their riders furious of their sport,
A fresh assault they gaue, in desperate sort:
And with their falchions made their wayes in wounds:
The thicket opend, and let in the hounds.
But from her bosome cast prodigious cries,
Wrapt in her Stigian fumes of miseries:
Which yet the breaths of those couragious steads
Did still drinke vp, and cleerd their ventrous heads:
As when the fierie coursers of the sunne,
Vp to the pallace of the morning runne,
And from their nosthrills blow the spitefull day:
So yet those foggie vapors, made them way.
But preasing further, saw such cursed sights,
Such Ætnas filld with strange tormented sprites,
That now the vaprous obiect of the eye
Out-pierst the intellect in facultie.
Basenesse was Nobler then Nobilitie:
For ruth (first shaken from the braine of Loue,
And loue the soûle of vertue) now did moue,
Not in their soûles (spheres meane enough for such)
But in their eyes: and thence did conscience touch
Their harts with pitie: where her proper throne,
Is in the minde, and there should first haue shone:
Eyes should guide bodies, and our soules our eyes,
But now the world consistes on contraries:
So sence brought terror; where the mindes presight
Had saft that feare, and done but pittie right,
But seruile feare, now forgd a wood of darts
Within their eyes, and cast them through their harts.
Then turnd they bridle, then halfe slaine with feare,
Ech did the other backwardes ouerbeare,
As when th’Italian Duke, a troupe of horse
Sent out in hast against some English force,
From statelie sited sconce-torne Nimigan,
Vnder whose walles the Wall most Cynthian,
Stretcheth her siluer limms loded with wealth,
Hearing our horse were marching downe by stealth.
(Who looking for them) warres quicke Artizan
Fame-thriuing Vere, that in those Countries wan
More fame then guerdon; ambuscadoes laide
Of certaine foote, and made full well appaide
The hopefull enemie, in sending those
The long-expected subiects of their blowes
To moue their charge; which strait they giue amaine,
When we retiring to our strength againe,
The foe pursewes assured of our Hues,
And vs within our ambuscado driues,
Who straight with thunder of the drums and shot,
Tempest their wraths on them that wist it not.
Then (turning headlong) some escapt vs so,
Some left to ransome, some to ouerthrow,
In such confusion did this troupe retire,
And thought them cursed in that games desire:
Out flew the houndes, that there could nothing finde,
Of the slye Panther, that did beard the winde,
Running into it full, to clog the chase,
And tire her followers with too much solace.
And but the superficies of the shade,
Did onely sprinckle with the sent she made,
As when the sunne beames on high billowes fall,
And make their shadowes dance vpon a wall,
That is the subiect of his faire reflectings:
Or else; as when a man in summer euenings,
Something before sunneset, when shadows bee
Rackt with his stooping, to the highest degree,
His shadow clymes the trees, and skales a hill,
While he goes on the beaten passage still,
So sleightlie toucht the Panther with her sent,
This irksome couert, and away she went,
Downe to a fruitfull Hand sited by,
Full of all wealth, delight, and Emperie,
Euer with child of curious Architect,
Yet still deliuerd: pau’d with Dames select,
On whom rich feete, in fowlest bootes might treade,
And neuer fowle them: for kinde Cupid spreade,
Such perfect colours, on their pleasing faces,
<
br /> That their reflects clad fowlest weeds with graces,
Bewtie strikes fancie blind; pyed show deceau’s vs,
Sweet banquets tempt our healths, when temper leaues vs
Inchastitie, is euer prostitute,
Whose trees we loth, when we haue pluckt their fruité.
Hither this Panther fled, now turnd a Bore
More huge then that th’Ætolians plagud so sore,
And led the chase through noblest mansions,
Gardens and groues, exempt from Parragons,
In all things ruinous, and slaughtersome,
As was that scourge to the Ætolian kingdome:
After as if a whirlewind draue them one,
Full crie, and close, as if they all were one
The hounds pursew, and fright the earth with sound,
Making her tremble; as when windes are bound
In her cold bosome, fighting for euent:
With whose fierce Ague all the world is rent.
But dayes arme (tir’d to hold her torch to them)
Now let it fall within the Ocean streame,
The Goddesse blew retraite, and with her blast,
Her morns creation did like vapours wast:
The windes made wing, into the vpper light,
And blew abroad the sparckles of the night.
Then (swift as thought) the bright Titanides
Guide and great soueraigne of the marble seas,
With milkwhite Heiffers, mounts into her Sphere,
And leaues vs miserable creatures here.
Thus nights, faire dayes: thus griefs do ioyes supplant:
Thus glories grauen in steele and Adamant
Neuer supposd to wast, but grow by wasting,
(Like snow in riuers falne) consume by lasting.
O then thou great Elixer of all treasures,
From whom we multiplie our world of pleasures,
Discend againe, ah neuer leaue the earth,
But as thy plenteous humors gaue vs birth,
So let them drowne the world in night, and death
Before this ayre, leaue breaking with thy breath.
Come Goddesse come, the double fatherd sonne,
Shall dare no more amongst thy traine to runne,
Nor with poluted handes to touch thy vaile:
His death was darted from the Scorpions taile,
For which her forme to endlesse memorie,
With other lamps, doth lend the heauens an eye,
And he that shewd such great presumption,
Is hidden now, beneath a little stone.
If proude Alpheus offer force againe,
Because he could not once thy loue obtaine,
Thou and thy Nimphs shall stop his mouth with mire,
And mocke the fondling, for his mad aspire.
Thy glorious temple (great Lucifera)
That was the studie of all Asia,
Two hunderd twentie sommers to erect,
Built by Chersiphrone thy Architect,
In which two hundred, twentie columns stood,
Built by two hunderd twentie kings of blood,
Of curious bewtie, and admired height,
Pictures and statues, of as praysefull sleight,
Conuenient for so chast a Goddesse phane,
(Burnt by Herostratus) shall now againe,
Be reexstruct, and this Ephesiabe
Thy countries happie name, come here with thee,
As it was there so shall it now be framde,
And thy faire virgine-chamber euer namde:
And as in reconstruction of it there,
There Ladies did no more their iewells weare,
But franckly contribute them all to raise,
A worke of such a chast Religious prayse:
So will our Ladies; for in them it lyes,
To spare so much as would that worke suffice:
Our Dames well set their iewels in their myndes,
In-sight illustrates; outward brauerie blindes,
The minde hath in her selfe a Deitie,
And in the stretching circle of her eye
All things are compast, all things present still,
Will framd to powre, doth make vs what we will,
But keep your iewels, make ye brauer yet,
Elisian Ladies; and (in riches set,
Vpon your foreheads), let vs see your harts:
Build Cynthiaes Temple in your vertuous parts,
Let euerie iewell be a vertues glasse:
And no Herostratus shall euer race,
Those holy monuments: but piliers stand,
Where euery Grace, and Muse shall hang her garland.
The minde in that we like, rules euery limme,
Giues hands to bodies, makes them make them trimme:
Why then in that the body doth dislike,
Should not his sword as great a vennie strike?
The bit, and spurre that Monarcke ruleth still,
To further good things, and to curb the ill,
He is the Ganemede, the birde of loue,
Rapt to his soueraignes bosome for his loue,
His bewtie was it, not the bodies pride,
That made him great Aquarius stellified:
And that minde most is bewtifull and hye,
And nearest comes to a Diuinitie,
That furthest is from spot of earths delight,
Pleasures that lose their substance with their sight,
Such one, Saturnius rauisheth to loue,
And fills the cup of all content to loue.
If wisedome be the mindes true bewtie then,
And that such bewtie shines in vertuous men,
If those sweet Ganemedes shall onely finde,
* * * *
Loue of Olimpius, are those wizerds wise,
That nought but gold, and his dyiections prise?
This bewtie hath a fire vpon her brow,
That dimmes the Sunne of base desires in you,
And as the cloudie bosome of the tree,
Whose branches will not let the summer see,
His solemne shadows; but do entertaine,
Eternall winter: so thy sacred traine,
Thrise mightie Cynthia should be frozen dead,
To all the lawlesse flames of Cupids Godhead.
To this end let thy beames diuinities,
For euer shine vpon their sparckling eyes,
And be as quench to those pestiferent fires,
That through their eyes, impoison their desires,
Thou neuer yet wouldst stoope to base assault,
Therefore those Poetes did most highly fault,
That fainde thee fiftie children by Endimion,
And they that write thou hadst but three alone,
Thou neuer any hadst, but didst affect,
Endimion for his studious intellect.
Thy soule-chast kisses were for vertues sake,
And since his eyes were euermore awake,
To search for knowledge of thy excellence,
And all Astrologie: no negligence,
Or female softnesse fede his learned trance,
Nor was thy vaile once toucht with dalliance,
Wise Poetes faine thy Godhead properlie,
The thresholds of mens doores did fortifie,
And therefore built they thankefull alters there,
Seruing thy powre, in most religious feare.
Deare precident for vs to imitate,
Whose dores thou guardst against Imperious fate,
Keeping our peacefull households safe from sack,
And free’st our ships, when others suffer wracke.
Thy virgin chamber then that sacred is,
No more let hold, an idle Salmacis,
Nor let more sleights, Cydippe iniurie:
Nor let blacke loue possest in Scicilie,
Rauish more maids, but maids subdue his might,
With well-steeld lances of thy watchfull sight.
Then in t
hy cleare, and Isie Pentacle,
Now execute a Magicke miracle:
Slip euerie sort of poisond herbes, and plants,
And bring thy rabid mastiffs to these hants.
Looke with thy fierce aspect, be terror-strong;
Assume thy wondrous shape of halfe a furlong:
Put on thy feete of Serpents, viperous hayres,
And act the fearefulst part of thy affaires:
Conuert the violent courses of thy floods,
Remoue whole fields of corne, and hugest woods,
Cast hills into the sea, and make the starrs,
Drop out of heauen, and lose thy Mariners.
So shall the wonders of thy power be seene,
And thou for euer liue the Planets Queene.
Explicit Hymnus.
omnis vt vmbra.
OVIDS BANQUET OF SENCE.
A Coronet for his Mistresse Philosophie.
The amorous Zodiack.
The amorous contention of Phillis and Flora.
TO THE TRVLIE
Learned, and my worthy Friende,
Ma. Mathew Royden.
SUCH is the wilfull pouertie of iudgements (sweet Ma:) wandring like pasportles men, in contempt of the diuine discipline of Poesie, that a man may well feare to frequent their walks: The prophane multitude I hate, & onelie consecrate my strange Poems to these serching spirits, whom learning hath made noble, and nobilitie sacred; endeuoring that materiall Oration, which you call Schema; varying in some rare fiction, from popular custome, euen for the pure sakes of ornament and vtilitie; This of Euripides exceeding sweetly relishing with mee; Lentem coquens ne quicquam olentis addito.
But that Poesie should be as peruiall as Oratorie, and plainnes her speciall ornament, were the plaine way to barbarisme: and to make the Asse runne proude of his eares; to take away strength from Lyons, and giue Cammels homes.
That, Enargia, or cleerenes of representation, required in absolute Poems is not the perspicuous deliuery of a lowe inuention; but high, and harty inuention exprest in most significant, and vnaffected phrase; it serues not a skilfull Painters turne, to draw the figure of a face onely to make knowne who it represents; but hee must lymn, giue luster, shaddow, and heightening; which though ignorants will esteeme spic’d, and too curious, yet such as haue the iudiciall perspectiue, will see it hath, motion, spirit and life.
There is no confection made to last, but it is admitted more cost and skill then presently to be vsed simples; and in my opinion, that which being with a little endeuour serched, ads a kinde of maiestie to Poesie; is better then that which euery Cobler may sing to his patch.
Obscuritie in affection of words, & indigested concets, is pedanticall and childish; but where it shroudeth it selfe in the hart of his subiect, vtterd with fitnes of figure, and expressiue Epethites; with that darknes wil J still labour to be shaddowed: rich Minerals are digd out of the bowels of the earth, not found in the superficies and dust of it; charms made of vnlerned characters are not consecrate by the Muses which are diuine artists, but by Euippes daughters, that challengd them with meere nature, whose brests J doubt not had beene well worthy commendation, if their comparison had not turnd them into Pyes.
The Complete Poetical Works of George Chapman Page 4