The Complete Poetical Works of George Chapman

by George Chapman

  Farre then be this foule clowdy-browd contempt

  From like-plumde Birds: and let your sacred rymes

  From honors Court theyr seruile feete exempt

  That liue by soothing moods, and seruing tymes:

  And let my loue, adorne with modest eyes,

  Muses that sing loues sensuall Emperyes.

  Lucidius olim.

  THE AMOROVS ZODIACK.

  1

  I NEUER see the Sunne, but suddainly

  My soule is mou’d, with spite and ielousie’

  Of his high blisse in his sweete course discerned:

  And am displeasde to see so many signes

  As the bright Skye vnworthily diuines,

  Enioy an honor they haue neuer earned.

  2

  To thinke heauen decks with such a beautious show

  A Harpe, a Shyp, a Serpent, and a Crow,

  And such a crew of creatures of no prises,

  But to excite in vs th’vnshamefast flames,

  With which (long since) loue wrongd so many Dames,

  Reuiuing in his rule, theyr names and vices.

  3

  Deare Mistres, whom the Gods bred heere belowe

  T’expresse theyr wondrous powre and let vs know

  That before thee they nought did perfect make,

  Why may not I (as in those signes the Sunne)

  Shine in thy beauties, and as roundly runne,

  To frame (like him) an endlesse Zodiack.

  4

  With thee lie furnish both the yeere and Sky,

  Running in thee my course of destinie:

  And thou shalt be the rest of all my mouing,

  But of thy numberles and perfect graces

  (To giue my Moones theyr ful in twelue months spaces)

  I chuse but twelue in guerdon of my louing.

  5

  Keeping euen way through euery excellence,

  He make in all, an equall residence

  Of a ne we Zodiack: a new Phoebus guising,

  When (without altering the course of nature)

  He make the seasons good, and euery creature

  Shall henceforth reckon day, from my first rising.

  6

  To open then the Spring-times golden gate,

  And flowre my race with ardor temperate,

  Ile enter by thy head, and haue for house

  In my first month, this heauen-Ram-curled tresse:

  Of which, Loue all his charme-chaines doth addresse:

  A Signe fit for a Spring so beautious.

  7

  Lodgd in that fleece of hayre, yellow, and curld,

  Ile take high pleasure to enlight the world,

  And fetter me in gold, thy crisps implies,

  Earth (at this Spring spungie and langorsome

  With enuie of our ioyes in loue become)

  Shall swarme with flowers, & ayre with painted flies.

  8

  Thy smooth embowd brow, where all grace I see,

  My second month, and second house shall be:

  Which brow, with her cleere beauties shall delight

  The Earth (yet sad) and ouerture confer

  To herbes, buds, flowers, and verdure gracing Ver,

  Rendring her more then Sommer exquisite.

  9

  All this fresh Aprill, this sweet month of Venus,

  I will admire this browe so bounteous:

  This brow, braue Court for loue, and vertue builded,

  This brow where Chastitie holds garrison,

  This brow that (blushlesse) none can looke vpon,

  This brow with euery grace and honor guilded.

  10

  Resigning that, to perfect this my yeere

  He come to see thine eyes: that now I feare:

  Thine eyes, that sparckling like two Twin-borne fires,

  (Whose lookes benigne, and shining sweets doe grace

  Mays youthfull month with a more pleasing face)

  Iustly the Twinns signe, hold in my desires.

  11

  Scorcht with the beames these sister-flames eiect,

  The liuing sparcks thereof Earth shall effect

  The shock of our ioynd-fires the Sommer starting:

  The season by degrees shall change againe

  The dayes, theyr longest durance shall retaine,

  The starres their amplest light, and ardor darting.

  12

  But now I feare, that thronde in such a signe,

  Playing with obiects, pleasant and diuine,

  I should be mou’d to dwell there thirtie dayes:

  O no, I could not in so little space,

  With ioy admire enough theyr plenteous grâce,

  But euer liue in sun-shine of theyr rayes.

  13

  Yet this should be in vaine, my forced will

  My course designd (begun) shall follow still;

  So forth I must, when forth this month is wore,

  And of the neighbor Signes be borne anew,

  Which Signe perhaps may stay mee with the view

  More to conceiue, and so desire the more.

  14

  It is thy nose (sterne to thy Barke of loue)

  Or which Pyne-like doth crowne a flowrie Groue,

  Which Nature striud to fashion with her best,

  That shee might neuer turne to show more skill:

  And that the enuious foole, (vsd to speake ill)

  Might feele pretended fault chokt in his brest.

  15

  The violent season in a Signe so bright,

  Still more and more, become more proude of light,

  Should still incense mee in the following Signe:

  A signe, whose sight desires a gracious kisse,

  And the red confines of thy tongue it is,

  Where, hotter then before, mine eyes would shine.

  16

  So glow those Corrals, nought but fire respiring

  With smiles, or words, or sighs her thoughts attiring

  Or, be it she a kisse diuinely frameth;

  Or that her tongue, shootes forward, and retires,

  Doubling like feruent Syrius, summers fires

  In Leos month, which all the world enflameth.

  17

  And now to bid the Boreall signes adew

  I come to giue thy virgin-cheekes the view

  To temper all my fire, and tame my heate,

  Which soone will feele it selfe extinct and dead,

  In those fayre courts with modestie dispred

  With holy, humble, and chast thoughts repleate.

  18

  The purple tinct, thy Marble cheekes retaine,

  The Marble tinct, thy purple cheeks doth staine

  The Lillies dulie equald with thine eyes,

  The tinct that dyes the Morne with deeper red,

  Shall hold my course a Month, if (as I dread)

  My fires to issue want not faculties.

  19

  To ballance now thy more obscured graces

  Gainst them the circle of thy head enchaces

  (Twise three Months vsd, to run through twise three houses)

  To render in this heauen my labor lasting,

  I hast to see the rest, and with one hasting,

  The dripping tyme shall fill the Earth carowses.

  20

  Then by the necke, my Autumne Ile commence,

  Thy necke, that merrits place of excellence

  Such as this is, where with a certaine Sphere

  In ballancing the darknes with the light,

  It so might wey, with skoles of equall weight

  Thy beauties seene with those doe not appeare.

  21

  Now past my month t’admire for built most pure

  This Marble piller and her lyneature,

  I come t’inhabit thy most gracious teates,

  Teates that feede loue vpon the white riphees,

  Teates where he hangs his glory and his trophes

/>   When victor from the Gods war he retreats.

  22

  Hid in the vale twixt these two hils confined

  This vale the nest of loues, and ioyes diuined

  Shall I inioy mine ease; and fayre be passed

  Beneath these parching Alps; and this sweet cold

  Is first, thys month, heauen doth to vs vnfold,

  But there shall I still greeue to bee displaced.

  23

  To sort from this most braue and pompous signe

  (Leauing a little my ecliptick lyne

  Lesse superstitious then the other Sunne)

  The rest of my Autumnall race Ile end

  To see thy hand, (whence I the crowne attend,)

  Since in thy past parts I haue slightly runne.

  24

  Thy hand, a Lilly gendred of a Rose

  That wakes the morning, hid in nights repose:

  And from A polios bed the vaile doth twine,

  That each where doth, th’Idalian Minion guide;

  That bends his bow; that tyes, and leaues vntyed

  The siluer ribbands of his little Ensigne.

  25

  In fine, (still drawing to th’Antartick Pole)

  The Tropicke signe, Ile runne at for my Gole,

  Which I can scarce expresse with chastitie,

  I know in heauen t’is called Capricorne

  And with the suddaine thought, my case takes home,

  So (heauen-like,) Capricorne the name shall be.

  26

  This (wondrous fit) the wintry Solstice seaseth,

  Where darknes greater growes and day decreseth,

  Where rather I would be in night then day,

  But when I see my iournies doe encrease

  He straight dispatch me thence, and goe in peace

  To my next house, where I may safer stay.

  27

  This house alongst thy naked thighs is found,

  Naked of spot; made fleshy, firme and round,

  To entertayne loues friends with feeling sport;

  These, Cupids secret misteries enfold,

  And piliers are that Venus Phane vphold,

  Of her deare ioyes the glory, and support.

  28

  Sliding on thy smooth thighs to thys months end;

  To thy well fashiond Calues I will descend

  That soone the last house I may apprehend,

  Thy slender feete, fine slender feete that shame

  Thetis sheene feete, which Poets so much fame,

  And heere my latest season I will end.

  L E N V O Y.

  29

  Deare Mistres, if poore wishes heauen would heare,

  I would not chuse the empire of the water;

  The empire of the ayre, nor of the earth,

  But endlesly my course of life confining

  In this fayre Zodiack for euer shining,

  And with thy beauties make me endles mirth.

  30

  But gracious Loue, if ielous heauen deny

  My life this truely-blest varietie,

  Yet will I thee through all the world disperse,

  If not in heauen, amongst those brauing fires

  Yet heere thy beauties (which the world admires)

  Bright as those flames shall glister in my verse.

  THE AMOROVS CONTENTION OF PHILLIS

  and Flora, translated out of a Latine coppie, written by a Fryer, Anno.

  1400.

  1

  IN flowrie season of the yeere,

  And when the Firmament was cleere,

  When Tellus Herbals painted were

  With issue of disparant cheere:

  2

  When th’Vsher to the Morne did rise,

  And driue the darknes from the skyes,

  Sleepe gaue their visuall liberties,

  To Phillis and to Floras eyes.

  3

  To walke these Ladies liked best,

  (For sleepe reiects the wounded brest,)

  Who ioyntly to a Meade addrest

  Theyr sportance with the place to feast.

  4

  Thus made they amorous excesse,

  Both Virgins, and both Princesses:

  Fayre Phillis wore a liberall tresse,

  But Flora, hers in curls did dresse.

  5

  Nor in their ornamentall grace,

  Nor in behauiour were they base,

  Their yeeres and mindes in equall place,

  Did youth and his effects embrace.

  6

  A little yet vnlike they proue,

  And somewhat hostilely they stroue.

  A Clarke did Floras humor moue,

  But Phillis likt a Souldiours loue.

  7

  For stature and fresh beauties flowrs,

  There grew no difference in theyr dowrs:

  All things were free to both theyr powrs

  Without, and in, theyr courtlie Bowrs.

  8

  One vowe they made religiously,

  And were of one societie:

  And onely was theyr imparie

  The forme of eythers fantasie.

  9

  Now did a gentle timely gale,

  A little whisper through the Dale,

  Where was a place of festiuall,

  With verdant grasse adorned all:

  10

  And in that Meade-proud-making grasse,

  A Riuer like to liquid glasse

  Did with such soundfull murmure passe,

  That with the same it wanton was.

  11

  Hard by this Brooke, a Pine had seate,

  With goodly furniture complete,

  To make the place in state more great,

  And lessen the inflaming heate,

  12

  Which was with leaues so beautified

  And spred his brest so thick and wide,

  That all the Sunnes estranged pride

  Sustaind repulse on euery side.

  13

  Queene Phillis by the Foorde did sit,

  But Flora farre remou’d from it,

  The place in all things sweet was fit,

  Where th’erbage did their seates admit.

  14

  Thus while they opposite were set

  And could not theyr effects forget,

  Loues arrowes and theyr bosoms met,

  And both theyr harts did passion-fret.

  15

  Loue, close, and inward shrowds his fires,

  And in faint words, firme sighes expires,

  Pale tinctures change theyr cheeks attires,

  But modest shame entombes their ires.

  16

  Phillis dyd Flora sighing take,

  And Flora dyd requitall make:

  So both together part the stake,

  Till forth the wounds and sicknes brake.

  17

  In this chang’d speech they long time stayd,

  The processe all on loue they layd,

  Loue in theyr harts theyr lookes bewraid:

  At last, in laughter, Phillis sayd:

  18

  Braue Souldier, Paris, my harts seisure

  In fight, or in his peacefull leysure:

  The Souldiers life, is lifes chiefe treasure,

  Most worth the Loue-Queenes houshold plesure.

  19

  While shee her war-friend did prefer,

  Flora lookt coy, and laught at her,

  And did this aduerse speech auer;

  Thou might’st haue said, I loue a Begger.

  20

  But what doth Alcibiades

  My Loue: past all in worths excesse:

  Whom Nature doth with all gyfts blesse?

  O onely Clarks liues, happines.

  21

  This hard speech, Phillis hardly takes,

  And thus shee Floras patience crakes:

  Thou lou’st a Man, pure loue forsakes,

  That God, his godlesse belly makes.r />
  22

  Rise wretch from this grose exstasie,

  A Clarke sole Epicure thinke I:

  No elegance can beautifie

  A shapelesse lumpe of gluttony.

  23

  His hart, sweet Cupids Tents reiects

  That onely meate and drinke affects:

  O Flora, all mens intelects

  Know Souldiers vowes shun those respects.

  24

  Meere helps for neede his minde suffiseth,

  Dull sleepe and surfets he despiseth:

  Loues Trumpe his temples exerciseth,

  Courage and loue, his life compriseth.

  25

  Who with like band our loues combineth?

  Euen natures law thereat repineth,

  My Loue, in conquests Palm-wreaths shineth,

  Thine feast deforms, mine fight refineth.

  26

  Flora her modest face enrosed,

  Whose second smile, more faire disclosed:

  At length, with moouing voyce shee losed

  What Art in her stord brest reposed.

  27

  Phillis, thy fill of speech thou hast,

  Thy wit with pointed wings is grast,

  Yet vrgest not a truth so vast

  That Hemlocks, Lillies haue surpast.

  28

  Ease-louing Clarks thou holdst for deere,

  Seruants to sleepe and belly cheere:

  So Enuy, honor would enphere

  But giue me eare, Ile giue thee answere.

  29

  So much inioyes this loue of mine,

  He nere enuies, or hirs, or thine,

  Household-stuffe, honny, oyle, corne, wine,

  Coyne, Iewels, plate, serue his designe.

  30

  Such pleasing store haue Clarks by-lying

  As none can faine their dignifying:

  There, Loue claps his glad wings in flying,

  Loue euer firme, Loue neuer dying.

  31

  Loues stings in him are still sustained,

  Yet is my Loue nor pynde nor pained,

  Ioy hath no part in him restrained

  To whom his loue beares thoughts vnfained.

  32

  Pallid and leane, is thy elected,

  Poore, scarce with clothes, or skinne, contected,

  His sinewes weake, his breast dyiected,

  For nothing causde, makes nought effected.

  33

  Approching neede is loues meere hell,

  Souldiers want gifts to woo loues well:

  But Clarks giue much, and still heapes swell,

  Theyr rents and ritches so excell.

  34

  Right well thou knowst (Phillis replyde)

  What in both arts, and liues abide,

  Likely, and clenly thou hast lyde:

  But thus our difference is not tryde.

  35

  When Holy-day the whole world cheeres,

  A Clarke a solemne countnance beares,

  His crown is shauen, blacke weedes he weares,

  And lookes as he would still shed teares.