The Complete Poetical Works of George Chapman

by George Chapman

  The minde a spirit is, and cal’d the glasse

  In which we see God; and corporeall grace

  The mirror is, in which we see the minde.

  Amongst the fairest women you could finde

  Then Perseus, none more faire; mongst worthiest men,

  No one more manly: This the glasse is then

  To shew where our complexion is combinde;

  A womans beauty, and a manly minde:

  Such was the halfe-diuine-borne Troian Terror

  Where both Sex graces, met as in their Mirror.

  Perseus of Loues owne forme, those fiue parts had

  Which some giue man, that is the loueliest made:

  Or rather that is loueliest enclin’d,

  And beares (with shape) the beauty of the mind:

  Young was he, yet not youthfull, since mid-yeeres,

  The golden meane holds in mens loues and feares:

  Aptly composde, and soft (or delicate)

  Flexible (or tender) calme (or temperate)

  Of these fiue, three, make most exactly knowne,

  The Bodies temperate complexion:

  The other two, the order doe expresse,

  The measure and whole Trim of comelinesse.

  A temperate corporature (learn’d Nature saith)

  A smooth, a soft, a solid flesh bewrayeth:

  Which state of body shewes th’affections State

  Jn all the humours, to be moderate;

  For which cause, soft or delicate they call

  Our conquering Perseus, and but yong withall,

  Since time or yeeres in men too much reuolu’d,

  The subtiler parts of humour being resolu’d,

  More thicke parts rest, of fire and aire the want,

  Makes earth and water more predominant:

  Flexible they calde him, since his quicke conceit,

  And pliant disposition, at the height

  Tooke each occasion, and to Acts approu’d,

  As soone as he was full inform’d, he mou’d,

  Not flexible, as of inconstant state,

  Nor soft, as if too much effeminate,

  For these to a complexion moderate

  (Which we before affirme in him) imply,

  A most vnequall contrariety.

  Composure fit for loues sonne Perseus had,

  And to his forme, his mind fit answere made:

  “As to be lou’d, the fairest fittest are;

  “To loue so to, most apt are the most faire,

  “Light like it selfe, transparent bodies makes,

  “At ones act, th’other ioint impression takes.

  “Perseus, (as if transparent) at first sight,

  “Was shot quite thorough with her beauties light:

  “Beauty breedes loue, loue consummates a man.

  “For loue, being true, and Eleutherean,

  “No Jniurie nor contumelie beares;

  “That his beloued, eyther feeles or feares,

  “All good-wils enterchange it doth conclude

  “And mans whole summe holds, which is gratitude:

  “No wisdome, noblesse, force of armes, nor lawes,

  “Without loue, wins man, his compleat applause:

  “Loue, makes him valiant, past all else desires

  “For Mars, that is, of all heau’ns erring fires

  “Most full of fortitude (since he inspires

  “Men with most valour) Cytherça tames:

  “For when in heau’ns blunt Angels shine his flames,

  “Or he, his second or eight house ascends

  “Of rul’d Natiuities; and then portends

  “Ill to the then-borne: Venus in aspect

  “Sextile, or Trine doth (being conioyn’d) correct

  “His most malignitie: And when his starre

  “The birth of any gouernes (fit for warre

  “The Jssue making much to wrath enclin’d

  “And to the ventrous greatnesse of the minde)

  “Jf Venus neere him shine; she doth not let

  “His magnanimity, but in order set

  “The vice of Anger making Mars more milde

  “And gets the mastry of him in the childe:

  “Mars neuer masters her; but if she guide

  “She loue inclines: and Mars set by her side

  “Her fires more ardent render, with his heat:

  “So that if he at any birth be set

  “In th’house of Venus, Libra, or the Bull,

  “The then-borne burnes, and loues flames feels at full.

  “Besides, Mars still doth after Venus moue

  “Venus not after Mars: because, of Loue

  “Boldnesse is hand-maid, Loue not so of her:

  “For not because men, bold affections beare

  “Loues golden nets doth their affects enfold;

  “But since men loue, they therefore are more bold

  “And made to dare, euen Death, for their belou’d,

  “And finally, Loues Fortitude is prou’d

  “Past all, most cleerely; for this cause alone

  “All things submit to Loue, but loue to none.

  “Celestials, Animals, all Corporeall things,

  “Wisemen, and Strong, Slaue-rich, and Free-borne Kings

  “Are loues contributories; no guifts can buy,

  “No threats can loue constraine, or terrifie

  “For loue is Free, and his Jmpulsions still

  “Spring from his owne free, and ingenious will.

  “Not God himselfe, would willing loue enforce

  “But did at first decree, his liberall course:

  “Such is his liberty, that all affects

  “All arts and Acts, the minde besides directs

  “To some wish’t recompence, but loue aspires

  “To no possessions, but his owne desires:

  “As if his wish in his owne sphere did moue,

  “And no reward were worthy Loue but Loue.

  Thus Perseus stood affected, in a Time

  When all loue, but of riches was a crime

  A fancy and a follie. And this fact

  To adde to loues deseruings, did detract;

  For twas a Monster and a monstrous thing

  Whence he should combat out, his nuptiall ring,

  The monster vulgar thought, and conquerd gaue

  The combatant already, the foule graue

  Of their fore-speakings, gaping for him stood

  And cast out fumes as from the Stigian flood

  Gainst his great enterprise, which was so fit

  For loues cheefe Minion, that Plebeian wit

  Could not concerne it: Acts that are too hie

  For Fames crackt voice, resound all Jnfamie:

  O poore of vnderstanding: if there were

  Of all your Acts, one onely that did beare

  Mans worthie Image, euen of all your best

  Which truth could not discouer, to be drest

  In your owne ends, which Truths selfe not compels,

  But couers in your bottoms, sinckes and hels,

  Whose opening would abhor the sunne to see

  (So ye stood sure of safe deliuerie

  Being great with gaine or propagating lust)

  A man might feare your hubbubs; and some trust

  Giue that most false Epiphonem, that giues

  Your voice, the praise of gods: but view your liues

  With eyes impartiall, and ye may abhorre

  To censure high acts, when your owne taste more

  Of damned danger: Perseus scorn’d to feare

  The ill of good Acts, though hel-mouth gap’t there:

  Came to Andromeda; sat by, and cheerd:

  But she that lou’d, through all the death she fear’d,

  At first sight, like her Louer: for his sake

  Resolu’d to die, ere he should vndertake

  A combat with a Monster so past man

  To tame or vanquish, though of loue he wanne

>   A power past all men els, for man should still

  Aduance his powers to rescue good from ill,

  Where meanes of rescue seru’d: and neuer where

  Ventures of rescue, so impossible were

  That would encrease the danger: two for one

  Expose to Ruine: Therefore she alone

  Would stand the Monsters Fury and the Shame

  Of those harsh bands: for if he ouercame

  The monstrous world would take the monsters part

  So much the more: and say some sorcerouse art

  Not his pure valour, nor his Jnnocence

  Preuail’d in her deliuerance, her ofience

  Would still the same be counted, for whose ill

  The Land was threatned by the Oracle.

  The poisoned Murmures of the multitude

  Rise more, the more, desert or power obtrude:

  Against their most (sayd he) come J the more:

  Vertue, in constant sufferance we adore.

  Nor could death fright him, for he dies that loues:

  And so all bitternesse from death remoues.

  He dies that loues, because his euery thought,

  (Himselfe forgot) in his belou’d is wrought.

  Jf of himselfe his thoughts are not imploy’d

  Nor in himselfe they are by him enioy’d.

  And since not in himselfe, his minde hath Act

  (The mindes act chiefly being of thought compact)

  Who workes not in himselfe, himselfe not is:

  For, these two are in man ioynt properties,

  To worke, and Be; for Being can be neuer

  But Operation, is combined euer.

  Nor Operation, Being doth exceed,

  Nor workes man where he is not: still his deed

  His being, consorting, no true Louers minde

  He in himselfe can therefore euer finde

  Since in himselfe it workes not, if he giues

  Being from himselfe, not in himselfe he liues:

  And he that liues not, dead is, Truth then said

  That whosoeuer is in loue, is dead.

  Jf death the Monster brought then, he had laid

  A second life vp, in the loued Mayd:

  And had she died, his third life Fame decreed,

  Since death is conquer’d in each liuing deed:

  Then came the Monster on, who being showne

  His charmed sheild, his halfe he turn’d to stone

  And through the other with his sword made way:

  Till like a ruin’d Cittie, dead he lay

  Before his loue: The Neirids with a shrieke

  And Syrens (fearefull to sustaine the like)

  And euen the ruthlesse and the sencelesse Tide

  Before his howre, ran roring terrifi’d,

  Backe to their strength: wonders and monsters both,

  With constant magnanimitie, like froth

  Sodainely vanish, smother’d with their prease;

  No wonder lasts but vertue: which no lesse

  We may esteeme, since t’is as seldome found

  Firme & sincere, and when no vulgar ground

  Or flourish on it, fits the vulgar eye

  Who views it not but as a prodegie?

  Plebeian admiration, needes must signe

  All true-borne Acts, or like false fires they shine:

  Jf Perseus for such warrant had contain’d

  His high exploit, what honour had he gain’d?

  Who would haue set his hand to his designe

  But in his skorne? skorne censures things diuine:

  True worth (like truth) sits in a groundlesse pit

  And none but true eyes see the depth of it.

  Perseus had Enyos eye, and saw within

  That grace, which out-lookes, held a desperate sin:

  He, for it selfe, with his owne end went on,

  And with his louely rescu’d Paragon

  Long’d of his Conquest, for the latest shocke:

  Dissolu’d her chaines, and tooke her from the rocke

  Now woing for his life that fled to her

  As hers in him lay: Loue did both confer

  To one in both: himselfe in her he found,

  She with her selfe, in onely him was crownd:

  While thee J loue (sayd he) you louing mee

  In you J finde my selfe: thought on by thee,

  And I (lost in my selfe by thee neglected)

  In thee recouer’d am, by thee affected:

  The same in me you worke, miraculous strange

  Twixt two true Louers is this enterchange,

  For after J haue lost my selfe, if I

  Redeeme my selfe by thee, by thee supply

  I of my selfe haue, if by thee I saue

  My selfe so lost, thee more then me I haue.

  And neerer to thee, then my selfe I am

  Since to my selfe no otherwise I came

  Then by thee being the meane: In mutuall loue

  One onely death and two reuiualls moue:

  For he that loues, when he himselfe neglects

  Dies in himselfe once, In her he affects

  Straight he renewes, when she with equall fire

  Embraceth him, as he did her desire:

  Againe he liues too, when he surely seeth

  Himselfe in her made him: O blessed death

  Which two liues follow: O Commerce most strange

  Where, who himselfe doth for another change,

  Nor hath himselfe, nor ceaseth still to haue:

  O gaine, beyond which no desire can craue,

  When two are so made one, that either is

  For one made two, and doubled as in this:

  Who one life had: one interuenient death

  Makes him distinctly draw a two fold breath:

  Jn mutuall Loue the wreake most iust is found,

  When each so kill that each cure others wound;

  But Churlish Homicides, must death sustaine,

  For who belou’d, not yeelding loue againe

  And so the life doth from his loue deuide

  Denies himselfe to be a Homicide?

  For he no lesse a Homicide is held,

  That man to be borne lets: then he that kild

  A man that is borne: He is bolder farre

  That present life reaues: but he crueller

  That to the to-be borne, enuies the light

  And puts their eyes out, ere they haue their sight.

  All good things euer we desire to haue,

  And not to haue alone, but still to saue:

  All mortall good, defectiue is, and fraile;

  Vnlesse in place of things, on point to faile,

  We daily new beget. That things innate

  May last, the languishing we re’create:

  Jn generation, re’creation is,

  And from the prosecution of this

  Man his instinct of generation takes.

  Since generation, in continuance, makes

  Mortals, similitudes, of powers diuine,

  Diuine worth doth in generation shine.

  Thus Perseus sayd, and not because he sau’d

  Her life alone, he her in marriage crau’d:

  But with her life, the life of likely Race

  Was chiefe end of his action, in whose grace

  Her royall father brought him to his Court

  With all the then assembled glad resort

  Of Kings and Princes: where were solemniz’d

  Th’admired Nuptialls: which great Heau’n so priz’d

  That loue againe stoopt in a goulden showre

  T’enrich the Nuptiall; as the Natali howre

  Of happy Perseus: white-armd Iuno to:

  Depos’d her greatnesse, and what she could do

  To grace the Bride & Bride-groome, was vouchsaft.

  All Subiect-deities stoopt to: and the Shaft

  Golden and mutuall, with which loue comprest

  Both th’enuied Louers: offerd to, and kist.
/>   All answerablie feasted to their States:

  In all the Starres beames, stoopt the reuerend Fates:

  And the rere banquet, that fore ranne the Bed

  With his presage shut vp, and seconded:

  And sayd they sung verse, that Posteritie

  Jn no age should reproue, for Perfidie.

  PARCARVM EPITHALAMION.

  O you this kingdomes glory that shall be

  Parents to so renownd a Progenie

  As earth shall enuie, and heauen glory in,

  Accept of their liues threds, which Fates shal spin

  Their true spoke oracle, and liue to see

  Your sonnes sonnes enter such a Progenie,

  As to the last times of the world shall last:

  Haste you that guide the web, haste spindles haste.

  See Hesperus, with nuptiall wishes crownd,

  Take and enioy; In all ye wish abound,

  Abound, for who should Wish crowne with her store

  But you that slew what barren made the shore?

  You that in winter, make your spring to come

  Your Summer needs must be Elisium:

  A race of mere soules springing, that shall cast

  Their bodies off in cares, and all ioyes taste.

  Haste then that sacred web, haste spindles haste.

  Joue loues not many, therefore let those few

  That his guifts grace, affect still to renew:

  For none can last the same; that proper is

  To onely more then Semideities:

  To last yet by renewing, all that haue

  More merit then to make their birth their graue,

  As in themselues life, life in others saue:

  First to be great seeke, then lou’d, then to last:

  Haste you that guide the web, haste spindles haste.

  She comes, ô Bridegroom, shew thy selfe enflam’d

  And of what tender tinder Loue is flam’d:

  Catch with ech sparke, her beauties hurle about:

  Nay with ech thoght of her be rapt throughout;

  Melt let thy liuer, pant thy startled heart:

  Mount Loue on earthquakes in thy euery part:

  A thousand hewes on thine, let her lookes cast;

  Dissolue thy selfe to be by her embrac’t,

  Haste ye that guide the web, haste spindles haste.

  As in each bodie, there is ebbe and flood

  Of blood in euery vaine, of spirits in blood;

  Of Ioyes in spirits, of the Soule in Ioyes,

  And nature through your liues, this change imploies

  To make her constant: so each minde retaines

  Manners and customs, where vicicitude reignes:

  Opinions, pleasures, which such change enchains.

  And in this enterchange all man doth last,

  Haste then who guide the web, haste spindles haste.

  Who bodie loues best, feedes on dantiest meats,