To his companion in praise of Bellama.
Dost see yon tow'ring hills, yon spreading trees,
950Which wrap their lofty heads in clouds? Dost see
Yon house of little worth, and lesser height?
Dost think a jewel of ten thousand weight
Can dwell within that sooty carcanet?
Dost think the gaudy sun each night does set
And riseth from yon roof? Dost think the moon,
With double horn and glitt'ring tapers, soon
Will issue thence? Didst ever see an eye
Which checked the beams of awful majesty?
Dost think an earth-born beauty can be found,
960Which darts forth lustre from the sullen ground—
To kiss the glorious skies? Or canst thou think
The queen of beauty dwells in such a chink?
Dost think? 'tis poor, why do I question so?
Thou dar'st confirm all this by oath, I know,
Since my Bellama's there, all life, all breath,
Whose presence can enlive the soul of death,
Despite of sickly Nature: she is all fair
And truly meriteth Bellezza's chair.
All those fair treasures, which dispersèd lie
970'Twixt poles and parallels, pay to her eye,
And with her span contracted in her meet
As radiant, red, white, smooth, soft, rich, and sweet,
She is the world's epitome and soul,
And with her inch of earth outworths the whole.
She's beauty's archi-fount: as riv'lets small
Borrow from greater currents, and they all
Pay tribute to the ocean, just so
The dimmer shafts of wingèd Cupid's bow
Borrow from brighter, [and] the brightest pay
980Homage unto Bellama—beauty's day.
I tell thee there's not one small worth of hers
But loudly says that foppish Nature errs
In other beauties: nor is this all, for why?
Her thoughts pluck stars, and dark th' imperial sky.
Virtue and beauty both: why, 'tis as rare
As frosts in June or comets in the air,
As crows in Africk, Æolus want puffs,
Or she-precisians want Geneva ruffs.
Yet my Bellam', alone and one, unites
990The beauteous colours, noble red and whites,
With heaven's issue, Virtue: dar'st then deny,
If not divine, her half a deity?
Tip Cynthia's horns with wonder, wind aloud,
And mount the saddle of a wingèd cloud,
Then circle earth, and see if thou canst find
Half such a feature with so rare a mind.
I know when thou return'st thou'lt say with me,
Bellama's beauty is a A per se.
Thus he to rocks and bushes did discover
[1000]The secret flames which scorched his heated breast:
Though he as yet was not a vocal lover,
But shrouded his close love in smiles and jest.
Yet Fortune oftentimes does Venus grace.
He got lip-freedom in an eyeless place.
For there a Turk's Elysium was the stage
Whereon the virgins acted parts of mirth,
Which Nature did with nobler gifts engage,
And deckèd more than other parts of earth:
And Bellam's breath was such a powerful thing,
1010It here did keep an everlasting spring.
The angry puffings of congealing East
And sturdy North, cold Winter's stoutest roisters,
Durst ne'er of curled locks the trees divest,
Nor e'er were heard to whistle in their cloisters.
Such vernal blasts came from Bellama's mouth
Kept here Favonius, and the dropping South.
And if sharp frosts did, in her absence, steal
Into this place, and glaz'd the tattling streams,
Then into crystal would the springs congeal,
1020And ev'ry flower was rayed with silver beams.
Yet if Bellama did but glance her eye,
The crystal and the silver thence did fly.
Nay, strange it was to hear the purling wet,
The saucy frost with angry murmurs chide,
And with its constant jars and strugglings fret,
Then thaw to tears, and on the Venice slide.
Yet oft Bellama would call in her rays,
To view the silver purls and crystal ways.
Into this garden once Albino got;
1030Yet ah! but once, and met his sovereign fair,
Hoping their hearts should tie the Gordian knot
He fanned her beauty with such courting air.
For, though he was a monk, love did instruct him,
And to Love's palace Fortune did conduct him.
He oftentimes with trembling thumb would press
Her dancing vein, way to her heart to find,
Whilst conscious she her looks with red would dress,
Fearing her pulse was traitor to her mind.
For 'tis entruthed by some that by this vein
1040We may the knowledge of affections gain.
Such knowledge gained he by her pulse's touch,
Which leapt to meet, not chide, his busy thumbs,
That he desired a kiss; and found it such
Whose sweetness far outsweet[en]s Hybla's combs:
Then cried, 'Give for each lip a cherry sweet,
And then a third, in which they two may meet.'
Such quick'ning heat was from those kisses lent,
That thawed his voice and did unfreeze his tongue,
Packed thence despair, exilèd discontent,
1050And made him vent what was concealèd long.
For though desire and love each minute bid him.
Yet fear, his habit, and her beauty, chid him.
'Madam,' quoth he, 'vouchsafe a courteous ear
Unto my words, sent from an amorous heart.
Which hath long time been wracked with hope and fear,
Grisly despair, and Cupid's awful dart,
And till this time (restrained by black disasters)
Could ne'er apply lip-love or vowel-plasters.
Be pleased to know (yet sure you needs must know it)
1060A beauty so divine must needs divine,
Though I should want heart, hand, or voice to show it,
When first your beauty in mine eyes did shine,
They slipped into my breast, and told my heart
The god of love by them had sent a dart.
My heart made quick reply (if hearts have voice)
You ever have such faithful servants been,
That what you like, I'll freely call my choice:
For beauty, brought by you, does fires teen.
Carry this message back, tell her 'tis best
1070That hers should heat my bosom, I her breast.'
'Peace, peace.' quoth she, 'speak not a work of love,
For fear my anger scorns and folly writes.
Eagles love eagles, and the dove the dove.
Hawks brook not buzzards: or the pheasant kites.
Equals love equals: but unequal flame
Is teened with folly, and expires with shame.'
'True, quoth he,' likeness does the heart incline;
Greatness loves greatness without farther search,
Yet crawling ivies lofty elms entwine,
1080And gall-less turtles with the eagles perch.
I baulk your greatness: for as good, not great,
I homage pay, and loves alarums beat.
Those airy titles which ambition swell,
And puff like bladders [are] like bladders burst,
The worldling's goddess, which in chests does dwell,
Is gnawn with rust, and makes the chesters curst.
Honour is tied unto the prince's eye
And wealth to Fortune's mutability.
I have not wealth (nor do I want), what then?
1090Must Hymen stoop unto the nods of gold?
Must I vail bonnet unto ermine men?
And virtue by the herald be controlled?
No, love does blaze the noblest arms: and she
That can maintain herself in love, can me.'
'Stay, stay.' quoth she, 'you will be out of wind.
Methinks the voice of greatness speaks delight.
Our poets only then feign Cupid blind,
When children of the sun do dote on night,
Or folly, mounted on Icarian wings,
[1100]Courts queens' affections and does gaze on kings.'
'No,' says Albino, ''tis the contrary.
Love never is more purblind than when earth
Joins house to house, and pedigrees do tie
Scutcheons to scutcheons in pure virtue's dearth.
For regal flames blest goodness only teens,
And virtue ought to court the love of queens.
We all are born for public good: 'tis vain
With torchlight to embellish Titan's rays,
Or cast our stock of water in the main,
1110Such love from laws of love and nature strays.
But those that Fortune hath enriched with goods
Should dam up nature's wants, by mixing bloods.
Was I the Caesar of the Roman stems,
(Once only darling to the King of skies),
Did both the Indies pay me tribute-gems,
I'd not unite a double majesty.
For being no distinction in degree,
She would assume that honour due to me.
She'd chide me sooner than I durst check her,
1120And (as the proverb) quarrel for the breeches.
On some choice mean that honour I'd confer
Should sue with humble 'Sirs', and low beseeches.
Thus was she tied to payment of respects,
I licensed with state-love to mix neglects.
Where beauty does indite, and virtues seal,
Greatness is not required to set his hand:
Though greatness here may virtue's acts repeal,
Yet virtue's acts in Cupid's courts must stand.
Then where I find grace, feature, virtues, dwell,
1130I've greatness, wealth, and honour—toll the bell!
Then with kind airs, life of my wishes, speak,
Bid honour know his distance, wealth depart,
And let the day of true contentment break
From thy clear lips, to cheer my misted heart.
O, with one circle let my arms enfold
The soul of honour and the heart of gold.'
'Sir,' quoth Bellama, 'wealth is not my aim,
Nor does the gales of honour heave my soul,
I higher prize an action than a name,
1140And value more a pamphlet than a roll.
Where I with comeliness find virtue mixed,
My love, eyes, thoughts, are on that object fixed.
I speak not much of love, lest you presume;
And speak a little, lest you should despair.
I would not have my words your hopes deplume,
Nor feather them to reach the highest air.
I sum up all in this, whenas I say,
I will not with disdains thy service pay.'
Oh happy words! oh more than sacred breath!
1150Albino, live! Bellama says thou must.
Confront dire Fate, and challenge meagre Death:
'Tis not in them to moulder thee to dust.
Yet be advised, let not proud folly in,
The conquest is as great to hold as win.
Our anchorist with all the words that joy,
Hearting a lover, was acquainted with,
Accosts his saint, rewards the wingèd boy,
And congees to the queen of heat and pith.
Smilèd and glanced, paid thanks, desired a kiss;
1160And prayed time give an age unto his bliss.
But when day's lamp had wan the western clime,
And wrapt his head in sea-green Thetis' lap,
Our lover must observe the chanting time
And bids his saint adieu. Oh hard mishap!
Oh, 'tis a hell to think what hellish pain
True lovers by unkind divorcement gain!
Yet, by that time the hoary-headed sire
Had summed twelve sixty minutes, he again
Returned t' his lady, when bright Titan's fire
1170Was newly risen from the brackish main:
And, common greetings passed amidst their pleasures,
He in his lady's hands these lines entreasures.