The Poetical Works of Edmund Spenser, Volume 5

by Edmund Spenser

Asked why? say, Waking loue suffereth no sleepe;
Say, that raging loue dothe appall the weake stomacke;
Say, that lamenting loue marreth the musicall.

Tell hir, that hir pleasures were wonte to lull me asleepe;
Tell hir, that hir beautie was wonte to feede mine eyes;
Tell hir, that hir sweete tongue was wonte to make me mirth.

Nowe doe I nightly waste, wanting my kindely reste;
Nowe doe I dayly starue, wanting my liuely foode;
Nowe doe I alwayes dye, wanting thy timely mirth.

And if I waste, who will bewaile my heauy chaunce?
And if I starue, who will record my cursed end?
And if I dye, who will saye, This was Immerito?

I thought once agayne here to haue made an ende, with heartie Vale, of the best fashion; but loe, an ylfavoured mys chaunce. My last farewell, whereof I made great accompt, and muche maruelled you shoulde make no mention thereof, I am nowe tolde, (in the diuel’s name,) was thorough one mans negligence quite forgotten, but shoulde nowe vndoubtedly haue beene sent, whether I hadde come or no. Seing it can now be no otherwise, I pray you take all togither, wyth all their faults: and nowe I hope you will vouchsafe mee an answeare of the largest size, or else I tell you true, you shall bee verye deepe in my debte; notwythstandyng thys other sweete but shorte letter, and fine, but fewe verses. But I woulde rather I might yet see youre owne good selfe, and receiue a reciprocall farewell from your owne sweete mouth.

Ad ornatissimum virum, multis iam diu nominibus clarissimum, G. H., Immerito sui, mox in Gallias nauigaturi, [Greek: Eutuchein]

Sic malus egregium, sic non inimicus amicum,
Sicque nouus veterem iubet ipse poeta poetam
Saluere, ac caelo, post secula multa, secundo,
Iam reducem, (caelo mage quam nunc ipse sccundo)
Vtier. Ecce deus, (modo sit deus ille, renixum
Qui vocet in scelus, et iuratos perdat amores)
Ecce deus mihi clara dedit modo signa marinus,
Et sua veligero lenis parat aequora ligno
Mox sulcanda; suas etiam pater AEolus iras
Ponit, et ingentes animos Aquilonis.
Cuncta vijs sic apta meis: ego solus ineptus.
Nam mihi nescio quo mens saucia vulnere, dudum
Fluctuat ancipiti pelago, dum navita proram
Inualidam validus rapit huc Amor, et rapit illuc
Consilijs Ratio melioribus vsa, Decusque
Immortale leui diffissa Cupidinis arcu*:
[* This line appears to be corrupt.]
Angimur hoc dubio, et portu vexamur in ipso.
Magne pharetrati nunc tu contemptor Amoris,
(Id tibi Dij nomen precor haud impune remittant)
Hos nodos exsolue, et eris mihi magnus Apollo!
Spiritus ad summos, scio, te generosus honores
Exstimulat, majusque docet spirare poetam.
Quam leuis est Amor, et tamen haud leuis est Amor omnis.
Ergo nihil laudi reputas aequale perenni,
Praeque sacrosancta splendoris imagine tanti,
Caetera, quae vecors, vti numina, vulgus adorat,
Praedia, amicitias, vrbana peculia, nummos,
Quaeque placent oculis, formas, spectacula, amores,
Conculcare soles, vt humum, et ludibria sensus:
Digna meo certe Haruejo sententia, digna
Oratore amplo, et generoso pectore, quam non
Stoica formidet veterum sapientia vinclis
Sancire aeternis: sapor haud tamen omnibus idem.
Dicitur effoeti proles facunda Laertae,
Quamlibet ignoti iactata per aequora caeli,
Inque procelloso longum exsul gurgite ponto,
Prae tamen amplexu lachrymosae conjugis, ortus
Caelestes, Diuûmque thoros spreuisse beatos.
Tantum amor, et mulier, vel amore potetitior. Ilium
Tu tamen illudis; tua magnificentia tanta est:
Praeque subumbrata splendoris imagine tanti,
Praeque illo meritis famosis nomine parto,
Caetera, quae vecors, vti numina, vulgus adorat,
Praedia, amicitias, armenta, peculia, nummos,
Quaeque placent oculis, formas, spectacula, amores,
Quaeque placent ori, quaeque auribus, omnia temnis.
Nae tu grande sapis! sapor et sapientia non est:
Omnis et in paruis bene qui scit desipuisse,
Saepe supercilijs palmam sapientibus aufert.
Ludit Aristippum modo tetrica turba sophorum,
Mitia purpureo moderantem verba tyranno;
Ludit Aristippus dictamina vana sophorum,
Quos leuis emensi male torquet Culicis vmbra:
Et quisquis placuisse studet heroibus altis,
Desipuisse studet; sic gratia crescit ineptis.
Denique laurigeris quisquis sua tempora vittis
Insignire volet, populoque placere fauenti,
Desipere insanus discit, turpemque pudendae
Stultitiae laudem quaerit. Pater Ennuis vnus
Dictus in innumeris sapiens: laudatur at ipse
Carmina vesano fudisse liquentia vino.
Nec tu, pace tua, nostri Cato Maxime saecli,
Nomen honorati sacrum mereare poetae,
Quantumvis illustre canas, et nobile carmen,
Ni stultire velis; sic stultorum omnia plena.
Tuta sed in medio superest via gurgite; nam qui
Nec reliquis nimium vult desipuisse videri,
Nec sapuisse nimis, sapientem dixeris vnum:
Hinc te merserit vnda, illine combusserit ignis.
Nec tu delicias nimis aspernare fluentes,
Nec sero dominam venientem in vota, nec aurum,
Si sapis, oblatum: (Curijs ea, Fabricijsque
Grande sui decus ij, nostri sed dedecus aeui;)
Nec sectare nimis: res vtraque crimine plena.
Hoc bene qui callet, (si quis tamen hoc bene callet,)
Scribe vel invito sapientem hunc Socrate solum.
Vis facit vna pios, iustos facit altera, et alt’ra
Egregie cordata ac fortia pectora: verum
Omne tulit punctum, qui miscuit vtile dulci.
Dij mihi dulce diu dederant, verum vtile nunquam:
Vtile nunc etiam, o vtinam quoque dulce dedissent.
Dij mihi, (quippe Dijs aequalia maxima paruis,)
Ni nimis inuideant mortalibus esse beatis,
Dulce simul tribuisse queant, simul vtile: tanta
Sed fortuna tua est: pariter quaeque vtile, quaeque
Dulce dat ad placitum: sseuo nos sydere nati
Quaesitum imus eam per inhospita Caucasa longe,
Perque Pyrenaeos montes, Babilonaque turpem.
Quod si quaesitum nec ibi invenerimus, ingens
AEquor inexhaustis permensi erroribus vltra
Fluctibus in medijs socij quaeremus Vlyssis:
Passibus inde deam fessis comitabimur aegram,
Nobile cui furtum quaerenti defuit orbis.
Namque sinu pudet in patrio tenebrisque pudendis,
Non nimis ingenio iuuenem infoelice virentes
Officijs frustra deperdere vilibus annos,
Frugibus et vacuas speratis cernere spicas.
Ibimus ergo statim, (quis eutiti fausta precetur?)
Et pede clivosas fesso calcabimus Alpes.
Quis dabit interea, conditas rore Britanno,
Quis tibi litterulas, quis carmen amore petulcum!
Musa sub Oebalij desueta cacumine mentis,
Flebit inexhausto tarn longa silentia planctu,
Lugebitque sacrum lacrymis Helicona tacentem.
Harueiusque bonus, (charus licet omnibus idem,)
Idque suo merito prope suauior omnibus, vnus
Angelus et Gabriel, quamuis comitatus araicis
Innumeris, geniûmque choro stipatus amaeno,
Immerito tamen vnum absentem saepe requiret;
Optabitque, Utinam meus hic Edmundus adesset,
Qui noua scripsisset, nee amores conticuisset,
Ipse suos; et saepe animo verbisque benignis
Fausta precaretur, Deus illum aliqaundo reducat. &c.

Plura vellem per Charites, sed non licet per Musas.
Vale, Vale plurimum, Mi amabilissime Harueie, meo cordi, meorum
omnium longe charissime.

I was minded also to haue sent you some English verses, or rymes, for a farewell; but, by my troth, I haue no spare time in the world to thinke on such toyes, that, you knowe, will demaund a freer head than mine is presently. I beseeche you by all your curtesies and graces, let me be answered ere I goe; which will be (I hope, I feare, I thinke) the next weeke, if I can be dispatched of my Lorde. I goe thither, as sent by him, and maintained most what of him; and there am to employ my time, my body, my minde, to his Honours seruice. Thus, with many superhartie commendations and recommendations to your selfe, and all my friendes with you, I ende my last farewell, not thinking any more to write vnto you before I goe; and withall committing to your faithfull credence the eternall memorie of our euerlasting friendship; the inuiolable memorie of our ynspotted friendshippe, the sacred memorie of our vowed friendship; which I beseech you continue with vsuall writings, as you may, and of all things let me hears some newes from you: as gentle M. Sidney, I thanke his good worship, hath required of me, and so promised to doe againe. Qui monet, vt facias, quod iam facis, you knowe the rest. You may alwayes send them most safely to me by Mistresse Kerke, and by none other. So once againe, and yet once more, farewell most hardly, mine owne good Master H., and loue me, as I loue you, and thinke vpon poore Immerito, as he thinketh vppon you.

Leyc’ester House, this 5 [16*] of October, 1579.
[*: See Appendix II, para. 3:2.]