When first the sun whom all my senses serve,
Began to shine upon this earthly round,
The heavens for her all graces did reserve,
That Pandor-like with all she might abound.
Apollo placed his brightness in her eyes,
His skill presaging and his music sweet.
Mars gave his force; all force she now defies;
Venus her smiles wherewith she Mars did meet;
Python a voice, Diana made her chaste,
Ceres gave plenty, Cupid lent his bow,
Thetis his feet, there Pallas wisdom placed.
With these she queen-like kept a world in awe.
Yet all these honors deemèd are but pelf,
For she is much more worthy of herself.
LII
O sugared talk, wherewith my thoughts do live!
O brows, love's trophy and my senses' shine!
O charming smiles, that death or life can give!
O heavenly kisses from a mouth divine!
O wreaths too strong, and trammels made of hair!
O pearls inclosèd in an ebon pale!
O rose and lilies in a field most fair,
Where modest white doth make the red seem pale!
O voice whose accents live within my heart!
O heavenly hand that more than Atlas holds!
O sighs perfumed, that can release my smart!
O happy they whom in her arms she folds!
Now if you ask where dwelleth all this bliss,
Seek out my love and she will tell you this.
AN ODE
Love, I repent me that I thought
My sighs and languish dearly bought.
For sighs and languish both did prove
That he that languished sighed for love.
Cruel rigor, foe to state,
Looks disdainful, fraught with hate,
I did blame, but had no cause;
Love hath eyes, but hath no laws.
She was sad and could not choose
To see me sigh and sit and muse.
We both did love and both did doubt
Least any should our love find out.
Our hearts did speak, by sighs most hidden;
This means was left, all else forbidden.
I did frown her love to try,
She did sigh and straight did cry.
Both of us did sighs believe,
Yet either grievèd friend to grieve.
I did look and then did smile;
She left sighing all that while.
Both were glad to see that change,
Things in love that are not strange.
Suspicion, foolish foe to reason,
Causèd me seek to find some treason.
I did court another dame,
False in love, it is a shame!—
She was sorry this to view,
Thinking faith was proved untrue.
Then she swore she would not love
One whom false she once did prove.
I did vow I never meant
From promise made for to relent.
The more I said the worse she thought,
My oaths and vows were deemed as naught.
"False," she said "how can it be,
To court another yet love me?
Crowns and love no partners brook;
If she be liked I am forsook.
Farewell, false, and love her still,
Your chance was good, but mine was ill.
No harm to you, but this I crave,
That your new love may you deceive,
And jest with you as you have done,
For light's the love that quickly won."
"Kind, and fair-sweet, once believe me;
Jest I did but not to grieve thee.
Court I did, but did not love;
All my speech was you to prove.
Words and sighs and what I spent,
In show to her, to you were meant.
Fond I was your love to cross;
Jesting love oft brings this loss.
Forget this fault, and love your friend,
Which vows his truth unto the end."
"Content," she said, "if this you keep."
Thus both did kiss, and both did weep.
For women long they cannot chide,
As I by proof in this have tried.
A DIALOGUE BETWIXT TWO SEA-NYMPHS DORIS AND GALATEA CONCERNING POLPHEMUS; BRIEFLY TRANSLATED OUT OF LUCIAN
The sea-nymphs late did play them on the shore,
And smiled to see such sport was new begun,
A strife in love, the like not heard before,
Two nymphs contend which had the conquest won.
Doris the fair with Galate did chide;
She liked her choice, and to her taunts replied.