Minor Poems of Michael Drayton Part 22

And as the _thrice three Sisters_ thus had grac'd Their Celebration, and themselues had plac'd 360 Vpon a Violet banck, in order all Where they at will might view the Festifall The Nimphs and all the l.u.s.ty youth that were At this braue Nimphall, by them honored there, To Gratifie the heauenly Gerles againe Lastly prepare in state to entertaine Those sacred Sisters, fairely and confer, On each of them, their prayse particular And thus the Nimphes to the nine Muses sung.

When as the Youth and Forresters among 370 That well prepared for this businesse were, Become the _Chorus_, and thus sung they there.

Nimphes. Clio _then first of those Celestiall nine That daily offer to the sacred shryne, Of wise _Apollo_; Queene of Stories, Thou that vindicat'st the glories Of pa.s.sed ages, and renewst Their acts which euery day thou viewst, And from a lethargy dost keepe Old nodding time, else p.r.o.ne to sleepe._ 380

Chorus. Clio _O craue of _Phbus_ to inspire Vs, for his Altars with his holiest fire, And let his glorious euer-s.h.i.+ning Rayes Giue life and growth to our Elizian Bayes._

Nimphes. Melpomine _thou melancholly Maid Next, to wise _Phbus_ we inuoke thy ayd, In Buskins that dost stride the Stage, And in thy deepe distracted rage, In blood-shed that dost take delight, Thy obiect the most fearfull sight, 390 That louest the sighes, the shreekes, and sounds Of horrors, that arise from wounds._

Chorus. _Sad Muse, O craue of _Phbus_ to inspire Vs for his Altars, with his holiest fire, And let his glorious euer-s.h.i.+ning Rayes Giue life and growth to our Elizian Bayes._

Nimphes. _Comick _Thalia_ then we come to thee, Thou mirthfull Mayden, onely that in glee And loues deceits, thy pleasure tak'st, Of which thy varying Scene that mak'st 400 And in thy nimble Sock do'st stirre Loude laughter through the Theater, That with the Peasant mak'st the sport, As well as with the better sort._

Chorus. Thalia _craue of _Phbus_ to inspire Vs for his Alters with his holyest fier; And let his glorious euer-s.h.i.+ning Rayes Giue life, and growth to our Elizian Bayes._

Nimphes. Euterpe _next to thee we will proceed, That first sound'st out the Musick on the Reed, 410 With breath and fingers giu'ng life, To the shrill Cornet and the Fyfe.

Teaching euery stop and kaye, To those vpon the Pipe that playe, Those which Wind-Instruments we call Or soft, or lowd, or greate, or small,_

Chorus. Euterpe _aske of _Phebus_ to inspire, Vs for his Alters with his holyest fire And let his glorious euer-s.h.i.+ning Rayes Giue life and growth to our Elizian Bayes._ 420

Nimphes. Terpsich.o.r.e _that of the Lute and Lyre, And Instruments that sound with Cords and wyere, That art the Mistres, to commaund The touch of the most Curious hand, When euery Quauer doth Imbrace His like in a true Diapase, And euery string his sound doth fill Toucht with the Finger or the Quill._

Chorus. Terpsich.o.r.e, _craue _Phebus_ to inspire Vs for his Alters with his holyest fier 430 And let his glorious euer-s.h.i.+ning Rayes Giue life and growth to our Elizian Bayes._

Nimphes. _Then _Erato_ wise muse on thee we call, In Lynes to vs that do'st demonstrate all, Which neatly, with thy staffe and Bowe, Do'st measure, and proportion showe; Motion and Gesture that dost teach That euery height and depth canst reach, And do'st demonstrate by thy Art What nature else would not Impart._ 440

Chorus. _Deare _Erato_ craue _Phebus_ to inspire Vs for his Alters with his holyest fire, And let his glorious euer-s.h.i.+ning Rayes, Giue life and growth to our Elizian Bayes._

Nimphes. _To thee then braue _Caliope_ we come Thou that maintain'st, the Trumpet, and the Drum; The neighing Steed that louest to heare, Clas.h.i.+ng of Armes doth please thine eare, In lofty Lines that do'st rehea.r.s.e Things worthy of a thundring verse, 450 And at no tyme are heard to straine, On ought that suits a Common vayne._

Chorus. Caliope_, craue _Phebus_ to inspire, Vs for his Alters with his holyest fier, And let his glorious euer-s.h.i.+ning Rayes, Giue life and growth to our Elizian Bayes._

Nimphes. _Then _Polyhymnia_ most delicious Mayd, In Rhetoricks Flowers that art arayd, In Tropes and Figures, richly drest, The Fyled Phrase that louest best, 460 That art all Elocution, and The first that gau'st to vnderstand The force of wordes in order plac'd And with a sweet deliuery grac'd._

Chorus. _Sweet Muse perswade our _Phbus_ to inspire Vs for his Altars, with his holiest fire, And let his glorious euer s.h.i.+ning Rayes Giue life and growth to our Elizian Bayes._

Nimphes. _Lofty _Vrania_ then we call to thee, To whom the Heauens for euer opened be, 470 Thou th' Asterismes by name dost call, And shewst when they doe rise and fall Each Planets force, and dost diuine His working, seated in his Signe, And how the starry Frame still roules Betwixt the fixed stedfast Poles._

Chorus. Vrania _aske of _Phbus_ to inspire Vs for his Altars with his holiest fire, And let his glorious euer-s.h.i.+ning Rayes Giue life and growth to our Elizian Bayes._ 480

The fourth Nimphall

CLORIS and MERTILLA.

_Chaste _Cloris_ doth disclose the shames Of the Felician frantique Dames,_ Mertilla _striues t' apease her woe, To golden wishes then they goe._

_Mertilla._ Why how now _Cloris_, what, thy head Bound with forsaken Willow?

Is the cold ground become thy bed?

The gra.s.se become thy Pillow?

O let not those life-lightning eyes In this sad vayle be shrowded, Which into mourning puts the Skyes, To see them ouer-clowded.

_Cloris._ O my _Mertilla_ doe not praise These Lampes so dimly burning, 10 Such sad and sullen lights as these Were onely made for mourning: Their obiects are the barren Rocks With aged Mosse o'r shaded; Now whilst the Spring layes forth her Locks With blossomes brauely braded.

_Mertilla._ O _Cloris_, Can there be a Spring, O my deare Nimph, there may not, Wanting thine eyes it forth to bring, Without which Nature cannot: 20 Say what it is that troubleth thee Encreast by thy concealing, Speake; sorrowes many times we see Are lesned by reuealing.

_Cloris._ Being of late too vainely bent And but at too much leisure; Not with our Groves and Downes content, But surfetting in pleasure; Felicia's Fields I would goe see, Where fame to me reported, 30 The choyce Nimphes of the world to be From meaner beauties sorted; Hoping that I from them might draw Some graces to delight me, But there such monstrous shapes I saw, That to this houre affright me.

Throw the thick Hayre, that thatch'd their Browes, Their eyes vpon me stared, Like to those raging frantique Froes For _Bacchus_ Feasts prepared: 40 Their Bodies, although straight by kinde, Yet they so monstrous make them, That for huge Bags blowne vp with wind, You very well may take them.

Their Bowels in their Elbowes are, Whereon depend their Panches, And their deformed Armes by farre Made larger than their Hanches: For their behauiour and their grace, Which likewise should haue priz'd them, 50 Their manners were as beastly base As th' rags that so disguisd them; All Anticks, all so impudent, So fashon'd out of fas.h.i.+on, As blacke _Cocytus_ vp had sent Her Fry into this nation, Whose monstrousnesse doth so perplex, Of Reason and depriues me, That for their sakes I loath my s.e.x, Which to this sadnesse driues me. 60

_Mertilla._ O my deare _Cloris_ be not sad, Nor with these Furies danted, But let these female fooles be mad, With h.e.l.lish pride inchanted; Let not thy n.o.ble thoughts descend So low as their affections; Whom neither counsell can amend, Nor yet the G.o.ds corrections: Such mad folks ne'r let vs bemoane, But rather scorne their folly, 70 And since we two are here alone, To banish melancholly, Leaue we this lowly creeping vayne Not worthy admiration, And in a braue and lofty strayne, Lets exercise our pa.s.sion, With wishes of each others good, From our abundant treasures, And in this iocund sprightly mood: Thus alter we our measures. 80

_Mertilla._ O I could wish this place were strewd with Roses, And that this Banck were thickly thrumd with Gra.s.se As soft as Sleaue, or Sarcenet euer was, Whereon my _Cloris_ her sweet selfe reposes.

_Cloris._ O that these Dewes Rosewater were for thee, These Mists Perfumes that hang vpon these thicks, And that the Winds were all Aromaticks, Which, if my wish could make them, they should bee.

_Mertilla._ O that my Bottle one whole Diamond were, So fild with Nectar that a Flye might sup, 90 And at one draught that thou mightst drinke it vp, Yet a Carouse not good enough I feare.

_Cloris._ That all the Pearle, the Seas, or Indias haue Were well dissolu'd, and thereof made a Lake, Thou there in bathing, and I by to take Pleasure to see thee cleerer than the Waue.

_Mertilla._ O that the Hornes of all the Heards we see, Were of fine gold, or else that euery horne Were like to that one of the Vnicorne, And of all these, not one but were thy Fee. 100

_Cloris._ O that their Hooues were Iuory, or some thing, Then the pur'st Iuory farre more Christalline, Fild with the food wherewith the G.o.ds doe dine, To keepe thy Youth in a continuall Spring.

_Mertilla._ O that the sweets of all the Flowers that grow, The labouring ayre would gather into one, In Gardens, Fields, nor Meadowes leauing none, And all their Sweetnesse vpon thee would throw.

_Cloris._ Nay that those sweet harmonious straines we heare, Amongst the liuely Birds melodious Layes, 110 As they recording sit vpon the Sprayes, Were houering still for Musick at thine eare.

_Mertilla._ O that thy name were caru'd on euery Tree, That as these plants still great, and greater grow, Thy name deare Nimph might be enlarged so, That euery Groue and Coppis might speake thee.

_Cloris._ Nay would thy name vpon their Rynds were set, And by the Nimphes so oft and lowdly spoken, As that the Ecchoes to that language broken Thy happy name might hourely counterfet. 120

_Mertilla._ O let the Spring still put sterne winter by, And in rich Damaske let her Reuell still, As it should doe if I might haue my will, That thou mightst still walke on her Tapistry; And thus since Fate no longer time alowes Vnder this broad and shady Sicamore, Where now we sit, as we haue oft before; Those yet vnborne shall offer vp their Vowes.

The fift Nimphall

CLAIA, LELIPA, CLARINAX a Hermit.

_Of Garlands, Anadems, and Wreathes, This Nimphall nought but sweetnesse breathes, Presents you with delicious Posies, And with powerfull Simples closes._

_Claia._ See where old _Clarinax_ is set, His sundry Simples sorting, From whose experience we may get What worthy is reporting.

Then _Lelipa_ let vs draw neere, Whilst he his weedes is weathering, I see some powerfull Simples there That he hath late bin gathering.

Hail gentle Hermit, _Iove_ thee speed, And haue thee in his keeping, 10 And euer helpe thee at thy need, Be thou awake or sleeping.

_Clarinax._ Ye payre of most Celestiall lights, O Beauties three times burnisht, Who could expect such heauenly wights With Angels features furnisht; What G.o.d doth guide you to this place, To blesse my homely Bower?

It cannot be but this high grace Proceeds from some high power; 20 The houres like hand-maids still attend, Disposed at your pleasure, Ordayned to noe other end But to awaite your leasure; The Deawes drawne vp into the Aer, And by your breathes perfumed, In little Clouds doe houer there As loath to be consumed: The Aer moues not but as you please, So much sweet Nimphes it owes you, 30 The winds doe cast them to their ease, And amorously inclose you.

_Lelipa._ Be not too lauish of thy praise, Thou good Elizian Hermit, Lest some to heare such words as these, Perhaps may flattery tearme it; But of your Simples something say, Which may discourse affoord vs, We know your knowledge lyes that way, With subiects you haue stor'd vs. 40