Minor Poems of Michael Drayton Part 24

_Florimel._ But hearke you Nimphes, amongst our idle prate, Tis current newes through the Elizian State, That _Venus_ and her Sonne were lately seene Here in _Elizium_, whence they oft haue beene Banisht by our Edict, and yet still merry, Were here in publique row'd o'r at the Ferry, Where as 'tis said, the Ferryman and she Had much discourse, she was so full of glee, 140 _Codrus_ much wondring at the blind Boyes Bow.

_Naijs._ And what it was, that easly you may know, _Codrus_ himselfe comes rowing here at hand.

_Lelipa._ _Codrus_ Come hither, let your Whirry stand, I hope vpon you, ye will take no state Because two G.o.ds haue grac't your Boat of late; Good Ferry-man I pray thee let vs heare What talke ye had, aboard thee whilst they were.

_Codrus._ Why thus faire Nimphes.

As I a Fare had lately past, 150 And thought that side to ply, I heard one as it were in haste; A Boate, a Boate, to cry, Which as I was aboute to bring, And came to view my Fraught, Thought I; what more then heauenly thing, Hath fortune hither brought.

She seeing mine eyes still on her were, Soone, smilingly, quoth she; Sirra, looke to your Roother there, 160 Why lookst thou thus at me?

And nimbly stept into my Boat, With her a little Lad Naked and blind, yet did I note, That Bow and Shafts he had, And two Wings to his Shoulders fixt, Which stood like little Sayles, With farre more various colours mixt, Then be your Peac.o.c.ks Tayles; I seeing this little dapper Elfe, 170 Such Armes as these to beare, Quoth I thus softly to my selfe, What strange thing haue we here, I neuer saw the like thought I: Tis more then strange to me, To haue a child haue wings to fly, And yet want eyes to see; Sure this is some deuised toy, Or it transform'd hath bin, For such a thing, halfe Bird, halfe Boy, 180 I thinke was neuer seene; And in my Boat I turnd about, And wistly viewd the Lad, And cleerely saw his eyes were out, Though Bow and Shafts he had.

As wistly she did me behold, How likst thou him, quoth she, Why well, quoth I; and better should, Had he but eyes to see.

How sayst thou honest friend, quoth she, 190 Wilt thou a Prentice take, I thinke in time, though blind he be, A Ferry-man hee'll make; To guide my pa.s.sage Boat quoth I, His fine hands were not made, He hath beene bred too wantonly To vndertake my trade; Why helpe him to a Master then, Quoth she, such Youths be scant, It cannot be but there be men 200 That such a Boy do want.

Quoth I, when you your best haue done, No better way you'll finde, Then to a Harper binde your Sonne, Since most of them are blind.

The louely Mother and the Boy, Laught heartily thereat, As at some nimble iest or toy, To heare my homely Chat.

Quoth I, I pray you let me know, 210 Came he thus first to light, Or by some sicknesse, hurt, or blow, Depryued of his sight; Nay sure, quoth she, he thus was borne, Tis strange borne blind, quoth I, I feare you put this as a scorne On my simplicity; Quoth she, thus blind I did him beare, Quoth I, if't be no lye, Then he 's the first blind man Ile sweare, 220 Ere practisd Archery, A man, quoth she, nay there you misse, He 's still a Boy as now, Nor to be elder then he is, The G.o.ds will him alow; To be no elder then he is, Then sure he is some sprite I straight replide, againe at this, The G.o.ddesse laught out right; It is a mystery to me, 230 An Archer and yet blinde; Quoth I againe, how can it be, That he his marke should finde; The G.o.ds, quoth she, whose will it was That he should want his sight, That he in something should surpa.s.se, To recompence their spight, Gaue him this gift, though at his Game He still shot in the darke, That he should haue so certaine ayme, 240 As not to misse his marke.

By this time we were come a sh.o.r.e, When me my Fare she payd, But not a word she vttered more, Nor had I her bewrayd, Of _Venus_ nor of _Cupid_ I Before did neuer heare, But that Fisher comming by Then, told me who they were.

_Florimel._ Well: against them then proceed 250 As before we haue decreed, That the G.o.ddesse and her Child, Be for euer hence exild, Which _Lelipa_ you shall proclaime In our wise _Apollo's_ name.

_Lelipa._ To all th' Elizian Nimphish Nation, Thus we make our Proclamation, Against _Venus_ and her Sonne For the mischeefe they haue done, After the next last of May, 260 The fixt and peremtory day, If she or _Cupid_ shall be found Vpon our Elizian ground, Our Edict, meere Rogues shall make them, And as such, who ere shall take them, Them shall into prison put, _Cupids_ wings shall then be cut, His Bow broken, and his Arrowes Giuen to Boyes to shoot at Sparrowes, And this Vagabund be sent, 270 Hauing had due punishment To mount _Cytheron_, which first fed him: Where his wanton Mother bred him, And there out of her protection Dayly to receiue correction; Then her Pasport shall be made, And to _Cyprus_ Isle conuayd, And at _Paphos_ in her Shryne, Where she hath been held diuine, For her offences found contrite, 280 There to liue an Anchorite.

The eight Nimphall

MERTILLA, CLAIA, CLORIS.

_A Nimph is marryed to a Fay, Great preparations for the Day, All Rites of Nuptials they recite you To the Brydall and inuite you._

_Mertilla._ But will our _t.i.ta_ wed this Fay?

_Claia._ Yea, and to morrow is the day.

_Mertilla._ But why should she bestow her selfe Vpon this dwarfish Fayry Elfe?

_Claia._ Why by her smalnesse you may finde, That she is of the Fayry kinde, And therefore apt to chuse her make Whence she did her begining take: Besides he 's deft and wondrous Ayrye, And of the n.o.blest of the Fayry, 10 Chiefe of the Crickets of much fame, In Fayry a most ancient name.

But to be briefe, 'tis cleerely done, The pretty wench is woo'd and wonne.

_Cloris._ If this be so, let vs prouide The Ornaments to fit our Bryde.

For they knowing she doth come From vs in _Elizium_, Queene _Mab_ will looke she should be drest In those attyres we thinke our best, 20 Therefore some curious things lets giue her, E'r to her Spouse we her deliuer.

_Mertilla._ Ile haue a Iewell for her eare, (Which for my sake Ile haue her weare) 'T shall be a Dewdrop, and therein Of Cupids I will haue a twinne, Which strugling, with their wings shall break The Bubble, out of which shall leak, So sweet a liquor as shall moue Each thing that smels, to be in loue. 30

_Claia._ Beleeue me Gerle, this will be fine, And to this Pendant, then take mine; A Cup in fas.h.i.+on of a Fly, Of the Linxes piercing eye, Wherein there sticks a Sunny Ray Shot in through the cleerest day, Whose brightnesse _Venus_ selfe did moue, Therein to put her drinke of Loue, Which for more strength she did distill, The Limbeck was a _Phnix_ quill, 40 At this Cups delicious brinke, A Fly approching but to drinke, Like Amber or some precious Gumme It transparant doth become.

_Cloris._ For Iewels for her eares she's sped, But for a dressing for her head I thinke for her I haue a Tyer, That all Fayryes shall admyre, The yellowes in the full-blowne Rose, Which in the top it doth inclose 50 Like drops of gold Oare shall be hung; Vpon her Tresses, and among Those scattered seeds (the eye to please) The wings of the Cantharides: With some o' th' Raine-bow that doth raile Those Moons in, in the Peac.o.c.ks taile: Whose dainty colours being mixt With th' other beauties, and so fixt, Her louely Tresses shall appeare, As though vpon a flame they were. 60 And to be sure she shall be gay, We'll take those feathers from the Iay; About her eyes in Circlets set, To be our _t.i.ta's_ Coronet.

_Mertilla._ Then dainty Girles I make no doubt, But we shall neatly send her out: But let's amongst our selues agree, Of what her wedding Gowne shall be.

_Claia._ Of Pansie, Pincke, and Primrose leaues, Most curiously laid on in Threaues: 70 And all embroydery to supply, Powthred with flowers of Rosemary: A trayle about the skirt shall runne, The Silkewormes finest, newly spunne; And euery Seame the Nimphs shall sew With th' smallest of the Spinners Clue: And hauing done their worke, againe These to the Church shall beare her Traine: Which for our _t.i.ta_ we will make Of the cast slough of a Snake, 80 Which quiuering as the winde doth blow, The Sunne shall it like Tinsell shew.

_Cloris._ And being led to meet her mate, To make sure that she want no state, Moones from the Peac.o.c.kes tayle wee'll shred, With feathers from the Pheasants head: Mix'd with the plume of (so high price,) The precious bird of Paradice.

Which to make vp, our Nimphes shall ply Into a curious Canopy. 90 Borne o're her head (by our enquiry) By Elfes, the fittest of the Faery.

_Mertilla._ But all this while we haue forgot Her Buskins, neighbours, haue we not?

_Claia._ We had, for those I'le fit her now, They shall be of the Lady-Cow: The dainty sh.e.l.l vpon her backe Of Crimson strew'd with spots of blacke; Which as she holds a stately pace, Her Leg will wonderfully grace. 100

_Cloris._ But then for musicke of the best, This must be thought on for the Feast.

_Mertilla._ The Nightingale of birds most choyce, To doe her best shall straine her voyce; And to this bird to make a Set, The Mauis, Merle, and Robinet; The Larke, the Lennet, and the Thrush, That make a Quier of euery Bush.

But for still musicke, we will keepe The Wren, and t.i.tmouse, which to sleepe 110 Shall sing the Bride, when shee's alone The rest into their chambers gone.

And like those vpon Ropes that walke On Gossimer, from staulke to staulke, The tripping Fayry tricks shall play The euening of the wedding day.

_Claia._ But for the Bride-bed, what were fit, That hath not beene talk'd of yet.

_Cloris._ Of leaues of Roses white and red, Shall be the Couering of her bed: 120 The Curtaines, Valence, Tester, all, Shall be the flower Imperiall, And for the Fringe, it all along With azure Harebels shall be hung: Of Lillies shall the Pillowes be, With downe stuft of the b.u.t.terflee.

_Mertilla._ Thus farre we handsomely haue gone, Now for our Prothalamion Or Marriage song of all the rest, A thing that much must grace our feast. 130 Let vs practise then to sing it, Ere we before th' a.s.sembly bring it: We in Dialogues must doe it, The my dainty Girles set to it.

Claia. _This day must _t.i.ta_ marryed be, Come Nimphs this nuptiall let vs see._

Mertilla. _But is it certaine that ye say, Will she wed the n.o.ble Faye?_

Cloris. _Sprinckle the dainty flowers with dewes, Such as the G.o.ds at Banquets vse: 140 Let Hearbs and Weeds turne all to Roses, And make proud the posts with posies: Shute your sweets into the ayre, Charge the morning to be fayre._

Claia. } _For our _t.i.ta_ is this day, Mertilla. } To be married to a Faye._

Claia. _By whom then shall our Bride be led To the Temple to be wed._

Mertilla. _Onely by your selfe and I, Who that roomth should else supply?_ 150

Cloris. _Come bright Girles, come altogether, And bring all your offrings. .h.i.ther, Ye most braue and Buxome Beuye, All your goodly graces Leuye, Come in Maiestie and state Our Brydall here to celebrate._

Mertilla. } _For our _t.i.ta_ is this day, Claia. } Married to a n.o.ble Faye._

Claia. _Whose lot wilt be the way to strow On which to Church our Bride must goe?_ 160

Mertilla. _That I think as fit'st of all, To liuely _Lelipa_ will fall._

Cloris. _Summon all the sweets that are, To this nuptiall to repayre; Till with their throngs themselues they smother, Strongly styfling one another; And at last they all consume, And vanish in one rich perfume._

Mertilla. } _For our _t.i.ta_ is this day, Claia. } Married to a n.o.ble Faye._ 170

Mertilla. _By whom must _t.i.ta_ married be, 'Tis fit we all to that should see?_

Claia. _The Priest he purposely doth come, Th' Arch Flamyne of Elizium._

Cloris. _With Tapers let the Temples s.h.i.+ne, Sing to Himen, Hymnes diuine: Load the Altars till there rise Clouds from the burnt sacrifice; With your Sensors fling aloofe Their smels, till they ascend the Roofe._ 180