Imatges de pàgina
PDF
EPUB
[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors]

HYMN V.

TO THE LARK&

EARLY cheerful mounting lark,
Light's gentle usher, morning's clark,
1 a merry notes delighting :
S tint awhile thy song, and hark,
And learn my new inditing.

Bear up this hymn, to Heav'n it bear,
E'en up to Heav'n, and sing it there,
To Heav'n each morning bear it;
Have it set, to some sweet sphere,
And let the angels hear it.

Renown'd Astrea, that great name,
Exceeding great in worth and fame,
Great worth hath so renown'd it,
It is Astrea's name I praise,

Now then, sweet lark, do thou it raise,
And in high Heaven resound it.

HYMN VIIL

TO ALL THE PRINCES OF EUROPEL

EUROPE, the Earth's sweet paradise:
Let all thy kings that would be wise,
I'n politic devotion,

Sail hither to observe her eyes,
A nd mark her heav'nly motion.

B rave princess of this civil age,
Enter into this pilgrimage:
This saint's tongue's an oracle,
Her eye hath made a priuce a page,
A nd works each day a miracle.

Raise but your looks to her, and see
E 'en the true beams of majesty,
Great princes, mark her duly;
If all the world you do survey,
No forehead spreads so bright a ray,
A nd notes a prince so truly.

HYMN VI.

TO THE NIGHTINGALE.

Ev'ry night from ev'n to morn,
Love's chorister amid the thorn
Is now so sweet a singer,

So sweet, as for her song I scorn
A pollo's voice and finger.

B at nightingale, sith you delight
E ver to watch the starry night,
Tell all the stars of Heaven,
Heaven never had a star so bright,
As now to Earth is given.

Royal Astrea makes our day
Eternal with her beams, nor may
Gross darkness overcome her;
I now perceive why some do write,
No country hath so short a night,
As England hath in summer.

[blocks in formation]

HYMN VII.

TO THE ROSE.

EYE of the garden, queen of flow'rs
Love's cup wherein lie nectar's pow'rs,
I ngender'd first of nectar:

Sweet nurse-child of the spring's young hours,
And beauty's fair character.

B less'd jewel that the Earth doth wear,
E'en when the brave young Sun draws near,
To her hot love pretending;
Himself likewise like form doth bear,
At rising and descending.

Rose of the queen of love belov'd;
England's great kings divinely mov'd,
Gave roses in their banner;
It show'd that beauty's rose indeed,
Now in this age should them succeed,
A nd reign in more sweet manner.

HYMN X.

TO THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER.

E ACH month bath praise in some degree;
Let May to others seem to be
In sense the sweetest season;
September thou art best to me,
And best doth please my reason.

But neither for thy corn nor wine
Extol I those mild days of thine,
Though corn and wine might praise thee,
Heav'n gives thee honour more divine,
A nd higher fortunes raise thee.

Renown'd art thou (sweet month) for this,
E mong thy days her birth-day is,
G race, Plenty, Peace, and Honour,
In one fair hour with her were born,
Now since they still her crown adora,
And still attend upon her.

HYMN XI.

TO THE SUN.

E YE of the world, fountain of light,
Life of day, and death of night,
I humbly seek thy kindness:
S weet, dazzle not my feeble sight,
A nd strike me not with blindness.

B ehold me mildly from that face,

E 'en where thou now dost run thy race,
T he sphere where now thou turnest;
Having like Phaeton chang'd thy place,
And yet hearts only burnest.

R ed in her right cheek thou dost rise,
E xalted after in her eyes,
Great glory there thou showest:

In th' other check when thou descendest,
N ew redness unto it thou lendest,
And so thy round thou goest.

HYMN XIV.

OF THE SUN-BEAMS OF HER MIND,

EXCEEDING glorious is this star, 'Let us behold her beams afar In a side line reflected;

Sight bears them not, when near they are,
A nd in right lines directed.

B ehold her, in her virtue's beams,
Extending sun-like to all realms;
The Sun none views too nearly:
H er well of goodness in these streams,
A ppears right well and clearly.
Radiant virtues, if your light

E nfeeble the best judgment's sight,
Great splendour above measure
Is in the mind, from whence you flow:
No wit may have access to know,
A nd view so bright a treasure.

HYMN XII.

TO HER PICTURE.

EXTREME was his audacity,
Little his skill that finish'd thee;
I am asham'd and sorry,

So dull her counterfeit should be,
And she so full of glory.

But here are colours red and white,
E ach line and each proportion right;
These lines, this red and whiteness,
Have wanting yet a life and light,
A majesty, and brightness.

Rude counterfeit, I then did err,
E 'en now when I would needs infer
Great boldness in thy maker:
I did mistake, he was not bold,

N or durst his eyes her eyes behold,
And this made him mistake her.

HYMN XV.

OF HER WIT.

EYE of that mind most quick and clear,
Like Heaven's eye which from his sphere
I nto all things pryeth,

S ees through all things ev'ry where,
A nd all their natures trieth.

B right image of an angel's wit,
Exceeding sharp and swift like it,
Things instantly discerning:
Having a nature infinite,
And yet increas'd by learning.

Rebound upon thyself thy light,
Enjoy thine own sweet precious sight
Give us but some reflection;
It is enough for us if we,
Now in her speech, now policy,
A dmire thine high perfection.

[blocks in formation]

HYMN XVII.

OF HER MEMORY.

EXCELLENT jewels would you see,
Lovely ladies come with me,
I will (for love I owe you)
S how you as rich a treasury,
A s east or west can show you.

Behold, if you can judge of it,

E v'n that great store-house of her wit,
T bat beautiful large table,
Her memory, wherein is writ
All knowledge admirable.

Read this fair book, and you shall learn
Exquisite skill; if you discern,
Gain Heav'n by this discerning;
In such a memory divine,
Nature did form the Muses nine,
And Pallas, queen of learning.

HYMN XX.

OF THE PASSIONS OF HER HEART.

EXAMINE not th' inscrutable heart,
Light Muse of her, though she in part
Impart it to the subject;

Search not, although from Heav'n thou art,
And this an heav'nly object.

But since she hath a heart, we know,
E re some passions thence do flow,
Though ever ruled with honour;
H er judgment reigns, they wait below,
A nd fix their eyes upon her.

Rectify'd so, they in their kind
E ncrease each virtue of her mind,
Govern'd with mild tranquillity;
In all the regions under Heav'n,
No state doth bear itself so even,
A nd with so sweet facility.

[blocks in formation]

HYMN XXIII.

OF HER JUSTICE.

E XIL'D Astrea's come again,
Lo here she doth all things maintain
In number, weight, and measure:
S he rules us with delightful pain,
A nd we obey with pleasure.

By love she rules more than by law,
E 'en her great mercy breedeth awe;
This is her sword and sceptre;

H erewith she hearts did ever draw,
And this guard ever kept her.

Reward doth sit in her right hand,
Each virtue thence takes her garland
Gather'd in honour's garden:
In her left hand (wherein should be
Naught but the sword) sits clemency,
A nd conquers vice with pardon.

HYMN XXVI.

TO ENVY.

E NVY, go weep; my Muse and I
Laugh thee to scorn, thy feeble eye
I s dazzled with the glory
Shining in this gay poesy,
And little golden story.

Behold how my proud quill doth shed

E ternal nectar on her head:

The pomp of coronation

H ath not such pow'r her fame to spread, As this my admiration.

Respect my pen as free and frank,
Expecting not reward nor thank,
Great wonder only moves it;

I never made it mercenary,

N or should my Muse this burthen carry As hir'd but that she loves it.

[blocks in formation]
« AnteriorContinua »