We make Enceladus vse a thousand armes,
And men inthralld by Mermaids singing charmes.
The East winds in Vlisses baggs we shut,
And blabbing Tantalus in mid-waters put.
Niobe flint, Callist we make a Beare,
Bird-changed Progne doth her Itys teare.
Ioue turnes himselfe into a Swanne, or gold,
Or his Bulles hornes Europas hand doth hold.
Proteus what should I name? teeth, Thebes first seed? 35 Oxen in whose mouthes burning flames did breede,
Heau'n starre Electra that bewaild her sisters?
The ships, whose God-head in the sea now glisters ?
The Sunne turnd backe from Atreus cursed table?
And sweet toucht harpe that to moue stones was able? 40
Poets large power is boundlesse, and immense,
Nor haue their words true histories pretence,
And my wench ought to haue seem'd falsely praisd.
Now your credulity harme to me hath raisd.
ELEGIA. 12.
De Iunonis festo.
When fruite fild Tuscia should a wife giue me,
We toucht the walles, Camillus wonne by thee.
The Priests to Iuno did prepare chaste feasts,
With famous pageants, and their home-bred beasts.
To know their rites, well recompenc'd my stay,
Though thether leades a rough steepe hilly way.
There stads an old wood with thick trees darke clouded.
Who sees it, graunts some deity there is shrowded.
An Altar takes mens incense, and oblation,
An Altar made after the ancient fashion.
Here when the Pipe with solemne tunes doth sound,
The annuall pompe goes on the couered ground.
White Heifers by glad people forth are led,
Which with the grasse of Tuscane fields are fed.
And calues from whose feard front no threatning flyes, 15 And little Piggs, base Hog-sties sacrifice,
And Rams with hornes their hard heads wreathed back. Onely the Goddesse hated Goate did lack,
Elegia 12. om. Ish., Bind.: Elegia XIII. Dyce etc.
By whom disclosd, she in the high woods tooke,
Is said to haue attempted flight forsooke.
Now is the goat brought through the boyes with darts,
And giue to him that the first wound imparts.
Where Iuno comes, each youth, and pretty maide,
Shew large wayes with their garments there displayed.
Iewels, and gold their Virgin tresses crowne,
And stately robes to their gilt feete hang downe.
As is the vse, the Nunnes in white veyles clad,
Vpon their heads the holy mysteries had.
When the chiefe pompe comes, lowd the people hollow,
And she her vestall virgin Priests doth follow.
Such was the Greeke pompe, Agamemnon dead,
Which fact, and country wealth Halesus fled,
And hauing wandred now through sea and land,
Built walles high towred with a prosperous hand.
He to th' Hetrurians Iunoes feast commended,
Let me, and them by it be aye be-friended.
Ad amicam, si peccatura est, vt occulte peccet.
Seeing thou art faire, I barre not thy false playing,
But let not me poore soule know of thy straying.
Nor do I giue thee counsell to liue chaste,
But that thou wouldst dissemble, when 'tis paste.
She hath not trod awry, that doth deny it.
Such as confesse haue lost their good names by it.
What madnesse ist to tell nights pranckes by day?
And hidden secrets openly to bewray?
The strumpet with the stranger will not doo,
Before the roome be cleere, and dore put too.
Will you make ship-wrack of your honest name,
And let the world be witnesse of the same?
Be more aduisde, walke as a puritan,
And I shall thinke you chaste, do what you can.
Slip still, onely deny it, when 'tis done,
And before folke immodest speeches shunne.
22 giue] given Dyce etc. 27 white] their white Mal. th'] the Mal. 133
Elegia 13] Elegia XIV. Dyce etc. 7 night Ish., Bind., Dyce etc. pranckes] sports Bind. And] Or Ish., Bind. 16 folke] people Bind.
The bed is for lasciuious toyings meete,
There vse all tricks, and tread shame vnder feete.
When you are vp, and drest, be sage and
graue,
And in the bed hide all the faults you haue.
Be not asham'de to strip you being there,
And mingle thighes yours euer mine to beare.
There in your Rosie lips my tongue in-tombe,
Practise a thousand sports when there you come.
Forbeare no wanton words you there would speake,
And with your pastime let the bed-stead creake.
But with your robes put on an honest face,
And blush, and seeme as you were full of grace.
Deceiue all, let me erre, and thinke I am right,
And like a Wittall thinke thee voide of slight.
Why see I lines so oft receiu'd, and giuen?
This bed and that by tumbling made vneuen ?
Like one start vp your haire tost and displac'd,
And with a wantons tooth your neck new rac'd?
Graunt this, that what you doe I may not see,
If you weigh not ill speeches, yet weigh mee.
My soule fleetes, when I thinke what you haue done,
And thorough euery veine doth cold bloud runne.
Then thee whom I must loue, I hate in vaine,
And would be dead, but dead with thee remaine.
Ile not sift much, but holde thee soone excusde,
Say but thou wert iniuriously accusde.
Though while the deed be dooing you be tooke,
And I see when you ope the two leau'd booke,
Sweare I was blinde, deny, if you be wise,
And I will trust your words more then mine eyes.
From him that yeelds the palme is quickly got,
Teach but your tongue to say, I did it not,
And being iustifide by two words thinke,
The cause acquits you not, but I that winke.
18 tricks] toyes Bind. Ish., Bind.
40 but dead] but dying Ish.,
deny] yeeld not Ish., Bind.
palme] garland Ish., Bind.
Signature C. Marlow add. Ish., Bind.
22 yours euer mine] mine euer yours
32 This] And this Mal. 38 through Ish., Bind.
Bind. 43 deedes Bind.
46 mine] my Mal. 133
50 I that] that I Mal.
Ad Venerem, quod elegis finem imponat.
Tender loues Mother a new Poet get,
This last end to my Elegies is set,
Which I Pelignis foster-child haue framde,
(Nor am I by such wanton toyes defamde)
Heire of an antient house, if helpe that can,
Not onely by warres rage made Gentleman.
In Virgil Mantua ioyes: in Catul Verone,
Of me Pelignis nation boasts alone,
Whom liberty to honest armes compeld,
When carefull Rome in doubt their prowesse held.
And some guest viewing watry Sulmoes walles,
Where little ground to be inclosd befalles,
How such a Poet could you bring forth, sayes,
How small so ere, Ile you for greatest praise,
Both loues to whom my heart long time did yeeld,
Your golden ensignes plucke out of my field,
Horned Bacchus grauer furie doth distill.
A greater ground with great horse is to till.
Weake Elegies, delightfull Muse farewell;
A worke, that after my death, heere shall dwell.
Elegia 14. om. Ish., Bind.: Elegia XV. Dyce etc. Mal.
16 pluck Dyce etc.: pluckt
Flie merry Muse vnto that merry towne,
Where thou maist playes, reuels, and triumphes see,
The house of Fame, and Theatre of renowne,
Where all good wittes and spirits loue to be.
Fall in betweene their hands, that praise and loue thee,
And be to them a laughter and a iest:
But as for them which scorning shall reprooue thee,
Disdaine their wits, and thinke thine owne the best.
But if thou finde any so grose and dull,
That thinke I doe to priuate Taxing leane :
Bid him go hang, for he is but a gull,
And knowes not what an Epigramme does meane,
Which taxeth vnder a particular name
A generall vice which merits publique blame.
Oft in my laughing rimes, I name a gull,
But this new terme will many questions breede,
Therefore at first I will expresse at full,
And when a wench is braue, dares not speake to her :
A Gull is he which trauerseth the towne,
A Gull is he, which while he proudly weares
And is for marriage knowne a common woer.
A siluer hilted Rapier by his side:
Indures the lyes, and knockes about the eares,
Whilst in his sheath his sleeping sword doth bide.
A Gull is he which weares good hansome cloathes :
And stands in presence stroaking vp his hayre,
And filles vp his vnperfect speech with othes,
But speaks not one wise word throughout the yeare.
But to define a gull in termes precise,
A gull is he which seemes, and is not wise.
Rufus the Courtier, at the Theater,
Leauing the best and most conspicuous place,
Doth either to the stage himselfe transferre,
Or through a grate, doth shew his double face,
(1.) 5 praise and love Dyce: loue and praise old edd.
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