HERO AND LEANDER.

THIRD SESTYAD.

The Argument of the Third Sestyad.

Leander to the envious light

Resigns his night-sports with the night,
And swims the Hellespont again.

Thesme the deity sovereign

Of customs and religious rites

Appears, reproving his delights,

Since nuptial honours he neglected;

Which straight he vows shall be effected.

Fair Hero, left devirginate,

Weighs, and with fury wails her state:
But with her love and woman wit

She argues, and approveth it.

HERO AND LEANDER.

THE THIRD SESTYAD.

NEW light gives new directions, fortunes new,
To fashion our endeavours that ensue.

More harsh, at least more hard, more grave and high
Our subject runs, and our stern Muse must fly.
Love's edge is taken off, and that light flame,
Those thoughts, joys, longings, that before became
High unexperienc'd blood, and maids' sharp plights,
Must now grow staid, and censure the delights,
That being enjoy'd ask judgment; now we praise,
As having parted: evenings crown the days.

And now, ye wanton Loves, and young Desires, Pied Vanity, the mint of strange attires! Ye lisping Flatteries, and obsequious Glances, Relentful Musics, and attractive Dances!

And you detested Charms constraining love! -><Shun Love's stol'n sports by that these lovers prove.

By this the Sovereign of Heaven's golden fires,
And young Leander, lord of his desires,
Together from their lovers' arms arose :
Leander into Hellespontus throws
His Hero-handled body, whose delight
Made him disdain each other epithite.
And as amidst th' enamour'd waves he swims,
The god of gold of purpose gilt his limbs,
That this word gilt *, including double sense,
The double guilt of his incontinence

Might be express'd, that had no stay t'employ
The treasure which the love-god let him joy
In his dear Hero, with such sacred thrift,
As had beseem'd so sanctified a gift:

But, like a greedy vulgar prodigal,

Would on the stock dispend, and rudely fall
Before his time, to that unblessed blessing,

Which for Lust's plague doth perish with possessing.
Joy graven in sense, like snow in water wastes ;
Without preserve of virtue, nothing lasts.

* A conceited playing on words, very characteristic of the age.