Rose-cheekt Adonis) kept a solemne feast.
Thither resorted many a wandring guest,
To meet their loues; such as had none at all,
Came louers home from this great festiuall.
For euerie street like to a Firmament
Glistered with breathing stars, who where they went,
Frighted the mealancholie earth, which deem'd,
Eternall heauen to burne, for so it seem'd,
As if another Phaeton had got.
The guidance of the sunnes rich chariot.
But far aboue the loueliest Hero shin'd,
And stole away th'inchaunted gazers mind,
For like Sea-nimphs inucigling harmony,
So was her beautie to the standers by.
Nor that night wandring pale and watrie starre,
(When yawning dragons draw her thirling carre,
From Latmus mount vp to the glomie skie,
Where crown'd with blazing light and maiestie,
She proudly sits) more ouer-rules the flood,
Than she the hearts of those that neere her stood.
Euen as, when gawdie Nimphs pursue the chace,
Wretched fxions shaggie footed race,
Incenst with sauage heat, gallop amaine,
From Steepe Pine-bearing mountains to the plaine:
So ran the people foorth to gaze vpon her,
And all that view'd her, were enamour'd on her.
B
And as in furie of a dreadfull fight,
Their fellowes being slaine or put to flight,
Poore soldiers stand with feare of death dead strooke,
So at her presence all surprisde and tooken,
Await the sentence of her scornefull eies:
He whom she fauours liues, the other dies.
There might you see one sigh, another rage,
And some (their violent passions to asswage)
Compile sharpe satyrs, but alas too late,
For faithfull loue will neuer turne to hate.
And many seeing great princes were denied,
Pin'd as they went, and thinking on her died.
On this feast day, O cursed day and hower,
Went Hero thorow Sestos, from her tower
To Venus temple, where vnhappilie,
As after chanc'd, they did each other spie.
So faire a Church as this, had Venus none,
The wals were of discoloured Jasper stone,
Wherein was Proteus caru'd, and ouer head,
A liuely vine of greene sea agget spread ;
Where by one hand light headed Bacchus hung,
And with the other, wine from grapes out wrung.
Of Christall shining faire, the pauement was,
The towne of Sestos calde it Venus glasse,
There might you see the gods in sundrie shapes,
Committing headdie ryots, incest, rapes:
For know, that vnderneath this radiant flowre,
Was Danaes Statue in a brazen towre,
Joue, slylie stealing from his sisters bed,
To dallie with Jdalian Ganimed:
And for his loue Europa, bellowing lowd,
And tumbling with the Rainbow in a cloud :
Blood-quaffing Mars, heauing the yron net,
Which limping Vulcan and his Cyclops set:
Loue kindling fire, to burne such townes as Troy,
Syluanus weeping for the louely boy,
That now is turnde into a Cypres tree,
Vnder whose shade the Wood-gods loue to bee.
And in the midst a siluer altar stood,
There Hero sacrificing turtles blood,
Vaild to the ground, vailing her eie-lids close,
And modestly they opened as she rose:
Thence flew Loues arrow with the golden head,
And thus Leander was enamoured.
Stone still he stood, and euermore he gazed,
Till with the fire that from his countnance blazed,
Relenting Hero's gentle heart was strooke,
Such force and vertue hath an amorous looke.
It lies not in our power to loue, or hate,
For will in vs is ouer-rulde by fate. -
When two are stript long ere the course begin,
We wish that one should lose, the other win.
And one especiallie doo we affect,
Of two gold Ingots like in each respect;
The reason no man knowes, let it suffise,
What we behold is censur'd by our eies.
Where both deliberat, the loue is slight,
Who euer lou'd, that lou'd not at first sight?
He kneel'd, but vnto her deuoutly praid;
Chast Hero to her selfe thus softly said:
Were I the saint hee worships, I would heare him.
And as she spake those words, came somewhat neere him.
He started vp, she blusht as one asham'd;
Wherewith Leander much more was inflam'd.
He toucht her hand, in touching it she trembled,
Loue deepely grounded, hardly is dissembled;
These louers parled by the touch of hands,
True loue is mute, and oft amazed stands;
Thus while dumb signs their yeelding harts entangled,
The aire with sparkes of liuing fire was spangled,
And night deepe drencht in mystie Acheron,
Heau'd vp her head, and halfe the world vpon
Breath'd darkenesse forth (darke night is Cupids day)
And now begins Leander to display
Loues holy fire, with words, with sighs and teares,
Which like sweet musicke entred Heroes eares,
yet at euerie word shee turn'd aside, And alwaies cut him off as he replide,
At last, like to a bold sharpe Sophister,
With chearfull hope thus he accosted her.
Faire creature, let me speake without offence,
I would my rude words had the influence
To leade thy thoughts, as thy faire lookes do mine,
Then shouldst thou bee his prisoner who is thine.
Be not vnkind and faire, mishapen stuffe
Are of behauiour boisterous and ruffe.
O shun me not, but heare me ere you goe,
God knowes I cannot force loue, as you doe.
My words shall be as spotlesse as my youth,
Full of simplicitie and naked truth.
This sacrifice (whose sweet perfume descending,
From Venus altar to your footsteps bending)
Doth testifie that you exceed her farre,
To whom you offer, and whose Nunne
Why should
you worship her, her you surpasse,
As much as sparkling Diamonds flaring glasse.
A Diamond set in lead his worth retaines,
A heauenly Nimph, belou'd of humane swaines,
Receiues no blemish, but oft-times more grace,
Which makes me hope, although I am but base,
Base in respect of thee, diuine and pure,
Dutifull seruice may thy loue procure,
And I in dutie will excell all other,
As thou in beautie doest exceed loues mother.
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