Michael Drayton- Collected Poetical Works

by Michael Drayton

  An Ankle, round and leane,

  I would tell nature she doth misse

  Her old skill; and maintaine, 110

  She shewd her master peece in this,

  Not to be done againe.

  Dorida. Had I that Foot hid in those shoos,

  (Proportion’d to my height)

  Short Heele, thin Instep, euen Toes,

  A Sole so wondrous straight,

  The Forresters and Nimphes at this

  Amazed all should stand,

  And kneeling downe, should meekely kisse

  The Print left in the sand. 120

  By this the Nimphes came from their sport,

  All pleased wondrous well,

  And to these Maydens make report

  What lately them befell:

  One said the dainty Lelipa

  Did all the rest out-goe,

  Another would a wager lay

  She would outstrip a Roe;

  Sayes one, how like you Florimel

  There is your dainty face: 130

  A fourth replide, she lik’t that well,

  Yet better lik’t her grace,

  She’s counted, I confesse, quoth she,

  To be our onely Pearle,

  Yet haue I heard her oft to be

  A melancholy Gerle.

  Another said she quite mistoke,

  That onely was her art,

  When melancholly had her looke

  Then mirth was in her heart; 140

  And hath she then that pretty trick

  Another doth reply,

  I thought no Nimph could haue bin sick

  Of that disease but I;

  I know you can dissemble well

  Quoth one to giue you due,

  But here be some (who Ile not tell)

  Can do’t as well as you,

  Who thus replies, I know that too,

  We haue it from our Mother, 150

  Yet there be some this thing can doe

  More cunningly then other:

  If Maydens but dissemble can

  Their sorrow and ther ioy,

  Their pore dissimulation than,

  Is but a very toy.

  THE SECOND NIMPHALL

  LALVS, CLEON, and LIROPE.

  The Muse new Courtship doth deuise,

  By Natures strange Varieties,

  Whose Rarieties she here relates,

  And giues you Pastorall Delicates.

  Lalus a Iolly youthfull Lad,

  With Cleon, no lesse crown’d

  With vertues; both their beings had

  On the Elizian ground.

  Both hauing parts so excellent,

  That it a question was,

  Which should be the most eminent,

  Or did in ought surpasse:

  This Cleon was a Mountaineer,

  And of the wilder kinde, 10

  And from his birth had many a yeere

  Bin nurst vp by a Hinde.

  And as the sequell well did show,

  It very well might be;

  For neuer Hart, nor Hare, nor Roe,

  Were halfe so swift as he.

  But Lalus in the Vale was bred,

  Amongst the Sheepe and Neate,

  And by these Nimphes there choicly fed,

  With Hony, Milke, and Wheate; 20

  Of Stature goodly, faire of speech,

  And of behauiour mylde,

  Like those there in the Valley rich,

  That bred him of a chyld.

  Of Falconry they had the skill,

  Their Halkes to feed and flye,

  No better Hunters ere clome Hill,

  Nor hollowed to a Cry:

  In Dingles deepe, and Mountains hore,

  Oft with the bearded Speare 30

  They combated the tusky Boare,

  And slew the angry Beare.

  In Musicke they were wondrous quaint,

  Fine Aers they could deuise;

  They very curiously could Paint,

  And neatly Poetize;

  That wagers many time were laid

  On Questions that arose,

  Which song the witty Lalus made,

  Which Cleon should compose. 40

  The stately Steed they manag’d well,

  Of Fence the art they knew,

  For Dansing they did all excell

  The Gerles that to them drew;

  To throw the Sledge, to pitch the Barre,

  To wrestle and to Run,

  They all the Youth exceld so farre,

  That still the Prize they wonne.

  These sprightly Gallants lou’d a Lasse,

  Cald Lirope the bright, 50

  In the whole world there scarcely was

  So delicate a Wight,

  There was no Beauty so diuine

  That euer Nimph did grace,

  But it beyond it selfe did shine

  In her more heuenly face:

  What forme she pleasd each thing would take

  That ere she did behold,

  Of Pebbles she could Diamonds make,

  Grosse Iron turne to Gold: 60

  Such power there with her presence came

  Sterne Tempests she alayd,

  The cruell Tiger she could tame,

  She raging Torrents staid,

  She chid, she cherisht, she gaue life,

  Againe she made to dye,

  She raisd a warre, apeasd a Strife,

  With turning of her eye.

  Some said a God did her beget,

  But much deceiu’d were they, 70

  Her Father was a Riuelet,

  Her Mother was a Fay.

  Her Lineaments so fine that were,

  She from the Fayrie tooke,

  Her Beauties and Complection cleere,

  By nature from the Brooke.

  These Ryualls wayting for the houre

  (The weather calme and faire)

  When as she vs’d to leaue her Bower

  To take the pleasant ayre 80

  Acosting her; their complement

  To her their Goddesse done;

  By gifts they tempt her to consent,

  When Lalus thus begun.

  Lalus. Sweet Lirope I haue a Lambe

  Newly wayned from the Damme,

  * Without Of the right kinde, it is *notted,

  hornes. Naturally with purple spotted,

  Into laughter it will put you,

  To see how prettily ‘twill But you; 90

  When on sporting it is set,

  It will beate you a Corvet,

  And at euery nimble bound

  Turne it selfe aboue the ground;

  When tis hungry it will bleate,

  From your hand to haue its meate,

  And when it hath fully fed,

  It will fetch Iumpes aboue your head,

  As innocently to expresse

  Its silly sheepish thankfullnesse, 100

  When you bid it, it will play,

  Be it either night or day,

  This Lirope I haue for thee,

  So thou alone wilt liue with me.

  Cleon. From him O turne thine eare away,

  And heare me my lou’d Lirope,

  I haue a Kid as white as milke,

  His skin as soft as Naples silke,

  His hornes in length are wondrous euen,

  And curiously by nature writhen; 110

  It is of th’ Arcadian kinde,

  Ther’s not the like twixt either Inde;

  If you walke, ‘twill walke you by,

  If you sit downe, it downe will lye,

  It with gesture will you wooe,

  And counterfeit those things you doe;

  Ore each Hillock it will vault,

  And nimbly doe the Summer-sault,

  Upon the hinder Legs ‘twill goe,

  And follow you a furlong so, 120

  And if by chance a Tune you roate,

  ‘Twill foote it finely to your note,

  Seeke the worlde and you may misse
<
br />   To finde out such a thing as this;

  This my loue I haue for thee

  So thou’lt leaue him and goe with me.

  Lirope. Beleeue me Youths your gifts are rare,

  And you offer wondrous faire;

  Lalus for Lambe, Cleon for Kyd,

  ’Tis hard to iudge which most doth bid, 130

  And haue you two such things in store,

  And I n’er knew of them before?

  Well yet I dare a Wager lay

  That Brag my little Dog shall play,

  As dainty tricks when I shall bid,

  As Lalus Lambe, or Cleons Kid.

  But t’ may fall out that I may neede them

  Till when yee may doe well to feed them;

  Your Goate and Mutton pretty be

  But Youths these are noe bayts for me, 140

  Alasse good men, in vaine ye wooe,

  ’Tis not your Lambe nor Kid will doe.

  Lalus. I haue two Sparrowes white as Snow,

  Whose pretty eyes like sparkes doe show;

  In her Bosome Venus hatcht them

  Where her little Cupid watcht them,

  Till they too fledge their Nests forsooke

  Themselues and to the Fields betooke,

  Where by chance a Fowler caught them

  Of whom I full dearely bought them; 150

  * The redde They’ll fetch you Conserue from the *Hip,

  fruit of the And lay it softly on your Lip,

  smooth Through their nibling bills they’ll Chirup

  Bramble. And fluttering feed you with the Sirup,

  And if thence you put them by

  They to your white necke will flye,

  And if you expulse them there

  They’ll hang vpon your braded Hayre;

  You so long shall see them prattle

  Till at length they’ll fall to battle, 160

  And when they haue fought their fill,

  You will smile to see them bill

  These birds my Lirope’s shall be

  So thou’lt leaue him and goe with me.

  Cleon. His Sparrowes are not worth a rush

  I’le finde as good in euery bush,

  Of Doues I haue a dainty paire

  Which when you please to take the Air,

  About your head shall gently houer

  You Cleere browe from the Sunne to couer, 170

  And with their nimble wings shall fan you,

  That neither Cold nor Heate shall tan you,

  And like Vmbrellas with their feathers

  Sheeld you in all sorts of weathers:

  They be most dainty Coloured things,

  They haue Damask backs and Chequerd wings,

  Their neckes more Various Cullours showe

  Then there be mixed in the Bowe;

  Venus saw the lesser Doue

  And therewith was farre in Loue, 180

  Offering for’t her goulden Ball

  For her Sonne to play withall;

  These my Liropes shall be

  So shee’ll leaue him and goe with me.

  Lirope. Then for Sparrowes, and for Doues

  I am fitted twixt my Loues,

  But Lalus I take no delight

  In Sparowes, for they’ll scratch and bite

  And though ioynd, they are euer wooing

  Alwayes billing, if not doeing, 190

  Twixt Venus breasts if they haue lyen

  I much feare they’ll infect myne;

  Cleon your Doues are very dainty,

  Tame Pidgeons else you know are plenty,

  These may winne some of your Marrowes

  I am not caught with Doues, nor Sparrowes,

  I thanke ye kindly for your Coste,

  Yet your labour is but loste.

  Lalus. With full-leau’d Lillies I will stick

  Thy braded hayre all o’r so thick, 200

  That from it a Light shall throw

  Like the Sunnes vpon the Snow.

  Thy Mantle shall be Violet Leaues,

  With the fin’st the Silkeworme weaues

  As finely wouen; whose rich smell

  The Ayre about thee so shall swell

  That it shall haue no power to mooue.

  A Ruffe of Pinkes thy Robe aboue

  About thy necke so neatly set

  That Art it cannot counterfet, 210

  Which still shall looke so Fresh and new,

  As if vpon their Roots they grew:

  And for thy head Ile haue a Tyer

  Of netting, made of Strawbery wyer,

  And in each knot that doth compose

  A Mesh, shall stick a halfe blowne Rose,

  Red, damaske, white, in order set

  About the sides, shall run a Fret

  Of Primroses, the Tyer throughout

  With Thrift and Dayses frindgd about; 220

  All this faire Nimph Ile doe for thee,

  So thou’lt leaue him and goe with me.

  Cleon. These be but weeds and Trash he brings,

  Ile giue thee solid, costly things,

  His will wither and be gone

  Before thou well canst put them on;

  With Currall I will haue thee Crown’d,

  Whose Branches intricatly wound

  Shall girt thy Temples euery way;

  And on the top of euery Spray 230

  Shall stick a Pearle orient and great,

  Which so the wandring Birds shall cheat,

  That some shall stoope to looke for Cheries,

  As other for tralucent Berries.

  And wondering, caught e’r they be ware

  In the curld Tramels of thy hayre:

  And for thy necke a Christall Chaine

  Whose lincks shapt like to drops of Raine,

  Vpon thy panting Breast depending,

  Shall seeme as they were still descending, 240

  And as thy breath doth come and goe,

  So seeming still to ebbe and flow:

  With Amber Bracelets cut like Bees,

  Whose strange transparency who sees,

  With Silke small as the Spiders Twist

  Doubled so oft about thy Wrist,

  Would surely thinke aliue they were,

  From Lillies gathering hony there.

  Thy Buskins Ivory, caru’d like Shels

  Of Scallope, which as little Bels 250

  Made hollow, with the Ayre shall Chime,

  And to thy steps shall keepe the time:

  Leaue Lalus, Lirope for me

  And these shall thy rich dowry be.

  Lirope. Lalus for Flowers. Cleon for Iemmes,

  For Garlands and for Diadems,

  I shall be sped, why this is braue,

  What Nimph can choicer Presents haue,

  With dressing, brading, frowncing, flowring,

  All your Iewels on me powring, 260

  In this brauery being drest,

  To the ground I shall be prest,

  That I doubt the Nimphes will feare me,

  Nor will venture to come neare me;

  Neuer Lady of the May,

  To this houre was halfe so gay;

  All in flowers, all so sweet,

  From the Crowne, beneath the Feet,

  Amber, Currall, Ivory, Pearle,

  If this cannot win a Gerle, 270

  Ther’s nothing can, and this ye wooe me,

  Giue me your hands and trust ye to me,

  (Yet to tell ye I am loth)

  That I’le haue neither of you both;

  Lalus. When thou shalt please to stem the flood,

  (As thou art of the watry brood)

  I’le haue twelve Swannes more white than Snow,

  Yokd for the purpose two and two,

  To drawe thy Barge wrought of fine Reed

  So well that it nought else shall need, 280

  The Traces by which they shall hayle

  Thy Barge; shall be the winding trayle

  Of woodbynd; whose braue Tasseld Flowers

  (The
Sweetnesse of the Woodnimphs Bowres)

  Shall be the Trappings to adorne,

  The Swannes, by which thy Barge is borne,

  Of flowred Flags I’le rob the banke

  Of water-Cans and King-cups ranck

  To be the Couering of thy Boate,

  And on the Streame as thou do’st Floate, 290

  The Naiades that haunt the deepe,

  Themselues about thy Barge shall keepe,

  Recording most delightfull Layes,

  By Sea Gods written in thy prayse.

  And in what place thou hapst to land,

  There the gentle Siluery sand,

  Shall soften, curled with the Aier

  As sensible of thy repayre:

  This my deare loue I’le doe for thee,

  So Thou’lt leaue him and goe with me: 300

  Cleon. Tush Nimphe his Swannes will prove but Geese,

  His Barge drinke water like a Fleece;

  A Boat is base, I’le thee prouide,

  A Chariot, wherein Ioue may ride;

  In which when brauely thou art borne,

  Thou shalt looke like the gloryous morne

  Vshering the Sunne, and such a one

  As to this day was neuer none,

  Of the Rarest Indian Gummes,

  More pretious then your Balsamummes 310

  Which I by Art haue made so hard,

  That they with Tooles may well be Caru’d

  To make a Coach of: which shall be

  Materyalls of this one for thee,

  And of thy Chariot each small peece

  Shall inlayd be with Amber Greece,

  And guilded with the Yellow ore

  Produc’d from Tagus wealthy shore;

  In which along the pleasant Lawne,

  With twelue white Stags thou shalt be drawne, 320

  Whose brancht palmes of a stately height,

  With seuerall nosegayes shall be dight;

  And as thou ryd’st, thy Coach about,

  For thy strong guard shall runne a Rout,

  Of Estriges; whose Curled plumes,

  Sen’sd with thy Chariots rich perfumes,

  The scent into the Aier shall throw;

  Whose naked Thyes shall grace the show;

  Whilst the Woodnimphs and those bred

  Vpon the mountayns, o’r thy head 330

  Shall beare a Canopy of flowers,

  Tinseld with drops of Aprill showers,

  Which shall make more glorious showes

  Then spangles, or your siluer Oas;

  This bright nimph I’le doe for thee

  So thou’lt leaue him and goe with me.

  Lirope. Vie and reuie, like Chapmen profer’d,

  Would’t be receaued what you haue offer’d;

  Ye greater honour cannot doe me,

  If not building Altars to me: 340

  Both by Water and by Land,

  Bardge and Chariot at command;

  Swans vpon the Streame to rawe me,

  Stags vpon the Land to drawe me,

  In all this Pompe should I be seene,

  What a pore thing were a Queene:

  All delights in such excesse,