The Complete Poetical Works of George Chapman

by George Chapman

  Not able to endure earthes rude vnkindes

  Bred in my soueraigns parts too tenderly;

  O that as Intellects themselues transite

  To eache intellegible quallitie,

  My life might passe into my loues conceit,

  Thus to be form’d in words, her tunes, and breath,

  And with her kysses, sing it selfe to death.

  25

  This life were wholy sweete, this onely blisse,

  Thus would I liue to dye; Thus sence were feasted,

  My life that in my flesh a Chaos is

  Should to a Golden worlde be thus dygested;

  Thus should I rule her faces Monarchy,

  Whose lookes in seuerall Empires are inuested

  Crown’d now with smiles, and then with modesty,

  Thus in her tunes diuision I should raigne,

  For her conceipt does all, in euery vaine.

  26

  My life then turn’d to that, t’each note, and word

  Should I consorte her looke; which sweeter sings,

  Where songs of solid harmony accord,

  Rulde with Loues rule; and prickt with all his stings;

  Thus should I be her notes, before they be;

  While in her blood they sitte with fierye wings

  Not vapord in her voyces stillerie,

  Nought are these notes her breast so sweetely frames,

  But motions, fled out of her spirits flames.

  27

  For as when Steele and flint together smit,

  With violent action spitt forth sparkes of fire,

  And make the tender tynder burne with it;

  So my loues soule doth lighten her desire

  Vppon her spyrits in her notes pretence;

  And they conuaye them (for distinckt attire)

  To vse the Wardrobe of the common sence:

  From whence in vailes of her rich breath they flye,

  And feast the eare with this felicitye.

  28

  Me thinks they rayse me from the heauy ground

  And moue me swimming in the yeelding ayre:

  As Zephirs flowry blasts doe tosse a sounde;

  Vpon their wings will I to Heauen repayre,

  And sing them so, Gods shall descend and heare

  Ladies must bee ador’d that are but fayre,

  But apt besides with art to tempt the eare

  In notes of Nature, is a Goddesse part,

  Though oft, mens natures notes, please more then Art.

  29

  But heere are Art and Nature both confinde,

  Art casting Nature in so deepe a trance

  That both seeme deade, because they be diuinde,

  Buried is Heauen in earthly ignorance,

  Why breake not men then strumpet Follies bounds,

  To learne at this pure virgine vtterance?

  No; none but Ouids eares can sound these sounds,

  Where sing the harts of Loue and Poesie,

  Which make my Muse so strong she works too hye.

  30

  Now in his glowing eares her tunes did sleepe,

  And as a siluer Bell, with violent blowe

  Of Steele or Iron, when his soundes most deepe,

  Doe from his sides and ayres soft bosome flowe,

  A great while after murmures at the stroke,

  Letting the hearers eares his hardnes knowe,

  So chid the Ayre to be no longer broke:

  And left the accents panting in his eare

  Which in this Banquet his first seruice were.

  31

  Heerewith, as Ouid something neerer drew,

  Her Odors, odord with her breath and brest,

  Into the sensor of his sauor flew,

  As if the Phénix hasting to her rest

  Had gatherd all th’Arabian Spicerie

  T’enbalme her body in her Tombe, her nest,

  And there lay burning gainst A polios eye,

  Whose fiery ayre straight piercing Ouids braine

  Enflamde his Muse with a more odorouse vaine.

  32

  And thus he sung, come soueraigne Odors, come

  Restore my spirits now in loue consuming,

  Wax hotter ayre, make them more sauorsome,

  My fainting life with fresh-breath’d soule perfuming,

  The flames of my disease are violent,

  And many perish on late helps presuming,

  With which hard fate must I yet stand content,

  As Odors put in fire most richly smell,

  So men must burne in loue that will excell.

  33

  And as the ayre is rarefied with heate

  But thick and grosse with Summer-killing colde,

  So men in loue aspire perfections seate,

  When others, slaues to base desire are sold,

  And if that men neere Ganges liu’d by sent

  Of Flowres, and Trees, more I a thousand fold

  May liue by these pure fumes that doe present

  My Mistres quickning, and consuming breath

  Where her wish flyes with power of life and death.

  34

  Me thinks, as in these liberall fumes I burne

  My Mistres lips be neere with kisse-entices,

  And that which way soeuer I can turne,

  She turns withall, and breaths on me her spices,

  As if too pure for search of humaine eye

  She flewe in ayre disburthening Indian prizes,

  And made each earthly fume to sacrifice.

  With her choyse breath fell Cupid blowes his fire,

  And after, burns himselfe in her desire.

  35

  Gentle, and noble are theyr tempers framde,

  That can be quickned with perfumes and sounds,

  And they are cripple-minded, Gowt-wit lamde,

  That lye like fire-fit blocks, dead without wounds,

  Stird vp with nought, but hell-descending gaine,

  The soule of fooles that all theyr soûles confounds,

  The art of Pessants and our Nobles staine,

  The bane of vertue and the blisse of sinne.

  Which none but fooles and Pessants glorie in.

  36

  Sweete sounds and Odors, are the heauens, on earth

  Where vertues liue, of vertuous men deceast,

  Which in such like, receiue theyr second birth

  By smell and hearing endlesly encreast;

  They were meere flesh were not with them delighted,

  And euery such is perisht like a beast

  As all they shall that are so foggye sprighted,

  Odors feede loue, and loue cleare heauen discouers,

  Louers weare sweets then; sweetest mindes, be louers.

  37

  Odor in heate and drynes is concite

  Loue then a fire is much thereto affected;

  And as ill smells do kill his appetite

  With thankful sauors it is still protected;

  Loue liues in spyrits, and our spyrits be

  Nourisht with Odors, therefore loue refected;

  And ayre lesse corpulent in quallitie

  Then Odors are, doth nourish vitall spyrits

  Therefore may they be prou’d of equall merits.

  38

  O soueraigne Odors; not of force to giue

  Foode to a thing that liues nor let it dye,

  But to ad life to that did neuer liue;

  Nor to ad life, but immortallitie.

  Since they pertake her heate that like the fire

  Stolne from the wheeles of Phoebus waggonrie

  To lumps of earth, can manly lyfe inspire;

  Else be these fumes the liues of sweetest dames

  That (dead) attend on her for nouell frames.

  39

  Reioyce blest Clime, thy ayre is so refinde

  That while shee liues no hungry pestilence

  Can feede her poysoned stomack with thy kynde;

  But as
the Vnicorns pregredience

  To venomd Pooles, doth purdge them with his home,

  And after him the desarts Residence

  May safely drinke, so in the holesome morne

  After her walke, who there attends her eye,

  Is sure that day to tast no maladye.

  40

  Thus was his course of Odors sweet and sleight,

  Because he long’d to giue his sight assaye,

  And as in feruor of the summers height,

  The sunne is so ambitious in his sway

  He will not let the Night an howre be plast,

  So — in this Cupids Night (oft seene in day

  Now spred with tender clouds these Odors cast,)

  Her sight, his sunne so wrought in his desires,

  His sauor vanisht in his visuale fires.

  41

  So vulture loue on his encreasing liuer,

  And fruitfull entrails egerly did feede,

  And with the goldnest Arrow in his Quiuer,

  Wounds him with longings, that like Torrents bleeds.

  To see the Myne of knowledge that enricht

  His minde with pouertie, and desperate neede:

  A sight that with the thought of sight bewitcht,

  A sight taught Magick his deepe misterie,

  Quicker in danger then Dianas eye.

  42

  Stay therefore Ouid, venter not, a sight

  May proue thy rudenes, more then shew thee louing,

  And make thy Mistres thinke thou think’st her light:

  Which thought with lightest Dames is nothing mouing.

  The slender hope of fauor thou hast yet

  Should make thee feare, such grosse conclusions prouing:

  Besides, the Thicket Floras hands hath set

  To hide thy theft, is thinne and hollow harted,

  Not meete to haue so high a charge imparted.

  43

  And should it keepe thy secrets, thine owne eye

  Would fill thy thoughts so full of lightenings,

  That thou must passe through more extremitie.

  Or stand content to burne beneath theyr wings,

  Her honor gainst thy loue, in wager layde,

  Thou would’st be prickt with other sences stings,

  To tast, and feele, and yet not there be staide:

  These casts, he cast, and more, his wits more quick

  Then can be cast, by wits Arithmetick.

  44

  Forward, and back, and forward went he thus,

  Like wanton Thamysis, that hastes to greete

  The brackish Court of old Oceanus;

  And as by Londons bosome she doth fleet

  Casts herselfe proudly through the Bridges twists,

  Where (as she takes againe her Christall feete:)

  She curls her siluer hayre like Amorists,

  Smoothes her bright cheekes, adorns her browes with ships

  And Empresse-like along the Coast she trips.

  45

  Till comming neere the Sea, she heares him rore,

  Tumbling her churlish billowes in her face,

  Then, more dismaid, then insolent before

  Charg’d to rough battaile, for his smooth embrace,

  She crowcheth close within her winding bancks,

  And creepes retreate into her peacefull Pallace;

  Yet straite high-flowing in her female prancks

  Againe shee will bee wanton, and againe,

  By no meanes stayde, nor able to containe.

  46

  So Ouid with his strong affections striuing,

  Maskt in a friendly Thicket neere her Bowre

  Rubbing his temples, fainting, and reuiuing,

  Fitting his garments, praying to the howre,

  Backwards, and forwards went, and durst not venter,

  To tempt the tempest of his Mistres lowre,

  Or let his eyes her beauties ocean enter;

  At last, with prayer he pierceth Iunos eare,

  Great Goddesse of audacitie and feare,

  47

  Great Goddesse of audacitie, and feare,

  Queene of Olympus, Saturns eldest seede,

  That doost the scepter ouer Samos beare,

  And rul’st all Nuptiale rites with power, and meede,

  Since thou in nature art the meane to mix

  Still sulphure humors, and canst therefore speede

  Such as in Cyprian sports theyr pleasures fix,

  Venus herselfe, and Mars by thee embracing,

  Assist my hopes, me and my purpose gracing.

  48

  Make loue within me not too kinde but pleasing,

  Exiling Aspen feare out of his forces,

  My inward sight, with outward seeing, easing,

  And if he please further to stretch his courses,

  Arme me with courage to make good his charges,

  Too much desire to please, pleasure diuorces,

  Attemps, and not entreats get Ladies larges,

  Wit is with boldnes prompt, with terror danted,

  And grace is sooner got of Dames then graunted.

  49

  This sayde, he charg’d the Arbor with his eye,

  Which pierst it through, and at her brests reflected,

  Striking him to the hart with exstasie:

  As doe the sun-beames gainst the earth prorected,

  With their reuerberate vigor mount in flames,

  And burne much more then where they were directed,

  He saw th’extraction of all fayrest Dames:

  The fayre of Beauty, as whole Countries come

  And shew theyr riches in a little Roome.

  50

  Heere Ouid sold his freedome for a looke,

  And with that looke was ten tymes more enthralde,

  He blusht, lookt pale, and like a feuour shooke,

  And as a burning vapor being exhalde

  Promist by Phoebus eye to be a star,

  Heauens walles denying to be further scalde

  The force dissolues that drewe it vp so far:

  And then it lightens gainst his death and fais,

  So — Ouids powre, this powrefull sight appals.

  51

  This beauties fayre is an enchantment made

  By natures witchcraft, tempting men to buy

  With endles showes, what endlessly will fade,

  Yet promise chapmen all eternitie:

  But like to goods ill got a fate it hath,

  Brings men enricht therewith to beggerie

  Vnlesse th’enricher be as rich in fayth,

  Enamourd (like good selfe-loue) with her owne,

  Seene in another, then tis heauen alone.

  52

  For sacred beautie, is the fruité of sight,

  The curtesie that speakes before the tongue,

  The feast of soules, the glory of the light,

  Enuy of age, and euerlasting young,

  Pitties Commander, Cupids richest throne,

  Musick intransed, neuer duely sung,

  The summe and court of all proportion:

  And that I may dull speeches best afforde,

  All Rethoricks flowers in lesse then in a worde.

  53

  Then in the truest wisdome can be thought,

  Spight of the publique Axiom worldings hold,

  That nothing wisdome is, that getteth nought,

  This all-things-nothing, since it is no gold.

  Beautie enchasing loue, loue gracing beautie,

  To such as constant simpathies enfold,

  To perfect riches dooth a sounder duetie

  Then all endeuors, for by all consent

  All wealth and wisdome rests in true Content.

  54

  Contentment is our heauen, and all our deedes

  Bend in that circle, seld or neuer closde,

  More then the letter in the word preceedes,

  And to conduce that compassé is reposde.

  More force
and art in beautie ioyned with loue,

  Then thrones with wisdome, ioyes of them composde

  Are armes more proofe gainst any griefe we proue.

  Then all their vertue-scorning miserie

  Or iudgments grauen in Stoick grauitie,

  55

  But as weake colour alwayes is allowde

  The proper obiect of a humaine eye,

  Though light be with a farre more force endowde

  In stirring vp the visuale facultie,

  This colour being but of vertuous light

  A feeble Image; and the cause dooth lye

  In th’imperfection of a humaine sight,

  So this for loue, and beautie, loues cold fire

  May serue for my praise, though it merit higher.

  56

  With this digression, wee will now returne

  To Ouids prospect in his fancies storme:

  Hee thought hee sawe the Arbors bosome burne,

  Blaz’d with a fire wrought in a Ladyes forme:

  Where siluer past the least: and Natures vant

  Did such a precious miracle performe,

  Shee lay, and seemd a flood of Diamant

  Bounded in flesh: as still as Vespers hayre,

  When not an Aspen leafe is styrred with ayre.

  57

  Shee lay at length, like an immortall soule

  At endlesse rest in blest Elisium:

  And then did true felicitie enroule

  So fayre a Lady, figure of her kingdome.

  Now Ouids Muse as in her tropicke shinde,

  And hee (strooke dead) was meere heauen-borne become,

  So his quick verse in equall height was shrinde:

  Or els blame mee as his submitted debter,

  That neuer Mistresse had to make mee better.

  58

  Now as shee lay, attirde in nakednes,

  His eye did carue him on that feast of feasts:

  Sweet fields of life which Deaths foote dare not presse,

  Flowred with th’vnbroken waues of my Loues brests,

  Vnbroke by depth of those her beauties floods:

  See where with bent of Gold curld into Nests

  In her heads Groue, the Spring-bird Lameate broods:

  Her body doth present those fields of peace

  Where soules are feasted with the soule of ease.

  59

  To proue which Paradise that nurseth these,

  See see the golden Riuers that renowne it:

  Rich Gehon, Tigris, Phison, Euphrates,

  Two from her bright Pelopian shoulders crowne it,

  And two out of her snowye Hills doe glide,

  That with a Deluge of delights doe drowne it:

  The highest two, theyr precious streames diuide

  To tenne pure floods, that doe the body dutie

  Bounding themselues in length, but not in beautie.

  60

  These winde theyr courses through the painted bowres,

  And raise such sounds in theyr inflection,