'Boy,' she said, 'look on me! Still I gaze upon thee! Speak, I pray thee, my delight!' Coldly he replied, And, in brief, denied To bestow on her a sight. 'I am now too young To be won by Beauty! I am yet a bud!’ 'Fair thou art!' she said; 'Then it is thy duty, Wert thou but a blossom, To effect my good! Every beauteous flower Birds and beasts my laws effect! Did my lovely hests respect! Thou shalt be requited! Every Nymph on thee shall tend! All the Gods shall love thee! Man shall not reprove thee! LOVE himself shall be thy friend!' 'Wend thee from me, VENUS! I am not disposed! Thou wring'st me too hard! Prithee, let me go! If love begin with labour; 'A short kiss I do it find! And their naked bosoms meet. Now,' he said, 'let's go! Hark, the hounds are crying! Grisly boar is up! Huntsmen follow fast!' At the name of boar, VENUS seemed dying! Deadly coloured pale, Roses overcast. 'Speak,' said she, 'no more Of following the boar; Thou, unfit for such a chase! Course the fearful hare! Ven'son, do not spare! Else I still will stay thee!' Herein, he vowed to please her mind; Then her arms enlarged! Loth she him discharged. Forth he went, as swift as wind! THETIS, PHOEBUS' steeds In the west retained, Hunting sport was past; Love her Love did seek! Sight of him too soon, Gentle Queen, she gained! On the ground he lay, Blood had left his cheek, For an orpèd swine Smit him in the groin! She fell into a swound: ECHO every cry exprest. VENUS, by her power, Turned him to a flower; Which she weareth in her crest. I. TO HIS FLOCKS. FEED on, my flocks, securely! Skip and wanton with your dams! Sport on, fair flocks, at pleasure! When my watchful dog doth bark! MINE eye, with all the Deadly Sins is fraught. First Proud, sith it presumed to look so high! A watchman being made, stood gazing by, 2. And Idle, took no heed, till I was caught. 3. And Envious bears envy that by thought Should, in his absence, be to her so nigh. 4. To Kill my heart, mine eye let in her eye; And so consent gave to a murder wrought! 5 And Covetous, it never would remove From her fair hair; gold so doth please his sight! 6. Unchaste, a bawd between my heart and love. 7. A Glutton eye, with tears drunk every night! These sins procurèd have à Goddess' ire; Wherefore my heart is damned in Love's sweet fire! DAMELUS' SONG TO HIS DIAPHENIA. DIAPHENIA, like the daffadowndilly, I do love thee as my lambs Are beloved of their dams! DIAPHENIA, like the spreading roses, Loves the sun's life-giving power! For, dead, thy breath to life might move me! DIAPHENIA, like to all things blessed, As the birds do love the Spring, |