Classic Poem

Now was our heav'nly vault deprived of the light,
With sun's depart; and now the darkness of the night
Did light those beamy stars which greater light did dark;
Now each thing which enjoyed that fiery quick'ning spark
(Which life is called) were moved their spirits to repose,
And wanting use of eyes, their eyes began to close.
A silence sweet each where with one concent embraced
(A music sweet to one in careful musing placed);
And mother earth, now clad in mourning weeds, did breathe
A dull desire to kiss the image of our death;
When I, disgraced wretch, not wretched then, did give
My senses such release as they which quiet live,
Whose brains boil not in woes, nor breasts with beatings ache,
With Nature's praise are wont in safest home to take.
Far from my thoughts was aught whereto their minds aspire
Who under courtly pomps do hatch a base desire.
Free all my powers were from those captiving snares
Which heav'nly purest gifts defile in muddy cares.
Ne could my soul itself accuse of such a fault
As tender conscience might with furious pangs assault.
But like the feeble flow'r (whose stalk cannot sustain
His weighty top) his top doth downward drooping lean;
Or as the silly bird in well-acquainted nest
Doth hide his head with cares but only how to rest;
So I in simple course, and unentangled mind,
Did suffer drowsy lids mine eyes, then clear, to blind;
And laying down my head, did Nature's rule observe,
Which senses up doth shut the senses to preserve.
They first their use forgot; then fancies lost their force,
Till deadly sleep at length possessed my living corse.
A living corse I lay; but ah, my wakeful mind
(Which, made of heav'nly stuff, no mortal change doth bind)
Flew up with freer wings, of fleshly bondage free;
And having placed my thoughts, my thoughts thus placed me:
Methought, nay sure I was, I was in fairest wood
Of Samothea land; a land which whilom stood
An honour to the world, while honour was their end,
And while their line of years they did in virtue spend.
But there I was, and there my calmy thoughts I fed
On Nature's sweet repast, as healthful senses led.
Her gifts my study was; her beauties were my sport;
My work her works to know; her dwelling my resort.
Those lamps of heav'nly fire to fixed motion bound,
The ever-turning spheres, the never-moving ground;
What essence dest'ny hath; if fortune be or no;
Whence our immortal souls to mortal earth do flow;
What life it is, and how that all these lives do gather
With outward maker's force, or like an inward father:
Such thoughts, methought, I thought, and strained my single mind,
Then void of nearer cares, the depth of things to find.
When lo, with hugest noise (such noise a tower makes
When it blown up with mine a fall of ruin takes;
Or such a noise it was as highest thunders send,
Or cannons, thunder-like, all shot together lend),
The moon asunder rent (O gods, O pardon me,
That forced with grief reveals what grieved eyes did see),
The moon asunder rent; whereat with sudden fall
(More swift than falcon's stoop to feeding falconer's call)
There came a chariot fair by doves and sparrows guided,
Whose storm-like course stayed not till hard by me it bided.
I, wretch, astonished was, and thought the deathful doom
Of heav'n, of earth, of hell, of time and place was come.
But straight there issued forth two ladies (ladies sure
They seemed to me) on whom did wait a virgin pure.
Strange were the ladies' weeds, yet more unfit than strange:
The first with clothes tucked up, as nymphs in woods do range,
Tucked up e'en with the knees, with bow and arrows prest;
Her right arm naked was, discovered was her breast;
But heavy was her pace, and such a meagre cheer
As little hunting mind (God knows) did there appear.
The other had with art (more than our women know,
As stuff meant for the sale set out to glaring show)
A wanton woman's face, and with curled knots had twined
Her hair which, by the help of painter's cunning, shined.
When I such guests did see come out of such a house,
The mountains great with child I thought brought forth a mouse.
But walking forth, the first thus to the second said,
" Venus , come on." Said she, " Diane , you are obeyed."
Those names abashed me much, when those great names I heard;
Although their fame (meseemed) from truth had greatly jarred.
As I thus musing stood, Diana called to her
Her waiting nymph, a nymph that did excel as far
All things that erst I saw, as orient pearls exceed
That which their mother hight, or else their silly seed;
Indeed a perfect hue, indeed a sweet concent
Of all those graces' gifts the heav'ns have ever lent.
And so she was attired, as one that did not prize
Too much her peerless parts, nor yet could them despise.
But called, she came apace; a pace wherein did move
The band of beauties all, the little world of love;
And bending humbled eyes (O eyes, the sun of sight)
She waited mistress' will, who thus disclosed her sprite:
" Sweet Mira mine," quoth she, " the pleasure of my mind,
In whom of all my rules the perfect proof I find,
To only thee thou seest we grant this special grace
Us to attend, in this most private time and place.
Be silent therefore now, and so be silent still
Of what thou seest; close up in secret knot thy will."
She answered was with look, and well-performed behest;
And Mira I admired; her shape sank in my breast.
But thus with ireful eyes, and face that shook with spite,
Diana did begin: " What moved me to invite
Your presence, sister dear, first to my moony sphere,
And hither now, vouchsafe to take with willing ear.
I know full well you know what discord long hath reigned
Betwixt us two; how much that discord foul hath stained
Both our estates, while each the other did deprave;
Proof speaks too much to us, that feeling trial have.
Our names are quite forgot, our temples are defaced,
Our off'rings spoiled, our priests from priesthood are displaced.
Is this thy fruit, O strife? Those thousand churches high,
Those thousand altars fair, now in the dust to lie?
In mortal minds our minds but planets' names preserve;
No knee once bowed, forsooth, for them they say we serve.
Are we their servants grown? No doubt a noble stay:
Celestial pow'rs to worms, Jove 's children serve to clay.
But such they say we be: this praise our discord bred,
While we for mutual spite a striving passion fed.
But let us wiser be; and what foul discord brake,
So much more strong again let fastest concord make.
Our years do it require; you see we both do feel
The weak'ning work of time's for ever whirling wheel.
Although we be divine, our grandsire Saturn is
With age's force decayed, yet once the heav'n was his.
And now, before we seek by wise Apollo 's skill
Our young years to renew (for so he saith he will),
Let us a perfect peace betwixt us two resolve;
Which, lest the ruinous want of government dissolve,
Let one the princess be, to her the other yield;
For vain equality is but contention's field.
And let her have the gifts that should in both remain:
In her let beauty both and chasteness fully reign;
So as, if I prevail, you give your gifts to me;
If you, on you I lay what in my office be.
Now resteth only this: which of us two is she
To whom precedence shall of both accorded be?
For that (so that you like) hereby doth lie a youth,"
(She beckoned unto me), " as yet of spotless truth,
Who may this doubt discern; for better wit than lot
Becometh us; in us fortune determines not.
This crown of amber fair," (an amber crown she held),
" To worthiest let him give when both he hath beheld,
And be it as he saith." Venus was glad to hear
Such proffer made, which she well showed with smiling cheer,
As though she were the same as when, by Paris ' doom,
She had chief goddesses in beauty overcome,
And smirkly thus gan say: " I never sought debate,
Diana dear; my mind to love and not to hate
Was ever apt; but you my pastimes did despise.
I never spited you, but thought you over-wise.
Now kindness proffered is, none kinder is than I;
And so most ready am this mean of peace to try.
And let him be our judge: the lad doth please me well."
Thus both did come to me, and both began to tell
(For both together spake, each loath to be behind)
That they by solemn oath their deities would bind
To stand unto my will; their will they made me know.
I, that was first aghast when first I saw their show,
Now bolder waxed, waxed proud that I such sway might bear;
For near acquaintance doth diminish reverent fear.
And having bound them fast by Styx they should obey
To all what I decreed, did thus my verdict say:
" How ill both you can rule, well hath your discord taught;
Ne yet, for what I see, your beauties merit aught.
To yonder nymph, therefore," (to Mira I did point),
" The crown above you both for ever I appoint."
I would have spoken out, but out they both did cry:
" Fie, fie, what have we done? Ungodly rebel, fie!
But now we must needs yield to what our oaths require."
" Yet thou shalt not go free," quoth Venus ; " such a fire
Her beauty kindle shall within thy foolish mind
That thou full oft shalt wish thy judging eyes were blind."
" Nay then," Diana said, " the chasteness I will give
In ashes of despair, though burnt, shall make thee live."
" Nay thou," said both, " shalt see such beams shine in her face
That thou shalt never dare seek help of wretched case."
And with that cursed curse away to heav'n they fled,
First having all their gifts upon fair Mira spread.
The rest I cannot tell, for therewithal I waked
And found with deadly fear that all my sinews shaked.
Was it a dream? O dream, how hast thou wrought in me
That I things erst unseen should first in dreaming see?
And thou, O traitor sleep, made for to be our rest,
How hast thou framed the pain wherewith I am oppressed?
O coward Cupid , thus dost thou thy honour keep,
Unarmed, alas unwarned, to take a man asleep?