Classic Poem

But now t' auoyd those ommous conceits
Sleepe did afford, she quickly vp arose,
Leauing the snow-white, soft, and lawny sheets,
Impouerish'd thereby t' enrich her cloes,
Which to presage her worser-comming woes,
That day by fortune were of colour blacke:
And thus vnwares deaths liuery she doth take.

In which her heart-bereauing beauty shin'd,
Like faire Diana in the sable night,
Or like a polisht Diamond of Ind,
Set in blacke Iet, to glue a glance more bright,
Or like the great bright Patterne of the light,
When that his glorious glistering beames do chase
Some ouer-shadowing cloudes that maske his face.

Her conquering eyes were in ambuscad layd
Of golden glittering haire, where twinkling they
Send foorth such dazeling glances from that shade,
As Phaebus brighter neuer did display:
There wanton Cupid sporting himselfe lay,
In those pure streames, which from those eyes distil'd,
From whence vn-wares the haughtiest hearts he kil'd.

Her smooth cheekes whiter then the whitest lawne,
Or winter snowes which couer Atlas face,
Where Nature artificially had drawne,
Her fairer nose, that fairer part to grace:
On whose each side a little distant space,
Vermillion Roses, and sweet Lillies grew,
Which checker'd that faire field with crimson hew.

Her teeth like rankes of orientall pearle,
With corrall died lips were compas'd round,
From whence farre sweeter then the well tun'd merle:
Her heart-bereauing tongue did softly sound:
Words of such force the flintiest heart to wound.
Her baulmy breath, in worth, in taste, in smell,
Did ciuet, muske, and amber-greaze excell.

Her dimpled chinne (loues cabinet) where he,
To gaze on hidden beauty oft repar'd,
Their sat the wanton, and with lusting eye,
Now on her breast, now on her belly star'd:
Whose amorous soule with such hid ioyes insnar'd.
Betwixt her milky globes skipt oft from thence,
A littler lower to delight his sence.

Her marble necke did vnder-prop those graces,
Which from her line straight-body stately sprung,
Her foulding armes into there seureall places,
Close by her tender dainty sides downe hung:
From whence her snow white hands, smooth, sleeke, and long,
In Iuory colums, did themselues forth spread,
Whose smallest touch the heauiest heart could glad.

Her breast the cabbin of her Princely minde,
Whereon two alablaster globes were fixt,
Whose wounding aspect the beholders pin'de:
Being heere and there with azur'd veines commixt,
To tell her other rar'ties were prolixt.
Imagine all her clothes of cristall glasse,
Where eyes cannot, let apprehension passe.

But liuely to expresse her right Idea,
And in a word her matchlesse parts to tell,
Such was sweet Sidneis faire, faire Philoclea ,
VVhen her braue riuals at contention fel
By Ladons streames, yet ours did her excel.
In that his braine but dream'd of such as she,
Ours was that which, his braine dream'd her to bee.

Thus deckt (sweet Lady) both by Art and Nature,
Viewd, woundred at, admired by each eie,
She leaues her chamber like some heauenly creature,
Adorn'd with all the pompe of Maiesty,
But ah! who can auoide the Fates decree?
VVhat power can slie deth, when he list to strike,
In court and cottage priuiledg'd a like?