Classic Poem

Such as doe Trophies striue to raise
to others worth for after dayes,
should in themselues some touches haue
of what they would keepe from the graue,
Since they can neuer truely Iudge of light
who are depriued the power, and use of sight;
yet tis allowd men may admire
that heigth they neuer can aspire,
and things deformd at distance loue
those rare parts which in faire ones moue;
The Sunne, the Starres, the Temples soe are seene,
and soe A Beggar may affect a Queene:
Let none thinke then I ouerdare
presuming to write what you are,
or what you doe deserue to bee
in my free thought held flattery,
Since Enuy dare not say you can inherite
one blessing that's Superiour to your meritt;
for those perfections good, as great
which make a spotlesse maide compleate /
As high discent, a heauenly minde
in natures master peece confined,
soe meete in you, that it begets some doubt
which of the three with most grace sett you out;
Yet whilst I write, deare muse, forbeare
all words not suiting a Chast Eare,
it being fitt that I should bee
when shee's the subiect, in thought free;
that shee who but to goodnes hath noe will,
and liues euen ignorance it selfe in ill;
And yet that noe Contention bee
among the virgins which is shee,
of whom with Iudgement, I conferre
of vertues selfe this Character;
I doe professe I offer at thy shrine
Kneuets first daughter what is only thine;
If beauty then soe perfect made
in limbe, and feature, noe dimme shade
darkning the splendour, may call on
mens loue with admiration,
make women Iudges, and they will consent
in all they wish for, thou art Excellent;
And yet to sett thy praises forth
I neede not borrow others worth,
as Thetis foote, or Venus hand,
or that maiesticall command
which graced olimpique Iuno at the feast
when Ioue borne Hercules was first her ghest; /
But these old flourishes layd by,
a stocke left by Antiquitie
to helpe Invention when tis weake
or teach a muse borne Dumbe to speake;
He only fancy what a maide should bee
in all things good, and great and thou art shee:
He haue her then of noble bloud,
and faire too must be understood;
And yet that forme which tempts the eye
soe mixt with Saint like modesty,
that she at once might make old nestor younge,
yet from loose accents charme a favourites tongue;
Then to this forme a voice soe cleare
as should enchaunt all such as heare
her well weighed words, which stay too long
by her pronounc'd to grace a song
sett soe exactly, as Art then did trye
to Ioyne with nature to make harmony;
And that her chast thoughts may bee knowne
in forraigne parts as in her owne
they should french dressings sometimes weare
as she were borne, and bredd up there,
not as their Garbe shee lightly did affect
but spake it as the English Dialect;
With her choice language her faire hand
bee euer skillfull to commaund
each string and stopp, that may consent
in her to grace the Instrument;
soe Lesbian Sappho could loues sharpe wounds ease
and not alone her selfe, but others please: /
In entertainement let her bee
from Courtshipp, and Rusticity
equally distant, not to flye,
nor ouer fond of company,
soe wheresoeuer she shall place her Sceane
her actions shall obserue the golden meane:
Or if invited to the court
at some Grand ma[s]que, or Royall sport,
there if tooke forth her skill to proue
she should with such proportion moue
as all should sweare, thus on fresh Idas greene
the Graces were ledd by the paphian Queene:
These here exteriour parts thus showne,
what she within is would be knowne,
and there to right her would require
A muse thrice purged with phaebus fire,
and yet with his best aydes twere hard to finde
words worthy to expresse her heauenly minde;
yet as I may, though I shall wrong
such softnesse in my rougher songe.
I will goe on, and yet her store
makes my imagination poore,
all her soules faculties being soe diuine,
and purer farre then I can fancy mine:
That heauenly minde is now my Theame,
which nere thought ill once in a dreame,
nor nake'd ere cherished one intent
white Innocence could ere repent;
Vertue, and that in action, being still
the ready obiects of her power, and will; /
And as she nere did Iniury
soe apt to doe a Courtesy
as she esteemes that day quite past
in which none of her bounties taste;
one gracious looke from her, or kinde salute
being a guift that needes noe attribute;
But now admire! these parts that take
most virgins, and selfe louers make
could nere teach her to lay aside
humility to putt on pride;
yet still she so preserues her dignity
that such as serue her thinke themselues most free;
And to crowne all, Religion,
the Rocke she strongly builds upon,
against all change a sure defence,
and Rampire to her Innocence
keepes her so firme in her race well begunne
that to the end with glory she must runne:
Duty made up of reuerend feare,
and loue to her that did her beare,
with pious care to be knowne his
whose liuing picture sure shee is
soe winns on both, that as they Ioy in her
their Ioy before her owne shee doth preferre:
Thrice blessed maide, but more blest hee
that is marked out by destinye
Tembrace thee with a lawfull flame,
and soe to Change thy virgin name;
well may Kings enuy him, and hee professe
In her hee's circled with true happinesse.