CANTO I

I

When the last hope of trampled France had failed
Like a brief dream of unremaining glory,
From visions of despair I rose, and scaled
The peak of an aireal promontory,
Whose caverned base with the vexed surge was hoary;
And saw the golden dawn break forth, and waken

I

So now my summer task is ended, Mary,
And I return to thee, mine own heart's home;
As to his Queen some victor Knight of Fairy,
Earning bright spoils for her enchanted dome;
Nor thou disdain, that ere my fame become
A star among the stars of mortal night,

A Satyre on Elizium lights ,
Whose ugly shape the Nimphes affrights,
Yet when they heare his just complaint,
They make him an Elizian Saint. Corbilus .

What; breathles Nimphs? bright Virgins letme know
What suddaine cause constraines ye to this haste?
What have ye seene that should affright ye so?
What might it be from which ye flye so fast?
I see your faces full of pallid feare,
As though some perill followed on your flight;
Take breath a while, and quickly let me heare
Into what danger ye have lately light. Naiis .

MUSES and N IMPHS .

The muses spend their lofty layes,
Upon Apollo and his prayse ;
The Nimphs with Gems his Alter build,
This Nimphall is with Phaebus fild .

Atemple of exceeding state,
The Nimphes and Muses rearing,
Which they to Phaebus dedicate,
Elizium ever cheering:
These Muses, and those Nimphes contend
This Phane to Phaebus offring,
Which side the other should transcend,
These praise, those prizes proffering,
And at this long appointed day,
Each one their largesse bringing,

A Nimphis marryed to a Fay,
Great preparations for the Day,
All Rites of Nuptials they recite you
To the Brydall and invite you. Mertilla .

But will our Tita wed this Fay? Claia .

Yea, and to morrow is the day. Mertilla .

But why should she bestow her selfe
Upon this dwarfish Fayry Elfe? Claia .

Why by her smalnesse you may finde,
That she is of the Fayry kinde,
And therefore apt to chuse her make
Whence she did her begining take:
Besides he's deft and wondrous Ayrye,
And of the noblest of the Fayry,

The Nimphes, the Queene of love pursue,
Which oft doth hide her from their view:
But lastly from th'Elizian Nation,
She banisht is by Proclamation. Florimel .

Deare Lelipa , where hast thou bin so long,
Was't not enough for thee to doe me wrong;
To rob me of thy selfe, but with more spight
To take my Naiis from me, my delight?
Yee lazie Girles, your heads where have ye layd,
Whil'st Venus here her anticke prankes hath playd? Lelipa .

Nay Florimel , we should of you enquire,
The onely Mayden, whom we all admire

C LAIA L ELIPA C LARINAX a Hermit. Clia.

See where old Clarinax is set,
His sundry Simples sorting,
From whose experience we may get
What worthy is reporting.
Then Lelipa let us draw neere,
Whilst he his weeds is weathering,
I see some powerfull Simples there
That he hath late bin gathering.
Haile gentle Hermit, Jove thee speed,
And have thee in his keeping,
And ever helpe thee at thy need,
Be thou awake or sleeping. Clarinax .

Ye payre of most Celestiall lights,
O Beauties three times burnisht,

C LORIS and M ERTILLA .

Mertilla. Why how now Cloris , what, thy head
Bound with forsaken Willow?
Is the cold ground become thy bed?
The grasse become thy pillow?
O let not those life-lightning eyes
In this sad vayle be shrowded,
Which into mourning puts the Skyes,
To see them over clowded.

Cloris. O my Mertilla doe not praise

Amongst th' Elizians many mirthfull Feasts,
At which the Muses are the certaine guests,
Th' observe one Day with most Emperiall state,
To wise Apollo which they dedicate,
The Poets God, and to his Alters bring
Th' enaml'd Bravery of the beauteous spring,
And strew their Bowers with every precious sweet,
Which still wax fresh, most trod on with their feet;
With most choice flowers each Nimph doth brade her hayre,
And not the mean'st but bauldrick wise doth weare
Some goodly Garland, and the most renown'd
With curious Roseat Anadems are crown'd.

L ALUS C LEON and L IROPE .

The Muse new Courtship doth devise,
By Natures strange Varieties,
Whose Rarieties she here relates,
And gives you Pastor all Delicates.

Lalus a Jolly youthfull Lad,
With Cleon , no lesse crown'd
With vertues; both their beings had
On the Elizian ground.
Both having parts so excellent,
That it a question was,
Which should be the most eminent,
Or did in ought surpasse.
This Cleon was a Mountaineer,
And of the wilder kinde,
And from his birth had many a yeere