[Our author himself has told us that this poem was his first composition. It was entered in the Stationers' books by Richard Field, on the 18th of April, 1593; and again by Harrison, sen., on the 23rd of June, 1594; in which year it was probably published.]
Vilia miretur vulgus, mihi flavus Apollo Pocula Castalia plena ministrat aqua.—Ovid.
EVEN as the sun with purple-colour'd face Had ta'en his last leave of the weeping morn, Rose-cheek'd Adonis hied him to the chase; Hunting he loved, but love he laugh'd to scorn: Sick-thoughted Venus makes amain unto him, And like a bold-faced suitor 'gins to woo him. "Thrice fairer than myself (thus she began), The field's chief flower, sweet above compare, Stain to all nymphs, more lovely than a man, More white and red than doves and roses are;
Nature that made thee, with herself at strife, Saith that the world hath ending with thy life. "Vouchsafe, thou wonder, to alight thy steed, And rein his proud head to the saddle-bow; If thou wilt deign this favour, for thy meed, A thousand honey secrets shalt thou know.
Here come and sit, where serpent never hisses, And being set, I'll smother thee with kisses.
"And yet not cloy thy lips with loath'd satiety, But rather famish them amid their plenty, Making them red and pale with fresh variety; Ten kisses short as one, one long as twenty:
A summer's day will seem an hour but short, Being wasted in such time-beguiling sport."
With this, she seizeth on his sweating palm, The precedent* of pith and livelihood,
And, trembling in her passion, calls it balm, Earth's sovereign salve to do a goddess good: Being so enraged, desire doth lend her force, Courageously to pluck him from his horse. Over one arm the lusty courser's rein, Under the other was the tender boy, Who blush'd and pouted in a dull disdain, With leaden appetite, unapt to toy;
She red and hot, as coals of glowing fire, He red for shame, but frosty in desire. The studded bridle on a ragged bough Nimbly she fastens (O how quick is love!); The steed is stalled up, and even now To tie the rider she begins to prove:
Backward she push'd him, as she would be thrust, And govern'd him in strength, though not in lust. So soon was she along, as he was down,
Each leaning on their elbows and their hips: Now doth she stroke his cheek, now doth he frown, And 'gins to chide, but soon she stops his lips;
And kissing speaks, with lustful language broken, "If thou wilt chide, thy lips shall never open." He burns with bashful shame; she with her tears Doth quench the maiden burning of his cheeks; Then with her windy sighs, and golden hairs, To fan and blow them dry again she seeks:
He says, she is immodest, blames her miss ;+ What follows more, she smothers with a kiss. Even as an empty eagle, sharp by fast, Tires with her beak on feathers, flesh, and bone, Shaking her wings, devouring all in haste, Till either gorge be stuff'd, or prey be gone, Even so she kiss'd his brow, his cheek, his chin, And where she ends, she doth anew begin.
Forced to content, § but never to obey, Panting he lies, and breathing in her face; She feedeth on the steam, as on a prey, And calls it heavenly moisture, air of grace,
Wishing her cheeks were gardens full of flowers, So they were dew'd with such distilling showers.
Look how a bird lies tangled in a net, So fasten'd in her arms Adonis lies;
Pure shame and awed resistance made him fret, Which bred more beauty in his angry eyes: Rain added to a river that is rank,]] Perforce will force it overflow the bank.
§ I. e. to be contented to remain.
Still she entreats, and prettily entreats, For to a pretty air she tunes her tale; Still is he sullen, still he lowers and frets, "Twixt crimson shame and anger, ashy-pale; Being red, she loves him best; and being white, Her best is better'd with a more delight.*
Look how he can, she cannot choose but love; And by her fair immortal hand she swears From his soft bosom never to remove,
Till he take truce with her contending tears,
Which long have rain'd, making her cheeks all wet; And one sweet kiss shall pay this countless debt.
Upon this promise did he raise his chin, Like a di-dapper † peering through a wave, Who being look'd on, ducks as quickly in; So offers he to give what she did crave;
But when her lips were ready for his pay, He winks, and turns his lips another way. Never did passenger in summer's heat More thirst for drink, than she for this good turn. Her help she sees, but help she cannot get; She bathes in water, yet in fire must burn: "Oh pity," 'gan she cry, flint-hearted boy; "Tis but a kiss I beg; why art thou coy?
I have been woo'd, as I entreat thee now, Even by the stern and direful god of war, Whose sinewy neck in battle ne'er did bow, Who conquers where he comes, in every jar; Yet hath he been my captive and my slave, And begg'd for that which thou unask'd shalt have.
"Over my altars hath he hung his lance,
His batter'd shield, his uncontrolled crest,
And for my sake hath learn'd to sport and dance, To coy, to wanton, dally, smile, and jest;
Scorning his churlish drum, and ensign red, Making my arms his field, his tent my bed. "Thus him that over-ruled, I oversway'd, Leading him prisoner in a red-rose chain: Strong-temper'd steel his stronger strength obey'd, Yet was he servile to my coy disdain.
O be not proud, nor brag not of thy might, For mast'ring her that foil'd the god of fight. "Touch but my lips with those fair lips of thine (Though mine be not so fair, yet are they red), The kiss shall be thine own as well as mine:- What seest thou in the ground? hold up thy head; Look in mine eyeballs where thy beauty lies: Then why not lips on lips, since eyes on eyes?
* The red which before was best is bettered by the white; the white by the red, as he alternately blushes and turns pale.
↑ The water-fowl, called a dab-chick.
"Art thou ashamed to kiss? then wink again, And I will wink, so shall the day seem night; Love keeps his revels where there be but twain. Be bold to play, our sport is not in sight:
These blue-vein'd violets whereon we lean, Never can blab, nor know they what we mean. "The tender spring upon thy tempting lip Shows thee unripe; yet mayst thou well be tasted; Make use of time, let not advantage slip; Beauty within itself should not be wasted:
Fair flowers that are not gather'd in their prime, Rot and consume themselves in little time. "Were I hard-favour'd, foul, or wrinkled-old, Ill-natured, crooked, churlish, harsh in voice, O'er-worn, despised, rheumatic and cold, Thick-sighted, barren, lean, and lacking juice,* Then mightst thou pause, for then I were not for thee; But having no defects, why dost abhor me? "Thou canst not see one wrinkle in my brow, Mine eyes are grey, and bright, and quick in turning; My beauty as the spring doth yearly grow,
My flesh is soft and plump, my marrow burning; My smooth moist hand, were it with thy hand felt, Would in thy palm dissolve, or seem to melt. "Bid me discourse, I will enchant thine ear,† Or, like a fairy, trip upon the green,
Or, like a nymph, with long dishevell❜d hair, Dance on the sands, and yet no footing seen: Love is a spirit all compact of fire,
Not gross to sink, but light, and will aspire. "Witness this primrose bank whereon I lie; These forceless flowers like sturdy trees support me; Two strengthless doves will draw me through the sky, From morn till night, even where I list to sport me: Is love so light, sweet boy, and may it be That thou shouldst think it heavy unto thee? "Is thine own heart to thine own face affected? Can thy right hand seize love upon thy left? Then woo thyself, be of thyself rejected, Steal thine own freedom, and complain of theft. Narcissus so, himself, himself forsook,
And died to kiss his shadow in the brook. "Torches are made to light, jewels to wear, Dainties to taste, fresh beauty for the use,
Herbs for their smell, and sappy plants to bear; Things growing to themselves are growth's abuse:
Seeds spring from seeds, and beauty breedeth beauty, Thou wert begot,-to get it is thy duty.
* Juice, Dr. Farmer states, is pronounced joyce, in the Midland counties. † Pronounced as if it were written air. In our author's native county it is still so pronounced by the vulgar.
I. e. that grow, or keep wholly to themselves.
"Upon the earth's increase why shouldst thou feed, Unless the earth with thy increase be fed ? By law of Nature thou art bound to breed, That thine may live when thou thyself art dead; And so in spite of death thou dost survive, In that thy likeness still is left alive."
By this, the love-sick queen began to sweat, For, where they lay, the shadow had forsook them, And Titan, tired in the mid-day heat,
With burning eye did hotly overlook them; Wishing Adonis had his team to guide, So he were like him, and by Venus' side.
And now Adonis, with a lazy spite, And with a heavy, dark, disliking eye, His low'ring brows o'erwhelming his fair sight, Like misty vapours, when they blot the sky,
Souring his cheeks, cries, "Fie, no more of love; The sun doth burn my face; I must remove."
Ah me," quoth Venus, young, and so unkind! What bare excuses mak'st thou to be gone! I'll sigh celestial breath, whose gentle wind Shall cool the heat of this descending sun; I'll make a shadow for thee of my hairs:
If they burn too, I'll quench them with my tears. "The sun that shines from heaven, shines but warm,* And lo, I lie between that sun and thee;
The heat I have from thence doth little harm, Thine eye darts forth the fire that burneth me; And were I not immortal, life were done, Between this heavenly and earthly sun.
"Art thou obdúrate, flinty, hard as steel, Nay more than flint, for stone at rain relenteth? Art thou a woman's son, and canst not feel What 'tis to love? how want of love tormenteth? O had thy mother borne so bad a mind,
She had not brought forth thee, but died unkind. "What am I, that thou shouldst contemn me this ? + Or what great danger dwells upon my suit? What were thy lips the worse for one poor Speak, fair; but speak fair words, or else be mute : Give me one kiss, I'll give it thee again,
And one for interest, if thou wilt have twain.
Fie, lifeless picture, cold and senseless stone,
Well-painted idol, image dull and dead,
Statue, contenting but the eye alone,
Thing like a man, but of no woman bred;
Thou art no man, though of a man's complexion, For men will kiss even by their own direction."
*I. e. genially: not burns.
† I. e. contemptuously refuse this favour.
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