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"Fond men! whose wretched care the life soone end-
By striving to increase your ioy, do spend it; [ing,
And, spending ioy, yet find no ioy in spending;
You hurt your life by striving to amend it;
And, seeking to prolong it, soonest end it:
Then, while fit time affords thee time and leasure,
Enioy while yet thou mayst thy lifes sweet pleasure:
Too foolish is the man that starves to feed his trea-

sure.

"Love is lifes end; (an end, but never ending ;)
All ioyes, all sweetes, all happinesse, awarding;
Love is life's wealth (nere spent, but ever spending)
More rich by giving, taking by discarding;
Love's lifes reward, rewarded in rewarding:
Then from thy wretched heart fond care remoove;
Ah! shouldst thou live but once loves sweetes to
proove,

Thou wilt not love to live, unlesse thou live to love."

To this sweet voyce a dainty musique fitted
It's well-tun'd strings, and to her notes consorted,
And while with skilfall voyce the song she dittied,
The blabbing Echo had her words retorted;
That now the boy, beyond his soule transported,
Through all his limbes feeles run a pleasant shaking,
And, twixt a hope and feare, suspects mistaking,
And doubts he sleeping dreames, and broad awake
feares waking.

BRITTAIN'S IDA. CANTO III.

THE ARGUMENT.

Faire Cythereas limbes beheld,
The straying lads heart so inthral'd,
That in a trance his melted spright
Leaves th' sences slumbring in delight.

Now to the bower hee sent his theevish eyes
To steale a happy sight; there doe they finde
Faire Venus, that within halfe naked lyes;
And straight amaz'd (so glorious beauty shin'd)
Would not returne the message to the minde;
But, full of feare and superstitious awe,
Could not retire, or backe their beams withdraw,
So fixt on too much seeing made they nothing saw.

Her goodly length stretcht on a lilly-bed,
(A bright foyle of a beauty farre more bright)
Few roses round about were scattered,
As if the lillies learnt to blush, for spight
To see a skinne much more then lilly-white:
The bed sanke with delight so to be pressed,
And knew not which to thinke a chance more blessed,
Both blessed so to kisse, and so agayne be kissed.

Her spacious fore-head, like the clearest Moone,
Whose full-growne orbe begins now to be spent,
Largely display'd in native silver shone,
Giving wide room to Beauty's regiment,
Which on the plaine with Love tryumphing went;
Her golden haire a rope of pearle imbraced,
Which, with their dainty threds oft-times enlaced,
Made the eie think the pearle was there in gold in-
chased.

Her full large eye, in ietty-blacke array'd,
Prov'd beauty not confin'd to red and white,
But oft her selfe in blacke more rich display'd;
Both contraries did yet themselves unite,
To make one beauty in different delight;
A thousand Loves sate playing in each eye;
And smiling Mirth, kissing fair Courtesie,
By sweete perswasion wan a bloodlesse victory.
The whitest white, set by her silver cheeke,
Grew pale and wan, like unto heavy lead;
The freshest purple fresher dyes must seeke,
That dares compare with them his fainting red:
On these Cupido winged armies led

Of little Loves that, with bold wanton traine
Under those colours, marching on the plaine,
Force every beart, and to low vasselage constraine.
Her lips, most happy each in other's kisses,
From their so wisht imbracements seldome parted,
Yet seem'd to blush at such their wanton blisses;
But, when sweet words their ioyning sweet disparted,
To th' eare a dainty musique they imparted:
Upon them fitly sate, delightfull smiling,
A thousand soules with pleasing stealth beguiling:
Ah! that such shews of ioyes should be all ioyes
exiling.

The breath came slowly thence, unwilling leaving
So sweet a lodge; but when she once intended
To feast the aire with words, the heart deceiving,
More fast it thronged so to be expended;
And at each word a hundred Loves attended,
Playing i' th' breath, more sweete than is that firing
Where that Arabian onely bird, expiring, [spiring.
Lives by her death, by losse of breath more fresh re-

Her chin, like to a stone in gold inchased,
Seem'd a fair iewell wrought with cunning hand,
And, being double, doubly the face graced :
This goodly frame on her round necke did stand;
Such pillar well such curious work sustain'd;
And, on his top the heavenly spheare up-rearing,
Might well present, with daintier appearing,
A lesse but better Atlas, that faire Heaven bearing.
Lower two breasts stand, all their beauties bearing,
Two breasts as smooth and soft; but, ah, alas!
Their smoothest softnes farre exceedes comparing;
More smooth and soft, but naught that ever was,
Where they are first, deserves the second place;
Yet each as soft and each as smooth as other;
And when thou first tri'st one, and then the other,
Each softer seemes then each, and each then each
seemes smoother.

Lowly betweene their dainty hemisphæres,
(Their hemispheres the heav'nly globes excelling)
A path more white than is the name it beares,
The lacteal path, conducts to the sweet dwelling
Where best Delight all ioyes sits freely dealing;
Where hundred sweetes, and still fresh ioyes attend-
Receive in giving; and, still love dispending, [ing,
Grow richer by their losse, and wealthy by expending.
But stay, bold shepheard! here thy footing stay,
Nor trust too much unto thy new-borne quill,
As farther to those dainty limbs to stray,
Or hope to paint that vale or beautious hill
Which past the finest hand or choycest skill:
But were thy verse and song as finely fram'd
As are those parts, yet should it soone be blam'd,
For now the shameles world of best things is asham'd.

That cunning artist, that old Greece admir'd,
Thus farre his Venus fitly portrayed,
But there he left, nor farther ere aspir'd ;
His dædale hand, that Nature perfected
By Arte, felt Arte by Nature limitted.
Ah! well he knew, though his fit hand could give
Breath to dead colours, teaching marble live,
Yet would these lively parts his hand of skill deprive.

Such when this gentle boy her closly view'd,
Onely with thinnest silken vaile o'er-layd,
Whose snowy colour much more snowy shew'd
By being next that skin, and all betray'd,
Which best in naked beauties are array'd,
His spirits, melted with so glorious sight,
Ran from their worke to see so splendid light,
And left the fainting limbes sweet slumbring in de-
light.

BRITTAIN'S IDA. CANTO IV.

THE ARGUMENT.

The swonding swaine recovered is
By th' goddesse; his soule-rapting blisse:
Their mutual conference, and how
Her service she doth him allow.

SOFT-SLEEPING Venus, waked with the fall,
Looking behind, the sinking boy espies;
With all she starts, and wondereth withall;
She thinks that there her faire Adonis dyes,
And more she thinkes the more the boy she eyes:
So, stepping neerer, up begins to reare him;
And now with Love himselfe she will confer him,
And now before her Love himselfe she will prefer him.

The lad, soone with that dainty touch reviv'd,
Feeling himselfe so well, so sweetly seated,
Begins to doubt whether he yet here liv'd,
Or else his flitting soul, to Heav'n translated,
Was there in starry throne and blisse instated;
Oft would he dye, so to be often saved;
And now with happy wish he closly craved
For ever to be dead, to be so sweet ingraved.

The Paphian princesse (in whose lovely breast
Spiteful Disdaine could never find a place)
When now she saw him from his fit releast,
(To Juno leaving wrath and scolding base)
Comforts the trembling boy with smiling grace:
But oh! those smiles (too full of sweete delight)
Surfeit his heart, full of the former sight;
So, seeking to revive, more wounds his feeble sprite,

"Tell me, fair boy!" sayd she, "what erring chance
Hither directed thy unwary pace?
For sure Contempt or Pride durst not advance
Their foule aspect in thy so pleasant face:
Tell me, what brought thee to this hidden place?
Or lacke of love, or mutuall answering fire?
Or hindred by ill chance in thy desire?

The boy, (whose sence was never yet acquainted
With such a musique) stood with eares arected,
And, sweetly with that pleasant spell enchanted,
More of those sugred straines long time expected;
Till seeing she his speeches not reiected,
First sighes arising from his heart's low center,
Thus gan reply, when each word bold would venter,
And strive the first that dainty labyrinth to enter.

"Fair Cyprian queene, (for well that heavenly face
Prooves thee the mother of all-conquering Love)
Pardon, I pray thee, my unweeting pace;
For no presumptuous thoughts did hither moove
My daring feete to this thy holy grove;
But lucklesse chance (which, if you not gaine-say,
I still must rue) hath caus'd me here to stray,
And lose my selfe (alas !) in losing of my way.

"Nor did I come to right my wronged fire;
Never till now I saw what ought be loved;
And now I see, but never dare aspire

To moove my hope, where yet my love is mooved;
Whence though I would, I would it not removed;
Only since I have plac't my love so high,
Which sure thou must, or sure thou wilt, deny,
Grant me yet still to love, though in my love to dye."

But shee that in his eyes Loves face had seen,
And flaming heart, did not such suite disdaine,
(For cruelty fits not sweete Beauties queene)
But gently could his passion entertain,
Though she Loves princesse, he a lowly swain:
First of his bold intrusion she acquites him,
Then to her service (happy boy !) admits him,
And, like another Love, with bow and quiver fits him.

And now with all the Loves he grew acquainted,
And Cupids selfe, with his like face delighted,
Taught him a hundred wayes with which he daunted
The prouder hearts, and wronged lovers righted,
Forcing to love that most his love despited:
And now the practique boy did so approve him,
And with such grace and cunning arte did moove
him,
[him.

That all the pritty Loves and all the Graces love

BRITTAIN'S IDA. CANTO V.

THE ARGUMENT.

The lovers sad despairing plaints Bright Venus with his love acquaints; Sweetly importun'd, he doth show From whom proceedeth this his woe.

YET never durst his faint and coward heart
(Ab, foole! faint heart faire lady ne're could win!)
Assaile faire Venus with his new-learnt arte,
But kept his love and burning flame within,
Which more flam'd out, the more he prest it in ;
And thinking oft how iust shee might disdaine him,
While some cool mirtle shade did entertaine him,

Tell me, what ist thy faire and wishing eyes re- Thus sighing would he sit, and sadly would he

quire?"

plain him:

"Ah, fond and haplesse boy! nor know I whether | But if you wish more truely limb'd to eye her,
Than fainting speech or words can well descry her,
More fond or haplesse more, that all so high
Hast plac't thy heart, where love and fate together Look in a glasse, and there more perfect you may
spy her."
May never hope to end thy misery,
Nor yet thy self dare wish a remedy:
All hindrances (alas!) conspire to let it;
Ah, fond, and hapless boy! if canst not get it!

In thinking to forget, at length learne to forget it.

"Ah, farre too fond, but much more haplesse swaine!
Seeing thy love can be forgetten never,
Serve and observe thy love with willing paine;
And though in vaine thy love thou doe persever,
Yet all in vaine doe thou adore her ever.

No hope can crowne thy thoughts so farre aspiring,
Nor dares thy selfe desire thine owne desiring,
Yet live thou in her love, and dye in her admiring,"

Thus oft the hopelesse boy complayning lyes;
But she, that well could guesse his sad lamenting,
(Who can conceal love from Loves mothers eyes?)
Did not disdaine to give his love contenting;
Cruel the soule that feeds on soules tormenting :
Nor did she scorne him, though not nobly borne,
(Love is nobility) nor could she scorne
That with so noble skill her title did adorne.

One day it chanc't, thrice happy day and chance!
While Loves were with the Graces sweetly sporting,
And to fresh musique sounding play and dance,
And Cupids selfe, with shepheards boyes consorting,
Laugh'd at their pritty sport and simple courting,
Faire Venus seats the fearfull boy close by her,
Where never Phœbus jealous lookes might eye her,
And bids the boy his mistris and her name descry her.

Long time the youth bound up in silence stood,
While hope and feare with hundred thoughts begun
Fit prologue to his speech; and fearefull blood
From heart and face with these post-tydings runne,
That eyther now he 's made, or now undon;
At length his trembling words, with feare made
Began his too long silence thus to breake, [weake,
While from bis humble eies first reverence seem'd
to speake.

"Faire queene of love! my life thou maist command,
Too slender price for all thy former grace,
Which I receive at thy so bounteous hand;
But never dare I speak her name and face;
My life is much lesse-priz'd than her disgrace:
And, for I know if I her name relate

I purchase anger, I must hide her state,
Unlesse thou sweare by Stix I purchase not her hate."

Faire Venus well perceiv'd his subtile shift,
And, swearing gentle patience, gently smil'd,
While thus the boy persu'd his former drift:
"No tongue was ever yet so sweetly skil'd,
Nor greatest orator so highly stil'd,

Though helpt with all the choicest artes direction,
But when he durst describe her Heaven's perfection,
By his imperfect praise disprais'd his imperfection.

"Her forme is as her selfe, perfect cœlestriall,
No mortall spot her heavenly frame disgraces:
Beyond compare such nothing is terrestrial?
More sweete than thought or pow'rfull wish em-
braces;

The map of Heaven, the summe of all her graces :

BRITTAIN'S IDA.

CANTO VI.

THE ARGUMENT.

The boyes short wish, her larger grant,
That doth his soule with blisse enchant;
Whereof impatient uttering all,
Inraged Jove contrives his thrall.

"THY crafty arte," reply'd the smiling queene,
"Hath well my chiding and not rage prevented,
Yet might'st thou thinke that yet 'twas never seene
That angry rage and gentle love consented;
But if to me thy true love is presented,
What wages for thy service must I owe thee?
For by the selfe-same vow I here avow thee,
Whatever thou require I frankly will allow thee."
"Pardon," replies the boy, "for so affecting
Beyond mortallity, and not discarding
Thy service, was much more than my expecting;
But if thou (more thy bounty-hood regarding)
Wilt needs heap up reward upon rewarding,
Thy love I dare not aske, or mutual fixing,
One kisse is all my love and prides aspiring, [ing."
And after starve my heart, for my too much desir-
"Fond boy!" sayd she, "too fond, that askt no more;
Thy want by taking is no whit decreased,
And giving spends not our increasing store:"-
Thus with a kisse his lips she sweetly pressed;
Most blessed kisse! but hope more than most blessed.
The boy did thinke Heaven fell while thus he ioy'd,
And while joy he so greedily enioy'd,

He felt not halfe his ioy by being over-ioy'd.

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At length, whether these favours so had fir'd him
With kindly heate, inflaming his desiring,
Or whether those sweete kisses had inspir'd him,
He thinkes that something wants for his requiring,
And still aspires, yet knows not his aspiring;
But yet though that hee knoweth so she gave,
That he presents himselfe her bounden slave,
Still his more wishing face seem'd somewhat else

to crave.

And, boldned with successe and many graces,
His hand, chain'd up in feare, he now releast,
And asking leave, courag'd with her imbraces,
Againe it prison'd in her tender breast:
Ah, blessed prison! prisners too much blest!
There with those sisters long time doth he play,
And now full boldly enters loves highway, [stray.
While downe the pleasant vale his creeping hand doth

She, not displeas'd with this his wanton play,
Hiding his blushing with a sugred kisse,
With such sweete heat his rudenesse doth allay,
That now he perfect knowes whatever blisse
Elder Love taught, and he before did misse;

That moult with ioy, in such untri'd ioyes trying, He gladly dies; and, death new life applying, Gladly againe he dyes, that oft he may be dying.

Long thus he liv'd, slumbring in sweete delight,
Free from sad care and fickle worlds annoy,
Bathing in liquid ioyes his melted sprite;
And longer mought, but he (ah, foolish boy!)
Too proud, and too impatient of his ioy,
To woods, and Heav'n, and Earth, his blisse imparted,
That Jove upon him downe his thunder darted,
Blasting his splendent face, and all his beauty
swarted.

Such be his chance that to his love doth wrong;
Unworthy he to have so worthy place,
That cannot hold his peace and blabbing tongue;
Light ioyes float on his lips, but rightly grace
Sinckes deepe, and th' heart's low center doth im-
brace.

Might I enjoy my love till I unfold it,

I'd lose all favours when I blabbing told it:
He is not fit for love that is not fit to hold it.

GLOSSARY

ΤΟ

SPENSER'S WORKS.

431

ABEARE, bear, demean, behave.

Aboord, from the bank.

Abord, across, from shore to shore.

Abraid, awaked.

Abrayd, awake.

Alablaster, the usual old spelling of alabaster. Albee, whether.

Albion, England, so called from the white rocks. Alegge, to lessen, or assuage.

Aleggeaunce, alleviation.

Abus, the Humber, in Yorkshire, from the British Alew, howling, lamentation.

Aber, the mouth of a river.

Aby, abide.

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Accoid, plucked down, daunted.
Account, tell over, number.
According, granting.

Accoyed, daunted, same as Accoied, above; or, in Faerie Queene, b. iv. canto viii. p. 277, caressed, made much of.

Accoyld, stood around, coiled up, or gathered together.

Accrewed, increased, united.

Algates, wholly, altogether, by all means.

All, sometimes for altogether, entirely; sometimes

for although.

All and some, one and all, every one.

All be, although (he) be.

Allectus, the Roman general.
Allegge, ease, alleviate.

All haile, the Saxon form of salutation, all health.
All-to, completely or entirely.
Alma, the mind.
Als, also.

Amate, subdue, or daunt.
Amated, perplexed.
Amenage, manage, carriage.

Achates, provisions, from the old French achet, a Amenaunce, carriage, behaviour, conduct.

thing bought.

Acquit, released.

Adaw, to daunt, overawe, keep in subjection.

Adawed, daunted, confounded.

Addrest, went to, direeted the course to.
Adore, used sometimes for adorn.

Adorne, ornament.

Advaunst, driven forward, impelled, or hastened. Advise, consider.

Advize, to bethink one's self.

Affect, affection.

Affections, passions, from the Latin affectus.
Afflicted stile, low and jejune style.
Affrap, encounter, or strike down.

Affrended, made friends.

Affret, rencounter, hasty meeting.

Affronted, encountered, or opposed.

Affronting, opposing.

Aganip, Aganippus, king of France.

Ages, age is frequently used for age in general.

Aggrace, favour, kindness.

Aggrate, delight, or please.

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Aghast, frequently used both as a verb and participle. Assot, stupefied.

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