Praise of his Loue

APpelles lay the Pensill downe
and shun thy woonted skill,
Let brute no more with flattring Trumpe
the Gréekish eares fulfill:
Clayme not to thee such Painters praise
as thou hast done of yore,
Least thou in fine be foiled flat
and gained glorie lore.
So seeke not to disgrace the Gréekes
thy louing Natiue land,
But rather from depainting formes
withdraw thy skillest hand.
For so thou stiffely stand and vaunt
that thou wilt frame hir like
Whome I extoll aboue the Starres,
thou art a stately Gréeke.
As soone with might thou mayste remoue
the Rock from whence it growes,
As frame hir featurde forme in whome
such flouds of graces flowes.
If I might speake vnhurt of hate,
I would auaunt that kinde
In spite of Rose and Lillie both
had hir in earth assignde
To dwell among the daintie Dames
that shée hath placed héere:
Cause, by hir passing feature might
Dame Natures skill appéere.
Hir Haire surmounts Apollos pride
in it such beautie raines
Hir glistring eies the Cristall farre
and finest Saphire staines
A little Mouth with decent Chin,
a Corall Lip of hue,
With Téeth as white as Whale his bone
eche one in order due.
A body blamelesse to be found,
Armes rated to the same:
Such Hands with Azure deckt, as all
that warre with hir doe shame.
As for the partes in couert kept
and what is not in sight,
I doe estéeme them by the reast
not forcing on dispight.
If I were foreman of the Quest
my verdit to expresse,
Forgiue mée (Phoebus,) of thy place
shée should thée dispossesse.
P: should be raised to the cloudes
and Phoebus brought alow,
For that there should liue none in earth
but might hir vertue know.
Thus to conclude and make an ende,
to vouch I dare beholde:
As soone as Nature hir had made
all Natures ware was solde.