The Twentieth Song

The Muse that part of Suffolke sings,
That lyes to Norfolke, and then brings
The bright Norfolcean Nymphes, to ghest
To Louing-land, to Neptunes Feast;
To Ouze the lesse then downe shee takes,
Where shee a Flight at Riuer makes:
And thence to Marsh-land shee descends,
With whose free praise this Song shee ends.

FRom Suffolke rose a sound, through the Norfolcean shore
That ran it selfe, the like had not bin heard before:
For he that doth of Sea the powerful Trident weld,
His Tritons made proclaime, a Nymphall to be held
In honor of himselfe, in Louing-land, where he
The most selected Nymphes appointed had to be.
Those Seamayds that about his secret […] doe dwell,
Which tend his mightie heards of Whales, and Fishes fell,
As of the Riuers those, amongst the Meadowes ranke,
That play in euery Foar'd, and sport on euery banke,
Were summon'd to be there, in paine of Neptunes hate:
For he would haue his Feast, obseru'd with god-like state,

When those Suffolcean Floods, that sided not with Stoure,
Their streames but of themselues into the Ocean powre,
As Or, through all the coast a Flood of wondrous fame,
Whose honored fall begets a Hauen of her name.
And Blyth a daintie Brooke, their speedy course doe cast,
For Neptune with the rest, to Louing-land to hast:
When Waueney in her way, on this Septentriall side,
That these two Easterne Shires doth equally diuide,
From Laphamford leads on, her streame into the East,
By Bungey, then along by Beckles, when possest
Of Louing-land, 'bout which her limber Armes she throwes,
With Neptune taking hands, betwixt them who inclose,
And her an Iland make, fam'd for her scite so farre.
But leaue her Muse awhile, and let vs on with Yar,
Which Gariena some, some Hier, some Yar doe name;
Whorising from her spring not farre from Walsingham,
Through the Norfolcean fields seemes wantonly to play,
To Norwich comes at length, towards Yarmouth on her way,
Where Wentsum from the South, and Bariden doe beare
Vp with her, by whose wealth she much is honored there,
To intertaine her Yar, that in her state doth stand,
With Townes of high'st account, the fourth of all the land:
That hospitable place to the Industrious Dutch,
Whose skill in making Stuffes, and workmanship is such,
(For refuge hither come) as they our ayd deserue,
By labour sore that liue, whilst oft the English starue;
On Roots, and Pulse that feed, on Beefe and Mutton spare,
So frugally they liue, not gluttons as we are.

But from my former Theame, since thus I haue digrest,
Ile borrow more of Time, vntill my Nymphs be drest:
And since these Foods fall out so fitly in my way,
A little while to them I will conuert my Lay.

The Colewort, Colifloure, and Cabidge in their season,
The Rouncefall, great Beanes, and early ripening Peason;
The Onion, Scallion, Leeke, which Housewiues highly rate;
Their kinsman Garlicke then, the poore mans Mithridate;
The sauory Parsnip next, and Carret pleasing food;
The Skirret (which some say) in Sallats stirres the blood;
The Turnip, tasting well to Clownes in Winter weather.
Thus in our verse we put, Roots, Hearbs, and Fruits together.
The great moyst Pumpion then, that on the ground doth lie,
A purer of his kind, the sweet Muske-million by;
Which dainty pallats now, because they would not want,
Haue kindly learnt to set, as yearely to transplant:
The Radish somewhat hote, yet vrine doth prouoke;
The Cucumber as cold, the heating Artichoke;
The Citrons, which our soyle not easly doth affourd;
The Rampion rare as that, the hardly gotten Gourd.

But in these triuiall things, Muse, wander not too long,
But now to nimble Yar, turne we our actiue Song,
Which in her winding course, from Norwich to the Mayne,
By many a stately seat lasciuiously doth straine,
To Yarmouth till she come, her onely christned Towne,
Whose fishing through the Realme, doth her so much renowne,
Where those that with their nets still haunt the boundles lake,
Her such a sumptuous feast of salted Herrings make,
As they had rob'd the Sea of all his former store,
And past that very howre, it could produce no more.

Her owne selues Harbour here, when Yar doth hardly win,
But kindly she againe, saluted is by Thrin,
A faire Norsolcean Nymph, which gratifies her fall.

Now are the Tritons heard, to Louing-land to call,
Which Neptunes great commaunds, before them brauely beare,
Commanding all the Nymphs of high account that were,
Which in fat Holland lurke amongst the queachy plashes,
Or play them on the sands, vpon the fomy washes,
As all the watry brood, which haunt the German deepes,
Vpon whose briny Curles, the dewy morning weepes,
To Louing-land to come, and in their bestattires,
That meeting to obserue, as now the time requires.

When Erix, Neptunes sonne by Venus, to the shore
To see them safely brought, their Herault came before,
And for a Mace he held in his huge hand, the horne
Of that so much esteem'd, sea-honoring Vnicorne.

Next Proto wondrous swift, led all the rest the way,
Then she which makes the calmes, the mild Cymodice,
With god-like Dorida, and Galatea faire,
With daintie Nets of pearle, cast o'r their braided haire:
Analijs which the Sea doth salt, and seasoned keepe;
And Batheas, most supreame and soueraigne in the deepe,
Brings Cyane, to the waues which that greene colour giues;
Then Atmis, which in Fogs and mistie vapours liues:
Phrinax, the Billowes rough, and surges that bestrides,
And Rothion, that by her on the wilde waters rides;
With Icthias, that of Frye the keeping doth retaine,
As Pholoë, most that rules the Monsters of the Maine:
Which brought to beare them out, if any need should fall,
The Dolphin, Sea-horse, Gramp, the Wherlpoole, and the Whall.
An hundred more besides; I readily could name,
With these as Neptune wil'd, to Louing-land that came.

These Nymphs trick'd vp in tyers, the Sea-gods to delight:
Of Currall of each kind, the blacke, the red, the white;
With many sundry shels, the Scallop large, and faire;
The Cockle small and round; the Periwinkle spare,
The Oyster, wherein oft the pearle is found to breed,
The Mussell, which retaines that daintie Orient seed:
In Chaines and Bracelets made, with linkes of sundry twists,
Some worne about their wasts, their necks, some on the wrists.
Great store of Amber there, and Ieat they did not misse;
Their lips they sweetned had with costly Ambergris.

Scarcely the Neriad's thus arriued from the Seas,
But from the fresher streames the brighter Niades,
To Louing-land make haste with all the speed they may,
For feare their fellow-Nymphes should for their comming stay.
Glico the running Streames in sweetnesse still that keepes,
And Clymene which rules, when they surround their deepes.
Spio, in hollow bankes, the waters that doth hide:
With Opis that doth beare them backward with the Tyde.
Semaia that for sights doth keepe the water cleare:
Zanthe their yellow sands, that maketh to appeare,
Then Drymo for the Okes that shaddow euery banke,
Phylodice, the boughs for Garlands fresh and ranke.
Which the cleare Naiades make them Anadems withall,
When they are cald to daunse in Neptunes mightie hall.
Then Ligea, which maintaines the Birds harmonious layes,
Which fing on Riuers banks amongst the slender sprayes,
With Rhodia, which for them doth nurse the Roseat sets,
Ioida, which preserues the azure Violets.
Anthea, of the flowers, that hath the generall charge,
And Syrinx of the Reeds, that grow vpon the Marge.
Some of these louely Nymphes wore on their flaxen haire
Fine Chaplets made of Flaggs, that fully flowred were:
With Water-cans againe, some wantonly them dight,
Whose larger leafe and flower, gaue wonderfull delight
To those that wistly view'd their Beauties: some againe,
That soueraigne places held amongst the watry traine,
Of Cat-tayles made them Crownes, which from the Sedge doth
Which neatly wouen were, and some to grace the show, (grow,
Of Lady-smocks most white, doe rob each neighbouring Mead,
Wherewith their looser locks most curiously they breyd.

Now thus together com'n, they friendly doe deuise,
Some of light toyes, and some of matters graue and wise.
But to breake off their speech, her reed when Syrinx sounds,
Some cast themselues in Rings, and fell to Hornepipe rounds:
They ceasing, as againe to others turnes it falls,
They lustie Galiards tread, some others Iiggs, and Braules.
This done, vpon the banke together being set,
Proceeding in the cause, for which they thus weremet,
In mightie Neptunes praise, these Sea-borne Virgins sing:

Let earth, and ayre, say they with the high praises ring,
Of Saturne by his Ops, the most renowned Sonne,
From all the gods but Ioue, the Diadem that wonne,
Whose ofspring wise and strong, deare Nymphes let vs relate,
On mountaines of vast waues, know he that sits in state,
And with his Trident rules, the vniuersall streame,
To be the onely syre of mightie Polypheme.
On fayre Thoofa got old […] loued child,
Who in a fained shape that god of Sea beguild.
Three thousand princely sonnes, and louely Nymphs as we,
Were to great Neptune borne, of which we sparing be:
Some by his goodly Queene, some in his Lemmans bed;
Chryasor grim begot, on sterne Medusas head.
Swart Brontes, for his owne so mightie Neptune takes,
One of the Cyclops strong, Ioues Thunder-bolts that makes.
Great Neptune, Nelius got, (if you for wisedome seeke)
Who was old Nestors syre, the grau'st and wisest Greeke.
Or from this King of waues, of such thou lou'st to heare,
Of famous Nations first, that mightie Founders were;
Then Cadmus, who the plot of ancient Thebes contriu'd,
From Neptune God of Sea, his Pedigree deriu'd,
By Agenor his old Syer, who rul'd Phenicia long:
So Inachus, the chiefe of Argiues great and strong
Claim'd kinred of this King, and by some beautious Neece,
So did Pelasgus too, who peopled ancient Greece.
A world of mightie Kings and Princes I could name,
From our god Neptune sprung; let this suffice, his fame
Incompasseth the world; those Starres which neuer rise,
Aboue the lower South, are neuer from his eyes:
As those againe to him doe euery day appeare,
Continually that keepe the Northerne Hemisphere;
Who like a mightie King, doth cast his Watched robe,
Farre wider then the land, quite round about the Globe.
Where is there one to him that may compared be,
That both the Poles at once continually doth see;
And Gyant-like with heauen as often maketh warres;
The Ilands (in his power) as numberlesse as Starres,
He washeth at his will, and with his mightie hands,
He makes the euen shores, oft mountainous with Sands:
Whose creatures, which obserue his wide Emperiall seat,
Like his immeasured selfe, are infinite and great.

Thus ended they their Song, and off th'assembly brake,
When quickly towards the west, the Muse her way doth take;
Whereas the swelling soyle, as from one banke doth bring
This Wauency sung before, and Ouse the lesse, whose spring
Towards Ouse the greater poynts, and downe by Thetford glides,
Where shee cleere Thet receiues, her glory that diuides,
With her new-named Towne, as wondrous glad that shee,
For frequency of late, so much esteemd should be:
Where since these confluent Floods, so fit for Hauking lye,
And store of Fowle intice skil'd Falkoners there to flye.

Now of a flight at Brooke shall my description be:
What subiect can be found, that lies not faire to me.
Of simple Shepheards now, my Muse exactly sings,
And then of courtly Loues, and the affaires of Kings.
Then in a Buskind straine, the warlike speare and shield,
And instantly againe of the disports of Field;
What can this Ile produce, that lyes from my report,
Industrious Muse, proceed then to thy Hawking sport.

When making for the Brooke, the Falkoner doth espie
On Riuer, Plash, or Mere, where store of Fowle doth lye:
Whence forced ouer land, by skilfull Falconers trade:
A faire conuenient flight, may easily be made.
He whistleth off his Hawkes, whose nimble pincons streight,
Doe worke themselues by turnes, into a stately height:
And if that after check, the one or both doe goe,
Sometimes he them the Lure, sometimes doth water show;
The trembling Fowle that heare the Iigging Hawk-bels ring,
And find it is too late, to trust then to their wing,
Lye flat vpon the flood, whilst the high-mounted Hawks,
Then being lords alone, in their etheriall walkes,
Aloft so brauely stirre, their bells so thicke that shake;
Which when the Falkoner sees, that scarce one plane they make:
The gallant'st Birds saith he, that euer flew on wing,
And sweares there is a Flight, were worthy of a King.

Then making to the Flood, to force the Fowles to rise,
The fierce and eager Hawkes, downe thrilling from the Skies,
Make sundry Canceleers e'r they the Fowle can reach,
Which then to saue their liues, their wings doe liuely stretch.
But when the whizzing Bels the silent ayre doe cleaue,
And that their greatest speed, them vainly doe deceiue;
And the sharpe cruell Hawkes, they at their backs doe view,
Themselues for very feare they instantly ineawe.

The Hawkes get vp againe into their former place;
And ranging here and there, in that their ayery race:
Still as the fearefull Fowle attempt to scape away,
With many a stouping braue, them in againe they lay.
But when the Falkoners take their Hawking-poles in hand,
And crossing of the Brooke, doe put it ouer land:
The Hawke giues it a souse, that makes it to rebound,
Well neere the height of man, sometime aboue the ground;
Oft takes a leg, or wing, oft takes away the head,
And oft from necke to tayle, the backe in two doth shread.
With many a Wo ho ho, and iocond Lure againe,
When he his quarry makes vpon the grassy plaine.

But to my Floods againe: when as this Ouze the lesse
Hath taken in cleere Thet, with farre more free accesse
To Ouze the great shee goes, her Queene that commeth crown'd,
As such a Riuer fits, so many miles renown'd;
And poynting to the North, her Christall front she dashes
Against the swelling sands of the surrounded Washes;
And Neptune in her Armes, so amply doth imbrace,
As she would rob his Queene, faire Thetis of her place.
Which when rich Marsh-land sees, least she should loose her state,
With that faire Riuer thus, shee gently doth debate.

Disdaine me not, deare Flood, in thy excessiue pride,
There's scarcely any soyle that sitteth by thy side,
Whose Turfe so batfull is, or beares so deepe a swath;
Nor is there any Marsh in all Great Britaine, hath
So many goodly seats, or that can truely show
Such Rarities as I: so that all Marshes owe
Much honor to my name, for that exceeding grace,
Which they receiue by me, so soueraigne in my place.
Though Rumney, as some say, for finenesse of her grasse,
And for her daintie scite, all other doth surpasse:
Yet are those Seas but poore, and Riuers that confine
Her greatnesse but meane Rills, be they compar'd with mine.
Nor hardly doth shee tyth th'aboundant Fowle and Fish,
Which Nature giues to me, as I my selfe can wish.
As Amphitrite oft, calls me her sweet and faire,
And sends the Northrene winds to curle my braided haire,
And makes the Washes stand, to watch and ward me still,
Lest that rough god of Sea, on me should worke his will.
Old Wisbitch to my grace, my circuit sits within,
And neere my banks I haue the neighbourhood of Lyn.
Both Townes of strength and state, my profits still that vent:
No Marsh hath more of Sea, none more of continent.
Thus Marsh-land ends her speech, as one that throughly knew,
What was her proper praise, and what was Ouzes due.

With that the zealous Muse, in her Poetique rage,
To Walsingham would needs haue gone a Pilgrimage,
To view those farthest shores, whence little Niger flowes
Into the Northrene Maine, and see the gleabe where growes
That Saffron, (which men say) this land hath not the like,
All Europe that excels: but here she sayle doth strike.
For that Apollo pluckt her easly by the eare;
And told her in that part of Norfolke, if there were
Ought worthy of respect, it was not in her way,
When for the greater Ouze, her wing she doth display.