Book II

BY this, the sable vaile of night, from farre
Vnsprad; and Phaebus in his golden Carre,
Prickes on the fiery Steeds, that force their way
And make new breach thorow th' Ionian Sea,
Whilst (day yet mask't in night) his flaring beames,
Play with the waues, and mocke the blue gods streames,
About this morne peepe moment, the lost mayd
Lost, for she now by Venus was betrayd,
(Vnmindfull of her mothers strict command)
For who can stricter Destinies with-stand?
Boldly awakes, forgets all feare or doubt,
And to the dewy fields she sallies out;
Out went she, but no sooner tripped o're
The humble threshold, when her creaking dore,
With turned hinge thrice squeak't; as if it meant
To warne her from the desperate attempt.
Thrice it presag'd, thrice (guilty of her fate)
The neighbouring Aetna groan'd: but ah, too late!
For headlong will of woman, now, in her,
Rebellion nourished' gainst iuster feare.
Out went she, and with her the sisters three,
Those goddesses, that bore her companie;
First iocund Venus hugg'd with her deceit,
Glad, that the houre for which she long did wait
Drew neere; but giaddest that her pow'rfull skill
Could draw the pow'rs infernall to her will.
The smooth-comb'd locks, that (on her golden head
She weares) part (like two skeines) and as in thread
Intangled, some crumples vp: so shee
Some longer wore, some crispt and curled bee;
In a rich purple mantle was she clad,
O're which, a belt (her sweating husband had
Fram'd in his Forge) she cast, which kept it on,
Buckled ther'to with a rich Orient stone:
Next Venus march't Licoeus beautious queene:
She (whom th' Arcadian Swaines full oft haue seene
Fell their wilde Bores; and she) whose stately lance
Pandions Towr's protects, who doth aduance
The Cities Trophies: this, in strife and iarre
Bestirres her selfe (best pleas'd with bloudy warre.
The other (a bold huntresse) loues to fright
The wildest beasts that tremble at her sight.
Caru'd on a golden Helmet, Pallas bore
Huge Typhons picture, (whom she long before
Slew in Ioues quarrell:) Typhons vpper part
Is dead, the lower liuing; so in part
He liues, part dyes, that monstrous bulke of his,
Halfe man, halfe serpent, vpward, down-ward is
In her right hand a mighty speare she wields,
That tow'rs vp to the sky, no wood that yeelds
A tree so tall; and in her left hand, grac't
With dazling shield was vgly Gorgon plac't,
Crown'd with a head of snakes, whose visage grim
And killing looke, she with a vaile keepes in.
Dian appeares in a more mild aspect,
More louely, and in euery respect
So like her brother, that each siluer ray,
(Vpon her glorious head) shin'd it (by day)
Were Phoebus selfe: whose light, whose eminence
She bore (Sex only breeding difference)
Her azure plumpe vein'd armes discouered bare,
And carelesse lockes playd with the gentle aire.
Th'vnbended bowe now gaue her sinewes rest,
And at her backe the shafts in quiuer rest:
A short loose garment that she (fastned) weares
With double girt, scarce from her knee appeares;
On whose light ground (vnmatched to behold)
The wandring Delos floats in seas of gold:
With these, the ioy of Ceres, her deere child,
But soone, neere griefe, keepes equall pace in field,
Equall in limbes and honour, and might seeme
Either of both; for euery one would deeme
He saw a goddesse, and would thinke her so,
Bore she but Pallas shield, or Phoebus bowe:
Her gather'd garment fastned with a knot
By smoothest Iasper was; and she was not
Inferior to the Sisters nor their skill,
For she could couzen Natures selfe (at will)
With art, which neuer happ'lier was showne,
Then in the rare bestowing of her combe,
On those two golden fleeces, that adorne
Her wel-shap't head; where they so eu'n were worn
That not the finest thred in loome of Lawne
Agreed, or could more equally be drawne:
Th'Imagery in silkes so liuely wrought
On her loose robe, might please the very thought
Of nice beholders; who, when they should see
These pictures, and would iudge them but to bee,
Inanimate dead trunkes, might Proserpine
Pricke them but tongues, they'd speake and be diuine.
The bults she workt were of a goddesse breed,
(Resembling Sunne and Moone Hyperions seed)
But in their shapes she fashion'd different quite,
These two great Captaines of Aurora 'nd Night:
Such, as when Thetis (they but tender, young,
Short breathed Infants) with a Nurse-like song
Rock't sleepe into their cradles, and doth take
To her warme lappe those sucklings when they wake;
Tytan, thus weake: (in his minoritie)
Dimme lighted, and not clamber'd vp so high
(As now) with mounting wing; in which first age
Men faine him mild, and free from scorching rage:
Thus, feeble Tytan, at his Dammes right side
Lay panting; and as often as he cry'd,
(For wantonnesse) so euer and anon
It sobb's, and spits a gentle fire, vpon
The louing Mother; who to still and rest,
Turnes to his sister her left side and brest:
From whence, and at her Cristall dugge, she drinks
That milke-sweet liquor, whil'st her Sire bethinks
Him of the younglings: and the prettie Moone
Viewes in the Mothers arme, vnto her soone;
He (sporting) calls, the wayward babe, that showes
With one eye turned vpward, that it knowes
Nought but the dugge and Thetis, all else scornes,
Mockes him (kind father) with her little hornes.
In such great pompe, glitt'ring attire, she went:
The Naides (on both sides of her) bent
In friendly troope, to wait and beare her traine,
Compasse her round, each stroue to be most faine.
Those Nymphes Crymnisus, which thy fountaine cleere
And thine Pantagia (whose swift course doth beare,
And headlong rowle downe rocks:) do famous make
That Riuer too from whence Gela doth take
The Cities name, and they (slow Camarine)
Which in those fennie shallow lakes of thine
Are nourished; those that in Crystall brooke,
And streames of Arethusa, all forsooke
Their loued homes; and to make full the feast
Alpheus sends his Nymphes, and 'mongst the rest
That there attend in gratefull companie,
None did excell the fairest Cyane.
So Amazones in a triumphant band
With sloped shields march through the foe-mans land:
When man-like braue Hyppolita, with spoyle
(From Arcton hill, laden with goods and toyle)
Retires her snowy troopes; then, when they sweate
In bloud of yellow Scythians, or beate,
And breake with sharpest axe the tougher Ice
That stops the current of swift Tanais:
So, the Moeonian Nymphes are wont to rise
From Hermus, when their vs'd solemnities
They giue to Bacchus, on whose festiuall
Each, seuerally, and then, together, all
Vpon their fathers gold swolne bankes run mad,
Frisking about: the aged riuer (glad)
Sits in his denne, and as their want he viewes
Water in plenty from moist vrne renewes;
No sooner had flow'r-bearing Aetna spi'd,
And from his hearby top farre off descri'd
The sacred people; when milde Zepherus
He forceth with entreates, and vrgeth thus:
Thou grateful (wisht for father) of the Spring,
That'bout my medowes (with lasciuious wing)
Fly'st, and there reign'st, that with perpetuall blast
Bedew'st the ground, mak'st it with freshnesse last:
Looke yonder, looke vpon those Nymphes that play
('Mongst whom) the thund'rers plants to sport this day,
Daigne midst my walkes; be thou propitious,
Be present with thy odoriferous
Sweet flowr's, now to their fulnesse blow them forth,
Ripen the blossomes and those sprouts of worth,
That fertile Hybla may at length confesse
(But enuie) that her fuitfulnesse is lesse.
What euer sents the drie Arabia
Breathes from her spices on the morning grey;
What odours flatt'ring sence Hydaspes sends
From farre; what ere the rare bird (that extends
Her flight to swartie Indians (there can find
That (though she want a mate) can raise her kind
From her owne death and ashes, and renewes
Past yeeres with youth: sweet Zephirus infuse
The summe and all into these veines, and blow
With fullest cheeks: cherish these fields, that so
I may deserue the touch diuine, and pure
Of goddesse finger; and so farre allure
Those heau'nly pow'rs, they may be couetous
To weare our flowry garlands on their browes:
Here Aetna stopt, when straight the West-wind threw
Shak't (from his madid wings) a Nectar new
On the dry turfes, and ioines the clefted-earth,
Begets in it a second fruitfull birth:
Where e're he flies a Spring of Aprill show'rs
Followes; the ground swels vp with hearbs and flow'rs,
Which with their load (the moisture quickly spent)
Bend downe againe, and (fading) lose their sent.
This place he clotheth with the bloud-bright Rose,
That, with young Hyacinthus, there bestowes
The purple-painted (neere blacke) Violet.
What belt on Parthian King was euer set
In richer Iemmes? what more varietie
In fleeces spotted with Assyrian dye?
The Bird of Iuno in his greatest pride,
Shewes but dull eyes (with these faire colours tride:)
Not so (when watrish winter doth begin)
The Raine-bow crownes him with oft varying,
When streaking the pale Sunne with redder fire
The moystned tracke, through clouds disperc't shewes cleere:
The place exceeds the flowers: for a plaine
Here crooking swels; there, seemes to rise againe
In hillockes soft, till, farther it becomes
A hill, where from a liuely punice runs
A bubling Spring, which growes into a Brooke,
From which it's moisture the dew'd grasse doth sucke;
For (as the Snake-like streame winds in and out)
It snares the hearbes and flow'rs round about:
The Woods coole leaues here serue for summers shade,
(By whose thicke boughes Winters cold frost's allayd)
Where growes the Firre, the hard strong Cherrie-tree
For ships, for bowes (in warre) that fittest be:
Ioues loued Oke, young, and in vig'rous heat,
The old, with luscious hony combes repleat:
The mournfull Cypresse couering sepulchre,
And Bay presaging Lawrel tree grew there:
The thicke-topt, spreading, crisped Boxe, (whose weight)
Doth make it waue, and totter from it's height:
The Serpent-like slow Yuie, and the Elme
Lac't with the Vine, makes it with Grapes o're-whelme.
A Lake which the Sicilians, Pergus name,
Was neere at hand; and to adorne the same,
A rowe of well-plac't trees begirt it round,
Whose silent water (free from noyse or sound)
Lookes pale, and suffers the beholders eyes
(Vnhurt) to search the bottomes secresies.
The traine be'ing here arriu'd they ioy and sport
To see the flowry Country, to exhort,
Thus, Cytherea, them begins: Come, come,
Sisters, and gather till the morning Sunne
Drie the ayres sweat, whil'st yet my Lucifer
(Mounted on dewy Courser) euery where
Waters the yellow fields: so, hauing spoke,
She first began to plucke a flow'r, first tooke
The badge of her old griefe, then each doth striue
And fall to worke; as when of Bees a Hiue
Snatches the sweets of Hyblas Tyme; or when
Their Leaders with an Army (as 'mongst men)
Remoue their waxen tents: or, when they creepe
From hollow Beeches wombe, and (swarming) sweepe
The dustie ayre; when (swolne with their cropt store)
(Buzzing) they seeme to grumble yet for more.
So they made hauocke of the flow'rs, and spoile
Of all their glory, in a moments toyle.
The Lilly to the darker Violet
One weaues; another in her brest doth set
The soft-sweet Marioram; a third must goe
Starre-deckt with Roses; this in diff'ring showe
Prankes vp her selfe with Priuet white, and thee
They gather, and thy weeping Tragedie
(Poore Hyacinth) renew; nor doe they spare
Narcissus (both of you now branches rare
Of the fresh spring, and in your liues, the ioyes
Of Nature, two most excellent sweet boyes)
Thee the tiles errour strooke, but thee, thine owne;
When in the fountaine that selfe-loue was knowne:
Apollo, with sad brow thy losse laments;
At thine Cephissus broken reed relents:
Proserpina, more greedy then the rest
(Most hot vpon the spoile) culs out the best,
And stuffes her Osier baskets full; that smile
To see their Mistris the poore fields beguile
Of their rich habit; she with garlands crownes
Her temples (ignorant of fate) that frownes
Vpon the wreath she weares (propheticall
Swiftly fore-running the blacke Nuptiall)
The warlike Goddesse, her right hand, that scowres
The lustie troopes, that teares downe walls and towres,
Giues to an easier taske; layes by her speare
Her glist'ring shield (vnus'd such toyes to beare)
She teacheth now the garland to embrace,
Her steele-topp't helmet sweetest garlands grace:
Nor she, that in Parthenian Mountaines seekes
With sure nos'd senters after chase, dislikes
The sport, but her licentious lockes keepes downe,
And bridles them with a faire garland crowne:
Whil'st thus the scatter'd Virgins pull the flow'rs,
Behold a noyse 'gan bellow, as if two tow'rs
(Falling) had rush't together, or some Towne
From it's foundations firme had bin cast downe,
The cause none gest, but Paphos goddesse: she
Was preinstructed in the mystery,
And had this double passion at her choyse
To feare with them, but inwardly reioice:
And now the rector of the damn'd, below;
Through secret windings bustles to and fro,
To find a way to earth: first doth he fetch
A compasse here and there; then makes a breach
Aloft; his foggy Coursers trample on
Enceladus, that with their weight doth groane,
(The Gyants huge vaste limbes cut by their wheeles)
Addes to the former torments that he feeles;
And lab'ring, with a double yoke, in paine:
(For he beares Dis and Aetna now) would faine
Finde ease; the wearie Serpents (clinging) stay
Their axletree, the horses force their way,
And scudde along (too swift for them too slacke)
Their fiery wheeles slide from his sulph'rous backe.
And as the close besieger, by degrees
Steales on his mu'd vp foe, that nought foresees,
Whil'st he (by a laborious countermine
And secret) the mockt wals doth vndermine;
Whose strength and stricter guard none now protect,
(The Conqu'rours entring, where they least expect)
Like to these earth-borne men. Saturnes third heire
Contriues a passage vp to the World's aire
His brothers Orbe, and giues his Steeds free reine
Searcheth through eu'ry corner: but (in vaine)
No gate appeares, huge heapes of rokces and stones
Damme vp his passage eu'ry where; not once
Discou'ring light, as purposely to keepe
The god close pris'ner in that dungeon deepe;
But he (enrag'd) brook't no delayes, and straight
Aduanc't his beamy scepter, with whose weight
He breakes the Rocks; teares the resisting ground,
The blow caus'd all Sicilia's Caues resound,
And Riuers rore; th'adiacent Islands shake,
Amazed Vulcane suddaine flight doth take,
(Leauing his forge) the trembling Cyclop's hide
Their fearefull heads, and cast Ioues bolts aside;
The poore cold dweller on steepe Appenine,
And frozen passengers, that slowly climbe
The hoary Alpes, amazed stand, and doubt
Of some new broile 'twixt Ioue and Gyant rowt:
Those that (along thy streames) with naked limbe
Perpetuall trophie bearing Tyber, swimme,
And those that to thy current famous Po
Launch out their little barkes, heard that great blowe:
So when (on lower Plaines of Thessalie)
A standing poole (by rockie Mountaines high
Inclos'd) denies vnto the marish ground
Tillage; and pasture to the medowes drown'd;
Till angry Neptune with his Tridents pikes,
Pierceth high Ossa, and cold Olympus strikes;
Whose wounded sides open a passage wide,
At which th'imprison'd waters (loos'ned) slide,
The Floods vnto the Sea, and drier land
Restored are, vnto the Husbandman.
No sooner was Earths knotty vaile vndone
(By Pluto) when Trinacria begun
To spread her large and op'ning wombe; and now
A suddaine fright, vpon the pallid brow
Of heau'n appeares; the stars vnus'd to stray
From their first course, seeke an vncertaine way:
The two celestiall Beares that shone so bright
In the forbidden Sea dash their dimme light.
Lazy Boötes feare doth headlong cast,
Orion trembles, Atlas stands aghast
At hels Iades neighing, whose breath, misty steams
Obscure heau'ns face, and Phoebus golden beams;
His radiant brightnesse in the beasts doth breed
A suddaine terror, for they vse to feed
Perpetually in darknesse: now by fits,
Betwixt their teeth they catch the champed bits,
And (winding sidelong) their Coach beame would turne
Backward to hell, and Chaos to returne.
But when they once the Tarry whip perceiue
Lash their blacke buttockes, quickly then they leaue
Their strife; and (forc't to the new light) depart
Swifter then winter floud, or Parthian dart:
The violence of Southerne stormes is slowe
To their quicke pace, that nimblest thoughts outgoe:
The reines grow hot with their ranke bloud, and breath
From fornace of their nostrils sends pale death
Into the purer ayre: their froth, vpon
Th'vntroden sands leaues strong infection.
The Nymphs all fled, saue Proserpine; (who caught
And snatcht into the Chariot) besought
The goddesses with screaking loud for ayde;
Pallas that viewes her (how she was betrayd)
Discouers Gorgons visage; Delta too
To her reliefe hastens the horne-bent bowe:
Nor giue they way vnto their Vncle, for
Ioint Charitie incites them to this warre,
Virginity in them and Proserpine
(Alike) exasperates the fault and crime
Of the bold rauisher; he keepes his way
(Fearelesse:) as when the Lion makes a prey
On some young Steere the beauty of the stall
And herd, when with his pawes besmeared all
In bloud, he diues into the naked brest
Vntill his rau'nous hunger there supprest,
Quarters out more, at length his appetite
Quite slak't (with staring gaze that would affright)
He carelesse stands, shaking his knotted maine
(As if the Herdsmans threats hee did disdaine.)
Thou ruler of the sluggish Orbe, thou worst
(Quoth Pallas) of thy brothers; thou accurst:
What Furies with their whips and brands profane
Haue moou'd thee? that (thy kingdome left in vain)
Thou dar'st pollute the earth: Away, begone:
Chuse'mongst thy Dirae a Companion
Worthy thy bed; thy brothers kingdome leaue
And doe not others of their lot bereaue:
Backe to thy night, why minglest thou the dead
To liuers? why (a stranger) dost thou tread
Vpon our Globe? She thus exclaimes, and wounds
The horn-hoof'd steeds (making them keep their bounds
With her opposed shield) they stoppe, and shee
With vprear'd launce was readie to let flee
Against the Chariot, had not Heauens King
(In signe of Truce) bow'd his red thund' ring Wing
(Acknowledging his sonne) and from aboue
The gaping Clouds, doth Hymen reapproue
Th' eternall Knot; and with their blazing light,
His flames, are witnesses to Pluto's right:
The Goddesses forbore, Cinthia her Bow
Vnbends, but addes these words vnto her woe.
Be mindfull (ah farewell) the iust respect
Of father, hath deni'de vs to protect
Thy person, nor can wee in armes withstand
Him, that inflicts on vs his dread command:
Thy Sire is bent against thee, thou must goe
Vnto those silent people (there below;)
(Alas poore Virgin) and shalt neuer see
Thy sisters more, nor equall companie.
What fate? what fortune from aboue thee beares
(Dooming the starres vnto perpetuall teares)
No more my Nets shall bout Parthenian Caue
Be spred, no more will I my Quiuer haue;
And now securely may the wilder Boare
Foame, and the raging Lyon freely roare:
Taygetus and Arcadia shall bewaile
Thee; when my hunting them begins to faile,
Sad Cynthus-will bemoane thy destinie,
And Delfo's Oracle must silent be:
Whil'st thus she mournes, the wofull Proserpine
(Her loose haire scatter'd to the Southerne wind)
(In swift-drawne Chariot wringing her soft hands
On sorrow-beaten brest) these vaine demands
Powr's against heauen: why? ah why (quoth she)
Didd'st thou not (father) cast thy darts at me
By hands of Cyclops made? and not expell
Thy daughter hence in dismall shades to dwell?
No loue of father? could no pittie moue
What fault of mine hath thus incenst great Ioue?
When Phlegra rag'd in suddaine tumults, I
No Banner waued' gainst their enemy,
The gods; nor then by strength of mine at all
Did frosty' Olympus on cold Ossa fall:
What mischiefe haue I practis'd? of what fault
Made guilty? am I banisht to hells Vault,
Vaste op'ning iawes? happy, oh happy they,
Whom other Rauishers haue made their prey,
And borne with them! at least in their annoy
The common light, the Sun-shine such enioy:
But I; Heau'n, Earth, Virginitie must leaue,
The Stygian king doth me of shame bereaue:
Oh ill lou'd flow'rs, mockt Parents counsailes ill,
Sad triall learn't (too late) of Venus skill!
My dearest Mother, whether Lydian song
In Vale of Ida, thee detaine thus long:
Or, whether thou to Dyndimus bee'st gone
To bloudy sacrifice, there (looking on
Cybels mad Priests, that with their drawn swords roame
About those hils:) make haste and quickly come
To my reliefe: succour my franticke griefe,
Hold in the loose raines of this cruell thiefe.
He at these words, and seemely mourning grew,
A stronger melting passion to renew;
And with his sooty garment dries her teares
(Temp'ring with mildest voice her cause-lesse feares:)
Cease, sweetest Proserpine, to vexe thy minde
With vaine laments, a husband thou shalt find
Worthy thy loue; know, we are Saturnes sonne,
That ouer all things beare dominion:
Nor thinke that thou the gladsome day hast lost,
Since we of starres and purer light may boast;
When thou th' Elizian brightnesse shalt admire,
And happy soules free from tormenting fire,
Where the more precious golden age doth keepe
(In an eternall quiet lul'd asleepe:)
Where Zephirus, faire flowr's of richest worth
Breathes out (such as thy Aetna ne're brought forth)
Where in the shadie Groues a rich tree growes,
Whose arched boughes the golden Apple shews,
That consecrate I to thee, and will make
A happie lasting Autumne for thy sake:
What e're the liquid ayre, what Aeolus
Containes (my louely queene shall bee for vs,
Earth, Seas and Riuers, all that in them liue,
To thy commands shall their obeisance giue,
The rich-clad purple kings shall humbly fall
Before thy throne (mixt with the poore) for all
Death equals; thou the guilty and vniust
Shalt iudge, with them, the Innocent and Iust,
Those shal bewaile their crimes, these shall be blest
By thee, and sent into eternall rest:
The Destinies vpon thy will shall waite,
And what thou orderest be held for fate
Immoueable: (this sayd) they now drew neere
Hell gates, he enter'd with vnusuall cheere.
Like shaken leaues in saplesse Autumne cast,
From trees to earth, by furious Southerne blast,
Or rainie drops in a thicke Cloud or sand,
By broken waues cast vp into the land:
The damned soules in thronging multitude,
To view their queene, boldly themselues intrude:
At entrance of his Lords great Phlegeton
Ariseth, and from boiling streames, vpon
His bristled beard casts moisture, and that face
All on a flame: the Fiends, each to his place
And seuerall office them addresse; some chuse
To set the Chariot vp, whil'st others loose
Th'vnharnest couples (turning them to graze
On their knowne pastures, blacke Cocytus layes:
Part decke the Palace with rich Tapistrie
(Set out with curious wrought Imagerie:)
Part drest the windowes with fresh flow'rs; within,
The Nuptiall bed, others with Cou'rings trimme:
Th' Elizian Matrons round begirt their queene
In a chaste troope (whose tender sorrow seene
By sweet words eas'd) they order her loose haire,
And hide with flaming vaile the shame-fac't faire
The Region pale and bleak, wanne ghosts now free,
Doc frolicke in triumphant iollity;
(Darke silence interrupted) loud they sing,
And horrid peales with noyse (vndaunted) ring
Hels grones now ceast, and (filth of vgly night
Disperc't) she's rarifi'd with purer light:
Minos no more casts lotts, the soules condemn'd
Of their dilated paines now find an end;
No lash resounds; Ixion from his wheele
Is loos'ned, and (refresht) doth comfort feele:
Poore Tantalus the enuious water sippes,
And tast's the fruit erst mockt his thirsty lippes:
Tytius vaste limbes are raysed from the ground,
(Where he nine Acres couer'd) and vnbound,
(The rau'nous Vulture from his panting brest
Dissolu'd) laments (as a forbidden guest:)
The Furies now forgetfull of their rage,
With softest notes, their strict reuenge asswage,
Huge goblets they prepare, and drinke a fill
Of wine, in which their monstrous locks they swil;
To the Cerastes powre carowses deepe,
(Whil'st with new light still burning fresh they keepe
The festiuall spent Torches:) now, you take
A safer flight ouer Auernus Lake
(Then erst) you birds; (still wont to sacrifice
Your selues to vapours thicke that thence arise.)
(Amsanctus current swift now stopt) the noyse
Ceas't, boiling Acheron 'gan loud rejoice,
That his hot waues (turn'd to a fountaine) run
Coole streames of milke; which, they had neuer done
Till now; And now Cocytus flourishing
(All clad in Yuie) offers to hells king
A standing Poole, and of Lyaeus store,
Of sacred liquor. Atropos forbore
(In signe of triumph now) with cruell hand
Lifes thred to cut: at Plutos dire command
Death stops his progresse, now no teares are spent,
Nor Kindred, Kindreds Funerals lament:
The Sea man scapes all stormes; the Souldier, he
Securely fights (from shot and sharp pike free;)
Free from contagion healthy Cities are,
Free from the plagues of famine, sicknesse, warre:
Old Charon crown'd with reedsbetwixt each shore
Keepes singing time with stroke of idle Oare:
The Eu'ning Hesperus (descending) fled
To th'Orbes below: now to her Nuptiall bed
The Virgin's brought, starre-painted night lookes on
As (witnesse) to the marriage: she, vpon
Them both show'rs happy blessings to ensue
From this eternall vnion, and a crew
Of blest Elizian Saints thus sweetly sing,
Presaging notes to their faire Queene and King.
Our Mother Iuno, and of thundring Ioue
(Thou Sonne in lawe, and brother) may all loue
Beget soft rest vnto you both; and knit
Those mutuall neckes in your embraces fit.
A prosp'rous race growes toward now; and glad
Nature expects more gods: oh may you adde
New deities, new pow'rs to hells affaires,
Make Ceres Grandam to your wished heires.