It is engender'd in the eyes,
With gazing fed ; and Fancy dies
In the cradle where it lies :

Let us all ring Fancy's knell ;
I'll begin it,-Ding, dong, bell.
-Ding, dong, bell.

10 W. SHAKESPEARE.

51

CUPID AND CAMPASPE

Cupid and my Campaspe play'd
At cards for kisses ; Cupid paid :
He stakes his quiver, bow, and arrows,
His mother's doves, and team of sparrows ;
Loses them too ; then down he throws

5
The coral of his lip, the rose
Growing on 's cheek (but none knows how);
With these, the crystal of his brow,
And then the dimple of his chin ;
All these did my Campaspe win :

10 At last he set her both his eyes She won, and Cupid blind did rise.

O Love ! has she done this to thee ?
What shall, alas ! become of me ?

J. LYLY.

52

Pack, clouds, away, and welcome day,

With night we banish sorrow ; Sweet air blow soft, mount lark aloft

To give my Love good-morrow ! Wings from the wind to please her mind

Notes from the lark I'll borrow;
Bird prune thy wing, nightingale sing,
To give my Love good-morrow ;

To give my Love good-morrow
Notes from them all I'll borrow.

5

10

Wake from thy nest, Robin-red-breast,

Sing birds in every furrow ;
And from each bill, let music shrill

Give my fair Love good-morrow !
Blackbird and thrush in every bush, 15

Stare, linnet, and cock-sparrow,
You pretty elves, amongst yourselves
Sing my fair Love good-morrow!

To give my Love good-morrow
Sing birds in every furrow!

20 T. HEYWOOD.

PROTHALAMION Calm was the day, and through the trembling air

Sweet-breathing Zephyrus did softly play

A gentle spirit, that lightly did delay
Hot Titan's beams, which then did glister fair;

When I (whom sullen care,
Through discontent of my long fruitless stay

In princes' court, and expectation vain
Of idle hopes, which still do fly away
Like empty shadows, did afflict my brain)
Walk'd forth to ease my pain

10 Along the shore of silver-streaming Thames ; Whose rutty bank, the which his river hems,

Was painted all with variable flowers,
And all the meads adorn'd with dainty gems
Fit to deck maidens' bowers,

15
And crown their paramours
Against the bridal day, which is not long :
Sweet Thames ! run softly, till I end my song.

20

There in a meadow by the river's side

A flock of nymphs I chancéd to espy,
All lovely daughters of the flood thereby,
With goodly greenish locks all loose untied

As each had been a bride ;

And each one had a little wicker basket

Made of fine twigs, entrailed curiously, 25 In which they gather'd flowers to fill their flasket, And with fine fingers cropt full feateously

The tender stalks on high. Of every sort which in that meadow grew They gather'd some; the violet, pallid blue, 30

The little daisy that at evening closes, The virgin lily and the primrose true,

With store of vermeil roses,

To deck their bridegrooms' posies Against the bridal day, which was not long : 35 Sweet Thames ! run softly, till I end my song. With that I saw two swans of goodly hue

Come softly swimming down along the lee;

Two fairer birds I yet did never see ;
The snow which doth the top of Pindus strow 40

Did never whiter show,
Nor Jove himself, when he a swan would be

For love of Leda, whiter did appear ;
Yet Leda was (they say) as white as he,

44 Yet not so white as these, nor nothing near ;

So purely white they were, That even the gentle stream, the which them bare, Seem'd foul to them, and bade his billows spare

To wet their silken feathers, lest they might Soil their fair plumes with water not so fair, 50

And mar their beauties bright,

That shone as Heaven's light Against their bridal day, which was not long : Sweet Thames ! run softly, till I end my song. Eftsoonsthenymphs, which now had flowers theirfill,

Ran all in haste to see that silver brood 56 As they came floating on the crystal flood; Whom when they saw, they stood amazéd still

Their wondering eyes to fill ; Them seem'd they never saw a sight so fair 60

Of fowls, so lovely, that they sure did deem Them heavenly born, or to be that same pair

Which through the sky draw Venus' silver team ;

For sure they did not seem To be begot of any earthly seed,

65 But rather angels, or of angels' breed ;

Yet were they bred of summer's heat, they say,
In sweetest season, when each flower and weed

The earth did fresh array ;
So fresh they seem'd as day,

70
Even as their bridal day, which was not long :
Sweet Thames ! run softly, till I end my song.
Then forth they all out of their baskets drew

Great store of flowers, the honour of the field,

That to the sense did fragrant odours yield, 75
All which upon those goodly birds they threw

And all the waves did strew,
That like old Peneus' waters they did seem

When down along by pleasant Tempe's shore Scatter'd with flowers, through Thessaly they stream,

80 That they appear, through lilies' plenteous store,

Like a bride's chamber-floor.
Twoof those nymphs meanwhiletwo garlands bound
Of freshest flowers which in that mead they found,

The which presenting all in trim array, 85
Their snowy foreheads therewithal they crown'd ;

Whilst one did sing this lay

Prepared against that day,
Against their bridal day, which was not long :
Sweet Thames I run softly, till I end my song. 90
• Ye gentle birds ! the world's fair ornament,

And Heaven's glory, whom this happy hour

Doth lead unto your lovers' blissful bower, Joy may you have, and gentle heart's content Of your love's couplement ;

95 And let fair Venus, that is queen of love,

With her heart-quelling son upon you smile, Whose smile, they say, hath virtue to remove All love's dislike, and friendship’s faulty guile For ever to assoil.

100

Let endless peace your steadfast hearts accord,
And blessed plenty wait upon your board ;

And let your bed with pleasures chaste abound,
That fruitful issue may to you afford
Which may your foes confound,

105 And make your joys redound Upon your bridal day, which is not long : Sweet Thames ! run softly, till I end my song.' So ended she ; and all the rest around

To her redoubled that her undersong, 110

Which said their bridal day should not be long : And gentle Echo from the neighbour ground

Their accents did resound. So forth those joyous birds did pass along 114

Adown the lee that to them murmur'd low, As he would speak but that he lack'd a tongue, Yet did by signs his glad affection show,

Making his stream run slow. And all the fowl which in his flood did dwell 'Gan flock about these twain, that did excel 120

The rest, so far as Cynthia doth shend
The lesser stars. So they, enrangéd well,

Did on those two attend,
And their best service lend

124
Against their wedding day, which was not long :
Sweet Thames ! run softly, till I end my song.
At length they all to merry London came,

To merry London, my most kindly nurse,

That to me gave this life's first native source, Though from another place I take my name, 130

An house of ancient fame : There when they came whereas those bricky towers

The which on Thames' broad aged back do ride, Where now the studious lawyers have their bowers, There whilome wont the Templar-knights to bide,

135 Till they decay'd through pride; Next whereunto there stands a stately place, Where oft I gainéd gifts and goodly grace