Damelus' Song to Diaphenia

DIAPHENIA, like the daffadowndilly,

White as the sun, fair as the lily,

Heigh ho, how I do love thee!

I do love thee as my lambs

Are belovëd of their dams--

How blest were I if thou wouldst prove me!

Diaphenia, like the spreading roses,

That in thy sweets all sweets incloses,

Fair sweet, how I do love thee!

I do love thee as each flower

Loves the sun's life-giving power,

For, dead, thy breath to life might move me.

Diaphenia, like to all things blessed,

When all thy praises are expressëd,

Dear joy, how I do love thee!

As the birds do love the spring,

Or the bees their careful king,--

Then in requite, sweet virgin, love me!

Henry Constable

The Shepherd's Venus and Adonis

Venus fair did ride,

    Silver doves they drew her

By the pleasant lawns,

    Ere the sun did rise;

Vesta's beauty rich

    Opened wide to view her,

Philomel records

    Pleasing harmonies;

Every bird of spring

    Cheerfuly did sing,

        Paphos' goddess they salute.

Now love's queen so fair

    Had of mirth no care,

        For her son had made her mute.

In her breast so tender

He a shaft did enter,

        When her eyes beheld a boy,

Adonis was he named,

By his mother shamed,

        Yet he now is Venus' joy.

Him alone she met,

    Ready bound for hunting;

Him she kindly greets,

    And his journey stays;

Him she seeks to kiss,

    No devices wanting,

Him her eyes still woo,

    Him her tongue still prays.

He with blushing red

    Hangeth down the head,

        Not a kiss can he afford;

His face is turned away,

    Silence said her nay,

        Still she wooed him for a word.

Speak, she said, thou fairest,

Beauty thou impairest;

        See me, I am pale and wan;

Lovers all adore me,

I for love implore thee.

        Crystal tears with that ran down.

Him herewith she forced

To come sit down by her;

She his neck embraced,

Gazing in his face;

He, like one transformed,

Stirred no look to eye her.

Every herb did woo him,

Growing in that place;

    Each bird with a ditty

        Prayed him for pity

            In behalf of beauty's queen;

Waters' gentle murmur

    Craved him to love her,

        Yet no liking could be seen,

Boy, she said, look on me,

Still I gaze upon thee,

        Speak, I pray thee, my delight.

Coldly he replied,

And, in brief, denied

        To bestow on her a sight.

I am now too young

To be won by beauty;

Tender are my years,

I am yet a bud.

Fair thou art, she said,

Then it is thy duty,

Wert thou but a blossom,

To effect my good.

    Every beauteous flower

        Boasteth of my power,

    Birds and beasts my laws effect.

Myrrha, thy fair mother,

    Most of any other

        Did my lovely hests respect.

Be with me delighted,

Thou shall be requited,

    Every nymph on thee shall tend;

All the gods shall love thee,

Man shall not reprove thee,

        Love himself shall be thy friend.

Wend thee from me, Venus,

I am not disposed;

Thou wring'st me too hard,

Prithee, let me go;

Fie, what a pain it is

Thus to be enclosed;

If love begin with labor,

It will end in woe.

    Kiss me, I will leave.

        Here a kiss recieve.

            A short kiss I do it find,

    Wilt thou leave me so?

        Yet thou shalt not go;

            Breathe once more thy balmy wind,

    It smelleth of the myrrh tree

That to the world did bring thee,

            Never was perfume so sweet.

When she had thus spoken,

She gave him a token,

            And their naked bosoms met.

Now, he said, let's go,

Hark, the hounds are crying,

Grisly boar is up,

Hunstmen follow fast.

At the name of boar

Venus seemed dying,

Deadly-colored pale,

Roses overcast.

Speak, said she, no more

        Of following the boar;

            Thou, unfit for such a chase,

    Course the fearful hare,

        Venison do not spare,

            If thou wilt yield Venus grace.

Shun the boar, I pray thee,

Else I still will stay thee,

            Herein he vowed to please her mind;

Then her arms enlarged,

Loath she him discharged,

            Forth he went as swift as wind.

Thetis Phoebus' steeds

In the west retained;

Hunting sport was past,

Love her love did seek;

Sight of him too soon,

Gentle queen she gained.

On the ground he lay;

Blood had left his cheek,

    For an orpëd swine

        Smit him in the groin,

            Deadly wound his death did bring.

    Which when Venus found,

    She fell in a swound,

        And awaked, her hands did wring.

Nymphs and satyrs skipping

Came together tripping,

            Echo every cry expressed.

Venus by her power

Turned him to a flower,

            Which she weareth in her crest.

Henry Constable

To St. Mary Magdalen

SUCH as, retired from sight of men, like thee

By penance seek the joys of heaven to win,

In deserts make their paradise begin

And even among wild beasts do angels see,

In such a place my soul doth seem to be,

When in my body she laments her sin

And none but brutal passions finds therein,

Except they be sent down from heaven to me.

Yet if those graces God to me impart

Which he inspired thy blessed breast withal,

I may find haven in my retired heart;

And if thou change the object of my love,

The winged affection which men Cupid call

May get his sight, and like an angel prove.

Henry Constable