Brittain's Ida. Written by that renowned poët, Edmond Spencer

Cant. 2.

The Argument.

Diones Garden of delight, With wonder holds Anchises sight; While from the Bower such Musique sounds, As all his senses neere confounds.

1

ONe day it chanc't as hee the Deere persude, Tyred with sport, and faint with weary play, Faire Venus groue not farre away he view'd, Whose trembling leaues inuite him there to stay, And in their shades his sweating limbes display: There in the cooling glade he softly paces, And much delighted with their euen spaces, What in himselfe he scorn'd, hee prais'd their kinde im∣braces:

2

The Woode with Paphian mirtles peopled, (Whose springing youth felt neuer Winters spiting) To laurels sweete were sweetely married, Doubling their pleasing smels in their vniting, When single much, much more when mixt delighting: No foote of beast durst touch this hallowed place, And many a boy that long'd the woods to trace, Entred with feare, but soone turn'd back his frighted face.

3

The thicke-lockt bowes shut out the tell-tale Sunne, (For Venus hated his all blabbing light, Since her knowne fault which oft she wisht vndone) And scattered rayes did make a doubtfull fight, Like to the first of day, or last of night: The fittest light for Louers gentle play; Such light best shewes the wandring louers way, And guides his erring hand: Night is loues holly-day.

4

So farre in this sweete Labyrinth he stray'd, That now he viewes the Garden of delight; Whose breast, with thousand painted flowers array'd, With diuers ioy captiu'd his wandring sight; But soone the eyes rendred the eares their right: For such strange harmony he seem'd to heare, That all his senses flockt into his eare, And euery faculty wisht to be seated there.

5

From a close Bower this dainty Musique flow'd, A Bower appareld round with diuers Roses Both red and white; which by their liueries show'd Their Mistris faire, that there her selfe ••••poses: Seem'd that would striue with those rare Musique clozes, By spreading their faire bosomes to the light, Which the distracted sense should most delight; That, raps the melted eare; this, both the smel & sight.

6

The Boy 'twixt fearefull hope, and wishing feare, Crept all along (for much he long'd to see The Bower, much more the guest so lodged there) And as he goes, he markes how well ag••c•• Nature and arte in discord vnity: Each striuing who should best performe his part, Yet arte now helping nature; nature arte: While from his eares a voyce thus stole his heart.

7

Fond men, whose wretched care the life soone ending, By striuing to increase your ioy, do spend it; And spending ioy, yet find no ioy in spending: You hurt your life by striuing to amend it, And seeking to prolong it, soonest end it: Than while fit time affords thee time and leasure, Enioy while yet thou mayst thy lifes sweet pleasure: Too foolish is the man that starues to feed his treasure:

8

Loue is lifes end (an end but neuer ending) All ioyes, all sweetes, all happinesse awarding: Loue is life wealth (nere spent, but euer spending) More rich, by giuing, taking by discarding: Loue's lifes reward, rewarded in rewarding, Then from thy wretched heart fond care remooue; Ah should thou liue but once loues sweetes to prooue, Thou wilt not loue to liue, vnlesse thou liue to loue.

9

To this sweete voyce, a dainty musique fitted It's well-tun'd strings; and to her notes consorted: And while with skilfull voyce the song she dittied, The blabbing Echo had her words retorted; That now the Boy, beyond his soule transported, Through all his limbes feeles run a pleasant shaking, And twixt a hope & feare suspects mistaking, And doubts he sleeping dreames, & broad awake feares waking.