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

Cant. 3.

The Argument.

Faire Cythareas limbes beheld, The straying Lads heart so inthral'd: That in a Trance his melted spright, Leaues th'sences slumbring in delight.

1

NOw to the Bower hee sent his theeuish eyes, To steale a happy sight; there doe they finde Faire Venus, that within halfe naked lyes; And straight amaz'd (so glorious beauty shin'd) Would not returne the message to the minde: But full of feare, and superstitious awe, Could not ••e••••e, or backe their beames with-draw, So fixt on, too much seeing made they nothing saw.

2

Her goodly length, stretch't on a Lilly-bed; (A bright foyle of a beauty farre more bright,) Few Roses round about were scattered, As if the Lillies learnt to blush for spite, To see a skinne much more then Lilly-white: The bed sanke with delight so to be pressed, And knew not which to thinke a chance more blessed, Both blessed so to kisse, and so agayne be kissed.

3

Her spacious fore-head like the clearest Moone, Whose full-growne Orbe begins now to be spent, Largely display'd in natiue siluer shone, Giuing wide roome to beauties Regiment, Which on the plaine with loue tryumphing went: Her golden haire a rope of pearle imbraced, Which with their dainty threds oft times enlaced, Made the eie think the pearle was there in gold inchased.

4

Her full large eye, in ietty-blacke array'd, Prou'd beauty not confin'd to red and white, But oft her selfe in blacke more rich display'd; Both contraries did yet themselues vnite, To make one beauty in different delight: A thousand loues sate playing in each eye, And smiling mirth kissing faire courtesie, By sweete perswasion wan a bloodlesse victory.

5

The whitest white set by her siluer cheeke, Grew pale and wan like vnto heauy lead: The freshest Purple fresher dyes must seeke, That dares compare with them his fainting red: On these Cupio winged armies led, Of little loues, that with bold wanton traine Vnder those colours, marching on the plaine, Force euery heart, and to low vassēlage constraine.

6

Her lips, most happy each in others kisses, From their so wisht imbracements seldome parted, Yet seem'd to blush at such their wanton blisses; But when sweete words their ioyning sweet disparted, To th'eare a dainty musique they imparted: Vpon them fitly sate delightfull smiling, A thousand soules with pleasing stealth beguiling: Ah that such shew's of ioyes should be all ioyes exiling?

7

The breath came slowly thence, vnwilling leauing So sweet a lodge, but when she once intended, To feast the aire with words, the heart deceiuing, More fast it thronged so to be expended; And at each word a hundred loues attended, Playing ith'breath, more sweete then is that firing, Where that Arabian onely bird expiring, Liues by her death, by losse of breath more fresh re∣spiring.

8

Her chin, like to a stone in gold inchased, Seem'd a faire i•• well wrought with cunning hand, And being double, doubly the face graced. This goodly frame on her round necke did stand, Such p••ll••r, well such curious worke sustain'd; And on his top the heauenly spheare vp rearing, Might well present, with daintier appearing, A lesse but better Atlas, that faire heauen bearing.

9

Lower two breasts stand all their beauties bearing, Two breasts as smooth and soft; but ah alas! Their smoothest softnes farre exceedes comparing: More smooth and soft; but naught that euer was, Where they are first deserues the second place: Yet each as soft and each as smooth as other; And whē thou first tri'st one & thē the other, Each softer seemes then each, & each then each seemes smoother.

10

Lowly betweene their dainty hemisphaeres, (Their hemisphaeres the heau'nly Globes excelling,) A path, more white then is the name it beares, The lacteall path, conducts to the sweet dwelling, Where best delight all ioyes sits freely dealing; Where hundred sweetes, and still fresh ioyes attending; Receiue in giuing, and still loue dispending, Grow richer by their losse, and wealthy by expending.

11

But stay bold shepheard, here thy footing stay, Nor trust too much vnto thy now-borne quill, As farther to those dainty limbes to stray; Or hope to paint that vale, or beautious hill, Which past the finest hand and choycest skill: But were thy Verse and Song as finely fram'd, As are those parts, yet should it soone be blam'd, For now the shameles world of best things is asham'd.

12

That cunning Artist, that old Greece admir'd, Thus farre his Venus fitly portrayed; But there he left, nor farther ere as it'd: His Daedale hand, that Nature perfected By arte, felt arte by nature limitted. Ah! well he knew, though his fit hand could giue Breath to dead colours, teaching marble liue, Yet would these liuely parts his hand of skill depriue.

13

Such when this gentle boy her closly view'd, Onely with thinnest silken vaile o'er-layd, Whose snowy colour much more snowy shew'd, By being next that skin; and all betray'd, Which best in naked beauties are aray'd: His spirits melted with so glorious sight, Ran from their worke to see so splendent light, And left the fainting limbes sweet slumbring in delight.