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

Brittain's Ida.

Cant. 1.

The Argument.

The youthly Shepheards wonning here, And Beauties rare displayd appeare: What exercise ••ee chiefe affects, His Name, and scornefull loue neglects.

1

IN Ida Vale (who knowes not Ida Vale?) When harmelesse Troy yet felt not Graecian spite: A hundrēd Shepheards woon'd, and in the Dale, While their faire Flockes the three leau'd Pastures bite: The Shepheards boyes, with hundred sportings light, Gaue winges vnto the times to speedy hast: Ah foolish Lads, that stroue with lauish wast, So fast to spend the time, that spends your time as fast.

2

Among the rest that all the rest excel'd, A dainty Boy there wonn'd, whose harmelesse yeares, Now in their freshest budding gently sweld; His Nimph-like face ne're felt the nimble ••heeres, Youth's downy blossome through his cheeke appeares: His louely limbes (but loue he quite discarded) Were made for play (but he no play regarded,) And fit loue to reward, and with loue be rewarded.

3

High was his fore-head, arch't with siluer mould, (Where neuer anger churlish rinkle dighted) His auburne lockes hung like darke threds of gold, That wanton aires (with their faire length incited) To play among theit wanton curles delighted. His smiling eyes with simple truth were sior'd: Ah! how should truth in those thiefe eyes be stor'd, Which thousand loues had stol'n, and neuer one restor'd.

4

His lilly-cheeke might seeme an Iuory plaine, More purely white than frozen Apenine: Where louely bashfulnesse did sweetely raine, In blushing scarlet cloth'd, and purple fine. A hundred hearts had this delightfull shrine, (Still cold it selfe) inflam'd with hot desire, That well the face might seeme, in diuers tire, To be a burning snow, or else a freezing fire.

5

His cheerefull lookes, and merry face would prooue, (If eyes the index be where thoughts are read) A dainty play-fellow for naked loue; Of all the other parts enough is sed, That they were fit twins for so fayre a head: Thousand boyes for him, thousand maidens dy'de, Dye they that list, for such his rigorous pride, He thousand boyes (ah foole) and thousand maids deni'd.

6

His ioy was not in musiques sweete delight, (Though well his hand had learnt that cunning arte) Or dainty songs to daintier eares indite, But through the plaine to chace the nimble Hart, With well-run'd hounds; or with his certaine dart, The tusked Boare, or sauage Beare to wound; Meane time his heart with monsters doth abound, Ah foole to seeke so farre what neerer might be found!

7

His name (well knowne vnto those Woody shades, Where vnrewarded louers oft complaine them) Anchises was; Anchises oft the glades, And mountaines heard Anchises had disdain'd them; Not all their loue one gentle looke had gain'd them, That rockey hills, with echoing noyse consenting, Anchises plain'd; but he no whit relenting, (Harder then rocky hils) laught at their vaine lamenting.

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.

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.

Cant. 4.

The Argument.

The swonding Swaine recouered is By th'Goddesse; his soule rapting blisse: There mutuàll conference, and how Her seruice she doth him allow.

1

SOft-sleeping Venus waked with the fall, Looking behind, the sinking Boy espies, With all she starts, and wondereth withall, She thinkes that there her faire Adonis dyes, And more she thinkes the more the Boy she eyes: So stepping neerer, vp begins to reare him; And now with loue himselfe she will confer him, And now, before her loue himselfe she will preferre him:

2

The Lad soone with that dainty touch reuiu'd, Feeling himselfe so well, so sweetly seated, Begins to doubt whether he yet here liu'd, Or else his flitting soule to heau'n translated, Was there in starry throne, and blisse instated: Oft would he dye, so to be often saued; And now with happy wish he closly craued, For euer to be dead, to be so sweet ingraued.

3

The Paphian Princesse (in whose louely breast, Spitefull disdaine could neuer find a place) When now she saw him from his fit releast, (To Iuno leauing wrath, and scolding base) Comforts the trembling Boy with smiling grace, But oh! those smiles (too full of sweete delight) Surfeit his heart, full of the former sight; So seeking to reuiue, more wounds his feeble sprite.

4

Tell me faire Boy (sayd she) what erring chance, Hither directed thy vnwary pace: For sure contempt, or pride durst not aduance Their foule aspect, in thy so pleasant face: Tell me, what brought thee to this hidden place? Or lacke of loue, or mutuall answering fire, Or hindred by ill chance in thy desire: Tell me, what ist thy faire and wishing eyes require?

5

The Boy (whose sence was neuer yet acquainted With) such a musique) stood with eares arected; And sweetly with that pleasant spell enchanted, More of those sugred straines long time expected, Till seeing she his speeches not reiected, First sighes arising from his hearts low center, Thus gan reply; when each word bold would venter, And striue the first, that dainty labyrinth to enter,

6

Faire Cyprian Queene (for well that heauenly face) Prooues thee the mother of all conquering loue) Pardon I pray thee my vnweeting pace, For no presumptuous thoughts did hither mooue My daring feete, to this thy holy Groue; But lucklesse chance (which if you not gaine-say, I still must rue) hath caus'd me here to stray, And lose my selfe (alas) in losing of my way.

7

Nor did I come to right my wronged fire, Neuer till now I saw what ought be loued, And now I see, but neuer dare aspire To mooue my hope, where yet my loue is mooued; Whence though I would, I would it not remooued: Onely since I haue plac't my loue so high, Which sure thou must, or sure thou wilt deny, Grant me yet still to loue, though in my loue to dye.

8

But shee that in his eyes Loues face had seene, And flaming heart, did not such suite disdaine, (For cruelty fits not sweete beauties Queene) But gently could his passion entertaine, Though she loues Princesse, he a lowly Swaine: First of his bold intrusion she acquites him; Then to her seruice (happy Boy) admits him; And like another loue, with Bow and quiuer fits him.

9

And now withall the loues he grew acquainted, And Cupids selfe, with his like face delighted, Taught him a hundred wayes with which he daunted The prouder hearts, and wronged louers righted, Forcing to loue, that most his loue despited. And now the practique Boy did so approoue him, And with such grace and cunning arte did mooue him, That all the pritty loues, and all the Graces loue him.

Cant. 5.

The Argument.

The Louers sad despairing plaints, Bright Venus with his loue acquaints; Sweetly importun'd be doth shew, From whom proceedeth this his woe.

1

YEt neuer durst his faint and coward heart, (Ah foole! faint heart faire Lady ne're could win) Assaile faire Venus with his new-learnt arte, But kept hi•• loue, and burning flame within, Which more flam'd out, the more he prest it in: And thinkidg oft, how iust shee might disdaine him; While some coole mirtle shade did entertaine him, Thus sighing would be fit, & sadly would he plain him.

2

Ah fond, and haplesse Boy! nor know I whether, More fond, or haplesse more, that all so high Hast plac't thy heart, where loue and fate together, May neuer hope to end thy misery, Nor yet thy selfe dare wish a remedy. All hindrances (alas) conspire to let it; Ah fond, and haplesse Boy! if canst not get it, In thinking to forget, at length learne to forget it.

3

Ah farre too fond, but much more haplesse Swaine! Seeing thy loue can be forgotten neuer. Serue and obserue thy loue with willing paine; And though in vaine thy loue thou doe perseuer, Yet all in vaine doe thou adore her euer. No hope can crowne thy thoughts so farre aspiring, Nor dares thy selfe desire thine owne desiring, Yet liue thou in her loue, and dye in her admiring.

4

Thus oft the hopelesse Boy complayning lyes; But she that well could guesse his sad lamenting, (Who can conceale loue from loues mothers eyes?) Did not disdaine to giue his loue contenting: Cruell the soule, that feedes on soules tormenting: Nor did she scorne him though not nobly borne, (Loue is nobility) nor could she scorne, That with so noble skill her title did adorne.

5

One day it chanc't, thrice happy day and chance! While loues were with the Graces sweetly sporting, And to fresh musique sounding play and dance; And Cupids selfe with Shepheards boyes consorting, Laught at their pritty sport, and simple courting: Faire Venus seates the fearefull Boy close by her, Where neuer Phoebus Iealous lookes might eye her, And bids the Boy his Mistris, and her name descry her.

6

Long time the youth bound vp in silence stood, While hope and feare with hundred thoughts begun, Fit Prologue to his speech; and fearefull blood From heart and face, with these post-tydings runne, That eyther now he's made, or now vndone: At length his trembling words, with feare made weake, Began his too long silence thus to breake, While from his humble eies first reuerence seem'd to speake.

7

Faire Queene of Loue, my life thou maist command, Too slender price for all thy former grace, Which I receiue at thy so bounteous hand; But neuer dare I speake her name and face; My life is much lesse-priz'd than her disgrace: And, for I know if I her name relate, I purchase anger, I must hide her state, Vnlesse thou sweare by stix I purchase not her hate.

8

Faire Venus well perceiu'd his subtile shift, And swearing gentle patience, gently smil'd: While thus the Boy persu'd his former drift: No tongue was euer yet so sweetely skil'd, Nor greatest Orator so highly stil'd; Though helpt withall the choisest artes direction, But when he durst describe her heau'ns perfection, By his imperfect praise, disprais'd his imperfection.

9

Her forme is as her selfe, perfect Caelestriall, No mortall spot her heauenly frame disgraces: Beyond compare; such nothing is terrestriall; More sweete then thought or pow'rfull wish embraces, The map of heauen; the summe of all the Graces. But if you wish more t••uely limb'd to eye her, Than fainting speech, or words can well descry her, Look in a glasse, & there more perfect you may spy her.

Cant. 6.

The Argument.

The Boyes short wish, her larger grant, That doth his soule with blisse enchant: Whereof impatient vttering all, Inraged Ioue contriues his thrall.

1

THy crafty arte (reply'd the smiling Queene) Hath well my chiding, and not rage preuented, Yet might'st thou thinke, that yet 'twas neuer seene. That angry rage, and gentle loue consented: But if to me thy true loue is presented, What wages for thy seruice must I owe thee? For by the selfe same vow, I here auow thee, What euer thou require, I frankly will allow thee.

2

Pardon (replies the Boy) for so affecting, Beyond mortallity; and not discarding, Thy seruice was much more than my expecting; But if thou (more thy bounty-hood regarding) Wilt needes heape vp reward vpon rewarding; Thy loue I dare not aske, or mutuall fixing, One kisse is all my loue, and prides aspiring, And after starue my heart, for my too much desiring.

3

Fond Boy! (sayd she) too fond that askt no more; Thy want by taking is no whit decreased, And giuing, spends not our increasing store: Thus with a kisse, his lips she sweetly pressed; Most blessed kisse; but hope more than most blessed, The Boy did thinke heauen fell while thus he ioy'd; And while ioy he so greedily enioy'd, He felt not halfe his ioy by being ouer-ioy'd.

4

Why sighst faire Boy? (sayd she) dost thou repent thee Thy narrow wish in such straight bonds to stay? Well may I sigh (sayd he) and well lament me, That neuer such a debt may hope to pay: A kisse (sayd she) a kisse will backe repay: Wilt thou (reply'd the Boy too much delighted) Content thee, with such pay to be requited? She grants; & he his lips, heart, soule, to payment cited.

5

Looke as a Ward, long from his Lands detain'd, And subiect to his Guardians cruel lore, Now spends the more, the more he was restrain'd, So he; yet though in laying out his store, He doubly takes; yet findes himselfe grow poore: With that, he markes, and tels her out a score, And doubles them, and trebles all before: Fond Boy! the more thou paist, thy debt still grows the more.

6

At length, whether these fauours so had fir'd him, With kindly heate, inflaming his desiring; Or whether those sweete kisses had inspir'd him; Hee thinkes that some thing wants for his requiring; And still aspires, yet knows not his aspiring: But yet though that hee knoweth, so she gaue, That he presents himselfe her bounden slaue; Stil his more wishing face seem'd some what else to craue.

7

And boldned with successe and many graces, His hand, chain'd vp in feare, he now releast: And asking leaue, courag'd with her imbraces; Againe it prison'd in her tender breast; Ah blessed prison! prisners too much blest! There with those sisters long time doth he play; And now full boldly enters loues high way; While downe the pleasant vale, his creeping hand doth stray.

8

She not displeased with this his wanton play, Hiding his blushing with a sugred kisse; With such sweete heat his rudenesse doth allay, That now he perfect knowes what euer blisse, Elder loue taught, and he before did misse: That moult with ioy, in such vntri'd ioyes trying, He gladly dies; and death new life applying, Gladly againe he dyes, that oft he may be dying.

9

Long thus he liu'd, slumbring in sweete delight, Free from sad care, and fickle worlds annoy; Bathing in liquid ioyes his melted sprite; And longer mought, but he (ah foolish Boy!) Too proud, and to impatient of his ioy, To woods, and heau'n, and earth his blisse imparted; That Ioue vpon him downe his thunder darted, Blasting his splendent face, and all his beauty swarted.

10

Such be his chance, that to his loue doth wrong, Vnworthy he to haue so worthy place, That cannot hold his peace and blabbing tongue Light ioyes float on his lips, but rightly grace Sinckes deepe, and th'hearts low center doth imbrace: Might I enioy my loue till I vnfold it, I'de lose all fauours when I blabbing told it: He is not fit for loue, that is not fit to hold it.

FINIS.