Iuuenilia. A collection of those poemes which were heretofore imprinted, and written by George wither

Epithalamion.

VAlentine, good morrow to thee, Loue and seruice both I owe thee: And would waite vpon thy pleasure; But I cannot be at leasure: For, I owe this day as debter, To (a thousand times) thy better.

Hymen now will haue effected What hath been so long expected: Thame thy Mistris, now vnwedded; Soone, must with a Prince be bedded. If thou'lt see her Virgin euer, Come, and doe it now, or neuer.

Where art thou, oh faire Aurora? Call in Ver and Lady Flora: And you daughters of the Morning, In your near'st, and fear'st adorning: Cleare your fore-heads, and be sprightfull, That this day may seeme delightfull.

All you Nimphs that vse the Mountaines, Or delight in groues and fountaines; Shepheardesses, you that dally, Either vpon Hill or Valley: And you daughters of the Bower, That acknowledge Vestaes power.

Oh you sleepe too long; awake yee, See how Time doth ouertake yee. Harke, the Larke is vp and singeth, And the house with ecchoes ringeth. Pretious howers, why neglect yee, Whil'st affaires thus expect yee?

Come away vpon my blessing, The Bride-chamber lies to dressing: Strow the wayes with leaues of Roses, Some make garlands, some make poses: 'Tis a fauour, and't may ioy you, That your Mistris vvill employ you.

Where's a Sabrina, with her daughters, That doe sport about her waters: Those that with their lockes of Amber, Haunt the fruitfull hills of b Camber: We must haue to fill the number. All the Nimphs of Trent and Humber.

Fie, your haste is scarce sufficing, For the Bride's awake and rising. Enter beauties, and attend her; All your helpes and seruice lend her: With your quaintst and new'st deuises, Trim your Lady, faire Thamisis.

See; shee's ready: with Ioyes greet her, Lads, goe bid the Bride-groome meet her: But from rash approach aduise him, Lest a too much Ioy surprize him, None I ere knew yet, that dared, View an Angell vnprepared.

Now vnto the Church she hies her; Enuie bursts, if she espies her: In her gestures as she paces, Are vnited all the Graces: Which who sees and hath his senses, Loues in spight of all defences.

O most true maiestick creature! Nobles did you note her feature? Felt you not an inward motion, Tempting Loue to yeeld deuotion; And as you were euen desiring, Something check you for aspiring?

That's her Vertue which still tameth Loose desires, and bad thoughts blameth: For whil'st others were vnruly, She obseru'd Diana truly: And hath by that meanes obtained Gifts of her that none haue gained.

Yon's the Bride-groome, d'yee not spie him? See how all the Ladies eye him. Venus his perfection findeth, And no more Adonis mindeth. Much of him my heart diuineth: On whose brow all Vertue shineth.

Two such Creatures Nature would not Let one place long keepe: she should not: One shee'l haue (she cares not whether,) But our Loues can spare her neither. Therefore ere we'le so be spighted, They in one shall be vnited.

Natures selfe is well contented, By that meanes to be preuented. And behold they are retired, So conioyn'd, as we desired: Hand in hand, not onely fixed, But their hearts, are intermixed.

Happy they and we that see it, For the good of Europe be it. And heare Heauen my deuotion, Make this Rhyne and Thame an Ocean: That it may with might and wonder, Whelme the pride of a Tyber vnder.

Now yon b Hall their persons shroudeth, Whither all this people croudeth: There they feasted are with plenty, Sweet Ambrosia is no deinty. Groomes quaffe Nectar; for theres meeter, Yea, more costly wines and sweeter.

Young men all, for ioy goe ring yee, And your merriest Carols sing yee. Here's of Damzels many choices, Let them tune their sweetest voyces. Fet the Muses to, to cheare them; They can rauish all that heare them.

Ladies, 'tis their Highnesse pleasures, To behold you foot the Measures: Louely gestures addeth graces, To your bright and Angell faces. Giue your actiue mindes the bridle: Nothing worse then to be idle.

Worthies, your affaires forbeare yee, For the State a while may spare yee: Time was, that you loued sporting, Haue you quite forgot your Courting? Ioy the heart of Cares beguileth: Once a yeere Apollo smileth.

Follow Shepheards, how I pray you, Can your flocks at this time stay you? Let vs also hie vs thither, Let's lay all our wits together, And some Pastorall inuent them, That may show the loue we ment them.

I my selfe though meanest stated, And in Court now almost hated, Will knit vp my a Scourge, and venter In the midst of them to enter; For I know, there's no disdaining, Where I looke for entertaining.

See, me thinkes the very season, As if capable of Reason, Hath laine by her natiue rigor, The faire Sun-beames haue more vigor. They are Aeols most endeared: For the Ayre's still'd and cleared.

Fawnes, and Lambs and Kidds doe play, In the honour of this day: The shrill Black-Bird, and the Thrush Hops about in euery bush: And among the tender twigs, Chaunt their sweet harmonious ijgs.

Yea, and mou'd by this example, They doe make each Groue a temple: Where their time the best way vsing, They their Summer loues are chusing. And vnlesse some Churle do wrong them, There's not an od bird among them.

Yet I heard as I was walking, Groues and hills by Ecchoes talking: Reeds vnto the small brooks whistling, Whil'st they danc't with pretty rushling. Then for vs to sleepe 'twere pitty; Since dumb creatures are so witty.

But oh Titan, thou dost dally, Hie thee to thy Westerne Valley: Let this night one hower borrow: She shall pay't againe to morrow: And if thou'st that fauor do them, Send thy sister Phabe to them.

But shee's come her selfe vnasked, And brings a Gods and Heroes masked. None yet saw, or heard in storie, Such immortall, mortall glorie. View not, without preparation; Lest you faint in admiration.

Say my Lords, and speake truth barely, Mou'd they not exceeding rarely? Did they not such praises merit, As if flesh had all beene spirit? True indeed, yet I must tell them, There was One did farre excell them.

But (alas) this is ill dealing, Night vnawares away is stealing: Their delay the poore bed wrongeth, That for Bride with Bride-groome longeth: And aboue all other places, Must be blest with their embraces.

Reuellers, then now forbeare yee, And vnto your rests prepare yee: Let's a while your absence borrow, Sleep to night, and dance to morrow. We could well allow your Courting: But 'twill hinder better sporting.

They are gone, and Night all lonely, Leaues the Bride with Bridegroome onely. Muse now tell; (for thou hast power To flie thorough wall or tower:) What contentments their hearts cheareth; And how louely she appeareth.

And yet doe not; tell it no man, Rare conceits may so grow common: Doe not to the Vulgar show them, ('Tis enough that thou dost know them.) Their ill hearts are but the Center, Where all misconceiuings enter.

But thou Luna that dost lightly, Haunt our downes and forrests nightly: Thou that fauourst generation, And art helpe to procreation: See their issue thou so cherish, I may liue to see it flourish.

And you Planets, in whose power Doth consist these liues of our; You that teach vs Diuinations. Helpe with all your Constellations, How to frame in Her, a creature, Blest in Fortune, Wit, and Feature.

Lastly, oh you Angels ward them, Set your sacred Spels to gard them; Chase away such feares or terrors, As not being, seeme through errors: Yea, let not a dreames molesting, Make them start when they are resting.

But THOV chiefly, most adored, That shouldst onely be implored: Thou to whom my meaning tendeth, Whether er'e in show it bendeth: Let them rest to night from sorrow, And awake with ioy to morrow.

Oh, to my request be heedfull, Grant them that, and all things needfull. Let not these my straines of Folly, Make true prayer be vnholy: But if I haue here offended: Helpe, forgiue, and Ice it mended.

Daigne me this. And if my Muses Hastie issue; she peruses; Make it vnto her seeme gratefull, Though to all the World else hatefull. But how er'e, yet Soule perseuer Thus to wish her good for euer.

Notes

• The Marriage being on S. Valen∣tines day, the Au∣thor showes it by begin∣ning with the salu∣tation of a suppo∣sed Va∣lentine.
• a

  〈◊〉〈◊〉
• b

  Wales,
• a

  Tyber 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the Ri∣••er which 〈…〉〈…〉 Rome.
• b

  White∣••all.
• Semel in an∣no ri∣det Apol.
• a

  Abuses stript and whipt. He no∣teth the mildnesse of the winter which, excep∣ting that the be∣ginning was very windy, was as tempe∣rate as the spring,
• Moft men 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of o∣pinion, ••hat this ••ay euery ••ird doth ••huse her ••ate for 〈◊〉〈◊〉 yeer.
• a

  By these he means the two Masques, one of them be∣ing pre∣sented by the Lords, the other by the Gen∣try.