396 [DAIPHANTUS] THE PASSIONS OF LOVE. [A.Sc.
"Love plays the wanton, where she means to kill.
Love rides the fool, and spurs without direction.
Love weeps like you, yet laughs at your good will.
Love is, of all things, but the true confection.
Love is of everything; yet itself's but one thing.
Love is anything, yet indeed is nothing.
"We virgins know this, though not the force of Love.
For we two sisters live as in a cell:
Nor do we scorn it, though we it not approve ;
By prayer we hope, her charms for to repell!
And thus adieu! But you, in Progress go,
To find fit place to warble forth your woe.
"Who first seeks mercy, is the last for grief,"
Thus did She part; whose image stayed behind.
He in a trance stands mute, finds no relief
(For She was absent, whose tongue pleased his mind),
But like a heartless and a hurtless creature,
In admiration of so sweet a feature.
At length looked up, his shadow only seeing,
Sighs to himself and weeps, yet silent stands;
Kneels, riseth, walks, all this without True Being,
Sure he was there, though fettered in Love's bands.
His lips departed, parted were his blisses:
Yet for pure love, each lip the other kisses.
Revived by this, or else Imagination,
Recalls things past, the time to come laments;
Records his love, but with an acclamation!
Repents himself and all these accidents.
Now with the wings of Love, he 'gins to raise,
His Love to gain, this woman he doth praise.
A.SC.] [DAIPHANTUS] THE PASSIONS OF LOVE. 397
"Women than Men are purer creatures far!
The Soul of souls! the blessed Gift of Nature!
To men, a heaven! to men, the brightest star!
The pearl that 's matchless! high, without all stature!
So full of goodness, that Bounty waiteth still
Upon their trencher! feeds them with free will!
"Where seek we Virtue, learn true Art or Glory;
Where find we Joy that lasteth, still is spending,
But in sweet Women? of man's life, the Story!
Alpha, they are! Omega is their ending!
Their virtues shine with such a sun of brightness!
Yet he's unwise, that looks in them for lightness!"
(O let my pen relate mine own decay!
There are, which are not, or which should not be,
Some shaped like Saints, whose steps are not the way.
O let my Verse not name their infamy!
These hurt not all, but even the wandering eye,
Which fondly gapes for his own misery.
These do not harm the honest or the just,
The faithful lover, or the virtuous dame;
But those whose souls be only given to lust,
Care more for pleasure, than for worthy fame.
But peace, my Muse! For now, methinks I hear
An angel's voice come warbling in my ear!)
Not distant far, within a garden fair,
The sweet ARTESIA sang unto her lute,
Her voice charmed CUPID, and perfumed the air,
Made beasts stand still, and birds for to be mute.
Her voice and beauty proved so sad a ditty;
Who saw, was blind! who heard, soon sued for pity!
398 [DAIPHANTUS] THE PASSIONS of Love. [A.Sc.
This Lady was no virgin like the rest,
Yet near allied. By Florence city dwelling
(Nature and Art; within her both were blest;
Music in her, and Love had his excelling).
To visit her fair cousins oft she came;
Perhaps more jocund, but no whit to blame.
Fortune had crossed her with a churlish Mate,
Who STRYMON hight. A Palmer was his sire,
Full nobly born and of a wealthy state;
His son a child not born to his Desire.
Thus was she crossed, which caused her thereby,
DAIPHANTUS' grief to mourn, by sympathy.
DAIPHANTUS hearing such a swan-tuned voice,
Was ravished, as with angels' melody;
Though in this labyrinth blest, could not rejoice,
Nor yet could see what brought this harmony.
At length, this goddess ceased; began draw near,
Who, when he saw; he saw not, 'twas her sphere!
Away then crept he on his hands and knees,
To hide himself: thought VENUS came to plague him!
Which she espying, like the sun she stands;
As with her beams, she thought for to assuage him.
But like the sun, which gazed on blinds the eye,
So he by her! and so resolved to die.
At this, in wonder softly did she pace it;
Yet suddenly was stayed. His verses seized her,
Which he late writ, forgot. Thus was he graced.
She read them over, and the writing pleased her.
For CUPID framed two mottoes in her heart:
The one as DIAN'S, the other, for his dart.
AS] [DAIPHANTUS] THE PASSIONS OF LOVE. 399
She read and pitied; reading, Pity taught.
She loved and hated; hate to Love did turn.
She smiled and wept; her weeping Smiling brought.
She hoped and feared; her Hopes in fear did mourn.
She read, loved, smiled, and hoped; but 'twas in vain :
Her tears, still dread; and pity, hate did gain.
She could have loved him, such true verses making;
She might have loved him, and yet love beguiling.
She would have kissed him, but feared his awaking;
She might have kissed him, and sleep sweetly smiling.
She thus afeared, did fear what she most wished.
He thus in hope, still hoped for that he missed.
He looked! They two, long each on other gazed!
Sweet silence pleaded what each other thought.
Thus Love and Fancy both alike amazed,
As if their tongues and hearts had been distraught.
ARTESIA'S voice thus courted him at length.
The more she spake, the greater was his strength !
"Good gentle Sir! your fortunes I bemoan,
And wish my state so happy as to ease you!
But She that grieved you, She it is alone,
Whose breath can cure, and whose kind words appease you! Were I that She, heaven should my star extinguish,
If you but loved me, ere I would relinquish.
"Yet, noble Sir! I can no love protest,
For I am wedded (O word full fraught with woe!)
But in such manner as good love is blest,
In honest kindness, I'll not prove your foe!
Mine own experience doth my counsel prove,
I know to pity, yet not care to love!
400 [DAIPHANTUS] THE PASSIONS OF LOVE. [A. Sc.
"A sister, yet Nature hath given me,
A virgin true, right fair, and sweetly kind.
I for her good, Fortune hath driven me
To be a comfort. Your heart shall be her mind.
My woes yet tell me, she is best a maid!"
And here she stopped her tears, her words thus stayed.
DAIPHANTUS then, in number without measure,
Began her praises, which no pen can end.
"O Saint! O sun of heaven, and earth the treasure!
Who lives, if not thy honour to defend ?
Ah me! what mortal can be in love so strange,
That wedding Virtue will a wand'ring range?
"She, like the morning, is still fresh and fair.
The Elements, of her, they all do borrow;
The Earth, the Fire, the Waters, and the Air;
Their strength, heat, moisture, liveliness. No sorrow
Can Virtue change! Beauty hath but one place.
The heart's still perfect; though empaled the face.
"O eyes! no eyes, but stars still clearly shining!
O face! no face but shape of angels' fashion!
O lips! no lips, but bliss by kiss refining!
O heart! no heart, but of true love right Passion!
O eyes, face, lips, and heart, if not too cruel;
To see, feel, taste, and love earth's rarest jewel."
This said, he paused, new praises now devising,
Kneels to APOLLO for his skill and Art:
When came the Ladies! At which, he arising,
'Twixt lip and lip, he had nor lips nor heart.
His eyes, their eyes so sweetly did incumber:
Although awaked, yet in a golden slumber.
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