Sweet-breathing Zephyrus did softly play- When I, (whom sullen care, Through discontent of my long fruitless stay * A "Spousall Verse" made in honor of the approaching double marriage of the Ladies Elizabeth and Katherine Somerset in 1596, and apparently celebrating some visit of theirs to Essex House. F. T. Palgrave says of this poem: "Nowhere has Spenser more emphatically displayed himself as the very poet of Beauty: The Renaissance impulse in England is here seen at its highest and purest." In which they gather'd flowers to fill their | Yet were they bred of summer's heat1, they That even the gentle stream, the which them bare, freshest flowers which in that mead they found, The which presenting all in trim array, Seem'd foul to them, and bade his billows Their snowy foreheads therewithal they Against their bridal day, which was not long: song. 'Ye gentle birds! the world's fair ornament, And Heaven's glory, whom this happy hour Doth lead unto your lovers' blissful bower, 90 4 Spenser spelled it Somer's heat (Somerset) and the pun was no doubt regarded as an orna ment. Joy may you have, and gentle hearts' content | Whose want too well now feels my friendless Of your love's couplement; Let endless peace your steadfast hearts accord, And make your joys redound Upon your bridal day, which is not long: case; Whose dreadful name late through all Spain did thunder, And Hercules' two pillars standing near Sweet Thames! run softly, till I end my Did make to quake and fear: song.' At length they all to merry London came, There when she came wherease those bricky towers Fair branch of honour, flower of chivalry! 150 And endless happiness of thine own name1o That through thy prowess and victorious arms Which some brave Muse may sing 160 Upon the bridal day, which is not long: From those high towers this noble lord issuing Above the rest were goodly to be seen That like the twins of Jove11 they seem'd in sight Which deck the baldric of the Heavens bright; The which on Thames' broad agéd back do They two, forth pacing to the river's side, ride, Where now the studious lawyers have their bowers, There whilome wont the Templar-knights to bide, Till they decay'd through pride; Next whereunto there stands a stately place, dwell, 5 the moon doth shame 7 Lord Leicester, Spen6 where ser's patron, whose death left him in "friendless case.' Received those two fair brides, their love's delight; Which, at th' appointed tide, 8 Robert Devereux, second Earl of Essex 9 At Cadiz, 1596. 10 Apparently an allusion to the fact that the words ever and heureux (Fr., "happy") can be seen in the name Devereux. 11 Castor and Pollux, who were placed among the stars as the constellation Gemini. ELIZABETHAN SONNETS* EDMUND SPENSER (1552-1599) AMORETTI XV. Ye tradeful merchants that with weary toil If pearls, her teeth be pearls, both pure and If ivory, her forehead ivory ween; If gold, her locks are finest gold on ground; AMORETTI XXXVII. Base things that to her love too bold aspire! That she, dear she, might take some pleasure Pleasure might cause her read, reading might make her know, Knowledge might pity win, and pity grace obtain,― I sought fit words to paint the blackest face of woe; Studying inventions fine, her wits to entertain, Oft turning others' leaves, to see if thence would flow Some fresh and fruitful showers upon my sunburn'd brain. What guile is this, that those her golden But words came halting forth, wanting Inven tresses She doth attire under a net of gold, tion's stay2; Invention, Nature's child, fled step-dame my way. Thus, great with child to speak, and helpless in my throes, Biting my truant pen, beating myself for spite; Fool, said my Muse to me, look in thy heart and write. That which is gold or hair may scarce be told? And others' feet still seem'd but strangers in AMORETTI LXI. ASTROPHEL AND STELLA XXXI. The glorious image of the Maker's beauty, How silently, and with how wan a face! Are beauties there as proud as here they be? The beam of light, whom mortal eyes admire; Do they call virtue, there, ungratefulness? Those lovers scorn whom that love doth possess? What reason is it then but she should scorn 1 folly * Sonnet groups or sequences were a marked feature of Elizabethan verse. The Amoretti are a series of eighty-eight, recording Spenser's courtship of Elizabeth Boyle, his marriage to whom in 1594 was the occasion of his Epithalamion. The Astrophel and Stella series, of one hundred and ten, chronicles Sidney's love for Penelope Devereux. The inspirers of most of the other series seem more or less imaginary. See Eng. Lit., pp. 95, 107. SAMUEL DANIEL (1562-1619) TO DELIA LI. Care-charmer Sleep, son of the sable Night, Relieve my languish, and restore the light; MICHAEL DRAYTON (1563-1631) Since there's no help, come let us kiss and part, Nay I have done, you get no more of me; him over, From death to life thou might 'st him yet recover! WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (1564-1616) SONNET XXIX. When in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes And look upon myself, and curse my fate; For thy sweet love remember'd, such wealth brings That then I scorn to change my state with kings. SONNET XXX. When to the sessions3 of sweet silent thought Then can I drown an eye, unused to flow, And weep afresh love's long-since-cancell'd woe, And moan the expense of many a vanished sight. Then can I grieve at grievances foregone, All losses are restored, and sorrows end. SONNET LXIV. When I have seen by Time's fell hand defaced That Time will come and take my Love away: But weep to have that which it fears to lose. |