Lucasta [31]
seeme[s] to call This adorn'd adored fayry To the banquet of her dayry. Soft Amarantha weeps to see 'Mongst men such inhumanitie, That those, who do receive in hay, And pay in silver<33.6> twice a day, Should by their cruell barb'rous theft Be both of that and life bereft. But 'tis decreed, when ere this dies, That she shall fall a sacrifice Unto the gods, since those, that trace Her stemme, show 'tis a god-like race, Descending in an even line From heifers and from steeres divine, Making the honour'd extract full In Io and Europa's bull. She was the largest goodliest beast, That ever mead or altar blest; Round [w]as her udder, and more white Then is the Milkie Way in night; Her full broad eye did sparkle fire; Her breath was sweet as kind desire, And in her beauteous crescent shone, Bright as the argent-horned moone. But see! this whiteness is obscure, Cynthia spotted, she impure; Her body writheld,<33.7> and her eyes Departing lights at obsequies: Her lowing hot to the fresh gale, Her breath perfumes the field withall; To those two suns that ever shine, To those plump parts she doth inshrine, To th' hovering snow of either hand, That love and cruelty command. After the breakfast on her teat, She takes her leave oth' mournfull neat Who, by her toucht, now prizeth her<33.8> life, Worthy alone the hollowed knife. Into the neighbring wood she's gone, Whose roofe defies the tell-tale Sunne, And locks out ev'ry prying beame; Close by the lips of a cleare streame, She sits and entertaines her eye With the moist chrystall and the frye<33.9> With burnisht-silver mal'd, whose oares<33.10> Amazed still make to the shoares; What need she other bait or charm, What hook<33.11> or angle, but her arm? The happy captive, gladly ta'n, Sues ever to be slave in vaine, Who instantly (confirm'd in's feares) Hasts to his element of teares. From hence her various windings roave To a well-orderd stately grove; This is the pallace of the wood And court oth' Royall Oake, where stood The whole nobility: the Pine, Strait Ash, tall Firre, and wanton Vine; The proper Cedar, and the rest. Here she her deeper senses blest; Admires great Nature in this pile, Floor'd with greene-velvet Camomile, Garnisht with gems of unset fruit, Supply'd still with a self recruit; Her bosom wrought with pretty eyes Of never-planted Strawberries; Where th' winged musick of the ayre Do richly feast, and for their fare, Each evening in a silent shade, Bestow a gratefull serenade. Thus ev'n tyerd with delight, Sated in soul and appetite; Full of the purple Plumme and Peare, The golden Apple, with the faire Grape that mirth fain would have taught her, And nuts, which squirrells cracking brought her; She softly layes her weary limbs, Whilst gentle slumber now beginnes To draw the curtaines of her eye; When straight awakend with a crie And bitter groan, again reposes, Again a deep sigh interposes. And now she heares a trembling voyce: Ah! can there ought on earth rejoyce! Why weares she this gay livery, Not black as her dark entrails be? Can trees be green, and to the ay'r Thus prostitute their flowing hayr? Why do they sprout, not witherd dy? Must each thing live, save wretched I? Can dayes triumph in blew and red, When both their light and life is fled? Fly Joy on wings of Popinjayes To courts of fools, where<33.12> as your playes Dye laught at and forgot; whilst all That's good mourns at this funerall. Weep, all ye Graces, and you sweet Quire, that at the hill inspir'd meet: Love, put thy tapers out, that we And th' world may seem as blind as thee; And be, since she is lost (ah wound!) Not Heav'n it self by any found. Now as a prisoner new cast,<33.13> Who sleepes in chaines that night, his last, Next morn is wak't with a repreeve, And from his trance, not dream bid live, Wonders (his sence not having scope) Who speaks, his friend or his false hope. So Amarantha heard, but feare Dares not yet trust her tempting care; And as againe her arms oth' ground Spread pillows for her head, a sound More dismall makes a swift divorce, And starts her thus:----Rage, rapine,