Category: CLASP II-III

¹

This island lived in peace full many a day,
So long as she unto the gods did pray.
But she grew proud with plenty and with ease,
Adored herself, and² did the gods displease.
She flung their altars down, her own set up,³                           5
And she alone would have divine worship.⁴
The gods grew angry, and commanded Fate
To alter and to ruin quite the state.
For they had changed their mind of late, they said,
And did repent unthankful man th’had made.                         10
Fates wondered much to hear what said the gods,
That they and mortal men⁵ were at great odds,
And found them apt to change, thought it did show⁶
As if the gods did not poor men foreknow.⁷
“For why,” said they, “if men do evil grow,                                15
The gods, foreseeing all, men’s hearts did⁸ know
Long, long before they did man first create;⁹
If so, what need they change or alter fate?
’Twas in their pow’r¹⁰ to make them good or ill;
Wherefore,¹¹ men cannot do just what they will.                    20
Then why do gods complain against them so,
Since men are made by them such ways to go?
If evil power hath gods to oppose,
Two¹² equal deities it plainly shows;
The one pow’r cannot keep obedience long,¹³                          25
If disobedient power¹⁴ be as strong.
And,¹⁵ being ignorant how men will prove,
Know not¹⁶ how strong or long will last their love.”¹⁷
But may’t not be the course of gods’ decree¹⁸
To love obedience whensoe’er it be?¹⁹                                       30
They from the first a changing power create,²⁰
And for that work make²¹ destiny and fate.²²
It is the mind of man²³ that’s apt to range;
The minds of gods are not subject to change.²⁴
Then did the Fates unto the planets go,                                      35
And told them they malignity must throw
Into this island, for the gods would²⁵ take
Revenge on them who did²⁶ their laws forsake.
With that, the planets drew, like²⁷ with a screw,
Bad vapors from the Earth, and then did view²⁸                      40
What place to squeeze that poison, in²⁹ which all
The venom was, that’s got from the world’s ball,³⁰
Which³¹ through men’s veins, like molten lead, it came,
And did like oil their spirits all inflame,³²
Where malice boiled with rancor, spleen, and spite.               45
In war and fraud, injustice took delight,
Thinking which way their lusts they might fulfill,³³
Committed thefts, rapes, murthers at their will;³⁴
Parents and children did unnat’ral grow,³⁵
And every friend was turned a cruel foe;³⁶                               50
Nay,³⁷ innocency no protection had;
Religious men were thought to be stark mad;
In witches, wizards they did³⁸ put their trust;
Extortions, bribes were thought to be most just;
Like Titans’ race, all in a tumult rose,³⁹                                      55
Blasphemous words against high Heaven throws.⁴⁰
The gods⁴¹ in rage unbound⁴² the winds to⁴³ blow
In foreign nations,⁴⁴ formerly their foe.
Where they did plant themselves, no Britons live,⁴⁵
For why the gods their lives and land them give.⁴⁶                  60
Compassion wept, and Virtue wrung her hands
To see that right was banished from their lands.
Thus winds and seas, the planets, fates, and all
Conspired to work her ruin and her fall.
But those that keep the laws of God on high                              65
Shall live in peace, in graves shall quiet lie.⁴⁷
And ever after like the gods shall be,
Enjoy all pleasure, know no misery.

⁴⁸

There was an island, rich by Nature’s grace;
In all the world it was the sweetest place,
Surrounded with the seas, whose waves don’t miss⁴⁹
To do her homage, and her feet do kiss.⁵⁰
Each wave did seem⁵¹ by turn to⁵² bow down low,                   5
And proud to touch her as they overflow.⁵³
Armies of waves in troops high tides brought⁵⁴ on,
Whose wat’ry arms did⁵⁵ glister like⁵⁶ the sun,
And on their backs burthens of ships did⁵⁷ bear,
Placing them in her havens with great care.⁵⁸                         10
Not mercenary, for no pay they’d have,⁵⁹
Yet⁶⁰ as her guard did⁶¹ watch to keep her safe,
And in a ring they circled⁶² her about,
Strong as a wall, to keep her foes without.⁶³
The winds did serve her, and on clouds did⁶⁴ ride,                 15
Blowing their trumpets loud on every side;
Serving⁶⁵ as scouts, they searched⁶⁶ in every lane,
And galloped⁶⁷ in the forests,⁶⁸ fields, and plain.
While she did please the gods, she did live safe,⁶⁹
And they all kind of pleasures to her gave.⁷⁰                            20
For all this place was⁷¹ fertile, rich, and fair;
Both woods and hills and dales in prospects were.⁷²
Birds pleasure took,⁷³ and with delight did⁷⁴ sing;
In praises of this isle the woods did⁷⁵ ring.
Trees thrived with joy, for she their roots well fed,⁷⁶             25
And,⁷⁷ tall with pride, their tops did⁷⁸ overspread,
Danced⁷⁹ with the winds when they did⁸⁰ sing and blow,
Played⁸¹ like a wanton kid, or a⁸² swift roe.
Their several branches several birds did⁸³ bear,
Which hopped and skipped,⁸⁴ and always merry were;⁸⁵     30
Their leaves did⁸⁶ wave, and, rushing, make a noise,
And⁸⁷ many ways strived to express⁸⁸ their joys.
All⁸⁹ flowers there looked⁹⁰ fresh and gay with mirth,
Whilst they were⁹¹ danced upon the lap of Earth.
Th’isle was their mother,⁹² they her children sweet,               35
Born from her loins, got by Apollo great,
Who dressed and pruned them often with great care,⁹³
And washed their leaves with dew to make them fair,⁹⁴
Which being done,⁹⁵ he wiped⁹⁶ those drops away
With webs of heat,⁹⁷ which he weaves every day,                   40
Paint⁹⁸⁹⁹ them with several colors intermixed,
Veiled¹⁰⁰ them with shadows every leaf betwixt.
Their heads he dress’d, their hairy leaves spread out,¹⁰¹
Wreathed round their crowns his golden beams about,¹⁰²
For he this isle esteemed¹⁰³ above the rest;                                45
Of all his wives he had, he loved¹⁰⁴ her best.
Daily he did present her with some gift:¹⁰⁵
Twelve ells of light, to make her smocks¹⁰⁶ for shift,
Which, every time he came, he put¹⁰⁷ on clean,¹⁰⁸
And changèd oft, that she may lovely seem.¹⁰⁹                          50
And when he from her went,¹¹⁰ the world to see,
He left¹¹¹ his sister¹¹² for her¹¹³ company,
Whose name is Cynthia¹¹⁴—though pale, yet clear,
Which makes her always in dark clouds appear.
Besides, he left¹¹⁵ his stars to wait, for fear¹¹⁶                             55
His isle too sad should be¹¹⁷ when he’s not there,
And from his bounty clothed¹¹⁸ them all with light,
Which makes them twinkle in a frosty night.
He never brought¹¹⁹ hot beams to do her harm,
Nor let¹²⁰ her take a cold, but lapped¹²¹ her warm;                    60
He¹²² mantles rich of equal heat o’erspread,¹²³
And covered¹²⁴ her with color crimson red.
He gave¹²⁵ another o’er her head to lie—
The colour is a pure bright azure sky—
And with soft air did¹²⁶ line them all within,                              65
Like¹²⁷ furs in winter, in summer satin thin.
With silver clouds he fringèd¹²⁸ them about,
And¹²⁹ spangled meteors glist’ring hung¹³⁰ without.
Thus gave her¹³¹ change, lest she¹³² should weary grow,
Or think them old, and so away them throw.                           70
Nature adorned¹³³ this island all throughout
With landscapes, riv’lets, prospects round about;¹³⁴
There hills¹³⁵ o’ertopped¹³⁶ the dales, which level be,¹³⁷
Covered¹³⁸ with cattle feeding eagerly.¹³⁹
Grass grew¹⁴⁰ up even to the belly high,                                     75
Where beasts that chew their cud lay pleasantly,¹⁴¹
Whisking their tails about, the flies to beat,
Or else to cool them from the sultry heat.
Nature, willing to th’gods her love¹⁴² to show,
Sent plenty in, like Nile’s great overflow,                                  80
And temperate seasons gave,¹⁴³ and equal lights:
Warm¹⁴⁴ sunshine days, and dewy moonshine nights.
And in this pleasant island, peace did dwell;
No noise of war or sad tale could it tell.

⁵⁵

There was a stag did in the forest lie,
Whose neck was long, whose horns were⁵⁷ branched up high.
His haunch was broad, sides large, and back was long;
His legs were nervous, and his joints were strong.
His hair lay sleek and smooth; he was so fair,⁷⁴                     5
None in the forest might with him compare.⁷⁵
In summer’s heat he in cool brakes him lay,⁷⁸
Which, being high, did keep the sun away;⁸⁰
In evenings cool and⁸³ dewy mornings new⁸⁶
Would he rise up,⁹¹ and all the forest view.¹¹⁵                          10
Then walking to some clear and crystal brook,¹⁴⁵
Not for to drink, but on his horns to look,
Taking such pleasure in his stately crown,
His pride forgot¹⁴⁶ that dogs might pull him down.
From thence he to¹⁴⁷ a shady wood did go,                             15
Where straightest pines and tallest cedars grow;
And upright olives, which th’loving vine oft twines;¹⁴⁸
And slender birch bows head¹⁴⁹ to golden mines;¹⁵⁰
Small aspen stalk which shakes like agues cold,
That from perpetual motion never hold;                                20
The sturdy oak which on the seas¹⁵¹ doth ride;
Fir, which tall masts doth make, where sails are tied;
The weeping maple; and the poplar green,
Whose cooling buds in salves have healing been;
The fatting¹⁵² chestnut; and the hazel small;                          25
The smooth-rind beech, which groweth large and tall;
The loving myrtle fit for¹⁵³ amorous kind;
The yielding willow, for¹⁵⁴ inconstant mind;
The cypress sad, which makes the funeral hearse;
And sycamores, where lovers write their verse;                  30
And juniper, which gives a pleasant smell;
And¹⁵⁵ many more, which were too long to tell.
Round¹⁵⁶ from their sappy roots sprout branches small;
Some call it underwood, that’s never tall.
There walking through, the stag was hindered much;        35
The bending twigs his horns did often touch.¹⁵⁷
While he on¹⁵⁸ tender leaves and buds did browse,
His eyes were troubled with the broken boughs.
Then straight he sought¹⁵⁹ this labyrinth to¹⁶⁰ unwind,
But¹⁶¹ hard it was his first way out to find.                             40
Unto this wood a rising hill was near;¹⁶²
The sweet wild thyme and marjoram grew there,¹⁶³
And winter sav’ry,¹⁶⁴ which was never set,
Of¹⁶⁵ which the stag took great delight¹⁶⁶ to eat.
But looking down upon¹⁶⁷ the valleys low,                             45
He saw there¹⁶⁸ grass and cowslips thick did¹⁶⁹ grow,
And springs, which digged¹⁷⁰ themselves a passage out,
Much like as serpents wind each field about,
Rising in winter high, do¹⁷¹ overflow
The flow’ry banks, but make¹⁷² the soil to¹⁷³ grow.                50
And¹⁷⁴ as he went, thinking therein to feed,
He ’spied¹⁷⁵ a field which sowed was with wheat seed.
The blades were grown a handful high and more,
Which sight to¹⁷⁶ taste did soon invite him o’er.
In haste he went, fed¹⁷⁷ full, then down did lie;¹⁷⁸                 55
The owner, coming there, did him espy,¹⁷⁹
Straight called his dogs to hunt him from that place;
At last it came¹⁸⁰ to be a forest chase.
The chase grew hot; the stag apace did run;
Dogs followed close, and men for sport did come.¹⁸¹            60
At last a troop of men, horse, dogs did meet,
Which made the hart to try his nimble feet.
Full swift he was; his horns he bore up high;
The¹⁸² men did shout; the dogs ran yelping by.
And bugle horns with several notes did blow;                      65
Huntsmen to cross the stag did sideways go.
The horses beat their hooves against dry ground,
Raising such clouds of dust, their ways scarce found.
Their sides ran down with sweat, as if they were
New come from wat’ring,¹⁸³ dropping¹⁸⁴ every hair.             70
The dogs, their tongues out of their mouths hung long;
Their sides did like a feverish pulse beat strong;¹⁸⁵
Their short ribs heaved¹⁸⁶ up high, then fell down¹⁸⁷ low,
As bellows draw in wind that they may¹⁸⁸ blow.
Men tawny grew; the sun their skins did turn;                     75
Their mouths were dry; their bowels felt to burn.
The stag, so hot as coals when kindled through,¹⁸⁹
Yet swiftly ran when he the dogs did view.¹⁹⁰
Coming at length unto a river’s side,
Whose current flowed as with a falling tide,                         80
There he leaped in, thinking some while to stay¹⁹¹
To wash his sides, his burning heat t’allay,¹⁹²
Hoping¹⁹³ the dogs could not in water¹⁹⁴ swim,
But was¹⁹⁵ deceived: the dogs do enter in.¹⁹⁶
Like fishes, tried to swim in water low,¹⁹⁷                               85
But¹⁹⁸ out, alas, his horns too high did show.¹⁹⁹
The²⁰⁰ dogs were covered over head and ears;²⁰¹
No part is seen, only their nose appears.²⁰²
The stag and river like a race did show,
He striving still the river²⁰³ to outgo,                                        90
Whilst men and horses down the banks did run,²⁰⁴
Encouraging the dogs to follow on,
Where in the water,²⁰⁵ like a looking-glass,
He by reflection saw²⁰⁶ their shadows pass.
Fear did his breath cut²⁰⁷ short; his limbs did²⁰⁸ shrink        95
Like those the cramp²⁰⁹ makes to th’bottom²¹⁰ sink.
Thus out of breath, no longer could he stay,
But leaped²¹¹ on land and swiftly ran²¹² away.
Change gave him²¹³ ease, ease strength; in strength hope lives;
Hope joys the heart, and joy light heels²¹⁴ still gives.²¹⁵        100
His feet did like²¹⁶ a feathered arrow fly,²¹⁷
Or like a wingèd bird, that mounts the sky.²¹⁸
The dogs, like ships that sail with wind and tide,
Which²¹⁹ cut the air, and waters deep divide,
Or like as greedy merchants, which for gain²²⁰                     105
Venture their life, and traffic on the main.²²¹
The hunters, like to boys which, without fear,²²²
To see a sight will hazard life that’s dear,²²³
Which sad become²²⁴ when mischief takes not²²⁵ place,
And²²⁶ out of countenance, as with disgrace,                         110
But when they see a ruin and a fall,
Return²²⁷ with joy, as if they’d conquered²²⁸ all.
And thus did their three several passions meet:²²⁹
First the desire to catch the dogs made fleet,²³⁰
Then fear the stag made²³¹ run, his life to save,                    115
Whilst men for love of mischief digged²³² his grave.
The angry dust flew in each face about,²³³
As if ’twould with revenge their eyes put out,²³⁴
Yet they all²³⁵ fast went on with a huge cry.²³⁶
The stag no hope had left, nor help did ’spy;²³⁷                    120
His heart so heavy grew with grief and care,
That his small feet his body scarce could²³⁸ bear.
Yet loath to die or yield to foes was he,
And²³⁹ to the last would strive for victory.
’Twas not for want of courage he did run,                             125
But that an army against one did come.²⁴⁰
Had he the valor of bold Caesar²⁴¹ stout,
Yet yield he must²⁴² to them, or die no doubt.
Turning his head, as if he dared their spite,
Prepared himself against them all to fight.                            130
Single he was; his horns were all his helps
To guard him from a multitude of whelps.
Besides, a company of men were there,
If dogs should fail, to strike him everywhere.
But to the last his fortune he’d²⁴³ try out;                               135
Then men and dogs did²⁴⁴ circle him about.
Some bit; some barked; all plied²⁴⁵ him at the bay,
Where with his horns he tossèd²⁴⁶ some away.
But Fate his thread had spun; he²⁴⁷ down did fall,
Shedding some tears at his own funeral.                                140

Betwixt two ridges of plowed land sat²⁰⁸ Wat,
Whose body, pressed to th’earth, lay close and squat.²³²
His nose upon his two fore-feet close lies,²⁴⁴
Glaring obliquely with his great grey eyes.²⁴⁸
His head he always sets²⁴⁹ against the wind;                            5
If turn his tail, his hairs blow up behind²⁵⁰
And make him to get cold, but he, being wise,²⁵¹
Doth keep²⁵² his coat still down, so warm he lies.
Thus rests he²⁵³ all the day till th’sun²⁵⁴ doth set;
Then up he riseth,²⁵⁵ his relief²⁵⁶ to get,                                    10
Walking about²⁵⁷ until the sun doth rise,
Then coming back in’s former posture lies.²⁵⁸
At last, poor Wat was found, as he there lay,
By huntsmen which came with their dogs that way,²⁵⁹
Whom seeing, he got up, and fast did run,²⁶⁰                         15
Hoping some ways the cruel dogs to shun.
But they by nature have²⁶¹ so quick a scent,
That by their nose they traced²⁶² what way he went,
And with their deep, wide mouths set forth a cry,
Which answered was by echoes²⁶³ in the sky.                        20
Then Wat was struck with terror and with fear,
Seeing each shadow, thought the dogs were there,²⁶⁴
And running out some distance from their cry,²⁶⁵
To hide himself his thoughts he did employ.²⁶⁶
Under a clod of earth in sand-pit wide                                    25
Poor Wat sat close, hoping himself to hide.
There long he had not been,²⁶⁷ but straight in’s²⁶⁸ ears
The winding horns and crying dogs he hears.
Then starting up²⁶⁹ with fear, he leap’d, and such²⁷⁰
Swift speed he made, the ground he scarce did touch.²⁷¹    30
Into a great thick wood straight ways he got,²⁷²
And²⁷³ underneath a broken bough he sat,²⁷⁴
Where²⁷⁵ every leaf that with the wind did shake
Did bring²⁷⁶ such terror, that his heart did²⁷⁷ ache.
That place he left; to champaign plains he went,                 35
Winding about for to deceive their scent,
And while they snuffling were to find his track,
Poor Wat, being weary, his swift pace did slack.
On his two hinder legs for ease he sat;²⁷⁸
His fore-feet rubbed his face from dust and sweat.             40
Licking his feet, he wiped his ears so clean
That none could tell that Wat had hunted been.
But casting round about his fair grey²⁷⁹ eyes,
The hounds in full career he near him spies.
To Wat it was so terrible a sight                                               45
Fear gave him wings, and made his body light:
Though weary was²⁸⁰ before, by running long,
Yet now his breath he never felt more strong,
Like those that dying are, think health returns,
When ’tis but a faint blast, which life out burns,                  50
For spirits seek to guard the heart about,
Striving with Death, but Death doth quench them out.
The hounds²⁸¹ so fast came on, and with such cry,²⁸²
That he no hopes had²⁸³ left, nor help could ’spy.²⁸⁴
With that, the winds did pity poor Wat’s case,                      55
And with their breath the scent blew from that²⁸⁵ place;
Then every²⁸⁶ nose was²⁸⁷ busily employed,
And every nostril was²⁸⁸ set open wide,
And every head did²⁸⁹ seek a several way
To find the²⁹⁰ grass or track where the scent²⁹¹ lay.                60
For witty industry is never slack;²⁹²
’Tis like to witchcraft, and²⁹³ brings lost things back.
But²⁹⁴ though the wind had tied the scent up close,
A busy dog thrust in his snuffling nose
And drew it out, with it²⁹⁵ did foremost run;                          65
Then horns blew loud, for th’rest²⁹⁶ to follow on.
The great slow-hounds, their throats did set a base;
The fleet swift hounds, as tenors next in place;
The little beagles did²⁹⁷ a trebble sing,
And through the air their voices²⁹⁸ round did ring,²⁹⁹           70
Which made such³⁰⁰ consort as they ran along,
That, had they spoken words, ’t had been a song.³⁰¹
The horns kept time; the men did³⁰² shout for joy,
And seemed most valiant,³⁰³ poor Wat to³⁰⁴ destroy,
Spurring their horses to a full career,                                     75
Swam³⁰⁵ rivers deep, leaped³⁰⁶ ditches without fear,
Endangered³⁰⁷ life and limbs, so fast they’d³⁰⁸ ride,
Only to see how patiently Wat died.
At last³⁰⁹ the dogs so near his heels did get,
That they³¹⁰ their sharp teeth in³¹¹ his breech did set.           80
Then tumbling down he fell,³¹² with weeping eyes
Gave³¹³ up his ghost, and thus, poor Wat, he dies.
Men, hooping loud, such acclamations made³¹⁴
As if the Devil they imprisoned had,³¹⁵
When they did but³¹⁶ a shiftless creature kill;                        85
To hunt there needs no valiant soldier’s skill.
But men do³¹⁷ think that exercise and toil,
To keep their health, is best which makes most spoil,
Thinking that food and nourishment so good
Which doth proceed from others’³¹⁸ flesh and blood.           90
When they do lions, wolves, bears, tigers see
To kill poor³¹⁹ sheep, they say³²⁰ they cruel be,
But for themselves, all creatures think too few,
For luxury, wish God would make more³²¹ new,
As if God did make³²² creatures for man’s meat,                    95
To give³²³ them life and sense, for man to eat,
Or else for sport or recreation’s sake,
Destroy³²⁴ those lives that God saw good to³²⁵ make,
Making their stomachs graves, which full they fill
With murthered bodies, which³²⁶ in sport they kill.              100
Yet man doth think himself so gentle, mild,³²⁷
When of all creatures he’s most cruel, wild,³²⁸
And is so proud, thinks only he shall live,³²⁹
That God a godlike nature did him³³⁰ give,
And that all creatures for his sake alone                                 105
Were made,³³¹ for him to tyrannize upon.

²⁷³

Give me a²⁷⁴ free and noble style that goes²⁸⁷
In an uncurbed strain, though wild it shows:²⁸⁸
Though²⁸⁹ it runs wild about,²⁹⁷ it cares not where,
It shows more courage than it doth of fear.
Give me a style that Nature frames, not Art,               5
For Art doth seem to take the pedant’s part.
And that seems noble, which is easy, free,
And not bound up³³² with o’ernice pedantry.