Category: PART IV

¹

The Fairy Queen’s large kingdom, got by birth,
Is in the midst and² center of the Earth,
Where there are many springs and running streams,
Whose waves do glister by the Queen’s bright beams,
Which makes them murmur as they pass away,                       5
Because by running round they cannot stay.
For³ they do ever move, and,⁴ like the sun,
Do constantly in circulation⁵ run,⁶
And as the sun gives heat to make things spring,
So water moisture gives to⁷ everything.                                   10
Thus⁸ these two elements give life to all,
Creating everything on th’Earth’s⁹ round ball.
And all along this liquid source doth flow,¹⁰
Stand myrtle trees, and banks where flowers grow.¹¹
’Tis true, there are no birds to sing sweet notes,                     15
But there are winds that whistle like birds’¹² throats,
Whose sounds and notes, by variation, oft
Make better music then the spheres aloft.
Nor is there any beast¹³ of cruel nature,
But a slow, crawling¹⁴ worm, a gentle creature,                     20
Who fears no hungry birds¹⁵ to pick him¹⁶ out,
But safely grasps¹⁷ the tender twigs about.
There mountains are of pure refinèd gold,
And rocks of diamonds, perfect to behold,
Whose brightness is a sun to all about,                                     25
Which glory makes Apollo’s beams keep out.
Quarries¹⁸ of rubies, sapphires there are store,
Crystals, and amethysts, and¹⁹ many more;
There polished pillars nat’rally²⁰ appear,
Where twining vines are clustered all the year.                     30
The axle-tree whereon the Earth turns round
Is one great diamond, by opinion found.
And the two ends, which we do call²¹ the poles,
Are pointed diamonds, turning in two holes,²²
Which holes are rings of pure refinèd gold,²³                         35
And all the weight of that vast world uphold,²⁴
Which makes the sun so seldom there appear,
For fear those rings should melt, if he came near.
And like²⁵ a wheel the elements are found,
In even lays, and many²⁶ turnings round.                                40
First, fire is in the²⁷ circle, as the spoke,
And then comes water; air is but²⁸ the smoke
Begot of both, for fire doth water boil,
And causes clouds and²⁹ smoke, which is the oil.
This smoky child sometimes is good, then bad,                       45
According to the nourishment it had.
The outward circle as the earth suppose,
Which is the surface where all plenty grows.³⁰
Yet³¹ Earth is not the cause of its self-turning,³²
But fire within; nor is there³³ fear of burning                         50
The axle-tree, for that grows hard with heat,
And by its quickness turns the wheel, though great,
Unless its outward weight do press it³⁴ down,
Raising the bottom,³⁵ bowing down the crown.
But³⁶ why this while am I so long of proving,                          55
Only³⁷ to show how this Earth still is moving?
And the heavens, as wheels, do turn³⁸ likewise,
As we do daily see before³⁹ our eyes.
Thus is made good the proverb, which doth say⁴⁰
That all the world on wheels doth run its way.⁴¹                    60
And by this⁴² turn such blasts of wind do blow,
As we may think they do like windmills⁴³ go.
But winds are made by Vulcan’s bellows sure,
Which makes the Earth such colics to endure,
For he, a smith, sits⁴⁴ at the forge below,                                  65
And is ordained⁴⁵ the center-fire to blow.
But Venus laughs to think what horns he wears,
Though on his shoulders half the Earth he bears.
Nature her metal makes him hammer⁴⁶ out,
Which she doth send⁴⁷ through mines the world about,      70
For he’s th’old man that doth i’th’center dwell,
She Proserpine, that’s thought the queen of hell.
Thus⁴⁸ Venus is a tinker’s wife, we see,
Not a goddess, as she was thought to be
When all the world to her did off’rings⁴⁹ bring,                     75
And her high praise in prose and verse did⁵⁰ sing,
And priests in orders on her altars tend,
And to her image all wise heads did⁵¹ bend.
But O vain ways, that mortal⁵² men did go
To worship gods, which themselves did⁵³ not know!            80
’Tis true, her son’s a pretty lad, and he⁵⁴
Doth wait as footboy on Queen Mab, whom she⁵⁵
Makes to enkindle fires, and set⁵⁶ up lights,
And keeps⁵⁷ the door for all the carpet-knights,⁵⁸
For when the queen is gone to bed asleep,⁵⁹                           85
Then a great⁶⁰ revel-rout the court doth keep.
Yet heretofore men did so strive⁶¹ to prove
That Cupid was the only god⁶² of love.
But if men could but⁶³ to the center go,
They soon would see that it were nothing so.                          90

Here Nature nurses, and doth send in⁶⁴ season
All things abroad, as she herself thinks⁶⁵ reason;
When she commands, all things do her obey,
Unless⁶⁶ her countermand some things do stay.
For she stays life, when drugs are well applied,⁶⁷                  95
And⁶⁸ healing balms to deadly wounds beside.⁶⁹
There Mab is queen of all by Nature’s will,
And by her favor she doth govern still.
O happy⁷⁰ Mab, that is in Nature’s grace,
For she is always young,⁷¹ being in this place.                        100
But leaving her,⁷² let’s go and see⁷³ the sport
That’s acted in the Queen of Fairy’s⁷⁴ court,⁷⁵

⁷⁶

In Fame’s great library are records⁷⁷ placed;
What act’s not there, into oblivion’s⁷⁸ cast.
There stand the shelves⁷⁹ of time, where books do lie,
Which books are tied by chains of destiny.
The master of this place they Favor call,                               5
Where Care, the door-keeper, doth lock up all,
Yet not so fast, but Brib’ry in doth steal,⁸⁰
Cozenage, Partiality—and truth not reveal.⁸¹
But bribery through all the world takes⁸² place,
And off’rings,⁸³ as a bribe, in heaven find⁸⁴ grace.              10
Then let not men disdain a bribe to take,
Since gods do blessings⁸⁵ give for a bribe’s sake.

This temple is divided in two parts:
Some open lie, others obscure⁸⁶ as hearts;
Some light as day, others are⁸⁷ dark as night,
By time’s obscurity worn out of sight.
The outward rooms are⁸⁸ glorious to the eye,                             5
In which Fame’s image placed are⁸⁹ on high,
Where⁹⁰ all the windows are triangulars cut,
Where one face into millions is⁹¹ put,
And builded is in squares, just like a cube,⁹²
Which way to double, hard is in dispute.⁹³                                10
Echoes therein do like as⁹⁴ balls rebound
From every corner, making a great sound.
The walls are hung with chapters⁹⁵ all of gold,
In letters great all actions there are told.
The temple door is of prospective glass,                                    15
Through which a small beam of our eye can pass.
That⁹⁶ makes truth there so⁹⁷ difficult to know,
As a new world in the bright moon⁹⁸ to show.
The steepl’and pillars are⁹⁹ of goose-quills built,
And plastered over with white paper gilt;                                 20
The painting is with ink as¹⁰⁰ black as jet,
In several works and figures like a net.
The steeple’s high, and yet¹⁰¹ not very light,
But as an¹⁰² evening is, ’twixt day and night.
Five tongues, the five bells through¹⁰³ the world do ring,       25
And to each several ear much news do bring.
The philosopher’s tongue doth give a deep sound,¹⁰⁴
But the historian’s is no better found;¹⁰⁵
Th’orator’s tongue doth make great noise; the sound¹⁰⁶
Of critics harsh, as full of flaws is found;¹⁰⁷                               30
The small bell, a poet’s tongue, changes¹⁰⁸ oft,
Whose motion is¹⁰⁹ quick, smooth, even,¹¹⁰ and soft.
The ropes they hang¹¹¹ by, one cannot¹¹² well see,
For they are¹¹³ long small threads of vainglory.
And when they ring, they make a fine¹¹⁴ sweet chime,           35
Especially when poets’ tongues do¹¹⁵ rhyme.
The belfry-man’s¹¹⁶ a printer by his skill,
Who,¹¹⁷ if he pleases, may ring when he will.
When priest to matins, or to vespers go,
To the high altar they bow very¹¹⁸ low.                                       40
This altar, where¹¹⁹ they offer unto Fame,
Is made of brains, arms, and hearts, without¹²⁰ blame,
On which lies wisdom, wit, strength, courage, love,
As¹²¹ sacrifices to great Fame¹²² above.
Vertues, arts, sciences as priests here stand,¹²³                         45
But Fortune, prioress, doth all command.¹²⁴
Incense of noble deeds to Fame she sends;
Nothing is offered, but what she commends,¹²⁵
For Fortune brings more into Fame’s high court
Than all the¹²⁶ virtues with their great resort.                           50

Fame on her nimble wings doth¹²⁷ actions bear,
Which fly about, and carry’m everywhere.
Sometime she overloaded¹²⁸ is with all,
And then some down into oblivion fall.
But those that would¹²⁹ to Fame’s high temple go,                 5
Must first great Honor’s temple quite pass through.

Honor’s brave temple’s¹³⁰ built both high and wide,
Whose walls are of clear glass on every side,
Where actions of all sorts are perfect seen,
Where Truth, the¹³¹ priest, approves which worthiest¹³² been,
And¹³³ on the altar of the world them lays,                                  5
And offers them with sacrificing praise,
Which offerings are so clean and without stain,¹³⁴¹³⁵
As Honor’s godhead cannot them disdain:¹³⁶
As pious tears, with thoughts most chaste and pure;
And patient minds, afflictions to endure;                                 10
Wise¹³⁷ brains, which bring things¹³⁸ to a good¹³⁹ effect;
And helping hands, where bribes are not¹⁴⁰ suspect;
A tongue, which truth in eloquence doth dress;
And lips, which worth praises do express;
Eyes that pry out, and spy examples good;                               15
Feet that in ways of mischief never stood;
Hair from those heads¹⁴¹ that shaved for holy vow,
Which as a witness, blessing gods allow;
Breasts, from whence¹⁴² proceed all good desires,
Which lock up secrets, if that need¹⁴³ requires;                        20
And hearts, from whence clear springs of love do rise,
Where loyal courage in the bottom lies;
Beside here’s spleens,¹⁴⁴ which never¹⁴⁵ malice bore;
And shoulders, which¹⁴⁶ distressèd burdens wore;
And humble knees, that bow¹⁴⁷ to ruling powers;                    25
And hands of bounty, which on mis’ry¹⁴⁸ showers;
King’s crowns, which rule¹⁴⁹ with justice, love, and peace,
Whose power serves¹⁵⁰ from slavery to release;
Here speculations from much¹⁵¹ musing grow,
Which reason’s¹⁵² proof and time’s experience show;            30
Witty inventions, which men profit bring;
Inspired¹⁵³ verse, which poets to¹⁵⁴ gods sing;
White innocence, as girdles, virgins¹⁵⁵ wear,
That only Hymen¹⁵⁶ from their waist doth tear;
And Hymen’s torches, which burn bright and clear,             35
Show jealousy and falsehood ne’er come¹⁵⁷ near;
Garlands of laurel, which keep ever green,
And¹⁵⁸ for the best of poets crowns have been;
The olive branch, which emblem is¹⁵⁹ of peace,
Is offered there¹⁶⁰ for the world’s good increase;                     40
Mirtle is laid for lovers that¹⁶¹ are true;
And for misfortunes is¹⁶² the bitter rue;
Sighs, which from deep compassion do flow out;
And faith,¹⁶³ which never knew to make a doubt.
These,¹⁶⁴ offered all with grateful hearts in ranks,                  45
Were sprinkled with the pure¹⁶⁵ essence of thanks,
Of pen’tent tears was th’holy water made;¹⁶⁶
Love’s flaming fire was on the altar laid.¹⁶⁷
The priests, which all the ceremonies there¹⁶⁸
Did execute, the four chief virtues were;¹⁶⁹                              50
These in¹⁷⁰ procession Honor high did raise,
And with their anthems sweetly sang¹⁷¹ her praise.

¹⁷²

Dishonor in the house of shame doth dwell;
The way is broad, and open is as¹⁷³ Hell.
The porter’s he whom Baseness we¹⁷⁴ do call,
And Idleness is¹⁷⁵ usher of the hall.
The house with dark forgetfulness is hung,                                5
And round about ingratitude is flung,
Boldness for windows,¹⁷⁶ which outface the light;
The curtains are dissembling,¹⁷⁷ drawn with spite.
With covetousness all gilded are the rooves;¹⁷⁸
The weathercock inconstancy still moves.¹⁷⁹                              10
Instead of pillars, obstinacy¹⁸⁰ stands,
Carved with perjury by cunning hands,
And Lust on beds of luxury doth¹⁸¹ lie,
Where chamberlains of jealousies out-spy.¹⁸²
Gardens of riot, where the wanton walks,                                15
Lascivious arbors where Obsceneness talks,
Storehouses of¹⁸³ theft ill-gotten goods lie¹⁸⁴ in,
A secret door¹⁸⁵ bolted with a false pin.
The bakehouse doth ill consciences¹⁸⁶ make;
False hearts, as ovens¹⁸⁷ hot, those hard do¹⁸⁸ bake.                  20
The brewhouse yields designs of wicked brains,¹⁸⁹
With corrupt measures and deceitful grains;¹⁹⁰
Drunkness the cellar, stomachs for barrels go;¹⁹¹
Mouths are the taps, whence spew for drink doth flow.¹⁹²
Kitchens of slander, where good names are burned,¹⁹³           25
Spits of revenge, on which ill deeds are turned;¹⁹⁴
The slaughter-house¹⁹⁵ of horrid murder’s¹⁹⁶ built,
A knife of cruelty, by which blood is spilt.¹⁹⁷
In matrimonial bonds Dishonor’s linked¹⁹⁸
With Infamy, which is as black as ink.                                        30

¹⁹⁹

To cover noble lovers with the²⁰⁰ weeds
Of ragged shepherds, too low²⁰¹ thoughts it breeds,
Like as when men make gods to come²⁰² down low,²⁰³
Take²⁰⁴ off all rev’rence²⁰⁵ and respect we owe.
Then rather make ladies²⁰⁶ fair nymphs to be,                             5
Who’re cloathed with beauty, bred with modesty;
Their²⁰⁷ tresses long hang on their shoulders²⁰⁸ white,
Which when they move, do give the gods delight.
Their²⁰⁹ quivers,²¹⁰ hearts of men, which fast are tied,
And arrows of quick flying eyes beside,                                     10
Buskins, which,²¹¹ buckled close with plates of gold,
With strength their legs from base ways back²¹² do hold.
And make men²¹³ champions, knights—which honor prize²¹⁴
Above the tempting of alluring eyes—
Which²¹⁵ seek to kill, or at the least to bind                                15
All evil passions in a wand’ring mind;
And²¹⁶ take those castles kept by scandals strong,
That have by errors been enchanted long,
Rout monstrous vices, which do²¹⁷ virtues eat:
These lovers worthy are of praises great.                                   20
So will high Fame aloud those praises sing;
Cupid those lovers shall to Hymen bring,
At Honor’s altar join both hearts and hands;
The gods will seal those²¹⁸ matrimonial bands.

²⁰⁹

The shepherdesses which great flocks do keep
Are dabbled high with dew following their sheep,
Milking their ewes, their hands do²¹⁹ dirty make,
For being²²⁰ wet, dirt from their duggs do take.
Through the sun’s heat, their skin doth yellow grow;²²¹            5
Their eyes are red, lips dry with winds²²² that blow.²²³
There shepherds sit on tops of mountains²²⁴ high,
And²²⁵ on their feeding sheep do cast an eye,
Which to the mount’s steep sides they hanging feed
On short moist grass,²²⁶ not suffered to bear seed.                    10
Their feet are small, but strong each sinew’s²²⁷ string,
Which makes²²⁸ them fast to rocks and mountains cling.
The while the shepherd’s legs hang dangling down,
He²²⁹ sets his breech upon the hill’s high crown.
Like to²³⁰ a tanned hide, so is²³¹ his skin;                                    15
No melting heat or numbing cold gets in,
And with a voice that’s harsh against his throat,
He strains to sing, yet knows not any note,
And, yawning, lazy²³² lies upon his side,
Or straight upon his back with²³³ arms spread wide,             20
Or, snorting, sleeps, and dreams of Joan his²³⁴ maid,
Or of hobgoblins,²³⁵ wakes as being afraid—
Motion in his²³⁶ dull brains doth plow and sow,
Not plant and set, as skilfull gard’ners²³⁷ do—
Or²³⁸ takes his knife half broke, but ground again,²³⁹              25
And whittles sticks, his sheep-cote up to pin,²⁴⁰
Or cuts some holes in straw, to pipe thereon
Some amorous tunes, which pleaseth his love Joan.²⁴¹
Thus rustic clowns are pleased to spend their times,
And not as poets feign, in verse and rhymes,²⁴²                       30
Making great kings and princes pastures keep,
And beauteous ladies follow²⁴³ flocks of sheep,
And dance²⁴⁴ ’bout maypoles in a rustic sort,
When ladies scorn to dance without a court.
For they their loves would²⁴⁵ hate if they should come          35
With leather jerkins, breeches made of thrum,
And buskins made of frieze that’s coarse and strong,
With²⁴⁶ clouted shoes, tied with a leather thong.
Those that are nicely bred fine clothes still love;
A fair white hand doth hate a²⁴⁷ dirty glove.                            40

²³⁶

The brain is the²⁴⁸ Elysian fields, for there²⁴⁹
All ghosts and spirits in strong dreams appear.
In gloomy shades do sleepy lovers²⁵⁰ walk,
And²⁵¹ souls do entertain themselves with talk,
And heroes their great actions do relate,                                   5
Telling both their good fortune and²⁵² sad fate,
What chanced to them when they awake²⁵³ did live,
Their world the light did great Apollo give;
And what in life they could a pleasure call,
Here in these fields they pass their time withal,                     10
Where Memory, the ferryman, with him²⁵⁴
Brings²⁵⁵ company, which through the senses swim.
The boat, imagination, ’s²⁵⁶ always full,
Which Charon roweth in the region skull,
In which the famous river Styx doth flow,²⁵⁷                            15
Wherein who’s dipped, straight doth forgetful grow.²⁵⁸
And²⁵⁹ this Elysium poets happy call,
Where poets, as great gods, do record²⁶⁰ all
The souls of those that²⁶¹ they will choose for bliss,
And their sweet numbered verse their passport is.                20
And²⁶² those that strive this happy place to have²⁶³
Must go to bed and sleep as in a grave.²⁶⁴
Yet what a stir do poets make, when they
By their wit, Mercury, those souls convey!
But what, cannot the godhead wit create,                                 25
Whose fancies are both destiny and fate?²⁶⁵
Fame is²⁶⁶ the thread which long or²⁶⁷ short they spin;
The world, as flax unto their distaff bring.²⁶⁸
This distaff spins fine canvas of conceit,
Wherein the sense is woven ev’n²⁶⁹ and straight;                    30
But if’t²⁷⁰ in knots and snarls entangled be,
The thread of fame doth run unevenly.
Those that care not to live in poets’ verse,
Let them lie dead upon oblivion’s hearse.

²⁶²

O love, how thou art tired out with rhyme!
Thou art a tree whereon all poets climb,
And from thy tender branches everyone²⁷¹
Doth take some²⁷² fruit, which fancy feeds upon.
But now thy tree is left so bare and poor,                  5
That they can hardly gather one plum more.