Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

Therefore a god him sage Antiquity
Did wisely make, and good Agdistes call;
But this same was to that quite contrary,
The foe of life, that good envies to all,
That secretly doth us procure to fall
Through guileful semblants which he
makes us see:

He of this garden had the governal,
And Pleasure's porter was devised to be,
Holding a staff in hand for more formality.

With diverse flowers he daintily was decked,

And strowed round about; and by his side

A mighty mazer* bowl of wine was set,
As if it had to him been sacrificed;
Wherewith all new-come guests he grati-
fied:

So did he eke Sir Guyon passing by,
But he his idle courtesy defied,
And overthrew his bowl disdainfully,
And broke his staff, with which he charmed
semblants sly.

Thus being entered, they behold around
A large and spacious plain on every side
Strowed with pleasaunce; whose fair

grassy ground

Mantled with green, and goodly beautified With all the ornaments of Flora's pride, Wherewith her mother Art, as half in

scorn

Of niggard Nature, like a pompous bride Did deck her, and too lavishly adorn, When forth from virgin bow'r she comes in th' early morn.

Thereto the heavens always jovial Looked on them lovely, still in steadfast state,

Ne suffered storm nor frost on them to fall,

Their tender buds or leaves to violate: Nor scorching heat, nor cold intemperate, T' afflict the creatures which therein did

dwell;

But the mild air with season moderate Gently attempered and disposed so well, That still it breathed forth sweet spirit and wholesome smell.

More sweet and wholesome than the pleasant hill [bore

Of Rhodope, on which the nymph, that A giant babe, herself for grief did kill;

* A carved bowl of maple wood.

Or the Thessalian Tempe, where of yore Fair Daphne Phoebus' heart with love did gore;

Or Ida, where the gods loved to repair, Whenever they their heavenly bowers forlore ;

Or sweet Parnasse, the haunt of Muses fair;

Or Eden self, if aught with Eden mote compare.

Much wondered Guyon at the fair aspect Of that sweet place, yet suffered no delight

To sink into his sense, nor mind affect; But passed forth, and looked still forward right,

Bridling his will and mastering his might: Till that he came unto another gate;

No gate, but like one, being goodly dight With boughs and branches, which did broad dilate

Their clasping arms in wanton wreathing's intricate.

[blocks in formation]

That so fair winepress made the wine more

sweet.

Thereof she used to give to drink to each Whom passing by she happened to meet: It was her guise all strangers goodly so to greet.

So she to Guyon offered it to taste,
Who, taking it out of her tender hond,
The cup to ground did violently cast,
That all in pieces it was broken fond,
And with the liquor stained all the lond:
Whereat Excess exceedingly was wroth,
Yet no'te the same amend, ne yet with-
stond,

But suffered him to pass, all were she loth: Who, nought regarding her displeasure, forward goth.

There the most dainty paradise on ground Itself doth offer to his sober eye,

In which all pleasures plenteously abound, And none does other's happiness envy; The painted flowers; the trees upshooting high;

The dales for shade; the hills for breathing space;

The trembling groves; the crystal running by;

And, that which all fair works doth most

aggrace,

The art, which all that wrought, appeared in no place.

One would have thought (so cunningly the rude

And scorned parts were mingled with the fine),

That Nature had for wantoness ensued Art, and that Art of Nature did repine; So striving each th' other to undermine, Each did the other's work more beautify; So differing both in wills agreed in fine: So all agreed, through sweet diversity, This garden to adorn with all variety.

And in the midst of all a fountain stood, Ofrichest substance that on earth might be, So pure and shiny that the silver flood Through every channel running one might

see;

Most goodly it with curious imagery
Was overwrought, and shapes of naked
boys,

Of which some seemed of lively jollity
To fly about, playing their wanton toys,
Whilst others did themselves embay in

liquid joys.

[blocks in formation]

Eftsoones they heard a most melodious sound

Of all that mote delight a dainty ear,
Such as at once might not on living ground,
Save in this paradise, be heard elsewhere:
Right hard it was for wight which did it
hear

To read what manner music that mote be;
For all that pleasing is to living ear
Was there consorted in one harmony;
Birds, voices, instruments, winds, waters,
all agree:

The joyous birds, shrouded in cheerful
shade,
[sweet;

Their notes unto the voice attempered The angelical soft trembling voices made To th' instruments divine respondence meet;

The silver-sounding instruments did meet With the base murmur of the waters' fall; The waters fall with difference discreet, Now soft, now loud, unto the wind did

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

And twixt the pearls and rubies softly brake A silver sound, that heavenly music seemed to make.

Upon her eyelids many graces sate,
Under the shadow of her even brows,
Working belgardes and amorous retrate;
And every one her with a grace endows,
And every one with meekness to her bows:
So glorious mirror of celestial grace,
And sovereign moniment of mortal vows,
How shall frail pen describe her heavenly
face,
[to disgrace!

For fear, through want of skill, her beauty

So fair, and thousand thousand times more
fair,
[sight;

She seemed, when she presented was to
And was yclad for heat of scorching air,
All in a silken Camus, lily white,
Purfled upon with many a folded plight,
Which all above besprinkled was through-

out

With golden aygulets that glistered bright, Like twinkling stars; and all the skirt about Was hemmed with golden fringe.

Below her ham her weed did somewhat
train,
[embayled
And her straight legs most bravely were
In gilden buskins of costly cordwayne,
All barred with golden bends, which were
entayled
[mayled.

With curious antiques, and full fair au-
Before they fastened were under her knee
In a rich jewel, and therein entrayled
The ends of all the knots, that none might
[enwrapped be:
How they within their foldings close

see

[blocks in formation]
[graphic][ocr errors][merged small]
« AnteriorContinuar »