Therefore a god him sage Antiquity He of this garden had the governal, With diverse flowers he daintily was decked, And strowed round about; and by his side A mighty mazer* bowl of wine was set, So did he eke Sir Guyon passing by, Thus being entered, they behold around 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. 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, 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 Of which some seemed of lively jollity liquid joys. Eftsoones they heard a most melodious sound Of all that mote delight a dainty ear, To read what manner music that mote be; The joyous birds, shrouded in cheerful 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 And twixt the pearls and rubies softly brake A silver sound, that heavenly music seemed to make. Upon her eyelids many graces sate, For fear, through want of skill, her beauty So fair, and thousand thousand times more She seemed, when she presented was to 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 With curious antiques, and full fair au- see |