PROTHALAMION: OR, A SPOUSALL VERSE, MADE BY EDM. SPENSER, In honour of the double marriage of the two Honorable and vertuous ladies, the Ladie Elizabeth, and the Ladie Katherine Somerset, daughters to the Right Honorable the Earle of Worcester, and espoused to the two worthie Gentlemen, M. Henry Gilford and M. William Peter, Esquyers. CALME was the day, and through the trembling ayre Sweete-breathing Zephyrus did softly play A gentle spirit, that lightly did delay Hot Titans beames, which then did glyster fayre; Along the shoare of silver streaming Themmes; And all the meades adornd with dainty gemmes, And crowne their Paramours Against the Brydale day, which is not long: Sweet Themmes! runne softly, till I end my Song. There, in a Meadow, by the Rivers side, And each one had a little wicker basket, In which they gathered flowers to fill their flasket, And with fine fingers cropt full feateously Of every sort, which in that Meadow grew, They gathered some; the Violet, pallid blew, The virgin Lillie, and the Primrose trew, To deck their Bridegroomes posies Against the Brydale day, which was not long: Sweet Themmes! runne softly, till I end my Song. With that I saw two Swannes of goodly hewe The snow, which doth the top of Pindus strew, Nor Jove himselfe, when he a Swan would be Yet Leda was (they say) as white as he, That even the gentle stream, the which them bare, That shone as heavens light, Against their Brydale day, which was not long: Sweet Themmes! runne softly, till I end my Song. 27 Eftsoones the Nymphes, which now had flowers their fill, Ran all in haste to see that silver brood, As they came floating on the cristall Flood; Whom when they sawe, they stood amazed still, Their wondring eyes to fill; Them seem'd they never saw a sight so fayre, Which through the Skie draw Venus silver Teeme ; For sure they did not seeme To be begot of any earthly Seede, But rather Angels, or of Angels breede; Yet were they bred of Somers-heat, they say, In sweetest Season, when each Flower and weede So fresh they seem'd as day, Even as their Brydale day, which was not long : Then forth they all out of their baskets drew That like old Peneus Waters they did seeme, 63 Two of those Nymphes, meane while, two garlands bound Of freshest Flowres which in that Mead they found, The which presenting all in trim Array, Their snowie Foreheads therewithall they crownd, Prepar'd against that Day, Against their Brydale day, which was not long: "Ye gentle Birdes! the worlds faire ornament, And let faire Venus, that is Queene of Love |