Nor griesly vultures, make us once affeard:
Ne let th' unpleasant quyre of frogs still croking
Make us to wish theyr choking.

Let none of these theyr drery accents sing;

Ne let the woods them answer, nor theyr eccho ring.

But let stil Silence trew night-watches keepe,

That sacred Peace

may

in assurance rayne,

And tymely Sleep, when it is tyme to sleepe,

May poure his limbs forth on your pleasant playne;

The whiles an hundred little winged Loves,

Like divers-fethered doves,

350

355

Shall fly and flutter round about the bed,

And in the secret darke, that none reproves,

360

Their prety stealthes shall worke, and snares shall spread To filch away sweet snatches of delight,

Conceald through covert night.

Ye Sonnes of Venus, play your sports at will!

For greedy Pleasure, carelesse of your toyes,

Thinks more upon her Paradise of ioyes,
Then what ye do, albe it good or ill.
All night therefore attend your merry play,

For it will soone be day:

365

Now none doth hinder you, that say or sing;

370

Ne will the woods now answer, nor your eccho ring.

Who is the same, which at my window peepes?
Or whose is that faire face that shines so bright?
Is it not Cinthia, she that never sleepes,
But walkes about high heaven al the night?
O! fayrest goddesse, do thou not envy

My Love with me to spy:

For thou likewise didst love, though now unthought,

375

And for a fleece of wooll, which privily

The Latmian Shepherd once unto thee brought, 380 His pleasures with thee wrought.

Therefore to us be favorable now;

And sith of wemens labours thou hast charge,
And generation goodly dost enlarge,

Encline thy will t' effect our wishfull vow,
And the chast womb informe with timely seed,
That may our comfort breed:

Till which we cease our hopefull hap to sing,
Ne let the woods us answer, nor our eccho ring.

And thou, great Iuno! which with awful might
The Lawes of Wedlock still dost patronize;
And the religion of the faith first plight

With sacred rites hast taught to solemnize;
And eke for comfort often called art

Of women in their smart;

Eternally bind thou this lovely band,
And all thy blessings unto us impart.

And thou, glad Genius! in whose gentle hand
The bridale bowre and geniall bed remaine,
Without blemish or staine;

And the sweet pleasures of theyr loves delight
With secret ayde doost succour and supply,
Till they bring forth the fruitfull progeny ;
Send us the timely fruit of this same night.
And thou, fayre Hebe! and thou, Hymen free!
Grant that it may so be.
Till which we cease your further prayse to sing;
any woods shall answer, nor your eccho ring.

Ne

Ver. 380.- Latmian Shepherd.] Endymion.

385

390

395

400

405

And ye high heavens, the temple of the gods,
In which a thousand torches flaming bright
Doe burne, that to us wretched earthly clods
In dreadful darknesse lend desired light;

And all ye powers which in the same remayne,
More than we men can fayne;

Poure out your blessing on us plentiously,

And happy influence upon us raine,

That we may raise a large posterity,

410

415

Which from the earth, which they may long possesse

With lasting happinesse,

Up to your haughty pallaces may mount;
And, for the guerdon of theyr glorious merit,
May heavenly tabernacles there inherit,
Of blessed Saints for to increase the count.
So let us rest, sweet Love, in hope of this,
And cease till then our tymely ioyes to sing:

420

425

The woods no more us answer, nor our eccho ring!

Song! made in lieu of many ornaments,

With which my Love should duly have been dect,
Which cutting off through hasty accidents,

Ye would not stay your dew time to expect,
But promist both to recompens;

Be unto her a goodly ornament,
And for short time an endlesse moniment!

430

FOWRE HYMNES,

MADE BY

EDM. SPENSER.