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From those high towers this noble lord issuing,
Like radiant Hesper, when his golden hayre
In th' ocean billowes he hath bathed fayre,
Descended to the rivers open vewing,
With a great traine ensuing..

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Above the rest were goodly to bee seene

Two gentle Knights of lovely face and feature,
Beseeming well the bower of any queene,
With gifts of wit, and ornaments of nature,

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Fit for so goodly stature,

That like the Twins of love they seem'd in sight,
Which decke the bauldricke of the heavens bright;
They two, forth pacing to the rivers side,

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Receiv'd those two faire Brides, their loves delight; Which, at th' appointed tyde,

Each one did make his Bryde

Against their brydale day, which is not long:

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Sweet Themmes! runne softly, till I end my song.

EPITHALAMION.

YE learned Sisters, which have oftentimes

Beene to me ayding, others to adorne,
Whom ye thought worthy of your gracefull rymes,
That even the greatest did not greatly scorne
To heare theyr names sung in your simple layes,
But ioyed in theyr praise;

And when ye list your own mishaps to mourne,
Which death, or love, or fortunes wreck did rayse,
Your string could soone to sadder tenor turne,

And teach the woods and waters to lament

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Your dolefull dreriment:

Now lay those sorrowfull complaints aside;

And, having all your heads with girlands crownd,

Helpe me mine owne Loves prayses to resound;

Ne let the same of any be envide:

So Orpheus did for his owne bride!

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So I unto my selfe alone will sing;

The woods shall to me answer, and my eccho ring..

Early, before the worlds light-giving lampe
His golden beame upon the hils doth spred,
Having disperst the nights unchearfull dampe,
Doe ye awake; and, with fresh lustyhed,

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Go to the bowre of my beloved Love,

My truest turtle dove ;

Bid her awake; for Hymen is awake,

And long since ready forth his maske to move,

With his bright tead that flames with many a flake,
And many a bachelor to waite on him,

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In theyr fresh garments trim.

Bid her awake therefore, and soone her dight,

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For loe! the wished day is come at last,

That shall, for all the paynes and sorrowes past,

Pay to her usury of long delight:

And, whylest she doth her dight,

Doe ye to her of ioy and solace sing,

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That all the woods may answer, and your eccho ring.

Bring with you all the Nymphes that you can heare
Both of the Rivers and the Forrests greene,
And of the Sea that neighbours to her neare;
All with gay girlands goodly wel beseene.
And let them also with them bring in hand
Another gay girland,

For my fayre Love, of Lillyes and of Roses,
Bound truelove wize, with a blew silke riband.
And let them make great store of bridale poses,
And let them eke bring store of other flowers,
To deck the bridale bowers.

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And let the ground whereas her foot shall tread,
For feare the stones her tender foot should wrong,
Be strewd with fragrant flowers all along,

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And diapred lyke the discolored mead.

Which done, doe at her chamber dore awayt,
For she will waken strayt;

The whiles do ye this Song unto her sing,

The woods shall to you answer, and your eccho ring.

Ye Nymphes of Mulla, which with carefull heed
The silver scaly trouts do tend full well,
And greedy pikes which use therein to feed ;*
(Those trouts and pikes all others doe excell ;)
And ye likewise, which keepe the rushy lake,
Where none doo fishes take;

Bynd up the locks the which hang scatterd light,
And in his waters, which your mirror make,
Behold your faces as the christall bright,

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That when you come whereas my Love doth lie,
No blemish she may spie.

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And eke, ye lightfoot mayds, which keepe the dore,
That on the hoary mountayne use to towre;
And the wylde wolves, which seeke them to devoure,
With your steele darts doe chace from coming neer;
Be also present heere,

To helpe to decke her, and to help to sing,
That all the woods may answer, and your eccho ring.

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Wake now, my Love, awake; for it is time;
The rosy Morne long since left Tithons bed,

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All ready to her silver coche to clyme;
And Phoebus gins to shew his glorious hed.

Hark! how the cheerefull birds do chaunt theyr laies,
And carroll of Loves praise.

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