The luckles Clarion, whether cruell Fate
Or wicked Fortune faultles him misled,
Or some ungracious blast out of the gate
Of Æoles raine perforce him drove on hed, 420
Was (0 sad hap, and hour unfortunate!)
With violent swift flight forth caried
Into the cursed cobweb, which his foe
Had framed for his finall overthroe.

There the fond Flie, entangled, strugled long, 425
Himselfe to free thereout; but all in vaine.
For, striving more, the more in laces strong
Himselfe be tide, and wrapt his wingës twaine
In lymie snares the subtill loupes among ;

That i the ende he breathlesse did remaine, 430
And, all his yongthly forces idly spent,
Him to the mercie of th' avenger lent.

Which when the griesly tyrant did espie,
Like a grimme lyon rushing with fierce might
Out of his den, he seized greedelie

On the resistles pray, and, with fell spight,
Under the left wing strooke his weapon slie
Into his heart, that his deepe groning spright
In bloodie streames forth fied into the aire,
His bodie left the spectacle of care.

435

440

BRITTAIN'S IDA.

IN SIX CANTOS.

To the right noble Lady,

MARY,

Daughter to the most illustrious Prince,

GEORGE,

DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM.

MOST noble Lady! I have presumed to present this Poëm to your honourable hand, encouraged onely by the worth of the famous Author, (for I am certainely assured, by the ablest and most knowing men, that it must be a worke of Spencers, of whom it were pitty that any thing should bee last,) and doubting not but your Lady-ship will graciously accept, though from a meane hand, this humble present, since the man that offers it is a true honourer and observer of your selfe and your princely family, and shall ever remaine

The humblest of your devoted servants,

THOMAS WALKLEY.

MARTIAL.

Accipe facundi Culicem studiose Maronis,
Ne nugis positis, arma virumque canas.

SEE here that stately Muse that erst could raise
In lasting numbers great Elizaes praise,

And dresse fair vertue in so rich attire,
That even her foes were forced to admire
And court her heavenly beauty! Shee that taught
The Graces grace, and made the Vertues thought
More vertuous than before, is pleased here
To slacke her serious flight, and feed your eare
With love's delightsome toys: doe not refuse
These harmlesse sports; 'tis learned Spencer's
Muse;

But think his loosest poëms worthier than
The serious follies of unskilfull men.

In Ida vale, (who knowes not Ida vale?)
When harmlesse Troy yet felt not Græcian spite,
An hundred shepheards wonn 'd,and inthe dale,[bite,
While their faire flockes the three-leav'd pastures
The shepheards boyes, with hundred sportings light,
Gave winges unto the times too speedy hast: 6

Ah, foolish Lads! that strove with lavish wast
So fast to spend the time that spends your time as

Amongst the rest, that all the rest excel'd,
A dainty boy there wonn'd, whose harmlesse yeares
Now in their freshest budding gently sweld;
His nimphe-like face nere felt the nimble sheeres,
Youths downy blossome through his cheeke ap-
peares ;

His lovely limbes (but love he quite discarded)
Were made for play (but he no play regarded)
And fit love to reward, and with love be rewarded.

III.

High was his fore-head, archt with silver mould, (Where never anger churlish rinkle dighted,) ig His auburne lockes hung like dark threds of gold, That wanton aires (with their fair length incited) To play amongst their wanton curles delighted;"

IV.

His smilingeyeswith simple truth were stor'd: [stor'd,
Ah! how should truth in those thiefe eyes be
Which thousand loves had stol'n, and never one
[restor❜d?
His lilly-cheeke might seeme an ivory plaine, 25
More purely white than frozen Apenine,
Where lovely Bashfulnesse did sweetly raine,
In blushing scarlet cloth'd and purple fine.
A hundred hearts had this delightfull shrine,
(Still cold it selfe) inflam'd with hot desire, 30
That well the face might seem, in divers tire,
To be a burning snow, or else a freezing fire.

V.

His cheerfull lookes and merry face would prove
(If eyes the index be where thoughts are read)
A dainty play-fellow for naked Love;
Of all the other parts enough is sed,

35

That they were fit twins for so fayre a head:
Thousand boyes for him, thousand maidens dyde;
Dye they that list, for such his rigorous pride,
He thousand boyes (ah, Foole !) and thousand
[maids deni'd.
His ioy was not in musique's sweet delight,
(Though well his hand had learnt that cunning arte,)
Or dainty songs to daintier eares indite,

VI.

41

But through the plaines to chase the nimble hart With well-tun'd hounds; or with his certaine dart The tusked boar or savage beare to wound; 46

Meane time his heart with monsters doth abound; Ah, Fool! to seeke so farre what neerer might be ..found.