She, when she Gartha saw, no kindness feign'd, As if to love, a maid's first sorrow, us'd. Then soon from grave respect to fondness grew; To kisses in their taste and odour sweet, As Hybla hony, or Arabian dew. And Gartha, like an eastern monarch's bride, The small but fruitful seed of publick warre. In both these cures her sov'raign help appears, No art lie hid, nor artist case his thought, Nor in Heav'n's quire no saint remain unsought; Which love had in her fits of pitty shown, And with a loud ungovern'd kindness mourn'd. With thoughts too singly to her self confin'd, Sad darkness, which does other virgins fright, Till he her curtains drew, and thus complain'd: Their second wealth, after the best is shown. "In pitty's passion you unvail'd your minde; As that you can for love discover'd grieve. (Which, weeping through your stills, my health restor'd) Bring to the temple to adorn your head, And there, where you did worship, be ador'd." This with a low regard (but voice rais'd high By joys of love) he spake; and not less kinde Was now (ent'ring with native harmony, Like forward spring) the blooming Rhodalind. Laura, like autumn, with as ripe a look; He be, watching who thrives in Laura's sight); To hasten Orna to her marriage plight. Till a spent morn recovers all her face. And Orna now (importun'd to possess Her long wish'd joys) breaks thro' her blushes so, On which the coward, Solitude, does feed. And Orna to the sacred temple bring; The Lombards long by custome had embrac't; For lawes by force, customes by pleasure, last. And wisely ancients, by this needfull snare For wedlock, to the wilde, is the state's net. And this loud joy, before the marriage rites, Like battail's musick which to fights prepare, Many to strife and sad success invites ; For marriage is too oft but civil warr. A truth too amply known to those who read For it is sung, (though by a mourning voice) For Hermegild too studiously foresaw The count's allyance with the duke's high blood, Might from the Lombards such affection draw, As could by Hubert never be withstood. And he in haste with Gartha does retire, Where thus his breast he opens to prevent, That Hymen's hallow'd torch may not take fire, When all these lesser lights of joy are spent: "High Heaven (from whose best lights your beauty grows, Born high, as highest mindes) preserve you still From such, who then appear resistless foes, When they allyance joyn to armes and skill! "Most by conjunction planets harmfull are; So rivers joyning overflow the land, And forces joyu'd inake that destructive warre, Which else our common conduct may withstand. "Their knees to Hurgonil the people bow, And worship Orna in her brother's right; They must be sever'd, or like palms will grow, Which, planted near, out-climbe their native height “As windes, whose violence out-does all art, Must force till his deep root in rising dy. "If we make noise whilst our deep workings last, Such rumour thro' thick towns unheeded flies, As winds thro' woods, and we (our great work past) Like winds will silence tongues, and scape from eyes." E're this dark lesson she was clearer taught, His enter'd slaves place at her rev'renc'd feet A spacious cabinet, with all things fraught, Which seem'd for wearing artful, rich, and sweet. With leisurely delight she by degrees Lifts ev'ry till, does ev'ry drawer draw; But nought which to her sex belongs she sees, And for the male all nice adornments saw. This seem'd to breed some strangeness in her eyes, The ambitious maid at scornfull distance stood, He knew great mindes, disorder'd by mistake, Thus humbly, that extremes he might prevent: "How ill (delightfull maid!) shall I deserve My life's last flame, fed by your beauty's fire, If I shall vex your vertues, that preserve Others' weak vertues, which would else expire. "How, more than death, shall I my life despise, When your fear'd frowns make me your service fear! When I scarce dare to say, that the disguise And fashion is but that which numbers choose. "If you approve what numbers lawful think, Be bold, for number cancels bashfulness; Extremes, from which a king would blushing shrink, Unblushing senates act as no excess." Thus he his thoughts (the picture of his minde) By a dark vayle to sudden sight deny'd, That she might prise what seem'd so hard to finde; For curtains promise worth in what they hide. He said her manhood would not strange appear In court, where all the fashion is disguise; Where masquerades are serious all the year: None known but strangers, nor secure but spies. All rules he reads of living great in courts, Which some the art of wise dissembling call; For pow'r (born to have foes) much weight supports By their false strength who thrust to make it fall. He bids her wear her beauty free as light; By cares as open be to all endeer'd; For the unthinking croud judge by their sight, And seem half eas'd, when they are fully heard, He shuts her breast even from familiar eyes; For he who secrets (pow'r's chief treasure) spends To purchase friendship, friendship dearly buys: Since pow'r seeks great confed'rates, more than friends. And now with councels more particular, He taught her how to wear tow'rdes Rhodalind Her looks, which of the minde false pictures are ; And then how Orna may believe her kinde. How Laura too may be (whose practis'd eyes (Adorn'd, as if to grace magnifique feasts) Bright Rhodalind, with the elected bride, And with the bride all her selected guests. They Gartha in their civil pity sought, Whom they in midst of triumphs mist, and feare Least her full breast (with Hubert's sorrows fraught) She, like a mourner, came to empty here. But she and Hermegild are wilde with hast, As traytors are whom visitants surprise; Decyph'ring that which fearfully they cast In some dark place, where viler treason lies. So open they the fatal cabinet, To shut things slighter with the consequent; Then soon their rally'd looks in posture set, And boldly with them to their triumphs went. Tybalt, who Laura gravely ever led, With ceaseless whispers laggs behinde the train, Trys, since her wary governour is dead, How the fair fort he may by treaty gain. For now unhappy Arnold she forsakes, Yet is he blest that she does various prove, When his spent heart for no unkindness askes, Since from the light as sever'd as from love. Yet as in storms and sickness newly gon, Some clouds a while and strokes of faintness last; So, in her brow, so much of grief is shown, As shows a tempest or a sickness past. But him no more with such sad eyes she seeks, As even at feasts would make old tyrants weep; Nor more attempts to wake him with such shreeks, As threatned all where Death's deaf pris'ners sleep. Hugo and him, as leaders, now she names, Not much as lovers does their fame approve ; Nor her own fate, but chance of battel blames, As if they dy'd for honour, not for love. This Tybalt saw, and findes that the turn'd stream Yet could he not forget the kinde esteem Nor does it often scape his memory, How gravely he had vow'd, that if her eyes, And whilst he watch'd like an industrious spy As senates count'nance laws, or synods truth. But men are frail, more glass than women are! Tybalt, who with a stay'd judicious heart Would love, grows vain amidst his gravest care: Love, free by nature, scorns the bonds of art! Laura (whose fort he by approach would gain) With a weak sigh blows up his mine, and smiles, Gives fire but with her eye, and he is s'ain; Or treats, and with a whisper him beguiles. Nor force of arms or arts (O Love!) endures And our own force by others' weakness learn; Where all their weakness and diseases spring From their not knowing, and not hon'ring thee In those, who Nature in they triumphs sing. GONDIBERT. CANTO THE SECOND. THE ARGUMENT. Whilst Birtha and the duke their joyes persue And have in Goltho greater triumphs wrought: THE prosp❜rous Gondibert from Birtha gains All bashful plights a maid's first bounties give; Fast vows, which binde Love's captives more than chains, Yet free Love's saints in chosen bondage live. Few were the dayes, and swiftly seem'd to waste, Which thus he in his minde's fruition spent ; And least some envious cloud should overcast His love's fair morn, oft to his camp he sent, To Bergamo, where still intrenched were Those youth, whom first his father's army bred; Who ill the rumour of his wounds did bear, Tho' he that gave them of his own be dead. And worse those haughty threat'nings they abhor, Which Fame from Brescia's ancient fighters brought; Vain Fame, the people's trusted orator, [wrought. Whose speech (too fluent) their mistakes has Oft Goltho with his temp'rate councels went, To quench whom Fame to dang'rous fury warm'd, Till temp'rately his dangers they resent, And think him safest in their patience arm'd. And safe now is his love, as love could be, If all the world like old Arcadia were; Honour the monarch, and all lovers free From jealousie, as safety is from fear. And Birtha's heart does to his civil breast As much for ease and peace, as safety come; For there 'tis serv'd and treated as a guest, But watch'd, and taught, and often chid at home. Like great and good confed' rates, whose designe Invades not others, but secures their own, So they in just and vertuous hopes combine, Aud are, like new confed'rates, busie grown. With whisper earnest, and now grave with thought, They walk consulting, standing they debate; And then seek shades, where they in vaine are sought By servants, who intrude and think they waite. In this great league, their most important care Was to dispatch their rites; yet so provide, That all the court might think them free as ayre, When fast as faith they were by Hymen ty'd. "For if the king" (said he)" our love surprise, His stormy rage will it rebellion call, Who claims to choose the brides of his allys, And in that storm our joys in blossome fall. "Our love your cautious father onely knowes, (On whose safe prudence senates may depend) And Goltho, who to time few reck'nings owes, Yet can discharge all duties of a friend." Such was his minde, and hers (more busy) shows That bonds of love doe make her longer fast Than Hymen's knot, as plain religion does, Longer than rites (religion's fashions) last. That her discretion somewhat does appeare, Since she can love, her mind's chief beauty, hide; Which never farther went than Thula's eare, Who had (alas!) but for that secret di'de. That she already had disguises fram'd, [side; And sought out caves, where she might close reAs being nor unwilling nor asham'd To live his captive, so she die his bride. Full of themselves, delight them onward leads, Where in the front was to remoter view Exalted hills, and nearer prostrate meads, With forrests flanck'd, where shade to darkness grew. Beneath that shade two rivers slily steal, Through narrow walks, to wider Adice, To leave swift Fame behinde him by his haste. Or like calm death, will bury what we speak. But Orgo enters speechless with his speed; Hail, my lov'd lord! whom Fame does vallue By hearing what he thought he knew before. "Thy diligence" (said he) "is high desert, It does in youth supply defects of skil, And is of duty the most useful part; Yet art thou now but slow to Hurgonil: And that their nuptials for my presence stay." Orgo reply'd: "Though that a triumph be, Where all false lovers are, like savage kings, Led captive after love's great victory, It does but promise what your triumph brings. "It was the eve to this your holy-day! And now Verona mistriss does appear Of Lombardy; and all the flowers which May E're wore, does as the countrie's favours wear. "The weary Eccho from the hills makes haste, Vex'd that the bells still call for her replies, When they so many are, and ring so faste; Yet oft are silenc'd by the people's cries: "Who send to Heav'n the name of Rhodalind, And then duke Gondibert as high they raise, To both with all their publick passion kinde, If kindnesse shine in wishes and in praise. "The king this day made your adoption known, Proclaim'd you to the empire next ally'd, As heir to all his conquests and his crown, For royal Rhodalind must be your bride.” Not all the dangers valour findes in war, Love meets in courts, or pride to courts procures, When sick with peace they hot in faction are, Can make such fears as now the duke endures. Nor all those fears which ev'ry maid has found, On whose first guards Love by surprises steals, (Whose sightless arrow makes a cureless wound) Are like to this which doubtful Birtha feels. He from his looks wild wonder strives to chase; Strives more to teach his manhood to resist. Death in her eyes; and then, with all the grace Of seeming pleasure, Orgo he dismist. And Orgo being gone, low as her knees Could fall, she fell; and soon he bends as low With weight of heart, griev'd that no grave he sees, To sink where love no more can sorrow know. Her sighs, as showrs lay windes, are calm'd with tears; And parting life seems stay'd awhile to take A civil leave, whilst her pale visage wears A cleerer sky, and thus she weeping spake : "Since such a prince has forfeited his pow'r, Heav'n give me leave to make my duty less, Let me my vows as sudden oathes abhor, Which did my passion, not my truth, express. "Yet yours I would not think were counterfeit, But rather ill and rashly understood; For 'tis impossible I can forget So soon, that once you fatally were good. "Tho' cruel now as beasts where they have pow'r Choosing, like them, to make the weakest bleed, For weakness soon invites you to devour, And a submission gives you ease to feed. "To fighting fields send all your honour back, To courts your dang'rous tongue and civil shape, That country maids may men no more mistake, Nor seek dark death, that they may love escape." Бе Now soon to Heav'n her soul had found the way, (For there it oft had been in pray'r and praise) But that his vows did life with loudness stay, And life's warm help did soon her body raise. And now he gently leads her; for no more He lets th' unhallow'd ground a faln flowre wear, Sweeter than Nature's bosome ever wore ; And now these vows sends kindly to her ear: "If (Birtha) I am false, think none to blame For thinking truth (by which the soul subsists) No farther to be found than in the name; Think bumane kind betraid even by their priests. "Think all my sex so vile, that you may chide Those maids who to your mother's nuptials ran; And praise your mother, who so early dy'de, Remembring whom she marry'd was a man. "This great court miracle you straight receive From Orgo, and your faith the whole allows : Why, since you Orgo's words so soon believe, Will you less civilly suspect my vowes? " My vowes, which want the temple's seal, will binde (Though private kept) surer than publick laws; For laws but force the body, but my minde Your vertue councels, whilst your beauty draws." Thus spake he, but his mourning looks did more Attest his grief, and fear does hers renew; Now losing (were he lost) more than before, [true. For then she fear'd him false, now thinks him As sick physitians seldome their own art Dare trust, to cure their own disease, so these Were to themselves quite useless when apart; Yet, by consult, each can the other ease. But from themselves they now diverted stood; For Orgo's newes (which need not borrow wings, Since Orgo for his lord believ'd it good) To Astragon the joyful houshold brings. But Astragon, with a judicious thought, This day's glad news took in the dire portent; A day which mourning nights to Birtha brought, And with that fear in search of Birtha went. And here he findes her in her lover's eyes, And him in hers; both more afflicted grown At his approach, for each his sorrow spies, Who thus would counsel theirs, and hide his own. "Though much this fatall joy to anger moves, Yet reason's aydes shall anger's force subdue; I will not chide you for your hasty loves, Nor ever doubt (great prince) that yours is true. "In chiding Love, because he hasty was, Or urging errours, which his swiftness brings, I finde effects, but dare not tax the cause; For poets were inspir'd who gave him wings. "When low I digg, where desart rivers run, Dive deep in seas, thro' forrests follow windes, Or reach with optick tubes the ragged Moon, My sight no cause of Love's swift motion findes. "Love's fatall baste, in yours, I will not blame, Because I know not why his wings were giv'n; Nor doubt him true, not knowing whence he came, Nor Birtha chide, who thought you came from Heav'n. "If you lay snares, we err when we escape; "If your contextures be so weak and nice, This, which your youth calls grief, was frowardIn flatter'd infancy, and as you beare [ness Unkindly now amidst youth's joys distress, So then, unless still rock'd, you froward were. "Grief's conflicts gave these haires their silver shine; (Torne ensignes which victorious age adorne) Youth is a dress too garish and too fine To be in foule tempestuous weather worne. "Grief's want of use does dang'rous weakness make; But we by use of burdens are made strong, And in our practis'd age can calmely take Those sorrows which, like feavers, vex the young. "When you in Love's fair books (which poets keep) Read what they hide, his tragick history, You will rejoyce that half your time is sleep, And smile at Love when Nature bids you die. "Learn then that Love's diseases common are; Doe not in sickness known, (though new to you) Whilst vital heat does last, of cure despaire: Love's vital heat does last whilst love is true." Thus spake the kinde and prudent Astragon, And much their kinde impatience he appeas'd; For of his griefs (which heavier than their own Were born by both) their dutions fears are eas'd. She begs that he would pardon her distress, Thought that even sin which did his sorrow move; And then, with all her mother's lowliness, His pardon craves for asking leave to love. The duke, who saw fair truth so undisguis'd, And love in all, but love so unconcern'd, Pitty'd the studious world, and all despis'd. Who did not here unlearn what they had learn`d. |