Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, HELLENS RAPE; OR A LIGHT LANTHORNE FOR LIGHT LADIES, by RICHARD BARNFIELD



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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

HELLENS RAPE; OR A LIGHT LANTHORNE FOR LIGHT LADIES, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Lovely a lasse, so loved a lasse, and (alas) such a loving
Last Line: (helen a light huswife, now a lightsome starre in olympus.)
Alternate Author Name(s): Barnefield, Richard
Subject(s): Helen Of Troy; Rape


Lovely a Lasse, so loved a Lasse, and (alas) such a loving
Lasse, for a while (but a while) was none such a sweet bonny Love-Lasse
As Helen, Maenelaus loving, lov'd, lovlie a love-lasse,
Till spightfull Fortune from a love-lasse made her a love-lesse
Wife. From a wise woman to a witles wanton abandond,
When her mate (unawares) made warres in Peloponessus,
Adultrous Paris (then a Boy) kept sheepe as a shepheard
On Ida Mountaine, unknowne to the King for a Keeper
Of sheep, on Ida Mountaine, as a Boy, as a shepheard:
Yet such sheep he kept, and was so seemelie a shepheard,
Seemelie a Boy, so seemelie a youth, so seemelie a Younker,
That on Ida was not such a Boy, such a youth, such a Younker.
Sonne now reconcil'd to the Father, fained a letter
Sent him by Iupiter (the greatest God in Olympus)
For to repaire with speede to the bravest Graecian Haven,
And to redeeme againe Hesyone latelie revolted
From Troy to Aiax, whom she had newly betrothed.
Well, so well he told his tale to his Aunt Amaryllis
That Amaryllis, (his Aunt,) obtained aid of his aged
Syre, that he sent him a ship, and made Capten of Argus.
Great store went to Greece with lust-bewitched Alexis,
Telamour, and Tydias: with these he sliceth the salt seas,
The salt seas slicing, at length he comes to the firme land,
Firme land an auntient Iland cald old Lacedaemon.
Argus (eyefull Earle) when first the ken of a Castle
He had spide bespake: (to the Mate, to the men, to the Mates-man)
Lo behold of Greece (quoth he) the great Cytadella,
(Ycleaped Menela) so tearmd of Deliaes Husband:
Happie Helen, Womens most woonder, beautifull Helen.
Oh would God (quoth he) with a flattring Tongue he repeated:
Oh would God (quoth he) that I might deserve to be husband
To such a happie huswife, to such a beautifull Helen.
This he spake to intice the minde of a lecherous young-man:
But what spurres need now, for an untam'd Titt to be trotting:
Or to add old Oile to the flame, new flaxe to her fier:
Paris heard him hard, and gave good eare to his hearkening:
And then his love to a lust, his lust was turnd to a fier,
Fier was turned to a flame, and flame was turnd to a burning
Brand: and mothers Dreame was then most truelie resolved.
Well so far th'are come, that now th'are come to the Castle,
Castle all of stone, yet every stone was a Castle:
Everie foote had a Fort, and everie Fort had a fountaine,
Everie fountaine a spring, and everie spring had a spurting
Streame: so strong without, within, so stately a building,
Never afore was seene: If never before Polyphoebe
Was seene: was to be seene, if nere to be seene was Olympus.
Flowers were framd of flints, Walls, Rubies, Rafters of Argent:
Pavements of Christolite, Windows contriv'd of a Christall:
Vessels were of gold, with gold was each thing adorned:
Golden Webs more worth than a wealthy Souldan of Egypt,
And her selfe more worth than a wealthy Souldan of Egypt:
And her selfe more worth than all the wealth shee possessed;
Selfe? indeede such a selfe, as thundring Iove in Olympus,
Though he were father could finde in his hart to be husband.
Embassage ended, to the Queene of faire Lacedaemon;
(Happie King of a Queene so faire, of a Countrey so famous)
Embassage ended, a Banquet brave was appointed:
Sweet Repast for a Prince, fine Iunkets fit for a Kings sonne.
Biskets and Carrawayes, Comfets, Tart, Plate, Ielley, Gingerbread,
Lymons and Medlars: and Dishes moe by a thousand.
First they fell to the feast, and after fall to a Dauncing,
And from a Dance to a Trance, from a Trance they fell to a falling,
Either in other armes, and either in armes of another.
Pastime over-past, and Banquet duely prepared,
Devoutly pared: Each one hies home to his owne home,
Save Lord and Ladie: Young Lad, but yet such an old Lad,
In such a Ladies lappe, at such a slipperie by-blow,
That in a world so wide, could not be found such a wilie
Lad: in an Age so old, could not be found such an old lad:
Old lad, and bold lad, such a Boy, such a lustie Iuventus.
Well to their worke they goe, and both they iumble in one Bed:
Worke so well they like, that they still like to be working:
For Aurora mounts before he leaves to be mounting:
And Astraea fades before she faints to be falling:
(Helen a light Huswife, now a lightsome starre in Olympus.)





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