Classic and Contemporary Poetry
URANIA; THE WOMAN IN THE MOON: THE FOURTH CANTO, OR LAST QUARTER, by WILLIAM BASSE Poet's Biography First Line: The moone's bright throne by mulciber was built Last Line: Declare her best effects to be in you. Subject(s): Astrology & Astrologers; Goddesses & Gods; Mythology; Planets; Women; Zodiac | ||||||||
ARGUMENT. Woman the Moone ascended, Wherewith the Moone offended All women (for her sake) To her doth servile make. 1. THE Moone's bright Throne by Mulciber was built Of shineing Siluer out of Lemnos brought; Wheron Apollo's glorious face was guilt, And Neptune's Realme jn his owne colours wrought, Within set round with seats & lights engrau'd In Christall, and with Sky-like Marble pau'd. 2. On ax'e-trees rays'd resembling that of heauen Vpon foure wheeles, whose Spokes of argent hue Betwixt round Naves of Mother-pearle were driuen, And Ivory circles shod with Saphirs blew; Drawne by two nimble steeds, the one Milke white, The other black, in starry harneis dight. 3. The Minion Day was newly stole to bed In Cimeris with Somnus god of Sleepe, Whose Mother Night the sable curtains spread And set officious Starres the watch to keepe, When all the Gods went forth but he alone That vnto Thetis lap was newly gone. 4. Till in the Zodiaque they the watchfull Moone Gearing hir two fleet horses over-caught. When the bright Queene of Night, perceiuing soone By their discourse the In-mate they had brought, Changeing her lookes, and casting downe the yoke, Stood still: vntill the mighty Sire thus spoke. 5. "Lucina, pale not on thy greatest freinds, "That dearely tender thee; Thou liu'st alone, "And round about the Worlds far distant ends "Dost helplesse manage this thy whirling Throne; "Which seemes to me (how ere it thee doth please) "Life without comfort, labour without ease. 6. "Therfore (my girle) Thou now shalt haue a Mate, "And one that best may fit thy chastitie. "Since thou the company of man dost hate "This Woman here shall beare thee companye. "To finde thee talke, to help those raignes to carry, "And solace thee, that art too solitary." 7. "King of the Gods (answers the Delian Queene) "I liue, I ride, I rule these raynes alone, "Which not my greife, but happynes hath beene, "As my content-full silence well hath shewne: "Let this Assembly speake, when ere did I "Assistance craue, or wish for companie? 8. "But I perceiue that, vnder this pretence "Of fatherly and freindly councell giuing, "You please t'obtrude an jnconvenience "Vppon me, worse then solitary liuing. "You can (alas) not punish private woman "So harshly, as to yoke her with a common. 9. "And though by you it cannot be denyed "But that I am of Chastitie the Queene, "Yet some lewd tongues mine honor haue belyed "As if a Man had once been with me seene; "That a false slaunder, this vexation true, "(Me thinks) th'vnhappyer fortune of the two. 10. "Which had I fear'd, I peradventure might "Like other Ladyes lou'd and been a wife, "And by preventing this, preseru'd my right "Of freedome, though with losse of mayden life. "Sore is the wrong that makes an honest heart "Almost repent the goodnesse of desert. 11. "And, as for thee (good woman) Thou mayst guesse "It glorious fortune here to liue with me: "But thou wilt finde no lesse vnhappynesse "In mine, then I in thy societie. "Woman to woman yeilds contentment small: "And paynted prisons doe not lessen thrall. 12. "But since it is your will (Sir) which my breast "Has neither will nor power to disobey, "Advance your woman where (I hope) her rest "Will make her (shortly) wish her selfe away." This sayd, her eyes her pale cheekes drown'd, & sent Downe to the earth a shower of discontent. 13. But with such maiestie she tow'rds her turn'd Her stately bodyes whole Celestiall frame, In all the choycest wealth of heau'n adorn'd As, to the heart of the most ventrous dame Strooke feare: and forc'd her in a masqueing guise Of tiffanie to sheild her dazled eyes. 14. And takeing this advantage of her eyes Blur'd in her teares & frownes (that to approach Her most maiestick presence otherwise Neuer had had the hope) her bright Caroach This proud audacious soiourner ascends, And heaue'n in tryumph her fayre riddance ends. 15. But poore pale Cynthia so enraged grew, She whip's her steeds, and takes up a Cariere That in some eight & twenty dayes she flew A compasse, that in almost thirtye yeare Old Tyme-like Saturne, that doth seeme to mowe All hindrance downe before him, could not goe. 16. Eleauen yeares circuit, & eleauen moneths more She beate great Ioue in his owne twelue yeares race; And lusty Mars could hardly gallop ore Her three tymes ten dayes course in two yeares space: Wing'd Mercury, light Venus, and the Sun In twelue moneths chace she full eleuen out-run. 17. Her Chariot thus outstripping all theyr thrones, Some more, some lesse, (as speede they differ in) Rattles her tedious guest, to make her bones And well knit joynts to totter in her skin, To turne her maw or shake th'ambitious dame Downe from her seate to earth from whence she came. 18. But she no whit dismayd, nor mov'd at all, Sits in the christall windowes of the Moone, Now in this wire, that tire, this Quoife, that Call, Dressing her dainty browes from Morne to Noone; From noone to night deviseing for next morning New shapes, and, next day, that dayes habit scorning. 19. Though she the jemms & bracelets of the Queene On and off puts, as her affections varye, As if the Moone's fayre house a shop had been Of Goldsmiths workes, or jewells mercenarye; To Natures better grace Arts ayde jnventing, And to her selfe vayne joyes & sportes presenting. 20. Whereat the horne-mad Moone w@5th rage sometimes Doth swell her selfe as big as halfe the earth, And by & by with extreame sorrow pines Her selfe more leane, and smaller then her birth; And in this strange distraction now & then Her happy face hides from vnhappy men. 21. That blinde Thessalians often thought she was By some enchantment stollen from her Sphere, And frighted Romans ring shrill pans of brasse And trumpets sound to her absented eare, And ceremonious Greekes with tapers light Succour her beames, almost extinguish'd quite. 22. And then looke how the vile vnworthy foes Of good desert (jn th'absence of her face) Their base jnsinuations jnterpose, So grosse & paysant Earth steps in her place And intercepts the favours of her freind, Her brothers beames, that should her glory lend. 23. Then (dragon-like) all smier'd in bloud she fights Fierce Combats for ecclipsed Maiestie, And from her bowe disperses vengefull flights Of warres, of dearthes, and deathes presagacie; And therwith not content her wrath to swage She (in her ayd) moues curled Triton's rage. 24. That he sometymes in his vnanchour'd jawes Earthes ample borders jnundates, and drownes Her sollid ramparts: and sometimes withdrawes His neighbouring releiffes from her famish'd bounds: And often o're his full-rig'd vessells casts Cloud-threat'ning, and flowes aboue the masts. 25. Sometymes with other jnstruments of fate She joynes her sharpe and discontent aspects, In Natures cradle to jnfatuate Mens manners, sences, powers, and jntellects. She practises her force on streames, on springs, Beasts, trees, plants, fruits, & all terrestriall things. 26. But aboue all her great and strange effects, She hath this Woman still in such offence, That (for her sake) she generally subiects All women to her powerfull jnfluence; And with what humours she doth her perplex, She still the same jnflicts vppon her sex. 27. With fancyes, frenzies, lunacyes, with strange Feares, fashions, factions, furyes, & affections, With fondnes, fayntnes, fugacy, and change Of mindes, moodes, habits, houses, freinds, complections: In breife she raignes o're Women as a Queene. In her their state, In them her power, is seene. 28. But yet she many gracious vertues hath, Which (whether she therwith be pleas'd or no) Amongst those jmperfections of her wrath On Woman kind from her sweet nature flowe: As patience, silence, modestie, sobrietie, Chastitie, beauty, bounty, pittie, pietie. 29. Which graces, since they most resplendent be In those fayre dames these amorous Seas contayne, Let those whose blameles hearts the Moone doth free Of her distast, free me of their disdayne, And favour this my Song, that honours them, And none condemnes but those that it condemn. 30. And not, like planets of the worst dispose, Cause Cynthia's browes vnwillingly reflect Their frownes vppon themselues: but shine like those That by their happyer & more kinde aspect Purchase all honour from her eyes, who still With good good cout'nance holds, & jll with jll. 31. If melancholy Saturne on her face Cast scowleing lookes, she scowles on him againe; Or cholerick Mars with vizage of disgrace Affronts her, she returnes him like disdaine; When Mercury a good indifferent eye Vouchsafes her, she vouchsafes it Mercury. 32. If puissant Phbus danger her in fight She hazards him: jf he looke freindly on her Her anger's past: When Ioue his plesant light Tenders her beames, she renders his like honour: When fayre Cyprina smiles on bright Lucina Well-pleasd Lucina striues t'outsmile Cyprina. 33. For as it dos not stand with her nobilitie Basely to flatter those that doe despise her, So is she apt in her heroick civilitie To honour those who freindly favourize her; Wherein Vrania (of all the Muses Her best belou'd) her best example uses. 34. Let not your brightnes, & more bright renownes, Be then (fayre Dames) with Moone or Muse offended; Nor looke with martiall or Saturnian frownes Where no dishonor is to you intended: For such aspects would yo@5r owne beautyes wrong; And bode jll fortune to this harmeles song. 35. But joyne your smiles with Ioue or Mercurie, Or shine as Sol, or Cytherea shines: You then fortuniate this Muse and me, Presageing endles honour to these lines: And with your best aspects the Moone to view Declare her best effects to be in you. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THREE LYRICS FROM THE ZODIAC: ARIES by AGNES KENDRICK GRAY THREE LYRICS FROM THE ZODIAC: CAPRICORN by AGNES KENDRICK GRAY NEVER TOO LATE: THE PALMER'S VERSES by ROBERT GREENE THE CHILD READS THE ALMANAC by FRANCIS JAMMES HOROSCOPE by JOHN PEPPER CLARK ELEGY ON MR. WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE by WILLIAM BASSE THE ANGLER'S SONG by WILLIAM BASSE A MORNING AFTER MOURNING by WILLIAM BASSE CLIO, NINE ECLOGUES IN HONOUR OF NINE VIRTUES: 1. TRUE AND CHASTE LOVE by WILLIAM BASSE CLIO, NINE ECLOGUES IN HONOUR OF NINE VIRTUES: 2. OF GRATITUDE by WILLIAM BASSE CLIO, NINE ECLOGUES IN HONOUR OF NINE VIRTUES: 3. OF CONTENTMENT by WILLIAM BASSE |
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