A MARRIAGE TRIUMPH.  
SOLEMNIZED IN AN EPITHALAMIUM, In Memory of the happy Nuptials betwixt the High and Mighty Prince Count PALATINE. And the most Excellent Princess the Lady ELIZABETH.  
Written By THOMAS HEYWOOD.  
Tufestas Hymenas' 〈◊〉, tu Gratiaflores, Elige, tu geminas Co 〈…〉 dianecte Coronas.  
LONDON Printed for Edward Merchant, and are to be sold at his Shop in Paul's Churchyard over against the Crosse.  
1613.   

To the most Excellent, and most admired Princess the Lady ELIZABETH.  

WHom Heaven with all Choice Graces hath endowed,  
Whom both the Angel's praise, and men admire:  
On whom her Maker hath his bounty showed,  
Where nothing wants that mortal can desire.   

Whose beauties are as far beyond compare,  
As are her inward virtues of the mind,  
But in that height unmatchably so rare  
We on the Earth her equal cannot find.   

Her Parent's joy, the Peers selected pleasure,  
The people's admiration, kingdoms wonder,  
Of foreign climes the praise, of ours the treasure,  
May this days sacred union never sunder.   

That whilst we daily of high Heaven importune,  
We may be in your Royal issue blest:  
You may still grow in beauty, virtue, fortune,  
So with your fame our joys may be increased.  
Prove thou a Prophet, Muse, say 'tis decreed,  
All Christendom shall flourish in your seed.   
Your Grace's most humbly devoted, Thomas Heywood.   

An Epithilamion, OR NUPTIAL SONG,  
CONSECRATED TO THE HAPPY MEMORY OF THE ROYAL AND MAGNIFICENT Espousals betwixt the High and Mighty Prince FREDERICK the fifth, Count Palatine, Duke of Bavaria, Prince Elector to the Empire, etc. and Knight of the most Honourable Order of the Garter; and the most Excellent, and every-way accomplished Princess the Lady ELIZABETH, sole daughter to the High and most Puissant JAMES, by the grace of God, King of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, etc. Defender of the Faith, and the most Virtuous, and Admirable Lady, Queen ANNE.  

NOw the wet Winter of our tears are past,  
And see, the cheerful Spring appears at last,  
Now we may calculate by the Welkin's rack  
Aeolus hath chaste the Clouds that were so black:  
And theyare beyond the Hyperboreans run  
That have so late eclipsed Great Britain's Son.  
O thou my Muse; that whilom masked in sable,  
Exclaiming on the fates and chance unstable,  
Accusing Physic, and her want of skill,  
And Nature's hard-heart, that her own would kill:  
On Death, and his fell tyranny exclaiming;  
Chance, Fortune, Destiny, and all things blaming;  
inveighing against hours, days, months, and time,  
That cropped so sweet a blossom in his prime.  
Against Mortality, that could not save  
So choice a Gem from th'all-devouring grave;  
But most against the cause, Britain's Transgressions,  
That so soon called him to that heavenly Sessions.  
Where from this earthy Mansion being translated,  
He now for ay remains a Prince instated.  
No more let us our ancient griefs pursue,  
Or the swift torrent of our tears renew.  
No more let us with clamours fill the sky.  
Or make th'heavens echo to each dole full cry.  
No more disturb his soft sleep, since 'tis best  
We wake him not from his eternal rest.  
Yet who could blame my Muse, that did lament  
To see so fair a branch, so rudely rend  
From such a stately, and broad-bearing tree,  
That might have borne like fruit? For who to see  
So rich a treasure in a moment wasted,  
Such goodly fruit, not fully ripe, yet blasted,  
So rich a robe, so soon despoiled as worn,  
Such general hopes destroyed as soon as borne,  
But with impartial judgements must confess,  
No Muse, that can sing, but could shriek no less?  
Those that love day, must think it much too soon,  
To see the glorious Sun to set at noon.  
And none but such as hate the cheerful light,  
(Murderers and Th' 〈…〉 es) at midday with it night.  
Is it because we break the God's decree,  
That Tantalus we are punished like to thee:  
Thou that their secrets durst presume to tell,  
Art with perpetual hunger plagued in hell;  
Yet sundry delicates before thee stand,  
Which thou mayst reach, not compass with thy hand.  
So have the Gods dealt with us, for some crime,  
To let us see the glory of our time,  
As a fair mark, at which the world might gaze,  
And put the wondering Nations in a maze.  
But as we stretch our hands to reach our joy,  
They snatch it hence, and all our hopes destroy.  
But now my Muse, shake off this gloomy sorrow,  
And a bright saffron robe from Mymen borrow.  
Thou that before in ravens plumes didst sing,  
Now get thee feathers from the Swans white wing,  
And take an equal flight with Venus' Doves,  
To tune soft lays of Nuptials, and sweet Loves.   

For now me thinks I youthful Tithon see,  
The day Aurora, that he married thee.  
The expected hour was come, the Matrons shine  
In glistering robes; th'old men, as if Divine,  
Apparelled in rich purple; them between, (seen.  
The sprightly Youths, and beauteous Nymphs are  
At length the blushing Bride comes with her hair  
Disheuel'd'bout her shoulders; none so fair  
In all that Bevie, though it might appear,  
The choicest beauties were assembled there.  
She enters with a sweet commanding grace,  
Her very presence paradiced the place:  
Her modest blush amongst the Ladies spread  
And cast on all their Cheeks a shame-fast red.  
How could they choose, their looks that seem divine  
Before she came, eclipsed are at her shine?  
They all are darkened when she begins t'appear,  
And spread her beams in her Illustrious sphere:  
All eyes are fixed on her, the youthful fry,  
Amazed stand at her great Majesty.  
The Nymphs and Maids, both envy and admire  
Her matchless beauty, state, and rich attire.  
The graver Matrons stand amazed with wonder,  
The Fathers, as if struck with Ioues sharp thunder  
Confounded are, as never having seen  
In their long trace of years, so fair a Queen.  
Not Hecuba, when Priam came to Thrace,  
To court her for his Queen, could give the place.  
Such ornament: not Spartan Helen knew,  
To attire her person in a form so true.  
Had Perseus in his airy progress spied  
This picture to the marble rock fast tie,  
For her he would have fought, and as a pray  
To the Sea-monster, left Andromeda.  
Had Paris seen her, he had near crossed the flood,  
Helen had been unrapte, Troy still had stood.  
Had Thetis son beheld her when he saw  
Polyxena, nothing should him withdraw  
From dreadful battle: he had shined in steel,  
And not unarmed been wounded in the heel?  
Had juno, Venus, or Minerva, when  
They strove for mastery, seen this Lady, then  
As vanquished, they had left to her the Ball,  
Which from his starry throne great jove let fall.  
But wherefore on her glories do I dwell,  
Whose state my Muse unable is to tell?  
To a bright ivory Chair the Bride they bring,  
Whilst all the people Io Paean sing.   

Now see from forth another stately Arch,  
Of the great palace, the brave Bridegroom march,  
A lovely youth, upon whose face appears  
True signs of manhood; yet he for his years  
And beauty, such a general name hath won,  
They take him all, for Venus, or her son.  
A mixed grace he in his visage wore,  
And but his habit showed what sex he bore  
The quickest sighted eye might have mistook,  
Having female beauty in a manly look.  
Such lustre in Adonis' cheek did move,  
When he was haunted by the Queen of love:  
So looked Hippolytus when clad in green,  
He was oft Courted by th' Athenian Queen.  
Such grace Hypomanes in public wan,  
That day he with the swift Atlanta ran.  
So shined Pirithous amongst the rest,  
When 'mongst the Centaurs Ioues son graced the feast.  
Such seemed th' Idean shepherd in the eye  
Of fair Oenone, when she saw him lie  
Upon a Violet bank: Such did appear  
Young Itis, unto Galatea dear.  
Such Ciparissus seemed, so sweet so fair,  
For whom Apollo left his fiery Chair.  
A curious Robe athwart his shoulders fell,  
By some laborious hand Embroidered well:  
Cunning Arachne could no better weave,  
Nor Pallas, should the heavens she once more leave:  
The colour was of Elemental blew  
Spotted with golden Stars: here Comets flew  
With blazing trains, some great appeared, some small,  
Some were so wrought that they might seem to fall,  
And shooting towards the earth as darting fire,  
Even in their hottest fury did expire:  
Yet in their golden course the way they went,  
They seemed to gild the Azure Firmament.  
You might in this discoulered Robe perceive  
The Galaxia a more brightness leave  
Then th'other parts of heaven, because so fair  
Cassiopeia spreads her glistering hair.  
There the quick-sighted Eagle shines, and Swan,  
And the Argo that the Fleece of Colchos wan.  
Sagitarius threats the Scorpion to have slain,  
Who 'gainst him shakes his poisonous starry train.  
With six bright lamps doth the bold Centaur stand,  
Threatening the Twins, who hold in every hand  
Bright balls of fire, eighteen they be in number,  
That if the Centaur stir, his force to cumber.  
The Northern wagoner stands next in roll,  
Whom Perseus with his Shield, frights 'bout the Pole.  
The wandering Sporades 'mongst these appear,  
Which makes the Galaxia shine more clear  
Than the other parts of heaven, this Thetis wrought  
And as a present to the Bridegroom brought:  
For who could place them in there ranks more true  
Than she, that every night takes a full view  
(From top of Neptune's Terrace) how they stand,  
How move, rise, set, or how the Seas command?  
This Mantle doth the Bridegroom's body grasp  
Buckled about him with a golden clasp.  
And as when Lucifer lifts from the waves  
His glorious head, the Stars about him braves,  
Who when he moves his sacred front on high,  
Seem in their (almost wasted) oil to die,  
And give him all the glory; with a Crest  
As bright as his appears amongst the rest.  
This lovely Youth: with many a comely stride  
He presseth towards the place where sits his Bride,  
Then bows to her, she blusheth as he bends  
And honours low, his fair hand he extends  
To cease her ivory Palm, which as he warms,  
She breathes into him many thousand charms  
Of loves, affections, zeal, cordial desires,  
chaste wishes, pleasures, mixed with deep suspires,  
Passions, distractions, ecstasies, amazes,  
All these he feels, when on her eyes he gazes:  
Till further boldened by a blushing smile,  
He leaves his trance, and she descends the while  
Yet was all silence, till at this glad close,  
Through all the place, a whispering murmur rose:  
Some his perfection, some her beauty praise,  
And both above the highest degree would raise  
To exceed all comparison, some swear  
Two such bright Comets, never graced that Sphere,  
And as they walk the Virgins strew the way  
With Costmary, and sweet Angelica.  
With Spyknard, marjoram, and Camomile,  
Time, bugloss, Lavender, and Pimpernell,  
Strawberry leaves, Savoury; and Eglantine  
With Endive, Holy-thistle, Sops in Wine,  
Smallage, Balm, Germander, Basell and Lily,  
The Pink, the Flower-de-luce and Daffodil,  
The Gilliflowre, Carnation, white and red,  
With various spots and stains enamelled,  
The Purple Violet, pance, and hearts-ease,  
And every flower that smell, or sight, can please:  
The yellow Marigold, the Suns own flower,  
Pagle, and pink, that deck fair Flora's Bower,  
The Daisy, Cowslip, Wal-flower, Columbine;  
With the broad-leaves late cropped from Bacchus' vine,  
Besides a thousand other fragrant poses  
Of Wood-bine, Rosemary, and sundry Roses:  
Next in their way, some precious garments strew,  
Some scatter-gold wrought Arras where they go:  
Others before them costly presents cast,  
Of ivory, Coral, and of Pearl: the last  
Bring Gold and jewels: one presents a Crown  
Unto the Bride, and gives it as her own.  
divers contend where this rich metal grew,  
In Phillipine, in Ophir, or Peru:  
Or the Malluccoes': this a Carcanet  
Bestows, with precious stones of all kind set  
Of lustre and of beauty, here was found  
The hardest, and most quick, the Diamond,  
The Ruby, of a perfect light and life,  
The Saphir and the Emerald, at strife,  
Which can express unto the eye more true,  
The one a grass-green, th'other perfect blue,  
here the discoloured Opal fair did shine,  
And Onyx deep, digged from the Rocky Mine,  
The Topas which, some say, abides the fire,  
And Sardonix; what is he can desire  
A stone that's wanting as they walk along  
The Bachelors, and Virgins with this Song  
Tuned to their aptest Instruments, thus greet  
Their Naptiall ●oyes, with strings and voices sweet   

The Epithilamion.  

YOu fairest of your sexes how shall we  
S 〈…〉 you, that seem on earth to be divine,  
Unless the Musical Apollo he,  
And she the fairest of the Muses nine,  
Not Daphne turned into a Laurel tree  
So bright could be  
So fair, so free  
Not Ariadne crowned so clear can shine  
Can Venus yoked Swans so white appear?  
Or half so lovely when you two embrace?  
Are not his parts admired every where,  
His sweet proportion, feature, shape, and face?  
Or like her Iris in her arched Sphere,  
Or Hebe clear  
To juno near?  
To match this Lady in her comely grace.   

Why should we these to Venus' Doves compare,  
Since in blanched whiteness, they their plumes exceed,  
Or to the Alpine Mountains, when they are  
Clothed in Snow, since monstrous beasts they breed  
Why should we to white marble pillars dare  
Set two so fair  
In all things rare,  
Since save disgrace comparisons nought breed.   

Unto yourselves, yourselves, than we must say,  
We only may compare: Heaven, Sea nor Earth  
Can parallel the virtues every way;  
Your names, your styles; your honours, and your birth  
On to the Temple then, why do we stay?  
Use no delay,  
Lose no more day,  
By this blessed union add unto our mirth   

Charis that strews fair Venus' Couch with flowers  
●oyne with the other graces to attend you,  
The Muses and their Influence to your dowres,  
Angels and Cherubs from all ills defend you,  
The Gods into your laps reign plenteous showers,  
All heavenly powers  
Add to your hours, (you.  
heavens graces, & earth's gifts that may commend   

Minerva, that of Chastity hath care,  
And juno that of marriage takes regard,  
The happy fortunes of these two prepare,  
And let from them no comforts be debarred,  
Bless them with Issue, and a Royal Heir,  
Lucina fair,  
Let one so rare  
In all her future throes be gently hard.   

Prove thou fair fortune in thy bounties free  
Be all the happiest Seasons henceforth shown  
Temperate and calm, and full of mirthful glee,  
All joys and comforts challenge as your own,  
What grace and good we can but wish to be,  
May You and She  
As heavens agree.  
Enjoy in your most happy prosperous Crown,   

So shall the Swains and Nymphs choice presents  
With yearly offering to this sacred shrine (bring,  
So shall our Annual festives praise the Spring,  
In which, two plants of such great hope combine,  
For ever this bright day eternising,  
Timbrels shall ring  
Whilst we still sing  
O Hymen, Hymen, be thou still divine.   

But whether am I carried, if such State  
Young Tithon and Aurora celebrate:  
What shall be then at this uniting done?  
Since in his noontide progress, the bright Sun  
Hath never seen their Equals? what blessed muse  
Shall I invoke, or whose assistance use?  
What accent, in what number, or what strain?  
Shall I the weakness of my skill complain?  
Oh were I by the clear Begosian Fount,  
Which Perseus Steed made, when he 'gan to Mount,  
Where his heel stroke, first grew the sacred Well,  
By which Ioues daughters, the nine sisters dwell:  
Or were I laid in Aganippe's Spring,  
Where Pallas oft descends to hear them sing.  
Or might I come to wash my Temples clean,  
In the pure drops of learned Hypotrene:  
I might have then some hope to be inspired,  
And mount the height I have so long desired:  
Yet howsoe'er, I will presume to sing  
And foare according to my strength and wing,  
Then now, o Hymen don thy brightest weed  
That all things may successively succeed  
At these high Nuptials, spread thy golden hair,  
And let no spot upon thy Robes appear,  
No wrinkle in thy front, which may presage  
The least sad chance, as at the marriage  
Of Orpheus and Eurydice, when thou  
Worest storms and tempests in thy angry brow.  
Or when the father of the two Atrides,  
Or their bold sons, contracted first their Brides.  
Or when minerva's Champion Diomedes,  
That wounded Venus in the hand, was sped;  
For which the Goddess cursed him, and then swore  
To leave his bed adulterate without heir.  
Or when King Ceix with Alcione met,  
When at the Nuptial table thou wast set,  
Thou wouldst not lend the feast one gentle smile,  
But discontentedly satst all the while.  
Nor as when first the Trojan shepherd took  
Oenone and soon after her forsook  
O put not on that habit thou then wore,  
When first fair Phedra to Duke Theseus swore!  
But bring with thee that bright and cheerful face,  
As when Alcestis, Admetus did embrace.  
Chaste Alcestis, who to keep him from the grave,  
Offered her life, her husband's life to save.  
Not Portia, whom the Romans so admire,  
Who for the love of Brutus swallowed fire.  
Not Rome's great'st honour, and Collatiums' pride  
For chastity, that by her own hand died  
Can equal this Alcestis: but must give place,  
In all perfection, beauty, fame, and face,  
Appear in those fair colours without stame,  
As when Ulysses did the chaste love gain  
Of his Penelope, who twice ten years  
Expects the absence of her Lord in tears;  
Whom neither threats, entreats, nor crowns can move  
To attend the motives to untemperate love.  
In him all virtues so united are,  
Neither loves blandishments, nor storms of war,  
No Circe, Syrteses, or Charibdis' deep,  
Can from the bosom of his chaste wife keep.  
Oh deck thee in thy best and hollowedst rob  
That ere was seen upon this earthly globe!  
More proudly dight, then when the Gods did strive  
To grace thy pomp, when jove did juno wive,  
When the great thunderer gave thee a bright crown  
And Pallas with her needle wrought thy gown:  
When Neptune through his billowy concave sought  
And for thee a rich S 〈…〉 ged found and bought,  
When Phoebus on thy forehead fixed his rays,  
And taught thee from his harp, sweet Nuptial lays.  
When Venus to their bounties added pleasure,  
And Pluto from God Mammon, gave thee treasure.  
When Mercury gave fluence to thy tongue,  
To have th' Epithilamion sweetly sung:  
When juno to thy presence added state,  
And Cynthia, though that night she sat up late,  
To watch Endymion, by her beams so bright,  
In th'ocean's bottom spied a stone give light,  
A glorious shining Carbuncle, and that  
She gave thee, and thou pindst it in thy hat:  
When the God Mars gave thee, not least of all,  
The richest armour in his Arsenal:  
When Hebe filled thee Nectar for thy taste,  
Which from the Crystal Conduits run so fast.  
Nor did lame Vulcan come behind in cost,  
An antic rob with gold richly embossed (wedge;  
With goldsmiths work, and hammered from the  
With curious art, deep fringed about the edge  
He did present thee, (pompous to behold)  
Berontes and Pyragmon wrought in gold,  
And left their plates of steel, to show no dearth  
Of love to thee: thou from our mother earth  
Hadst a gift too, of all the fruits that grow  
She filled her Cornucopia, and did bestow  
By fertile Ceres' hand, to please thy taste  
A plenteous largesse; as in heaven thou 〈◊〉  
At those great bridals, with like pomp and state,  
The Rites of these high Nuptials consecreate.   

Whom all our populous united Nation  
Attended long, with joyful expectation,  
Whom th'empire of great Britain wished to see,  
And th'emperor to receive with Majesty.  
Whom the Peers ardently crave to behold,  
And the glad Nobles in their arms t'infold,  
Whom all the Nations in his way admired,  
Whose presence the rich Court so long desired,  
Whom London with applause wished to embrace,  
(The Chamber of the King, and best loved place)  
Whom at his landing from the troublous main,  
The people stand on shore to entertain,  
And with glad shouts, and loud applauses bring,  
Even to the presence of the potent King.  
Behold that Prince, the Empire's prime Elector,  
Of the religious Protestants protector,  
The high and mighty Palsgrave of the Rhine,  
Duke of Bavaria, and Count palatine,  
With Titles equal, laterally allied  
To Mars his brood, the Soldiers chiefest pride,  
That from the triple-headed Geryon have  
Kept from a timeless and abortive grave  
Fair Belgia, and her seventeen daughters, all,  
Doomed to a sad and mournful funeral;  
Yet each of these in former times have been  
A beauteous Lady, and a flourishing Queen.  
Now when their widowed eyes are drowned in tears,  
And by th' Hesperian Giant fraught with fears,  
They are freed from slaughter, and restored again  
To their first height by his triumphant strain,  
A youth so lovely, that even beasts of Chase,  
Stayed by the way, to gaze him in the face.  
The wildest birds, his beauty to espy  
Sat round about him, and beforehim fly,  
And with their chirping tunes bear him along,  
As if to greet him with a Nuptial song.  
But when they saw he was embarked, return  
As loath to leave him, and together mourn.  
Chanting unto themselves unpleasant notes,  
And full of discords from their pretty throats.  
Now launched into the deep, see by the way,  
About his ship th' unwieldy Porpoise play:  
The Dolphin hath quite left the Southern Seas,  
And with a thousand colours seeks to please  
The Prince's eye, changing as oft his hue,  
As he doth wish him joys; Behold in view,  
Where shoots the little Envious Remora,  
Thinking his swift ship under sail to stay.  
O stop her prosperous course. But when she saw  
A face so full of beauty, mixed with awe,  
Upon the hatches, shamed what she had done,  
Her head she doth below the Channels run,  
No boisterous Whale above the waves appears  
The Seas to trouble● whilst the Pilo●steeres,  
The huge Leuia● dwells in the deeps,  
And wrapped in waters, with his female sleeps,  
As loath to move a tempest: Thus at last  
He in a prosperous calm the Seas hath past;  
Neptune mean time, in Amphitrites bower,  
Invited to a banquet, for her dower  
By churlish old Oceanus denied  
That paid her not, since she was first his bride:  
She knowing Neptune powerful, as he's wise,  
Entreats him this old jar to compromise,  
This difference held so long the God of Seas,  
Who being made Umpire, sought both parts to please,  
That whilst he in fair Thetis Palace stayed,  
The Prince was past, without his marine aid  
This when he knew, that one so young, so fair,  
Of whom the other Gods had took such care  
In his safe waftage, and that he alone  
Of all his choice gems, had afforded none,  
Of which his wealthy channels as full stored,  
Grieving so puissant and so great a Lord  
Should pass his watery Kingdoms, and not taste  
Part of his bounty, up he starts in haste,  
Mounts on his Sea-horse, and his trident takes,  
Which all enraged, about his Crest he shakes.  
And calling Triton from his concave shell  
Bids him through all the deeps his fury tell;  
That since no Merchant to the Indies traded  
Whose wealthy ships, with drugs and spices laded,  
Had made the very Ocean's back to bend;  
Since he had suffered them from end to end  
To voyage his large Empire, as secure  
As in the safest o●●●, where they assure  
Themselves at rest; since they for all the gold  
Pangeans' fraughts them: with great sums untold,  
Pearls, Stones, Silks, Sweet-perfumes & Ambergris,  
With profits richer far than jasons fleece;  
Since neither Merchant, nor yet Man of war,  
Poor Fisherman, or such as reckoned are  
Sons of the Sea, or Bastards, Pirates fell,  
For all the wealth in which the Seas excel,  
And they have thrived so richly, would make known  
This news to him, they now shall taste his frown.  
Straight the four brothers from their brazen caves  
Aeolus unlocks, who shake above the waves  
Their flaggie plumes, and as they rise or fall  
They hatch huge tempests: still doth Neptune call  
To make a turbulent Sea. Triton shrils loud  
T'invoke the help of every stormy cloud  
They all conspire in horror, at new war;  
Mean time the four seditious brother's jar.  
The South wind brings with him his spiteful showers,  
And 'gainst the cold and stormy Boreas' powers  
His spitting waters, in whose foul disgrace  
His gusts return them back in Austers face,  
Bleak Aquilo still with the West-wind cross,  
Mountains of waves against his foe doth toss;  
And he as much at him: in this fierce brawl  
Poor ships are shaken, some are forced to fall  
So low, that they black Orcus may espy,  
And suddenly are bandied up so high,  
As if the Bark with tackles, masts, and shrouds,  
jove would like th' Argo, snatch above the clouds.  
No marvel, we so many wracks to hear,  
Since Neptune hath of late been so austeare;  
So many ships being foundered, split and lost,  
So many wrackt-men, cast on every Coast;  
So many, that my passionate tears enforces,  
Since all the Seas seemed to be shored with corpses.  
Long Neptune's fury lasted, made great spoil,  
And wracks at Sea, for still the billows boil  
With wrath and vengeance, till the Queen of love  
Borne of the frothy waves, this suit 'gan move,  
That since the high solemnity drew near  
Of this fair Couple, to the Gods so dear,  
As Heaven and Earth did in their joys agree,  
So at the last would his calmed waves and he.  
These words of hers great Neptune did appease;  
So with his Trident strait he calmed the Seas.  
Now's the glad day, how can it other be  
But a presage of all prosperity!  
The early hours that from her Roseate bed  
Aurora call, the night have banished:  
And envying she so long hath sojourned here,  
They chase the Hag from off this Hemisphere.  
Who when she but espies the peep of day;  
Wrapped in her misty darkness, speeds away  
To the Cymerians, were she means to dwell  
And hide her horrid darksome front in Hell:  
But ere her black and cloudy face she steeps,  
The stars from off heavens azured floor she sweeps,  
And will not let them see the glorious Bride,  
Whose presence was her hated looks denied.  
This day, Apollo in his orb of fire  
Riseth before his hour, her face t'admire;  
And in mere joy that he may gaze his fill,  
He caper's as he mounts th'olympic hill:  
The morning blusheth guilty of the wrong  
That she hath kept his steeds vntraced so long,  
And such deep sorrows in her eyes appears  
That all the World she waters with her tears.  
But when this universal joy she calls  
To her remembrance, tears no more she falls,  
But for the glistering Rays of Phoebus seeks (cheeks,  
With whose bright beams she dries her blubbered  
The monstrous Signs by which the Sun must pass  
Guild with his glittering streaks their scales of brass.  
Phoebus as oft, as he hath passed the line  
Hath never seen them in such glory shine:  
And all to grace these Nuptials. Ioues high Court  
Is against this day new starred (as some report)  
With stones and gems, and all the Gods attired  
In there best pomp to make this day admired.  
The Seasons have preferred the youthful Spring  
To be at this high states solemnizing:  
Who lest he should be wanting at that day  
Brings February in, attired like May,  
And hath for haste to show his glorious prime  
Stepped o'er two months, and come before his time:  
And that's the cause, no strange preposterous thing,  
That we this year have such a forward Spring.  
The Summer now is busied with her seed  
Which quickening in the Earth begins to breed;  
And being sickish cannot well be spared.  
autumn in beggars rags attired, not dared  
Intrude into so brave a pompous train.  
Old Winter clad in high furs, showers of rain  
Appearing in his eyes, who still doth go  
In a rug gown ashied with flakes of snow,  
Shivering with cold, at whose long dangling beard  
Hangs Isickles, with hoary frosts made hard,  
Dares not approach, nor in that Centre move,  
Where lives so sweet a Summer of warm love.  
Therefore by janus double face he's past  
Retiring by December, speeding fast  
Backward, with more than common aged speed,  
Most willing that the fresh Spring should succeed  
With cheerful looks, and his green dangling hair,  
Winter's most wasteful Ruins to repair.  
But oh lean Lent, why should thy pale lank cheeks  
Threaten a sudden dearth for seven spare weeks  
After this surplusage; but that the God,  
That sways the Ocean with his three-tined rod,  
Would feast these Nuptials with his various cheer,  
And nothing think, that the Sea holds, too dear?  
Because that as the Heavens gave free assent,  
With th'Earth to fill these Bridals with content,  
Even so the Seas their bounties would afford  
With seasonable Cates to Crown their board.  
Bacchus hath cut his most delicious Vine,  
And sent it through his swiftest River Rhine,  
Lest to these Bridals it might come too late,  
Which Britain with such joy doth celebrate.  
What Planet, Star, Fate, Influence, or Spheere,  
But in their operative powers hold dear  
These fair Espousals? Is there virtue, grace,  
Or any goodness, but doth claim chief place  
In these great triumphs? Can the Heavens afford  
Blessings that do not Crown this bridal board?  
Can man devise, or of the Gods importune  
A choice selected good, or special fortune,  
Which here's not frequent? amongst the Saints divine,  
Be ever henceforth crowned Saint Valentine.  
Of all thy hallowings, let not this be least,  
That thy Saint's day is honoured with this feast.  
Thou hast the favour to lead in the Spring,  
And to thy feastive Eve, the birds first sing,  
With joy that Winter doth the Earth for sake:  
Upon this day, they each one choose his make.  
Couple in pairs, and first begin t'inquire  
Where they may perch, to quench the raging fire  
Of their hot loves, where they may safely build  
And from the bitter storms their young ones shield,  
Until there naked bodies be full plumed,  
And that with their fledged wings they have assumed  
Courage and strength, that when the season's fair  
They with their careful Dams may prove the Air.  
Learn every of you a new Nuptial Lay  
To Solemnize the triumphs of this day:  
Your mournful strains to sadder fates assign.  
Now with glad notes salute Saint Valentine.  
For in this sacred, and melodious choir,  
The Angels will bear part, 'tis their desire  
To have this combination shrilled so high  
That Heaven may Echo with the melody.  
And now me thinks, I from a Cherubs tongue  
Hear this applausive Hymn most sweetly sung.    

A Nuptial Hymn.  

NOw's the glad and cheerful day,  
Phoebus doth his beams display,  
And the fair Bride forth to lead  
Makes his torch their Nuptial Tead,  
O thou Apollo bright  
Lend us thy cheerful light,  
That thy glorious Orb of fire  
We more freely may admire.   

But when seated in thy pride  
Thou beholdest the lovely Bride,  
Envy not when thou dost find  
Thy one eye by her two strokeblind:  
Thou art eclipsed this day  
By a new Cynthia.  
Who though on earth she keep her Sphere  
Yet shines as fair, as bright, as clear.   

If in clouds thou mask thy face  
Blushing at thy own disgrace:  
Or cast aside thy glistering Rays  
When she once her eyesdisplayes▪  
We shall neglect thee quite,  
Thy power, thy heat, thy light.  
Nor shall we miss thee being gone  
Having two Suns for thy one.   

T'seemes when I this couple see,  
Thy Sister I behold and thee,  
When you both were nursed long while  
By L●●●● in D●●●s Isle  
But the fair Sun and Moon  
Were there delivered soon,  
Just as I see these two graced  
On Earth: So you in Heaven were placed.   

Equally shine in the Spheres  
In like beauty, and like years:  
No sinister fate betide  
The fair Bridegroom, and the Bride  
O, never may black cloud  
Two such bright lustres shroud  
From the World's Eye, but still shine  
Till fate make you both divine.   

He a Prince is, gravely young,  
Cato's head, and Tully's tongue,  
Nereus' shape, Ulysses brain;  
Had he with these Nestor's rain.  
Enjoying all the rest  
Of heaven (that we request)  
That they likewise would afford,  
To manage these a Hector's sword.   

Had great jove beheld this Queen,  
When Europa first was seen,  
O'er the Seas he had not brought her,  
Nor Agenor left his daughter.  
Europe that spacious ground  
Through the World so renowned  
Had lost her style, and ere her death  
It had been called Elizabeth.   

Had she then lived, Danae should  
Have died an Ancresse; showers of gold  
Had not reigned down her to Entrap,  
All had been powered in your lap.  
Io had never been  
The great Egyptian Queen,  
But for a Goddess after death  
They had adored Elizabeth.   

Could a fairer Saint be shrined  
Worthier to be divined?  
You equal her, in virtues fame,  
From whom you received your name:  
England's once shining star  
Whose bright beams spread so far,  
Who but did lament the death  
Of that good Queen Elizabeth?   

To none I better may compare  
Your sweet self than one so rare:  
Like graced you are from above,  
You succeed her in her love.  
As you enjoy her name:  
Likewise possess her fame.  
For that alone lives after death;  
So shall the name Elizabeth.   

Whilst the Flower de Luyce we see  
With our Lions quartered be,  
The white Lion keep his place.  
David's Harp retain his grace;  
Whilst these united are,  
Despite all foreign war,  
Four great Kingdoms after death  
Shall memorise Elizabeth.   

May that name be raised high,  
Nor in the female issue die:  
A joyful and glad mother prove,  
Protected by the Powers above,  
That from the Royal line  
Which this day doth combine  
With a brave Prince; no fate, no death,  
Extinguish may Elizabeth.   

May the Branches spread so far,  
Famous both in peace and war,  
That the Roman Eagle may  
Be Instated some blessed day,  
Despite of Rome's proud brags,  
Within our English flags,  
To revive you after death,  
That we may praise Elizabeth.   

That when your high Crest is borne  
By the fair white Unicorn,  
The Wild-man, the Greyhound, and  
Fierce Dragon, that supporters stand,  
With Lion's red and white,  
Which with the Harp unite:  
Then the Falcon joined with these  
May the Roman Eagle seize.   

All the Nymphs straw sundry poses  
Made of Red, and of white Roses:  
On her Bed wait all the Graces:  
Maiden to 〈…〉  
 
In ti 〈…〉  
To 〈…〉  
Frederick and 〈…〉   
One p 〈…〉 s, 〈…〉  
FINIS