THE woodman's BEAR.  
A Poem.  
By Io. Sylvester.  
〈…〉 omnes.  
LONDON, Printed for Thomas jones and Laurance Chapman. 1620.   

To the Worshipful, his most approved Friend, Mr. Robert Nicolson.  

SIR, the kind welcome that you always deign  
To the fair Muses, and their favourites;  
And chiefly me, the meanest of their train,  
(Too mean to meddle with their sacred rites)▪   

My willing heart with thankful hand invites,  
To offer you my busie-idle pain,  
Ilshapen shadows of my young delights,  
Till better fruits my better Fates ordain.   

Yet (pray you) private let this Gig be kept;  
Unworthy object for judicious eyes:  
Which but for you, eternally had slept,  
And, but to you, from henceforth ever dies:  
But lack of better, forced me for a shift,  
To bring you now this old new Newyears gift.   
Semper Arcto-phylos.   

To his divine Arctoa, her devout Arcto-phylos.  

BEcause I count a promise ●●bt (my Deer)  
Especially unto a special friend,  
This promised pledge to your sweet self I send▪  
A gloomy glass of your perfections clear▪   

A portraiture resembling nothing near  
Your heavenly features, that in worth extend  
Beyond the reach of my poor rhymes commend,  
As in this plot I make too plain appear.   

Yet since for you amid my dumps I drew it,  
And since yourself have since desired to see it;  
With mild aspect vouchsafe (bright-star) to view it.  
To doom whereof, in your discretion beit:  
But dee●e withal, that in this bitter story  
I grave my griefs, and not your beauty's glory.   
Vincenti gloria Victi▪   

The woodman's Bear.  

1.  
Seventy nine score years and seven  
Were expired from the birth  
Of a Babe, be got by Heaven,  
To bring peace unto the Earth,  
Peace that passeth all esteeming,  
Sinne-bound souls from Hell redeeming.   

Ver. 2.  
Phoebus' in his yearly race  
(Having past the Ram and Steere)  
Now began to post apace,  
Through the Twins fair houses clear,  
Pranking in perfumed robes,  
All these goodly neither Globes.   

Aurora. 3.  
And Aurora richly dight  
In an azure mantle fair,  
Frenged about with silver bright,  
Pearle-deaws dropping through the air,  
Hung the gate with golden tissues,  
Where Hyperion's Chariot issues.   

4.  
At which sight (that all reioyoes)  
All the cunning Forest Choir,  
Tuning loud their little voices,  
Warbled who should warble higher:  
Striving all to bear the Bell  
(All in vain) from Phylomel.   

5.  
When my joyless senses dulled  
With the busy toil of Cities,  
Me from pensive fancies pulled,  
To go hear their heavenly ditties:  
To go hear, and see, and sent,  
Sounds, sights, savours excellent.   

6.  
Wending then through Lawns and Thickets,  
Where the fearful Deer do browse,  
Where the wanton Fawns and Prickets,  
Crop the top of springing boughs:  
Where the Stag, and lightfoot Hind  
Skud, and skip, and turn, and wind.   

7.  
While I led my wand'ring feet,  
Through a silent shady Grove,  
Paved thick with Primrose sweet,  
As mine eyes about did rove,  
Near a spring I chanced to spy,  
Where a wretched man did lie.   

8.  
Like a Woodman was his weed,  
Grovelling on the grass he lay,  
Mourning so as doth exceed  
All that ever I can say:  
Beasts to bellow, birds to sing,  
Ceased, to see so strange a things   

9  
Wring hands, and weeping eyes,  
Heavy sighs, and hollow groans,  
Wailing words, and woeful cries  
Were the witness of his moans:  
Moans, that might with bitter passion,  
Move a flinty heart's compassion.   

10.  
fain would I the cause have kend,  
That could cause him so complain:  
But I feared him to offend  
With repeating of his pain;  
Therefore I expected rather  
From himself the same to gather.   

11.  
Sitting then in shelter shady,  
To observe and mark his moan,  
Suddenly I saw a Lady  
Hasting to him all alone,  
Clad in Maiden-white and green:  
Whom I judged the Forest Queen.   

12.  
Who the eager game pursuing,  
Lost her Ladies in the chase,  
Till she heard the wretches ruing,  
Unto whom she hied apace;  
Moving him with mild entreat.  
To unsold his grief so great.   

13.  
When the Queen of Continence,  
With the music of her words,  
Had by sacred influence  
Charmed the edge of sorrows swords:  
Swords that deeper wound have made,  
Then the keen Toledo blade.   

14.  
fain he would, and yet he fainted  
To unfold his fatal grief:  
Passions in his face depainted,  
Striving whether should be chief:  
Thus at last, though loath and sorry,  
Sighed he out his mournful story.   

15.  
Madam (quoth he) (yet he knew not  
What she was), that you may see,  
That I cursed causeless rue not,  
Lend a while your care to me,  
And you shall perceive the source,  
Whence my cares have had their course.   

16.  
Whence my cares and sad encumbers  
Have arisen and proceeded:  
Whose account of countless numbers  
Hath the Ocean's sand exceeded;  
Whose extreme tormenting smart,  
Passeth all conceit of heart.   

17.  
Thrice-seven summers I had seen  
Decked in Flora's rich array;  
And as many winter's keen,  
Wrapped in suits of silver grey:  
Yet the Cirian Queens blind Boy  
Crudged at my grieselesse joy.   

18.  
But when on my maiden chin  
Mother Nature 'gan engender  
Smooth, soft, golden down, and thin  
Blades of beaver, silkelike slender,  
Then he finding fuel sit,  
Sought for coals to kindle it.   

19  
Coals he found, but found no fire,  
For th'East Frisian icy sky  
Made the sparks of love's desire  
Sudden borne, as soon to die:  
Thus so long as there I bid  
All was vain that Venus did▪   

20.  
Seeing then that nought might boot,  
She (consulting with her bastard)  
Bid the busy wanton shoot:  
But alas he durst not dastard,  
In that quarter well he wist  
Arms to meet with, me he missed.   

21.  
Therefore weary of his toil,  
Hopeless still of better hap,  
In that so unhappy soil,  
Where few Brutes he could entrap:  
He forsook the frozen Ems,  
Soaring towards silver Thames.   

22.  
On whose lillie-paved banks,  
Where saire water nymphs resorted  
Played he many wanton pranks,  
While the silly damsels sported,  
Wounding with his cruel darts,  
Their unwary tender hearts.   

23.  
Chiefly in my Mother-Towne,  
Where the Paragon of honour,  
Virtue's praise, and beauty's crown,  
With sweet Ladies tending on her,  
Kept her Court in Palace royal,  
Guarded by attendants loyal.   

24.  
There the Paphian Prince (perceiving  
Lords and Ladies, young and old,  
Apt (through ease) for Love's deceiving),  
Sends about hi● shafts of gold,  
Striking all save her he dares not,  
Diane's self, the rest he spares not.   

25.  
Having triumphed there a season  
Over all degrees and sexes,  
Planting love, supplanting reason,  
Where his darts dire venom vexes:  
Suddenly he crossed the stood,  
To the famous Seat of Lud.   

26.  
Finding there sufficient fuel,  
To maintain his wanton fires,  
By and by begins he cruel,  
To inflame both Sons and Siers,  
Maid and Mistress, Man and Master,  
Dam and Daughter, light or chaster.   

27.  
Thus he tortures, void of pity,  
Rich and poor, and fond and wise,  
Through the streets of all the City:  
Causing by his cruelties,  
Sighing-singing, freezing-frying,  
Laughing-weeping, living-dying.   

28.  
Fates by this time had contrived  
Causes that me thither drew,  
Which ere ever I arrived,  
This detested Tyrant knew:  
Wyling waiting time and place,  
To revenge his old disgrace.   

29.  
Oftentimes he did attempt  
Even in streets of second Troy,  
To have punished my contempt,  
By bereaving freedoms joy;  
But unable there tomatch me,  
Elsewhere yet he thought to catch-me.   

30.  
I was wont (for my disport)  
Often in the Summer season,  
To a Village to resort,  
Famous for the rather ripe Peason,  
Where I ensueth a Plumb-tree shade,  
Many pleasant walks I made.   

31.  
Till a grasse-borne-kricket mounted,  
On that goodly Trees fair top,  
Made his fore-fruit (rare accounted)  
Oversoon to fall and drop:  
Loading every branch and bow  
With her brood of krickets now.   

32.  
Hither while I used to haunt,  
Cupid seeking change gf harbour,  
Leaving stately Troy-novant,  
Lighted under this fresh Arbour,  
Near the hour when Titan wounds us,  
Hides our shadows wholly underus.   

33.  
When the Dwarfting did perceive me,  
Me loves most rebellious scorner,  
By some cautel to deceive me,  
Skipped he soon into a corner:  
Where left I should spy the Elf,  
In a Bear he hid himself.   

34.  
Many Beasts, and Birds beside,  
Adorned with the pride of nature;  
Fair of feather, rich of hide,  
Trim of form, and tall of stature,  
Used this Orchard to frequent,  
Till the Summer's heat was spent.   

35.  
But the Bear was my betrayer;  
Nay, she was my life's defender:  
But she was my freedom's slayer;  
Nav, she was my thraldom's ender:  
But she filled my soul with sadness;  
Nay, she turned my grief to gladness.   

36.  
Blessed Bear that bears the bell  
From the fairest of her kind:  
Such a Bear as doth excel  
Those to either Pole assigned:  
Such a Bear, as 'twould not grieve me,  
To be Bearward made, believe me.   

37.  
In a Crof●e where Musics King  
(Making mends for Daphne's wrong)  
Made out of the ground to spring  
Trees transformed to Daphne's young:  
In the croft so fair and pleasant,  
Harbour of the Prince-dish Pheasant.   

38.  
Southward was this white Bear bred,  
Yet not scorched with Africa heat:  
For her Dam had dipped her head  
In the Crystal waters neat  
Of a Spring called Hambarwell,  
Which can Sunburnt spots expel:   

39  
And beside, while young she was,  
She was carried from that coast,  
To be taught such practice, as  
Makes such beasts beloved most.  
Beast am I to call her beast:  
Yet indeed a Bear's a beast.   

40.  
Bear in name, but not in nature,  
Was this much admired creature,  
Per●erlesse piece of perfect stature,  
Full of all desired feature:  
Feature such, as all too saint,  
My dull pen presumes to paint.   

41.  
Lovely Lily-white she was,  
Strait proportioned, stately-paced,  
Coy, or kind (as came to pass)  
Curteous-spoken, comely graced:  
Graces seemed of graces lavish,  
Eyes that gazed on her to ravish.   

42.  
Locks like streams of licquid Amber,  
Smooth down dangling seemed to spread,  
Hangings fit for Beauty's chamber:  
Curtains fit for Beauty's bed:  
Of which slender golden sleeve,  
Love his wanton nets did weave.   

43.  
Forehead fair as summer's face,  
Built upon two Ebon Arkes▪  
Under which in equal space  
Stood two bright resplendent sparks:  
Sparkes excelling in their shine,  
Fairest beams of Ericyne.   

44.  
From those Arkes, between these eyes,  
(Eyes that arm Love's Archers tillar)  
Even descending did arise,  
Like a pale Pyramid pillar,  
That fair dubble-doored port,  
Where sweet Zephyr loves to sport.   

45.  
On each side whereof extended  
Fields, wherein did ever grow  
Roses, Lilies, Violets blended,  
Steeped in streams of sanguine snow:  
Red-white hills, and white-red plains  
Azure vales, and azure veins.   

46.  
Veins, whose saphir seas do slide  
(Branch-wise winding in and out)  
With a gentle flowing tide  
All that Little World about,  
Up and down, aloft and under,  
To fill all this world with wonder.   

47.  
With her mouth I meddle not,  
Nor with Echoes dainty mazes,  
Left these hearing any jot  
Mis reported of her praises,  
That in forming it incense  
To reprove my proud offence.   

48.  
But fond he that overskips  
(Fearing fancies Had-I-wist)  
Those smooth smiling lovely lips,  
Which each other always kissed.  
Sweetly swelling round like cherries,  
Fragrant as our garden-berries.   

49.  
Lips like leaves of Damask Rose,  
joined just in equal measure,  
Which in their sweet folds enclose  
Plenteous store of precious treasure:  
Treasures more than may be told,  
Balm, and Pearls, and purest gold.   

50.  
Balm her breath, for so it smelled;  
Pearls, those pales about the Park,  
Where that golden Image dwelled,  
Her pure tongue that most I mark:  
Such a tongue, as with my tongue  
Never can enough be sung.   

51.  
Now remains of all this I●●  
Only that white ivory Ball,  
Dimpled with a cheerful smile,  
Which the Cape of Love I call.  
●den was this Island (Madam)  
While I gazed, mine eye was Adam.   

52.  
Next he● Swanlike neck I saw,  
Then those spotless snowy mountains,  
Which when loves warm Sun shall thaw,  
Shall resolve in Nectar fountains:  
'twixt which mountains lies a valley,  
Like Jove's heavenly milken alley.   

53.  
What my Song should further say,  
Art envying my delight,  
(As the night conceals the day)  
Shrouds in shadows from my sight  
Art that adds so much to others,  
Here a world of beauties smothers.   

54.  
Yet not so, but that I saw,  
As the Sun shines through the rack,  
Smalling down by measures law,  
Her strait comely shapen back:  
Which though well it liked me,  
Lest of all I longed to see.   

55.  
But her slender virgin Waste  
Made me bear her girdle spite,  
Which the same by day embraced,  
Though it were cast off at night;  
That I wished, I dare not say,  
To be girdle night and day.   

56.  
Left those hands that here I kiss,  
As offended therewithal,  
Rise to chastise mine amiss,  
Though their rage be rare and small;  
Yet God shield her praises singer,  
Should offend her little finger.   

57  
Yet I sear in much I shall,  
For to say her hands are white,  
Slick and slender, fingers small,  
Strait and long; her knuckles dight  
With curled Roses, and her nails  
With pearle-muscles shining skailes.   

58.  
These are praises great, I grant;  
But full often heard I before,  
Many may like honours vaunt,  
Such as these have many more:  
Hers are such, as such are none,  
Save that hers are such alone?   

59  
For, if she had lived, when  
Proud Arachne was alive,  
Pallas had not needed then  
To come down with her to strive:  
Her fair fingers, finely fast  
Had Arachne's cunning past.   

60.  
But when to the music choice  
Of those nimble joints she marries  
Th' Echo of her Angel-voice,  
Then the praise and prize she carries  
Both from Orpheus and Amphion,  
Shaming Linus and Arion.   

61.  
Here before her nimble feet  
Fall we flat (mine humble muse)  
To endeavour (as is meet)  
All our errors to excuse:  
For these are the beauteous bases  
That support this frame of graces.   

62.  
Now, like as a Princely building,  
Rare for Model, rich for matter,  
Beautified without with guilding,  
Fond beholders eyes to flatter,  
Inwardly containeth most  
Both of cunning and of cost.   

63.  
So this frame, in framing which  
Nature her own self excelled,  
Though the outward walls were rich,  
Yet within the same there dwelled  
Rarest beauties, richest treasures,  
Chief delights, and choicest pleasures.   

64.  
For within this curious Palace,  
Mongst the Muses and the Graces,  
Phebe chaste, and charming Pallas  
Kept their Courts in sundry places,  
Laws of virtue to enactize,  
There proclaimed in daily practice.   

65.  
Here the Foster waxing faint,  
Looked on the lovely Dame,  
Sighing-saying, Gracious Saint,  
Here-hence all my sorrow's cam●  
Lady, pardon, if my song  
Have detained ye overlong.   

66.  
Not your song you● sorrows se●ne  
Longer than I would (quoth she)  
Yet, as yet I cannot deem  
How ●our griefs with this agree:  
For did this fair sight entrap ye,  
This fair sight might make ye happy.   

67.  
Happy (me unhappy most)  
(Then replied he) had I been,  
Had my life or light been lost  
E'er my sight that sight had seen;  
Then had I not lived to languish  
In this easeless endless anguish.   

68  
But because you doubt (fair Dame)  
How from such a heaven as this,  
Full of every beauty's flame,  
Full of bounty, full of bliss,  
Full of each delightful joy,  
Could descend the least avoy.   

69.  
If you deign attend I'll tell,  
(As my feeble tongue will let me)  
All misfortune that befell,  
Though the thought thereof do fret me:  
Madam, so your kindness moves me,  
That to show you all behoves me:   

70.  
Therefore think upon (I pray)  
What, when first my tale begun,  
Was forespoken to bewray  
Shifts of Cytherea's son,  
How, for fear I should have spied him  
In a Bear the Urchin hid him.   

71.  
Thence from, crafty Cupid shot  
All the arrows of his quiver:  
But my heart that yielded not,  
Made them all in sunder shiver:  
Till he full of shame and sorrow,  
Better bow and shafts did borrow.   

72.  
Borrow did he of that Bear,  
Arms more apt to work my woe,  
Stringing with her golden hair  
Her fair brows, he made his bow:  
Whence for shafts he shot likewise,  
Beams of her keene-peircing eyes.   

73.  
Of which Diamond-headed darts,  
Beating hard my bosom's Centre,  
Whence resisting power departs,  
Where but these, none else could enter:  
Some abiding, some rebounded,  
Wherewithal the Bear was wounded.   

74.  
Wounded was the gentle Bear,  
With the weapons that she lent,  
That she lent (alas) for fear,  
Lest the Love God should her shent:  
So we see, who lend their arms,  
Oft procure their proper harms.   

75.  
So did harmless she (alas)  
That I ever must bemoan,  
Moon I must, for nueer was  
Marble-hearted Myrmidon  
But would moon, and morn, and melt,  
To have seen the pain she felt.   

76.  
To have seen her piteous plaining,  
To have heard her loud lamenting,  
To have thought on her complaining,  
To imagine her tormenting:  
Eyes would weep, and ears would wonder,  
Hardest heart would break in sunder.   

77.  
So mine eyes▪ mine ears, and heart,  
Filled with waters, wonders, woes,  
Drowned, deafened, dead in part,  
Well-nigh all their virtues lose  
Every sense and all my reason  
Fled, and failed me for a season.   

78.  
Here when this he had rehearsed,  
Ere the rueful rest could follow;  
So the fresh remembrance pierced,  
That his voice waxed weak and hollow:  
Bitter tears abundant dropping,  
Drowned words their passage stopping.   

79.  
Words were turned to sighs and sobbing;  
Inward griefs did inly groan:  
Hopeless heart with heavy throbbing,  
Showed all signs of saddest moan.  
Signs made moon, but voice was mum,  
Small griefs speak, but great are dumb▪   

80.  
Woe begun, and wondrous sorry  
Was the Goddess to behold him,  
Through repeating of his story  
In so sad a fit to fold him:  
Fearing further to provoke him,  
Left new seas of sorrow choke him.   

81.  
For as Sea-coals flame the faster,  
When we cast cold water on them:  
Or as Children under Master,  
Morne the more, the more we moon them:  
So the more she spoke, her speeches  
More increased his cries and skreeches.   

82.  
Yet she would not so forsake him,  
Left some savage hungry beast  
In this tragic trance should take him,  
Of his flesh to make a feast:  
Danger of which dire event,  
Thus her pity did prevent.   

83.  
Loud her bugle Horn she blew,  
Babbling Echo voice of valleys,  
Airy Else, exempt from view,  
With the Forest music dallies:  
Doubling so the curled wind,  
That the first was hard to find:   

84.  
Yet her nimble Numphs enured  
Often to the Fairies guile,  
Could not be so soon alured  
To ensu her subtle wile:  
For where first they heard the blast,  
Thither ward they trip it fast.   

85.  
But because these maids had followed  
Eagerly their game together;  
They when first their Lady hollowed,  
Could not by and by be with her:  
For before she sound the Foster,  
All her train (I told ye) lost her.   

86.  
In came these bright beauties than,  
Where as they their Lady found  
Standing by this wretched man,  
That lay there upon the ground:  
With which woeful sight amazed,  
Each on him with wonder gazed.   

85.  
To whom their Goddess did relate  
All before that he had told her,  
All his miserable state:  
Who did all the while behold her  
With a heavy half shut eye  
As a man at point to die.   

88  
At which the Nymphs with pity moved,  
Somewhat to assuage his woe  
For the Bear's sake whom he loved,  
And that him had loved so,  
Bade him of their help assure him,  
For they could the Art to cure him.   

89.  
For in a Grove thereby, there grew  
An herb which could loves power expel:  
Which (but they) none ever knew,  
As how it prospered near a well,  
Where Diana used to bathe her,  
When the scorching heat did scathe her.   

90.  
Which the Siluans of those Groves  
Held in very high account:  
For therewith they 〈◊〉 their loves▪  
It was called Diana●s Fount,  
And that Herb, the pride of Summer,  
took that special virtue from her.   

91.  
And the swiftest of the train,  
Away to fetch the same was sent,  
Which her nimble joints did strain,  
And returned incontinent,  
And the simple with her brought,  
By which the cure was strangely wrought.   

92.  
Which unto the sense applied  
As the juice thereof he tasted,  
He might ●eele even in that tide  
How his old remembrance wasted  
By the medicine thus revealed,  
Was the woeful Woodman healed.    

Epithalamion.  
O You that on the double mountain dwell,  
And daily drink of the Castalian Well;  
If any Muse among your sacred number,  
Have power to waken from a dying slumber;  
A dull conceit, drowned in a gulf of grief,  
In hapless ruin, hopeless of relief:  
Vouchsafe (sweet sisters) to assist me so,  
That for a time I may forget my woe,  
Or (at the least) my sad thoughts so beguile,  
That sighs may sing, & tears themselves may smile;  
While I in honour of a happy choice,  
To cheerful Lays tune my lamenting voice;  
Making the mountains and the valleys ring,  
And all the youngmen and the maideus sing,  
All earthly joys and all heaven's bliss betide  
Our joyful Bridegroom, and his gentle Bride.  
Then peace complaint, & pack thee hence proud sorrow,  
I must go bid my merry Greeks good morrow:  
Good morrow Gallants: thus begins our game:  
What? fast asleep? fie sluggards, fie for shame,  
For shame shake off this humour from your eyes▪  
You have overslept: 'tis more than time to rise▪  
Behold, already in the ruddy East  
Bright Ericyna with the beaming crest,  
Calls up Aurora, and she roselike blushing,  
Fron aged Tython's cold arms, quickly rushing,  
Opens the wide gates of the welcome day,  
And with a beck summons the Sun away,  
Who quickly mounting on his glistering chair,  
Courseth his nimble Coursers through the air,  
With swifter pace than when he did pursue  
The Laurel changed Nymph that from him flew:  
Fearing perhaps (as well he might) to miss  
A rarer object, than those loves of his.  
Such, as at sight (but for the kind respect  
Of loyal friendship, to a dear elect  
Child of the Muses) had with hotter fire  
Inflamed the wanton Delphian Gods desire,  
Altars adorned with blisse-presaging lights  
In saffron robes, and all his solemn rites  
Thrice-sacred Hymen shall with smiling cheer hands,  
Unite in one, two Turtles loving dear:  
And chain with holy charms their willing  
Whose hearts are linked in love's eternal bands.   

Mild virtue's mirror, Beauty's monument.  
Adorned with heaven's praise, and with earth's perfection:  
Receive (I pray you) with a brow unbent,  
This petty pledge of my poor pure affection.  
Had I the Indians golden heaps and hoards,  
A richer present would I then present you.  
Now such poor fruits as my bare field affords  
In stead of those, here ●aue I rudely sent you:  
Count not the gifts worth, but the giver's will:  
Oft mighty Princes have accepted small things;  
Like as the air all empty parts doth fill,  
So perfect friendship doth supply for all things.  
O be it ever so: so never smart  
Nor teen shall trouble the Soon calm in heart.   

Mind first your Maker in your days of youth:  
Ask grace of him to govern well your ways▪  
Reverence your Husband with unspotted truth:  
Take heed of pride the poison of our days:  
Haunt not with those that are of light report:  
Avoid the vile charms of unchaste temptation.  
Never lend look to the lascivious sort:  
Impeach not any's honest reputation:  
Comfort the poor, but not beyond your power:  
Over your household have a needful care:  
Lay hold on Time's lock, lose not any hour:  
Spend, but in season: and in season spare:  
Offspring of any heaven vouchfafe to send you,  
Nurture them godly; and good end attend you.   

So shall your life in blessings still abound,  
So from all harm th'almighty hand shall shend you,  
So with clear honour shall your head be crowned,  
So for your virtue shall the wise commend you,  
So shall you shun vile slanders blasting voice,  
So shall you long enjoy your loving Fere,  
So shall you both be blessed in your choice,  
So to each other be you ever dear:  
O! be it ever so in every part,  
That naught may trouble the Soon calm in heart.  
FINIS.