Fit to deck maidens' bowers, And crown their paramours Against the bridal day, which is not long : Sweet Thames! run softly, till I end my song. There in a meadow by the river's side And each one had a little wicker basket In which they gather'd flowers to fill their flasket, The tender stalks on high. Of every sort which in that meadow grew To deck their bridegrooms' posies Against the bridal day, which was not long : Sweet Thames! run softly, till I end my song. With that I saw two swans of goodly hue The snow which doth the top of Pindus strow Nor Jove himself, when he a swan would be For love of Leda, whiter did appear; Yet Leda was (they say) as white as he, Yet not so white as these, nor nothing near; So purely white they were That even the gentle stream, the which them bare, That shone as Heaven's light Against their bridal day, which was not long : Sweet Thames! run softly, till I end my song. Eftsoons the nymphs, which now had flowers their fill, As they came floating on the crystal flood; Them seem'd they never saw a sight so fair Of fowls, so lovely, that they sure did deem To be begot of any earthly seed, But rather angels, or of angels' breed; Yet were they bred of summer's heat, they say, So fresh they seem'd as day, Even as their bridal day, which was not long: Then forth they all out of their baskets drew That like old Peneus' waters they did seem Two of those nymphs meanwhile two garlands bound. Their snowy foreheads therewithal they crown'd; Prepared against that day, Against their bridal day, which was not long: 'Ye gentle birds! the world's fair ornament, Joy may you have, and gentle hearts content And let fair Venus, that is queen of love, Let endless peace your steadfast hearts accord, Which may your foes confound, And make your joys redound Upon your bridal day, which is not long: So ended she; and all the rest around Which said their bridal day should not be long: So forth those joyous birds did pass along And all the fowl which in his flood did dwell 'Gan flock about these twain, that did excel The rest, so far as Cynthia doth shend And their best service lend Against their wedding day, which was not long: At length they all to merry London came, There when they came whereas those bricky towers The which on Thames broad aged back do ride, Next whereunto there stands a stately place, Of that great lord, which therein wont to dwell, Whose want too well now feels my friendless case; But ah! here fits not well Old woes, but joys to tell Against the bridal day, which is not long: Sweet Thames! run softly, till I end my song. Yet therein now doth lodge a noble peer, Great England's glory and the world's wide wonder, Whose dreadful name late thro' all Spain did thunder, And Hercules' two pillars standing near Did make to quake and fear : Fair branch of honour, flower of chivalry! That fillest England with thy triumphs' fame Joy have thou of thy noble victory, And endless happiness of thine own name That promiseth the same; That through thy prowess and victorious arms And great Eliza's glorious name may ring Through all the world, fill'd with thy wide alarms To ages foliowing, Upon the bridal day, which is not long : Sweet Thames! run softly, till I end my song. From those high towers this noble lord issuing Above the rest were goodly to be seen Two gentle knights of lovely face and feature, SONNETS. With gifts of wit and ornaments of nature Fit for so goodly stature, 1553-96. That like the twins of Jove they seem'd in sight Each one did make his bride Against their bridal day, which is not long: Sweet Thames! run softly, till I end my song. SONNETS. ONE But came the waves, and washed it away: But came the tyde, and made my paynes his pray. A mortal thing so to immortalize; For I my selfe shall lyke to this decay, And eek my name bee wyped out lykewize;" RUDELY thou wrongest my dear heart's desire, In finding fault with her too portly pride: Scorn of base things and sdeign of foul dishonour, |