"Her face so faire, as flesh it seemed not, But hevenly pourtraict of bright angels hew, Cleare as the skye, withouten blame or blot, Through goodly mixture of complexions dew; And in her cheekes the vermeill red did shew Like roses in a bed of lillies shed, The which ambrosiall odours from them threw, And gazers sence with double pleasure fed, Hable to heale the sicke and to revive the ded. "In her faire eyes two living lamps did flame, Kindled above at th' Hevenly Makers light, And darted fyrie beames out of the same; So passing persant, and so wondrous bright, That quite bereav'd the rash beholders sight: In them the blinded god his lustfull fyre To kindle oft assayd, but had no might; For, with dredd maiestie and awfull yre, She broke his wanton darts, and quenched bace desyre. "Her yvorie forhead, full of bountie brave, Like a broad table did itselfe dispred, For Love his loftie triumphes to engrave, And write the battailes of his great godhed: All good and honour might therein be red; For there their dwelling was. And, when she spake Sweete wordes, like dropping honny, she did shed; And 'twixt the perles and rubins softly brake A silver sound, that heavenly musicke seemd to make. "Upon her eyelids many Graces sate, Under the shadow of her even browes, Working belgardes and amorous retrate; And everie one her with a grace endowes, And everie one with meekenesse to her bowes: So glorious mirrhour of celestiall grace, And soveraine moniment of mortall vowes, How shall frayle pen descrive her heavenly face, For feare, through want of skill, her beauty to disgrace. "So faire, and thousand thousand times more faire, She seemd, when she presented was to sight; And was yclad, for heat of scorching aire, All in a silken Camus lilly whight, Purfled upon with many a folded plight, Which all above besprinckled was throughout With golden aygulets, that glistred bright, Like twinckling starres; and all the skirt about Was hemd with golden fringe. "Below her ham her weed did somewhat trayne, And her streight legs most bravely were embayld In gilden buskins of costly cordwayne, All bard with golden bendes, which were entayld With curious antickes, and full fayre aumayld. Before, they fastned were under her knee In a rich iewell, and therein entrayld The ends of all the knots, that none might see How they within their fouldings close enwrapped bee. "Like two faire marble pillours they were seene, Which doe the temple of the gods support, Whom all the people decke with girlands greene, And honour in their festivall resort; Those same with stately grace and princely port She taught to tread, when she herselfe would grace; But with the woody nymphes when she did play, Or when the flying libbard she did chace, She could them nimbly move, and after fly apace.