Seven Minor Epics of the English Renaissance (1596-1624)Barksted, William, active 1611
General
Seven Minor Epics of the English Renaissance (1596-1624)
Barksted, William, active 1611
English poetry -- Early modern, 1500-1700; Epic poetry, English; Renaissance -- England
_VVhen as the skilfull Statuaries make,
The image of some great & worthy one,
They still, as they intend his forme to take,
Forecast the Basis he shall rest vpon,
Whose firme infixe thunders nor winds can shake,
Nor Time, that Nature deeds to liue alone.
So (worthiest Lady) may I proudly vaunt,
(Being neuer guilty of that crime before)
That to this Laye, which I so rudely chaunt,
Your diuine selfe, which_ Dian _doth adore,
As her maids her, I haue select to daunt
Enuy: as violent as these nam'd before_.
_Uertue and beauty both with you enioy,_
Gorgon _and_ Hydra (_all but death_) _destroy._
Your honors from
youth oblig'd,
Wil. Barksted.
The second Tome.
67
Long did this beautious martyr keep her faith,
Thinking that _Mahomet_ was full of error:
Treading that high coelestiall milkie path,
Virginity, that did produce hels terror,
Yet knowing loue in Princes turnes to wrath,
She meanes to catch his fancies with her cunning:
But so resistlesse is this Princes feruor,
Though he imprison loue, still feares his cunning.
68
For like a Castle seated on a rocke,
Besieg'd by thousands danger each way spread,
That had withstood the battery of warres shock:
The liuing making bulwarkes of the dead.
So did this Virgins thoughts to her hart flock,
Wiuing her danger, when her powers were lost:
_Hyrena_ will yeeld vp her maiden head,
A gift to make _Ioue_ proud, or silence bost.
69
He gently woes her with the misers God,
The _Indians_ ignorance, and vertues slaue,
Bright flaming gold, for where that ha's abode,
All doores flies open to the wish we craue.
Gold is mans mercy, and his makers rod,
She loues the King for honor and for riches,
He makes her eyes his heauen, her lap his graue,
A womans face oft Maiesties bewitches.
70
When news is brought him that his foes are come,
He catches straite this maiden in his armes,
Calling for musicke that is now his drumme:
Ile keepe thee safe (quoth he) for other harmes,
Tho spoke in thunder they to me are dumbe.
To counsell now they call him with low duty,
But her Idea so his sences charmes,
He drownes all speech in praising of her beauty.
71
One tels him that the Christians are in field.
You do not marke her beauty, he replies.
Two mightie Cities to their power doth yeeld:
Note but the lustre sparkling from her eyes.
Your subiects hearts, against your life are steeld:
Her tongue is musick, that strikes wonder dumbe.
Your people struck with warre by millions dyes:
If she but frowne then I shall ouercome.
72
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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