You lady Muse, whom _Ioue_ the Counsellour Begot of Memorie, Wisdom's treasuresse; To your diuining tongue is giuen a power Of vttering secrets large and limitlesse: You can _Penelope's_ strange thoughts expresse Which she conceiu'd, and then would faine haue told, When shee the wond'rous christall did behold. 124. Her wingèd thoughts bore vp her minde so hie, As that she weend shee saw the glorious throne Where the bright moone doth sit in maiesty: A thousand sparkling starres about her shone, But she herselfe did sparkle more alone Then all those thousand beauties would haue done If they had been confounded all in one. 125. And yet she thought those stars mou'd in such measure. To do their soueraigne honor and delight, As sooth'd her minde, with sweet enchanting plesure, Although the various change amaz'd her sight, And her weake iudgement did entangle quite; Beside, their mouing made them shine more cleare, As diamonds mou'd more sparkling do appeare. 126. This was the picture of her wondrous thought; But who can wonder that her thought was so, Sith _Vulcan_ king of fire that mirror wrought, (Who things to come, present, and past, doth know) And there did represent in liuely show Our glorious English Courts diuine image, As it should be in this our Golden Age. * * * * * _Here are wanting some Stanzaes describing Queene Elizabeth. Then follow these._ 127. Her brighter dazeling beames of maiestie Were laid aside, for she vouchsaft awhile With gracious, cheerefull, and familiar eye Vpon the reuels of her Court to smile; For so Time's Iourneis she doth oft beguile: Like sight no mortall eye might elsewhere see, So full of State, Art, and varietie. 128. For of her barons braue, and ladies faire,-- Who had they been elsewhere, most faire had been; Many an incomparable louely payre, With hand in hand were interlinkèd seene, Making faire honour to their soueraigne Queene; Forward they pac'd, and did their pace apply To a most sweet and solemne melody. 129. So subtile and curious was the measure, With such[258] vnlookt for chaunge in euery straine; As that _Penelope_ rapt with sweet pleasure, Weend[259] shee beheld the true proportion plaine Of her owne webb, weaud and unweaud againe; But that her art was somewhat lesse she thought, And on a meere ignoble subiect wrought. [Footnote 258: Thomas Davies, as before, drops 'such.' G.] [Footnote 259: Thomas Davies and Southey misread 'when.' G.] 130.