Song X

Farewell sweet fancies, and once deare delights,
The treasures of my life, which made me proue
That vnaccomplish'd ioy that charm'd the sprights,
And whil'st by it I onely seem'd to moue,
Did hold my rauish'd soule, big with desire,
That tasting those, to greater did aspire.
Farewell free thraldome, freedome that was thrall,
While as I led a solitary life,
Yet neuer lesse alone, whil'st arm'd for all,
My thoughts were busied with an endlesse strife:
For then not hauing bound my selfe to any,
I being bound to none, was bound to many.
Great god that tam'st the gods old-witted child,
Whose temples brests, whose altars are mens hearts,
From my hearts fort thy legions are exild,
And Hymens torch hath burn'd out all thy darts:
Since I in end haue bound my selfe to one,
That by this meanes I may be bound to none.
Thou daintie goddesse with the soft white skinne,
To whom so many offrings dayly smoke,
Were beauties processe yet for to begin,
That sentence I would labour to reuoke
Which on mount Ida as thy smiles did charme,
The Phrigian shepheard gaue to his owne harme.
And if the question were referd to mee,
On whom I would bestow the ball of gold,
I feare me Venus should be last of three,
For with the Thunderers sister I would hold,
Whose honest flames pent in a lawfull bounds,
No feare disturbs, nor yet no shame confounds.
I mind to speake no more of beauties Doue,
The Peacocke is the bird whose fame Ile raise;
Not that I Argos need to watch my loue,
But so his mistris Iuno for to praise:
And if I wish his eyes, then it shall be,
That I with many eyes my loue may see.
Then farewell crossing ioyes, and ioyfull crosses,
Most bitter sweets, and yet most sugred sowers,
Most hurtfull gaines, yet most commodious losses,
That made my yeares to flee away like howers,
And spent the spring time of mine age in vaine,
Which now my summer must redeeme againe.
O welcome easie yoke, sweet bondage come,
I seeke not from thy toiles for to be shielded,
But I am well content to be orecome,
Since that I must commaund when I haue yeelded:
Then here I quit both Cupid and his mother,
And do resigne my selfe t'obtaine another.