Epithala mion

BY EDMUND SPENSER

Ye learn Pd sisters which have oftent inws

BcPnc to me l1ydi11g, others to ,Hlornc:
Whom yft hnughl ,, ort hy of yo t1r gr;1cefu ll rymcs,
Th(_1t e,7e'i1the gre.itest did not gre,1tly scornc
To he.ire thc\T 11.rnH'S sung in your simp le.· l;:1yes,
But jn\'ed in t hcyr prL1yse.
And when ye list vour owne 111i s h;1ps to mourn c,
\Vhich de.1th, or lo,·t', or fortunes wreck did rayse,
Your string could soonP to ~adder tenor lurnc,
t\nd leach the woods .rnd waters to lament
Your dolcfull drerinwn t.
Now by those so1-ro,vfu ll complain ts aside,
And having all your heads with girland crownd,
Helpe me mine ownc loves prayses to resound,
Ne let the same of any be envide:
So Orpheus did for his owne bride,
So I unto my selfe alone will sing,
The woods shall to me answer and my Eccho ring.

Early before the worlds lfght giving lampe,

His golden beame upon the hils doth spred,
Having disperst the nights uncheare full dampe,
Doe ye awake, and with fresh lusty hed,
Go to the bowre of my beloved love,
My truest turtle dove,
Bid her awake; for Hymen is awake,
And long since ready~or th h_~_Ql__iiske to move,
With his bright Tead that flames with many a flake,
And many a bachelor to waite on him,
In theyr fresh garment s trim.
Bid her awake therefore and soone her dight,
For lo the wished day is come at last,
That shall for al the paynes and sorrowes past,
Pay to her usury of long delight:
And whylest she doth her dight,
Doe ye to her of joy and solace sing,
That all the woods may answer and your Pee ho ring.

Bring with you all the Nymphes that you cm he<u·e

Both of the rivers and the forrests greene:
And of the sea that neighbou rs to her neare,
Al with gay girlands goodly wel beseene.
And let them also with them bring in hand
 Another gay girland
For my fayre love of lillyes and of roses,
Bound truelove wize with a blew silke riband.
And let them make grec.1t store of bridale poses,
And let them ecke bring store of other flowers
To deck the bricL1lc bowers.
And let the ground whcrcc.1s her foot shall tread,
For fl,;1rc the stones her tcncicr foot should wrong
Be slrcv\'c.'d with fr,1grant flowers all r1long,
And diapred lyke the discolored mead.
\,Vhich done, doe at her chamber dore awayt,
For she will waken strayt,
The whiles doe ye this song unto her sing,
The woods shall to you answer and your Eccho ring.

Ye Nymph es of Mull a which with carefull heed,

The silver scaly trouts doe tend full well,
And greedy pikes which use therein to feed,
(Those trouts and pikes all others doo excell)
And ye likewise which keepe the rushy lake,
Where none doo fishes take
'
Bynd up the locks the which hang scatterd light,
And in his waters which your mirror make, -
Behold your faces as the christall bright,
That when you come whereas my love doth lie,
No blemish she may spie.
And eke ye lightfoot mayds which keepe the deere,
That on the hoary mountayne use to towre,
And the wylde wolves which seeke them to devoure,
With your st@@le dar-ts doo chace from comming neer,
Be also present heere,
To helpe to decke her and to help to sing,
That all the woods may answer and your eccho ring.

Wake, now my love, awake; for it is time,

The Rosy Morne long since left Tithon es bed,
All ready to her silver coche to clyme,
And Phoebus gins to shew his glorious hed.
Hark how the cheerefull hirds do ch~iu nt t hcyr laics
And carroll of loves pr<.1isc.
The merry Larke hir mattins 6ings aloft,
The thrush replyes, the Mc1vis descant playes,
The Ouzell shrills, the Ruddock warbles soft,
So goodly all agree with sweet consent,
To this dayes merriment.
Ah my deere love why doe ye sleepe thus long,
 When meeter w e re that ye should now aw a ke
T'awayt the comming of your joyou s m a ke, ,
And hearken to th e birds lovc lea rn cd s on g,
·;.
The deawy leaves c1mon g.
1 ■;
For they of joy c1nd pl casa ncc to y ou sing,
That all th e wood s th e m a nsw e r a nd th eyr eccho ring.

My love is now ~1w'-1kc nut of he r dream es ,

And her fayrc eyes like sL1rs that d1rnrn cd wPre
With cLJrksome cloud, now s h ew th eyr goodl y heames
More bright then Hesperus his h ea d doth r erc.
Come now ye damzels, daughters of delight,
Helpe quickly her to dight,
But first c0111e ye fayre houres which were begot
In Joves sweet paradice, of Day and Night,
Which doe the seasons of the yeare allot,
And al that ever in this world is fayre
Doe make and still repayre.
And ye three handmayds of the Cyprian Queene,
The which doe still adorne her beauties pride,
Helpe to addorne my beautifullest bride:
And as ye her array, still throw betweene
Some graces to be seene,
And as ye use to Venus, to her sing,
The whiles the woods shal answer and your eccho ring.
✓
Now is my love all ready forth to come,
Let all the virgins therefore well awayt,
And ye fresh boyes that tend upon her groome
Pre_pare your selves; for he is comming strayt.--=.
Set all your things in seemely good a ray
Fit for so joyfull day,
The joyfulst day that ever sunne did see.
Faire Sun, shew forth thy favourable rc1y,
And let thy lifull heat not fervent be
For feare of burmng her sunshyny face,
Her beauty to disgrace.
O fayrest Phoebus, father of the Muse,
If ever I did honour thee aright,
Or sing the thmg, that mote thy mind delight,
Doe not thy servants simple boone refuse,
But let this day let this one day be mync,
Let all the rest be thine.
Then I thy soverayne prayses loud will sing, .
That all the woods shal answer and theyr eccho nng.
 e Minstrels gin to shri11 aloud
1 h 0 W lh
llar<c
Their merry Musick that resounds from far,
The pipe, the tabor, and the tremhli ng Croud,
Thc1t well agree wilhouten breach or jar.
But most oh1ll the Darnzels doc delit·e,
When they their tymbrels smyte,
And thereunto doc dauncc and ecirrol sweet,
Thctt all the senccs they doc ravish quite,
The whylcs the boyes run up ~rnd downe the street,
Crying aloud with strong confused noyce,
As if it were onP voyce.
Hymen io Hymen, Hymen they do shout,
That even to the heavens theyr shouting shrill
Doth reach, and all the firmament doth fill ,
To which the people standing all about,
As in approvance doe thereto applaud
And loud advaunce her laud I

And evermore they Hymen Hymen sing,

That al the woods them answer and theyr eccho ring.

Loe where she comes along with portly pace

Lyke Phoebe from her chamber of the East, -:, G-i0Jde.s5 6b hjITT') ·
Arysing forth to run her mighty race, ( Aitemt..s)
Clad all in white, that seemes a virgin best.
So well it her beseemes that ye would weene
Some angell she had beene.
Her long loose yellow locks lyke golden wyre,
Sprinckled with perle, and perling flowres a tweene,
Doe lyke a golden mantle her attyre,
--And being crowned with a girland greene,
Seeme lyke some mayden Queene.
Her modest eyes abashed to behold
So many gazers, as on her do stare,
Upon the lowly ground affixed are.
Ne dare lift up her countenance too bold,
But blush to heare her prayses sung so loud,
So farre from being proud.
Nathlesse doe ye still loud lwr prc1yses !-ling,
That all the woods rn<1y dnswer ttrnJ your Prcho ring.

Tell me ye merchants daughte1 s did YP Sf'l'

So fayre a creature in your towrw lwton'·?
So sweet, so lovely, and so mild i1s she,
Adornd with beautyes grace ;_ind vert LH'S store.
Her goodly eyes lyke Saphyres shining bright,
Her forehead yvory white,
Her ~heekes lyke apples which the sun hcith rudded,
Her lips lyl~e chcrrycs cht1rming mC'n to hyte,
Her brest hke to a bnwle of crcl1mc uncrudclcd
lier paps lykc lyllics budded , ,
Her snowiP nccke lyke Io l1 m;1rble tow re
And all her hndy like ~1 pc1llacc friyrc, ,
Ascending uppe w1th lllclllY <1 stately ~tayre,
To honors se . 1t tllld chc1stitics sweet bowrc.
Wh>' sLmd ye still ye virgins in amaze,
ll pon her so lo g . 1zc,
vVhiles ye forget your former lay to sing,
To which the woods did answer and your eccho ring.

But if ye saw that which no eyes can see,

The inward beauty of her lively spright,
Garnisht with heavenly guifts of high degree,
Much more then would ye wonder at that sight,
And stand astonisht lyke to those which red
Medusaes mazeful hed.
There dwels sweet love and constant chastity,
Unspotted fayth and comely womenhed,
Regard of honour and mild modesty,
There vertue raynes as Queene in royal throne;
And giveth lawes alone.
The which the base affections doe obay,
And yeeld theyr services unto her will,
Ne thought of thing uncomely ever may
Thereto approch to tempt her mind to ill.
Had ye once seene these her celestial threasures,
And unreve..aled ..pJeasures,
Then would ye wonder and her prayses sing,
That al the woods should answer and your eccho ring.

Open the temple gates unto my love,

Open them wide that she may enter in,
And all the pastes adorne as doth behovP,
And all the pillours deck with girlands trim.
For to recyve this Saynt with honour dew,
That commeth in to you.
With trembling steps and humble revcrPrtCL\
She commeth in, before th'almightiL'S VL'W:
Of her ye virgins learne obedience,
When so ye come into those holy places,
To humble your proud faces;
Bring her up to th'high altar that she may,
The sacred ceremonies there partake,
 The which do cndlcsse matrimony make,
And let the roring Organs loudly play
The praises oft hr Lord in l ivcly notes,
The whiles w1th hollow throc1tcs
The Chnrbtcrs tlw Joyous Antl,erne sing,
Th'"1t ~1 l th c w n n d~ m, 1y ,rn ~we r c ;rn d t he i r c' u ho ring.

Bchnld \\ hilr·s she hc'f'nre the ~,lt;n· st~mds

He.iring l he holy priest th a t to her spc;1ke5
And blcssct h twr \\·1t h hi s two happy h;md5,
l low the red roses flush up in her chceke5,
And the pure snow w1th goodly vermill stayne,
11ke crimsin dyde in grayne,
T hat even th'Angels which continually,
About the sacred Altare doe remaine
Forget their service and about her fl;,
Ofte peeping in her face that seemes more fayre,
The more they on it stare.
But her sad eyes still fastened on the ground,
Are governed with goodly modesty,
That suffers not one looke to glaunce awry,
Which may let in a little thought unsownd.
Why blush ye love to give to me your hand,
The pledge of all our band?
Sing ye sweet Angels, Alleluya sing,
That all the woods may answere and your eccho ring.

Now al is done; bring home the bride againe,

Bring home the triumph of our victory,
Bring homerwith you the glory of her gaine,
With joyance bring her and with jollity.
Never had man more joyfull day then this,
Whom heaven would hcape with blis.
Make feast therefore now all this live long day,
This day for ever to me holy is,
Poure out the wine without restrttint or slc1y,
Pou re not by cups, but by the belly full,
Poure out to all that wull,
And sprinkle all the postes and wal s with w11H\
That they may sweat, and drunken he w1th;1ll.
Crowne ye God Bacchus with a coron ~1ll, .
And Hymen also crowne with wreathes of vme,
And let the Graces daunce unto the rest;
For they can doo it best: .
The whiles the maydens doe theyr carroll sing, .
To which the woods shal answer and theyr eccho nng.
 Ring ye the bels
And leave Your , ye Yong rnen of the l
This day is h l ~ontect labors for ti . ~Wnc,
Th O Y, doe ye . 11s cby·
~t ye for ever it re Wntc it clownc, .
T his day the . tncinher rnc1y
w· h sunn0 IS in I . . . .
It Barnaby the b . l 1 ts ch ief cs t h i~1~11
From h ttg 1t , ,
w ence declinin '1 · ·T

He so111ewht1t lnsntl f~lc _<1 tly by dPgrees

Wl1cn oncp the('. ' '- Il lO 11..S I1C'<ll ;md light '
B . . .1l1) 1ehmd h. b ,
ut for th1s lime it ill or . ts dck he secs.
To chose the longe't d dc~llled was,
A d ,1
n s 1ortest night s hay tn all the ycare,
Yet never d'ly l , w en longest fitter weare·
u so ong b t l .
Ring ye the bels t , ku. ate would passe.
, o ma e it Weare awa
A nd bonefiers make all d y,
And daunce about them,
That all thew
=~•d about them smg.
. .
oods may answer, and your eccho ring.

Ah when will this long weary day have end

And lende me leave to come unto my love/
How slowly do the houres theyr numbers spend?
How slowly does sad Time his feathers move? -
Hast thee O fayrest Planet to thy home
Within the Westerne fame:
Thy tyred steedes long since have need of rest.
Long though it be, at last I see it gloome,
And the bright evening star with golden creast
Appeare out of the East.
Fayre childe of beauty, glorious Jampe_of love
That all the host of heaven in rankes doost lead,
And guydest lovers through the nightes dread,
How chearefully thou lookest from above,
And seemst to laugh atweene thy twinkling light
As joying in the sight
Of these glad many which for joy doe sing,
That all the woods them answer and their t'cho ring.

Now ceasse ye damsels your delights forPpl1 s t;

Enough is it, that all the day WdS you res:
Now day is doen, and night is nighing fast:
Now bring the Bryde into the bry<.ttll bourPs.
Now night is come, now soone her disar;1y,
And in her bed her lay;
Lay her in lillies and in violets, _
And silken courteins over her display,
7
 /\nd odm,rcl s h c·C' t c.·s, , 11HI J\ rr; 1:; co ve , lc.! t~; .
l k lwld how g oodl y m y fi1ir(' l ovC' d c,c•'; ly
In proud lwrnilily;
1.ik C' unto M ;1i ;1, w lw n as Jo ve lwr t o<Jke
I 11 T <.' mp c , lyi n g on I h c1 f low r y 1~r;is, '
'l\1:'i x l sl ee p e .11HI w, 1k( ,dt er ~h e wc•,11 y w,1 ~,,
1
,

Wrth b ~1tllin g in th e /\ c id ,1 li ;111 h rookc.;.

Now il i s nt ght , Y<' cl ,11 n~<· l s In ;1y he gon,
And lc•.1ve m y lo v e ,1l o1H',
~ncl IL'clVc' l1kc• w 1sc• y ou r fol'IIH 1· L1 y l o ,,inf~:
1

l lw wood s no rnnrc • s h;\\ ,1n~wc •rc, nor yo 1ir ec ho ring.

~ow w elcome~ ni g ht , thou ni ght so lon g ex p cc l ed,

I h a t lon g d a ies l.1hour dc)('s t ~1t las t d e fr ay,
And :111 m y G lres, which cru e l} love coll ec t e d
!,!,1st sumd in one, and cancelled for aye: '
Sprc(.Hl thy broad wing over my love and me
Tha t no man may us see, ,
And in thy sable mantle us enwrap,
From feare of perrill and foule horror free. ~;_, .$
Let no false treason seeke us to entrap, A\ tJ!.,r<'- e n rA ~

~
Nor any dread disquiet once annoy
The safety of our joy:
But let the night be calme and quietsome,
Without tempestuous storms or sad afray:
Lyke as when Jove with fayre Alcmena lay,
When he begot the great Tirynthian groome:
Or lyke as when he with thy selfe did lie,
And begot Majesty.
And let the mayds and yongmen cease to-sing:
Ne let the woods them answer, nor theyr eccho ring.

Let no lamenting cryes, nor dolefull teares,

Be heard all night within nor yet without:
Ne let false whispers, breeding hidden feares,
Breake gentle sleepe with misconceived dout.
Let no deluding dreames, nor dreadful sights
Make sudden sad affrights;
Ne let housefyrcs, nor lightnings helpel esse harmes,
Ne let the Pouke, nor other cvill sprights,
Ne let mischivous witches with theyr chc1rm es,
Ne let hob Goblins, nam es whose se nce w e see not,
Fray us with things that be not.
Let not the shriech Oule, nor th e Starke he heard:
Nor the night Raven that still deadly yels , c. yow ·
Nor damned ghosts cald up with mighty s pels, 8
 Nor griesly vultures m a ke u s on ce clffca rd:
Ne let th'unpleasant Quyrc of Frogs still croking
Make us lo wish lh eyr chokin g.
Let none of these thcy r drcry ,1cre nts sing;
Ne let the wood s them .rn ~we r, nor lh eyr ecc ho ring.

But let s ti] Silence lrcw ni ght w ,1tc h es kcc pe,

That sc.1ncd p c~lCl' m.1y in ~1ss u t\ 111e p r ,1y nc,
And tymdv sleep, \\·lwn 1t i~ tynw to sleP pc,
,May po~Jrc his hmbs forth on yolll pl e;1sant playn c,
fhc wh1k's ,m hundred little winged loves,
Like divers fL,thered doves
Shall fly and flutter round ;bout your bed,
And in tlw secret darke, that none reproves,
Their prety stelthes shal worke, and snares shal spread
To filch away sweet snatches of delight,
Conceald through covert night.
Ye sonnes of Venus, play your sports at will,
For greedy pleasure, carelesse of your toyes,
Thinks more upon her paradise ofjoyes,
Then what ye do, albeit good or ill.
All night therefore attend your merry play,
For it will soone be day:
Now none doth hinder you, that say or sing,
Ne will the woods now answer, nor your Eccho ring.

Who is the same, which at my window peepes?

Or whose is that faire face, that shines so bright,
Is it not Cinthia, she that never sleepes,
But walkes about high heaven;ilth__e_night?
O fayrest goddesse, do thou not envy
My love with me to spy:
For thou Jikewise didst love, though now unthought,
And fo'r a fleece of woll, which privily,
The Latmian shephard once unto thPe brought,
His pleasures with thee wrought.
Therefore to us be favorable now;
And sith of wemens labours thou httst charge,
And generation goodly dost enlarg(\
Encline thy will t'effect our wish full vow,
And the chast wombe informe with tirrn_IY seed,
1

That may our comfort breed: .

Till which we cease our hopefull hap t~ smg, .
Ne let the woods us answere, nor our Eccho nng.
 . '2t .,JJ <!SS ~ mow.it>- 'S-·
:'-nd thou g, c,1l~, which with .1wful might
fhe lawcs of wedlock sl ill clnst p ;1troni1.<',
At~d the rcllgwn ol lhc· r~uth first plight
W1th s<icrc-d riles h,JSl l :rnghl lo sol1'rnniz,, :
And eckc lor romlnrl nftc11 c.tllc•cl ,1rl
Ohnmwn 111 their sm.u-t,
Ek1 ll,lllY hrnd thou l h 1~ lovl'ly h :rnd,
And ~111 thy hll'ssings u nt n us i mp:1rt.
::1Hi thou gl.1d G('nius, 111 who~c gent le h;111d,
I he b11d,1)e ho\\Tl' and gc111,1l l bed rcrnc1ine
\Vithout blemish or st~11ne '
A1~d the s\\·eet plc<1su 1-es o'r the yr loves <lei igh t
\~~1th scrrd ,1~·de doest succour and supply,
: dl they bring forth the fruitfull progeny,
Send us the timely fruit of this same night.
And thou fayre Hebe, and thou Hymen free,
Grant that it may so be.
Til \•vhich we cease your further prayse to sing,
Ne any woods shal answer, nor your Eccho ring.

And ye high heavens, the temple of the gods,

In which a thousand torches flaming bright
Doe burne, that to us wretched earthly clods, -
In dreadful darknesse lend desired light;
And all ye powers which in the same remayne,
More then we men can fayne,
Poure out your blessing on us plentiously,
And happy influence upon us raine,
That we may raise a large posterity,
Which from the earth, which they may long possesse.
With lasting happinesse,
Up to your haughty pallaces may mount,
And for the guerdon of theyr glorious merit
May heavenly tabernacles there inherit,
Of blessed Saints for to increase the count.
So let us rest, sweet love, in hope of thi s,
And cease till then our tymely joycs to sing,
The woods no more us answer, nor our L'ccho ring.

Song made in lieu of many cJrn,111wnts,

With which my love should duly have bene elect,
Which cutting off through hasty accidents,
Ye would not stay your dew time to expect,
But promist both to recompens,
Be unto her a goodly ornament,
And for short time an endlesse moniment.