Page:Complete Poems of Richard Barnfield.djvu/138

56* That Amaryllis, (his Aunt,) obtained aid of his aged

Syre, that he sent him a ship, and made him Capten of Argus.

Great store went to Greece with lust-bewitched Alexis,

Telamour, and Tydias: with these he sliceth the salt seas,

The salt seas slicing, at length he comes to the firme land,

Firme land, an auntient Iland cald old Lacedæmon.

Argus (eyefull Earle) when first the ken of a Castle

He had spide bespake: (to the Mate, to the men, the Mates-men)

Lo behold of Greece (quoth he) the great Cytadella,

(Ycleaped Menela) so tearmd of Deliaes Husband:

Happie Helen, Womens most woonder, beautifull Helen.

Oh would God (quoth he) with a flattring Tongue he repeated:

Oh would God (quoth he) that I might deserue to be husband

To such a happie huswife, to such a beautifull Helen.

This he spake to intice the minde of a lecherous young man:

But what spurres need now, for an vntam'd Titt to be trotting:

Or to add old Oile to the flame, new flaxe to the fier:

Paris heard him hard, and gaue good eare to his barkening:

And then his loue to a lust, his lust was turnd to a fier,

Pire was turnd to a flame, and flame was turnd to a burning

Brand: and mothers Dreame was then most truelie resolued.

Well so far th' are come, that now th' are come to the Castle,

Castle all of stone, yet euery stone was a Castle:

Euerie foote had a Port, and euerie Port had a fountaine,

Euerie fountaine a spring, and euerie spring had a spurting

Streame: so strong without, within, so stately a building,

Neuer afore was seene: If neuer afore Polyphœbe

Was seene, was to be seene, if nere to be seene was Olympus.

Plowers were framd of flints. Walls, Rubies, Rafters of Argent:

Pauements of Chrisolite, Windows contriu'd of a Christall:

Vessels were of gold, with gold was each thing adorned:

Golden Webs more worth than a wealthy Souldan of Egypt,

And her selfe more worth than a wealthy Souldan of Egypt: