Page:Oxford Book of English Verse 1250-1900.djvu/143

 But, most of all, the Damzels doe delite When they their tymbrels smyte, And thereunto doe daunce and carrol sweet, That all the sences they doe ravish quite; The whyles the boyes run up and downe the street, Crying aloud with strong confusèd noyce, As if it were one voyce, Hymen, iö 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; 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 Phœbe, from her chamber of the East, Arysing forth to run her mighty race, 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 atweene, Doe lyke a golden mantle her attyre; And, being crownèd with a girland greene, Seeme lyke some mayden Queene. Her modest eyes, abashèd to behold So many gazers as on her do stare, Upon the lowly ground affixèd are; Ne dare lift up her countenance too bold, But blush to heare her prayses sung so loud, So farre from being proud.