Page:Oxford Book of English Verse 1250-1918.djvu/158

 EDMUND SPENSER

Her goodly eyes lyke Saphyres shining bright,

Her forehead yvory white,

Her cheekes Jyke apples which the sun hath rudded,

Her hps Jyke cherrycs charming men to byte,

Her brest like to a bowle of creame uncrudded,

Her paps lyke lyllics budded,

Her snowie necke lyke to a marble towrc ;

And all her body like a pallacc fayrc,

Ascending up, with many a stately stayrc,

To honors scat and chastities sweet bowre.

Why stand ye still ye virgins in amaze,

Upon her so to gaze,

While ye forget your former lay to sing,

To which the woods did answer, and your cccho

But if ye saw that which no e^es can sec, The inward beauty of her lively spright, Garnisht with heavenly guifts of high degree, Much moie then would ye wondei at that sight, And stand astonisht lyke to those which red Medusaes mazef ul hed.

There dwels sweet love, and constant chastity, Unspotted fayth, and comely womanhood, Regard of honour, and mild modesty, There vertue raynes as Queenc in royal throne, And giveth lawes alone, The which the base affections doc obay, And yeeld theyr sei vices unto her will, Nc thought of thing uncomely ever may Thereto approach to tempt her mind to ill. Had ye once scene these her celestial threasures, And unrevealcd pleasures,

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