THE GRACES' DANCE. FROM THE SAME. FOR what hath all that goodly glorious gaze The glaunce whereof their dimmed eies would daze, Of that sunne-shine, that makes them looke askew : Ne ought in all that world of beauties rare (Save only Glorianaes heavenly hew, To which what can compare?) can it compare; The which, as commeth now by course, I will declare. One day as he did raunge the fields abroad, He chaunst to come, far from all peoples troad, Το all others on the earth which were: Devisd to worke delight was gathered there; It was a hill plaste in an open plaine, That round about was bordered with a wood Of matchlesse hight, that seemd th' earth to disdaine ; In which all trees of honour stately stood, And did all winter as in summer bud, Spredding pavilions for the birds to bowre, Which in their lower braunches sung aloud; And in their tops the soring hauke did towre, Sitting like king of fowles in maiesty and powre: And at the foote thereof a gentle flud His silver waves did softly tumble downe, Unmard with ragged mosse or filthy mud; Ne mote wylde beastes, ne mote the ruder clowne Thereto approch, ne filth mote therein drowne: But Nymphes and Faeries by the bancks did sit In the woods shade which did the waters crowne, Keeping all noysome things away from it, And to the waters fall tuning their accents fit: And on the top thereof a spacious plaine Did spred itselfe, to serve to all delight, Either to daunce, when they to daunce would faine, Or else to course about their bases light; Ne ought there wanted, which for pleasure might So pleasauntly the hill with equall hight They say that Venus, when she did dispose She in regard hereof refusde, and thought unfit. Unto this place whenas the elfin knight He durst not enter into th' open greene, For breaking of their daunce, if he were seene; There he did see, that pleased much his sight, All they without were raunged in a ring, And daunced round; but in the midst of them The whilest the rest them round about did hemme, Amidst a ring most richly well enchaced, Looke how the crowne, which Ariadne wore When the bold Centaures made that bloudy fray Through the bright heaven doth her beams display And is unto the starres an ornament, Which round about her move in order excellent. |