The Heroical Lover - Canto Ii Poem by Thomas Bancroft

The young Knight of Fidelta hears,
And thinks her praises tune the spheres;
Seeks her through Italy in vaine,
But finds Aselgia with her train.

When at the beam of youth this matchless Knight
Now weigh'd himself, & found his spirits light,
And felt more fervent blood, he thought to prove
The sweet endearements of desertful love,
And call'd to mind what Beauty he had seen
Fit to be took for his affections Queen,
As minded some brave Heroine to wed,
Or never else to warm a Genial bed.
Meanwhile comes Fame (than thinnest fume more light,
Or wings of insects shining in their flight)
And tells him in a busy panting hast
Of a renowned Lady, richly grac't
With all endowments Nature can bestow,
By name Fidelta; who her self would show
Most worthy of his love, although it were
A treasure of affection nere so dear;
But was so wondrous modest, so retir'd,
So sweetly humble, that she much desir'd
Her beauties, though as sparks of heaven beheld,
Might yet encloud their beams, and be conceal'd;
So much her precious vertue fear'd to be
Allaid by th' mixture of much company:
And for this reason (as some birds do flit
From coast to coast) she did so often quit
The place she honour'd, from resort to go,
That where to find her very few did know.
`As sure now, said Sir Antheon, as I draw
`A trusty sword, I such a Lady saw
`In my last dream; who having at me cast
`Some smiling glances, vanisht at the last,
`And left my heart on fire; t'is surely she
`That must be mine by Destinies decree.
`This to confirme, I now remember well
`What oft to me my chary Nurse did tell,
`To wit, that great Astrologers once said,
`That I a Lady of this name should wed.
`I'le travel through this Globe to seek her out
`Where'ere she hidden lyes, and should not doubt
`But to discloud her, though her beauty bright
`Were maskt in shadowes of Cimmerian night.
`The Stygian Prince that Proserpine did steale,
`Should not this Lady from my sight conceal
`In's inmost cell, though it with clouds were hung,
`And 'bout her bed redoubled darkness flung;
`But with a deep device I would orethrow
`His shady palace, and her beauties show
`To th' upper world, that would admiring stand,
`And offer service what she should command.
This said, he call'd for gentle Eubulus,
A man mature, discreet, and vertuous,
And thus bespake him: Friend, I now must try
`The strength and temper of your amity
`So long profest: by all fair promises
`Of friendly aide, all vowes of services
`Heated with zeale (and yet I know your heart's
`So firme, that needless are perswasive arts)
`I must intreat you readily to goe
`With me, and help my skilless youth to wooe;
`For I must travel (who cantell how farre?)
`To seek a bright, though sublunary, starre;
`A Lady whom all beauty doth embeam,
`Though never by me seene save in a dream:
`But so we do adore the Powers on high,
`Though not expos'd to view of mortal eye;
`And we admire the Phoenix, though there be
`Few that did ere that winged wonder see.
`The place of her retirement I no more
`Know, then I do the Oceans utmost shore;
`Yet shall I finde her to my wisht content
`(My Genius tells me so) if you'l assent
`To my desires, and cause my paines to be
`More short through your long--lov'd society.
`To make a question, Eubulus reply'd,
`Of service, is to make our friendship void,
`As cancell'd were its bond: command me t'go
`On bare feet through the Hyperborean snow,
`Or through dry parched Desarts seek my way
`'Mongst poisonous Serpents; and without delay
`I'le run those hazards: the sweet style of Friend
`Is charme enough to cause me to attend
`Your motions through the world, and to despise
`The frowns of Fortune, strokes of Destinies.
These words made musick in Sr. Antheons eare,
Who for th' affection he profest to beare,
Return'd him thanks, and further did devise
How to atchive his amorous enterprize.
But as a Sea--man ready to launch out
O'th' Harbour, when the winds do shift about
From point to point, well knows not how to set
His hoised sailes that he may forward get:
So did this noble Lover doubtful stand
Whither he should direct his course, what land
He should fill with his fame, what region see,
To make therein blind loves discovery.
But having heard how Italy was grac't
Sometime with Ladyes of renown, as chast
Lucretia, Arria, and Paulina deare
To Seneca, he now resolv'd to steere
A straight course thither, hoping there to find
Fidelta, th' honour of all woman--kinde;
And to observe with some delight what breed
Of beauties now those Ladyes did succeed.
So, like the Trojan Knight, attended by
Faithful Achates, full of hope and joy,
Went he with Eubulus by land and Sea,
Justled with rocky dangers in his way,
And at a hard rate did experience buy,
Yet came at last in ken of Italy.
And saw the smoke of Rhegium, where t'is said
That famous land was sometime severed
From Sicily, the force of waves and wind
Driving asunder what had been joyn'd.
Having arriv'd where Harbour did invite,
And chear'd his worthy friend, his dear delight,
Of that fair coast a greedy view he tooke,
More pleas'd therewith than Jason was to looke
On Colchis strand: th' one for a golden fleece
Sail'd farre, this other a farre richer piece
Of beauty sought. Like Mercury he mov'd,
And truth of history by tryal prov'd,
Apt to take notice and to give account
Of every wood and river, Plaine and Mount
In the whole region. One day as he came
Near to Vesuvius, when it belcht a flame
Out of its horrid mouth, and sent a smoke
Therewith that threatned half the world to choke,
`O Hell, said he, thy happiness is great,
`That hast no feeling of that fervent heat
`Within thy bowells, nor art rapt along
`By force thereof, but restest on a strong
`And fixed Base; whereas in my sick heart
`(That seemes at every sigh to lose some part
`Of its vitality) a heat I feele
`Able to melt a very breast of Steel,
`By whose impulsion am I mov'd to goe
`From coast to coast in hope to lose my woe,
`And now could wish I here might rest my head,
`And sleep my last in learned Plinies bed.
Thus let he forth a Lovers discontent,
Yet with affections more inflamed went
To gallant Naples, and to Millaine great,
Faire Florence, and high Rome (an Empires seat,)
Rich Venice, and to many Cities more,
More populous now, more famous heretofore:
And wheresoere he came, he still enquir'd
For that hid star whose sight he most desir'd;
Yet nothing heard in answer, save that she
(Affecting sights of fam'd Antiquity)
Came once to Rome, but thence ere long withdrew
Her honour'd presence, whither no man knew.
This news that like a bitter--sweet did tast,
Caus'd him to double his industrious hast
In his research: when passing on the way
Through the fresh fields of rich Campania,
Whose pleasures once their sinews all unstrung,
That marcht with warlike Hannibal along
To Capua; some Rusticks (fit to sort
With sheep, and with rude Sylvanes to disport)
Bluntly inform'd him that a Lady gay,
Who in that region bare a Queen--like sway,
And courted was by braver men than swaines,
Did adde much sweetness to their flowery Plains
On the green Margin of a chrystal lake
Stood her more shining house, built high to take
Far--distant eyes; about it Myrtle--groves
And bowers did emblemize more pleasant loves;
In mystique beds (all fair and odorous
As Flora's bosome) glow'd the Paphian Rose
'Mongst flaming Heliotropes, whilst violets blew
And star--like Lillies heavens fair figure drew.
There planted was rich store of bounteous vines,
That swell'd her Cellars with Nectarean wines;
There fields seem'd Seas of plenty, and did wave
With corne, as much as greedy Hinds could crave;
There goodliest cattel graz'd; and all things else
Were such as few could find their Parallels.
Thither the Knight (with hope of sweet content
Drawn eas'ly on) his course directly bent;
And when he now approching was espy'd,
The Lady all her magnetismes emploid
More to attract him; rich perfumes were made;
On loud--sweet Instruments her Vassalls plaid,
Wherewith the heightned water in its fall
Kept time, with purlings rarely musical;
Thereto encaged birds sang many a Lay,
And all those soft aires Echo home did play;
So that as winds the water did advance
In waves, the Lake seem'd all the while to dance.
Charm'd by those raptures, softly rode the Knight
By the Lakes side, remotely opposite
To that fair tower; when now the Lady laid
Her beauties forth, her braveries displaid
At a large window, beckon'd him, and sent
Glances and smiles, and signes of kindness meant.
He bowing with much courtesy, kept on
His way, intending (when he had anon
Past by that wat'ry obstacle) to make
Some courtship to that Lady of the Lake.
But not much farther had he forward gone,
Than valiant Hector could that flint have thrown
That hit strong Ajax, when he chanc't to see
A grave man under a green leavy tree,
With book in hand, and eyes thereon so set,
As all his wealth lay in that Cabinet:
Yet seem'd his garb and garments to proclaim
That of some honour'd family he came;
And in his countenance there something shin'd,
That shewd the precious habits in his mind.
The jolly Knight, desiring much to know
Whether the Lake was fordable or no,
Went and requir'd of him; who thus reply'd:
`Sir, be assur'd this is the safer side;
`And if you'll calmely hear, (because I see
`In you some sparks of nobler gallantry)
`I'le tell you why: At th' house (whereto I guess
`You mean to go) lives that grand Sorceress,
`Wicked Aselgia; who on Roses treads,
`Paints her alluring parts, perfumes her beds,
`And feasts blind Lovers, that they likewise may
`Feed her wild lusts, and so themselves betray
`To ruine. Some of them (as Apes their young
`She with embracing kills; and then they're flung
`Into this fatal water which you see,
`Being therefore call'd The Lake of Luxury:
`Others she clothes in pide and ragged coates.
`And some transformes to Satyres, Monkies, Goates
`Or viler beasts: who ere endears her vice,
`A Serpent finds in stead of Paradise.
`Her damned witcheries are fed at once
`With blood of men, and marrow of their bones,
`Their entrailes, and the humours of their eyes,
`Besides the spoile of mental faculties:
`And if she draw not Luna to the ground
`Medea--like; yet still is Venus found
`In her unhollowed roomes, as onely there
`She meant to dwell, and leave her giddy sphere.
`Her musicke's magical, and poisons fly
`In the hot streame of her perfumes, whereby
`She drawes delightfully soft--natur'd men
`T' her Mansion; whence, as from the Lions den,
`None are trac't back; at least, if any be,
`'Tis not without some markes of misery.
`Braz'd Impudence sits staring at her gates,
`And rude Procacity upon her waites:
`Intemp'rance ushers her, and in her house
`All lewd disorders keep their rendevouz.
`Avoid her, gentle Sir, as you would fly
`From a dire Basiliske with death in's eye,
`Or plague more deadly; and hereafter say
`You met with wholesome counsel in your way.
The Knight exprest much thankefulness, and would
(Had need requir'd) have guerdon'd him with gold
For better--worth intelligence; whereby
(Being angry at his own credulity)
He was induc'd his purpose and his way
To alter, and new fortunes to assay.