| |
| REVEAL, sweet Muse! this secret! | |
| Wherein the lively Senses | |
| Do most triumph in glory? | |
| Where others talk of eagles, | |
| Searching the sun with quick sight; | 5 |
| With eyes, in brightness piersant, | |
| PARTHENOPHE, my sweet Nymph, | |
| With Sight more quick than eagle’s, | |
| With eyes more clear and piersant, | |
| (And, which exceeds all eagles, | 10 |
| Whose influence gives more heat | |
| Than sun in Cancer’s Tropic) | |
| With proud imperious glances | |
| Subduing all beholders, | |
| Which gaze upon their brightness, | 15 |
| Shall triumph over that Sense. | |
| |
| Reveal, sweet Muse, this secret! | |
| Wherein the lively Senses | |
| Do most triumph in glory? | |
| Where some of heavenly nectar | 20 |
| The Taste’s chief comfort talk of | |
| For pleasure and sweet relish; | |
| Where some, celestial syrups | |
| And sweet Barbarian spices, | |
| For pleasantness, commend most: | 25 |
| PARTHENOPHE, my sweet Nymph, | |
| With Lips more sweet than nectar, | |
| Containing much more comfort | |
| Than all celestial syrups; | |
| And which exceeds all spices, | 30 |
| On which none can take surfeit, | |
| Shall triumph over that Sense. | |
| |
| Reveal, sweet Muse, this secret! | |
| Wherein the lively Senses | |
| Do most triumph in glory? | 35 |
| When some Panchaian incense, | |
| And rich Arabian odours, | |
| And waters sweet distilled, | |
| Where some of herbs and flowers | |
| Of Ambergrease and sweet roots, | 40 |
| For heavenly spirit, praise most: | |
| PARTHENOPHE, my sweet Nymph, | |
| With Breath more sweet than incense, | |
| Panchaian or Arabic, | |
| Or any sorts of sweet things. | 45 |
| And which exceeds all odours; | |
| Whose spirit is Love’s godhead, | |
| Shall triumph over that Sense. | |
| |
| Reveal, sweet Muse, this secret! | |
| Wherein the lively Senses | 50 |
| Do most triumph in glory? | |
| Where Music rests in voices, | |
| As SOCRATES supposed; | |
| In voice and bodies moving, | |
| As though ARISTOXINUS; | 55 |
| In mind, as THEOPHRASTUS: | |
| Her Voice exceeds all music, | |
| Her body’s comely carriage, | |
| Her gesture, and divine grace | |
| Doth ravish all beholders. | 60 |
| Her mind, it is much heavenly, | |
| And which exceeds all judgement; | |
| But such sweet looks, sweet thoughts tell | |
| And makes her conquer that Sense. | |
| |
| Reveal, sweet Muse, this secret! | 65 |
| Wherein the lively Senses | |
| Do most triumph in glory? | |
| Where some of sacred hands talk, | |
| Whose blessing makes things prosper; | |
| Where some of well skilled fingers, | 70 |
| Which makes such heavenly music | |
| With wood and touch of sinews: | |
| PARTHENOPHE’s divine Hands, | |
| Let them but touch my pale cheeks! | |
| Let them but any part touch, | 75 |
| My sorrow shall assuage soon! | |
| Let her check the little string! | |
| The sound to heaven shall charm me. | |
| Thus She, the Senses conquers. | |
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