"Her ftature comely, tall; her gate "Well graced; and her wit "To marvell at, not meddle with, "As matchlefs I omit. "A globe-like head, a gold-like haire, "Two rofie cheekes, round ruddy lips, "White juft-fet teeth within; "A mouth in meane; and underneathe "A round and dimpled chin. "Her fnowie necke, with blewish veines, "Stood bolt upright upon "Her portly shoulders: beating balles "Her veined breasts, anon "Adde more to beautie. Wand-like was "Her middle falling ftill, "And rifing whereas women rife: "Imagine nothing ill. * 205 210 215 220 "And more, her long, and limber armes 225 243 230 "For amorous eies, obferving forme, "Think parts obfcured beft. "With these O raretie! with these "Her tong of fpeech was fpare; "But speaking, Venus feem'd to speake, "The balle from Ide to bear. 235 "Were chearefull unto all : "Even fuch as neither wanton feeme, "Nor waiward; mell, nor gall. "A quiet minde, a patient moode, 245 "And not difdaining any; "Not gybing, gadding, gawdy, and "Sweete faculties had many. "A nimph, no tong, no heart, no eie ; "Might praise, might wish, might fee; "For life, for love, for forme; more good, "More worth, more faire than fhce. 250 "Yea The shepheard wept, and she was woe, "At Kirkland is my fathers court, "And Curan is my name, 275 "In Edels court fometimes in pompe, "Till love contrould the fame : "But now-what now ?—dear heart, how now? His force could none withstand: First, making knowne his lawfull claime 305 In Argentile her right, He warr'd in Diria*, and he wonne ** During the Saxon heptarchy, the kingdom of Northumberland (confifting of 6 counties) was for a long time divided into two leffer fovereignties, viz. Deira (called herc Diria) which contained the Southern parts, and Bernicia, comprebending thofe which lay north. Only the three firft ftanzas of this fong are ancient; thefe 66. are extracted from the quarto MS. mentioned in vol. 1. p. As they jeemed to want application, this has been attempted by a modern band. |