Montemayor's Diana

Page 488

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Make triumphes then for birth of such a dame,
And let each hart be glad that hath beene sorie:
Retoice Meridian springs from whence she came;
You linage her, she honours you with glorie,
Her name from East to West, from North to South
Is well esteem’d and knowne in euery mouth.
Come then you Nymphes, resigne to her your powers,
Faire Nymphes that follow Cynthia in her chace,
Come waite on her and strowe the ground with flowers,
And sing in honour of her matchlesse grace:
And Muses nine that dwell in mount Parnasse
Let verse nor song without her praises passe.
Thou dar’st not Rome (in seeing her) presume
With Brutus stately Iland to compare,
But sooner wilt thy selfe with greefe consume,
To see how far she doth excell those faire
Ladies of Rome renowned in their daies,
In cuery thing wherein they got most praise.
In bountie Porcia she shall much exceede,
In wisedome passe Cornelia Pompeies wife,
In honour Liuia, so haue her stars decreed,
And chaste Sulpitia in modestie of life:
Her beautie and the vertues in her brest.
Eugeria staines, and conquers all the rest.
This is the Thought that honours my desire,
This is my Parnasse and Aonian spring,
This is the Muse that giues me holy fire,
This is the Phoenix with her golden wing,
This is the star, and power of such might,
That giues me glorie, spirit, plume and light.
Petrarke had left his Laura all alone,
Folchet Aldagias praise with loftie stile,
Guilliaum the Countesse of Rossiglion,
Raymbald his Lady Morie Verdefueille,
To grace his verse, he would be sides refuse
The Countesse of Vrgiel for his Muse.
Anacreon Euripile defied
And Americ, Gentile, Gascoignes light:
Raymbald the Lordof Vacchieres denied
Of Monferrato Beatrice to delight
With sweetest verse to win her noble grace
Sister vnto the Marquis Boniface.
Arnoldo Daniel had as much repented
Bouilles praise his Lady long agon,
Bernard had neuer with his verse contented

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