FLORA

Believe me, Pan, not all thy lambs and yoes, Nor, Faunus, all thy lusty bucks and does, (But that I am instructed well to know, What service to the hills and dales I owe,) Could have enforcet me to so strange a toil, Thus to enrich this gaudy gallant foil. Not Iris in her pride and bravery, Adorns her arch with such variety: Nor does the milk white way in frosty night, Appear so fair and beautiful in sighed: As done these fields, and groves, and sweetest bowers, Bestrewed and decked with party collord flowers. Along the bubbling brooks & silver glide, that at the bottom does in silence slide, The watery flowers and lilies on the banks, Like blazing comets burgeon all in ranks: Under the Hathorne and the Poplar tree, Where sacred Phoebe may delight to be: The Primerose and the purple Hyacinth, The dainty Ʋ iolet and the wholesome Minthe. The double Daisy, and the Of summer our do And round about the valley as you pass, Ye may ne peeping flowers the grass: That well the mighty and the rest, May boldly think to be a welcome guest On Ida h lls, when to approve the thing, The queen of flowers prepares a second spring. , when it is thy hap to see, My workmanship, in portraying all the three, First stately with her port and grace, Her Robes, her lawns, her crounet and her mace: Would make thee this picture to behold, Of yellow Ox tips bright as burr shed gold. Pallas in flowers of hue and collowers read, Her plumes, her helm, her , her he , Her trailing tres es that hang aring round, Of Julie-flowers so grassed in the ground, That trust me , who did the cunning see, Would at a blush suppose it to be she. Fair Venus of sweet Violets in blue. With other flowers infixed for change of hue, Her plumes, her pendants, bracelets and her rings, Her dainty fan and twenty other things: Her lusty mantle waving in the wind, And every partly in colour and in kind: And for her wreathe of roses she nil dare, With Floras cunning counterfeit compare. So that what living white shall chance to see, These goddesses, eke placed in her degree, Portrayed by Flora's workemanshipe alone, Must say that Art and nature met in one. That shall not need: they are at hand by this, And the conductor of the train hight Rh is. Juno hath left her chariot long ag e, And hath returned her Peacocks by her rain bow. And bravely as becomes the wife of Jove Does honour by er presence to our grove. Fair Venus she hath let her sparrows fly, To tend on her and make her melody: Her turtles and her swan's unyoked be, And flicker near er side for company. Pallas ath set her Tigers loo e to feed, Commanding them to wait when she hath need. And Hitherward with proud and stately pace, To do us honour in the Sylvan chase TO ey marc e Like to the pomp of heaven above, Juno to e wife and sister of king Io e, The warlike Pallas, and the Queen of love. Cl oh the sagest of the sisters nine, To do b eruaunce to this dame divine, and e of learning and of chivalry, ere arrived in fair assemble e, And wandering up and down th'unbeaten ways, Ring through the wood sweet onges of Pallas praise. This piece of work compact with many a flower, And well laid in at entrance of the bower, Where Phoebe means to make this meeting royal. Have I prepared to welcome them withal. And we will wait with all observance endue, And do joust honour to this heavenly crew.