EPITHALAMIONS, OR MARRIAGE SONGS. AN EPITHALAMION, OR MARRIAGE SONG, ON THE LADY ELIZABETH AND COUNT PALATINE BEING MARRIED ON ST. VALENTINE'S DAY. I. HAIL, Bishop Valentine, whose day this is! And all the chirping choristers Thou marriest every year The lyric lark, and the grave whispering dove, Thou mak'st the blackbird speed as soon As doth the goldfinch or the halcyon; The husband cock looks out and straight is sped, This day, which might inflame thyself, old Valentine! II. Till now thou warm'dst with multiplying loves For thou this day couplest two phoenixes; What the sun never saw; and what the ark Are unto one another mutual nests Where motion kindles such fires as shall give III. Up then, fair phoenix bride, frustrate the sun; Tak'st warmth enough, and from thine eye All lesser birds will take their jollity. Up, up, fair bride, and call Thy stars from out their several boxes, take And by their blazing signify That a great princess falls, but doth not die; Ends of much wonder, and be thou those ends. 1 fowl, 1669. |