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<title>Prothalamion</title>
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<h2>Edmund Spenser's <cite><a href =
"notes/prothalamion.html">Prothalamion</a></cite></h2><p>
<hr><p>
<b>[If you are seeing this message, you may be using a
frames-challenged browser or have frames switched off.]</b> This HTML
etext of the <cite>Prothalamion</cite> is based upon that found in
<cite>The Complete Works in Verse and Prose of Edmund Spenser</cite>
[Grosart, London, 1882] by R.S. Bear at the <a href =
"http://www.uoregon.edu/">University of Oregon</a>. Two typographical
errors in the third stanza have been emended. The text is in the public
domain. Markup and gloss copyright © 1996 University of Oregon;
this version is distributed for nonprofit use only. <p> <hr><p>
<center><font size = 7>Prothalamion<p>
</font>
<i>Or</i><p>
<font size = 5>A Spousal Verse made by<p>
</font>
<i>Edm. Spenser.</i><p>
<font size =7>IN HONOVR OF THE DOV-<br>
</font>
ble mariage of the two Honorable & vertuous<br>
<i>Ladies, the Ladie</i> Elizabeth <i>and the Ladie</i> Katherine<br>
<i>Somerset,</i> Daughters to the Right Honourable the<br>
Earle of <i>Worcester</i> and espoused to the two worthie<br>
Gentlemen M. <i>Henry Gilford,</i> and <br>
M. <i>William Peter</i> Esquyers.<p>
+<br>
++<b>+</b>++<br>
+<p>
<font size =5>AT LONDON.<br>
Printed for <i>VVilliam Ponsonby.</i><br>
1596.</font></center><p>
<hr><p>
<center><b>1</b></center><p>
<img align = left src = "http://www.luminarium.org/renascence-editions/gifs/c.jpg"
alt = "C"> Alme was the day, and through the trembling ayre,<br>
Sweete breathing <i><a href = "notes/zephyrus.html">Zephyrus</a></i>
did softly play<br>
A gentle spirit, that lightly did delay<br>
Hot <i><a href = "notes/titans.html">Titans</a></i> beames, which then
did glyster fayre:<br>
When I whom sullein care,<br>
Through discontent of my long fruitlesse stay<br>
In Princes Court, and expectation vayne<br>
Of idle hopes, which still doe fly away,<br>
Like empty shaddowes, did aflict my brayne,<br>
Walkt forth to ease my payne<br>
Along the shoare of siluer streaming <i>Themmes,</i><br>
Whose <a href = "notes/rutty.html">rutty</a> Bancke, the which his
Riuer hemmes,<br>
Was paynted all with <a href = "notes/variable.html">variable</a>
flowers,<br>
And all the meades adornd with daintie gemmes,<br>
Fit to decke maydens bowres,<br>
And crowne their Paramours,<br>
Against the Brydale day, which is not long:<br>
Sweete <i>Themmes</i> runne softly, till I end my Song.<p>
<center><b>2</b></center><p>
There, in a Meadow, by the Riuers side,<br>
A Flocke of <i>Nymphes</i> I chaunced to espy,<br>
All louely Daughters of the <a href = "notes/flood.html">Flood</a>
thereby,<br>
With goodly greenish locks all loose <a href =
"notes/untyde.html">vntyde</a>,<br>
As each had bene a Bryde,<br>
And each one had a little wicker basket,<br>
Made of fine twigs <a href = "notes/entrayled.html">entrayled</a>
curiously,<br>
In which they gathered flowers to fill their <a href =
"notes/flasket.html">flasket</a>:<br>
And with fine Fingers, cropt full <a href =
"notes/feateously.html">feateously</a><br>
The tender stalkes on hye.<br>
Of euery sort, which in that Meadow grew, <br>
They gathered some; the Violet pallid blew,<br>
The little Dazie, that at euening closes,<br>
The virgin Lillie, and the Primrose trew,<br>
With store of <a href = "notes/vermeil.html">vermeil</a> Roses,<br>
To decke their Bridegromes posies,<br>
Against the Brydale day, which was not long:<br>
Sweete <i>Themmes</i> runne softly, till I end my Song.<p>
<center><b>3</b></center><p>
With that I saw two Swannes of goodly hewe,<br>
Come softly swimming downe along the Lee;<br>
Two fairer Birds I yet did neuer see:<br>
The snow which doth the top of <i><a href =
"notes/pindus.html">Pindus</a></i> strew,<br>
Did neuer whiter shew,<br>
Nor <i>Jove</i> himselfe when he a Swan would be<br>
For loue of <i><a href = "notes/leda.html">Leda</a>,</i> whiter did
appeare:<br>
Yet <i>Leda</i> was they say as white as he,<br>
Yet not so white as these, nor nothing neare;<br>
So purely white they were,<br>
That euen the gentle streame, the which them bare,<br>
Seem'd foule to them, and bad his billowes spare<br>
To wet their silken feathers, least they might<br>
Soyle their fair plumes with water not so fayre,<br>
And mar their beauties bright,<br>
That shone as heauens light,<br>
Against their Brydale day, which was not long:<br>
Sweete <i>Themmes</i> runne softly, till I end my Song.<p>
<center><b>4</b></center><p>
Eftsoones the <i>Nymphes,</i> which now had Flowers their fill,<br>
Ran all in haste, to see that siluer brood,<br>
As they came floating on the Christal Flood:<br>
Whom when they sawe, they stood amazed still,<br>
Their wondring eyes to fill:<br>
Them seem'd they neuer saw a sight so fayre,<br>
Of Fowles so louely, that they sure did deeme<br>
Them heauenly borne, or to be that same payre<br>
Which through the Skie draw <i>Venus</i> siluer Teeme:<br>
For sure they did not seeme<br>
To be begot of any earthly Seede,<br>
But rather Angels or of Angels breede:<br>
Yet were they bred of <i><a href =
"notes/somers-heat.html">Somers-heat</a></i> they say,<br>
In sweetest Season, when each Flower and weede<br>
The earth did fresh aray:<br>
So fresh they seem'd as day,<br>
Euen as their Brydale day, which was not long:<br>
Sweete <i>Themmes</i> runne softly till I end my Song.<p>
<center><b>5</b></center><p>
Then forth they all out of their baskets drew,<br>
Great store of Flowers, the honour of the field,<br>
That to the sense did fragrant odours yeild,<br>
All which vpon those goodly Birds they threw,<br>
And all the Waues did strew,<br>
That like old <i><a href = "notes/peneus.html">Peneus</a></i> Waters
they did seeme,<br>
When downe along by pleasant <i>Tempes</i> shore<br>
Scattred with Flowres, through <i>Thessaly</i> they streeme,<br>
That they appeare through Lillies plenteous store,<br>
Like a Brydes Chamber flore:<br>
Two of those <i>Nymphes,</i> meane while, two Garlands bound,<br>
Of freshest Flowres which in that Mead they found,<br>
The which presenting all in trim Array,<br>
Their snowie Foreheads therewithall they crownd,<br>
Whil'st one did sing this Lay,<br>
Prepar'd against that Day,<br>
Against their Brydale day, which was not long:<br>
Sweete <i>Themmes</i> runne softly till I end my Song.<p>
<center><b>6</b></center><p>
Ye gentle Birdes, the worlds faire ornament,<br>
And heauens glories, whom this happie hower<br>
Doth leade vnto your louers blisfull bower,<br>
Ioy may you haue and gentle hearts content<br>
Of your loues <a href = "notes/couplement.html">couplement</a>:<br>
And let faire <i>Venus,</i> that is Queene of loue,<br>
With her heart-quelling <a href = "notes/sonne.html">Sonne</a> vpon you
smile,<br>
Whose smile they say, hath vertue to remoue<br>
All Loues <a href = "notes/dislike.html">dislike</a>, and friendships
faultie guile<br>
For euer to <a href = "notes/assoile.html">assoile</a>.<br>
Let endlesse Peace your steadfast hearts accord,<br>
And blessed Plentie wait vpon you[r] bord,<br>
And let your bed with pleasures chast abound,<br>
That fruitfull issue may to you afford:<br>
Which may your foes confound,<br>
And make your ioyes redound,<br>
Vpon your Brydale day, which is not long:<br>
Sweete <i>Themmes</i> runne softlie, till I end my Song.<p>
<center><b>7</b></center><p>
So ended she; and all the rest around<br>
To her redoubled that her <a href =
"notes/undersong.html">vndersong</a>,<br>
Which said, their bridale daye should not be long.<br>
And gentle Eccho from the neighbour ground,<br>
Their accents did resound?<br>
So forth, those ioyous Birdes did passe along,<br>
Adowne the Lee, that to them murmurde low,<br>
As he would speake, but that he lackt a tong<br>
Yeat did by signes his glad affection show,<br>
Making his streame run slow.<br>
And all the foule which in his flood did dwell<br>
Gan flocke about these twaine, that did excell<br>
The rest, so far, as <i><a href = "notes/cynthia.html">Cynthia</a></i>
doth shend<br>
The lesser starres. So they enranged well,<br>
Did on those two attend,<br>
And their best seruice lend,<br>
Against their wedding day, which was not long:<br>
Sweete <i>Themmes</i> runne softly, till I end my song.<p>
<center><b>8</b></center><p>
At length they all to mery <i>London</i> came,<br>
To mery <i>London,</i> my most kindly Nurse,<br>
That to me gaue, this Lifes first natiue sourse:<br>
Though from another place I take my name,<br>
An house of auncient fame.<br>
There when they came, whereas those <a href =
"notes/bricky.html">bricky towres</a>,<br>
The which on <i>Themmes</i> brode aged backe doe ryde,<br>
Where now the studious Lawyers haue their bowers<br>
That whylome wont the Templer Knights to byde,<br>
Till they decayd through pride:<br>
Next whereunto there standes a stately place,<br>
Where oft I gayned giftes and goodly grace<br>
Of that great Lord, which therein wont to dwell,<br>
Whose want too well, now feeles my friendless case:<br>
But Ah here fits not well<br>
Olde woes, but ioyes to tell<br>
Against the bridale daye, which is not long:<br>
Sweete <i>Themmes</i> runne softly till I end my Song.<p>
<center><b>9</b></center><p>
Yet therein now doth lodge a noble Peer,<br>
Great <i>Englands</i> glory and the Worlds wide wonder,<br>
Whose dreadfull name, late through all <i><a href =
"notes/spaine.html">Spaine</a></i> did thunder.<br>
And <i>Hercules</i> two <a href = "notes/pillors.html">pillors</a>
standing neere,<br>
Did make to quake and feare:<br>
Faire branch of Honor, flower of Cheualrie,<br>
That fillest <i>England</i> with thy triumphes fame,<br>
Ioy haue thou of thy noble victorie,<br>
And endlesse happinesse of thine owne name<br>
That promiseth the same:<br>
That through thy prowesse and victorious armes,<br>
Thy country may be freed from forraine harmes:<br>
And great <i>Elisaes</i> glorious name may ring<br>
Through al the world, fil'd with thy wide Alarmes,<br>
Which some braue muse may sing<br>
To ages following,<br>
Vpon the Brydale day, which is not long:<br>
Sweete <i>Themmes</i> runne softly till I end my Song.<p>
<center><b>10</b></center><p>
From those high Towers, this noble Lord issuing,<br>
Like radiant <i>Hesper</i> when his golden hayre<br>
in th'<i>Ocean</i> billowes he hath Bathed fayre,<br>
Descended to the Riuers open vewing,<br>
With a great traine ensuing.<br>
Aboue the rest were goodly to bee seene<br>
Two gentle Knights of louely face and feature,<br>
Beseeming well the bower of anie Queene,<br>
With gifts of wit and ornaments of nature,<br>
Fit for so goodly stature:<br>
That like the <a href = "notes/twins.html">twins</a> of <i>Iove</i>
they seem'd in sight,<br>
Which decke the <a href = "notes/bauldricke.html">Bauldricke</a> of the
Heauens bright:<br>
They two forth pacing to the Riuers side,<br>
Receiued those two faire Brides, their Loues delight,<br>
Which at th'appointed tyde,<br>
Each one did make his Bryde,<br>
Against their Brydale day, which is not long:<br>
Sweete <i>Themmes</i> runne softly, till I end my Song.<p>
<center><i>FINIS.</i></center><p>
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