Vpon the noble Lady ASTONS _departure for Spaine_
I many a time haue greatly marueil'd, why Men say, their friends depart when as they die, How well that word, a dying, doth expresse, I did not know (I freely must confesse,) Till her departure: for whose missed sight, I am enforc'd this Elegy to write: But since resistlesse fate will haue it so, That she from hence must to _Iberia_ goe, And my weak wishes can her not detaine, I will of heauen in policy complaine, 10 That it so long her trauell should adiourne, Hoping thereby to hasten her returne. The witches Can those of _Norway_ for their wage procure, of the By their blacke spells a winde that shall endure Northerly Till from aboard the wished land men see, legions sell And fetch the harbour, where they long to be, windes to Can they by charmes doe this and cannot I passengers. Who am the Priest of _Phœbus_, and so hie, Sit in his fauour, winne the Poets god, To send swift _Hermes_ with his snaky rod, 20 To _Æolus_ Caue, commanding him with care, His prosperous winds, that he for her prepare, And from that howre, wherein shee takes the seas, Nature bring on the quiet _Halcion_ dayes, And in that hower that bird begin her nest, Nay at that very instant, that long rest May seize on _Neptune_, who may still repose, And let that bird nere till that hower disclose, Wherein she landeth, and for all that space Be not a wrinkle seene on _Thetis_ face, 30 Onely so much breath with a gentle gale, As by the easy swelling of her saile, The nearest May at *_Sebastians_ safely set her downe Harbour of Where, with her goodnes she may blesse the towne. _Spaine_. If heauen in iustice would haue plagu'd by thee Some Pirate, and grimme _Neptune_ thou should'st be His Executioner, or what is his worse, The gripple Merchant, borne to be the curse Of this braue Iland; let them for her sake, Who to thy safeguard doth her selfe betake, 40 Escape vndrown'd, vnwrackt, nay rather let Them be at ease in some safe harbour set, Where with much profit they may vent their wealth That they haue got by villany and stealth, Rather great _Neptune_, then when thou dost raue, Thou once shouldst wet her saile but with a waue. Or if some proling Rouer shall but dare, To seize the ship wherein she is to fare, Let the fell fishes of the Maine appeare, And tell those Sea-thiefes, that once such they were 50 As they are now, till they assaid to rape An Ile for Grape-crowned _Bacchus_ in a striplings shape, the abundance That came aboard them, and would faine haue saild, of wine To vine-spread *_Naxus_ but that him they faild, supposed to Which he perceiuing, them so monstrous made, be the And warnd them how they passengers inuade. habitation Ye South and Westerne winds now cease to blow of _Bachus_. Autumne is come, there be no flowers to grow, Yea from that place respire, to which she goes, And to her sailes should show your selfe but foes, 60 But _Boreas_ and yee Esterne windes arise, To send her soon to _Spaine_, but be precise, That in your aide you seeme not still so sterne, As we a summer should no more discerne, For till that here againe, I may her see, It will be winter all the yeare with mee. _Castor_ and Ye swanne-begotten lonely brother-stars, _Polox_ begot So oft auspicious to poore Mariners, by _Ioue_ on Ye twin-bred lights of louely _Leda's_ brood, _Leda_ in the _Ioues_ egge-borne issue smile vpon the flood, 70 forme of a And in your mild'st aspect doe ye appeare Swanne. A To be her warrant from all future feare. constellation And if thou ship that bear'st her, doe proue good, ominous to May neuer time by wormes, consume thy wood Mariners. Nor rust thy iron, may thy tacklings last, Till they for reliques be in temples plac't; Maist thou be ranged with that mighty Arke, Wherein iust _Noah_ did all the world imbarque, With that which after _Troyes_ so famous wracke, From ten yeares trauell brought _Vlisses_ backe, 80 That Argo which to _Colchos_ went from _Greece_, And in her botome brought the goulden fleece Vnder braue _Iason_; or that same of _Drake_, Wherein he did his famous voyage make About the world; or _Candishes_ that went As far as his, about the Continent. And yee milde winds that now I doe implore, Not once to raise the least sand on the shore, Nor once on forfait of your selues respire: When once the time is come of her retire, 90 If then it please you, but to doe your due, What for these windes I did, Ile doe for you; Ile wooe you then, and if that not suffice, My pen shall prooue you to haue dietyes, Ile sing your loues in verses that shall flow, And tell the storyes of your weale and woe, Ile prooue what profit to the earth you bring, And how t'is you that welcome in the spring; Ile raise vp altars to you, as to show, The time shall be kept holy, when you blow.