ΤΟ THE RIGHT HONORABLE JEROME LORD WESTON. AN ODE GRATULATORY, FOR HIS RETURN FROM HIS EMBASSY, 1632. Such pleasure as the teeming earth Doth take in easy Nature's birth, When she puts forth the life of everything; And in a dew of sweetest rain, She lies delivered without pain, Of the prime beauty of the year, the Spring: The rivers in their shores do run, The clouds rack clear before the sun, The rudest winds obey the calmest air; Rare plants from every bank do rise, The very verdure of her nest, Wherein she sits so richly dressed, As all the wealth of season there was spread, Doth show the Graces and the Hours Such joys, such sweets, doth your return Both to the honor of the king and state. Oh, how will then our court be pleased, When he beholds a graft of his own hand, To be a shadow to his heir, And both a strength and beauty to his land! EPITHALAMION; OR, A SONG Celebrating the Nuptials of that Noble Gentleman, MR. JEROME WESTON, son and heir of the LORD WESTON, Lord High Treasurer of England, with the LADY FRANCES STUART, Daughter of ESME, Duke of LENOX, deceased, and sister of the surviving duke of the same name. 109 Though thou hast passed thy summer-standing, stay Awhile with us, bright sun, and help our light; Thou canst not meet more glory on the way, We woo thee stay, And see what can be seen, The bounty of a king, and beauty of his queen. See the procession! what a holy-day, Bearing the promise of some better fate, 109 Sir Richard Weston, the father of Jerome, was made Chancellor of the Exchequer, and raised to the peerage as Baron Weston, in 1620. In 1633, he was created Earl of Portland, and was succeeded in the title in the following year by his son. The marriage probably took place about 1628.-B. Hath filed, with caroches, all the way, From Greenwich hither to Roehampton gate! When looked the year, at best, So like a feast? Or were affairs in tune, By all the sphere's consent, so in the heart of June? What beauty of beauties, and bright youths at charge Of summer's liveries, and gladding green, Do boast their loves and braveries so at large, As they came all to see, and to be seen! When looked the earth so fine, Or so did shine, In all her bloom and flower, To welcome home a pair, and deck the nuptial bower? It is the kindly season of the time, The month of youth, which calls all creatures forth To do their offices in Nature's chime, And the allowed war, Through which not only we, but all our species are. Hark how the bells upon the waters play 1 As they had learned new changes for the day, And all did ring th' approaches of the bride; The lady Frances dressed, Above the rest Of all the maidens fair, In graceful ornament of garland, gems, and hair. See how she paceth forth in virgin white, As she did lack Naught of a maiden queen, With modesty so crowned, and adoration seen. Stay, thou wilt see what rites the virgins do, 111 Porting the ensigns of united two, Both crowns and kingdoms in their either hand; Whose majesties appear, To make more clear This feast, than can the day, Although that thou, O sun, at our entreaty stay! See how with roses and with lilies shine, 110 See ante, p. 144. 111 Milton has "Sharpening in mooned horns Their phalanx, and began to hem him round With forked spears." The bright bride's paths, embellished more than thine, With light of love this pair doth intertex! 112 Stay, see the virgins sow, Oh, now thou smil'st, fair sun, and shin'st, as thou wouldst stay! With what full hands, and in how plenteous showers Have they bedewed the earth, where she doth tread, As if her airy steps did spring the flowers, On the same floor, The bridegroom meets the bride With all the pomp of youth, and all our court beside! Our court, and all the grandees! now, sun, look, In all thy age of journals thou hast took, Who, in all they do, Search, sun, and thou wilt find They are th' exampled pair, and mirror of their kind. 112 To interweave. 113 The king and queen. |