HKB
that hath made her die: Eke she would weep, and mourn right piteously, To see a lover suffer great distress. In all the Court was none, as I do guess,
“That could a lover half so well avail,* help Nor of his woe the torment or the rage Aslake; for he was sure, withoute fail, *assuage That of his grief she could the heat assuage. Instead of Pity, speedeth hot Courage The matters all of Court, now she is dead; I me report in this to womanhead. for evidence I refer to the behaviour of women themselves.
“For wail, and weep, and cry, and speak, and pray, — Women would not have pity on thy plaint; Nor by that means to ease thine heart convey, But thee receive for their own talent:* inclination And say that Pity caus’d thee, in consent Of ruth, to take thy service and thy pain, *compassion In that thou may’st, to please thy sovereign.”
Philobone now promised to lead Philogenet to “the fairest lady under sun that is,” the “mirror of joy and bliss,” whose name is Rosial, and “whose heart as yet is given to no wight;” suggesting that, as he also was “with love but light advanc’d,” he might set this lady in the place of her of whom he had dreamed. Entering a chamber gay, “there was Rosial, womanly to see;” and the subtle-piercing beams of her eyes wounded Philogenet to the heart. When he could speak, he threw himself on his knees, beseeching her to cool his fervent woe:
For there I took full purpose in my mind, Unto her grace my painful heart to bind.
For, if I shall all fully her descrive,* *describe Her head was round, by compass of nature; Her hair as gold, she passed all alive, And lily forehead had this creature, With lively browes flaw, of colour pure, *yellow eyebrows <28> Between the which was mean disseverance From ev’ry brow, to show a due distance.
Her nose directed straight, even as line, With form and shape thereto convenient, In which the goddes’ milk-white path doth shine; the galaxy And eke her eyne be bright and orient As is the smaragd,* unto my judgment, *emerald Or yet these starres heav’nly, small, and bright; Her visage is of lovely red and white.
Her mouth is short, and shut in little space, Flaming somedeal,* not over red I mean, somewhat With pregnant lips, and thick to kiss, percase as it chanced (For lippes thin, not fat, but ever lean, They serve of naught, they be not worth a bean; For if the bass be full, there is delight; *kiss <29> Maximian <30> truly thus doth he write).
But to my purpose: I say, white as snow Be all her teeth, and in order they stand Of one stature; and eke her breath, I trow, Surmounteth all odours that e’er I fand* found In sweetness; and her body, face, and hand Be sharply slender, so that, from the head Unto the foot, all is but womanhead. *womanly perfection
I hold my peace of other thinges hid: Here shall my soul, and not my tongue, bewray; But how she was array’d, if ye me bid, That shall I well discover you and say: A bend* of gold and silk, full fresh and gay, band With hair in tress, y-broidered full well, plaited in tresses Right smoothly kempt, and shining every deal. *combed
About her neck a flow’r of fresh device With rubies set, that lusty were to see’n; And she in gown was, light and summer-wise, Shapen full well, the colour was of green, With aureate seint about her sides clean, golden cincture With divers stones, precious and rich: Thus was she ray’d,* yet saw I ne’er her lich,** *arrayed **like