Page:Golden Treasury of English Songs and Lyrics.djvu/48
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In which they gather’d flowers to fill their flasket, And with fine fingers crept full feateously The tender stalks on high. Of every sort which in that meadow grew They gather’d some; the violet, pallid blue,The little daisy that at evening closes, The virgin lily and the primrose true: With store of vermeil roses, To deck their bridegrooms’ posiesAgainst the bridal day, which was not long: Sweet Thames! run softly, till I end my song.
With that I saw two swans of goodly hue Come softly swimming down along the lee; Two fairer birds I yet did never see; The snow which doth the top of Pindus strowDid never whiter show,Nor Jove himself, when he a swan would be For love of Leda, whiter did appear; Yet Leda was (they say) as white as he,Yet not so white as these, nor nothing near; So purely white they wereThat even the gentle stream, the which them bare,Seem’d foul to them, and bade his billows spare To wet their silken feathers, lest they mightSoil their fair plumes with water not so fair,And mar their beauties brightThat shone as Heaven’s lightAgainst their bridal day, which was not long; Sweet Thames! run softly, till I end my song.
Eftsoons the nymphs, which now had flowers their fill,Ran all in haste to see that silver broodAs they came floating on the crystal flood; Whom when they saw, they stood amazéd stillTheir wondering eyes to fill; Them seem’d they never saw a sight so fairOf fowls, so lovely, that they sure did deemThem heavenly born, or to be that same pairWhich through the sky draw Venus’ silver team; For sure they did not seemTo be begot of any earthly seed, But rather angels, or of angels’ breed;