Page:The muses threnodie (Adamson, 1638).djvu/24
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4
The first muse
Incontinent the aimer gave a token,
The mark was kill'd, the shaft in flinders broken:
Then softlie smyling, good Gall, thus quod I,
Now finde I time my archerie to try,
And heere by solemne vow I undertake,
In token of my love, even for thy sake,
Either to hit the mark, else shall I never,
More with these armes of mine use bow and quiver.
Therewith my ligaments I did extend,
And then a noble shaft I did commend
Unto my bow, then firmelie fixt mine eye,
And closelie leveld at Orions knee,
A star of greatest magnitude, who kend it[1]
So well as I, prayes you be not offended;
(For I did use no magick incantation
For to couduct my shaft I will finde cation.)
Then cleverly my flen soone can I feather,
Upon my left arme was a brace of leather;
And with three fingers hailing up the string,
The bow in semicircle did I bring;
With soft and tender lowse out went the shaft,
Amids the clouds the arrow flew aloft,
And, as directed by a skilfull hand,
With speedie flight the steadfast mark it sand,
The aimer gave his signe, furth-with was known,
The shot was mine, the boult in flinders flown,
Above his shaft, in such difficile stead,
Closely I hit the mark upon the head;
Then on the plain we capreld wonder fast,
Whereat the people gazing were agast;
The mark was kill'd, the shaft in flinders broken:
Then softlie smyling, good Gall, thus quod I,
Now finde I time my archerie to try,
And heere by solemne vow I undertake,
In token of my love, even for thy sake,
Either to hit the mark, else shall I never,
More with these armes of mine use bow and quiver.
Therewith my ligaments I did extend,
And then a noble shaft I did commend
Unto my bow, then firmelie fixt mine eye,
And closelie leveld at Orions knee,
A star of greatest magnitude, who kend it[1]
So well as I, prayes you be not offended;
(For I did use no magick incantation
For to couduct my shaft I will finde cation.)
Then cleverly my flen soone can I feather,
Upon my left arme was a brace of leather;
And with three fingers hailing up the string,
The bow in semicircle did I bring;
With soft and tender lowse out went the shaft,
Amids the clouds the arrow flew aloft,
And, as directed by a skilfull hand,
With speedie flight the steadfast mark it sand,
The aimer gave his signe, furth-with was known,
The shot was mine, the boult in flinders flown,
Above his shaft, in such difficile stead,
Closely I hit the mark upon the head;
Then on the plain we capreld wonder fast,
Whereat the people gazing were agast;
With
- ↑ The pretended Poet When he shot at rivers, used to say Have it the knee of Oríon.