Ne thence the Irishe Rivers absent were, Nor read the salvage cuntreis thorough which they pace. There was the Liffy rolling downe the lea, The sandy Slane, the stony Aubrian, The spacious Shenan spreading like a sea, The pleasant Boyne, the fishy fruitfull Ban, Swift Awniduff, which of the English man Is cal'de Blacke-water, and the Liffar deep, Sad Trowis, that once his people over-ran, Strong Allo tombling from Slewlogher steep, And Mulla mine, whose waves I whilom taught to weep. And there the three renowmed brethren were, Which that great Gyant Blomius begot Of the faire Nimph Rheusa wandring there. One day, as she to shunne the season whot Under Slewboome in shady grove was got, This Gyant found her and by force deflowr'd; Whereof conceiving, she in time forth brought These three faire sons, which being thenceforth powrd In three great rivers ran, and many countreis scowrd. The first the gentle Shure that, making way There also was the wide embayed Mayre; And balefull Oure, late staind with English blood, Did on the Thamis attend, and waited well To doe their dueful service, as to them befell. SPENSER. [From Ovid's Banquet of Sense.] FORWARD and back and forward went he thus, Like wanton Thamysis that hastes to greet The brackish court of old Oceanus ; And as by London's bosom she doth fleet, Casts herself proudly through the bridge's twists, Where, as she takes again her crystal feet, Smoothes her bright cheeks, adorns her brow with ships, Till coming near the sea, she hears him roar, GEORGE CHAPMAN. [From Idea, 53.] 'LEAR ANKER, on whose silver-sanded shore CLEA My soul-shrined saint, my fair Idea, lies; O blessed Brook, whose milk-white swans adore Where nightingales in Arden sit and sing Amongst the dainty dew-impearlèd flowers; Say thus, fair Brook, when thou shalt see thy queen,– Fair Arden, thou my Tempe art alone, M [From King John, Act iii., Scene i.] WHY holds thine eye that lamentable rheum, Like a proud river peering o'er his bounds? [From King Richard II., Act iii., Scene ii.] N unseasonable stormy day, AN Which makes the silver rivers drown their shores, As if the world were all dissolv'd to tears. SHAKESPEARE. [From King Henry IV., Part I., Act iii., Scene i.] HOTSPUR. Methinks my moiety, north from Burton here, In quantity equals not one of yours: See how this river comes me cranking in, It shall not wind with such a deep indent, Glendower. Not wind! it shall, it must; you see it doth. Mortimer. Yea, but Mark how he bears his course, and runs me up With like advantage on the other side; As on the other side it takes from you. Worcester. Yea, but a little charge will trench him here, And on this north side win this cape of land; And then he runs straight and even. SHAKESPEARE. [From The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Act ii., Scene vii.] THE current, that with gentle murmur glides, Thou know'st, being stopp'd, impatiently doth rage; But, when his fair course is not hindered, He makes sweet music with the enamell'd stones, Giving a gentle kiss to every sedge He overtaketh in his pilgrimage; And so by many winding nooks he strays, With willing sport to the wild ocean. SHAKESPEARE. [From Othello, Act iv., Scene iii.] THE fresh streams ran by her, and murmur'd her moans. SHAKESPEARE. |