An Epithalamion, or Mariage Song on the Lady Elizabeth, and Count Palatine being married on St. Valentines Day

John Donne

W. Milgate (ed.), John Donne: The Epithalamions, Anniversaries and Epicedes

Main Text

Critical ApparatusCritical ApparatusAn Epithalamion, or Mariage Song onthe Lady Elizabeth, and Count Palatinebeing married on St. Valentines Day

I

Editor’s Note1    Haile Bishop Valentine, whose day this is,

Editor’s Note2         All the Aire is thy Diocis,

3         And all the chirping Choristers

4     And other birds are thy Parishioners,

5          Thou marryest every yeare

Critical Apparatus6    The lirique Larke, and the grave whispering Dove,

Editor’s Note7    The Sparrow that neglects his life for love,

Editor’s Note8    The household Bird, with the red stomacher,

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus9        Thou mak'st the Blackbird speed as soone,

Editor’s Note10    As doth the Goldfinch, or the Halcyon;

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus11    The husband Cocke lookes out, and straight is sped,

12    And meets his wife, which brings her feather-bed.

pg 7Critical Apparatus13  This day more cheerfully then ever shine,

Editor’s Note14This day, which might enflame thy self, Old Valentine.

II

15  Till now, Thou warmd'st with multiplying loves

Critical Apparatus16         Two larkes, two sparrowes, or two Doves;

17         All that is nothing unto this,

Editor’s Note18  For thou this day couplest two Phoenixes,

19         Thou mak'st a Taper see

Editor’s Note20  What the sunne never saw, and what the Arke

21  (Which was of foules, and beasts, the cage, and park,)

22  Did not containe, one bed containes, through Thee,

23         Two Phoenixes, whose joyned breasts

24  Are unto one another mutuall nests,

Critical Apparatus25  Where motion kindles such fires, as shall give

Critical Apparatus26  Yong Phoenixes, and yet the old shall live;

Editor’s Note27  Whose love and courage never shall decline,

28But make the whole year through, thy day, O Valentine.

III

Editor’s Note29  Up then faire Phoenix Bride, frustrate the Sunne,

30          Thy selfe from thine affection

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus31          Tak'st warmth enough, and from thine eye

Critical Apparatus32  All lesser birds will take their jollitie.

33           Up, up, faire Bride, and call,

34  Thy starres, from out their severall boxes, take

35  Thy Rubies, Pearles, and Diamonds forth, and make

36  Thy selfe a constellation, of them All,

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus37         And by this blazing, signifie,

38  That a Great Princess falls, but doth not die;

Editor’s Note39  Bee thou a new starre, that to us portends

Critical Apparatus40  Ends of much wonder; And be Thou those ends.

41  Since thou dost this day in new glory shine,

Editor’s Note42May all men date Records, from this thy Valentine.

pg 8 IV

43  Come forth, come forth, and as one glorious flame

Critical Apparatus44         Meeting another, growes the same,

Editor’s Note45         So meet thy Fredericke, and so

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus46  To an unseparable union growe.

47           Since separation

48  Falls not on such things as are infinite,

Critical Apparatus49  Nor things which are but one, can disunite,

50  You'are twice inseparable, great, and one;

51         Goe then to where the Bishop staies,

Editor’s Note52  To make you one, his way, which divers waies

53  Must be effected; and when all is past,

54  And that you'are one, by hearts and hands made fast,

55  You two have one way left, your selves to'entwine,

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus56Besides this Bishops knot, or Bishop Valentine.

V

57  But oh, what ailes the Sunne, that here he staies,

58         Longer to day, then other daies?

Critical Apparatus59         Staies he new light from these to get?

60  And finding here such store, is loth to set?

61           And why doe you two walke,

Editor’s Note62  So slowly pac'd in this procession?

63  Is all your care but to be look'd upon,

64  And be to others spectacle, and talke?

65         The feast, with gluttonous delaies,

66  Is eaten, and too long their meat they praise,

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus67  The masquers come too late, and'I thinke, will stay,

68  Like Fairies, till the Cock crow them away.

69  Alas, did not Antiquity assigne

70A night, as well as day, to thee, O Valentine?

pg 9 VI

71  They did, and night is come; and yet wee see

72          Formalities retarding thee.

73          What meane these Ladies, which (as though

74  They were to take a clock in peeces,) goe

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus75           So nicely'about the Bride;

76  A Bride, before a good night could be said,

77  Should vanish from her cloathes, into her bed,

78  As Soules from bodies steale, and are not spy'd.

Critical Apparatus79          But now she'is laid; What though shee bee?

80  Yet there are more delayes, For, where is he?

Critical Apparatus81  He comes, and passes through Spheare after Spheare,

82  First her sheetes, then her Armes, then any where.

Critical Apparatus83  Let not then this day, but this night be thine,

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus84Thy day was but the eve to this, O Valentine.

VII

Editor’s Note85  Here lyes a shee Sunne, and a hee Moone here,

Editor’s Note86          She gives the best light to his Spheare,

87          Or each is both, and all, and so

88  They unto one another nothing owe,

89           And yet they doe, but are

90  So just and rich in that coyne which they pay,

Critical Apparatus91  That neither would, nor needs forbeare, nor stay;

92  Neither desires to be spar'd, nor to spare,

93           They quickly pay their debt, and then

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus94  Take no acquittances, but pay again;

Editor’s Note95  They pay, they give, they lend, and so let fall

96  No such occasion to be liberall.

97  More truth, more courage in these two do shine,

Editor’s Note98Then all thy turtles have, and sparrows, Valentine.

pg 10 VIII

99  And by this act of these two Phenixes

Editor’s Note100          Nature againe restored is,

Critical Apparatus101          For since these two, are two no more,

102  Ther's but one Phenix still, as was before.

103            Rest now at last, and wee

Editor’s Note104  As Satyres watch the Sunnes uprise, will stay

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus105  Waiting, when your eyes open'd, let out day,

106  Onely desir'd, because your face wee see;

107          Others neare you shall whispering speake,

Editor’s Note108  And wagers lay, at which side day will breake,

109  And win by'observing, then, whose hand it is

110  That opens first a curtaine, hers or his;

Editor’s Note Critical Apparatus111  This will be try'd to morrow after nine,

Editor’s Note112Till which houre, wee thy day enlarge, O Valentine.

Notes Settings

Critical Apparatus

An Epithalamion etc. MSS.: C 57, H 49; TCD; Dob, O'F. Title from 1633, C 57: … and Fredericke count …, beeing St. … H 49: Epithalamium TCD: Vpon the marriage of the Prince Palatine and the Lady Elizabeth on … Dob: Vpon Frederick Count Palatine and the Lady Elizabeth maryed on … O'F

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