Toolbox



Textual Analysis

[ Go ]

Shakespeare on Stage
Original Shakespeare Company, A Midsommer Night's Dreame (Midsummer Midsommer). To Jun. 21, 2013.
American Shakespeare Center, All's Well That Ends Well. To Nov. 29, 2013.
SIP Editors, Measure for Measure. To Aug. 4, 2013.
Original Shakespeare Company, As You Like It. To Jun. 23, 2013.
SIP Editors, King Henry VIII. To Aug. 4, 2013.
More Performances…
‌

The Phoenix and Turtle (Quarto, 1601)

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: Hardy M. Cook
Not Peer Reviewed
LOVES MARTYR:
OR
ROSALINS COMPLAINT.
Allegorically shadowing the truth of Loue,
in the constant Fate of the Ph{œ}nix
and Turtle.
A Poeme enterlaced with much varietie and raritie;
now first translated out of the venerable Italian Torquato
Cæliano, by ROBERT CHESTER.
With the true legend of famous King Arthur, the last of the nine
Worthies, being the first Essay of the new Brytish Poet: collected
out of diuerse Authenticall Records.
To these are added some new comositions, of seuerall moderne Writers
whose names are subscribed as their seuerall workes, upon the
first Sujiect: viz. the Ph{œ}nix and
Turtle.
Mar:---------- Mutare dominum non potest liber notus
LONDON
Imprinted for E. B.
1601.
HEREAFTER
FOLLOVV DIVERSE
Poeticall Essaies on the former Sub-
iect; viz: the Turtle and Phœnix.
Done by the best and chiefest of our
moderne writers, with their names sub-
scribed to their particular workes:
neuer before extant.
And (now first) consecrated by them all generally,
to the loue and merite of the true-noble Knight,
Sir Iohn Salisburie.
Dignum laude virum Musavetat mori.
MDCI.
1LEt the bird of lowdest lay,
On the sole Arabian tree,
Herauld sad and trumpet be:
To whose sound chaste wings obay.
5But thou shriking harbinger,
Foule precurrer of the fiend,
Augour of the feuers end,
To this troupe come thou not neere.
From this Session interdict
10Euery foule of tyrant wing,
Saue the Eagle feath'red King,
Keepe the obsequie so strict.
Let the Priest in Surples white,
That defunctiue Musicke can,
15Be the death-deuining Swan,
Lest the Requiem lacke his right.
And thou treble dated Crow,
That thy sable gender mak'st,
With the breath thou giu'st and tak'st,
20Mongst our mourners shalt thou go.
Here the Antheme doth commence,
Loue and Constancie is dead,
Phœnix and the Turtle fled,
In a mutuall flame from hence.
25So they loued as loue in twaine,
Had the essence but in one,
Two distincts, Diuision none,
Number there in loue was slaine.
Hearts remote, yet not asunder;
30Distance and no space was seene,
Twixt this Turtle and his Queene;
But in them it were a wonder.
So betweene them Loue did shine,
That the Turtle saw his right,
35Flaming in the Phœnix sight;
Either was the others mine.
Propertie was thus appalled,
That the selfe was not the same:
Single Natures double name,
40Neither two nor one was called.
Reason in it selfe confounded,
Saw Diuision grow together,
To themselues yet either neither,
Simple were so well compounded.
45That it cried, how true a twaine,
Seemeth this concordant one,
Loue hath Reason, Reason none,
If what parts, can so remaine.
Whereupon it made this Threne,
50To the Phœnix and the Doue,
Co-supremes and starres of Loue,
As Chorus to their Tragique Scene.
Threnos.
BEautie, Truth, and Raritie,
Grace in all simplicitie,
55Here enclosde, in cinders lie.
Death is now the Phœnix nest,
And the Turtles loyall brest,
To eternitie doth rest.
Leauing no posteritie,
60Twas not their infirmitie,
It was married Chastitie.
Truth may seeme, but cannot be,
Beautie bragge, but tis not she,
Truth and Beautie buried be.
65To this vrne let those repaire,
That are either true or faire,
For these dead Birds, sigh a prayer.
William Shake-speare.