19   There, in a meadow, by the river's side,
20   A flock of nymphs I chanced to espy,
21   All lovely daughters of the flood thereby,
22   With goodly greenish locks, all loose untied,
23   As each had been a bride;
24   And each one had a little wicker basket,
25   Made of fine twigs, entrailed curiously,
26   In which they gathered flowers to fill their flasket,
27   And with fine fingers cropt full feateously
28   The tender stalks on high.
29   Of every sort, which in that meadow grew,
30   They gathered some; the violet, pallid blue,
31   The little daisy, that at evening closes,
32   The virgin lily, and the primrose true,
33   With store of vermeil roses,
34   To deck their bridegrooms' posies
35   Against the bridal day, which was not long:
36       Sweet Thames run softly, till I end my song.

37   With that I saw two swans of goodly hue
38   Come softly swimming down along the Lee;
39   Two fairer birds I yet did never see;
40   The snow which doth the top of Pindus strew,
41   Did never whiter shew,
42   Nor Jove himself, when he a swan would be,
43   For love of Leda, whiter did appear;
44   Yet Leda was (they say) as white as he,
45   Yet not so white as these, nor nothing near;
46   So purely white they were,
47   That even the gentle stream, the which them bare,
48   Seem'd foul to them, and bad his billows spare
49   To wet their silken feathers, lest they might
50   Soil their fair plumes with water not so fair,
51   And mar their beauties bright,
52   That shone as heaven's light,
53   Against their bridal day, which was not long:
54       Sweet Thames run softly, till I end my song.

55   Eftsoons the nymphs, which now had flowers their fill,
56   Ran all in haste to see that silver brood,
57   As they came floating on the crystal flood;
58   Whom when they saw, they stood amazed still,
59   Their wond'ring eyes to fill;
60   Them seem'd they never saw a sight so fair,
61   Of fowls so lovely, that they sure did deem
62   Them heavenly born, or to be that same pair
63   Which through the sky draw Venus' silver team;
64   For sure they did not seem
65   To be begot of any earthly seed,
66   But rather angels, or of angels' breed;
67   Yet were they bred of Somers-heat, they say,
68   In sweetest season, when each flower and weed
69   The earth did fresh array;
70   So fresh they seem'd as day,
71   Even as their bridal day, which was not long:
72       Sweet Thames run softly, till I end my song.

73   Then forth they all out of their baskets drew
74   Great store of flowers, the honour of the field,
75   That to the sense did fragrant odours yield,
76   All which upon those goodly birds they threw
77   And all the waves did strew,
78   That like old Peneus' waters they did seem,
79   When down along by pleasant Tempe's shore,
80   Scatt'red with flowers, through Thessaly they stream,
81   That they appear through lilies' plenteous store,
82   Like a bride's chamber floor.
83   Two of those nymphs, meanwhile, two garlands bound
84   Of freshest flowers which in that mead they found,
85   The which presenting all in trim array,
86   Their snowy foreheads therewithal they crown'd,
87   Whilst one did sing this lay,
88   Prepar'd against that day,
89   Against their bridal day, which was not long:
90       Sweet Thames run softly, till I end my song.

91   "Ye gentle birds, the world's fair ornament
92   And heaven's glory, whom this happy hour
93   Doth lead unto your lovers' blissful bower,
94   Joy may you have, and gentle heart's content
95   Of your love's complement;
96   And let fair Venus, that is Queen of Love,
97   With her heart-quelling son upon you smile,
98   Whose smile, they say, hath virtue to remove
99   All love's dislike, and friendship's faulty guile
100   For ever to assoil.
101   Let endless Peace your steadfast hearts accord,
102   And blessed Plenty wait upon your board:
103   And let your bed with pleasures chaste abound,
104   That fruitful issue may to you afford,
105   Which may your foes confound,
106   And make your joys redound
107   Upon your bridal day, which is not long:
108       Sweet Thames run softly, till I end my song."

109   So ended she; and all the rest around
110   To her redoubled that her undersong,
111   Which said their bridal day should not be long;
112   And gentle Echo from the neighbour ground
113   Their accents did resound.
114   So forth those joyous birds did pass along,
115   Adown the Lee, that to them murmur'd low,
116   As he would speak, but that he lack'd a tongue,
117   Yet did by signs his glad affection show,
118   Making his stream run slow.
119   And all the fowl which in his flood did dwell
120   Gan flock about these twain, that did excel
121   The rest, so far as Cynthia doth shend
122   The lesser stars. So they, enranged well,
123   Did on those two attend,
124   And their best service lend
125   Against their wedding day, which was not long:
126       Sweet Thames run softly, till I end my song.

127   At length they all to merry London came,
128   To merry London, my most kindly nurse,
129   That to me gave this life's first native source,
130   Though from another place I take my name,
131   An house of ancient fame.
132   There when they came, whereas those bricky towers
133   The which on Thames' broad aged back do ride,
134   Where now the studious lawyers have their bowers,
135   There whilom wont the Templar Knights to bide,
136   Till they decay'd through pride:
137   Next whereunto there stands a stately place,
138   Where oft I gained gifts and goodly grace
139   Of that great lord, which therein wont to dwell,
140   Whose want too well now feels my friendless case:
141   But ah! here fits not well
142   Old woes, but joys, to tell
143   Against the bridal day, which is not long:
144       Sweet Thames run softly, till I end my song.

145   Yet therein now doth lodge a noble peer,
146   Great England's glory, and the world's wide wonder,
147   Whose dreadful name late through all Spain did thunder,
148   And Hercules' two pillars standing near
149   Did make to quake and fear:
150   Fair branch of honour, flower of chivalry,
151   That fillest England with thy triumph's fame,
152   Joy have thou of thy noble victory,
153   And endless happiness of thine own name
154   That promiseth the same;
155   That through thy prowess, and victorious arms,
156   Thy country may be freed from foreign harms;
157   And great Eliza's glorious name may ring
158   Through all the world, fill'd with thy wide alarms,
159   Which some brave Muse may sing
160   To ages following,
161   Upon the bridal day, which is not long:
162       Sweet Thames run softly, till I end my song.

163   From those high towers this noble lord issuing,
164   Like radiant Hesper, when his golden hair
165   In th' ocean billows he hath bathed fair,
166   Descended to the river's open viewing,
167   With a great train ensuing.
168   Above the rest were goodly to be seen
169   Two gentle knights of lovely face and feature,
170   Beseeming well the bower of any queen,
171   With gifts of wit, and ornaments of nature,
172   Fit for so goodly stature,
173   That like the twins of Jove they seem'd in sight,
174   Which deck the baldric of the heavens bright;
175   They two, forth pacing to the river's side,
176   Receiv'd those two fair brides, their love's delight;
177   Which, at th' appointed tide,
178   Each one did make his bride
179   Against their bridal day, which is not long:
180       Sweet Thames run softly, till I end my song.