Esther M. Zimmer Lederberg
Richard Linche: 1548-1601, Sonnet XXXII
THE LAST so sweet, so balmy, so delicious!
lips, breath, and tongue, which I delight to drink on:
The first so fair, so bright, so purely precious!
brow, eyes, and cheeks, which still I joy to think on;
But much more joy to gaze, and aye to look on.
those lily rounds which ceaseless hold their moving,
From whence my prisoned eyes would ne’er be gone;
which to such beauties are exceeding loving.
O that I might but press their dainty swelling!
and thence depart, to which must now be hidden,
And which my crimson verse abstains from telling;
because by chaste ears, I am so forbidden.
There, in the crystal-pavèd Vale of Pleasure,
Lies lockèd up, a world of richest treasure.
Commentary:
This sonnet is in the form of a blazon.
Body Part
Description
Lips
Fair and bright
Breath
Fair and bright
Tongue
A delight to drink on
Brow
To think and look on
Eyes
Lily rounds that move ceaselessly
Cheeks
To think and look on
Hidden parts
Crimson
Vale of pleasure 1
Richest treasure
1
The "Vale of pleasure" is said to be "crystal-pavèd".
In Latin, "pavement" is a sexual reference. Thus:
mentula means "prick" or "penis": pavimentulam
illiam dicam means il-ladicam: "they say" means "clitoris"
"cum nos" means "cunnos": "when we" means "cunnies" or "cunts"
See "The Garden of Priapus: Sexuality and Aggression in Roman Humor", by Amy Richlin, pp. 18, 20, 21
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