is The sad Non Vltra of Mans Bliss The Back of this most pretious Frame Holds up in Majesty the same Where to make Musick to all Hearts Love bound the descant of her parts Though all this Beauties Temple be There 's known within no Deity Save Vertues shrin'd within her Will As I began so say I still I sing her Worth and Praises Ey Of whom a Poet cannot ly To her Face FAtal Aspect that hast an Influence More powerful far than those Immortal Fires That but incline the Will and move the Sense Which thou alone constrain'st kindling Desires Of such an holy force as more inspires The Soul with Knowledge than Experience Or Revelation can do with all Their borrow'd helps Sacred Astonishment Sits on thy Brow threatning a sudden fall To all those Thoughts that are not lowly sent In wonder and amaze dazling that Eye Which on those Mysteries doth rudely gaze Vow'd only unto Loves Divinity Sure Adam sinn'd not in that spotless Face To her Body REgardful Presence whose fix'd Majesty Darts Admiration on the gazing Look That brings it not State sits inthron'd in thee Divulging forth her Laws in the fair Book Of thy Commandements which none mistook That ever humbly came therein to see Their own unworthiness Oh! how can I Enough admire that Symmetry exprest In new proportions which doth give the Ly To that Arithmetique which hath profest All Numbers to be Hers thy Harmony Comes from the Spheres and there doth prove Strange measures so well grac'd as Majesty It self like thee would rest like thee would move To her Mind EXalted Mind whose Character doth bear The first Idea of Perfection whence Adam's came and stands so how canst appear In words that only tell what here-Tofore hath been thou need'st as deep a sence As prophecy since there 's no difference In telling what thou art and what shall be Then pardon me that Rapture do profess At thy outside that want for what I see Description if here amaz'd I cease Thus Yet grant one Question and no more crav'd under Thy gracious leave How if thou would'st express Thy self to us thou should'st be still a wonder Thus ends my Love but this doth grieve me most That so it ends but that ends too this yet Besides the Wishes hopes and time I lost Troubles my mind awhile that I am set Free worse then deny'd I can neither boast Choice nor success as my Case is nor get Pardon from my self that I loved not A better Mistress or her worse this Debt Only's her due still that she be forgot Ere chang'd lest I love none this done the taint Of soul Inconstancy is clear'd at least In me there only rests but to unpaint Her form in my mind that so dispossest It be a Temple but without a Saint Vpon Combing her Hair BReaking from under that thy cloudy Vail Open and shine yet more shine out more clear Thou glorious golden-beam-darting hair Even till my wonderstrucken Senses fail Shoot out in light and shine those Rays on far Thou much more fair than is the Queen of Love When she doth comb her in her Sphere above And from a Planet turns a Blazing-Star Nay thou art greater too more destiny Depends on thee then on her influence No hair thy fatal hand doth now dispence But to some one a thred of life must be While gracious unto me thou both dost sunder Those Glories which if they united were Might have amazed sense and shew'st each hair Which if alone had been too great a wonder And now spread in their goodly length sh ' appears No Creature which the earth might call her own But rather one that in her gliding down Heav'ns beams did crown to shew us she was theirs And come from thence how can they fear times rage Which in his power else on earth most strange Such Golden treasure doth to Silver change By that improper Alchimy of Age. But stay me-thinks new Beauties do arise While she withdraws these Glories which were spread Wonder of Beauties set thy radiant head And strike out day from thy yet fairer eyes Ditty in imitation of the Spanish Entre tantoque L' Avril NOw that the April of your youth adorns The Garden of your face Now that for you each knowing Lover mourns And all seek to your Grace Do not repay affection with Scorns What though you may a matchless Beauty vaunt And that all Hearts can move By such a power as seemeth to inchant Yet without help of Love Beauty no pleasure to it self can grant Then think each minute that you lose a day The longest Youth is short The shortest Age is long time flies away And makes us but his sport And that which is not Youth's is Age's prey See but the bravest Horse that prideth most Though he escape the Warr Either from master to the man is lost Or turn'd unto the Carr Or else must die with being ridden Post Then lose not beauty Lovers time and all Too late your fault you see When that in vain you would these dayes recall Nor can you vertuous be When without these you have not wherewithall The State-progress of Ill. I Say 't is hard to write Satyrs Though Ill Great'ned in his long course and swelling still Be now like to a Deluge yet as Nile 'T is doubtful in his original this while We may thus much on either part presume That what so universal are must come From causes great and far Now in this state Of things what is least like Good men hate Since 't will be the less sin I do see Some Ill requir'd that one poison might free The other so States to their Greatness find No faults requir'd but their own and bind The rest And though this be mysterious still Why should we not examine how this Ill Did come at first how 't keeps his greatness here When 't is disguis'd and when it doth appear This Ill having some Atttibutes of God As to have made it self and bear the rod Of all our punishments as it seems came Into the world to rule it and to tame The pride of Goodness and though his Reign Great in the hearts of men he doth maintain By love not right he yet the tyrant here Though it be him we love and God we fear Pretence yet wants not that it was before Some part of Godhead as Mercy that store For Souls grown Bankrupt their first stock of Grace And that which the sinner of the last place Shall number out unless th' Highest will shew Some power not yet reveal'd to Man below But that I may proceed and so go on To trace Ill in his first progression And through his secret'st wayes and where that he Had left his nakedness as well as we And did appear himself I note that in Gradus melisunt quo Peccamus nobis The yet infant-world how mischief and sin Gradus melisunt quo Nocemus aliis His Agents here on earth easie known Are now conceal'd
hither Womankind and all their worth Give me thy Kisses as I call them forth Give me the billing-Kiss that of the Dove A Kiss of love The melting-Kiss a Kiss that doth consume To a perfume The extract-Kiss of every sweet a part A Kiss of Art The Kiss which ever stirs some new delight A Kiss of Might The twaching smacking Kiss and when you cease A Kiss of Peace The Musick-Kiss crotchet and quaver time The Kiss of Rime The Kiss of Eloquence which doth belong Unto the tongue The Kiss of all the Sciences in one The Kiss alone So 't is enough Ditty IF you refuse me once and think again I will complain You are deceiv'd Love is no work of Art It must be got and born Not made and worn Or such wherein you have no part Or do you think they more then once can dy Whom you deny Who tell you of a thousand deaths a day Like the old Poets fain And tell the pain They met but in the common way Or do you think it is too soon to yield And quit the Field You are deceiv'd they yield who first intreat Once one may crave for love But more would prove This heart too little that too great Give me then so much love that we may burn Past all return Who mid'st your beauties flames and spirit lives So great a light must find As to be blind To all but what their fire gives Then give me so much love as in one point Fix'd and conjoynt May make us equal in our flames arise As we shall never start Until we dart Lightning upon the envious eyes Then give me so much love that we may move Like starrs of love And glad and happy times to Lovers bring While glorious in one sphere We still appear And keep an everlasting Spring Elegy over a Tomb. MUst I then see alas eternal night Sitting upon those fairest eyes And closing all those beams which once did rise So radiant and bright That light and heat in them to us did prove Knowledge and Love Oh if you did delight no more to stay Upon this low and earthly stage But rather chose an endless heritage Tell us at least we pray Where all the beauties that those ashes ow'd Are now bestow'd Doth the Sun now his light with yours renew Have Waves the curling of your hair Did you restore unto the Sky and Air The red and white and blew Have you vouchsafed to flowrs since your death That sweetest breath Had not Heav'ns Lights else in their houses slept Or to some private life retir'd Must not the Sky and Air have else conspir'd And in their Regions wept Must not each flower else the earth could breed Have been a weed But thus enrich'd may we not yield some cause Why they themselves lament no more That must have changed course they held before And broke their proper Laws Had not your beauties giv'n this second birth To Heaven and Earth Tell us for Oracles must still ascend For those that crave them at your tomb Tell us where are those beauties now become And what they now intend Tell us alas that cannot tell our grief Or hope relief 1617. Epitaph on Sir Francis Vere Reader IF thou appear Before this tomb attention give And do not fear Unless it be to live For dead is great Sir Francis Vere Of whom this might be said should God ordain One to destroy all sinners whom that one Redeem'd not there that so he might atone His chosen flock and take from earth that stain That spots it still he worthy were alone To finish it and have when they were gone This World for him made Paradise again To M rs Diana Cecyll DIana Cecyll that rare beauty thou dost show Is not of Milk or Snow Or such as pale and whitely things do ow. But an illustrious Oriental Bright Like to the Diamonds refracted light Or early Morning breaking from the Night Nor is thy hair and eyes made of that ruddy beam Or golden-sanded stream Which we find still the vulgar Poets theme But reverend black and such as you would say Light did but serve it and did shew the way By which at first night did precede the day Nor is that symmetry of parts and force divine Made of one vulgar line Or such as any know how to define But of proportions new so well exprest That the perfections in each part confest Are beauties to themselves and to the rest Wonder of all thy Sex let none henceforth inquire Why they so much admire Since they that know thee best ascend no higher Only be not with common praises woo'd Since admiration were no longer good When men might hope more then they understood To her Eyes BLack eyes if you seem dark It is because your beams are deep And with your soul united keep Who could discern Enough into them there might learn Whence they derive that mark And how their power is such That all the wonders which proceed from thence Affecting more the mind then sense Are not so much The works of light as influence As you then joined are Unto the Soul so it again By its connexion doth pertain To that first cause Who giving all their proper Laws By you doth best declare How he at first b'ing hid Within the veil of an eternal night Did frame for us a second light And after bid It serve for ordinary sight His Image then you are If there be any yet who doubt What power it is that doth look out Through that your black He will not an example lack If he suppose that there Were grey or hasle Glass And that through them though sight or soul might shine He must yet at the last define That beams which pass Through black cannot but be divine To her Hair BLack beamy hairs which so seem to arise From the extraction of those eyes That into you she destin-like doth spin The beams she spares what time her soul retires And by those hallow'd fires Keeps house all night within Since from within her awful front you shine As threads of life which she doth twine And thence ascending with the fatal rays Do crown those temples where Love's wonders wrought We afterwards see brought To vulgar light and praise Lighten through all your regions till we find The causes why we are grown blind That when we should your Glories comprehend Our sight recoils and turneth back again And doth as 't were in vain It self to you extend Is it because past black there is not found A fix'd or horizontal bound And so as it doth terminate the white It may be said all colours to infold And in that hand to hold Somewhat of infinite Or is it that the centre of our sight Being vailed in its proper night Discerns your blackness by some other sense Then that by which it doth py'd colours see Which only therefore be Known by their difference Tell us when on her front in curls you lye So diapred from that
further then to invite The Soul unto that part it ought to take When that from this address it would but make Some introduction only to delight 4. For while they from the outward sense transplant The love grew there in earthly mould and scant To the Souls spacious and immortal field They spring a love eternal which will yield All that a pure affection can grant 5. Besides what time or distance might effect Is thus remov'd while they themselves connect So far above all change as to exclude Not only all which might their sense delude But mind to any object else affect 6. Nor will the proof of Constancy be hard When they have plac'd upon their mind that guard As no ignoble thought can enter there And Love doth such a vertue persevere And in it self so find a just reward 7. And thus a love made from a worthy choice Will to that union come as but one voice Shall speak one thought but think the others will And while but frailty they can know no ill Their souls more then their bodies must rejoice 8. In which estate nothing can so fulfill Those heights of pleasure which their souls instill Into each other but that love thence draws New Arguments of joy while the same cause That makes them happy makes them greater still 9. So that however multipli'd and vast Their love increase they will not think it past The bounds of growth till their exalted fire B'ing equally inlarg'd with their desire Transform and fix them to one Starr at last 10. Or when that otherwise they were inclin'd Unto those publick joys which are assign'd To blessed souls when they depart from hence They would besides what Heaven doth dispense Have their contents they in each other find The IDEA Made of Alnwick in his Expedition to Scotland with the Army 1639. ALL Beauties vulgar eyes on earth do see At best but some imperfect Copies be Of those the Heavens did at first decree For though th' Idea's of each sev'ral kind Conceiv'd above by the Eternal Mind Are such as none can error in them find Since from his thoughts and presence he doth bear And shut out all deformity so farr That the least beauty near him is a Starr As Nature yet from far th' Idea's views And doth besides but vile materials chuse We in her works observe no small abuse Some of her figures therefore foil'd and blurr'd Shew as if Heaven had no way concurr'd In shapes so disproportion'd and absurd Which being again vex'd with some hate and spite That doth in them vengeance and rage excite Seem to be tortur'd and deformed quite While so being fixt they yet in them contain Another sort of ugliness and stain B'ing with old wrinkles interlin'd again Lastly as if Nature ev'n did not know What Colour every sev'ral part should ow They look as if their Galls did overflow Fair is the mark of Good soul of Ill Although not so infallibly but still The proof depends most on the mind and will As Good yet rarely in the Foul is met So 't would as little by its union get As a rich Jewel that were poorly set For since Good first did at the Fair begin Foul being but a punishment for sin Fair 's the true outside to the Good within In these the supreme Pow'r then so doth guide Natures weak hand as he doth add beside All by which Creatures can be dignifi'd While you in them see so exact a line That through each sev'ral part a glimpse doth shine Of their original and form divine Therefore the characters of fair and good Are so set forth and printed in their blood As each in other may be understood That Beauty so accompani'd with Grace And equally conspicuous in the face In a fair Womans outside takes the place Thus while in her all rare perfection meets Each as with joy its fellow beauty greets And varies so into a thousand sweets Or if some tempting thought do so assault As doubtful she 'twixt two opinions halt A gentle blush corrects and mends the fault That so she still fairer and better grows Without that thus she more to passion ows Then what fresh colour on her cheeks bestows To which again her lips such helps can add As both will chase all grievous thoughts and sad And give what else can make her good or glad As Statuaries yet having fram'd in Clay An hollow Image afterwards convey The molten mettle through each several way But when it once unto its place hath past And th' inward Statua perfectly is cast Do throw away the outward Clay at last So when that form the Heav'ns at first decreed Is finished within Souls do not need Their Bodies more but would from them be freed For who still cover'd with their earth would ly Who would not shake their fetters off and fly And be at least next to a Deity However then you be most lovely here Yet when you from all Elements are clear You far more pure and glorious shall appear Thus from above I doubt not to behold You second self renew'd in your own mold And rising thence fairer then can be told From whence ascending to the Elect and Blest In your true joys you will not find it least That in Heav'n shall know and love you best For while I do your coming there attend I shall much time on your idea spend And note how far all others you transcend And thus though you more then an Angel be Since being here to sin and mischief free You will have rais'd your self to their degree That so victorious over Death and I ate And happy in your everlasting state You shall triumphant enter Heaven gate Hasten not thither yet for as you are A Beauty upon Earth without compare You will shew best still where you are most rare Live all our lives then If the picture can Here entertain a loving absent man Much more th' Idea where you first began Platonick Love DIsconsolate and sad So little hope of remedy I find That when my matchless Mistress were inclin'd To pity me 't would scarcely make me glad The discomposing of so fair a Mind B'ing that which would to my Afflictions add For when she should repent This Act of Charity had made her part With such a precious Jewel as her Heart Might she not grieve that e'r she did relent And then were it fit I felt the smart Untill I grew the greater Penitent Nor were 't a good excuse When she pleas'd to call for her Heart again To tell her of my suffering and pain Since that I should her Clemency abuse While she did see what wrong she did sustain In giving what she justly might refuse Vex'd thus with me at last When from her kind restraint she now were gone And I left to the Manacles alone Should I not on another Rock be cast Since they who have not yet content do mone Far less then they whose hope thereof is past Besides I would deserve
And not live poorly on the alms of Love Or claim a favour did not singly move From my regard If she her joys reserve Unto some other she at length should prove Rather then beg her pity I would sterve Let her then be serene Alike exempt from pity and from hate Let her still keep her dignity and state Yet from her glories something I shall glean For when she doth them every where dilate A beam or two to me must intervene And this shall me sustain For though due merit I cannot express Yet she shall know none ever lov'd for less Or easier reward Let her remain Still Great and Good and from her happiness My chief contentment I will entertain Restrained hopes though you dare not aspire To fly an even pitch with my desire Yet fall no lower and at least take heed That you no way unto despair proceed Since in what form soe'r you keep intire I shall the less all other comforts need I know how much presumption did transcend When that affection could at most pretend To be believ'd would needs yet higher soar And love a Beauty which I should adore Though yet therein I had no other end But to assure that none could love her more Only may she not think her beauty less That on low Objects it doth still express An equal force while it doth rule all hearts Alike in the remot'st as nearest parts Since if it did at any distance cease It wanted of that pow'r it should impart Small earthly lights but to some space extend And then unto the dim and dark do tend And common heat doth at some length so stop That it cannot so much as warm one drop While light and heat that doth from Heav'n descend Warms the low Vally more then Mountains top Nor do they always best of the Heav'ns deserve Who gaze on 't most but they who do reserve Themselves to know it since not all that will Climb up into a Steeple or a Hill So well its pow'r and influence observe As they who study and remark it still Would she then in full glory on me shine An Image of that Light which is divine I then should see more clear while she did draw Me upwards and the vapors 'twixt us aw To open her eyes were to open mine And teach me wonders which I never saw Nor would there thus be any cause to fear That while her pow'r attractive drew me near The odds betwixt us would the lesser show Since the most common Understandings know That inequalities still most appear When brought together and composed so As there is nothing yet doth so excell But there is found if not its parallel Yet something so conform as though far least May yet obtain therein an Interest Why may not faith and truth then join so well As they may suit her rare perfections best Then hope sustain thy self though thou art hid Thou livest still and must till she forbid For when she would my vows and love reject They would a Being in themselves project Since infinites as they yet never did Nor could conclude without some good effect A Meditation upon his Wax-Candle burning out WHile thy ambitious flame doth strive for height Yet burneth down as clogged with the weight Of earthly parts to which thou art combin'd Thou still do'st grow more short of thy desire And do'st in vain unto that place aspire To which thy native powers seem inclin'd Yet when at last thou com'st to be dissolv'd And to thy proper principles resolv'd And all that made thee now is discompos'd Though thy terrestrial part in ashes lies Thy more sublime to higher Regions flies The rest b'ing to the middle wayes expos'd And while thou doest thy self each where disperse Some parts of thee make up this Universe Others a kind of dignity obtain Since thy pure Wax in its own flame consum'd Volumes of incense sends in which perfum'd Thy smoak mounts where this fire could not attain Much more our Souls then when they go from hence And back unto the Elements dispense All that built up our frail and earthly frame Shall through each pore passage make their breach Till they with all their faculties do reach Unto that place from whence at first they came Nor need they fear thus to be thought unkind To those poor Carkasses they leave behind Since being in unequal parts commix'd Each in his Element their place will get And who thought Elements unhappy yet As long as they were in their stations fix'd Or if they sally'd forth is there not light And heat in some and spirit prone to fight Keep they not in the Earth and Air the field Besides have they not pow'r to generate When more then Meteors they Starrs create Which while they last scarce to the brightest yield That so in them we more then once may live While these materials which here did give Our bodies essence and are most of use Quick'ned again by the worlds common soul Which in it self and in each part is whole Can various forms in divers kinds produce If then at worst this our condition be When to themselves our Elements are free And each doth to its proper place revert What may we not hope from our part divine Which can this dross of Elements refine And them unto a better state assert Or if as cloid upon this earthly stage Which represents nothing but change or age Our Souls would all their burdens here devest They singly may that glorious state acquire Which fills alone their infinite desire To be of perfect happiness possest And therefore I who do not live and move By outward sense so much as faith and love Which is not in inferior Creatures found May unto some immortal state pretend Since by these wings I thither may ascend Where faithful loving Souls with joys are crown'd October 14. 1664. ENraging Griefs though you most divers be In your first Causes you may yet agree To take an equal share within my heart Since if each grief strive for the greatest part You needs must vex your selves as well as me For your own sakes and mine then make an end In vain you do about a Heart contend Which though it seem in greatness to dilate Is but a tumor which in this its state The choicest remedies would but offend Then storm't at once I neither feel constraint Scorning your worst nor suffer any taint Dying by multitudes though if you strive I fear my heart may thus be kept alive Until it under its own burden faint What is 't not done Why then my God I find Would have me use you to reform my mind Since through his help I may from you extract An essence pure so spriteful and compact As it will be from grosser parts refin'd Which b'ing again converted by his Grace To godly sorrow I may both efface Those sins first caus'd you and together have Your pow'r to kill turn'd to a power to save And bring my Soul