Chear'd with his light free from his fire But now his Teeth and Claws are grown Let me the Fatal Lion shun You found me harmless leave me so For were I not you 'd leave me too SONG PHillis you have enough enjoy'd The pleasures of Disdain Methinks your pride shou'd now be cloy'd And grow it self again Open to Love your long shut Brest And entertain it's sweetest Guest Love that can heal the wounds he gives And can ill usage slight May laugh at all that Fate contrives Full of it's own delight For in his Chains w' are happier far Then Kings themselves without'um are Leave then to tame Philosophy The joyes of quietness With me into Loves Empire fly And tast my happiness Where even Tears and Sighes can show Pleasures the cruel never know MADAM for your commands to stay Is the mean duty of a Wretch Whose service you with Wages pay Lovers should at occasion catch Not idly wait till-it be brought But with the deed o'retake your thought Honour and Love let them give o're Who do their duty and no more AWake my Eyes at night my thoughts pursue Your Charming Shape and find it ever new If I my weary breast to sleep resign In gaudy Dreams your love and beauty shine Dreams with such Extasies and Pleasures fill'd As to those joyes they seem can only yield Nor do they yield perhaps wou'd you allow Dear Flavia that I once might know SONG PHillis let 's shun the common Fate And let our love ne're turn to Hate I 'le dote no longer then I can Without being call'd a faithless Man When we begin to want Discourse And kindness seems to tast of force As freely as we met we 'l part Each one possest of their own heart Thus whil'st grave Fools themselves undo We 'l Game and give off Savers too So equally the match we 'l make Both shall be glad to draw the stake A smile of thine shall make my bliss I will enjoy thee in a kiss I 'le love and hate just where you do And for 't no other reason know When from this height my Love does fall Wee 'l bravely scorn to love at all If thy affection first decay I 'le the whole blame on Nature lay Alas what Cordial can remove The hasty Fate of dying Love I 'le grieve as for a friend deceas'd And with the next as well be pleas'd Thus we will all the World excel In loving and in living well DISTICH ALthough no Art the Fire of Love can tame 'T is oft extinguish't by an equal flame THE painted Apples that adorn Of yon'd fair Tree the Airy top And seems our dull approach to scorn From their weak Stalk must one day drop And out of reach of Mortals plac't Be the vile food of Worms at last Thus ends of Humane things the Pride Born down Times ever-flowing Tide Thy matchless Beauty that we all Now with such heat and passion court Though kept from worthy Lovers shall Confess its Tyranny but short Then do not Love with Anger meet Nor cruel be to seem discreet Shunning what nature does intend Things seldom meet a nobler end SONG NOt Celia that I juster am Or better then the rest For I would change each hour like them Were it my interest But I am ty'd to very thee By every thought I have Should you my heart but once set free I would be no more a Slave All that is Woman is ador'd In thy dear self I find For your whole Sex can but afford The handsome and the kind Why then should I seek farther store And still make Love anew When change it self can give no more 'T is easie to be true THirsis no more against my flame advise But let me be in love and be you wise Here end and there begin a new address Pursue the vulgar easie happiness Leave me to Amaranta who alone Can in my sullen heart erect her Throne I know as well as you 't is mean to burn For one who to our flame makes no return But you like me know not those conquering eyes Which mock prevention by an quick surprize And now like a hurt Deer in vain I start From her that in my breast has hid the Dart. Though I can never reach her Excellence Take somewhat in my hopeless Loves defence Her Beauty is her not esteemed Wealth And Graces move about her Eyes by stealth Vertue in others the forc't Child of Art Is but the constant temper of her Heart All charms her Sex so often courts in vain Like Indian Fruit which our cold Earth disdain In her grow wild as in their Native Air And she has all perfection without care Of Lovers harms she has a gentle sense For Beauty else vvould clogg her innocence Like a vvise Prince she rules her servants so That neither Want nor Luxury they knovv None vainly hoping vvhat she may not give Like humble Slaves at small expence vve live And I the vvretched comfort only share To be the last vvhom she vvill bid despair SONG I Ask not my Celia would love me again In its own pleasure my love is pay'd I 'le find such excuses for all her disdain That shortly to frown I 'le make her affraid Her neglect of me of her self I 'le think care Her cruelty I her strict Vertue will name When least kind she seems I 'le believe her most near And call her refusal but a Virgins Fame Thus all that was wont heretofore to cure Love In me shall increase and stir up the fire I 'le make her at last some kind remedy prove Since all others but increase my desire Whil'st no man enjoyes that which I court in vain And Celia to none is kinder then me To her Honour I 'le yield and never complain But dye at her feet if so it decree SONG DRink a bout till the day find us These are pleasures that will last Let no foolish passion blind us Joyes of Love make too much hast Maids are long ere we can win 'um And our Passions wast the while In a Beer-Glass we 'l begin 'um Let some Fool take th' other toyle Yet we will have store of good Wenches Whom their own high blouds shall court After two or three good Drenches To out-do them at the Sport Joyning thus both Mirth and Beauty To make up our full delight In Wine and Love we pay our Duty To each friendly coming night SONG VVAlking among thick Shades alone I heard a dying voice Which sighing said now she is gone I 'le make no second choice I look't and saw it was a Swain Who to the flying Wind Did of some Neighbouring Nymph complain Too fair and too unkind He told me how he saw her first And with vvhat gracious eyes And gentle speech that flame she nurst Which since she did despise His vovvs she did as fast receive As he could breath 'um to her Love in her Eyes proclaim'd her leave That he alone should vvoo her They fed their flocks
A COLLECTION OF POEMS Written upon several OCCASIONS By several PERSONS Never before in Print LONDON Printed for Hobart Kemp at the Sign of the Ship in the Upper Walk of the New Exchange 1672. THE TABLE THe Temple of Death Pag. 1. To Celia You tell me Celia you approve 17. Answer Thirsis I wish as well as you 19. To Celia Princes make Laws by which 20. To Cloris Cloris I justly am betray'd 21. To a Lady who told him he could not Love 23. To Cloris Cloris you live ador'd by all 25. A farewel to Love 27. Song Though Phillis your prevailing Charms 28. Epilogue to every Man in his humour 29. To a very young Lady 33. The Forsaken Mistress 34. The Divided Heart 36. To Mr. J. N. on his Translations out of French and Italian 38. Voitures Vrania 40. To Silvia The Nymph that undoes me 42. To Celia As in those Nations where 43. The Submission 44. Constancy 46. The Indifference 47. A Pastoral Dialogue 50. To a Lady who fled the sight of him 54. To a Lady who askt him how long he would Love her 55. Song Tell me no more you love in vain 56. To the Marchioness of New-Castle on her Poems 58. Epilogue to Tartuff 61. The Imperfect Enjoyment 64. Prologue at the opening of the Duke 's New Play-House 67. The Second Part. FAlling in Love with a Stranger at a Play Pag. 1 Indifference excused 3 The Platonick 5 To a Devout Young Woman 7 Song When Aurelia first became 9 To Cloris Cloris I cannot say your Eyes 12 Song Aurelia art thou mad 14 Song Love still has something of the Sea 16 A Dialogue between Amintas and Celia 19 Song Get you gone you will undo me 24 Song Phillis you have enough enjoy'd 26 Song Madam for your Commands to stay 28 Awake my Eyes at night my thoughts pursue 29 Song Phillis le ts shun the Common Fate 30 Distich 32 The painted Apples that adorn 32 Song Not Celia that I juster am 34 Thirsis no more against my flame advise 36 Song I ask not my Celia would love me again 39 Song Drink about till the day find us 41 Song Walking among thick shades alone 43 Song As I sat thoughtfull in a shade 47 Song The Grave my Envy now begets 51 The Ballers Life A Song 53 Song When Cold Despair 55 To Celia Celia the Faithful Servant you disown 57 To Celia All things submit themselves to your Command 60 Song As he lay in the Plain his Arm. 64 Song How charming are those Pleasant 66 Song Give o're foolish heart and make haste 68 Song With so much ingrateful Swains 70 Song Dear Aminda in vain you so coily 71 THE TEMPLE OF DEATH IN those cold Climates where the Sun appears Unwillingly and hides his face in tears A dreadful Vale lies in a Desart Isle On which indulgent Heaven did never smile There a vast grove of aged Cypress Trees Which none without an awful horror sees Into its wither'd arms depriv'd of leaves Whole flocks of ill-presaging Birds receives Poysons are all the plants the soyl will bear And Winter is the only season there Millions of graves cover the spacious field And springs of blood a thousand Rivers yield Whose streams opprest with carcases and bones Instead of gentle murmurs pour forth groans Within this vale a famous Temple stands Old as the Universe which it commands Round is its figure and four Iron Gates Divide the World by order of the Fates There come in crowds doomd to one common grave The young the old the Monarch and the Slave Old age and pains which mankind most deplores Are faithful keepers of those sacred doors All clad in mournful blacks which also load The sacred walls of this obscure aboad And Tapers of a pitchy substance made With clouds of smoak increase the dismal shade A Monster void of Reason and of Sight The Goddess is that sways this Realm of Night Her Power extends o're all things that have breath A cruel Tyrant and her name is Death The fairest object of our wondring eyes Was newly offer'd up her sacrifice Th' adjoyning places where the Altar stood Yet blushing with the fair Almeria's blood When sad Melintus whose unhappy flame Is known by all that ere converst with fame His mind possest with fury and despair Within the sacred Temple made this prayer Great Deity who in thy hands dost bear That rusty Scepter which poor mortals fear Who wanting eyes thy self respectest none And neither spar'st the Lawrel nor the Crown Oh! thou whom all mankind in vain withstands Each of whose blood must one day stain thy hands Oh thou that every eye which sees the light Closest again in an eternal night Open thy ears and hearken to my grief To which thy power alone can give relief I come not hither to prolong my fate But wish my wretched life a shorter date And that the Earth would in its bowels hide A soul which Heaven invades on every side That from the sight of day I might remove And might have nothing left me but my love Thou only comforter of minds opprest The Port where wearied spirits are at rest Conducter to Illisium take my life My brest I offer to thy sacred knife So just a grace deny not nor despise A willing though a worthless sacrifice Others their frail and mortal state forgot Before thy altars are not to be brought Without constraint the noise of dying rage Heaps of the slain of every sex and age The blade all reaking in the gore it shed With sever'd heads and arms consus'dly spread The rapid flames of a perpetual fire The groans of wretches ready to expire This Tragick Scene makes them in terror live Till that is forc't which they should freely give Yielding unwillingly what Heaven will have Their fears eclipse the glory of their grave Before thy face they make undecent moan And feel an hundred deaths in fearing one The flame becomes unhallowed in their brest And he a Murtherer who was a Priest His hands profan'd in breaking Natures chain By which the body does the soul detain But against me thy strongest forces call And on my head let all the tempest fall No shrinking back shall any weakness shew And calmly I le expect the fatal blow My limbs no trembling in my mind no fear Plaints in my mouth nor in my eyes a tear Think not that time our wonted sure relief That universal cure for every grief Whose aid so many Lovers oft have found With like success can ever heal my wound Too weak's the power of Nature or of Art Nothing but death can ease a broken heart And that thou mayst behold my helpless state Learn the extreamest rigour of my fate Amidst th' innumerable beauteous Train Paris the Queen of Cities does contain The fairest Town the greatest and the best So fair Almeria shin'd above the rest From her bright eyes to feel a hopeless flame Was of our youth the most ambitious aim Her chains were marks
my tears and freely take my blood Here let me end the story of my cares My grief it self enough the rest declares Thou seest by all my misery thus display'd Whether I ought not to implore thy aid Thus to survive a guilt upon me draws And my sad wishes have too just a cause Come then my only hope in every place Thou visitest men tremble at thy face And fear thy name once let thy fatal hand Destroy a Swain that doth the blow demand Vouchsafe thy Dart I need not one of those With which thou dost unwilling Kings depose Thy weakest my desir'd release will bring And free my Soul already on her wing To Celia YOu tell me Celia you approve Yet never must return my love An answer that my hope destroys And in the cradle wounds our joys To kill at once what needs must die None would to birds and beasts deny How can you then so cruel prove As to preserve and torture love That beauty Nature kindly meant For her own pride and our content Why shou'd the Tyrant honour make Our greatest torment let us break His yoke and that base power disdain Which only keeps the good in pain In Love and War th' Impostor do's The best to greatest harms expose Come then my Celia let 's no more This Devil for a God adore Like foolish Indians we have been Whose whole Religion is a sin If we the Laws of Love had kept And not in dreams of Honour slept He wou'd have surely long ere this Have crown'd us with the highest bliss Our Joy had then been as compleat As now our Folly has been great Let 's lose no time then but repent Love welcome 's best a Penitent Answer THirsis I wish as well as you To Honour there were nothing due Then would I pay my debt of love In the same coin that you approve Which now you must in friendship take 'T is all the payment I can make Friendship so high that I must say 'T is rather love with some allay And rest contented since that I As well my self as you deny Learn then of me bravely to bear The want of what you hold most dear And that which Honour does in me Let my example work on thee To Celia PRinces make Laws by which their Subjects live And the high gods rules for their worship give How should poor mortals else a service find At all proportion'd to their mighty mind Had it been left to us each one would bring Of what he lik'd himself an offering And with unwelcome zeal perhaps displease Th' offended Deity he would appease All powers but thine this mercy do allow And how they wou'd be serv'd themselves do shew A rude Barbarian wou'd his captiv'd foe Fully instruct in what he 'd have him do And can it be my Celia that Love Less kind then War shou'd to the vanquisht prove Say cruel Fair then would you that my flame Shou'd for a while move under friendships name Or may it boldly like it self appear And its own tale deliver to your ear Ot must it in my tortur'd bosome live Like fire in quiet flints and no light give And only then humbly send forth a small Spark when your self does on that subject fall My passion can with any laws comply And for your sake do any thing but die To Cloris CLoris I justly am betray'd By a design my self had laid Like an old Rook whom in his cheat A run of Fortune does defeat I thought at first with a small sum Of love thy heap to overcome Presuming on thy want of art Thy gentle and unpractis'd heart But naked Beauty can prevail Like open force when plots do fail Instead of that thou hast all mine And I have not one stake of thine And like all winners do'st discover A willingness to give me over And though I beg thou wilt not now 'T were better thou should'st do so too For I so far in debt shall run Even thee I shall be forc't to shun My hand alas is no more mine Else it had long ago been thine My heart I give thee and we call No man unjust that parts with all What a Priest says moves not the mind Souls are by love not words combin'd To a Lady who told him he could not Love MAdam though meaner Beauties might Perhaps have need of some such slight Who to excuse their Rigour must Say they our passions do mistrust And that they wou'd more pity shew Were they but sure our loves were true You shou'd those petty Arts despise Secure of what is once your prize We to our Slaves no frauds address But as they are our minds express Tell me not then I cannot Love Say rather you it ne're can move Who can no more doubt of your charms Than I resist such pow'rfull arms Whose numerous force that I withstood So long was not through any hope I cou'd Escape their pow'r but through despair Which oft makes Courage out of fear I trembling saw how you us'd those Who tamely yielded without blows Had you but one of all them spar'd I might perhaps have been ensnar'd And not have thus e're I did yield Call'd Love's whole Force into the Field Yet now I 'm Conquer'd I will prove Faithful as they that never strove All flames in matter where too fast They do not seize the longer last Then blame not mine for moving slow Since all things durable are so The Oak that 's for three hundred years Design'd in growing one out-wears Whilst flowers for a season made Quickly spring up and quickly fade To Cloris CLoris you live ador'd by all And yet on none your favours fall A stranger Mistress ne're was known You pay us all in paying none We him of avarice accuse Who what he has does fear to use But what disease of mind shall I Call this thy hated penury Thou wilt not give out of a store Which no profuseness can make poor Misers when dead may make amends And in their Wills enrich their friends But when thou dy'st thy Treasure dies And thou canst leave no Legacies What madness is it then to spare When we want power to make an Heir Live Cloris then at the full rate Of thy great Beauty and since Fate To Love and Youth is so severe Enjoy 'em freely while th' art here Some caution yet I 'de have thee use When e're thou do'st a Servant chuse We are not all for Lovers fit No more then Arms or Arts of Wit For Wisdom some respected are Some we see pow'rful at the Bar Some for Preferment waste their time And the steep hill of Honour climb Others of Love their business make In Love their whole diversion take Take one of those for in one brest Two passions live but ill at rest And even of them I 'de have thee fly All that take flame at every eye All those that light and faithless are All that dare more then think thee fair Take one of Love who nothing
says And yet whom every word betrays Love in the cradle pretty shews And when 't can speak unruly grows A farewel to Love ONce more Loves mighty chains are broke His strength and cunning I defie Once more I have thrown off his yoke And am a man and do despise the Boy Thanks to her pride and her disdain And all the follies of a scornful mind I had ne're possest my heart again If fair Miranda had been kind Welcome fond wanderer as ease And plenty to a wretch in pain That worn with want and a disease Enjoys his health and all his friends again Let others waste their time and youth Watch and look pale to gain a peevish maid And learn too late this dear-bought truth At length they 're sure to be betray'd THough Phillis your prevailing charms Have forc'd me from my Celia's arms That kind defence against all powers But those resistless eyes of yours Think not your conquest to maintain By rigour and unjust disdain In vain fair Nymph in vain you strive For love does seldom hope survive My heart may languish for a time Whilst all your Glories in their prime Can justifie such cruelty By the same force that conquer'd me When age shall come at whose command Those troops of Beauty must disband A Tyrants strength once took away What slave so dull as to obey EPILOGUE To every Man in his humour INtreaty shall not serve nor violence To make me speak in such a Playes defence A Play where Wit and Humour do agree To break all practis'd Laws of Comedy The Scene what more absurd in England lies No Gods descend nor dancing Devils rise No captive Prince from nameless Country brought No battel nay there 's not a duel fought And something yet more sharply might be said But I consider the poor Author's dead Let that be his excuse Now for our own Why Faith in my opinion we need none The parts were fitted well but some will say Pox on 'em Rogues what made 'em choose this Play I do not doubt but you will credit me It was not choice but meer necessity To all our writing friends in Town we sent But not a Wit durst venture out in Lent Have patience but till Easter Term and then You shall have Jigg and Hobby-horse agen Here 's Mr. Matthew our domestique Wit Does promise one of the ten Plays h 'as writ But since great bribes weigh nothing with the just Know we have merits and in them we trust When any Fasts or Holy-days defer The publick labours of the Theatre We ride not forth although the day be fair On ambling Tit to take the Suburb air But with our Authors meet and spend that time To make up quarrels between sence and rhyme Wednesdays and Fridays constantly we sate Till after many a long and free debate For divers weighty reasons 't was thought fit Unruly sence shu'd still to rhyme submit This the most wholesome Law we ever made So strictly in this Epilogue obey'd Sure no man here will ever dare to break Enter Johnson ' s Ghost Hold and give way for I my self will speak Can you encourage so much insolence And add new faults still to the great offence Your Ancestors so rashly did commit Against the mighty powers of Art and Wit When they condemn'd those noble works of mine Sejanus and my best lov'd Cataline Repent or on your guilty heads shall fall The curse of many a rhyming Pastoral The three bold Beauchamps shall revive again And with the London-Prentice conquer Spain All the dull follies of the former age Shall rise and find applause upon this Stage But if you pay the great arrears of praise So long since due to my much injur'd Plays From all past crimes I first will set you free And then inspire some one to write like me To a very young Lady SWeetest bud of Beauty may No untimely frost decay Th' early glories which we trace Blooming in thy matchless face But kindly opening like the Rose Fresh beauties every day disclose Such as by Nature are not shewn In all the blossoms she has blown And then what conquest shall you make Who hearts already dayly take Scorcht in the Morning with thy beams How shall we bear those sad extreams Which must attend thy threatning eyes When thou shalt to thy Noon arise The forsaken Mistress Dialogue Phil. TEll me gentle Strephon why You from my Embraces fly Does my love thy love destroy Tell me I will yet be coy Stay O stay and I will feign Though I break my heart disdain But lest I too unkind appear For ev'ry frown I le shed a tear And if in vain I court thy love Let mine at least thy pity move Ah! while I scorn vouchsafe to woo Methinks you may dissemble too Str. Ah! Phillis that you wou'd contrive A way to keep my love alive But all your other charms must fail When kindness ceases to prevail Alas no less then you I grieve My dying flame has no reprieve For I can never hope to find Shou'd all the Nymphs I court be kind One Beauty able to renew Those pleasures I enjoy'd in you When Love and Youth did both conspire To fill our Breasts and Veins with fire 'T is true some other Nymph may gain That heart which merits your disdain But second Love has still allay The joys grow aged and decay Then blame me not for losing more Then Love and Beauty can restore And let this truth thy comfort prove I wou'd but can no longer love The divided Heart AH Celia that I were but sure Thy love like mine cou'd still endure That time and absence which destroy The cares of Lovers and their joy Cou'd never rob me of that part Which you have giv'n me of your heart Others unenvy'd might possess Whole hearts and boast that happiness 'T was nobler Fortune to divide The Roman Empire in her pride Then on some low and barb'rous Throne Obscurely plac'd to rule alone Love only from thy heart exacts The several debts thy face contracts And by that new and juster way Secures thy Empire and his sway Fav'ring but one he might compel The hopeless Lover to rebel But shou'd he other hearts thus share That in the whole so worthless are Shou'd into several squadrons draw That strength which kept entire cou'd awe Men would his scatter'd powers deride And conqu'ring Him those spoils divide To Mr. J. N. on his Translations out of French and Italian WHile others toil our Country to supply With what we need only for Luxury Spices and Silk in the rich East provide To glut our Avarice and feed our pride You forreign learning prosperously transmit To raise our Virtue and provoke our Wit Such brave designs your gen'rous soul inflame To be a bold Adventurer for Fame How much oblig'd are Italy and France While with your voice their Musick you advance Your growing Fame with Envy can oppose Who sing with no less art then they compose In these
attempts so few have had success Their Beauties suffer in our English dress By artless hands spoil'd of their native air They seldom pass for moderately fair As if you meant these injuries to atone You give them charms more conqu'ring then their own Not like the dull laborious Flatterer With secret art those graces you confer The skilful Painters with slight stroaks impart That subtil beauty which affects the heart There are who publickly profess they hate Translations and yet all they write translate So proud they scorn to drive a lawful trade Yet by their wants are shameless Pirates made These you incense while you their thefts reveal Or else prevent in what they meant to steal From all besides you are secure of praise But you so high our expectations raise A gen'ral discontent we shall declare If such a workman only shou'd repair You to the dead your Piety have shewn Adorn'd their Monuments now build your own Drawn in the East we in your lines may trace That Genius which of old inspir'd the place The banish'd Muses back to Greece you bring Where their best airs you so divinely sing The world must own they are by you restor'd To sacred shades where they were first ador'd Virtues Vrania HOpeless I languish out my days Struck with Urania's conqu'ring eyes The wretch at whom she darts these rayes Must feel the wound until he dies Though endless be her cruelty Calling her beauties to my mind I bow beneath her tyranny And dare not murmur she 's unkind Reason this tameness does upbraid Proff'ring to arm in my defence But when I call her to my aid She 's more a Traitor then my sense No sooner I the war declare But strait her succour she denies And joyning sorces with the fair Confirms the conquest of her eyes Silvia THe Nymph that undoes me is fair and unkind No less then a wonder by Nature design'd She 's the grief of my heart the joy of my eye And the cause of a flame that never can die Her mouth from whence wit still obligingly flows Has the beautiful blush and smell of the rose Love and destiny both attend on her will She wounds with a look with a frown she can kill The desperate Lover can hope no redress Where beauty and rigour are both in excess In Silvia they meet so unhappy am I Who sees her must love and who loves her must die To Celia AS in those Nations where they yet adore Marble and Cedar and their aid implore 'T is not the Workman nor the precious Wood But 't is the Worshipper that makes the God So cruel Fair though Heaven has giv'n thee all We Mortals Virtue or can Beauty call 'T is we that give the Thunder to your frowns Darts to your Eyes and to our selves the wounds Without our Love which proudly you deride Vain were your Beauty and more vain your Pride All envy'd beings that the world can shew Still to some meaner thing their greatness ow Subjects make Kings and we the numerous Train Of humble Lovers constitute thy Reign This difference only Beauties Realm may boast Where most it favours it enslaves the most And they to whom it is indulgent found Are ever in the rudest fetters bound What Tyrant yet but thee was ever known Cruel to those that serv'd to make him one Valour 's a Vice if not with Honour joyn'd And Beauty a Disease when 't is not kind The Submission AH Pardon Madam if I ever thought Your smallest favors could too dear be bought And the just greatness of your Servants flame I did the poorness of their spirits name Calling their due attendance Slavery Your power of Life and Death flat Tyranny Since now I yield and do confess there is No way too hard that leads to such a bliss So when Hippomanes beheld the Race Where loss was Death and Conquest but a Face He stood amazed at the fatal strife Wondring that Love shou'd dearer be then Life But when he saw the Prize no longer staid But through those very dangers sought the Maid And won her too O may his Conquest prove A happy Omen to my purer Love Which if the honour of all Victory In the resistance of the Vanquisht lie Though it may be the least regarded Prize Is not the smallest Trophy of your eyes Constancy FEar not my Dear a flame can never die That is once kindled by so bright an eye Look on thy self and measure thence my love Think what a passion such a form must move For though thy Beauty first allur'd my sight Yet now I look on it but as the light That led me to the treasury of thy mind Whose inward virtue in that feature shin'd That knot be confident will ever last Which Fancy ty'd and Reason has made fast So fast that time although it may disarm Thy lovely face my faith can never harm And age deluded when it comes will find My love remov'd and to thy soul assign'd The passion I have now shall ne're grow less No though thy own fair self should it oppress I could e'en hazard my Eternity Love but again and 't will a Heaven be The Indifference THanks fair Urania to your scorn I now am free as I was born Of all the pain that I endur'd By your late coldness I am cur'd In losing me proud Nymph you lose The humblest Slave your Beauty knows In losing you I but throw down A cruel Tyrant from her Throne I must confess I ne're could find Your equal or in shape or mind Y 'ave beauty wit and all things know But where you shou'd your love bestow I unawares my freedom gave And to those Tyrants grew a Slave But would y 'ave kept what you have won You should have more compassion shewn Love is a burthen which two hearts When equally they bear their parts With pleasure carry but no one Alas can bear it long alone I 'm not of those who court their pain And make an Idol of disdain My hope in Love does ne're expire But I lose also the desire Nor yet of those who ill receiv'd Would gladly have strange things believ'd And if your heart you do defend Their force against your honour bend Who e're does make his Victor less His own low weakness does confess And whilst her pow'r he does defame He poorly doubles his own shame Even that malice does betray And speak concern another way And all such scorn in men is but The smoke of sires ill put out He 's still in torment whom the rage To detraction does engage In Love Indifference is sure The only sign of perfect cure Yet cruel Fair if thou canst prove As happy in some other Love As I could once have done in thine The Sun on happier does not shine A Pastoral Dialogue Thirsis STrephon O Strephon once the jolliest Lad That with shrill Pipe did ever Mountain glad While'ome the formost at our Rural Playes The Pride and Glory of our Holy-days Why dost thou
now sit musing all alone Teaching the Turtles yet a sadder groan Swell'd with thy Tears why does the neighbouring Brook Bear to the Ocean what she never took Why do our Woods so us'd to hear thee Sing With nothing now but with thy Sorrows ring Thy Flocks are well and fruitful and no Swain Then thee more welcome to the Hill or Plain Strephon. No loss of these or care of those are left Hath wretched Strephon of his peace bereft I could invite the Wolf my cruel Guest And play unmov'd while he on all did feast I could endure that every Swain out-run Out-threw out-wrestl'd and each Nymph shou'd shun The hapless Strephon But the Gods I find To no such trifles have this Heart design'd A feller grief and sadder loss I plain Then ever Shepherd or did Prince sustain Bright Galatea in whose matchless face Sate rural Innocence with heavenly grace In whose no less to be adored mind With equal light even distant virtues shin'd Chaste without pride though gentle yet not soft Not always cruel nor yet kind too oft Fair Goddess of these Fields who for our sports Though she might well become despised Courts Belov'd of all and loving one alone Is from my sight I fear for ever gone Now I am sure thou wondrest not I grieve But rather art amazed that I live Thirsis Thy case indeed is pitiful but yet Thou on thy loss too great a price dost set Women like days are Strephon some be far More bright and glorious then others are Yet none so wonderful were ever seen But by as fair they have succeeded been Strephon. Others as fair and may as worthy prove But sure I never shall another love Her bright Idea wanders in my thought At once my Poyson and my Antidote The Stag shall sooner with the Eagle soar Seas leave their Fishes naked on the shore The Wolf shall sooner by the Lambkin die And from the Kid the hungry Lion flie Then I forget her face what once I love May from my eyes but not my heart remove To a Lady who fled the sight of him IF I my Celia cou'd perswade To see those wounds her eyes have made And hear whilst I that passion tell Which like her self does so excel How soon we might be freed from care She need not fear nor I despair Such Beauty does the Nymph protect That all approach her with respect And can I offer violence Where love does joyn in her defence This guard might all her fears disperse Did she with Savages converse Then I my Celia wou'd surprize With what 's produc'd by her own eyes Those matchless flames which they inspire In her own Breast shou'd raise a fire For Love but with more subtil Art As well as Beauty charms the Heart To a Lady asking him how long he would love her IT is not Celia in our power To say how long our love will last It may be we within this hour May lose those joys we now do taste The Blessed that immortal be From change in love are only free Then since we mortal Lovers are Ask not how long our love will last But while it does let us take care Each minute be with pleasure past Were it not madness to deny To live because w' are sure to die Song TEll me no more you love in vain Fair Celia You this passion feign Can they pretend to love who do Refuse what Love perswades them to Who once has felt his active flame Dull Laws of Honour will disdain You wou'd be thought his Slave and yet You will not to his pow'r submit More cruel then those Beauties are Whose coyness wounds us to despair For all the kindness which you shew Each smile and kiss which you bestow Are like those cordials which we give To dying men to make them live And languish out an hour in pain Be kinder Celia or disdain TO HER EXCELLENCE THE MARCHIONESS OF NEW-CASTLE After the Reading of Her in comparable POEMS Madam WIth so much wonder we are struck When we begin to read your matchless Book A while your own excess of merit stays Our forward Pens and does suspend your Praise Till time our minds does gently recompose Allays this wonder and our duty shews Instructs us how your Virtues to proclaim And what we ought to pay to your Great Fame Your Fame which in your Country has no bounds But wheresoever Learning 's known resounds Those Graces Nature did till now divide Your Sexes Glory and our Sexes Pride Are joyn'd in you and all to you submit The brightest Beauty and the sharpest Wit No Faction here or fiery Envy sways They give you Myrtle while we offer Bays What Mortal dares dispute those Wreaths with you Arm'd thus with Lightning and with Thunder too This made the Great Newcastle's Heart your Prize Your Charming Soul and your Victorious eyes Had only pow'r his Martial Mind to tame And raise in his Heroick Breast a Flame A Flame which with his Courage still aspires As if immortal Fuel fed those Fires This Mighty Chief and your Great Self made One Together the same Race of Glory run Together in the Wings of Fame you move Like yours his Virtue and like yours his Love While we your Praise endeav'ring to rehearse Pay that great Duty in our humble Verse Such as may justly move your Anger You Like Heaven forgive them and accept them too But what we cannot your brave Hero payes He builds those Monuments we strive to raise Such as to after Ages shall make known While he records your Deathless Fame his own So when an Artist some rare Beauty draws Both in our wonder share and our applause His skill from Time secures the Glorious Dame And makes himself immortal in her Fame EPILOGUE TO TARTUFF Spoken by himself MAny have been the vain attempts of Wit Against the still-prevailing Hypocrite Once and but once a Poet got the day And vanquisht Busy in a Puppet-play But Busy rallying arm'd with zeal and rage Possest the Pulpit and pull'd down the Stage To laugh at English Knaves is dang'rous then While English Fools will think them honest Men But sure no zealous Brother can deny us Free leave with this our Monsieur Ananias A Man may say without being call'd an Atheist There are Damn'd Rogues among the French and Papists That fix Salvation to short Band and Hair That belch and snuffle to prolong a Pray'r That use t' enjoy the Creature to express Plain Whoring Gluttony and Drunkenness And in a decent way perform them too As well nay better far alas then you Whose fleshly failings are but Fornication We godly phrase it Gospel-Propagation Just as Rebellion was call'd Reformation Zeal stands but Centr'y at the Gate of Sin Whilst all that have the Word pass freely in Silent and in the dark for fear of Spies You march and take Damnation by surprize There 's not a roaring Blade in all this Town Can go so far tow'rds Hell for half a Crown As I
for six Pence for we know the way For want of Guides Men often go astray Therefore give ear to what I shall advise Let every married Man that 's grave and wise Take a Tartuff of known ability To teach and to instruct his Family Who may so settle lasting Reformation First get his Son then give him Education The Imperfect Enjoyment AFter a pretty amorous Discourse She does resist my Love with pleasing force Mov'd not with Anger but with Modesty Against her will she is my Enemy Her eyes the rudeness of her arms excuse Whilst those accept what these seem to refuse To ease my passion and to make me blest Th'obliging smock falls from her whiter breast Then with her lovely hands she does conceal Those wonders chance so kindly did reveal In vain alas her nimble fingers strove To shield her beauties from my greedy love Guarding her Breasts her Lips she did expose To save a Lilly she must lose a Rose So many charms she has in ev'ry place A hundred hands cannot defend each Grace Sighing at length her force she does recal For since I must have Part she 'l give me All. Her arms the joyful Conqueror embrace And seem to guide me to the fought-for place Her love is in her sparkling eyes exprest She falls o th' bed for pleasure more then rest But Oh strange passion Oh abortive joy My zeal does my devotion quite destroy Come to the Temple where I shou'd adore My Saint I worship at the sacred door Oh cruel chance the Town which did oppose My strength so long now yields to my dispose When overjoy'd with victory I fall Dead at the foot of the surrender'd wall Without the usual Ceremony we Have both fulfill'd the am'rous mystery The action which we shou'd have joyntly done Each 〈◊〉 â—â—luckily perform'd alone The Union which our Bodies shou'd enjoy The Union of our eager souls destroy Our flames are punish'd by their own excess W'ad had more pleasure had our loves been less She blush'd and frown'd perceiving we had done The sport she thought we scarce had yet begun Alas said I condemn your self not me This is th' effect of too much modesty Hence with that peevish Virtue the delight Of both our Victories was lost i' th fight Yet from my shame your glory does arise My weakness proves the vigour of your eyes They did consume the Victim ere it came Unto the Altar with a purer flame Phillis let then this comfort ease your care Y 'ad been more happy had you been less fair A PROLOGUE Spoken at the opening of the DUKE' 's NEW PLAY-HOUSE 'T Is not in this as in the former Age When Wit alone suffie'd t' adorn the Stage When things well said an Audience cou'd invite Without the hope of such a Gaudy Sight What with your Fathers took wou'd take with you If Wit had still the Charm of being New Had not enjoyment dull'd your appetite She in her homely dress wou'd yet delight Such stately Theatres we need not raise Our Old House wou'd put off our dullest Plays You Gallants know a fresh Wench of sixteen May drive the Trade in honest Bombarine And never want good Custom shou'd she lie in a back Room two or three stories high But such a Beauty as has long been known Though not decay'd but to perfection grown Must if she mean to thrive in this leud Town Wear Points Lac'd Petticoats and a rich Gown Her Lodgings too must with her Dress agree Be hung with Damask or with Tapestry Have Chyna Cabinets and a great Glass To strike respect into an Am'rous Ass Without the help of Stratagems and Arts An old Acquaintance cannot touch your Hearts Methinks 't is hard our Authors shou'd submit So tamely to their Predecessors wit Since I am sure among you there are few Wou'd grant your Grand-fathers had more then you But hold I in this business may proceed too far And raise a storm against our Theatre And then what wou'd the wise Adventurers say Who are in a much greater fright to day Then ever Poet was about his Play Our apprehensions none can justly blame Money is dearer much to us then Fame This thought on let our Poets justifie The Reputation of their Poetry We are resolv'd we will not have to do With what 's between those Gentlemen and you Be kind and let our House have but your praise You 'r welcome every day to damn their Plays FINIS Falling in love with a Stranger at a Play FAir Am trillis on the Stage whil'st you Beheld a feigned love you gave a true I like a Coward in the Amorous War Came only to look on yet got a Sear Fixt by your eyes I had no power to fly They held me whil'st you gain'd the Victory I thought I safely might my sight content To which the power to like not love I lent And if I ventur'd on some slight Discourse It should be such as could no passion nurse Led by the treacherous lustre of your eyes At last I plai'd too near the Precipice Love came disguis'd in wonder and delight And I was conquer'd ere I knew him right Your words sell on my passion like those shower Which swell and multiply the rising flowers Like Cupid's self a God and yet a child Your looks at once were awful and yet mild Methoughts you blush'd as conscious of my flame Whil'st your strict vertue did your beauty blame But rest secure y' are from the guilt as free As Saints ador'd from our Idolatry And Love a Torment doe's for me prepare Beyond your rigour in my own despair Indifference excused IOve when 't is true needs not the aid Of sighs nor tears to make it known And to convince the cruel'st Maid Lovers should use their love alone Into their very looks 't will steal And he that most will hide his flame Doe's in that care his pains reveal Silence it self can Love proclaim This Aurelia made me shun The paths that common lovers tread Whose guilty passions are begun Not in their Hearts but in their Head I cou'd not sigh and with cross'd arms Lament your Righour and my Fate Nor tax your beauty with such charms As men adore and Women hate But careless live and without Art Knowing my love you must have spi'de And thinking it a foolish part To strive to shew what none can hide The Platonick FAir Octavia you are much to blame To blow the fire and wonder at the flame I did converse 't is true so far was mine But that I lov'd and hop'd was wholly thine Not hop'd as others do for a return But that I might without offending burn I thought those eyes which every hour enslave Could not remember all the wounds they gave Forgotten in the crowd I wisht to lye And of your coldness not your anger dye Yet since you know I love 't is now no time Longer to hide let me excuse the crime Seeing what Laws I to my passion give Perhaps you may
consent that it should live First it never shall a hope advance Of waiting on you but by seeming chance I at a distance will adore your eyes As awful Persians do the Eastern Skies I never will presume to think of Sex Nor with gross thoughts my deathless love perplex I tread a pleasant path without design And to thy care my happiness resign From Heaven it self thy beauty cannot be A freer gift then is my love to thee To a Devout young Woman PHillis this mighty zeal asswage You over act your part The Martyrs at your tender age Gave Heaven but half their heart Old men till past the pleasure ne're Declaim against the sin 'T is early to begin to fear The Devil at fifteen The World to Youth is too severe And like a treacherous light Beauty the actions of the fair Exposes to their sight And yet this World as old as 't is Is oft deceiv'd by 't too Wise Combinations seldom miss Let 's try what we can do SONG VVHen Aurelia first became The Mistress of his heart So mild and gentle was her reign Thirsis in hers had part Reserves and care he laid aside And gave his Love the Reins The headlong course he now must bide No other way remains At first her cruelty he fear'd But that being overcome No second for a while appear'd And he thought all his own He call'd himself a happier man Then ever lov'd before Her favours still his hopes outran What Mortal can have more Love smil'd at first then looking grave Said Thirsis leave to boast More joy then all her kindness gave Her fickleness will cost He spoke and from that fatal time All Thirsis did or said Appear'd unwelcome or a cirme To the ungrateful Maid Then he despairing of her heart Would fain have had his own Love answered such a Nymph could part With nothing she had won To CLORIS CLoris I cannot say your eyes Did my unwary heart surprise Nor will I swear it was your face Your shape or any nameless grace For you are so intirely fair To love a part injustice were No drowning man can know which drop Of water his last breath did stop So when the Stars in Heaven appear And joyn to make the Night look clear The Light we no one's Bounty call But the united work of all He that both lips or hands adore Deserves them only and no more But I love all and every part And nothing less can ease my heart Cupid that Lover weakly strikes Who can express what 't is he likes SONG A Vrelia art thou mad To let the World in me Envy joyes I never had And censure them in thee Fill'd with grief for what is past Let us at length be wise And the Banquet boldly tast Since we have paid the price Love does easie souls despise Who loose themselves for toyes And escapes for those devise Who tast his utmost joyes To be thus for Trifles blam'd Like theirs a folly is Who are for vain swearing damn'd And knew no higher bliss Love should like the year be crown'd With sweet variety Hope should in the Spring be found Kind fears and jealousie In the Sommer flower should rise And in the Autumn Fruit His Spring doth else but mock our eyes And in a scoff salute SONG LOve still has something of the Sea From whence his Mother rose No time his Slaves from doubt can free Nor give their thoughts repose They are becalm'd in clearest dayes And in rough weather tost They wither under cold delayes Or are in tempests lost One while they seem to touch the Port Then straight into the Main Some angry Wind in cruel sport Their Vessel drives again At first disdain and pride they fear Which if they chance to scape Rivals and Falshood soon appear In a more dreadful shape By such degrees to joy they come And are so long withstood So slowly they receive the summe It hardly does them good 'T is cruel to prolong a pain And to defer a Bliss Believe me gentle Hermione No less inhumane is An hundred thousand oathes your fears Perhaps would not remove And if I gaz'd a thousand years I could no deeper love T is fitter much for you to guess Then me for to explain But grant O grant that happiness Which only does remain A Dialogue between Amintas and Celia Celia AMintas I am come alone According as I said But whither is thy Honour flown I fear I am betray'd Thy looks are chang'd and in the place Of innocent desires Methinks I see thy eyes and face Burn with unusual fires Amintas See's not my Celia Nature wear One Countenance in the Spring And yet another shape prepare To bring the Harvest in Look on the Eagle how unlike He to the Egg is found When he prepares his Pownce to strike His Prey against the ground Fears might my Infant Love become 'T were want of kindness now Should modesty my Hopes benum Or check what you allow Celia Amintas hold what could you worse To worst of Women do Ah! how could you a passion nurse So much my Honours Foe Amintas Make not an idol of a Toy Which every breath can shake Which all must have or none enjoy What course so e're we take Whil'st Women hate or Men are vain You cannot be secure What makes my Celia then a pain So fruitless to endure Celia Could I the World neglect for thee Thy love though dear it cost In some unkind conceit of me Would be untimely lost Thou would'st thy own example fear And every heedless word I chance let fall beyond thy care Would some new doubt afford Amintas If I am jealous 't is because I know not where you love With me fulfil Loves gentle Laws And all my fears remove Celia Women like things at second hand Do half their value loose But whil'st all Courtship they withstand May at their pleasure choose Amintas This were a fine discourse my Dear If we were not alone But now Love whispers in my ear There 's somewhat to be done She said she never would forgive He kissing swore she should And told her she was mad to strive Against their mutual good What farther past I cannot tell But sure not much amiss He vow'd he lov'd her dearly well She answered with a kiss SONG GEt you gone you will undo me If you love me don't pursue me Let that inclination perish Which I dare no longer cherish It does of late so fast prevail It must go now or not at all For should it gather farther strength T' would give my Honour Laws at length With harmless thoughts I did begin But in the Crowd Love entred in I knew him not he was so gay So innocent and full of play At every hour in every place I either saw or form'd your face All that in Playes was finely writ My thoughts for you and me did fit My Dreams at night were all of you Such as till then I never knew I sported thus with young desire
still near one place And at one instant met He gazing on her lovely Face Fell deeper in the Net She seem'd of her nevv Captive glad Proud of his Bondage he No Lover e're a prospect had Of more felicity But the false Maid or never lov'd Or gave so quickly o're E're his vvas to the heighth improv'd Her kindness vvas no more Even her dissemblings she let fall And made him plainly see That though his heart she did enthrall Her own was ever free Now least his care should pity move She shuns his very sight And leaves him to that hopeless love She did create in spight Her name I could not make him tell Though vowing him my aid He said he never would reveal In Life nor Death the Maid Then a wild look the Shepherd cast And falling underneath A Beach where he had seen her last Resign'd his utmost breath SONG AS I sat thoughtful in a shade There I spied a loving pair Who closely by each other lay'd Past their time in softer care While she look't sadly on the ground On her Eyes the Youth 's were fix't In which me thought he gladly found Jealousie with kindness mixt But his soon dull and heavier grew When she rais'd her drooping Head And told him since he was untrue With his Faith her Love was fled Though Jealousie be full of pain Constant Love can suffer more The death of yours sayes the griev'd Swain Shews it was but weak before The Nymph replyed since you can prove False to one so kind as I Alas how hard it is to love And how easie 't is to dye He answered and did gently seise Her fair Hand he did adore Since you can dye with so much ease You can love me still with more Disguise not then your tender Heart Fear I should anothers be Betrayes in spight of all your Art That you were born for only me Like gentle Dew on wither'd Leaves Love is lost on almost all But the fresh Flower with joy receives That which there would vainly fall To fairest Nymphs Love adds a Grace And no kind one can be foul Love gives a Beauty to the Face And a softness to the Soul Since therefore fain'd inconstancy With the VVorld deceives you too Henceforth my flame shall rather be Seen by all then not by you As by some waters purling noise Soft repose we soonest find So these fond Turtles murmuring joyes Rock't asleep my restless mind VVhich I from this blest couple brought Freed from all my duller care But in its place alas I thought Him too happy Her too fair SONG THe Grave my envy now beget That did my pity move Who by the right of wanting Wit Are free from cares of Love Turks honour Fools because they are By that defect secure From slavery and toils of War Which all the rest endure So I that suffer cold neglect And wounds from Celia's Eyes Begin extreamly to respect These Fools that seem so wise 'T is true they set their silly hearts On things of no dolight To pass all day for men of parts They pass alone the night But Celia never breaks their rest Such servants she disdain And so the Fops are dully blest While 〈…〉 Soft repose we soonest find So these fond Turtles murmuring joyes Rock't asleep my restless mind VVhich I from this blest couple brought Freed from all my duller care But in its place alas I thought Him too happy Her too fair SONG The Ballers Life That did my pity move Who by the right of wanting 〈◊〉 Are free from cares of Love Turks honour Fools because they are By that defect secure From slavery and toils of War Which all the rest endure So I that suffer cold neglect And wounds from Celia's Eyes Begin extreamly to respect These Fools that seem so wise 'T is true they set their silly hearts On things of no delight To pass all day for men of parts They pass alone the night But Celia never breaks their rest Such servants she disdains And so the Pops are dully blest While Tendure her chains SONG The Ballers Life THey have too many hours that employ 'em About Business Ambition or News While we that know how to enjoy 'em Wish in vain for the time which such blockheads misuse They that toyl in impertinent care May strive to be often at leasure They cannot be worse then they are But we whose business is pleasure Have never a moment to spare VVith dangerous Damsels we dally Till we come to a closer dispute And when we no more Forces can rally Our kind foes give us leave to retire and recruit Then drooping to Bacchus we sly VVho nobly regarding our merits VVith Succours alwayes is nigh And thus reviving our Spirits VVe love and we drink till we dye SONG VVHen cold despair VVould quench my passion and end all my care Then gentle words and gentle sighs recall My vanishing hopes which fain would stay But stranger fears soon drives my hopes away And back again to grief I fall Her favour thus like Cordials given in vain To dying men do but prolong my pain Ah Gloriana why Like all your other Lovers may not I Have leave alas soon to despair and dye Be rather cruel than but kind in part Hide those soft looks or shew as soft a Heart To CELIA CElia the faithful servant you disown Wou'd in obedience keep his Love unknown But bright Idea's such as you inspire We can no more conceal than not admire My heart at home in my own brest did dwell Like humble Hermit in a peaceful Cell Unknown and undisturb'd 〈◊〉 there Stranger alike to Hope and to Despair But Loves Tumultuous Train does now invade The Sacred quiet of this Hollowed Shade His fatal flames shine out to every eye Like blazing Comets in a Winters Sky Fair and severe like Heaven you injoyn ' Commands that seems cross to your own design Forbidding what your selves incline us to Since if from Heavenly Powers you will allow That all our faculty proceed 't is plain What ' ere we will is what the Gods ordain But they and you Rights without Limit have Over your Creatures and more yours your slave And I am one born only to admire To humble ' ere to hope scarce to desire A thing whose bliss depends upon your will VVho cou'd be proud you 'd deign to use him ill How can my passion merit your offence That challenges so little recompence Let me but ever love and ever be The example of your power and cruelty Since so much scorn does in your brest reside Be more indulgent to ' its Mother Pride Kill all they strike and trample on their Graves But own the Fates of your neglected Slaves When in the crowd yours undistinguish'd lyes You give away the Tryumph of your Eyes Permit me then to glory in my Chains My fruitless Sighs and my unpitied Pains Perhaps obtaining this you 'l think I find More Mercy than your Anger has design'd But Love has carefully