Come at night The wisest King refus'd all pleasures quite Till Wisdome from above did him enlight But when that gifts his ignorance did remove Pleasures he chose and plac'd them all in Love And if by event the counsels may be seen This wisdome 't was that brought the Southern Queen She came not like a good old Wife to know The wholsome nature of all plants that grow Nor did so farre from her own Country rome To cure Scal'd heads and broken shins at home She came for that which more befits all VVives The art of Giving not of Saving lives The Despair 1. BEneath this gloomy shade By Nature only for my sorrows made I 'le spend this voice in cries In tears I 'l wast these eyes By Love so vainly fed So Lust of old the Deluge punished Ah wretched youth said I Ah wretched youth twice did I sadly cry Ah wretched youth the fields and floods reply 2. When thoughts of Love I entertaine I meet no words but Never and In vaine Never alas that dreadfull name Which fewells the infernall flame Never my time to come must â—â—st In vaine torments the present and the past In vain in vain said I In vain in vain twice did I sadly cry In vain in vain the fields and floods reply 3. No more shall fields or floods do so For I to shades more dark and silent go All this worlds noise appears to me A dull ill-acted Comedy No comfort to my wounded sight In the Suns busie and impert'nent Light Then down I laid my head Down on cold earth and for a while was dead And my freed Soul to a strange Somewhere fled 4. Ah sottish Soule said I When back t'o his Cage again I saw it fly Fool to resume his broken chain And row his Calley here again Fool to that body to returne Where it condemn'd and destin'd is to burn Once dead how can it be Death should a thing so pleasant seem to Thee That thou shouldst come to live it o're again in Mee The Wish 1. WEll then I now do plainly see This busie world and I shall nere agree The very honey of all earthly joy Does of all meats the soonest cloy And they me thinks deserve my pity Who for it can endure the stings The Croud and Buz and Murmurings Of this great Hive the City 2. Ah yet ere I descend to th' grave May I a small House and large Garden have And a few Friends and many Books both true Both wise and both delightfull too And since Love neer wil from me flee A Mistresse moderately fair And good as Guardian Angels are Onely beloved and loving me 3. Oh Founts Oh when in you shall I My selfe eas'd of unpeacefull thoughts espy Oh Fields Oh Woods when shall I be made The happy Tenant of your shade Here 's the spring head of Pleasures flood Here 's wealthy Natures Treasury Where all the Riches lye that she Has coin'd and stampt for good 4. Pride and Ambition here Onely in farre fetcht Metaphors appear Here nought but winds can hurtfull Murmurs scatter And nought but eccho flatter The Gods when they descended hither From heaven did alwaies choose their way And therefore we may boldly say That 't is the way too thither 5. How happy here should I And one dear She live and embracing dye She who is al the world and can exclude In desarts solitude I should then this only fear Lest men when they my pleasures see Should all come im'itate Mee And so make a City here My Diet. 1. NOw by my Love the greatest Oath that is None loves you halfe so well as I I do not ask your Love for this But for heavens sake believe me or I dy No Servant ere but did deserve His Master should believe that he does serve And I 'le ask no more wages though I sterve 2. T is no luxurious Diet this and sure I shall not by 't too lusty prove Yet shall it willingly endure If 't can but keep together Life and Love Being your Prisoner and your slave I do not Feasts and Banquets look to have A little Bread and Water 's all I crave 3. O'n a sigh of Pity I a yeer can live One Tear will keep me twenty at least Fifty a gentle look will give An hundred years on one kind word I 'le feast A thousand more will added be If you an Inclination have for Mee And all beyond is vast Aeternity The Thiefe 1. THou rob'st my Daies of businesse and delights Of sleep thou rob'st my Nights Ah lovely Thiefe what wilt thou doe What rob me of Heaven too Even in my prayers thou hauntest me And I with wild Idolatry Begin to God and end them all to Thee 2. Is it a Sinne to Love that it should thus Like an ill Conscience torture us What ere I do where ere I go None Guiltlesse ere was haunted so Still still me thinks thy face I view And still thy shape does me pursue As if not you Mee but I had murthered You. 3. From books I strive some remedy to take But thy Name all the Letters make What ere 't is writ I find that there Like Points and Comma's every where Me blest for this let no man hold For I as Midas did of old Perish by turning every thing to Gold 4. What do I seek alas or what do I Attempt in vain from thee to fly For making thee my Deitie I gave thee then Ubiquitie My pains resemble Hell in this The divine presence there too is But to torment Men not to give them blisse All over Love 1. T Is well 't is well with them say I Whose short liv'd Passions with themselves can dye For none can be unhappy who ' Midst all his ills a time does know Though nere so long when he shall not be so 1. What ever parts of Me remain Those parts will still the Love of Thee retain For 't was not only in my Heart But like a God by powerfull Art 'T was all in all and all in every Part. 3. My Affection no more perish can Then the first Matter that compounds a Man Hereafter if one Dust of Me Mixt with anothers Substance be 'T will Leaven that whole Lump with Love of Thee 4. Let Nature if she please disperse My Atoms over all the Universe At the last they easily shall Themselves know and together call For thy Love like a Mark is stamp'd on all Love and Life 1. NOw sure within this twelve-month past I ' have lov'd at least some twenty yeares or more The account of Love runs much more fast Then that with which our Life does score So though my Life be short yet I may prove The great Methusalem of Love 2. Not that Loves Howers or Minutes are Shorter then those our Being's measured by But they 'r more close compacted farre And so in lesser room do ly Thin airy things extend themselves in space Things solid toke up little place 3. Yet Love alas
and Life in Mee Are not two severall things but purely one At once how can there in it be A double different Motion O yes there may for so the selfe same Sunne At once does slow and swiftly run 4. Swiftly his daily course he goes And walks his Annuall with a statelier pace And does three hundred rounds enclose Within one yearly Circles space 5. When Soule does to my selfe referre 'T is then my life and does but slowly move But when it does relate to her It swiftly flies and then is love Love's my Diurnall course divided right 'Twixt Hope and Fear my Day and Night The Bargain 1. TAke heed take heed thou lovely Maid Not be by glittering ills betraid Thy selfe for Mony oh let no man know The Price of beauty faln so low What dangers oughtst thou not to dread When Love that 's Blind is by blind Fortune led 2. The foolish Indian that sells His pretious Gold for beads and bells Does a more wise and gainfull traffick hold Then thou who sell'st hy selfe for gold What gaines in such a bargain are Hee 'le in thy Mines dig better Treasures farre 3. Can Gold alas with Thee compare The Sun that makes it 's not so fair The Sun which can nor make nor ever see A thing so beautifull as Thee In all the journeys he does passe Though the Sea served him for a looking glasse 4. Bold was the wretch that cheapened Thee Since Magus none so bold as he Thou' rt so divine a thing that Thee to buy Is to be counted Simony Too dear he 'le finde his sordid price Ha's forfeited that and the Benefice 5. If it be lawfull Thee to buy Ther 's none can pay that rate but I Nothing on earth a fitting price can be But what on earth's most like to Thee And that my Heart does only bear For there Thy selfe Thy very selfe is there 6. So much thy selfe does in me live That when for it thy selfe I give 'T is but to change that piece of Gold for this Whose stampe and value equall is Yet lest the weight be counted bad My Soule and Body two Grains more I 'le adde The long Life 1. LOve from Times wings hath stolne the feathers sure He has and put them to his owne For Howers of late as long as Daies endure And very Minutes How'rs are grown 2. The various Motions of the turning Year Belong not now at all to Mee Eeach Summers Night does Lucies now appear Each Winter Day Saint Barnabie 3. How long a space since first I lov'd it is To look into a glasse I fear And am surpris'd with wonder when I misse Grey haires and wrinkles there 4. Th' old Patriarchs age and not their happiness too Why does hard fate to us restore Why does Loves Fire thus to Mankind renew What the Flood washt away before 5. Sure those are happy people that complain O' the shortness of the daies of Man Contract mine Heaven and bring them back again To th' ordinary Span. 6. If when your gift long Life I disapprove I too ingratefull seem to be Punish me justly heaven make Her to love And then t' will be too short for Mee Councell 1. GEntly ah gently Madam touch The wound which you your selfe have made That pain must needs be very much Which makes me of your hand affraid Cordialls of pitty give me now For I too weak for Purgings grow 2. Doe but a while with patience stay For Counsell yet will do no good Till Time and Rest and Heaven allay The vi'olent burnings of my blood For what effect from this can flow To chide men drunk for being so 3. Perhaps the Physick's good you give But nere to me can usefull prove Med'cines may Cure but not Revive And I 'me not Sick but Dead in Love In Loves Hell not his World am I At once I Live am Dead and Dy. 4. What new found Rhetorick is thine Even thy Disswassions me perswade And thy great power does clearest shine When thy Commands are disobeyed In vain thou bidst me to forbear Obedience were Rebellion here 5. Thy Tongue comes in as if it meant Against thine Eyes t' assist my Heart But different farre was his intent For strait the Traitor took their part And by this new foe I me bereft Of all that Little which was left 6. The act I must confesse was wise As a dishonest act could be Well knew the Tongue alas your Eyes Would be too strong for That and Mee And part o' the Triumph chose to get Rather then be a part of it Resolved to be beloved 1. T Is true I have lov'd already three or foure And shall three or foure hundred more I 'le love each fair one that I see Till I finde one at last that shall love Mee 2. That shall my Canaan be the fatall soile That ends my wandrings and my toile I le settle there and happy grow The Country does with Milk and Honey flow 3. The Needle trembles so and turnes about Till it the Northern point find out But constant then and fixt does prove Fixt that his dearest Pole as soon may move 4. Then may my Vessell torn and shipwrackt be If it put forth again to Sea It never more abroad shall rome Though 't could next voyage bring the Indies home 5. But I must sweat in Love and labour yet Till I a Competency get They 'r slothfull fools who leave a Trade Till they a moderate Fortune by 't have made 6. Variety I ask not give me One To live perpetually upon The person Love does to us fit Like Manna hath the Tast of all in it The same 1. FOr Heavens sake what d' you mean to do Keep me or let me go one of the two Youth and warm hours let me not idely loose The little Time that Love does choose If alwaies here I must not stay Let me be gone whilst yet 't is day Lest I faint and benighted lose my way 2. 'T is dismall One so long to love In vaine till to love more as vain must prove To hunt so long one nimble prey till wee Too weary to take others be Alas 't is folly to remain And wast our Army thus in vain Before a City which will nere be tane 3. At severall hopes wisely to fly Ought not to be esteem'd Inconstancy T is more Inconstant alwaies to pursue A thing that alwaies flyes from you For that at last may meet a bound But no end can to this be found 'T is nought but a perpetuall fruitlesse Round 4. When it does Hardnesse meet and Pride My Love does then rebound t'another side But if it ought that 's soft and yeelding hit It lodges there and stayes in it What ever t' is shall first love mee That it my Heaven may truly be I shall be sure to give 't Eternity The Discovery 1. BY Heaven I 'le tell her boldly that 't is Shee Why should She asham'd or angry be To be belov'd by Mee The Gods
Welcome 1. GO let the fatted Calfe be kill'd My Prodigall's come home at last With noble resolutions fill'd And filld with sorrow for the past No more will burn with Love or Wine But quite has left his Women and his Swine 2. Welcome ah welcome my poor Heart Welcome I little thought I 'le swear 'T is now so long since we did part Ever again to see thee here Dear wanderer since from me you fled How often have I heard that you were dead 3. Had it thou found each womans breast The Lands where thou hast travelled Either by Savages possest Or wild and uninhabited What joy couldst take or what repose In Countries so unciviliz'd as those 4. Lust the scorching Dog-starre here Rages with immoderate heat Whilst Pride the rugged Northern Bear In others makes the cold too great And where these are temperate known The Soil's all barren Land or rocky Stone 5. When once or twice you chanc'd to view A rich well-govern'd Heart Like China it admitted you But to the Frontiere-part From Paradise shut for evermore What good is't that an angell shut the Door 6. Welfare the Pride and the Disdain And Vanities with Beauty joyn'd I nere had seen this Heart again If any Faire one had been kind My Dove but once let loose I doubt Would ne're returne had not the Flood been out The Heart fled again 1. FAlse foolish Heart didst thou not say That thou wouldst never leave me more Behold again 't is fled away Fled as farre from me as before I strove to bring it again I cryed and hollowed after it in vain 2. Even so the gentle Tyrian Dame When neither Grief nor Love prevail Saw the dear object of her flame Th'ingratfull Trojan hoist his saile Aloud she call'd to him to stay The wind bore him and her lost words away 3. The dolefull Ariadne so On the wide shore forsaken stood False Theseus whither dost thou go A faire false Theseus cut the flood But Bacchus came to her reliefe Bacchus himselfe 's too weak to ease my griefe 4. Ah sencelesse Heart to take no rest But travail thus eternally Thus to be frozen in every brest And to be scorcht in every Eye Wandring about like wretched Caine Thrust out ill us'd by all but by none slaine 5. Well since thou wilt not here remaine I 'le even to live without Thee try My Head shall take the greater pain And all thy duties shall supply I can more eas'ly live I know Without Thee then without a Mistris thou Womens Superstition 1. OR I 'me a very Dunce or Woman-kinde Is a most unintelligible thing I can no Sence nor no Contexture finde Nor their loose parts to Method bring I know not what the Learn'd may see But they 'r strange Hebrew things to Me. 2. By Customes and Traditions they live And foolish Ceremonies of antick date We Lovers new and better Doctrines give Yet they continue obstinate Preach we Loves Prophets what we will Like Jews they keep their old Law still 3. Before their Mothers Gods they fondly fall Vain Idoll Gods that have no Sence nor Minde Honours their Ashtaroth and Pride their Baal The Thundring Baal of Woman-kind With twenty other Devills more Which They as we do Them adore 4. But then like Men both Covetous and Devout Their costly Superstition loath t'omit And yet more loath to issue Moneys out At their own charge to furnish it To these expensive Deities The Hearts of men they sacrifice The Soule 1. SOme dull Philosopher when he hears me say My Soule is from me fled away Nor has of late inform'd my Body here But in another's breast does lye That neither is nor wil be I As a Form Servient and Assisting there 2. Will cry Absurd and ask me how I live And Syllogismes against it give A curse on all your vain Philosophies Which on weak Natures Law depend And know not how to comprehend Love and Religion those great Mysteries 3. Her Body is my Soule laugh not at this For by my life I swear it is 'T is that preserves my Being and my Breath From that proceeds all that I doe Nay all my thoughts and speeches too And separation from it is my Death Eccho 1. TYred with the rough denialls of my prayer From that hard she whom I obey I come in and find a Nymph much gentler here That gives consent to all I say Ah gentle Nymph who lik'st so well In hollow solitary Caves to dwell Her Heart being such into it go And do but once from thence answer me so 2. Complaisant Nymph who dost thus kindly share In griefs whose cause thou dost not know Hadst thou but Eyes as well as Tongue and Eare How much compassion wouldst thou show Thy flame whilst living or a flower Was of lesse beauty and lesse ravishing power Alas I might as easilie Paint thee to her as describe Her to Thee 3. By repercussion Beams engender Fire Shapes by reflexion shapes beget The voice it selfe when stopt does back retire And a new voice is made by it Thus things by opposition The gainers grow my barren Love alone Does from her stony breast rebound Producing neither Image Fire nor Sound The rich Rivall 1. THey say you 'r angry and rant mightily Because I love the same as you Alas you 'r very rich 't is true But prithee Foole what 's that to Love and Mee You have Land and Money let that serve And know you have more by that then you deserve 2. When next I see my fair One we shall know How worthlesse thou art of her bed And wretch I le strike thee dumbe and dead With noble verse not understood by you Whilst thy sole Rhetorick shall be Joynture and Jewells and Our Friends agree 3. Pox o' your friends that dote and Domineere Lovers are better friends they they Let 's those in other things obey The Fates and Starres and Gods must govern here Vain names of Blood in Love let none Advise with any Blood but with their owne 4. 'T is that which bids me this bright Maid adore No other thought has had accesse Did she now begg I 'de love do lesse And were she'an Empresse I should love no more Were she as just and true to Mee Ah simple soule what would become of Thee Against Hope 1. HOpe whose weak Being ruin'd is Alike if it succeed and if it misse Whom Good or Ill does equally confound And both the Hornes of Fates Dilemma wound Vain shadow which dost vanish quite Both at full Noon and perfect Night The Starres have not a possibility Of blessing Thee If things then from their End we happy call 'T is Hope is the most hopelesse thing of all 2. Hope thou bold Taster of Delight Who whilst thou shouldst but tast devour'st it quite Thou bringst us an Estate yet leav'st us Poor By clogging it with Legacies before The Joyes which we entire should wed Come deflour'd Virgins to our bed Good fortunes without gain imported be
Aegypt I sustain And never feel the dew of Rain From Clouds within the Head appear But all my too much Moysture owe To overflowings of the Heart below 3. Thou who dost Men as Nights to Colours doe Bring all to an Equality Come thou just God and equall me A while to my disdainfull Shee In that condition let me ly Till Love does the same favour shew Love equalls all a better way then You. 4. Then never more shalt thou be invoakt by me Watchfull as Spirits and Gods I 'le prove Let her but grant and then will I Thee and thy Kinsman Death defie For betwixt Thee and them that love Never will an agreement be Thou scorn'st the Unhappy and the Happy Thee Beauty 1. BEauty thou wilde fantastick Ape Who dost in every Country change thy shape Here black there brown here tawny and there white Thou Flatt'rer which complyest with every sight Thou Babel which confounds the Eye With unintelligible variety Who hast no certain when nor where But vary'st still and dost thy selfe declare Inconstant as thy she-Possessours are 2. Beauty Loves Scene and Maskerade So gay by well-plac'd Lights and Distance made False Coyn with which th'Imposture cheats us still The stamp and Colour good but Mettall ill Which Light or Base we find when we Weigh by enjoyment and examine Thee For though thy Being be but show 'T is chiefly Night which men to Thee allow And choose t' enjoy Thee when Thou least art Thou 3. Beauty Thou Active Passive Ill Which dy'st thy selfe as fast as thou dost kill Thou Tulip who thy stock in paint dost wast Neither for Physick good nor Smell nor Tast. Beauty whose Flames but Meteors are Short-liv'd and low though thou wouldst seem a Starre Who dar'st not thine owne Home descry Pretending to dwell richly in the Eye When thou alas dost in the Fancy lye 4. Beauty whose Conquests still are made O're Hearts by Cowards kept or else betraid Weak Victor who thy selfe destroy'd must be When sicknesse storms or Time besieges Thee Thou'unwholsome Thaw to frozen Age Thou strong Wine which youths Feaver dost enrage Thou Tyrant which leav'st no man free Thou subtle thief from whom none safe can be Thou Murth'rer which hast kill'd and Devill which wouldst Damn me The Parting 1. AS Men in Groen-land left beheld the Sunne From their Horizon run And thought upon the sad halfe year Of Cold and Darknesse they must suffer there 2. So on my parting Mistresse did I look With such swollen eyes my farewell took Ah my fair Starre said I Ah those blest Lands to which bright Thou dost flye 3. In vain the Men of Learning comfort mee And say I 'me in a warme degree Say what they please I say and swear 'T is be yond eighty at least if you 'r not here 4. It is it is I tremble with the Frost And know that I the Day have lost And those wild things which Men they call I find to be but Bears and Foxes all 5. Returne returne gay Planet of the East Of all that shines Thou much the best And as thou now descends to Sea More fair and fresh rise up from thence to Mee 6. Thou who in many a Prop'riety So truly art the Sun to Mee Adde one more likenesse which I 'me sure you can And let Mee and my Sunne beget a Man My Picture 1. HEre take my likenesse with you whilst 't is so For when from hence you go The next Suns rising will behold Me pale and lean and old The Man who did this Picture draw Will swear next day my face he never saw 2. I really beleeve within a while If you upon this shadow smile Your presence will such vigour give Your presence which makes all things live And absence so much alter Mee This will the substance I the shadow be 3. When from your well-wrought Cabinet you take it And your bright looks awake it Ah be not frighted if you see The new sould Picture gaze on Thee And hear it breath a sigh or two For those are the first things that it will doe 4. My Rivall Image will be then thought blest And laugh at me as dispossest But Thou who if I know thee right I' th substance doth not much delight Wilt rather send again for Mee Who then shalt but my Pictures Picture be The Concealment 1. NO to what purpose should I speak No wretched Heart swell till you break She cannot love me if She would And to say truth 't were pitty that she should No to the Grave thy sorrows bear As silent as they will be there Since that lov'd hand this Mortall wound do's give So handsomely the thing contrive That she may guiltlesse of it live So perish that her killing Thee May a chance Medley and no Murther be 2. 'T is nobler much for me that I By'her Beauty not her Anger dye This will look justly and become An Execution that a Martyrdome The censuring World will ne're refraine From judging men by Thunder slaine She must be angry sure if I should be So bold to ask her to make me By being hers happier then she I will not 't is a milder Fate To fall by her not Loving then her Hate And yet this death of mine I fear Will ominous to her appear When sound in every other part Her Sacrifice is found without an Heart For the last Tempest of my death Shall sigh out that too with my breath Then shall the world my noble ruine see Some pitty and some envy Mee Then She her selfe the mighty Shee Shall grace my fun'ralls with this truth 'T was only Love destroy'd the gentle Youth The Monopoly 1. WHat Mines of Sulphur in my breast do lye That feed th' eternall burnings of my heart Not Aetna flames more fierce or constantly The sounding shop of Vulcans smoky art Vulcan his shop has placed there And Cupids Forge is set up here 2. Here all those Arrowes mortall Heads are made That flye so thick unseen through yeelding aire The Cyclops here which labour at the trade Are Jealousie Fear Sadnesse and Despair Ah cruel God! and why to mee Gave you this curst Monopoly 3. I have the trouble not the gains of it Give me but the disposall of one Dart And then I 'le ask no other benefit Heat as you please your furnace in my Heart So sweet's Revenge to me that I Upon my foe would gladly dye 4. Deep into'her bosome would I strike the dart Deeper then Woman ere was struck by Thee Thou giv'st them small wounds so farre from th' Heart They flutter still about inconstantly Curse on thy Goodnesse whom we find Civill to none but Woman-kind 5. Vain God! who women dost thy selfe adore Their wounded Hearts do still retain the powers To travail and to wander as before Thy broken Arrows 'twixt that Sex and ours So'unjustly are distributed They take their Feathers we the Head The distance 1. I'Have followed thee a year at least And never stopt my selfe
THE MISTRESSE OR SEVERAL COPIES OF LOVE-VERSES Written by Mr. A. Cowley In his Youth and now since his Death thought fit to be published Haeret lateri lethalis arundo LONDON Printed for Rowland Reynolds at the Sun and Bible in Postern-Street neer More-Gate 1667. To the Reader A Correct Copy of these verses and as I am told written by the Authour himselfe falling into my hands I thought fit to send to the Presse chiefely because I heare that the same is like to bee done from a more imperfect one It is not my good fortune to bee acquainted with the Authour any further then his fame by which hee is well knowne to all Englishmen and to that I am sure I shall doe a service by this Publication Not doubting but that if these verses please his Mistresse but halfe so well as they will generally doe the rest the world hee will bee so well contented as to forgive at least this my boldnesse which proceedes onely from my Love of Him who will gaine reputation and of my Country which will receive delight from it I shall use no more preface nor 〈◊〉 one word besides these few lines to the Booke but faithfully and nakedly transmit it to thy view just as it came to mine unlesse perhaps some Typographicall faults get into it which I will take care shall be as few as may be and desire a pardon for them if there be any Farewell THE MISTRESSE OR SEUERALL COPIES OF LOVE VERSES The Request 1. I ' Have often wisht to love what shall I doe Me still the cruell Boy does spare And a double taske must beare First to wooe him then a Mistresse too Come at last and strike for shame If thou art any thing besides a name I le thinke Thee else no God to bee But Poets rather Gods who first created Thee 2. I aske not one in whom all beauties flow Let me but love what ere she bee Shee cannot seeme deform'd to mee And I would have her seeme to others so Desire takes wings and strait does fly It stayes not dully to inquire the why When I 'me that thing a Lover growne I shall not see with others Eyes scarce with mine owne 3. If shee bee coy and scorne my noble fire If her chill heart I cannot move Why I 'le enjoy the very Love And make a Mistresse of mine owne Desire Flames their most vigorous heat doe hold And purest light if compast round with cold So when sharpe Winter meanes most harme The spring Plants are by the Snow it selfe kept warme 4. But doe not touch my heart and so be gone Strike deepe thy burning arrowes in Lukewarmnesse I account a sinne As great in Love as in Religion Come arm'd with flames for I would prove All the extremities of mighty Love Th' excesse of heat is but a fable Wee know the torrid Zone is now found habitable 5. Among the Woods and Forrests thou art found There Bores and Lions thou dost tame Is not my heart a noble game Let Venus Men and Beasts Diana wound Thou dost the Birds thy Subjects make Thy nimble feathers doe their wings oretake At every spring they chant thy praise Make me but love like them I 'le sing thee better laies 6. What service can mute Fishes doe to Thee Yet against them by Dart prevailes Peircing the armour of their Scales And still thy sea-borne Mother lives i'th'Sea Dost thou deny only to mee The no-great priviledge of Captivity I beg or challenge here thy Bow Either thy pitty to mee or else thine anger show 7. Come or I 'le teach the world to scorne that Bow I 'le teach them thousand wholsome arts Both to resist and cure thy darts More then thy skilfull Ovid ere did know Musick of sighes thou shalt not heare Nor drinke no more on wretched Lovers Teare Nay unlesse soone thou woundest mee My Verses shall not only wound but murther Thee The Thraldome 1. I Came I saw and was undone The Lightning through my bones marrow run A poynted paine pierc't deep my heart A swift cold trembling seiz'd on every part My head turn'd round nor could it beare The Poyson that was enter'd there 2. So a destroying Angells breath Blowes in the Plague and with it hasty Death Such was the paine did so beginne To the poore wretch when Legion entred in Forgive me God I cri'd for I Flatter'd my selfe I was to dye 3. But quickly to my Cost I found 'T was cruell Love not Death had made the wound Death a more generous rage does use Quarter to all he conquers does refuse Whilst Love with barbarous mercy saves The vanquisht lives to make them slaves 4 I am thy slave then let me know Hard Master the great aske I have to doe Who pride and scorne doe undergoe In tempests and rough Seas thy Galleys row Thy part and groane and sigh but finde Thy sighs encrease the angry winde 5. Like an Aegyptian Tyrant some Thou weariest out in building but a Tombe Others with sad and tedious art Labour i' the Quarries of a stony Heart Of all the workes thou dost assigne To all the severall slaves of thine Employ me mighty Love to digge the Mine The Given Lover 1 I 'Le on for what should hinder me From Loving and Enjoying Thee Thou canst not those exceptions make Which thin-sould under-mortalls take That my Fate 's too meane and low 'T were pitty I should love thee so If that dull cause could hinder me In Loving and Enjoying thee 2. It does not me a whit displease That the rich all honours seise That you all Titles make your owne Are Valiant Learned Wise alone But if you claim o're Women too The power which over men ye doe If you alone must Lovers bee For that Sirs you must pardon mee 3. Rather then loose what does so neare Concerne my Life and Being here I 'le some such crooked waies invent As you or your Forefathers went I 'le flatter or oppose the King Turne Puritan or Any thing I 'le force my Mind to arts so new Grow Rich and Love as well as You. 4. But rather thus let me remaine As Man in Paradise did reigne When perfect Love did so agree With Innocence and Poverty Adam did no Joynture give Himselfe was Joynture to his Eve Untoucht with Av'arice yet or Pride The Rib came freely back to ' his side 5. A curse upon the man who taught Women that Love was to be bought Rather dote onely on your Gold And that with greedy av'arice hold For if Woman too submit To that and sell her selfe for it Fond Lover you a Mistress have Of her that 's but your Fellow slave 6. What should those Poets meane of old That made their God to wooe in God Of all men sure They had no cause To bind Love to such costly Lawes And yet I scarcely blame them now For who alas would not allow That Women should such gifts receive Could They themselves Be what They give 7.
If thou my Deare Thy selfe shouldst prize Alas what value would suffice The Spaniard could not doe 't though hee Should to both Indies joynture thee Thy beauties therefore wrong will take If thou shouldst any bargaine make To give All will befit thee well But not at Under-Rates to sell. 8. Bestow thy Beauty then on mee Freely as Nature gave 't to Thee 'T is an exploded Popish thought To thinke that Heaven may be bought Prayers Hymns Prayses are the way And those my thankfull Muse shall pay The Body in my verse enshrin'd Shall grow immortall as thy Minde 9. I 'le fixe thy title next in fame To Sacharissas well-sung name So faithfully will I declare What all thy wondrous beauties are That when at the last great Assize All Women shall together rise Men strait shall cast their eyes on Thee And know at first that Thou art Shee The Spring 1. THough you be absent here I needs must say The Trees as beauteous are and flowers as gay As ever they were wont to be Nay the Birds rurall musicke too Is as Melodious and free As if they sung to pleasure you I saw a Rose But o'pe this morne I 'le sweare The blushing Morning op'ned not more faire 2. How could it be so faire and you away How could the Trees be beauteous Flowers so gay Could they remember but last yeare How you did Them They you delight The sprouting leaves which saw you here And called their Fellowes to the sight Would looking round for the same sight in vaine Creepe back into their silent Barkes againe 3. Where ere you walk'd trees were as reverend made As when of old Gods dwelt in every shade Is 't possible they should not know What losse of honour they sustaine That thus they smile and flourish now And still their former pride retaine Dull creatures 't is not without cause that she Who fled the God of wit was made a Tree 4. In ancient times sure they much wiser were When they rejoyc'd the Thracian verse to heare In vaine did nature bid them stay When Orpheus had his song begunne They calld their wondring rootes away And bad them silent to him run How would those learned trees have followed you You would have drawne Them and their Poet too 5. But who can blame them now for since you 're gone They are here the onely Faire and Shine alone You did their Naturall Rights invade Where ever you did walke or sit The thickest Bowes could make no shade Although the Sunne had granted it The fairest Flowers could please noe more neere you Then Painted flowers set next to them could doe 6. When e're then you come hither that shall bee The time which this to others is to Mee The litle joyes which here are now The name of Punishments doe beare When by their sight they let us Know How we deprived of greater are 'T is you the best of Seasons with you bring This is for Beasts and that for Men the Spring Written in Iuyce of Lemon 1. WHilst what I write I doe not see I dare thus eve to you write Poetrie Ah foolish muse which dost so high aspire And knowest her judgement well How much it does thy power excell Yet darst bee ready by thy just doome the Fire 2. Alas thou thinkest thy selfe secure Because thy forme is Innocent and Pure Like Hypocrites which seeme unspotted here But when they sadly come to dy And the last Fire their Truth must try Scrauld ore like thee and blotted they appeare 3. Goe then but reverently goe And since thou needs must sinne confesse it too Confes 't and with humility cloath thy shame For thou who else must burned bee An Heretick if shee pardon thee Mays't like a Martyr then enjoy the Flame 4. But if her wisedome growe severe And suffer not her goodnesse to bee there If her large mercyes cruelly it restraine Bee not discourag'd but require A more gentle Ordeall Fire And bid her by Loves Flames read it again 5. Strange power of heat thou yet dost show Like winter earth naked or cloath'd with snow But as the quickning sunne approaching neare The Planets arise up by degrees A suddaine paint adornes the trees And all kind Natures Characters appeare 6. So nothing yet in Thee is seene But soone as Geniall heate warmes thee within A new-borne Wood of various Lines there grows Here but an A and there a B Here sprouts a V and there a T And all the flourishing Letters stand in Rowes 7. Still seely Paper thou wilt thinke That all this might as well be writ with Inke Oh no ther 's sence in this and Mysterie Thou now must change thy Authors name And to Hand lay noble claim For as She Reads she Makes the words in Thee 8. Yet if thine owne unworthinesse Will still that thou art mine not Hers confesse Consume thy selfe with Fire before her Eyes And so her Grace and Pitty move The Gods though Beasts they do not Love Yet like them when thei 'r burnt in Sacrifice Inconstancy FIve years ago sayes story I lov'd you For which you call me most inconstant now Pardon me Madam you mistake the man For I am not the same that I was than No Flesh is now the same 't was then in me And that my mind is chang'd your selfe may see The same Thoughts to retain still and Intents Were more inconstant farre for Accidents Must of all things most strangely Inconstant prove If from one Subject they t'another move My Members then the Father Members were From whence These take their birth which now are here If then this Body love what th' other did 'T were Incest which by Nature is forbid You might as well this Day inconstant name Because the Weather is not still the same That it was yesterday or blame the Year 'Cause the Spring Flowers and Autumne fruit does bear The world 's a Scene of Changes and to be Constant in Nature were Inconstancy For 't were to break the Laws her self has made Our Substances themselves do fleet and fade The most fixt Being still doth move and fly Swift as the Wings of time 't is measur'd by T' imagine then that Love will never cease Love which is but the Ornament of these Were quite as senselesse as to wonder why Beauty and Colour stayes not when we dye Not Faire T Is very true I thought you once as faire As women in the Idea are What ever here seems beauteous seem'd to be But a faint Metaphor of Thee But then me thoughts there something shin'd within Which cast this Lustre o're thy skinne Nor could I choose but count it the Suns Light Which made this Cloud appear so bright But since I knew thy falshood and thy pride And all thy thousand faults beside A very Moore me thinks plac'd near to Thee White as his Teeth would seem to be So men they say by hells delusion led Have ta'ne a Succubus to their bed Believe it fair and themselves
use They tast those pleasures as they do their food Undrest tstey tak 't devour it raw and crude But to us men Love cooks it at his fire And adds the poignant sawce of sharp desire Beasts do the same 't is true but antient fame Sayes Gods themselves turn'd Beasts to do the same The Thunderer who without the female bed Could Goddesses bring forth from out his head Chose rather Mortals this way to create So much he ' steemd his pleasure 'bove his state Ye talk of fires which shine but never burne In this cold world they 'le hardly serve our turne As uselesse despairing Lovers growne As Lambent flames to men i' th Frigid Zone The Sun does his pure fires on earth bestow With Nuptiall warmth to bring forth things below Such is Loves noblest and divinest heat That warmes like his and does like his beget Lust you call this a name to yours most just If an inordinate Desire be Lust Pygmalion loving what none can enjoy More lustful was then the hot youth of Troy The vain Love Loving one first because she could love no body Afterwards loving her with desire WHat new-found Witchcraft was in thee With thine own Cold to kindle Mee Strange art like him that should devise To make a Burning-Glasse of Ice When winter so the Plants would harme Her snow it selfe does keep them warme Fool that I was who having found A rich and Sunny Diamond Admir'd the hardnesse of the Stone But not the light with which it shone Your brave and haughty scorn of all Was stately and Monarchicall All Gentlenesse with that esteem'd A dull and slavish vertue seem'd Should you have yeelded then to me You'had lost what most I lov'd in thee For who would serve one whom he sees That he can Conquer if he please It far'd with me as if a slave In Triumph lead that does perceive With what a gay Majestick pride His Conqueror through the streets does ride Should be contented with his woe Which makes up such a comely show I sought not from thee a returne But without Hopes or Fears did burn My covetous Passion did approve The Hoording up not Use of Love My Love a kind of Dream was grown A Foolish but a Pleasant one From which I 'me wakened now but oh Prisoners to dy are wakened so For now my Fires and Wishes are Nothing but Longings with Despair Despair whose torments no men sure But Lovers and the Damn'd endure Her scorn I doted once upon Ill object for Affection But since alas too much 't is prov'd That yet 't was something that I lov'd Now my desires are worse and flee At an Impossibility Desires which whilst so high they soare Are proud as that I lov'd before What lover can like me complain Who first lov'd vainly next in vaine The Soule 1. IF mine Eyes do ere declare They'have seen a second thing that 's fair Or Ears that they have Musick found Besides thy Voice in any Sound If my tast do ever meet After thy Kisse with ought that 's sweet If my abused Touch allow Ought to be smooth or soft but You If what seasonable Springs Or the Eastern Summer brings Do my Smell perswade at all Ought Perfume but thy Breath to call If all my senses Objects be Not contracted into Thee And so through Thee more powerfull passe As Beams do through a Burning Glasse If all things that in Nature are Either soft or sweet or fair Are not in thee so Epitomiz'd May I as worthlesse seem to Thee As all but Thou appears to Mee 2. If I ever Anger know Till some wrong be done to You If Gods or Kings my Envy move Without their Crowns crown'd by thy Love If ever I an hope admitt Without thy Image stampt on it Or any fear till I begin To find that You 'r concern'd therein If a Joy ere come to Me That tasts of any thing but Thee If any Sorrow touch my Mind Whilst You are well and not unkind If I a minutes space debate Whether I shall curse and hate The things beneath thy hatred fall Though â—ll the World My selfe and all And for Love if ever I Appear to it again so nigh As to allow a Toleration To the least glimmering Inclination If thou alone do not controule All those Tyrants of my Soule And to thy Beauties tyest them so That constant they as Habits grow If any Passion of my Heart By any force or any art Be brought to move one step from Thee Maist Thou no Passion have for Mee 3. If my busie Imagination Do not Thee in all things fashion So that all Fair Species be Hyeroglyphick marks of Thee If when She her sports does keep The lower Soule being all asleep She play one Dream with all her art Where Thou hast not the longest part If ought get place in my Remembrance Without some badge of thy resemblance So that thy parts become to me A kind of Art of Memory If my Understanding do Seek any Knowledge but of You If she do near thy Body prize Her Bodies of Philosophies If She to the Will do show Ought desirable but You Or if That would not rebell Should she another Doctrine tell If my Will do not resign All her Liberty to thine If she would not follow Thee Though Fate and Thou shouldst disagree And if for I a curse will give Such as shall force thee to believe My soul be not entirely Thine May thy dear Body ner'e be Mine The Passions 1. FRom Hate Fear Hope Anger and Envy free And all the Passions els that be In vain I boast of Liberty In vain this State a Freedome call Since I have Love and Love is all Sot that I am who think it fit to bragge That I have no Disease beside the Plague 2. So in a zeale the Sons of Israel Sometimes upon their Idols fell And they depos'd the powers of Hell Baal and Astarte down they threw And Accaron and Molock too All this imperfect Piety did no good Whilst yet alas the Calfe of Bethel stood 3. Fondly I boast that I have drest my Vine With painfull Art and that the wine Is of a tast rich and divine Since love by mixing poyson there Has made it worse then vineger Love even the tast of Nectar changes so That Gods chose rather water here below 4. Fear Anger hope all passions else that be Drive this one Tyrant out of Me. And practise all your Tyranny Thec hange of ils some good wil do Th' oppressed wretched Indians so Being floves by the great Spanish Monarch made Call in the States of Holland to their aid Wisdome 'T Is mighty Wise that you would now be thought With your grave Rules froÌ„ musty Morals brought Through which some streaks too of Div'nity ran Partly of Monke and partly Puritan With tedious Repetitions too y 'ave tane Often the name of Vanity in vain Things which I take it friend you'd nere recite Should she I love but say t'you
may give their Altars o're They 'l smoak but seldome any more If none but Happy Men must them adore 2. The Lightning which tall Oakes oppose in vain To strike sometimes does not disdain The humble Furzes of the Plain She being so high and I so low Her power by this doth greater show Who at such distance gives so sure a blow 3. Compar'd with her all things so worthlesse prove That nought on earth can towards her move Till 't be exalted by her Love Equall to her alas ther 's none She like a Deity is growne That must Create or else must be alone 4. If there be man who thinks himselfe so high As to pretend aequality He deserves her lesse then I For he would cheat for his reliefe And one would give with lesser grief To an undeserving Beggar then a Thiefe Against Fruition NO thour' t a fool I 'le swear if ere thou grant Much of my Veneration thou must want Whence once thy kindnesse puts my Ignorance out For a learn'd Age is alwaies least devout Keep still thy distance for at once to me Goddesse and Woman too thou canst not be Thour't Queen of all that sees thee and as such Must neither Tyrannize nor yeeld to much Such freedome give as may admit command But keep the Forts and Magazines in thine hand Thour' t yet a whole world to me and dost fill My large ambition but 't is dang'rous still Lest I like the Pellaean Prince should be And weep for other worlds hav'ng conquerd thee When Love has taken all thou hast away His strength by too much riches will decay Thou in my fancy dost much higher stand Then Women can be plac'd by Natures hand And I must needs I 'me sure a loser be To change Thee as Thour' t there for very Thee Thy sweetnesse is so much within me plac'd That shouldst thou Nectar give 't would spoile the tast Beauty at first moves wonder and delight 'T is Natures Jugling trick to cheat the sight Wee'admire it whilst unknown but after more Admire our selves for liking it before Love like a greedy Hawke if we give way Does over-gorge himselfe with his own Prey Of very hopes a surfeit he 'le sustain Unlesse by fears he cast them up again His spirit and sweetnesse dangers keep alone If once he lose his sting he growes a Drone Love undiscovered 1. I Others may with safety tell The moderate Flames which in them dwell And either find some Med'cin there Or cure themselves even by Despair My Love 's so great that it might prove Dangerous to tell her that I Love So tender is my wound it must not bear Any salute though of the kindest aire 2. I would not have her know the pain The Torments for her I sustain Lest too much goodnesse make her throw Her Love upon a Fate too Iow Forbid it Heaven my Life should be Weigh'd with her least Conveniencie No let me perish rather with my grief Then to her disadvantage find reliefe 3. Yet when I dye my last breath shall Grow bold and plainly tell her all Like covetous men who nere discry Their deare hid Treasures till they dye Ah fairest Mayd how should it chear My Ghost to get from Thee a Tear But take heed for if me thou Pittiest then Twenty to one but I shall live again The given Heart 1. I Wonder what those Lovers mean who say They have given their Hearts away Some good kind Lover tell me how For mine is but a Torment to me now 2. If so it be one place both hearts contain For what do they complain What courtesie can Love do more Then joyne Hearts that parted were before 3. Woe to her stubborn Heart if once mine come Into the selfe same roome 'T will tear and blow up all within Like a Granado shot into a Magazin 4. Then shall Love keep the ashes and torn parts Of both our broken Hearts Shall out of both one new one make From hers th' Allay from mine the Mettall take 5. For of her heart he from the Flames will find But little left behind Mine only will remain entire No drosse was there to perish in the Fire The Prophet 1. TEach me to Love go teach thy selfe more witt I chief Professour am of it Teach craft to Scots and thrift to Jews Teach boldnesse to the Stews In Tyrants Courts teach supple flattery Teach Sophisters and Jesuites to lye Teach fire to burn and winds to blow Teach restlesse fountains how to flow Teach the dull earth fixt to abide Teach Women kind Inconstancy and Pride See if your diligence here will usefull prove But neither teach not me to Love 2. The God of Love if such a thing there be May learn to love from Mee He who does boast that he has bin In every Heart since Adams sinne I 'le lay my Life my Mrs. on 't that 's more I le teach him things he never knew before I le teach him a Receipt to make Tears which shall understand and speak I le teach him Sighes like those in Death At which the Soule goes out too with the breath Still the Soule stayes yet still does from me runne As light and heat does with the Sun 3. 'T is I who Loves Columbus am t is I Who must new Worlds in it descry Rich Worlds that yield of Treasure more Than all that has been known before And yet like his I fear my Fate must be To find them out for others not for Me. Mee'times to come I know it shall Loves last and greatest Prophet call But ah what 's this if she refuse To hear the wholesome Doctrines of my Muse If to my share the Prophets Fate must come Hereafter Fame here Martyrdome The Resolution 1. THe Devill take those foolish men Who gave you first such powers Wee stood on even grounds till then If any odds Creation made it ours 2. For shame let these weak chaines be broke Lets our slight bonds like Sampson tear And nobly cast away that yoake Which we nor our Forefathers ere could bear 3. French Lawes forbid the female Reign Yet Love does them to slavery draw Alas if wee 'le our rights maintain T is all Mankind must make a Salique Law Called Inconstant 1. HA ha you think y'have killd my fame By this not understood yet common Name A Name that 's full and proper when assigned To Womankind But when you call us so It can at best but for a Metaphor go 2. Can you the shore Inconstant call Which still as Waves passe by embraces all That had as leife the same waves alwaies love Did they not from him move Or can you faults with Pilots finde For changing course yet never blame the wind 3. Since drunk with vanity you fell The things turne round to you that stedfast dwell And you your selfe who from us take your flight Wonder to find us out of sight So the same errour ceazes you As men in motion think the Trees move too The
to rest But yet can thee o'retake no more Then this Day can the Day that went before 2. In this our fortunes equall prove To Starres which govern them above Our Starres that move for ever round With the same Distance still betwixt them found 3. In vain alas in vain I strive The wheele of Fate faster to drive Since if round swiftlier it flye She in it mends her pace as much as I. 4. Hearts by Love strangely shufled are That there can never meet a Pare Tamelier then Wormes are Lovers slaine The wounded Heart ne're turnes to wound again The Encrease 1. I Thought I 'le swear I could have lov'd no more Then I had done before But you as easily might account 'Till to the topp of numbers you amount As cast up my Loves score Ten thousand millions was the summe Millions of endlesse Millions are to come 2. I 'me sure her Beauties cannot greater grow Why should my Love do so A reall cause at first did move But mine owne Fancy now drives on my Love With shadowes from it self that flow My Love as we in Numbers see By Cyphers is encreast eternally 3. So the new made and untride Sphears above Took their first turne from th' hand of Jove But are since that beginning found By their owne Formes to turne for ever round All violent Motions short do prove But by the length 't is plain to see That Love 's a Motion Naturall to Mee Loves Visibility 1. WIth much of pain and all the Art I knew Have I endeavour'd hitherto To hide my Love and yet all will not doe 2. The world perceives it and it may be she Though so discreet and good she be By hiding it to teach that skill to Mee 3. Men without Love have so oft cunning grown That something like it they have shown But none that had it ever seem'd to have none 4. Loves of a strangely open simple kind Can no arts or disguises find But thinks none sees it cause it selfe is blind 5. The very Eye betraies our inward smart Love of himselfe left there a part When through it he past into the Heart 6. Or if by chance the face betray not it But keep the secret wisely yet Like Drunkennesse into the Tongue t' will get Looking on and discoursing with his Mistris 1. THese full two howers now have I gazing been What comfort by it can I gain To look on Heaven with mighty Gulfes between Was the great Misers greatest pain So neere was he to Heavens delight As with the blest converse he might Yet could not get one drop of water by 't 2. Ah wretch I seem to touch her now but oh What boundlesse spaces do us part Fortune and Friends and all earths empty show My Lownesse and her high Desert But these might conquerable prove Nothing does me so farre remove As her hard Soules aversion from my Love 3. So Travellers that lose their way by Night If from a farre they chance t' espy Th' uncertain glimmerings of a Tapers light Take flatterring hopes and think it nigh Till wearied with the fruitlesse pain They sit them down and weep in vain And there in Darknesse and Despair remain Resolved to Love 1. I Wonder what the Grave and Wise Think of all us that Love Whether our pretty Fooleries Their Mirth or Anger move They understand not Breath that Words do want Our Sighes to them are unsignificant 2. One of them saw me th' other day Touch the dear hand which I admire My Soule was melting strait away And dropt before the Fire This silly Wiseman who pretends to know Ask't why I look'd so pale and trembled so 3. Another from my Mistresse ' dore Saw mee with eyes all watry come Nor could the hidden cause explore But thought some smoak was in the room Such Ignorance from unwounded Learning Game He knew Tears made by Smoak but not by Flame 4. If learn'd in other things you be And have in Love no skill For Gods sake keep your arts from mee For I 'le be ignorant still Study or Action others may embrace My Love 's my Businesse and my Books her Face 5. These are but trifles I confesse Which mee weak Mortall move Nor is your busie Seriousnesse Lesse trifling then my Love The wisest King who from his sacred brest Pronounc'd all Vanity chose it for the best My Fate 1. GO bid the Needle his dear North forsake To which with trembling reve'rence it does bend Go bid the Stones a journey upward make Go bid th' ambitious Flame no more t' ascend And when these false to their old Motions prove Then shall I cease Thee Thee alone to Love 2. The fast-link'd Chain of everlasting Fate Does nothing ty more strong then Mee to You My fixt Love hangs not on your Love or Hate But will be still the same what ere you doe You cannot kill my Love with your disdain Wound it you may and make it live in pain 3. Mee mine examples let the Stoiks use Their sad and cruell doctrine to maintain Let all Predestinators me produce Who struggle with eternall bonds in vain This Fire I 'me born to but 't is she must tell Whether 't be beams of Heaven or Flames of Hell 4. You who mens fortunes in their faces read To find out mine look not alas on Mee But mark her Face and all the Features heed For only there is writ my Destiny Or if Starres shew it gaze not on the skies But study the Astrol'ogy of her Eyes 5. If thou find there kind and propitious waies What Mars or Saturn threaten I 'le not fear I well believe the Fate of mortall daies Is writ in Heaven but oh my Heaven is there What can men learn from Starres they scarce can see Two great Lights rule the World and her two Me. The Heart-breaking 1. IT gave a pittious groan and so it broke In vain it something would have spoke The Love within too strong for't was Like Poison put into a Venice Glasse 2. I thought that this some Remedy might prove But oh the mighty Serpent Love Cut by this chance in pieces small In all still liv'd and still it stung in all 3. And now alas each little broken part Feeles the whole pain of all my Heart And every smallest corner still Lives with that torment which the Whole did kill 4. Even so rude Armies when the field they quit And into severall Quarters get Each Troop does spoile and ruine more Then all joyn'd in one body did before 5. How many Loves raigne in my bosome now How many Loves yet all of you Thus have I chang'd with evill fate My Monarch Love into a Tyrant State The Vsurpation 1. THou'hadst to my Soule no title or pretence I was mine owne and free Till I had given my selfe to Thee But thou hast me Slave and Prisoner since Well since so insolent thou' rt grown Fond Tyrant I 'le depose thee from thy Throne Such outrages must not admitted be In
If all faile yet 't is Womankind And I 'me so weake the Pistoll need not bee Double or treble charg'd to murther Mee 3. If Tall the Name of Proper slays If faire shee 's pleasant as the Light If Low her Prettinesse does please If Black what Lover loves not Night If yellow hair'd I Love lest it should bee Th' excuse to others for not loving Mee 4. The Fat like Plenty fills my heart The Leane with Love makes me too so If Streight her Bodie 's Cupids Dart To mee if Crooked 't is his Bow Nay Age it selfe does mee to rage encline And strength to Women gives as well as Wine 5. Just halfe as large as Charitie My richly-landed Love 's become And judg'd aright is Constancy Though it take up a larger roome Him who loves alwaies one why should they call More Constant then the Man loves Alwaies All 6. Thus with unwearied wings I flee Through all Loves Gardens and his Fields And like the wise industrious Bee No Weed but Honey to me yields Honey still spent this diligence still supplies Though I return not home with laden Thighes 7. My Soule at first insteed did prove Of prety strength against a Dart Till I this Habit got of Love But my consum'd and wasted Heart Once burnt to Tinder with a strong Desire Since that by every Spark is set on Fire The Constant. 1. GReat and wise Conqueror who where ere Thou com'st dost fortifie and settle there Who cavst defend as well as get And never hadst one Quarter beat up yet Now thou art in Thou nere wilt part With one inch of my vanquisht Heart For since thou took'st it by assault from Mee 'T is garrison'd so strong with thoughts of Thee It fears no beauteous Enemie 2. Had thy charming strength been lesse I 'had serv'd ere this an hundred Mistresses I 'me better thus and would compound To leave my Pris'on to be a Vagabound A Pris'on in which I still would be Though every dore stood ope to Mee In spight both of thy Coldnesse and thy Pride All Love is Marriage on thy Louers side For only Death can them divide 3. Close Narrow Chain yet soft and kind As that which Spir'its above to good does bind Gentle and sweet Necessitie Which does not force but guide our Libertie Your Love on Me were spent in vain Since my Love still could but remain Just as it is for what alas can be Added to that which hath Infinitie Both in Extent and Qualitie Her Name 1. WIth more then Iewish Reverence as yet Doe I the Sacred Name conceal When yee kind Starres ah when will it bee fit His Gentle Myst'ery to reveal When will our Love bee Nam'd and we possesse That Christning as a Badge of Happinesse 2. Soe bold as yet no verse of mine has been To weare that Gemme on any Line Nor till the happy Nuptiall Muse be seen Shall any Stanza with it shine Rest mighty Name till then for thou must bee Laid down by her e're taken up by Mee 3. Then all the fields and woods shall with it ring Then Ecchoes burden it shall bee Then all the Birds in severall notes shall sing And all the Rivers murmur Thee Then ever'y wind the Sound shall upwards beare And softly whisper 't to some Angells Eare. 4. Then shall thy Name through all my Verse bee spread Thick as the flowers in Meadowsly And when in future times they shall bee read As sure I thinke they will not dy If any Critick doubt that they be mine Men by that Stampe shall quickly know the Coine 5. Meane while I will not dare to make a Name To represent thee by Adam Gods Nomenclator could not frame One that enough should signify Astraea'or Caelia as unfit would prove For Thee as 't is to call the Di'ety Jove Weeping 1. SEe where she sits and in what comely wise Drops Teares more faire then others Eyes Ah charming Maid let not ill Fortune see Th' attire thy sorrow weares Nor know the beauty of thy Teares For she 'l still come to dresse her selfe in Thee 2. As starres reflect on waters so I soye In every drop me thinks her Eye The Baby which lies there and alwaies playes In that illustrious sphear Like a Narcissus does appear Whilst in his flood the lovely Boy did gaze 3. Nere yet did I behold so glorious weather As this Sun-shine and Rain together Pray Heaven her Forehead that pure Hill of Snow For some such Fountain we must find To waters of so fair a kind Melt not to feed that beauteous stream below 4. Ah mighty Love that it were inward Heat Which made this pretious Lymbeck sweat But what alas ah what does it avail That she weeps Tears so wondrous cold As scarse the Asses hoof can hold So cold that I admire they fall not Haile Discretion 1. DIscreet what means this word Discreet A Curse on all Discretion This barbarous term you will not meet In all Loves Lexicon 2. Joynture Portion Gold Estate Houses Household-stuffe or Land The Low Conveniences of Fate Are Greek no Lovers understand 3. Believe me beauteous one when Love Enters into a brest The two first things it doth remove Are Friends and Interest 4. Passion 's halfe blind nor can endure The carefull scrup'lous Eyes Or else I could not love I 'me sure One who in Love were wise 5. Men in such tempests tost about Will without griefe or paine Cast all their goods and riches out Themselves their Port to gaine 6. As well might Martyrs who doe choose That sacred Death to take More for the Clothes which they must loose When they 're bound naked to the Stake The Wayting-Maide Suspected to Love her 1. THy Mayd ah find some nobler theme Whereon thy doubts to place Nor by a low suspect blaspheme The glories of thy face 2. Alas she makes Thee shine so faire So exquisitely bright That her dimme Lamp must disappeare Before thy potent Light 3. Three hours each morne in dressing Thee Malitiously are spent And make that Beauty Tyranny That 's else a Civill Government 4. The'adorning thee with so much art Is but a barb'arous skill 'T is like the poys'ning of a Dart Too apt before to kill 5. The Min'istring Angells none can see 'T is not their beauty ' or face For which by men thy worshipt be But their high office and their place Thou art my Goddesse my Saint Shee I pray to Her onely to pray to Thee Councell 1. AH what advice can I receive No satisfie me first For who would Physick potions give To one that dies with Thirst 2. A little puffe of breath we find Small fires can quench and kill But when they 're great the adverse wind Does make them greater still 3. Now whilst you speak it moves me much But strait I 'me just the same Alas th' effect must needs be such Of Cutting through a Flame The Cure 1. COme Doctor use thy roughest art Thou canst not cruell prove Cut burne
and Torture every part To heal me of my Love 2. There is no danger if the pain Should me to a Feaver bring Compar'd with Heats I now sustain A Feavour is so Cool a thing Like drink which feaverish men desire That I should hope 't would almost quench my Fire The separation 1. ASke me not what my Love shall doe or be Love which is Soule to Body and Soule of Mee When I am sepa'rated from thee Alas I might as easily show What after Death the Soule will doe 'T will last I 'me sure and that is all we know 2. The thing call'd soule will never stirre nor move But all that while a livelesse Carkasse prove For 't is the Body of my Love Not that my Love will fly away But still continue as they say Sad troubled Ghosts about their Graves doe stray The Tree 1. I Close the flour'ishingst Tree in all the Parke With freshest Boughs and fairest head I cut my Love into his gentle Barke And in three dayes behold 't is dead My very written Flames so vi'olent be They'have burnt and withere'd up the Tree 2 How should I live my selfe whose Heart is found Deeply graven every where With the large History of many a wound Larger then thy Trunke can beare With art as strange as Homer in the Nut Love in my Heart has Volumes put 3. What a few words from thy rich stock did take The Leaves and Beauties all As a strong Poison with one drop does make The Nailes and Haires to fall Love I see now a kind of Witchcraft is For Characters could nere doe this 4. Pardon yee Birds and Nymphes who lov'd this Shade And pardon mee thou gentle Tree I thought her name would thee have happy made And blessed Omens hop'd from Thee Notes of my Love thrive here said I and grow And with yee let my Love doe so 5. Alas poore youth thy love will never thrive This blasted Tree predestines it Goe tie the dismall Knot why shouldst thou live And by the Lines thou there hast writ Deform'dly hanging the sad Picture bee To that unlucky Historie Her Vnbeliefe 1. T Is a strange kinde of Ignorance this in you That you your Victories should not spy Victories gotten by your Eye That your bright beames as those of Comets doe Should kill but not know How nor Who. 2. That truly you my Idoll might appeare Whilst all the People smell and see The odorous flames I offer thee Thou sit'st and doest not see nor smell nor heare Thy constant zealous worshipper 3. They see 't too well who at my fires repine Nay th ' unconcern'd themselves doe prove Quick-Ey'd enough to spy my Love Nor does the Cause in thy Face clearelier shine Then the Effect appeares in mine 4. Faire Infidell by what unjust decree Must I who with such restlesse care Would make this truth to thee appeare Must I who preach it and pray for it bee Damn'd by thy incredulitie 2. I by thy Vnbeliefe am guiltlesse slaine Oh have but Faith and then that you May know that Faith for to be true It shall it selfe by'a Miracle maintaine And raise mee from the Dead againe 3. Meane while my Hopes may seem to be orethrowne But Lovers Hopes are full of Art And thus dispute that since my Heart Though in thy Brest yet is not by thee knowne Perhaps thou may'st not know thine Owne Love given over 1. IT is enough enough of time and paine Hast thou consum'd in vaine Leave wretched Cowley leave Thy selfe with shadowes to deceave Think that already lost which thou must never gaine 2. Three of thy lustiest and freshest yeares Post in stormes of Hopes and Feares Like helplesse Ships that bee Set on fire 'i th midst o' the Sea Have all been burnt in Love all been drown'd in Teares 1. Resolve then on it and by force or art Free thy unlucky Heart Since Fate does disapprove Th' ambition of thy Love And not one Starre in heave'n offers to take thy part 4. If ere I cleare my Heart from this desire If ere it home to'his brest retire It nere shall wander more about Though thousand beauties call'd it out A Lover Burnt like mee for ever dreads the fire 5. The Poet the Plague and every small disease May come as oft as ill Fate please But Death and Love are never found To give a Second Wound Wee 're by those Serpents bit but wee'redevour'd by these 6. Alas what comfort i st ' that I am grown Secure of be'ing againe orethrowne Since such an Enemy needs not feare Least any else should quarter there Who has not onely Sack't but quite burnt downe the Towne TO THE READER IN stead of the Authors Picture in the beginning I thought sit to fix here this following Copy of Verses being his owne illustration of his Motto and as I conceive the more lively representation of him Tentanda vita est qua me quoque possim Tollere humo victorque virûm volitare per ora WHat shall I do to be for ever knowne And make the Age to come my owne I shall like Beasts or Common people dy Unlesse you write mine Elegy While others great by being borne are growne Their Mothers Labour not their owne In this Scale Gold in th' other Fame does ly The weight of that mounts this so high These men are fortunes Jewells moulded bright Brought forth with their owne fire and light If I her vulgar stone for either looke Out of my selfe it must be strooke Yet I must on what sound i st ' strikes mine eare Sure I Fames Trumpet heare It sounds like the last Trumpet for it can Raise up the buried Man Unpast Alps stop mee but I 'le cut through all And march the Muses Hanniball Hence all ye flattering Vanities that lay Nets of Roses in the way Hence the desire of Honours or Estates And all that is not above Fate Hence Love himselfe that Tyrant of my dayes Which intercepts my coming Praise Come my best Friends my Bookes and lead me on 'T is time that I were gone Welcome great Stagirite and teach me now All I was borne to know Thy Schollers Vict'ories thou doest farre out-doe He conquered th'Earrh the whole World you Welcome learn'd Cicero whose blest Tongue and Wit Preserves Romes Greatnesse yet Thou art the first of Or'atours onely hee Who best can prayse thee next must bee Welcome the Mantuan Swan Virgil the wise Whose Verse walkes highest but not flies Who brought green Po'esie to her perfect age And mad'st that Art which was a Rage Tell mee yee mighty Three what shall I doe To be like one of you But you have climb'd the Mountain's top there sit On the calme flourishing head of it And whilst with wearied steps we upward goe See us and Clouds below FINIS A Table of the Heads in this Poem THe Request Pag. 1. The Thraldome 4 The Given Lover 5 The Spring 8 Written in Iuyce of Lemon 10 Inconnstant 13 Not faire 41 Platonick Lover 15 The Change 16 Clad all in White 19 Leaving Me and then loving many 19 My heart discovered 20 Answer to the Plantonicks 21 The vaine Love 22 The Soule 23 The Passions 26 Wisedome 28 The Despair ibid The Wish 30 My Diet 32 The Thiefe 33 All-over Love 34 Love and Life 35 The Bargaine 37 The Long Life 39 The Councell 40 Resolved to be beloved 42 The Same 43 The Discovery 45 Against Fruition 46 Love undiscovered 47 The Given Heart 48 The Prophet 49 The Resolution 51 Called Inconstant 52 The Welcome 53 The Heart fled againe 55 Womens Superstition 56 The Soule 58 Eccho 59 The rich Rivall 60 Against Hope 61 For Hope 63 Loves Ingratitude 65 The Frailty 66 Coldnesse 67 The enjoyment 68 Sleepe 70 Beauty 71 The Parting 73 The Picture 74 The Concealement 76 The Monopoly 77 The Distance 79 The Encrease 80 Loves Visiblity 81 Looking on and discoursing with his Mistresse 82 Resolved to Love 83 My Fate 85 The Heart-breaking 86 The Vsurpation 88 Maidenhead 90 Impossibilities 92 Silence 94 The Dissembler 95 The Inconstant 96 The Constant 98 The Name 100 Weeping 101 Discretion 103 The Waiting-Maid 104 Councell 106 The Cure 107 The Separation ibid The Tree 108 Her Vnbeleefe 110 Love given over 113 FINIS