orient is thy beautie How diuine How darke's the glorie of the earth to Thine 6. MY dearest Spouse I 'll hye me to my home And till that long-expected Day shall come The light whereof shall chace the night that showdes Thy vailed beautie in these enuious Clowdes Till then I goe and in my Throne prouide A glorious welcome for my fairest Bride Chapplets of conqu'ring Palme and Laurell boughs Shall crowne thy Temples and adorne thy browes 7. VVOuld beautie fayne be flatter'd with a grace Shee neuer had May shee behold thy face Enuie would burst had shee no other taske Then to behold this face without a Maske No spot no veniall blemish could shee finde To feede the famin of her ranc'rous minde Thou art the flowre of beauties Crowne and thay're Much worse then foule that thinke thee lesse then fayre 8. FEare not my Loue for when those sacred bands Of wedlock shall conjoyne our promis'd hands I 'll come and quit thee from this redious place Where thou art forc'd to sojourne for a space No forrein Angle of the vtmost Lands Nor seas Abysse shall hide thee from my hands No night shall shade thee from my curious eye I 'll rowze the graues although grim Death stand by 9. ILlustrious beames shot from thy flaming eye Made fierce with zeale and soueraigne Majestie Haue scorcht my soule and like a fierie dart Transfixt the Center of my wounded heart The Virgin sweetnesse of thy heauenly grace Hath made mine eyes glad pris'ners to thy face The beautie of thine eye-balls hath bereft Me of my heart O sweet ô sacred theft 10. O Thou the deare Inflamer of mine eyes Life of my soule and hearts eternall prize How delectable is thy loue How pure How apt to rauish able to allure A frozen soule and with thy secret fire T' affect dull spirits with extreame desire How doe thy ioyes though in their greatest dearth Transcend the proudest pleasures of the earth 11. THy lips my dearest Spouse are the full treasures Of sacred Poesie whose heauenly measures Rauish with joy the willing heart that heares But strike a deafnesse in rebellious eares Thy wordes like Milke and Honie doe requite The season'd soule with profit and delight Heauens higher Palace and those lower places Of dungeon-earth are sweetned with thy graces 12. MY Loue is like a Garden full of flowres Whose sunny bankes and choice of shadie bowres Giue change of pleasures pleasures wall'd about With armed Angels to keepe Ruine out And from her Brests enclosed from the ill Of looser eyes pure Crystall drops distill The fruitfull sweetnesse of whose gentle showres Inrich her flowres with beautie ' and banks with flowres 13. MY loue is like a Paradise a beset With rarest grifts whose fruits but tender yet The world nere tasted dainties farre more rare Then Edens tempting Apple and more faire Myrhe Alloes Incese and the Cypresse tree Can boast no sweetnesse but is breath'd from thee Dainties for taste and flowers for the smell Spring all from Thee whose sweets all sweets excell BRIDE SONET XIII O Thou my deare whose sweets all sweets excell Frō whom my fruits receiue their tast their smel How can my thriuing Plants refuse to grow Thus quickned with so sweet a Sun as thou How can my flowers which thy Ewers nourish With showers of liuing waters choose but flourish O thou the Spring from whence these waters burst Did euer any taste thy streames and thurst 2. AM I a Garden May my Flowers be So highly honour'd to bee smelt by Thee Inspire them with thy sacred breath and then Receiue from them thy borrowed breath agen Frequent thy Garden whose rare fruit inuites Thy welcome presence to his choise Delights Taste where thou list and take thy full repaste Here 's that will please thy smell thine eye thy taste BRIDEGROOME SONET XIIII THou sacred Center of my soule in whome I rest behold thy wisht-for Loue is come Refresht with thy delights I haue repasted Vpon thy pleasures my full soule hath tasted Thy rip'ned dainties and hath freely beene Pleas'd with those Fruits that are as yet but greene All you that loue the honour of my Bride Come taste her Vyands and bee diefide BRIDE SONET XV. IT was a night a night as darke as foule As that blacke Errour that entraunc'd my Soule When as my best beloued came and knoct At my dull gates too too securely lockt Vnbolt said hee these churlish doores my Doue Let not false slumbers bribe thee from thy loue Heare him that for thy gentle sake came hither Long iniur'd by this nights vngentle wether 2. I Heard the voice but the perfidious pleasure Of my sweet slumbers could not finde the leasure To ope my drowsie doores My Spirit could speake Words faire enough but ah my flesh was weake And fond excuses taught me to betray My sacred vowes to a secure delay Perfidious slumbers how haue you the might To blind true Pleasures with a false delight 3. WHen as my Loue with oft repeated knocks Could not auaile shaking his dewie locks Highly displeas'd he could no longer bide My sleight neglect but went away denyde No sooner gone but my dull soule discern'd Her drowzie error my grieu'd spirit yearn'd To finde him out these seiled eyes that slept So soundly fast awak'd much faster wept 4. THus rays'd and rowz'd from my deceitfull rest I op'd my doores where my departed Guest Had beene I thrust the churlish Portalls from me That so denyde my dearest Bridegroome to me But when I smelt of my returned hand My soule was rapt my powers all did stand Amazed as the sweetnesse they did finde Which my neglected Loue had left behinde 5. I Op'd my doore my Myrrhe-distilling doore But ah my Guest was gone had giuen me o're What curious Pen what Artist can define A matelesse sorrow Such ah such was mine Doubts and despaire had of my life depriu'd mee Had not strong hopes of his returne reuiu'd mee I sought but he refused to appeare I call'd but he would nor be heard nor heare 6. THus with the Tyrannie of griefe distraught I rang'd around no place I left vnsought No eare vnask'd The Watchmen of the Citie Wounded my soule without remorse or pitie To Virgin teares They taught my feet to stay Whose steps were apt enough to lose their way With taunts and scornes they check me and derided And call'd me Whoore because I walkt vnguided 7. YOu hallowed Virgins you whose tender hearts Ere felt th' impression of loues secret darts I charge you all by the deare faith you owe To Virgin purenesse and your Vestall vow Commend me to my Loue if ere you meet him O tell him that his loue-sicke Spouse doth greet him O let him know I languish with desire T' enjoy that heart that sets this heart on fire VIRGINS SONET XVI O Thou the
SIONS SONETS Sung By SOLOMON the King And PERIPHRAS'D By FRA. QVARLES LONDON Printed by W. Stansby for Thomas Dewe and are to bee sold at his shoppe in Saint Dunstanes Church-yard 1625. TO THE TRVLY NOBLE AND NO LESSE GOOD THEN GREAT LORD IAMES MARQVES Hamleton SIR HAd these Lines beene loose and lasciuious I had either pickt out a lesse honorable Patron or stood to the courtesie of euery wanton Reader But being as they are of a diuine subiect therefore subiect to the ill-digested humours of light heads by your fauour thrice noble Lord you are bound to protect it being the knowne Patron to goodnesse There are too few such This makes glorious Vice so bold and bashfull Vertue so inglorious You are a bright Starre in our Orbe on which all good eyes are fixt and by the speciall influence of which these presented Lines had their conception their birth their being and now crept forth repay themselues to You hope to receiue honour from You and sue for protection vnder You. So I commit them to the honour of so great a fortune SIR The true honourer of your admired worth FRANCIS QVARLES To the Readers REaders now you haue them May the end of my paines be the beginning of your pleasures Excuse me for soaring so high else giue me leaue to excuse my selfe Indeed I flue with Eagles feathers otherwise I had not flowne or falne It is the Song of Songs I here present you with The Author King SOLOMON the wisest of Kings The matter mysticall the diuinest of subiects The Speakers CHRIST the Bridegroome the CHVRCH the Bride The end to invite you all to the weddïng Farewell AN EPITHALME TO THE BRIDEGROOME HOSANNA to the Highest Ioy betide The heauenly Bridegroome and his holy Bride Let Heauen aboue be fill'd with songs Let Earth triumph below For euer silent be those tongues That can be silent now You Rocks and Stones I charge you all to breake Your flintie silence if men cease to speake You that professe that sacred Art Or now or neuer show it Pleade not your Muse is out of heart Here 's that creates a Poet. Be rauish'd Earth to see this contract driuen 'Twixt sinfull Man and reconciled Heauen Dismount you Quire of Angels come With Men your joyes diuide Heauen neuer show'd so sweet a GROOME Nor Earth so faire a BRIDE SIONS SONETS BRIDE SONET I. 1. O That the bountie of those lips diuine Would seale their fauours on these lips of mine That by those welcome kisses I might see The mutuall loue betwixt my Loue and mee For truer blisse no worldly ioy allowes Then sacred Kisses from so sweet a Spouse With which no earthly pleasures may compare Riche Wines are not so delicate as thay're 2. NOr Myrrhe nor Cassia nor the choice perfumes Of vnctious Narde or Aromatick fumes Or hot Arabia doe enrich the aire With more delitious sweetnesse then the faire Reports that crowne the merits of thy Name With heauenly Laurels of eternall fame Which makes the Virgins fixe their eyes vpon thee And all that view thee are enamour'd on thee 3. O Let the beautie of thy Sunne-like face Inflame my soule and let thy glorie chace Disloyall thoughts Let not the World allure My chaste desires from a Spouse so pure But when as Time shall place me on thy Throne My feares will cease and interrupt by none I shall transcend the stile of Transitorie And full of glorie still be fill'd with glorie 4. BVt you my curious and too nice Allyes That view my fortunes with two narrow eyes You say my face is blacke and foule 't is true I 'm beauteous to my Loue though black to you My censure stands not vpon your esteeme He sees me as I am you as I seeme You see the Cloudes but he discernes the Skie Know 'T is my Maske that lookes so blacke not I. 5. VVHat if Afflictions doe dis-imbellish My naturall glorie and denie the rellish Of my adjourned beautie yet disdaine not Her by whose necessarie losse you gaine not I was enforc'd to swelter in the Sunne And keepe a strangers Vine left mine alone I left mine owne and kept a strangers Vine The fault was mine but was not onely mine 6. O Thou whose loue I prize aboue my life More worthy farre t' enjoy a fairer wife Tell mee to what coole shade dost thou resort Where graze thy Sheepe where doe thy Lambs disport Free from the scortching of this sowltrie weather O tell thy Loue and let thy Loue come thither Say gentle Shephard fits it thee to cherish Thy priuate Flocks and let thy true Loue perish BRIDEGROOME SONET II. ILlustrious Bride more radiant and more bright Then th' eye of Noone thrice fairer then the light Thou dearest off-spring of my dying blood And treasure of my soule why hast thou stood Parching so long in those ambitious beames Come come and coole thee in these siluer streames Vnshade thy Face cast backe those golden Locks And I will make thee Mistris of my Flocks 2. O Thou the Center of my choise desires In whom I rest in whom my soule respires Thou art the flowre of beautie and I prize thee Aboue the World how e're the World disprize thee The blinde imagins all things black by kinde Thou art as beautifull as they are blinde And as the fairest troopes of Pharoes Steeds Exceed the rest so Thou the rest exceeds 3. THy Cheeke the garden where fresh beautie plants Her choysest flowers no adorning wants There wants no relish of diuiner grace To summe compleatnesse in so sweet a face Thy Neck without a blemish without blot Then pearle's more orient cleare from staine or spot Thy Gemmes and Iewels full of curious art Imply the sacred treasures of thy heart 4. THe Sunne-bright glorie of thy resounding fame Addes glorie to the glorie of my Name The more 's thy honour Loue the more thou striu'st To honour me Thou gaynest what thou giu'st My Father whom our Contract hath made thine Will giue thee large endowments of diuine And euerlasting treasure Thus by mee Thou shalt be rich that am thus rich in Thee BRIDE SONET III. OH how my soule is rauisht with the joyes That spring like fountains frō my true loues voice How cordiall are his lips How sweet his tongue Each word he breathes is a melodious song Hee absent ah how is my glorie dimme I haue no beautie not deriu'd from Him What e're I haue from Him alone I haue And Hee takes pleasure in those gifts hee gaue 2. AS fragrant Myrrhe within the bosome hid Sents more delitious then before it did And yet receiues no sweetnesse from that brest That prooues the sweeter for so sweet a guest Euen so the fauour of my dearest Spouse Thus priz'd and placed in my heart endowes My ardent soule with sweetnesse and inspires With heauenly rauishment my rapt desires 3. VVHo
grifted sprout Or if my vines began to burgen out 9. THough gone was I my heart was in thy brest Although to thee perchance an vnkowne guest 'T was that that gaue such wings to thy desire T' enioy thy loue and set thy soule on fire But my returne was quicke and with a minde More nimble yet more constant then the winde I came and as the winged shaft doth flie With vndescerned speed Euen so did I. 10. REturne O then returne thou childe of Peace To thy first ioyes O let thy teares surcease Returne thee to thy Loue let not the night With flatt'ring slumbers tempt thy true delight Returne thee to my bosome let my brest Bee still thy Tent Take there eternall rest Returne ô Thou in whose enchaunted eye Are Darts enough to make an armie flie 11. FAire Daughter of the highest King how sweet Are th' vnaffected graces of thy Feet From euery step true Maiestie doth spring Fitting the Daughter of so high a King Thy Waste is circled with a Virgin Zone Imbellisht round with many a precious Stone Wherein the curious Workeman did fulfill The vtmost glorie of his Diuiner skill 12. THy Nauell where thy holie Embrion doth Receiue sweet nourishment and heauenly growth Is like a Christall spring whose fresh supplie Of liuing waters Sunne nor Drought can drie Thy fruitfull Wombe is like a winnow'd heape Of purest graine which heauens blest hand did reape With Lillies fenc'd True Embleme of rare treasure Whose graine denotes increase whose Lillies pleasure 13. THy daintie Brests are like faire Twins both swelling In equall Maiestie in hue excelling The new-falne Snow vpon th' vntrodden Mountaines From whence there flowes as frō exub'rous Fountaines Riuers of heauenly Nectar to allay The holy thirst of Soules Thrice happie they And more then thrice whose blest affections bring Their thirstie palats to so sweet a Spring 14. THy Necke doth represent an yuorie Tower In perfect purenesse and munited power Thine Eyes like pooles at a frequented gate For euerie commer to draw water at Are common treasures and like Christall glasses Showes each his liuely visage as he passes Thy Nose the curious Organ of thy Sent Wants nothing more for vse for ornament 15. THy Tyres of gold inricht with glorious Gemmes Rare Diamonds and Princely Diadems Adorne thy browes and with their natiue worth Aduance thy glorie and set thy beautie forth So perfect are thy Grace so Diuine And full of heauen are those faire lookes of thine That I 'm inflamed with the double fire Of thy full beautie and my fierce desire 16. O Sacred Simetrie O rare Connexion Of many perfects to make one perfection O heauenly Musicke where all parts doe meete In one sweet straine to make one perfect sweete O glorious Members whose each seuerall feature Diuine compose so so diuine a Creature Faire soule as all thy parts vnited bee Entire so summ'd are all my ioyes in thee 17. THy curious Fabricke and erected stature Is like the generous Palme whose loftie nature In spight of enuious violence will aspire When most supprest the more it mounts the higher Thy louely Brests whose beautie reinuites My oft remembrance to her oft delights Are like the swelling Clusters of the vine So full of sweetnesse are those brests of thine 18. ARt thou my Palme My busie hand shall nourish Thy fruitfull roots and make thy branches flourish Art thou my Vine my skilfull arme shall dresse Thy dying Plants my liuing Springs shall blesse Thy infant Buddes my blasting breath shall quell Presumptuous weedes and make thy Clusters swell And all that loue thee shall attayne the fauour To taste thy sweetnesse and to smell thy sauour 19. THose Oracles that from thy lippes proceed With sweet Euangels shall delight and feed Th' attentiue eare and like the Trumpets voyce Amaze faint hearts but make braue Spirits rejoyce Thy breath whose Dialect is most Diuine Incends quicke flames where Ember'd sparkes but shine It strikes the Pleaders Reth'ricke with derision And makes the dullest Soule a Rethoritian BRIDE SONET XXI MY Faith not merites hath assur'd thee mine Thy Loue not my Desert hath made me thine Vnworthie I whose drowsie soule rejected Thy precious fauours and secure neglected Thy glorious presence how am I become A Bride befitting so diuine a Groome It is no merite no desert of mine Thy loue thy loue alone hath made me thine 2. SInce then the bountie of thy deare election Hath styl'd me thine ô let the sweet reflection Of thy illustrious beames my soule inspire And with thy Spirit inflame my hot desire Vnite our Soules O let thy Spirit rest And make perpetuall home within my brest Instruct me so that I may gaine the skill To suite my seruice to thy sacred will 3. COme come my Soules preseruer thou that art Th' vnited joyes of my vnited heart Come let vs visit with the morning light Our prosp'rous Vines with mutuall delight Let 's view those Grapes whose Clusters being prest Shall make rich wines to serue our Marriage feast That by the thriuing plants it may appeare Our joyes-perfecting Marriage draweth neere 4 BEhold my new disclosed Flowres present Before thy gates their tributarie Sent Reserue themselues for Garlands that they may Adorne the Bridegroome on his Mariage day My Garden 's full of Trees and euery Tree Laden with Fruit which I deuote to thee Eternall joyes betide that happie guest That tastes the dainties of the Bridgroomes feast 5. O Would to God mind eyes these fainting Eyes Whose eager appetite could ne're deuise A dearer object might but once behold My loue as I am clad in fleshly mold That each may corporally conuerse with other As friend to friend as sister to her brother O how mine eyes could welcome such a sight How would my soule dissolue with ore-delight 6. THen should this hand conduct my fairest Spouse To taste a Banquet at my Mothers House Our fruitfull Garden should present thine eyes With sweet delights her trees should sacrifice Their earely fruits to thee our tender Vine Should cheare thy palate with her vnprest Wine Thy hand should teach my liuing Plants to thriue And such as are a dying to reuiue 7. THen should my Soule enioy within this brest A holy Sabbath of eternall Rest Then should my Cause that suffers through despight Of Errour and rude Ignorance haue right Then should these streames whose Tides so often rise Bee ebb'd away from my suffused eyes Then should my spirits fill'd with heauenly mirth Tryumph o're Hell and find a Heauen on Earth 8. ALl you that wish the bountifull encrease Of dearest pleasures and diuinest peace I charge you all if ought my charge may moue Your tender hearts not to disturbe my Loue Vexe not his gentle spirit nor bereiue Him of his joyes that is so apt to greiue Dare not to breake