before thou cam'st to woo Could as much loue and as well court me to And though they had not learned so the fashion Of acting such well counterfeited Passion In wit and person they did equall thee And worthier seem'd vnlesse thou l't faithfull be Yet still vnmou'd vnconquer'd I remain'd No not one thought of loue was entertain'd Nor could they brag of the least fauour to them Saue what meere curtesie enioyn'd to doe them Hard was my heart But would 't had harder bin And then perhaps I had not let thee in Thou Tyrant that art so imperious there And onely tak'st delight to Dominere But held I out such strong such oft assailing And euer kept the honour of preuailing Was this poore breast from loues allurings free Cruell to all and gentle vnto thee Did I vnlocke that strong affections dore That neuer could be broken ope before Onely to thee and at thy intercession So freely giue vp all my hearts possession That to my selfe I left not one poore veine Nor power nor will to put thee from 't againe Did I doe this and all on thy bare vow And wilt thou thus requite my kindnesse now Oh that thou eyther hadst not learn'd to faine Or I had power to cast thee off againe How is it that thou art become so rude And ouer-blinded by Ingratitude Swar'st thou so deeply that thou wouldst perseuer That I might thus be cast away for euer Well then ' as true that Louers periuries Among some men are thought no iniuries And that she onely hath least cause of griefe Who of your words hath smal'st or no beliefe Had I the wooer bin or fondly won This had bin more tho then thou couldst haue don But neither being so what Reason is On thy side that should make thee offer this I know had I beene false or my faith fail'd Thou wouldst at womens ficklenesse haue rail'd And if in mee it had an error bin In thee shall the same fault be thought no sin Rather I hold that which is bad in mee Will be a greater blemish vnto thee Because by Nature thou art made more strong And therefore abler to endure a wrong But 't is our Fortune you 'le haue all the power Onely the Care and Burden must be our Nor can you be content a wrong to do Vnlesse you say the blame vpon vs to Oh that there were some gentle minded Poet That knew my heart as well as now I know it And would endeare me to his loue so much To giue the world though but a slender touch Of that sad Passion which now clogs my heart And shew my truth and thee how false thou art That all might know what is beleeu'd by no man There 's ficklenesse in men and faith in woman Thou saw'st I first let Pitty in then liking And lastly that which was thy onely seeking And when I might haue scorn'd that loue of thine As now vngently thou despisest mine Among the inmost Angles of my brest To lodge it by my heart I thought it best Which thou hast stolne to like a thankelesse Mate And left mee nothing but a blacke selfe hate What canst thou say for this to stand contending What colour hast thou left for thy offending Thy wit perhaps can some excuse deuise And faine a colour for those iniuries But well I know if thou excuse this treason It must be by some greater thing then reason Are any of those vertues yet defac'd On which thy first affection seemed plac'd Hath any secret foe my true faith wronged To rob the blisse that to my heart belonged What then shall I condemned be vnheard Before thou knowest how I may be clear'd Thou art acquainted with the times condition Know'st it is full of enuy and suspition So that the war'est in thought word and action Shall oft be iniur'd by foule-mouth'd datraction And therefore thou me-thinkes should'st wisely pause Before thou credit rumors without cause But I haue gotten such a confidence In thy opinion of my innocence It is not that I know with-holds thee now Sweet tell mee then is it some sacred vow Hast thou resolued not to ioyne thy hand With any one in Hymens holy band Thou shouldst haue done it then when thou wert free Before thou hadst bequeath'd thy selfe to mee What vow dost deeme more pleasing vnto Heauen Then what is by vnfained louers giuen If any be yet sure it frowneth at Those that are made for contradicting that But if thou wouldst liue chastely all thy life That thou maist do though we be man and wife Or if thou long'st a virgin-Virgin-death to die Why if it be thy pleasure so doe I. Make mee but thine and I 'le contented be A Virgin still yet liue and lie with thee Then let not thy inuenting braine assay To mocke and still delude mee euery way But call to minde how thou hast deepely sworne Nor to neglect nor leaue mee thus forlorne And if thou wilt not be to mee as when Wee first did loue doe but come see mee then Vouchsafe that I may sometime with thee walke Or sit and looke on thee or heare thee talke And I that most content once aymed at Will thinke there is a world of blisse in that Dost thou suppose that my Desires denies With thy affections well to sympathize Or such peruersnesse hast thou found in me May make our Natures disagreeing be Thou knowst when thou didst wake I could not sleepe And if thou wert but sad that I should weepe Yet euen when the teares my cheeke did staine If thou didst smile why I could smile againe I neuer did contrary thee in ought Nay thou canst tell I oft haue spake thy thought Waking the selfe-same course with thee I runne And sleeping oftentimes our dreames were one The Dyall-needle though it sence doth want Still bends to the beloued Adamant Lift the one vp the other vpward tends If this fall downe that presently descends Turne but about the stone the steele turnes to Then straight returnes if so the other do And if it stay with trembling keepes one place As if it panting long'd for an imbrace So was 't with mee for if thou merry wert That mirth of thine mou'd ioy within my heart I sighed to when thou didst sigh or frowne When thou wert sicke thou hast perceiu'd me swoone And being sad haue oft with forc'd delight Striu'd to giue thee content beyond my might When thou wouldst talke then haue I talk'd with thee And silent been when thou wouldst silent be If thou abroad didst goe with ioy I went If home thou lou'dst at home was my content Yea what did to my Nature disagree I could make pleasing cause it pleased thee But if 't be either my weake Sex or youth Makes thee misdoubt my vndistained truth Know this as none till that vnhappy hower When I was first madethine had euer power To moue my heart by vowes or teares expence No more I sweare could any Creature since No lookes but thine
though aim'd with Passions Art Could pierce so deepe to penetrate my hart No name but thine was welcome to my care No word did I so soone so gladly heare Nor euer could my eyes behold or see What I was since delighted in but thee And sure thou wouldst beleeue it to be so If I could tell or words might make thee know How many a weary night my tumbled bed Hath knowne me sleepelesse what salt-teares I 'ue shed What scalding-sighes the markes of soules opprest Haue hourely breathed from my carefull brest Nor wouldst thou deeme those waking sorrowes 〈◊〉 If thou mightst see how sleeping I am paind For if sometimes I chance to take a slumber Vnwelcome dreames my broken rest doth cumber Which dreaming makes me start starting with feares Wakes and so by waking I renew my cares Vntill my eyes ore-tir'd with watch and weeping Drownd in their owne flouds fall againe to sleeping Oh! that thou couldst but thinke when last wee parted How much I grieuing for thy absence smarted My very soule fell sicke my heart to aking As if they had their last Farewels beene taking Or feared by some secret Diuination This thy reuolt and causelesse alteration Didst thou not feele how loth that hand of mine Was to let goe the hold it had of thine And with what heauy what vnwilling looke I leaue of thee and then of comfort tooke I know thou didst and though now thus thou doe I am deceiu'd but then it grieu'd thee to Then if I so with Loues fell passion vext For thy departure onely was perplext When I had left to strengthen me some trust And hope that thou wouldst nere haue prou'd vniust What was my torture then and hard endurance When of thy falshood I receiu'd assurance Alas my Tongue a-while with griefe was dumbe And a cold shuddering did my ioynts benumme Amazement seiz'd my thought and so preuailed I found me ill but knew not what I ailed Nor can I yet tell since my suffering then Was more then could be showne by Poets Pen Or well conceiu'd by any other hart Then that which in such care hath borne a part Oh me how loth was I to haue beleeu'd That to be true for which so much I grieu'd How gladly would I haue perswaded bin There had bin no such matter no such sin I would haue had my heart thinke that I knew To be the very truth not to be true Why may not this thought I some vision be Some sleeping dreame or waking phantasie Begotten by my ouer-blinded folly Or else engendred through my Melancholy But finding it so reall thought I then Must I be cast from all my hopes agen What are become of all those fading blisses Which late my hope had and now so much misses Where is that future fickle happinesse Which I so long expected to possesse And thought I to where are his dying Passions His honied words his bitter lamentations To what end were his Sonnets Epigrams His pretty Posies witty Anagrams I could not thinke all that might haue been fain'd Nor any faith I thought so firme bin stain'd Nay I doe sure and confidently know It is not possible it should be so If that rare Art and Passion was thine owne Which in my presence thou hast often showne But since thy change my much-presaging heart Is halfe afraid thou some impostor wert Or that thou didst but Player-like addrest Act that which flow'd from some more gentle brest Thy puft inuention with worse matter swolne Those thy conceits from better wits hath stolne Or else I know it could not be that thou Shouldst be so ouer-cold as thou art now Since those who haue that feelingly their owne Euer possesse more worth conceal'd then knowne And if Loue euer any Mortals touch To make a braue impression 't is in such Who sworne loues Chaplaines will not violate That whereunto themselues they consecrate But oh you noble brood on whom the World The slighted burthen of neglect hath hurl'd Because your thoughts for higher obiects borne Their groueling humors and affection scorne You whom the Gods to heare your straines will follow Whilst you doe court the sisters of Apollo You whom there 's none that 's worthy can neglect Or any that vnworthy is affect Oh let not those that seeke to doe you shame Bewitch vs with those songs they cannot frame The noblest of our Sexe and fairest to Doe euer loue and honour such as you Then wrong vs not so much to giue your Passion To those that haue it but in imitation And in their dull breasts neuer feele the power Of such deepe thoughts as sweetly moue in your As well as you they vs thereby abuse For many times when we our Louers chuse Where we thinke Nature that rich Iewell sets Which shines in you we light on counterfets But see see whither discontentment beares me And to what vncoth straines my Passion reares me Yet pardon me I here againe repent If I haue erred through that discontent Be what thou wilt be counterfeit or right Be constant serious or be vaine or light My loue remaines inuiolate the same Thou canst be nothing that can quench this flame But it will burne as long as thou hast breath To keepe it kindled if not after death Nere was there one more true then I to thee And though my faith must now despised be Vnpriz'd vnualued at the lowest rate Yet this I le tell thee 't is not all thy state Nor all that better-seeming worth of thine Can buy thee such another Loue as mine Liking it may but oh there 's as much oddes Twixt loue and that as betweene men and Gods It is a purchase not procur'd with treasure As some fooles thinke nor to be gaind at pleasure For were it so and any could assure it What would not some men part with to procure it But though thou weigh't not as thou ought'st to do Thou knowst I loue and once didst loue mee to Then where 's the cause of this dislike in thee Suruey thy selfe I hope there 's none in mee Yet looke on her from whom thou art estranged See is my person or my beauty changed Once thou didst praise it prethee view 't agen And marke i ft be not still the same t was then No false Vermilion-dye my cheeke distaines 'T is the poore bloud disperst through pores and vaines Which thou hast oft seen through my fore-head flushing To shew no dawby-colour hid my blushing Nor neuer shall Vertue I hope will saue mee Contented with that beauty Nature gaue mee Or i ft seeme lesse for that griefes-vaile had hid it Thou threwst it on mee 't was not I that did it And canst againe restore what may repaire All that 's decay'd and make me far more faire Which if thou doe I 'le be more wary than To keep 't for thee vnblemisht what I can And cause at best 't will want much of perfection The rest shall be supply'd with true affection But I doe
doubts haue beene in vaine And that thou mean'st yet to returne againe It saies thy absence from some cause did grow Which or I should not or I could not know It tels me now that all those proofes whereby I seem'd assur'd of thy disloyalty May be but treacherous plots of some base foes That in thy absence sought our ouerthrowes Which if it proue as yet me thinkes it may Oh what a burden shall I cast away What cares shall I say by and to what height Towre in my new ascension to delight Sure er'e the full of it I come to try I shall eu'n surfet in my ioy and die But such a losse might well be call'd a thriuing Since more is got by dying so then liuing Come kill me then my deare if thou thinke fit With that which neuer killed woman yet Or write to me before so shalt thou giue Content more moderate that I may liue And when I see my staffe of trust vnbroken I will vnspeake againe what is mis-spoken What I haue written in dispraise of Men I will recant and praife as much agen In recompence I le adde vnto their Stories Encomiasticke lines to ymp their glories And for those wrongs my loue to thee hath done Both I and it vnto thy Pitty runne In whom if the least guilt thou finde to be For euer let thine armes imprison me Meane while I 'le try if misery will spare Me so much respite to take truce with care And patiently await the doubtfull doome Which I expect from thee should shortly come Much longing that I one way may be sped And not still linger 'twixt aliue and dead For I can neither liue yet as I should Because I least enioy of that I would Nor quiet die because indeed I first Would see some better daies or know the worst Then hasten Deare if to my end it be It shall be welcome cause it comes from thee If to renew my Comfort ought be sent Let me not loose a minute of Content The precious Time is short and will away Let vs enioy each other while we may Cares thriue Age creepeth on Men are but shades Ioyes lessen Youth decaies and Beauty fades New turnes come on the old returneth neuer If we let our goe past 't is past for euer FINIS A Metricall Paraphrase vpon the CREEDE SInce it befits that I account should giue What way vnto saluation I beleeue Of my profession here the summe I gather First I confesse a Faith in God the Father In God who without Helper or Pertaker Was of himselfe the Worlds Almighty Maker And first gaue Time his being who gaue birth To all the Creatures both of Heauen and Earth Our euerlasting wel-fare doth consist In his great mercies and in Iesus Christ The second person of that Three in one The Father's equall and his onely Sonne That euer-blessed and incarnate Word Which our Redeemer is our life Our Lord. For when by Sathans guile we were deceiued Christ was that meanes of helpe which was conceiued Yea when we were in danger to be lost Conceiued for Vs by the Holy Ghost And that we might not euer be for-lorne For our eternall safety he was Borne Borne as a Man that Man might not miseary Euen of the substance of the Virgin Mary And loe a greater mercy and a wonder He that can make All suffer suffered vnder The Iewish spite which all the world reuile at And Romish tyrannies of Pontius Pilate In him doe I beleeue who was enuied Who with extreamest hate was Crucified Who being Life it selfe to make assured Our soules of safety was both dead and buried And that no seruile feare in vs might dwell To conquere Hee descended into Hell Where no infernall Power had power to lay Command vpon him but on the third day The force of Death and Hell he did constraine And so in Triumph He arose againe Yea the Almighty power aduanc'd his head Aswell aboue all things as from the dead Then that from thence gifts might to men be giuen With glory Hee ascended into Heauen Where that supreame and euerlasting throne Which was prepar'd he climb'd and sitteth on That blessed seate where he shall make abode To plead for vs at the right hand of God And no where should he be enthroned rather Then there for he is God as is the Father And therefore with an equall loue delight I To praise and serue them both as one Almighty â—et in their office there 's a difference And I beleeue that Iesus Christ from thence Shall in the great and vniuersall doome Returne and that with Angels He shall come To question such as at his Empire grudge Euen those who haue presumed him to iudge And that blacke day shall be so Catholicke As I beleeue not onely that the quicke To that assise shall all be summoned But he will both adiudge them and the dead Moreouer in the Godhead I conceiue Another Person in whom I beleeue For all my hope of blessednesse were lost If I beleeu'd not in the holy Ghost And though vaine Schismatickes through pride folly Contemne her power I doe beleeue the holy Chast Spouse of Christ for whom so many search By markes vncertaine the true Cath'like Church I doe beleeue God keepe vs in this vnion That there shall be for euer the Communion Of Gods Elect and that he still acquaints His Children in the fellowship of Saints Though damned be Mans naturall condition By grace in Christ I looke for the remission Of all my foule misdeeds for there begins Deaths end which is the punishment of sinnes Moreouer I the Sadduces infection Abhorre and doe beleeue the Resurrection Yea though I turne to dust yet through God I Expect a glorious rising of the body And that exempted from the cares here rise I shall enioy perfection and the life That is not subiect vnto change or wasting But euer blessed and for euerlasting This is my Faith which that it faile not when It most should steed me let God say Amen A Metricall Paraphase vpon the Lords Prayer To whom that he so much vouchsafe me may Thus as a member of his Church I pray LOrd at thy Mercy-seat ourselues we gather To doe our duties vnto thee Our Father To whom all praise al honor should be giuen For thou art that great God which art in heaueÌ„ Thou by thy wisdome rul'st the worlds whole frame For euer therefore Hallowed be thy Name Let neuer more delayes diuide vs from Thy glories view but let Thy Kingdome come Let thy commands opposed be by none But thy good pleasure and Thy will be done And let our promptnesse to obey be euen The very same in earth as 't is in heauen Then for our selues O Lord we also pray Thou wouldst be pleased to Giue vs this day That food of life wherewith our soules are fed Contented raiment and our daily bread With eu'ry needfull thing doe thou relieue vs And of thy mercy pitty And forgiue vs All our misdeeds in him whom thou didst please To take in offering for our trespasses And for as much O Lord as we beleeue Thou so wilt pardon vs as we forgiue Let that loue teach vs wherewith thou acquaints vs To pardon all them that trespasse against vs. And though sometime thou findst we haue forgot This Loue or thee yet helpe And leade vs not Through Soule or bodies want to desperation Nor let abundance driue into temptation Let not the soule of any true Beleeuer Fall in the time of tryall But deliuer Yea saue him from the malice of the Diuell And both in life and death keepe vs from euill Thus pray we Lord And but of thee from whom Can this be had For thine is the Kingdome The world is of thy workes the grauen story To thee belongs the power and the glory And this thy happinesse hath ending neuer But shall remaine for euer and for euer This we confesse and will confesse agen Till we shall say eternally Amen Thou shalt write them vpon the postes of thy house and vpon thy Gates Deut. 6. 9. FINIS * â—ere reâ—ers and â—ibes the Winter 〈◊〉 was so â—…ing 〈…〉 The reason of the 〈◊〉 Winter 〈◊〉 cause of all 〈◊〉 dangers as 〈◊〉 during 〈◊〉 distemperaâ—… of the ayre He noteth the most 〈◊〉 alteration of 〈◊〉 weather a 〈◊〉 before these Nuptials The 〈…〉 preparation 〈◊〉 this 〈◊〉 the state whâ—â—… of â—is here â—â—…gorically 〈◊〉 * Meaning the 〈…〉 and 〈…〉 of 〈…〉 on 〈◊〉 water which 〈◊〉 most 〈…〉 〈…〉 workes 〈…〉 a He declares what vsâ— is to be made of these showes and triumphes and whaâ— meditations the minde may be occupied about when 〈◊〉 behold them * Fire-workes The Marriage being on S. Valentines day the Author showes it by beginning with the salutation of a supposed Valentine a 〈◊〉 b Wales a Tyber 〈◊〉 the Riâ—er which 〈…〉 Rome b White-â—all Semel in anno ridet Apol. a Abuses stript and whipt He noteth the mildnesse of the winter which excepting that the beginning was very windy was as temperate as the spring Moft men 〈◊〉 of opinion â—hat this â—ay euery â—ird doth â—huse her â—ate for 〈◊〉 yeer a By these he means the two Masques one of them being presented by the Lords the other by the Gentry * Hopes See Pro. 30. 8. 9.