involvuntur We find the Spouse all Joy before Mourning for the absence of her Beloved and all things for a while seem to incline to the worst The Catastasis before its time in the printed Copy is intituled to the fourth Partition but belongs rightly to the fifth Chapter or Division where I have also caused it as soon as by seeing the sheets I perceived the Error of the Press again to be set desiring the Reader instead of that Title in the fourth Chapter to put Desiderium successive of the Epitasis in the third And it is a continuance of the Spouses trouble for the absence of her Lord there first hinted and whereas in the Epitasis eadem cernitur rerum perturbatio but somewhat greater and opens the way to the clearing of all in the following Partitions under their several Titles till the Drama comes to its last Period in the Catastrophe which I have placed at the eighth Partition tho if any one will he may make the Catastrophe begin at the seventh and in the eighth bring the Spouse ad Sponsi fores after the Jewish Custom in pursuance and complement of it That which is signified by the Catastrophe in the Drama being the conclusion of the whole according to its expected or unlookt-for event I might add here a great deal concerning the Unity of Action strictly observed in this Hymn and the Chorus which is every where regular but I pass them both over With respect to what I have already laid down I will not say that Salomon design'd all or any of these parts in this Divine Song or in the manner that I following the Ancients have bounded them but this I dare say that whosoever knows the Motions of the Pious Soul in its love to God knows also that these several parts make it up which I shall endeavour thus briefly to evidence and appeal to those who understand it best and have try'd the great experiment No sooner therefore by the Preaching of the Gospel and the most benign Operations of the good Spirit of God comes the devout Soul to be convinced of the Divine Love in it self and infinite Perfections how beyond expression amiable to the Soul by ten thousand Experiences how indeared but being first loved and knowing assuredly it self to be loved it endeavours according to its unequal measure to return love for love Is all as it were on a flame towards its Beloved and thinks nothing comparative with him Lovely nothing for his sake too hard or grievous to be undertaken The World to such an One and all its gaudy Pageantry appears as it truly is a dead and lifeless and accursed thing without any Charms except to betray and ensnare and with Pleasures such as they are which continue but for a moment and perish in the using nor can it find any relish or satisfaction but in the enjoyment of those Real and Eternal Beauties on which Time and Age have no effect and whose most frequent use encrease only and heighten their delight Of these it continually thinks loves and admires none but these and is so wholly transformed into what it loves that it is no more it self nor lives any other Life than what that inspires Or in St. Paul's phrase Being Crucified with Christ nevertheless it lives or Christ rather lives in it and the Life which it lives in the Flesh it lives by the Faith of the Son of God who loved it and gave himself for it In this Extasy while it continues the Pious Soul once enflamed with the Love of God exults with joy unspeakable and continue the Extasy will till either Our love by degrees as is not unusual the more wretched We grow cold in its once most ardent pursuits or the violence of a Temptation intervene or the most Highest for either the punishment of our Remissness or trial of our Sincerity for a while withdraw himself but then the happier we once to perceive and take notice of it how is the Soul that truly loves perplext This way it runs and that and only thoughtful of its Misery and what it would find where yet to find it knows not Here comes in the true Epitasis Another face of things appears than was wont and instead of Hymns and joyous Acclamations which used before to be its constant Companions nothing is heard in all its Retreats but the Sighs and Laments as of one forsaken The Soul is overwhelmed almost with Sorrow which to prove the most Intense Hearty and Sincere it endeavours all it can to clear its Innocence calling Heaven and God to witness it of yet which having paused a while and not daring in cooler Blood to be too confident it reflects upon its former coldness and negligence and resolves on greater Care and Circumspection for the future is angry with it self and afraid and mourns bitterly and begs but once more to be try'd and professes its Zeal and passes ten thousand Promises binding them with as many Vows and resolves so throughly to be revenged of it self that it will never give over its unweary search till it has found its Beloved Away in this heat it flies out of it self as it were and seeks and asks after him of all it meets and tho affronted frequently by the way bears the Indignity with patience and feels the smart of no Wound received in the inquiry comparable to his absence till almost quite tired now and again and the third time and it were well if but the three hundredth time the Epitasis and the Catastasis consequent of it recurr'd Lo he whom the Soul loves and who infinitely more loves the Soul taking pity of its Labours and approving its Integrity at length discovers himself a-new with greater Attractives than before And now all is perfectly well again Peace and Joy and the tender endearments of a mutual Affection blown up to a Flame which no Waters can quench sparkle in both No Discourse passes but of the constancy of each others Love its Charms how great its Renewals how surprizing The happy Nuptials which make the Catastrophe seem not to be far off and by Faith through the Vail the Soul looks and sees the Preparations and hastens the time by its calls and even dies with Impatience because it is but a moment deferr'd This is the Progress of Divine Love in the holy Soul adumbrated as I conceive in this Mysterious Song but so coldly and imperfectly displayed by me God help poor Mortals that suspected thence as I fear for my self I justly may never to have been really touched with it I can only appeal to Him who searches the Heart with the most earnest Obtestations that if my Love to my Lord and Saviour be not such as it ought with a flame so pure and great as to warm and enlighten others according to the Prerogative of my Office it may yet be sufficient to keep my self from either freezing or stumbling especially from either thinking or speaking any thing unbecoming it at
A PARAPHRASE UPON THE CANTICLES AND SOME SELECT HYMNS OF THE NEW and OLD TESTAMENT With other occasional Compositions IN English VERSE By Samuel Woodford D. D. LONDON Printed by J. D. for John Baker at the three Pidgeons and Henry Brome at the Gun in St. Paul's Church-Yard 1679. TO THE Most Reverend FATHER in GOD WILLIAM Lord ARCH-BISHOP of CANTERBURY Primate of all ENGLAND and Metropolitan And one of his MAJESTIES most Honourable PRIVY COUNCIL Most Reverend WEre I indeed a greater Master of Verse than the best of those whether of our own Country-Men or Foreigners whose several manners I have in the following Compositions endeavoured to imitate I durst not yet presume to make an humble Present of them to your Grace unless invited by the Sacredness of the most noble Argument An Argument so Sacred as to the greatest part of the Subjects if not spoil'd by my unskilful handling that it must be ever acknowledged worthy your Grace and beside that the best and most refined Spirits of the Christian Church have happily labour'd in them whose Design his late MAJESTY of ever Blessed Memory was particularly pleased to Encourage and Promote To attest this were it either necessary or pertinent I might reckon up several Names not unknown to your Grace but shall instead of all content my self with the generally approved Mr. George Sandy's who first under so Excellent a Prince opened the way to Divine Poesy in this Nation and gave it a more than ordinary Credit from whose Hands as not unbecoming His Royal Self He vouchsafed to accept a short Paraphrase upon the Canticles not long after the time that the Pious Sieur Godeau had with much success made a Dedication of the same Divine Song under the Title of Sacred Eclogues with some few other Religious Stanzas to the great Cardinal Richelieu of France For Honours sake I here mention the Bishop of Grasse and Mr. Sandy's and that thereby I may both Apologize for my self if there be need and defend the best that I can against the most Censorious and Critical the affixing your Graces Name to the same Canticles and a few other English Rimes of which for the performance as being my own tho I have no better opinion than I ought or than the great Judges of Verse in the Town shall allow they deserve it may be not so good yet if as in the first place in this Dedication they are intended they shall serve most humbly to express my Duty without reflection of Dishonour upon your Grace and be so received I shall nor wish for my self greater Credit nor for them a better Recommendation to such as have any gust for Christian Poesy That God Almighty may have your Grace in his perpetual and most mercifull Protection and long very long continue you an invaluable Blessing to this his best of Churches is the daily Prayer of Hartley Malduit Hampsh 1678. Most Reverend Your Graces most Humble most Dutiful and most Obedient Son Sam. Woodford Upon a Paraphrase of Salomon's Song Done by his Worthy Friend Dr. Samuel Woodford WHilst Thou with Sacred Rage inspir'd dost Sing The Mystic Song of Songs can Cold Age bring An Offering fit Or without Fire devote True Zeal to Verse Or can I tell by rote Thy Praises without measure due Shall I Confound Thy Consort then or Modesty Prophane in Print No let me silent be A Monumental Foyl to Poetry and Thee Nicholas Stuart Baronet ODE To his Honoured Friend Dr. Woodford On his Excellent Paraphrase of SALOMON'S SONG SO Eastern Spices and rich Gums send out In the warm Limbeck while they pant A precious Vapour spreading all about Which the cold Mass did seem to want But urg'd with equal heat it up do's rise The Active Spirit now more nimbly flies Ascending Balm in Dew distils And far-extended Air with fragrant Essence fills An holy Fire Woodford in Thee has rais'd Numbers so sweet so rich and high Methinks I see Thy eager Soul amaz'd In its blest lyric Ecstasy Melting away in Stream of fairest Verse Which when to Mortal Ear Thou do'st rehearse With purling Noise it seems to move Itâ—s Music Charms th' attending Ear the Soul it 's Love Hail blessed Flame that did'st such Verse inspire And to an humble Heart dispense From the chast Touch of an Harmonious Lyre Such Angel sounds such Mystic sense High God of Love's Love unto Man he sings The Spouses choicest Beauties are the Kings Who pour'd his Blood here sweetly pours His Soul out to his Spouse in these Divine Amours Immortal Love Cement of this huge Frame Dearest First-born of the Mind Who wer 't become Impure Romance a Name Thee undebauch'd where could we find Yet art indeed wise Natures beauteous Child Till with the Bodies fouler steam defilâ—d Here rais'd to Soul and Mystery All pure all holy thou art agen Love Travestie Wisest of Kings and Men was there sent down A double Portion of Thy Rage And Heavenly Laurel this chast Brow to Crown Greater than Men and Kings did engage Thee happy Wordford to this lofty Song Touch't from his Altar with a Coal thy Tongue Then we and no prophane Thought neer May say a greater too than Salomon is Here. W. Croune M. D. Fellow of the Colledg To my dear Old Friend the Reverend Dr. Samuel Woodford On his Sacred Rimes I. WELL since it must be so so let it be For what do Resolutions signifie When we are urg'd to Write by Destiny II. I had Resolv'd nay and I almost Swore My Bed-rid Muse should walk abroad no more Alas 't is more than time that I give o're III. In the Recesses of a private Brest I thought to entertain your Charming Guest And never to have boasted of my Feast IV. But see my Friend when through the World you go My Lacquy-Verse must shadow-like pursue Thin and Obscure to make a Foil for you V. 'T is true you cannot need my feeble Praise A lasting Monument to your Name to Raise Well-known in Heav'n by your Angelique ' Layes VI. There in indelible Characters They are writ Where no pretended Heights will easie sit But those of Serious Consecrated Wit VII By immaterial defecated Love Your Soul it 's Heavenly Origin doe's approve And in least dangerous Raptures soar's above VIII How could I wish Dear Friend unsaid agen For once I rank'd my self with Tuneful Men Whatever dropt from my unhallowed Pen IX The trifling Rage of Youthful heat once past Who is not troubled for his Wit misplac'd All pleasant Follies breed regret at last X. While Reverend Don 's and noble Herbert's Flame A glorious Immortality shall claim In the most durable Records of Fame XI Our Modish Rimes like Culinary Fire Unctuous and Earthy shall in Smoke expire In odorous Clouds your Incense shall aspire XII Let th' Pagan-World your Pious Verse defy Yet shall they envy when they come to Die Your Wiser Projects on Eternity Thomas Flatman The Reader is desired to Correct the following Errata which
is no great matter that for their own Diversions they â—â—ll them by what Names they please so they give me â—he like liberty as I list to name mine THE TABLE OF THE CONTENTS The Letter a added to the Number of the Pages refers to the First Part or the Paraphrase on the Canticles b to the Second Part or the Rimes 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Stanza Page 3. a Avoid Prophane avoid for such as you The Canticles in VIII Partitions 2 I. Divini Amoris Ecstasis quae Protasis Stanz p. 6. a False glozing World in vain 3 II Evocatio Sponsae Couplets Stanz Mixt. p. 13. a Earths glittering Stars vying with those above 4 III. Dolor de absentiâ Sponsâ— seu Epitasis Coupl p. 21. a 'T was Night a sad and dismal Night 5 IV. Desiderium Stanza p. 26. a Behold thou' art Fair my Love behold thou' art Fair. 6 V. Catastasis Stanza Coupl p. 33. a I heard Thee call my Sister my Spouse 7 VI. Ambitio Sponsae Stanz Coupl Mixt. p. 39. a Whither is Thy Beloved gone 8 VII Amores mutui Coupl p. 44. â— Fair One who dost from Loins of Kings descend 9 VIII Catastrophe Couplets p. 48. a I love but cannot yet my Love enjoy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Three Cantos or the Legend of Love 10 I. Canto Stanzas p. 54. a Song which the God of Love did first inspire 11 II. Canto Stanz p. 76. a I oft am thinking whether Love was known 12 III. Canto Stanz p. 100. a Tir'd with the Way I have already gone 13 To the Right Reverend Father in God SETH Lord Bishop of Sarum Sonnet p. 119. a Mindful whence first she learnt the early skill The Six great Hymns of St. Luke 14 I. The Angels Salutation Monostrophos p. 3. b Hail of Heaven highly grace'd 15 II. The Salutation of Elizabeth Stanz p. 4. b Blest Thou among all Women be 16 III. The Magnificat Stanz p. 5. b My Soul doth magnifie the Lord. 17 IV. The Benedictus Stanz p. 7. b Israels great God eternally be prais'd 18 V. The Angelic Hymn Rondeau p. 9. b Glory be to God on High 19 VI. The Nunc dimittis Stanz p. 10. b Enough my God enough I beg no more 20 Comiato to Sir Nicholas Stuart Baronet Monostroph p. 12. b Songs made in lieu of many more The Eight great Hymns of the Apocalyps 21 I. The Adoration of the XXIV Elders Stanz p. 13. b Worthy Thou art all Honour to receive 22 II. The overthrow of the Dragon Stanz p. 14. b Now is Salvation now is come the Hour 23 III. The happy Dead Quadrains p. 15. b Blest are the Dead who in the Lord depart 24 IV. The Song of Moses and the Lamb. Stanz p. 16. b Great are thy Works and marvelous thy Praise 25 V. The Angels of the Waters Lauds Stanz p. 17. b Righteous art Thou O God who art and wast 26 VI. The overthrow of Babylon Stanz p. 18. b Hallelujah to our King 27 VII Epithâ—lamium on the Lambs Marriage Sta. p. 19. b Praise him ye Servants of th' Eternal King 28 VIII The New Jerusalem Stanza p. 22. b Blest state of Innocence 29 Our Blessed Lordâ—s Thanksgiving Stanz p. 25. b I thank Thee Father Lord of all 30 The Song of Moses Ode p. 26. b Since the Almighty has in Triumph led 31 The Well Stanza p. 30. b Sacred Fountain Mystick Spring 32 The Prayer of Jabez Stanz p. 31. b Thus Jabez prayed and thus pray I. 33 The Song of Deborah Ode p. 34. b Israel the blest and happy State 34 David ' s Elegie on the death of Saul and Jonathan Stanza p. 43. b Israels delight the Glory of our Land 35 David ' s Thanksgiving and Prayer Stanz p. 46. b Who am I Lord and whatâ—s my Family 36 David's last Words Terzetti p. 50. b Thus David Jesses Royal Son did sing 37 The Song of Hezekiah Stanz p. 52. b Revolving the sharp Sentence past Three Psalms according to the Ordinary Mâ—trâ— 38 I. Beatus Vir qui non abiit p. 55. b The Man is blest whose doubtful Patâ—s 39 LVII Miserere mei Deus Miserere p. 56. b Great God on whom I have rely'd 40 CXIV In exitu Israel de p. 58. b When Israel was by Gods address 41 CLI Psalm according to the LXXII Stanz p. 59. b Youngest of all my Brethren and the least 42 Job cursing his Birth Couplets p. 61. b May the Day perish and its hasty flight 43. The Prayer of Habakkuk Ode p. 64. b My God I have Thy Wonders heard 44 The saying of Cleanthes Stanz p. 72. b Lead me O Providence Divine 45 A storm of Thunder Ode p. 73. b Great God of Thunder at whose Voice 46 The Nativity Ode p. 74. b Who would not envy if he durst your Grace 47 The Star A Carol for the Epiphany p. 80. b See how that glorious Star at Noon does rise 48 The Passion Ode p. 82. b Twice sixteen Years have almost o're Thee past 49 An Epigram on the same out of Latine p. 87. b When â—y God di'd I first began to live 50 Exstasie of Divine Love out of Spanish Stan. p. 88. b That sacred bond of Charity 51 The flight Quadrains p. 92. b No wonder Soul thou so admirest a Verse 52 A Hymn and Prayer to the Holy Jesus Parode AIl ' Italiana p. 94. b Jesu th' Eternal Sun of Righteousness 53 Hymn for Vâ—spers Out of Greek Monostroph p. 100. b Jâ—su Christ blest Light of Light 54 Lent A Sestine p. 101 Welcome great Queen of Fasts thrice welcom Lent 55 The fall of Lucifer Stanz p. 103. b Son of the Morning First-born of the Light 56 Convertimento à Deo Stanz p 105 Lord my First-fruits should have been brought c. 57 The Altar Monostroph p. 106 This Altar to thy Name Great God I raise 58 Ad Passagium Out of Italian F. P. Ode p. 108. b Blest Soul in Heaven expected long 59 To the Right Reverend Father in God GEORGE Lord Bishop of Wâ—nton Out of Italian F. P. Ode p. 113. b A Fair and Virtuous Dame 60 Sonnet of the same p. 118. b Prepare Thy Chariot Love and heaviest Chain 61 The Apologie Out of Italian F. P. Ode p. 119. b Citing my old and cruel Master Love 62 Ballad Out of Spanish Prophane Love Stan. p. 126. b Love is a Net and Love 's a Snare 63 Loves Exaltation Sonnet p. 127. b Enlarge Thy Flight Love said I and on High 64 The Thoughts Out of Italian F. P. Ode p. 128. b Full of strange Thoughts and Pensive as I go 65. Convertimento à Dio. Out of Italian F. P. Son p. 135. b Tir'd and almost o'recome with th' heavy weight 66 To the same purpose Out of Italian F. P. Sonn p. 135. b Since you and I my Friend so oft have prov'd 67 To Mrs. M. W. with the Parable of the Pilgrim Sonnet p. 136. b A tedious Age I like this Pilgrim spent 68
To the Reverend J. G. Sonnet p. 137. b To God it is my Friend and you I owe. 69 On a Painted Crucifix Out of Italian Son p. 137. b Something there was Great Master more than Art 70 St. Paul done by Titian Out of Italian Madrigal p. 138. b Dead to the World and far from Heav'n remov'd 71 The Vanity of thinking to get Fame by Riming Sonnet p. 139. b What dost Thou Man what thinkst Thou c. 72 To give o're Riming and fall to Business Son p. 139. b A I one Day did of my Fate complain 73 To the Right Reverend Father in God JOHN late Lord Bishop of Chester upon his Promotion Ode p. 140. b Fair Seminary of the Flourishing Arts. 74 To the Honourable Sir John Denham upon his new Version of the Psalms Quadrains p. 146. b T was but of late that in our Northern Clime 75 To Mr. Isaac Walton publishing the Life of Mr. George Herbert Ode p. 150. b Heav'ns youngest Son its Benjamin 76 To the same publishing Mr. Ric. Hooker's Life Ode p. 153. b Hail sacred Mother British Church all hail 77 The Metamorphosis upon the Death of Mrs. A. W. Idyllium p. 156. b Down in a Vale between two shady Groves 78 To Posthumus Out of Latine Horace Ode p. 160. b Time Posthumus scuds it with full sail 79 To Belisa the excellent Mrs. Mary Beal Monost p. 162 Such would the learned Pallas chuse to be 80 To Clelia on his Picture done by Mr. Flatman Monostroph p. 163. b Proof against Time and Age. 81 Solitude Out of Latine Mr. Ab. Cowley Quad. p. 164. b The Country as t is fit we Poets praise 82 The Voyage Ode p. 166. b As one that 's from a tedious Voiage come A PARAPHRASE ON THE Canticles In English Rhythms V. Ad Ephesios 32. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 xxiv Matth. 15 PERSONAE SPONSA SPONSUS CHORI tres Primus AMICORUM SPONSI Alter FILIARUM HIEROSOLYMITANARUM Tertius MULIERUM è GENTIBUS 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I. AVOID Prophane avoid for such as you There is no place or listning here They 're Mysteries which we sing and but a few Receive them with a well-purg'd ear To all beside of love they sound Mock-love that does from every Hill rebound And is no Virgin when the painted Eccho's sound II. A Female Love that is by a truer name Lust obscene and dalliance call'd For whom th' unhappy wretch who has a flame To fires of his own kindling's hal'd Yet such an Empire has she gain'd So universal and so well maintain'd That Verse as well as Men she' has to'her service train'd III. Ah Verse that e're thou shouldst be thus abus'd That thus thy self thou shouldst abuse The Devil thy enemy wisht thee ne'r worse us'd Than thou thy self thy self dost use Quit quit thy Chains er'e 't is too late At length return to thy'unimprov'd estate Lawrels yet grow at th' Altar where thou first didst wait IV. Lawrels there grow and there 's a Love Divine Which will compleatly fill Thy Song A Love that 's Heav'n-born truly Masculine From whom thou'hast banisht been too long Only return'd this caution take As solemn as thou canst new homage make Both for Thine own defence Thy chast follow'rs sake V. And thou 〈◊〉 LIEGE bright and immortal LOVE Who er'e Thou mortal Flesh didst take Descending from Thy azure Throne above An Image of Thy self didst make In which soft thoughts thou didst inspire And threw'st large portions of aethereal Fire To consecrate the shrine where Thou wouldst in time retire VI. Thou who e're made Man wouldst as Man be known And transports infinite to ' express Sustaind'st a part which was no more thine own Thâ—n as each greater holds its less Wouldst love and as a Lover sue In Words and Acts as Mortal Lovers do And thus THY SELF thus thy BELOVED to us shew VII Shewing us thus as we could it conceive What had from Ages hidden lain The Glorys Thou designd'st Thy SPOUSE to give And what to ' effect them was thy pain Flesh of our Flesh Bone of our Bone Pure GOD and perfect MAN in person One The' Great-grand-sires Father and his Virgin daughters Son VIII In Thine own Words this Myst'ry to unâ—old Or still to fold it guide my Verse Inspire me as Thou Salomon didst of old That I the Wonder may rehearse And when of Love the terms I use Thy self its softest terms didst not 〈◊〉 The softest to me ' indite the 〈◊〉 for me chuse IX Make my Verse soft but make it chast withal These are the Beauties I desire Witness Thy self whom I the Witness call How pure and earthlesâ— is my Fire That pure and earthless it may thine Reader and Writer from all dâ—oss 〈◊〉 And Thine own Image stamp for'â—s guard on 〈◊〉 own 〈◊〉 A PARAPHRASE UPON THE CANTICLES CANTICUM Canticorum Salomonis CAP. I. DIVINI AMORIS ECSTASIS Quae PROTASIS SPONSA SPONSUS SPONSA Osculetur me osculo I. FALSE Glozing World in vain Juices and Herbs for me Thou dost compound Juices and Herbs which ne'r can ease my pain Or heal an inward bleeding Wound With love alas I 'm pierc't to th' heart Beyond Thy skill or helpless Physicks art II. Come then thou heav'nly LOVE And with Thee thine own sov'raign Med'cine bring Come and the cause of all my griefs remove That I Thy mighty praise may sing Ah! put Thy sacred Lips to mine And let 's mix souls as we chast Kisses joyn III. Dear Kiss how sweet it was Above those Spirits which gen'rous wines exhale Like perfume how it fill'd the ambient space And in its passage ravisht all Virgins who but Spectators came Sweet are Thy kisses LOVE sweeter Thy Name IV. Only to see my LORD They came but now like me are all on â—ire Draw me O draw me by Thy pow'rful Word One pace shall shew our joynâ— desire Both they and I will follow Thee And Thy unransom'd Captives ever be V. Thy Love at length blest King Where all her fears may have an happy end Into thy Nuptial Chamber please to bring Where we Thy praises may intend And firmly of Thy self possest Our Mouths with singing fill with joy our Breast VI. With songs Our Mouths We 'll fill And to exalt Thy Glories never cease The Od'rous dews which from Our Lips distil Shall give Thy Land a rich encrease Above all Wines Thy Love wee 'll raise And just Men with us shall record Thy praise VII I 'm black 't is true but so Fair Daughters of Jerus'lem as the Tents Of Sun-burnt Arabs humble dark and low But full of Regal Ornaments Or as those Curtains Salomon Draws to conceal from vulgar sight his Throne VIII Unjust you 're to despise A Face which only wants your beaut'ous Charms My Country Sun alas has stain'd my Eyes And robb'd them of so potent Arms From his too near approach I took What thus you gaze at my discolour'd look IX My Mothers Sons beside
The very Mountains make him room And bow their Heads to yield him way The Hillocks dart a brighter ray Over the Mountain tops he skips Light as the Wind o're th' Hillocks trips And now he 's there and now he 's here Swift as the fleet wing-footed Deâ—â— And now behind our Wall he stands Looks at the Window and commands My ' attendance at the Lattice with his beckning hands Nay he speaks too and I hear him say Rise up my Love my Fair one come away Winter at length is past and gone Look how th' expected Spring comes on Apace it comes on Zephyrs riding And the Rain that stopt it chiding The Rain is gone too and gives place And now appears a clearer face Of Heaven and Earth than did before Enough of Storms there 's now no more Lo how the Flowers lift up their heads And start out of their drousie beds Wak'd by the Quire of Birds that sing And Carol to the new-come Spring They sing and dance from bough to bough As if they Winter ne're did know As if they Winter ne're did fear And 't would be Summer all the Year And every Night and every Day Who more rich or pleas'd than they Unbidden Pipe and unrewarded play The Fig-Tree too on every twig Puts out its callow unflesht Fig. Unflesht unripe unripe tho'it be Hatc'ht at once by its Mother-Tree Born at one pang without the throws The' hard tâ—eming Olive undergoes That Gems and Flowers and flowring dies E're th' half form'd Embry'o up does rise Or the slow Vine its clusters brings That gentle Plant made up of Rings Crispt and curld and wondrous sweet But modest too and veild toth feet Which in their courses all attend And forth their Odours all do send The Springs to perfume and thy way Rise up my Love my Fair One come away Thus thus but softer 't was he spake With words a very Rock would break And e'ven in Stones impression make Hark and you too O Friends may hear him spâ—ak SPONSUS Columba mea in foraminibus c. MY DOVE that in the Cliffs dost dwell And there to stones thy griefs dost tell To stones which nor Thy plaints can hear Nor a part with Thee in them bear Not lend one sigh nor shed one tear Come forth of Heaven and me belov'd And be to a better Seat remov'd To one less deaf thy prayers direct Whom as Thy self but more they may affect Make them my Love make them to me And let me Her who makes them see Thy Voice tho hoarse with calling grown And almost to Thy self unknown To me as sweet as e're it was As Charming seems and full of Grace And thy fair Eyes with tears be spent Look through the liquid Chrystal far more Orient For why to Heav'n no pompous Sacrifice Than Holy Prayer can more accepted rise And the Lambs Bride no richer Garment wears Than simple White or poudred with her pearly tears Come then of Heavâ—n and me belov'd And be to a better Seat remov'd SHE comes she comes I see her come The Cliffs that held her make her room And stoop their Heads to plain her way Our Lawns reflect her brighter ray Take us the while the Foxes take Which in our Vineyards Burroughs make The little Foxes which dispoil Our Vines into a Gin beguile For there 's a blessing in our Vine The tender Grape begins to shine A blessing of its own her blessing 't has and mine SPONSA Dilectus meus mihi c. WHO would not such a Dear One love Who thus and thousand ways does prove How constant He how great my bliss My ' BELOVED's MINE and I AM HIS His who amongst the Lillies feeds And with them to be crown'd first for them bleeds O! were that Day come and the Night Gone which retards Thy gladsome sight Hasten it LOVE and bring the Day The shadows soon will flee away If Thou on Bethers top appear Swift as the fleet wing-footed Deer On Bethers top shedding Thy Light Fleet as their heels and than their horns more bright CAP. III. DOLOR DE ABSENTIA SPONSI SPONSA CHORUS Amicorum Sponsi SPONSA SOLA In Lectulo meo per Noctes 'T WAS Night a sad and dismal Night Without one glim of chearful Light Silence and horror seiz'd its place And rioted i th' empty space When wake'd with dread Lo all alone I found my self my LOVE was gone With trembling Hand to find him out I felt I sought but found him not At last thus to my self I said I 'le up and see whither he ' is stray'd Fearless the City compass round Nor give o're till my LOVE is found No labour spare i th' quest or pains Through the broad Streets and narrow Lanes But eve'ry Lane and every Street Measure out with my weary Feet And thus or find him or thus prove My truth to His and to my Love I spake I rose but in vain sought And tir'd my self yet found him not Him I found not but they found me Who the City-Warders be And in their Night-walks compass it Amaz'd a stricter Watch to meet And thus themselves first askt to be Him whom my Soul loves did you see My steps scarce from them could I move But I found Him my Soul does love I held him fast nor would let go my hold Chast in my Love and in his Favour bold Till to my Mothers House I brought Him And all my adventurous search had taught him To the glad room where I was born But in my Birth less joyous than in his return And now fair Daughters of Jerusalem Who are and to your selves more glorious seem In his attendance than your own fair stem By the Hills and by the Launs By the Roes and by the Fauns By the Fields and by the Woods By the Springs and by the Floods All that I or you count dear All he loves and all I fear I charge you I charge you not to awake My LOVE from the rest which now he does take Till himself pleases the signal to make CHORUS Amicorum Sponsi Quae est ista quae ascendit per c. WHAT fair One's that who from the Desert comes Strait as a Palm and breathing Odorous Gums Or like those Pillars which from th' Altar rise Of mystic Smoak on which Heav'ns Pavement lies Th' expiring Soul of Myrrh to its last abode Hasting as if 't would be it self a God So choice a Beauty and Divinely fair A meen so lovely and so bright an Air Centred in whom all just Perfections meet The Wise the Good the Awful and the Sweet Is only worthy him whose sacred Love None equal knows but his who reigns above Behold his Bed his Bed that 's Salomons As far as Heav'n admits comparisons No Queen need dread the terrors of the Night With such a Watch so ' appointed and so bright About it Sixty valiant Grooms attend Such as for triumph Israel forth do's send All valiant Men and
place a Paradise Where nothing noxious or forbidden grows Nothing but what will make one truly wise Or make or please or truly keep one so For all there planted as its Trees do grow XIX The Pomgranate is there and there the Date The Spikenard and the Cypress Tree Spikenard and Saffron and hi'ther brought of late The sweet-Cane Cinamom and all sorts that be Of Frankincense Myrrh Aloes and a Train Of Princely Spices wont in th' East to Reign XX. There Reign they but here serve my Love and me Whose Fountain all their drought supplies And slows so largely constant and so free Th' whole World may have for its necessities Jordan that sacred and perpetual Flood Had not more streams when like the Sea on heaps it stood SPONSA Surge Aquilo veni Auster I. FATHER Winds that gently ride On downy Feathers through the Skie You that i th' cold North abide And Southern Gales which cold defie II. North-Wind awake and Thou O South And gently on my Garden blow Blow gentle Winds with different Mouth That all its various scents may slow III. Then on your Wings the Perfumes take And bear them with you gently Home More grateful your return they 'll make And th' young Winds wonder whence you come IV. But why O Winds first call I you Let my BELOVED rather come More than your Gales his Breath can do Not show but make my best Perfume V. Why comes he not Ah! where 's the Lett Now that his Garden 's in its prime Now that his Fruits are fit to eat And may be worse another time V. CATASTASIS SPONSUS SPONSA CHORUS SPONSUS Veni in Hortum meum Soror I. I HEARD Thee call my Sister my SPOUSE I heard Thee call and I came away To my Garden I came and as Lovers use Have gath'red each Flower in my Walk that lay My Myrrh and my Spices and all that is rare And thus to my Garden I 'll often repair II. So pleased I was with each choice delight And delights such as Thine I but rarely meet That scarce knowing how I forgot my self quite Nor took time enough to choose only the sweet My Hony and Hony-comb at once devour'd And with my Wine Milk into the Bowl pour'd III. Chear up my Friends and eat your fill Chear up and eat here 's store enough Thanks to my bounteous Love And drink drink plenteously what each one will Who fears excess or fondly thinks to spare Disparages that Heav'n whose Guests we are SPONSA Ego dormio cor meum vigilat ALL as I slept but with my waking mind My Heart slept not tho sleep my Eyes did bind And on my Temples his soft Fillet ti'd But as I slept and dead to all beside Liv'd to my LOVE a Voice I seem'd to hear A shrilling Voice and pitteous pierc't my ear A Voice well known 't was my BELOVED's Voice And at the Door he made th' appointed Noise Knocking and calling Why comes not my Love Open my SISTER my ' Undefil'd my Dove Open I pray Thee nor be so unkind Thus to treat him who 's come thy Love to find A long and weary Journey come i th' Night Weary and wet by the Moon 's dusky Light Lo how my Head with the moist Dew is fill'd And the Nights drops through all my Curls distill'd And art Thou come I flatteringly repli'd But why my Dear so late without a Guide I fear it much but ah I 'm now in Bed And many a sad distrust nights horrors breed He're in the dark i th' dark here all alone My Vest's put off How shall I put it on My Feet are washt too from the Days foul soil Nor with new sullies would I them defile O how I tremble and would gladly rise But dare not Oh! I dare not LOVE how dark it is I spake but 't was excuse To be deni'd Unwilling he still for admission cry'd Drawing the Latch and lifting with his Hand The easie Door grieving he thus should stand My Heart was in me mov'd and I began To pitty him and my ' unjust self disdain At his so meek attendance did relent And of my own unlovelike words repent So up I rose in haste and let him in Who was my LOVE and had so patient been I rose and to the Door like Lightning flew To th' very place where he the Latch first drew My Hands dropt Myrrh which on the Door he left Pure Myrrh in eve'ry chink of th' Door and cleft Myrrh on the Lock in every ward was Myrrh And Myrrh where every busie Finger I could stir But opening Woe 's me he was gone Himself my dearest LOVE had thence withdrawn My Soul was gone too roused as I lay And heard him speak but with him fled away So pensive all about I for him sought Sought curiously about but found him not Call'd him by Name begg'd his return to have I call'd and sought but he no answer gave Nor hear nor find him could I but they found me They who the Warders of the City be Unlike in Court'sie tho alike in Name Those Just ones to ' whom in my first search I came Who let me pass unwrong'd â— ese barba'rously Struck and did more than strike have wounded me And though by place and office bound to look No' assaults be made my torn Vail rudely took But you fair Daughters of Jerusalem From whom much better things to hope I seem Worthy your selves and worthy your bright stem If you chance my Love to find Virgins be to ' a Virgin kind If you chance my LOVE to meet Virgins be to a Virgin sweet Sweet and kind so Love to y'ou be As you are kind and sweet to me I charge you I charge you by all that is dear My LOVE to inform that his Wounds I do bear Sick to death with his Love without his care CHORVS Filiarum Hierosolymitanarum Qualis est Dilectus tuus FAIREST of Women if we find Thy LOVE we 'll to Thy suit be kind Fairest of Women if we meet Thy LOVE we 'll be as Thou art sweet Sweet and kind so Love to us be As we are kind and sweet to Thee Tell him all thou hast charg'd us In terms like Thine obsequious But if unseasonable it is not Nor we be too o're curious thought Be pleas'd t' advise us what above All other Lovers is Thy LOVE In Air and rich Endowments large That us Thou giv'st so strict a charge SPONSA Dilectus meus candidus rubicundus FAIR Ones tho that which you of me require And which my self should in your place desire Be far above all Art or Skill of mine As it deserves in Colours to design Yet that I may my just Compliance show The best that 's in my power I 'll gladly do Help help me LOVE to give each part its grace Nor from my humble Verse or Heart their Lines efface WHITE and ruddy is my LOVE As when the Rose
Like heaps of Wheat with Lillies set around Thy Children shew and how their Mother 's Crown'd Thy Brest 's like two Twin-Roses and Twins they are In all the Herd there 's not a lovelier pair Thy Neck is like a Tower of Ivory Hung with the Trophies of Loves Victory Thy Eyes surpass the Silver Streams that run By Bathrabbim to th' Pools of Essebon Thy Nose of perfect shape like a Fort Royal stands Off from Thy Cheeks and th' under Plains commands Or like Loves Labyrinth by the Forrest side Pointing and to Damascus op'ning wide Thy Head 's like Carmel and Thy purple Hair The brightest Dye th' Assyrian Fleece can bear Fetter'd in its soft Chains the King doth lie Enamour'd of the Bands of his Captivity How fair art Thou how made for all delight Slender clean Limb'd and as a Palm upright Grow happy Tree the Queen of all the Wood Grow as Thou dost less great than Thou art good In whose warm Bosom the Vines clusters rest And shew and seem themselves the swellings of Thy Brest Up to the Palm-Tree I 'll ascend I said Palm in my Hand with Palm Ill crown my Head The blushing clusters with my Lips I 'll seise And all their winy juyce rich Wines express With which enflam'd I 'll cooling Apples take Apples the best repast that Lovers make Apples whose Cordial they the best can tell Apples which like Thy perfum'd Breath do smell Apples Thy Breath Thy Speech is generous Wine That sparkles in the Cup and gives its shine Moves it self right to my Beloved goes Goes as it can and all its Wonders shows Making the Lips of those who sleep to speak And at one touch their Chains and silence break SPONSA Fgo Dilecto mee ad me conversio ejus I My BELOVED's am alone And beside me has he none None beside me does he love Equal none and none above Mine he is and mine alone And beside him have I none None beside him do I love Equal none and none above Come then my LIFE ah come away i th' City let 's not ever stay But look how our Fields do smile And in the Villas lodg a while There with the Sun We 'll early rise And visiting our Nurseries See how the Vines their Branches spread And the young Grape shoots forth his head And how the Pomgranates do blow But then my LOVE less ruddy show My Loves there will I to Thee give Loves in the Country happie'st live The Mandrag's there that Love excites The Mandrag chief in Loves delights Which forward now begins to ' appear And fumes our Gates with it's Rosie Hair With many a Fruit and many a Flower Which I will in Thy Bosom pour Store of Pleasures new and old More than can of Tongue be told More if possible than enough And all reserv'd for Thee my LOVE VIII CATASTROPHE SPONSA CHORVS Gentium SPONSVS SPONSA Quis mihi det te Fratrem meum I LOVE but cannot yet my LOVE injoy Ah! Love that Thou should'st have so much alloy Still some nice thing to interrupt Our bliss Something to fault which yet we would not miss This as I think I wish Thou wert my BROTHER Thou my Soul loves the Son of my own Mother How would I ' embrace Thee then and kiss thine Eyes Where e're I meet Thee safe from base surmize Home would I lead Thee to my Mothers House And by her taught the happy Moment use Talk o're our Loves fill fill the Wine The spicy blood of th' Pomgranate and Vine Satiate with which Thou should'st thy Left-hand place Under my Head whole me with the' right embrace 'T is done and see he sleeps Fair Daughters of Jerusalem Who are and to your selves more glorious seem In our attendance than your own bright Stem By the Hills and by the Launs By the Roes and by the Fauns By the Fields and by the Woods By the Springs and by the Floods All that I or you count dear All he loves and all I fear I charge you I charge you not to awake My LOVE from the rest which now he does take Till himself pleases the signal to make CHORVS Gentium Quae est ista quae ascendit de deserto WHAT fair One's that but words can ne'er express How fair she is who from the Wilderness Leaning on her BELOVED's Arm ascends And hitherward their amo'rous Journey tends They ' are come and now approach't so near That wer 't not rudeness we their privacies may hear SPONSVS Sub arbore malo suscitavi te THERE 't was under the Apple-Tree Where first I found and first rais'd Thee Thy Mother there her Fruit disclos'd And there thou first didst lie expos'd And hadst lain still but that I came I â—d to Thy rescue by my first Loves purest flame SPONSA Pone me ut signaculum super Cor. BLEST ever blessed be that Day When tâ—us Thou cam'est and thus I lay O let us never never part But make me ' a Scal upon Thy Heart A Badg Thou on Thy Arm mayst wear That where Thou art I may be there And never never from Thee part But always on or next Thy Heart For love And who loves more than I Stronger than Death does Death defie His Conquests like the Graves extend And further up to Heav'n his flames ascend But never was there such a Flame As that in which to me he came So dreadful scorching and so bright I blest but trembled at the sight A Fire Love was himself that Fire Which in no Waters will expire But eve'n in Floods securely lives And all their watry threats survives Nor quench nor drown it can the Flood Nor buy it all the seeming good This World that mighty Chapman boasts In his vast Traffique through all Coasts For so invaluable is its price And its exchange so monstrous high does rise The Universe too little is for ' its Merchandise CHORVS Gentium c. Soror nostra parva ubera non habet A LITTLE Sister yet we have For whom we 'd Loves assistance crave Young and little though she ' is yet And her Brest not fully set Tho as yet no Breasts she has Grow our Sister does apace But if thus high Loves price does go What shall we for our little Sister do When the time comes that we should her bestow SPONSVS Si murus est aedificemus super IF when grown up your Sister prove a Wall We 'll on her build a Silver Arcenal Defence and Ornament we 'll to her give And all her Stones shall as i th' Quarry live If when grown up your Sister prove a Door With Cedar mouldings we will case her o re With Freeze and Cornice all her Pillars crown And to her sacred Glories add our own SPONSA Ego Murus ubera mea sicut Turris BUT I 'm a Wall and my soft Brests full grown Like Towers upon the subject Camp look down My constancy
to guard the Fort does stand And dares the rudest Shock of th' roughest Hand This as my WELL-BELOVED heard me say The Holy Boast he did approve And in his Eyes I found such grace that Day I dare no longer doubt his Love SPONSVS Vinea fuit Pacifico in ea c. I HAVE a Vineyard so has Salomon His at a distance lies in Baal-hannon To Keepers and to Under-Keepers set And Yearly for a thousand pieces let But mine the Vineyard that 's my own does lie In my own care and ever in my Eye Accountable for ' its Fruits to me alone And sharers in them with me have I none Compare we now our Vineyards peaceful King Which does to ' its Lord the greatest Profit bring Thine for a thousand Pieces yields its store Admit it do 't is worth two hundred more But these the Keepers have Mine is my own Accountable for ' its Fruits to me alone As for its care and sharers have I none Thou art that Vineyard Love my Vineyard Thou Who in the Flowry Gardens dwellest low Low but with all the Stars of th' Garden crown'd And Thy Companions sitting Thee around Attent and listning to Thy tuneful Voice O make me hear it and fulfil my Joys SPONSA Fuge Dilecte mi assimilare c. AND so Thou shalt LOVE bring the Day Haste it LOVE and come away On th' Spicy Mountain tops appear Swift as the fleet-wing footed Deer And driving thence the baleful Night On th' Spicy Mountains shed Thy Light Fleet as their heels and than their Horns more bright Veni Domine JESV Veni citò SOLI DEO GLORIA Cujus Amore inflammato corde haec occini Inscius licet indignus Suscipe laudes Famuli tui AMEN Apud Hartley Maudet Com. Southton in Vigiliâ Ascensionis MDCLXXVII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THE LEGEND OF LOVE CANTO I. I. SONG which the God of Love did first inspire Not he the blind and sottish World calls so No God nor ought save a wild raging Fire Which with incessant Bellows Lust does blow But HE to whom all things their being owe In whom alone they live in whom they move And by his Love made to perfection grow All who below adore Him or above The Mighty Lord of Hosts the very GOD of LOVE II. Song by the very God of Love inspir'd And of a thousand more the sacred Chief But wherein Salomon from himself retir'd Not what his Love but what was his belief Songs ill became the cause of all his Grief If love we to our Mortal Standart bring Whose spoils are Robbe'ries and whose God 's a thief Under Love's borrow'd name to th' World did sing LOVE is the borrow'd Name Holy Churches FAITH the thing III. Song which the borrow'd Name dost understand And all the Mysteries which in it lie For 't is the Dialect of the Heav'nly Land Nor as to us it sounds does signifie Blest Souls in Love discourse with the most High Thou who knowst this and more than this whence came The profanation of the Deity And how this lustful Earth took th' empty Name Embracing sulphu'rous clouds for its Gods purest flame IV. Tell the World Song whence first its madness grew Who knows not thâ— World is mad Thou best of all Which if 't were possible Inno'cence to renew To its first Inno'cence wouldst the World recal And more than e're it lost i th' wretched Fall By love Thou callst it and the Voice is known Well known 's the Voice but we too sensual So brutishâ— in our Lusts obscene are grown That call'd by it's name we think 't an Idol of our own V. Yet none of ours is what we ' have stol'n the name That Idol which we thus with Mirtles crown But with our form from Heav'n at once it came From Heav'n was with a Silver Cord let down And into the Souls mass divinely thrown To be its Salt miraculously contriv'd And first in Heav'n the name of Love was known From whence at length it hither was deriv'd And here a while such and so call'd in pleasure liv'd VI. In pleasure ' it liv'd and with its chang'd aboad Strangely surprizd was strangely pleas'd a-while At first perceiv'd not the unusual load But in her Face who should betray ' it did smile As fearless as unconscious yet of guile And to a Body tho it were design'd A Body as the Land of its exile All parts so ' agreeable and soft did find It s Tour seem'd thence enlarg'd more than confin'd VII For all with Spiâ—rits it did converse before It self a Spirit but when the Eternal Mind To new displays of his creating Power In beings of a lower Rank inclin'd Which Angels yet should not come far behind Soon as the great Resolve was past above And Man of all those Works the Lord design'd Love the first mover and the last did move That He whom all obey'd o're all should rule by Love VIII It mov'd thus and the motion was embrac't Al 's ' Love that made it downwards took its way And viewing how the Bodies parts were cast Seiz'd with the Spiâ—rit the scarce yet moulded Clay Nor for partition or nice choice did stay But blending both together seiz'd the whole Both in the whole whole both in each part lay And both together making th' humane Soul Th' unactive Matter did both quicken and controul IX The Spi'rit gave Life with what to Life pertain Sense Motion and the several Faculties A cheerful goodly and a pompous Train When rul'd as they ' ought and manag'd by the Wise The wise is Love that th' whole unites and ties And which where e're it undisturb'd does reign Makes th' earthly frame with th' Heav'nly sympathize Nor to rebel dare any passion strain When o're them reason o're that love does hold the rein X. Thus i th' first happy Pair a while Love reign'd And but a while with regal Soveraignty Who to its Lore so early both were train'd That Love it self as rapt in extasie Wondred what in dull Flesh the' effects might be It wondred but so chast and innocent So Love-conspiring every part did see And so obsequious to its great intent That Love it self enamour'd was of its descent XI Forthy the happy pair with sever'd flame Which yet in both was one to love inclin'd Two downwards only but rise'n whence it came Again collected in one point and joynd And still the higher rise'n the more refind They lov'd and so in Heav'n to love are seen Bright Seraphs nor could Differe'nce be assignd But that the Body here did croud between There by pure Spi'rits was dressed out the mighty Scene XII The new form'd Body here did croud between But all to love was so dispos'd and made In either Sex and with so Beauteous meen That either seem'd with other well appay'd And Love himself the Hymenaeal said For Love 's an He who proud of what was done And of Man most as fairest there Pourtraid
The form assum'd which likest was to ' his own And will but as a Male when sung in Verse be known XIII Love said it and Heav'n all he said approv'd By signs authentick which none durst deny The new Creation in soft measures mov'd And the whole World of beings waiting by Bow'd all a-down and blest the Augury They bow'd and blest it as they waiting stood They bow'd and blest it each tho near so high From the Angeliâ— Natures to the Brood Of Earth-born Vegetables and God saw 't was Good XIV 'T was good He saw for Man to have his Make Man saw no less 't was good for him to love And in his Arms the Virgin Bride did take With all the' endearments that affection move Nor Hell that lookt askaunce could th' Rites reprove In ' his Arms he took her as Superiour She as one yet who would be Conquer'd strove Till safe arriving at the Genial Bowre And conquer'd both Love each saluted Conquerour XV. There gentle purpose did they enterchange And all the innocent delights that make Blest Wedlock happy nor did think it strange Connubial pleasures to or leave or take For nor him Inn'ocence did nor her forsake And they who think it did or that the place Or state forbad such use 'i th sordice rake Of their own lusty-head fouly miss the case And on God's noblest Masterpiece retort disgrace XVI Think so who will for me and bear the shame Of such sad thought those just ones thought not so Nor God nor Love who kindled first the flame Wherewith they in desire alike did glow Desire unhappy never till 't would know Secrets of knowledg unpermitted it Unhappy knowledg source of all our Woe Unhappy Tree i th' midst oth Garden set Unhappy seen but tasted more unhappy yet XVII Forbidden therefore 't was but that alone What else beside Man could or wish or crave Enclosure Limit and Restraint had none Nor other Law than what Right Reason gave Right Reason unforc'd yet to be a Slave To ' its under Ministers a Lawless suit Of stubborn Lusts when they the Mastery have Less of the Man partaking than the Brute And are the dire effects of the forbidden Fruit. XVIII Too dire Effects if God had seen it fit Which Natures Course disturb'd and alter'd so That all the Bands which held it were unknit And quite revers'd the Pyramis did show Above a Front unshapely 'a point below Thus while 't was turning but once set upon It 's no Foundation for so grim a Brow Or which was but a point as good as none Down fell the Heap Hell trembled and the Earth did groan XIX Love was that Pyramis which whilst it stood As fixt by Heav'n on its own proper Base Matter in Mankind cemented by Blood Spiritous where Sense had lowest place Reason supreme whole Nature did embrace Which o're her Works such Robes of Beauty threw And with such Rays did th' Universe enchase That Instinct some the' rest Inclination drew Only to Love and what was lov'd by Love pursue XX. Love and Fruition of their Kind was the' whole Whither to ' arrive most Creatures did aspire By Sense led and arriv'd but Man whose Soul Had particles of an Aethereal Fire Aim'd at Fruition too but of what high'er And more sublime was laid up than his Kind Or that part of ' it his Flesh whence to retire In Innocence he found himself inclin'd The beauties of his own and of th' Eternal Mind XXI His Kind he lov'd as all things did beside All things beside his Kind he also lov'd In their due Rank but how to be apply'd To use th' Hypothesis was to be prov'd And thousand Stones to move and be remov'd E're Love he to so just an height could raise As in his Intellect it was approv'd That he from Earth to Heav'n by steps of Praise Might hourly mount and boldly tread God's secrer Ways XXII Deep in himself was the Foundation laid And in those Acts wherein he did partake With meaner Beings for his Empire made And of which some for Propagation make By their first Institution call'd Love by mistake Whose name they have engrost but Love Or cause or sign of Love no more are take But the Disguise off as bare Acts they prove Nor higher look than 't is Love naturally to move XXIII These therefore were laid deep and of the Pile If ought Substruction consecrate to Night The sense of Touch too subject to beguile Where Reason does not hold the Ballance right Reason wherein true Love and pure Delight Only consists and is the Fabricks Scale Uninterruptedly to ' ascend Heav'ns height To him who has the skill Heav'n thus to assail And o're th' Omnipotent by almighty Love prevail XXIV The first Man had that Skill and of his Love BEAUTY and GOOD the Object he it sought In that bright Sphere where it on High does move And thither by Reduction all things brought Which in their Season beautiful are wrought All that in others or himself he spi'd Which of the Heav'nly Goodness Trace had ought And by this Chain did an Ascent provide To th' Foot-stool of that Throne where its first Link was ty'd XXV By view hereof He upward did ascend Still upward as he cast his curious view The Higher any thing did upward tend The better 't was and much more Beauteous grew And with it from the Earth Love upward drew From th' Earth of which once having lost the sight Love more refin'd became by Objects new And all presented by a clearer Light That did exhaust the Flesh and ravished the Sp'rit XXVI For having past at length the Atmosphere By many a Stage the Flesh was left behind And now another Face of things appear And other Beauties that surprize the Mind On which to gaze he did strange Pleasure find And tho their Light excessive he scarce bear Seeing above his Journey unconfin'd Upward he presses still and void of Fear As perfect grown above the Skies his Head does rear XXVII Above the Skies he to those Heav'ns does mount Step after step ascending where there be For happy Souls as sacred Writ does count Mansions prepar'd for their sublimity The third Heav'n call'd and ' its Furniture does see With which he could delighted ever stay But that advanced to the last Degree That mortal Foot e're toucht a farther way By Wing to be dispatcht he ' espies Loves last Essay XXVIII So on he claps his best and largest Wings And swift as thought but more direct upright Than Eagle soars into a Welkin springs If so it may be call'd of Flame more bright And pure than what by this Worlds Sun and Light Can be compar'd and in blest Extasy With sacred Wonder but without affright Those fair Idaeas contemplates whereby Himself and th' World was made and there laid up do lie XXIX Ascended hither Love the place well knew As whence himself into our World came down Eve'n Man as nearer to his God he drew New
motions felt and Powers before unknown And swallow'd up in Speculation Forgot what ever he admir'd below Himself and Her whom he had left alone To wait ' his return and rapt he scarce knew how To th' Land of Love himself a Love transform'd did grow XXX For why that Tract the Realm of Love was stil'd And all who thither in deducted mind Leaving this lower Earth arrive are fill'd As the bright Region is with thoughts refin'd And Quintessence of Love but of what kind Impossible it is to be exprest And in a Chime of soundful Words design'd Which but Conceits are to our Fashion drest And if Immortal with the mortal Load opprest XXXI Suffice it Angels there Inhabited Rang'd all in their Trinal Triplicities Into a Body under Love their Head And ready all for some Renown'd Emprise Soon as the mighty Signal given is He saw it given and all before a Throne Of Heav'nly Diamond vailing each his Eyes Each Angel prostrate on his Face falls down And at its Foot-stool casts his Consecrated Crown XXXII From simple ANGELS as th' Inferiour Band To the ARCHANGELS led by Michael Then to DOMINIONS that the third Rank stand To VIRTUES then whose numerous Banners swell And PRINCIPALITIES of whom none fell With Rebel Lucifer ' or abbetted him To POWERS then and to THRONES whom who can tell And so up to th' eighth Order CHERUBIM But by the ninth compleat Love-flaming SERAPHIM XXXIII All these our Father saw by Love retir'd In and above Himself but o're them all One fairer yet to whom his Mind aspir'd Th' Incomprehensible Original In whom no Blemish and no Spot can fall By Love he saw Him and in Him the end And utmost point of Love enough to ' appall The Holie'st of his Sons who should descend From ' his after sinful Loins and thither after tend XXXIV But him the sight appall'd not rather fill'd With Images more fair his enlarg'd Brest And from the Principles his Love instil'd On naught less high could he affix his rest Or be content tho of the Earth possest The' whole Earth that in this Res'very view'd round Too scanty seem'd an Heav'n-born Soul to ' invest Too scant a Limit and too scant a Bound For what an Infinite was only equal found XXXV Excursions therefore into that he made Often Excursions into Infinite Infinite Love and Beauties seen display'd I' th' Prototype by Intellectual Light And Reasons yet undim'd discursive sight Tho when that fail'd or when t was weary grown Through ' excess of conceiv'd Vision as it might The' Almighties self would come in Person down And oft prevent Man's journey to Him with His own XXXVI Or come or send Him frequent Embassies Of Angels who still ready on the Wing With hasty flight from summit of the Skies Would seem to vie who should the Message bring And first approach the Favorite of their King Tho all the Message which they bore was Love And all their Service was but Ministring To one below them made yet who above Was Heav'ns great Care and greatest Ornament should prove XXXVII Not much below them while his Innocence On its Foundation did unshockt abide And perfect Love seen in obedience The nether World so fast to th' upper ti'd That Hell between them could not once divide One Heart one Business was in both approv'd One God alike in both was magnifi'd That mighty Axis round which both were mov'd And whom alike both prais'd and whom alike both lov'd XXXVIII Alike they lov'd and as they lov'd alike All Vertues in that Act did comprehend Which did in both an awful Reverence strike And careful made them lest they should offend But chiefly Man did thence his Mark intend With greater vigour as on whom was laid Fear for a Rein if Hell its Wiles should send For Death was threatned if he disobey'd And He not to be ' high-minded chose to be afraid XXXIX Love made him chuse so kind and wholesome Fear From which all Torment yet secluded was And but the brighter made his Love appear Like Beams reflected upon burnisht â—rass That their own Native Lustre thence surpass So shon his Love and thence his Temperance That the forfended Limit would not pass Nor to behold it care'd with wanton Glance What ever fond Conceit its Glories might enhance XL. Hence Justice hence true Magnanimity Prudence and Wisdom o're his Soul did flow And sacred Truth and peaceful Loyalty And all the Graces that to Love do owe Their Rise and into ' Eternal Rivers grow And all upon the Supreme Beauty plac'd That Good which still the more we come to know The more we ' admire till in its Arms embrac'd An end of all our Love we find the First and Last XLI Such was his Love and like it was his Praise A Service wherein with him Nature joyn'd Whole Nature and each part by several ways As with him in one love they were combin'd And various was the Anthems stops and kind Articulate by Man their High Priest made And in one sacred Hallelu-jah twin'd Which he as First-Fruits on Earths Altar laid And Heav'n with grateful Odours early did invade XLII Their Orisons which he each Morning paid With his fair Partner or by Angels taught Or whereof capable their Form was made By Images from Heav'n first thither brought And which they into perfect Figure wrought By Plastic Art of Words harmonious Which to the great Occasion came unsought And whether sung in Verse or said in Prose In Prose most powerful were in Verse most numerous XLIII For Verse and all that does to Verse belong In this lowe'r World had its first happy rise In Innocence which first invented Song And how so e're one may its Charms despise Or which is worse abuse in Paradise By Pause and Fugue's adapted to fit strains Was first perform'd to whose Discoveries The Sons of Verse now elocate their pains And save from Heav'n expect not their Immortal gains XLIV In Paradise discover'd first was Verse And Voice and Number with it given to Song And glorious Subjects which both did reherse Alternate and in Chorus as or long Or short returns did to the Ground belong But than of Love they sounded nothing more Or ofter or with Brest more large and strong The Love Divine whom thus they did implore In raptur'ous Odes and as they of it sang adore XLV They sang how All things their beginning had From Loves diffusive and Life-giving heat How Immaterial Spirits with Glory clad It s First-born were with Love as high and great As from this lower World 's remov'd their Seat Then how this lower World from Nothing rose And No-where in that beauteous order met That Place and Matter which the whole compose And circumscribe unconceiv'd Luster did disclose XLVI Not at an instant made but by degrees As confus'd Chaos could th' impression take In Six Days space and throughly purge its Lees Hell newly form'd more horrible to make And its own new made
Enmities off-shake For of such jarring Parts it was contriv'd And of such contrarieties did partake That it by Discord and Confusion liv'd A life such as it was with Death to be surviv'd XLVII So strove they thus would they have striven ever Till pittying their debate the Spirit of Love Calm'd the discordant Mole and did dissever Th' Eternal Combatants plac'd some above Others did to the deep Abysse remove Fast to be held in Adamantine Chain Whilst those few Parts that did more ductile prove Into Four Principles which all contain Themselves in all contain'd were solely left to reign XLVIII FIRE which as lightest took the highest place And upward rais'd its towring Head then AIR That followâ—d it but with unequal pace And tho it vy'd to be and look as fair Forc'd in the midst to hang self-ballanc'd there Next WATER which the Surface cover'd o're That pregnant Mother of the EARTH less rare In its vast Womb conceiv'd but which before It could emerge lackt mighty Love to force the Door XLIX And so it did but LIGHT was first to shine And an whole Day for that which makes the Day But little enough was thought i th' Mind Divine Through Darkness palpable to clear its way And all its various Beauties to display Darkness which tho but counted Privative Such claims to th heap whence 't was call'd out did lay That Love like equal shares to both did give Alternately each Day in Day and Night to live L. But harder were the teeming Waters Throes When on the second Day Earth nearer came To its great Birth like weight that heavier grows Long born and to break through disjoynts the frame The Waters pangs compar'd thus were the same When they divided burst but ne're to close Stopt by the solid FIRMAMENT whose Name Immoveable Partition does suppose By ' whose Shoar disjoyn'd upper and nether Ocean flows LI. And now the third Day of her Monstrous Child Half way deliver'd the Great Mother was Monstrous unsightly yet with Horrour fill'd Which in its Oasy Arms it did embrace And half supprest to the' Birth would ne're let pass But with it joyn'd one Monstrous Body made Above DRY GROUND below a confus'd Mass Part Earth with Briny Hatchments overlaid Part unmixt Water upon empty Nothing staid LII And called SEA as what appear'd was LAND Rough bare mishape't tho dry unbeautifi'd It self unbeautiful vast plains of Sand More horribly deform'd with terrors Pride Mountains that to ' Heav'n aspir'd and gaping wide With rais'd up Jaws threatned to swallow down In gorge unsatiate glories there envy'd And wrinkled Forehead which scarce made did frown And Omens give of Future War from cause unknown LIII Nor could there cause be gi'ven for a new Face From the' Love Divine it took and Nakedness Was cloath'd upon with all the Charming Grace Of Fruit and Flower and the grim Gyantess Its own Eternal Goodness to express Kind Heav'n illumin'd with a double Light The fourth Day made the greater and the less By Day the SUN with vital heat and bright To warm the MOON with starry Robe to ' invest at night LIV. Nor was this all but at the fifth Days dawn Earth and her Mother Sea replenished With new Inhab'itants were and every Laune And every Hill scar'd Solitude thence fled Legions of FOWL produc'd and kindly bred Which on large Wings above the Ground did fly But perching on some Tree made that their Bed Whilst Lakes and Streams and the huge Sea fast by With mighty WHALES were fill'd and with the lesser FRY LV. Fill'd were the Floods with these but still the Earth As whose Wing'd-People most partook of th' Air Their haunt impregnate with a second Birth For which disclos'd 't had room enough to spare Did on the sixth Day to disclose prepare And out all BEASTS and REPTILS in their kind Sprang from the fertile Womb proportion'd fair Each to its Nature but with Look declin'd To th' Earth whence tane to th' Earth whereto confin'd LVI Of these and other Works of God they sang In Lays harmonious as Love utterance gave Yet these and others which they lowdly rang Were but as Praeludes which with Mast'ry brave Their Voice shew'd and what compass Verse might have Verse which then triumpht in Recitative When they all other Grounds resolv'd to wave Sang of themselves and Him who at once did give One power to Sing thus to Him and like Him to live LVII A wondrous Work it was from Nothing thus All things in weight and measure up to raise And perfect Order form'd most beauteous Subordinate as different were the Ways Whereby their Maker would direct his Praise But none so Wondrous did and strange appear Of Power and Beauty with so rich displays As Mans Formation made the Rule to bear And sublim'd Earth equal to highest Heaven rear LVIII That Dust could Live in what was done before Was plainly told but that it too could love As Love all life in it contains and more All that or Reason knows or can improve Th' Eternal Treasures only were enough To drein and to be drein'd For God but spake And all below and all the Hosts above Being and Life from the great Word did take But Hands Divine Man's model were employ'd to make LIX By Hands Divine his Body first was wrought The full Abridgment of this World to be With curious Art to ' its last perfection brought But infinitely base in its degree To th' Soul the Pourtraict of the Deity Into his Nostrils breath'd that in his Brain Might be infixt the Heav'nly Ima'gry And Life with Vital Blood in every Vein To th' Parts extream convey'd the Character retain LX. Love was that Character in Holiness And perfect Purity exemplifi'd And Innocence which that first state did bless And Reason with them Empire to divide And o're th' Inferiour Appetite preside Which it restrain'd and furnisht with true Skill It self in all its Acts to curb and guide At least had power to do so and fulfil The Charge Divine close backt by Freedom of the Will LXI Blest Qualities which made him Lord and King Of all this lower World and Majesty On his Erected Countenance stampt did bring Heav'n down to Earth and Earth that flat did lie Advance'd to be for Angels Company Nay farther and what Angels did admire For its Aetern Exemplar the Most High Who with his Work delighted would retire Frequent from Heav'n as to divert and view it nighe'r LXII Himself hereby Man dexterously did guide And o're himself so absolutely reign The greatest Kingdom in the World beside And which all other Kingdoms did contain In ' it self in Chief or Vassalages Chain That only Peace and only what was Good And only Love was given for Love again With Charms that by no force could be withstood And centred in one Point Indivisible GOD. LXIII Hail happy state of Innocence thrice Hail Hail to Thy Love and Thee And may my Verse From thence inspir'd with generous Souls
prevail As they deserve Thy Wonders to reherse And through the World thy Sacred Name disperse No Theam like that so high can Numbers raise Or render more Humane Mankinds converse For if there any Vertue be or Praise They in Perfection shon in those first happy Days LXIV Ah! that those Happy Days should be so few Ended cut off e're scarce they were begun Whose early Happiness when known to Two A Third crept in by whom all was undone And Love unthron'd hard drive'n away to run Follow him Muse for if he should go wrong Thou art in danger too whose Fates are one With his Nor canst Thou be without him long But do it if thou'hast Courage in another Song THE LEGEND of LOVE CANTO II. I. I OFT am thinking whether Love was known To the World Heathen and what was their sense Of Man's and His Origination Or if of this first state of Innocence They any certain knowledg had and whence The Notice was deriv'd and to them came Dark as it was and turn o're Books but thence Am little satisfi'd find there the Name 'T is true but Pillars of black Smoak instead of Flame II. Fiction I there find has so Truth disguis'd That hard it is for one to know what 's true And amongst all the Vanities they priz'd How much or little 't was they truly knew And ancient Faith obscur'd with Fancies new Which diversly as diffe'rent was their Art They dressed out and 'mongst the People threw Part plain with lame or monstrous Figures part As in a scarce or not discover'd Countrys Chart. III. For there as We ' Hippogryphs and Satyrs place Or Seas or Carra'vans when there 's nothing found Of certainty to fill the empty space That each Man in his own sense may abound Just so did they but more the Truth confound With Fable as themselves it suited best Who so they did but keep the markt out bound Convey'd them by Tradition for the rest Left it to others as 't was left them to be ghest IV. A Godlike therefore 't was and Golden Age Tho little known to them who call'd it so And of it counted fill'd with ancient rage Not as it was but did at distance show Tho something 't is confest they seem'd to know And what they of it said by chance was true As to the main if somewhat we allow For the false Light and those who ' its Figure drew In Plane or Prospective and were but Copiers too V. By Negatives the Plane was most design'd And prov'd the Fairest and the luckiest Draught The Prospective was stiff and more enclin'd To an hard confus'd roughness scarcely brought To decence done by Images they sought In their own Breasts or Age by Heav'nly Light Unlumin'd and by false Priests blindly taught Love only made o're all to take his Flight Came nearest to the Truth if understood aright VI. For by a Child they Love did represent As his best Emblem under which disguise For such it was they hid with high intent Or rather plainly shew'd those Mysteries Which were conceal'd from base and vulgar Eyes Native Simplicity pure Innocence Absolute freedom from all touch of Vice An easie mildness Favours to dispense And all those Graces that its Actions influence VII Not that they would that Ages Faults approve In Lovers but its Vertues thence propound For tho a Child they made and painted Love Scarce such another Child i th' World was found By whose soft Hands were fiercest Lions bound Traind to his Yoke the Course of Thunder staid And all the Gods above and underground Which Gentilisms great Religion made As sottish as it was in heavy Fetters laid VIII Naked 't is true they feign'd him but just so As we who yet esteem our selves more Wise In Oratories naked Angels show Nor count it blame our selves thus to advise How open all we do or think to Heaven lies That from it nought we can or would conceal That from us banisht is all Artifice All which by ' his Nakedness Love does reveal And from his Step-dames Temples to the Church appeal IX But by his Fillet they such Lessons taught As the Worlds present Learning far out-goes Nor did the Master who design'd the Draught And for a Dia'dem put it on Loves brows E're think it would his Sacred Head expose Tho be ' it a Fillet what can it intend What teach but that which every Lover knows Eve'ry true Lover that to chuse a Friend Barely by sight 's beginning where scarce Fools would end X. His Eyes were therefore hid if hid they were From all commerce in Love to ' exclude the Eyes Which judging as the Object does appear Too oft impose impos'd by Flatteries False mirrors of an Heart which deeper lies The Heart where Love that 's true does first begin By Reason guided it s own worth to ' apprize Then by Discretion seld in Lovers seen Who still the more 's the outward glare see least within XI Eyes Intellectual he ' had wherewith agree Those Wings which they no less unto him gave I 'll Furniture for Love if Blind he be Who rather then would want a Guide to have Himself from dangers unforeseen to save But love himself alone was his own Guide Nor needed any others Conduct crave And with his Wings spread and extended wide A flight to Heav'n attempted none durst dare beside XII For why no Love it is whose vile desires Incline it downwards to the Miry Ground This Earth of ours which Sottices inspires Preying on Carnage there or made or found And with ignoble thoughts does most abound But that 's true Love and does deserve the Name Whose noble Acquists nothing mean can bound And mindful of the Region whence it came Thither aspiring terminates with Heav'n its Fame XIII Like Wings like Quiver With bright Arrows fill'd Of different sorts but with like Mystery As is well known to them who in Love are skill'd Well taught what Motions in the Mind there be And how both Love and Hatred there agree Hatred of all that bears the' impress of ill With love of all that 's good in its degree The Choques and just fixt byass of the Will Which make up Love and all its various parts fulfil XIV The Golden pyl'd its Inclination prov'd Leaden Aversion ne're to be deny'd Or if thereof there should be Question mov'd The Torch Love bore his other Arms beside Too bright did shine the Mystic Truth to hide That Soul of th' World that all things keeps intire In Life and Motion nobly Typifi'd Noblest of Elements but yet rais'd hi'gher Than place'd at first when made Loves noblest Symbol Fire XV. Thus by the Ancients Love was first express'd And tho a Child their God most ancient own'd Older than Saturn whom Jove dispossess'd Of Right usurpt and in his stead was Crown'd Son of Vrania as in Books is found Venus Vrania whom we Heaven call With them who their Mythologie expound Distinct from that Pandeme who was
thus shame on those Whose either Atheism or Impiety Dare the Tremendous Figure or expose Or subject make it of foul Raillery And to vile Lust embase the Mystery That of their Happ'ness have so little sense Their God their Souls and their Civility That they with things most sacred can dispense And rather than not give it take from Heav'n offence XLVII From Thee most sacred and inspired Song The humblest Condescention of Heav'ns King From which my roving Verse has stray'd too long Led by the Mock-love and now late does sing Next that the humblest which with Saffron Wing Gabriel the True-loves mighty Harbinger Foretold to the' EVER-VIRGIN e're the thing Was full accomplisht and thereof did bear When done first News and what the signs to know him were XLVIII Signs too unlikely till by Angels told Whereby the Maker of all things to find For who would think a simple Cratch should hold Eternal Majesty mean Swathings bind Th' Incomprehensible and Unconfin'd And that an Ox and Ass were company To Scorn enur'd and labour by their kind In an Inns-Stable fit for God Most High And that a Babe should be that God and expos'd lie XLIX Yet signs they were with Heav'n which suited best And best with God when God should Flesh appear And so was Wedlock thence to be exprest E're that time came the Image he should bear Or rather what our selves allyed to ' him near Nearer by Purchase than Creation Should thence become like Glories with him wear And since to us it could not else be known Till Man to Heav'n should rise high Heav'n to Man bring down L. By Love to bring it And by Love HE brought it Who all the Mysteries of Love did know Second alone to Loves dear self who taught it As or above it was or as below And in thee Song its Mystic Power did show Not as thy Words to ' us sound but as thy Sense To th' Church apply'd by â—oly Churches Vow Must be expounded with this Difference Of God 't is Figure All of Man all Innocence LI. Of Soul and Body but of Soul the most Whose Acts and Motions Thou dost most intend By views Material to our Light dispos'd But where the Matter does all Act suspend And shadows what it cannot comprehend Is nothing or as nothing how e're laid Compar'd with what comparison does transcend Nor meant at all tho by it all is said That 's said of Love which through its broken Pipe 's convey'd LII So wouldst Thou Song so must Thou be understood And short of this who e're Thy Flight would bound To th' Deity sacrifices Human Blood And fixes on th' Impassible that Wound Which the Mock-love to offer had astound For He soon as he heard the words Divine His Sentence in them and his Doom he found At which affrighted back he did resign All he before usurpt nor ought had to rejoyn LIII Happy he so could scape tho e're away Cast and condemn'd he into Exile went The True Love who long waited for that Day Hymen his great Embassadour down sent To beg some Exemplary Punishment And Caution that he would return no more But all the Caution which to give he meant Was but his Word nor longer tâ—at than Power Should fail him to attempt what he had done before LIV. For Punishment 't was yet too early Day To move or hope Himself enough had done By those Spoyls which unforce'd he down did lay The Jurisdiction of Heav'ns Court to own Whom that acknowledgment must serve or none And out he went with stern and bloody Eyes And bitter Railings on blest Hymen thrown Who all his Railings did no less despise Content since he no more could get with the bare Prize LV. Marriage restor'd to ' its Just and Ancient Right And all th' Intents to which it was design'd Marriage which once secur'd does Souls unite And made in Heav'n to Heav'n so near is joyn'd That only there we purer Love can find Marriage of th Fallen World the best Estate Marriage most Honourable with Mankind Which to abuse a Man his Flesh must hate Marriage God's Blessing when He gave o're to create To the Muse ODE PINDARIC I. STROPHE BUT whither bear'st Thou me O Love Sovereign Disposer of all things Beyond the flight of Verses Wings Which after Thee a Course unequal move So swift Thy passage is and wondrous light Scarce can I of Thee get the sight And all so here and there So unconfin'd and every where Appear Thou dost and disappear A Phantosm Thou would'st reckned be But that whole Nature lives alone by Thee I. ANTISTROPHE From Heav'n to Earth from Earth again To Heav'n who has Loves Journy trace't Hail ye bright Stars which saw him last And greater Lustre by his grant obtain You last of all his parting Charge receiv'd And still to keep it are believ'd In times and seasons thence Which you to all his Works dispense With kind and wholesome Influence And at his Thrones dread Footstool wait Illustrious Guards and Messengers of Fate I. EPODOS Happy the Man whose noble Soul Hath rais'd him to a pitch so high That he the Heav'ns as they about him roll Undazled can behold with curious Eye And every Mystic note That 's in their Mighty Volume wrote As clearly understand As if acquainted with no other hand Yet happier He by far Who like the Kings first guided by a Star Obtains like Royal Grace Into the Sacred Presence usher'd thus to pass II. STROPHE An Honour done but to a few As few there be who care to joyn Their quest to th' search of Love Divine Thither applying what from thence they drew Heav'ns Priests and Loves who have the lucky skill Both Services at once to fill Nor like the most all day Or Idle stand or play And gaze tho' on Heaven their Age away Of Love who largely boast the Name But never saw his Light or felt his Flame II. ANTISTROPHE At once both Services he fill'd Whom the Muse sings both knows the best Of any who e're those Gifts possest In Books so different so divinely skill'd Natures and God's the Gloss that this the Text And read together unperplext While that by ' it self alone Read as too oft is done But Altars rears to ' a God unknown To th' True this does a way provide But difficult to walk without a Guide II. EPODOS Not SETH whose Pillars Fabulous Surviv'd the all-devouring Flood Taught the New World the Half he teaches us Were all he taught as well but understood Tho when of Love He treats And His high Mysteries repeats All hear and what is heard By all for certain Truth is so rever'd The ravisht Soul resents Its teadious stay and future joys prevents Rapt in Ecstatic Fires To the Divine Aboads almost i th' Flame expires III. STROPHE Witness Thou Sarums sacred Pile Which from the day Thou first cam'st down From the parcht neighbouring Hill the Town Attending Thee and shouting all the while None
by the Rivers side Whose loaded Boughs in Fruits return Their Tribute to the Tide No Storm or Drought shall make him fade But he unmov'd shall stand Nor shall Success less prosp'rous crown What e're he takes in hand No so the Wicked who as Chaff By Tempests rais'd on high The triumph of fierce Winds are made And as they drive them flie Unlike in Life unlike shall be The ends which on them wait Whilst these in Judgment cannot stand And those are prais'd i th' Gate For why the ways of Righteous Men Unto the Lord are known But Sinners ways hid to themselves Unto the Dead lead down PSAL. LVII Miserere mei Deus miserere GREAT God on whom I have reli'd Whose Mercy is my stay Under Thy Wings or let me hide Or on them flie away Or hide or flie until the Storm Which threatens me is past Thou all things for me dost perform In Thee my hope is plac'd To God I 'll cry who shall descend From Heav'n i th' Fight to close And while his Love does me defend His Truth shall slay my Foes With Lions Lord my Soul lies down shut up within their Den Lions so fierce were never known Cruel and bloody Men. Whose Tongues are Swords and Eyes all Fire With gore and slaughter Red And who against me all conspire To look or speak me Dead Yet set Thy Glory ' above the Skies O're th' Earth exalted be For tho so high I cannot rise Thou mayst stoop down to me Thou didst so for as I lookt round Pensive and full of care My prostrate Enemies strew'd the Ground Each tane in his own Snare Fixt is my Heart to sing Thy Praise T is fixt and I 'll rejoyce Awake my Harp and with Thee raise To Heav'n my tuneful Voice I will awake too and my Song To th' Nations shall rehearse Mercies whose Praise to Heav'n belong Worthy an Angels Verse Lord set Thy Glory ' above the Skies O're the Earth exalted be Lo how thy Son does thither rise Lift from the Grave by Thee Turn'd and Transcrib'd with the following Psalm for an Hymn upon Easter-day 1671. PSAL. CXIV In exitu Israel de c. WHEN Israel was by God's address And his Almighty Hand From Bondage led and wondrously Brought to the Promis'd Land In Judah God his Glory shew'd And did his Power declare Israel his great Inheritance Temple and Empire were The Sea it saw and suddenly Amaz'd rose up and fled The parted streams of Jordans Flood Ran trembling to their Head Aside the Mountains leapt like Rams And to the Hills did show The Hills which shook like frighted Lambs The way which they should go What ail'd the Sea that all amaz'd So suddenly it fled And what made Jordans parted streams Run trembling to their Head Why did the Mountains leap like Rams And to the Hills first show The Hills which shook like frighted Lambs The way which they should go Confess O Earth thy Soveraign Lord And at his Presence quake Before the Face of Jacob's God Bow and Obeysance make 'T is he who caus'd those Rocks to hear And when Thy Springs are dry Can from their flinty Bowels fetch Streams which shall never die PSAL. CLI According to the LXXII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. I. YOUNGEST of all my Brethren and the least In the Jessean House to ' a Service I enclin'd Which both my Age and Innocence suited best And best the Throne to which I was design'd My Fathers Flock was early set to keep And how to govern Men first learn among my Sheep II. I kept and fed them with a pious care And as they fed my Harp and Pipe assayd Them and my self to please did Songs prepare And variously as pensive Shepherd playd Till having wearied out an humbler String A bolder flight I dare'd Israels Great God to Sing III. But who such Praise can worthily rehearse I strove my best and it acceptance found With Heav'ns Blest King who to approve my Verse A double Glory round my Temples bound By ' his Prophets Hand there plac'd the Regal Crown From the Flock calling me the Poet 's with his own IV. I many Brethren had and great of Might All valiant Men and all renown'd in War Oft tri'd but God in them took no delight For Causes tho from us removed far To ' himself best known who sees not as Man sees But as the Heart is judges and gives Dignities V. For that and his own Pleasure He chose me And having chosen call'd me forth to fight With Raphas Giant-son whose blasphemy Levell'd at Heav'n on his own Head did light By ' his Gods he curst me and his Gods he curst Himself as the chief God propitiating thus first VI. But such curse Proof I out against him went The firmlier arm'd as he disarm'd thereby And certain Death into his Fore-head sent E're he the place could guard or turn to flie He fell I ran to th' lifeless Monster came From him with 's own Sword took his Head from Israel shame Job cursing his Birth After this opened Job his Mouth and cursed his Day And Job spake and said Pereat dies in qua natus sum MAY the Day perish and it s hastly flight Be still be still retarded by a sluggish Night The Day unhappy Day whereon 't was known My Mother could that name and sorrows own Let it look black as Hell no Ray appear Nor on it God in common Light draw near But unregarded may it from above To ' all other Days a different Circle move Augment the last Nights gloom and ne're be found But in a Sea of Rapes and Murder drownd Let Deaths grim Terrors on it ever dwell Of if 't has Light let it be such as fell On Sodom when avenging Heav'n did showr Tempests of Fire and flouds of Lightning pour And for the Night if yet it were the Night For any Day too bad which first disclos'd the sight Dark of it self let Horrour on it seize And when all others welcome are for th' ease And respit which they bring the toilsome care Of pains which in their Curtains hidden are Let it be Curst too and by ' a fatal Breath Doom'd not the shadow of it but very Death Sad dismal solitary know no Joys No chearful shouts but a dull confus'd noise Of Groans and Shrieks as when the parting Soul Labours in vain its dest'iny to controul And as the Criminal who to die next Morn The pity of the many and their Scorn Curses its shortness and does think it done Sooner than other Nights are well begun Let it abide Curst and grown Ominous Its Tale in some prodigious ruine lose Black be its Twilight in it rise no Star But such as when 't is seen tho from a far Famine portends and Blood and the Worlds flame And all the Plagues that have or have not Name Let it expect the Light and pine away To Darkness palpable but see no Day With thousand Curses more And Day
But in all else more secret Snares than we Till by them Caught shall ever know From this to clear it and restore To th' Garden what it had before And perfect Innocence add one Beauty more As there fall'n Man his Life first forfeited There to Redeem him first the Blood of God was shed VI. How grievous were his Pains there and how great Burning tho in the frosty shades of Night Shivering with Cold but in a Bloody Sweat And all dissolv'd at his approaching Passions Sight Thrice did He his Disciples leave And thrice to his Great Father pray'd Thrice to himself He answer made And by an Angel did support receive But O! th' Assaults that were within Compar'd with which his Bodies Flame Was temperate heat and scarce deserv'd the Name When in his Soul the Burning did begin And Hell to ' encrease the Fire did Mines of Brimstone bring A thousand Fiends about him flew And Coals and bailful Firebrand threw That seiz'd at length the noblest Part Beyond the weak defence of Nature or of Art And unconsum'd did only leave the Heart VII The Heart did unconsum'd remain By the Arch-Fiend With its own Grief to burst design'd When in the Judgment Hall again He should the Charge renew but all in vain Thither betray'd by 'a Kiss the Traytors bring With Fetters bound Heav'ns Sacred King Where being Cited and Blasphem'd Flouted Scourg'd Spat upon Derided and Contemn'd By them Revil'd deny'd by ' His own A Reed in ' his Hand his Head with Thorns they Crown And lead to Golgotha their God whom they ' had Condemn'd VIII Follow Muse if thou hast the heart and see What other Torments they prepare I know the utmost of their Cruelty And from thy Mouth had rather hear The sad Report than a Spectator be Yet that thou mayst not stand thy self surpriz'd Stript off his Clothes in Nakedness disguiz'd To th' Cross they 'll nail his Hands 't is said And bore with Nalls his tender Feet Then all his Sufferings to upbraid Cry If Thou art the Son of God let 's see 't Now from the Tree triumphantly come down Or reign thence like Thy self alone Or any other Wonder show Whereby Thy De'ity may be known And to its Scepter we will bow As if there greater Miracle could be Than all that Patience which they do but will not see IX Nor is this all but when He 's Dead His Side they 'll open with a Spear Approach the Wound and look what Blood is shed For it Mysterious will appear And be another Argument for thee next Year A better Spring will thence arise Than Helicon so Fam'd of old There bath thy self if thou art wise Nor fear in those chast Streams to be too bold But see be sure too long thou dost not stay For all the while Thou art away Tears only from these Eyes will flow And in my Fancy I shall double o're All that I have told thee now before And all that thou return'd will'st tell again and more Beside my Verse will fetter'd be and slow And want both Wings to flie and Feet to go 10. Martii 166â— EPIGRAM WHen my God Di'd I first began to Live And Life which he refus'd Heav'n me did give Unlike that Day O how unlike we were Him dead the Cross me ' alive the Knees did bear But may not I die too This life of mine I can as well as Thou dispise if not like Thine Ah dearest Lord this Legacy bestow A double Life then to Thy Death I 'll owe And sanctifi'd thus in my Birth by Thee A living Death my dying Life shall be 5. Decemb. 1668. An Extasie of Divine Love Aquesta Divina Vnion c. I. THat sacred Bond of Charity Wherein I uncorrupted Live Makes God the Captive Chain receive But my pinion'd Heart sets free Tho causing still such love in me To see Heav'ns King my Pris'ner lie That I die 'cause I cannot die II. How teadious now this Life is grown The way to Death how hard and long How dark the Dunge'on th' Ir'ns how strong With which my ' unwilling Soul 's kept down And has no trust but hope alone These thoughts my Troubles raise so high That I die 'cause I cannot die III. Bitter Life shalt thou be to me Where I my God can ne're enjoy But if my Love has no alloy My hope as try'd and pure may be Ah! come my Lord and set me free Take off this weight which makes me cry That I die 'cause I cannot die IV. By hope alone it is I Live Hope that I bear the seeds of Death And dying once a second Birth Secures that Hope and Life do's give O Death I 'll ne're thy coming grieve When Life succeeds through hope so nigh That I die 'cause I cannot die V. Who can the Charms of Love refuse Ah Life no more my Heart betray 'T is only thou stand'st in my way Which rather than my Love I 'll loose And Death for my great Champion choose So much alate thy Enemy That I die 'cause I cannot die VI. The Life alone that 's hid above Can of true Life the Title claim That Toy which here usurps the Name Its pleasure hides and deads our Love And a worse Foe than Death does prove Death for whose sake I Life so flie That I die 'cause I cannot die VII What can I give frail Life but thee To th' God who in me deigns to live Yet how can I the nothing give Till he first grants me Liberty O let me die his Face to see But that 's so distant from my Eye That I die 'cause I cannot die VIII Beside my God from thee away Who would not of a Life complain That terrible and full of pain Suffers a thousand Deaths each Day A Mortal but a slow decay And this so swells my Misery That I die 'cause I cannot die IX All Creatures love their Element And pleasure there enjoy and rest And if by Death they are disseas'd To their first nothing they are sent But I 'm beyond kind Death's extent And yet so many hardships try That I die 'cause I cannot die X. When in the Eucharist my dull Soul Eating thy Flesh it self would ease A thousand thoughts for entrance press And there not to enjoy Thee whole Whole and alone I a ' new condole For 't is the Voice of every Sigh That I die cause I cannot die XI I please my self i th' Hopes 't is true E're long my God of seeing Thee But fearing lest they false should be My Torments with my Fears renew And both so close my Soul pursue Hoping mid both so heartily That I die 'cause I cannot die XII Lord from this Death deliver me And Life thus beg'd at length bestow Why should I still be kept below Look how I die for love of Thee And since enjoy'd Thou canst not be In this Lifes death regard my cry That I die 'cause I cannot die XII My dying Life
there What e're she spake in a deep Character Fixt and Compos'd she thus resum'd her part VII Si come piacque c. Know then 't was our Eternal Father's Will That we like Him should both Immortal be But what 's all that to you the while Wretches enamour'd of your Slavery For whom 'twere better that the fault were ours Of all the disrespect we find than that 't is only yours Courted and Lov'd we were of Old But now to such a Pass reducâ—d That she to Heav'n and Contemplation us'd Has taken Flight to reach her ancient hold I stay'd behind a while but have been so abus'd That thither too Iâ— ll 'scape e're long And only where she gives the ground inspire the Song For of my self I'm but her empty shade Then turning as about to go But first receive as both our Gift she said This Wreath which we for you together made And with her Hands she bound Immortal Bays my Temples all around Comiato To FERNHAM Song I 'd have thee go Where thy great Patron at first sight will know Both what 's thy Sense and Mystery Nor needs thou Him as thou must others show When they ask who these Virgins be That one is sacred POESY Th' other the Heav'nly Maid THEOLOGY With whom thy Master long since deep in Love And destitute of Friends The fair One in his Suit to move Thee on the Message to his Palace sends Only remember thou his Leisure wait And nor intrude too soon nor stay too late If He says thou art none of mine And so to Petrarch more incline Tell him our Thoughts were equal as our Fate And that there lacks one Spirit to Write and to Translate 1668. Sonnet of the same Ad promotionem in S. S. Ordines PRepare thy Chariot Love and heaviest Chain That for my Muses Sister this for me For I at length have got the Victory And loaded thus must grace her pompous Train I 'm Conqueror and the Arms which did obtain The mighty Spoil were Importunity Freedom renounc'd and sacred Vows to be Her Slave o're whom I should the Victory gain Mysterious War yet since thou dost delight Great Love thy Sov'raignty to exercise In such unheard of Contrarieties Lo how I suit my entrance to the Fight The Victor is in Chains led Captive Home And she in Triumph Rides who was o'recome ODE The Apology I. Quel antiquo mio c. CITING my old and cruel Master Love Before that Queen which holds our part Divine And first descending from the Seats above i th' Brain enthronâ—d with Heavenly Light does shine I shew'd my self like Gold by Flames made fine Loaded I came with Horrour Grief and Fear Those heavy Chains my Jaylor on me laid As is a Wretch who begs his Judg to hear Tho Self-condemn'd and of pale Death afraid I bow'd to th' Bar and all in Tears thus said In an ill Hour Great Queen I toucht the Land Of this false Prince where Rage and Pride command And where even from a Youth I underwent Such different Torments that with Pain quite spent My Life seem'd more a burden than delight And Patience was o'recome tho next to Infinite II. Cosi ' l mia tempo c In Pains and Anguish spending thus my Age How many Seasons did I Fool despise My self in Noble Studies to engage Whereby in Wealth I might and Honour rise Deceiv'd of both by empty Flatteries But where 's the Wit that can such Words command And at its pleasure fit Expressions call That others may my Miseries understand And how I 'm just to implead this Criminal How little Hony has Love and how much Gall I tasted both but both were temper'd so The sweet above the bitter lay below Seducing to fond Amours by surprize A Soul if I mistake not made to rise And up in Heavn Exalted look more fair Nor did Love only brake my Peace but rais'd new War III. Questi m' ha fatto c. My God I 'm sure He less has made me love Ten thousand times less than a Creature ought Nor could I to my self more faithful prove While for a Mistress I by him was brought To slight compar'd with her all other thought Love was my Counsellor that Enemy Whom here I charge who ' exciting my desire Whilst all in vain I for Repose did cry Permitted me no leisure to respire But to asswage the burning brought more Fire Alas what profit's it to have a mind By Heav'ns best Gifts and purest Flame refin'd Since tho my Hairs through Age I 'm changing still I ne're O ne're can change my ' unruly Will Become to this fierce One so much a Slave By use that it were Death my Liberty to have IV. Cercar m' ha fatto c. Strange Coasts he ' has made me seek and Forraign Lands And thousand Perils blindly undergo Sometime by Robbers sometime rolling Sands Ready to be devour'd rude Manners know And Pilgrim like no Guide my way to show Mountains I ' have past and Vales rough Storms and Seas Treading on Snares too close to be descry'd And in my wandrings stranger than all these Have Winter seen on th' Wings of Summer ride With Dangers only running by my side But nor him nor my other Enemy Could I by flight escape or secresie So that with Death if I unconquer'd strove The thanks are Heav'ns and none belong to Love This tyran Love who by my Grief revives Feeds on my Pain and by my Torment only lives V. Poi che suo fui Not one free Hour since his have I enjoy'd Nor hope to ' enjoy eve'n sleep from the sad Night Is bannisht and my former rest destroy'd In vain by Herbs or Charms I seek my right For what by Fraud he ' has got he keeps by Might Usurping Tyran and he knows 't is true When I add further my just Charge to swell The Darkness only did my Pain renew Nor wanted I oft heard times Passing-Bell Who by my Groans the weary Hours could tell What more Gnawing he in my Brest does lie And long sought Death does to th' assault defie Hence flow my Tears and hence my Flames arise Hence my Complaints and all those dolorous Sighs With which my self I tire and others too Great Queen who knowst us both between us Justice do VI. Il mio Adversario I spake but Love all in a rage reply'd Now t'other part Great Queen be pleas'd to hear The Truths which this Ingrate has sought to hide I to your Clemency will make appear And Sentence till I ' have spoken too forbear Know then this Wretch with Mercenary Breath Not Words alone but Lyes had learnt to sell Till I his Youth reclaim'd and from that Death Whither he was hasting brought him sound and well In pure Delights sore ' against his Will to dwell I was his Guide by me he first arriv'd At th' happy Port where he has safely liv'd And this he grieves this he calls Misery And all thoâ—â— unsought
Favours shown by me A Fame which by his Birth he ne're had gain'd Till I who rais'd his Wit that Honour too obtain'd VII Ei sa che'l grande Atride He knows that Menelaus and Achilles too And Anibal and a greater than all these The mighty Scipio I did once subdue And after all their Wars enslav'd in Peace Giving them Waiting-Maids for Mistresses But for him Wretch a Love so sacred chose And of a Million so beyond compare That Heav'n alone such sublim'd Beauties knows This World has nothing half so bright or fair Not Rome it self tho its Lucrece were there Nor was this all but gave withal a Voice And of Harmonious Numbers so great choice Such skill to Sing that nothing base or low E're reacht his Thoughts except his Malice now These my Deceits were these my Flatteries For which I 'm charg'd which other would as Honours prize VIII Questo fu il fel c. This was the Gall these the Disdains and Ire Favours too great to be so soon forgot By which I kindled the most sacred Fire But see the Blaze my Labour answers not Who for a thankless Man thus long have wrought If under me he has the Skill attain'd To Ravish all who do his Numbers hear If with the Good he such Respect has gain'd And with the Great that to ' him they Deference bear How high so e're he Soar'd I fixt him there Till now perchance some servile Wretch he ' had been A Brawler at some Bar without esteem But I first rais'd him made him first be known Nor were those Arts he Riots in his own But in my School he first procur'd the Grace And then from her who next me his great Mistris was IX E per dir al extremo c. Yet last of all hear his grand Slavery And you will think he ' has reason to complain From thousand Chains of Vice I set him free By Her whose Favour he could never gain By any Act which had the smallest stain Temp'rate and Modest in design and deed Since a Liege Man of hers he still has been Who with great thoughts his abject Soul did feed And of her self i th' Cure threw so much in That to be her like he did strait begin What e're he boasts then worthy Praise or Fame From us the Spoilers of his Fortune came But ne're was Dream so wild or humorous To it self so strange as he has been to us For tho by us he 's known to God and Man The Happiness he or repents or does disdain X. Anchor questo è qual c. There 's one thing more which all the rest out-does I gave him Plumes to mount above the Skies By Mortal things which to the Man who knows The Learning like a Towring Pyramis To the first Maker by degrees arise For seeing well how great and wondrous fair Vertue in her whom he ador'd did shine From thence he might to ' himself present the Air By Heav'nly Vision of the Cause Divine As himself sings and proves this Charge of mine But I 'm forgot now and with me that Dame I gave him to support his Life and Fame Whereat I shriekt and answer'd tho in pain Well might he give who took her soon again Not I but God from whom She first did come He smartly turn'd with him would have her live at Home 1967. XI Al fin ambo c. Then pressing both to th' Bar I trembling clamorous he and over rude Both of us did in one Request conclude Great Queen we wait what Sentence you will give On both she smil'd but did us both deceive Pleas'd with your Pleadings are we she reply'd But it requires more time your Difference to decide BALLAD Prophane Love LOVE is a Net and Love 's a Snare A Thief disguis'd is Love Poyson below Honey above A Serpent under Flowers most fair Fatal as Death whose bitings are A Whirl-pool sounded ne're to be And a soul Sea from Tempests never free Love is a Lion robb'd of his Prey A Wolf with Famin pin'd Love is a Fortress undermin'd A Fire whose flames no Floods allay Flattery which does our Life betray A Labrinth pleasant to the Eye But without Clew to guide the Wand'rer by Love is a â—â—ck of Ambushments A weeping Crocodile A Syrene us'd to Sing and Spoil And all the Lovers false Contents Are Frauds which he too late resents Love 's an incurable Disease And War eternal mid vain boasts of Peace Dirupisti Domine vincula mea Tibi hostiam laudis Sacrificabo SONNET Loves Exaltation ENLARGE Thy flight Love said I and on high Raise my dull Soul those Beauties to admire Which in the Heav'nly Treasuries do lie And Mortal Brests with holy Flame inspire Shew me the Spring of that Celestial Fire Design'd our Earthy Dross to purifie But after which in vain below we ' enquire Who sit down i th' warm Sun of a fair Eye So up he rais'd me but no Tongue can tell What I in Rapturous Vision did behold My Love I found was Pure and made me bold This only I remember very well So high we soar'd till on an Arch above I saw inscrib'd SACRED TO HEAVENLY LOVE ODE The Thoughts I. I'vo pensando c. FULL of strange Thoughts and pensive as I go A tenderness which to my self I owe So strongly does my Mind assail And so insensibly prevail That all in Tears I flow But for my own misfortune now And not anothers Cruelty as I was wont to do For seeing every Day my end draw nigh A thousand times of God I 've begg'd those Wings With which from this lewd World and Mortal things Th' unpinion'd Soul to Heav'n does flie And beg still but he does the Grace deny And tho I Sigh and Grieve and Pray That Happiness does countermand But reason 't is that he who will not upright stand When 't is in his own Power or wilfully must stray Low as the Earth should lie and never find his way I see 't is true th' Eternal Arms extended wide But my own Fear and others Fate Who have deferr'd till 't was too late Make me tremble at my present state Another Tyran too beside Whom oft to throw in vain I oft have try'd Furiously spurs me on Ah! Whither will he ride II. L'un pensier parla c. But Lo what thoughts my mind assault And how to it thus One roundly says Why foolish Thing why these delays What lookt-for Succour causes such an Alt Seest thou not how the winged Minutes pass And add more Years to thy Disgrace And yet thy help as far to seek as e're it was Take rather take thy last Farewel And do it quickly every Root destroy Of fruitless Pleasure which couldst thou enjoy In its Perfection for it thou must sell Thy Soul and Liberty and in an hurry dwell But since thou ne're canst that expect And in the toilsome quest art tir'd Of what so much admired Yet which the glozing
I 'm fearful lest Lifes way being rough and long I from it turn by my own or Foes deceit I have a Friend 't is true that from Heav'ns height Came down to free me and redress my Wrong Of love he came but quickly ' amidst the throng I lost him whose return in vain I wait Upwards he flew and flying thus did cry Burd'ned and weary Souls behold your Way Hither come hither to me and find Rest What Grace what Love my Lord what Destiny Will give me a Doves wings on which I may Mount from this Earth and be of Heav'n possest SONNET To the same Purpose Poi che voi io piu vòlte c. SINCE you and I my Friend so oft have prov'd How false our Hopes and full of Vanity To that best Good at length thy Heart apply Which still the more 't is known the more 't is lov'd The present Life 's a Field till thus improv'd In which midst Flowers an hidden Snake does lie And tho its Verdure please the wanton Eye Death from th' unwary Foot 's not far remov'd Would you then have a Mind at last secure And endless Joys in which thou mayst persever Follow the Few to them thy Steps inure And all thou canst to leave the most endeavour Brother you teach well but youâ—self first sure Who oft have stray'd yet more of late than ever SONNET To the now M rs M. W. under the feigned Name of Iärma with the Parable of the Pilgrim ATEDIOUS Age I like this Pilgrim spent In search of that fair Place where Heav'n design'd I should an end of all my Travels find But still I stray'd the more the more I went I stray'd till Clelia in a Vision sent Illustrious Rays diffus'd o're all my Mind And made me see the Way lay far behind Whose entrance was my Wandrings to Repent She told me what Companions I should take How Resolution and Humility And Faith and Charity I should provide If I a prosperous Journey hope'd to make But where dear Clelia do these Graces lie Iärma has them all make her your Guide 1666. SONNET To the Reverend Mr. J. G. TO GOD it is my Friend and you I owe What I have been the twenty Years that last In various Changes o're my Head have past And forty more if Heav'n shall on me throw How good so e're I by that time may grow For Great I wish not and who makes less haste To your account shall be at th' Audit plac'd Who Virtues Path by few trod mad'st me know And timely didst my wandring Youth reclaim By Grave Advice tho not so reckoned then The more my Folly how e're it has been since But when the Spirit Divine to blow begins What Boys we scorn'd we follow close grown Men And the kind Warner have in greatest Fame SONNET On the Picture of our LORD represented on the Cross as Dead Pietoso quanto accorto c. SOMETHING there was Great Master more than chance That Thou the Pencils Wonders to express And therein Thy more wonderous Hands address Tookst my Dead Lord the Colours to advance Pity directed Thee that Choice to make And having in Thy Pious Brest design'd To shew how rude the Jews Thy Self how kind His Pale and Lifeless Form resolve to take 'T was nobly done for hadst Thou made him breathe Ever in Torment he had seem'd to live And from Thy Hands a greater Wound receive Than all their Cruelty contriv'd in his Death For such Thy Picture is now he enclines his Head That he would Groan and Speak but that he 's Dead St. Paul done by Titian A Madrigal DEAD to the World and far from Heav'n remov'd Long'd for by him so much and so much lov'd The blessed Paul while here Did really as Dead appear But in Thy Colours Titian looks so warm and clear So Mortifi'd and yet so full of Life That the most curious need not be at strife But confidently swear If they could both together see The true with this design'd by Thee Such breathing Strokes do from Thy Pencil fall Live Paul's the Draught Thy Draught the living Paul 1668. SONNET The Vanity of thinking to get Fame by Riming WHAT dost Thou Man what thinkst Thou to what end Of old Bards emulous and their ancient Praise In Riming spendst Thou all Thy Strength and Days Nor ever what 's of more concern intend Fame which Thou courtest never did commend Of true Desert or if she does delays Till ' it be too late no Monument does raise But to along since dead or dying Friend And Thou if Thou desir'st that Friend to be What art the better for it in the Grave Thither Thy Fame will never follow Thee Nor with the Dead shalt Thou more Honour have For Verse than if Thou Verse hadst never known The Living will not Dead can give Thee none SONNET To give o're Riming and fall to Business AS I one Day did of my Fate complain And to Loves Charge the great Occasion laid Recounting all the Ways I had assay'd A Name or Fortune in the World to gain And still to ' obtain it strive but all in vain Ah! sottish Wretch with Rage and Scorn he said Me with Thy Artless Follies to upbraid When Thou alone art cause of all Thy Pain Go and to Business Man Thy self present Business the noblest Mistress tho ' it be late Who many Servants has and more will take Riming and Modesty ne're got Estate Or Name or Fortune 't is the Confident And Busie carry ' all Love I did mistake ODE To the Right Reverend Father in God JOHN late Lord Bishop of Chester upon his Promotion thither I. FAIR Seminary of the Flourishing Arts Great Wadhams bounteous Legacy The last result of Heav'n-born Charity Who mounting thither from these Frozen parts Design'd Thee with an high intent To be both Hers and Thy own Pious Founders Monument Thee WADHAM first of all I sing Where in soft Verse I learnt the early Skill Ah! that one so well Disciplin'd should rehearse so ill And have for all Thy care no better Strains to bring Thee sacred Colledg who dost rise Like a new Sion to the North Of th' Muses City with Thy Wings stretcht forth And in their Kingdom hast her Royalties OXFORD the brightest City ' and Kingdom which the Muses have Small as thou art but wondrous brave Both Peacefully there to Command And send abroad Thy Fathers through our Land Thee I tho far unworthy Greet And at Thy Gates as does a Son befit To lead him to his Stall with Songs Thy late great Guardian meet II. With Thee my Song in Thee this happy Man Whilst only Thine a bold Attempt began Whose Fame Posterity shall ne're let die But thence it self instructed how to live Due Honours to the first Discoverer give And Consecrate his Name to Vast Eternity A bold Attempt it was worthy this Age And Him whom Heaven did with the thought Inspire Yet which this Age