Prethee sweet Loue some prettie thing Indite Let those thy prettie fingers hold a Pen Vpon some pretty peece of paper write Nature made Maidens pretty and not men What Midas toucht was gold you are so witty That what you write or touch or do 't is prettie If you want paper paper will I send you If you want Inke I 'le likewise send you Inke If that you want a Pen a Pen I le lend you What ere t' is you want if that I can but thinke What 't is I 'de freely giue it to you so You would but send an answer I or no. I doe not write to thee for hope of gaines But onely for to gaine thy loue so then I prethee Rosa take a little paines Once more I prethee Rosa hold a Pen I long to heare from thee I faine would know An answer from thee quickly I or no. If it be I then Rosa thou art mine Then will we spend our youthful daies in pleasures If it be No yet Rosa am I thine What ere thy answere is thou art my treasure If that sweet heart youl 'd know the reason why It is because a Maidens No is I. ¶ An Answere to her Answer SWeete Mistris Rosa for whose onely sake I 'de run through fire and water nay I 'de make A iourney through the dangerous vncuth places I 'de measure all the world with weary paces To doe you good nay more I 'de lose my heart Rather then haue your little finger smart But when you chance to read the same I flatter You then will say but oh it is no matter Mock flout neglect disdain spit spite contemne I needs must loue my earthly Diadem I stouted others once in miserie But other men may now well flout at me This is that dire and cursed punishment Which all the gods aboue to me hath sent For all my faults O see with pitty see Sweet Loue thy loue in wofull miserie Whose eies ne're sleepes whose fancie still is doing Since that he knew what did belong to wooing Thou art the Clothe that hath spun my thred By which I seeme to liue but yet am dead But prethee Rosa if thou l't stop thy breath Kill quicke let me not liue a lingring death Pitty pitty pitty pitty pitty Pretty pretty pretty pretty pretty Sweet golden lilly liuely tender maide Looke like liue loue me well and I am made To his second Loue. TWixt hope feare I feare sweet Loue I liue Thinking my heart was giuen long agoe Being one man has but one heart to giue How can you looke for mine yet thinke not so But trie me trust me and sweet heart you 'le see I haue a heart that 's onely kept for thee Misdoubt me not although I lou'd before Misdoubt me not but I lou'd faithfully Experience makes me now loue ten-times more I haue my lesson now without booke I When first I lou'd I was a fondling foole Now I am a Captaine made in Cupids schoole You smil'd on me but if you 'le smile no more What will those men that know me now furmise Being I was forsaken once before They 'le thinke me hatefull in a Maidens eiet They 'l thinke all hate me or suppose indeed I onely came to wooe but not to speed O how much am I bound to Nature now For making thee that dost so farre excell Her whom I thought excell'd all others how Am I now bound to nature pre' thee tell The difference 'twixt my first loue and you Is this shee 's faire and false thou faire and true Misdoubt me not for by the Heauens aboue Thou shalt not finde me with a double tongue For if I am the man thou canst not loue I am the man that will doe thee no wrong For if I speake by thee but any euill Count me no more a Man count me a Deuill Of the burning of his letter LIke as the Moath about the candle flies Hoping to haue some comfort from the light Scorcheth her wings and on a sudden lies Panting vpon the ground or burned quite So I still hoping thee sweet heart to moue Consume my selfe in burning flames of loue Alas alas thy beautie shines so bright It duls and dazels all that doe come nie thee This is the cause I neuer come but write Without an Eagles eye how dare I eye thee Cupid is blinde then I in louing thee And looking too should be more blind then he Why doe I sigh and sob and broyle and burne Why doe I seeke to striue against the streame Letters nor loue nor lookes thy heart can turne Why doe I then make loue my onely theame I loue you hate I write but what the better I burne in loue and you doe burne my letter Poore harmelesse verses what did ye commit Hard hearted Flora how did they offend thee More verses haue I made for thee but yet I le sweare thou shalt not burne the next I le send thee Burning's too base a death therefore the rest If they deserue to die they shall be prest Master Johnsons answer to Master Withers Withers SHall I wasting in despaire Die because a woman's faire Or my cheekes make pale with care Cause anothers rosie are Be she fairer then the day Or the flowrie Meades in May If she be not so to mee What care I how faire she be Iohnson Shall I mine affection slacke ' Cause I see a woman's blacke Or my selfe with care cast downe ' Cause I see a woman browne Be she blacker then the night Or the blackest iet in sight If she seeme not so to mee What care I how blacke shee be Withers Shall my foolish heart be pinde ' Cause I see a woman's kinde Or a well disposed nature Ioyned in a comely feature Be she kinde or meeker than Turtle Doue or Pellican If she be not so to mee What care I how kinde she be Iohnson Shall my foolish heart be burst ' Cause I see a woman 's curst Or a thwarting hoggish nature Ioyned in as bad a feature Be she curst or fiercer then Brutish Beast or sauage Men If she be not so to mee What care I how curst shee be Withers Shall a womans vertues make Me to perish for her sake Or her merits value knowne Make me quite forget my owne Be she with that goodnesse blest That may merit name of best If she seeme not so to mee What care I how good she be Iohnson Shall a womans vices make Me her vertues quite forsake Or her faults to me made knowne Make me thinke that I haue none Be shee of the most accurst And deserue the name of worst If she be not so to me What care I how bad she be Withers Cause her fortunes seemes too high Should I play the foole and dye He that beares a noble minde If not outward helpe he find Thinke what with them he would do That without them dares to wooe And vnlesse that minde I see What care I how great she be Iohnson Cause
should I sorrow feele Being she 's false as much as she is faire What once lay at my heart lies at my heele For why a foole I should accounted be To die for her that skornes to liue with mee Farewell my Rosa fickle as the winde Yet read these verses which I make of you Scan them vpon your fingers you 'le finde That euery staffe and line of these be true Then since that you and I are now apart My Verses feet be truer then thy heart Cursed be that beauty which was once my blisse Cursed be those twinckling star-like eies of thine Cursed be those lips which gaue me kisse for kisse Cursed be the tong which told me thou wert mine Cursed be those arms which once did hold me fast And ten times cursed be what e're thou hast Now to some vncouth desart will I goe There will I lay me downe in melancholy Where croaking toads lie throtling out my woe Or where some snakes lie hissing at my folly There will I lay me downe there will I stay And neuer turne vntill I turne to clay But soft what slumber hath mine eies opprest What idle fantasies disturbs my braines What is it makes me raile amidst my rest In slumber sweet what makes me talke of paines Pardon sweet Loue on me compassion take For this I dreaming or in passion spake The Heliotropium makes no shew at night The proudest Peacocke hath no pleasing crie The glittering Sunne reserues his totall light Though mistie cloudes may keepe it from our eie Pardon sweet loue once more I pardon aske Faire is not foule although she weares a maske He somtimes feeles the pricks that puls the rose Who hony takes may sometimes touch the sting The fairest flowers may offend the nose Death may be neere although the Swan doth sing Checks from such cheekes frownes from such a face Sweet loue I like so I may thee imbrace Then promise mee I may enioy thy sight And faithfully thy word and promise keepe Lest I lie rumbling all the irkesome night Telling the tedious minutes wanting sleepe For when ones loue doth stay a while away Each minute seems an houre each houre a day Seeing What if I walke most richly through the towne What if I be ador'd like Mahomet What if I take my rest on beds of downe What if I doe inioy whole kingdomes yet All this is nought vnlesse my Rosa be In presence to behold my brauerie Hearing What if the best Musitians that be Take in their hand a seuerall instrument And play to me the sweetest harmony That euer was yet were it no content The sweetest tunes seems harsh vnto mine care Vnlesse my Rosa be in place to heare Smelling What if my skin should be by nature sweete Like Alexanders whar if by perfumes Each man should smell me passing through the streete What if my smell make sweet ill-smelling roomes These smels these odors little will content me Vnlesse my Rosa be in place to sent me Tasting What if my Table be most richly spread With the best iunkets can be made for men If nectar be my drinke if that my bread Be of the purest Mancher made what then All these delights will not my palate please Lest my Rosa be in place to taste of these Feeling What if the fairest Damsels in the Land With soft silke skin and Alabaster white Should all at once before me naked stand To touch they 'd neither please my touch or sight Rosa is shee like whom there is none such She is my eye eare smell my tast my touch All the Senses Her voice is pleasant musicke to the eare Her lookes doth like our sight exceeding well Feed on her lips she is the daintiest cheare 'Mong all perfumes she is the sweetest smell Our hot desire her water onely quenches She is the touch the very sense of Sences She is the Star by which the Ship men faile She is the hatches she wherein they rest She is the wind which makes the prosperous gale She is the hauen she which pleaseth best She is the Dolphin which Arion did Preserue from danger whil'st he plaid and rid Then be my Pilot to direct my Ship Be thou the onely house where I may dwell Be thou the onely cup to touch my lip Be thou my heauen and I shall feele no hell Be thou my winde in spite of Aeolus My iourney then must needes be prosperous Now what is Loue or what may we it call Tell me O thou that triest I doe beseech You see that onely shee 's the senses all I thinke shee 's also all the parts of Speech To call her first a Noune I thinke it good Who can be felt seene heard or vnderstood A Noune She is a Noune and a Noune substantiue And by that name I may her rightly call Who stands her selfe vnlesse another striue To fling her downe and force her for to fall An Adiectiue she may be also said Who sometime doth require anothers aid But of Nonne Substantiues there are two sorts Some Nounes are proper others common be The best of all Grammarians reports If it be so yet both of these is she She 's proper small and of but slender bone Shee is doubtfull common yet to moe then one A Pronoune Shee is a Pronoune like vnto a Noune A Pronoune now she may be called well For she what ere is done throughout the towne To euery one that comes will shew and tell She busie is like Poets that be versing She doth delight in shewing and rehearsing A Verbe Shee 's a Verbe Actiue for if any wooe And aske her if she loues shee 'l say I doe Shee is a Passiue too for shee 'l sit still And suffer any man to haue his will But yet to her I n'ere will be a Suter Shee 's Actiue Passiue but to me a Neuter A Participle Shee is a Participle too I know For she has two strings euer to her bow Shee is a Noune a Verbe yet sometimes neither Shee sometimes onely takes but part of either Foure kindes of Participles now there be But shee is of the Preter tense with me An Adverbe Adverbs of diuers kindes we know there be An Adverbe then of any kinde is she Sometimes shee is of place for here and there Nay looke for her you 'l finde her any where Shee 's any Adverbe if you would know why Shee 'l wish shee 'l sweare flatter affirme deny A Coniunction Shee 's a Coniunction copulatiue for either As close as wax shee ioyneth things together Or a Disinnctiue for shee 'l stir vp strife Hauing a naughty tongue twixt man and wife She is a thing that 's fit for any function Shee 's any thing therefore any Coniunction A Preposition Shee is a part of speech commonly set Before all other parts of speeches yet This part of speech we very often finde Beyond beside nigh through about behinde She is a Preposition likewise seene Within without against beneath betweene An Interiection
A Description OF LOVE WITH certaine Epigrams Elegies and Sonnets AND Also IOHNSONS Answer to WITHERS The Second Edition With the Crie of LVDGATE AND The Song of the BEGGER LONDON Printed by Edw. Griffin 1620. Ad Librum MY little ship doth on the Ocean fleet That euery circumspecting eye may see 't Now in her iourney lest she chance to faile Let Printers pray shee may haue happy saile Ad Lectorem Some men there be that praise what 's good they hear And some there are that carpe what ere it be Some men in Zoilus ghost will soone appeare And some with Aristippus flattery But carpe at what you can dispraise back-bite I 'le neuer hide my Poems from the light Ad lectorem maleuolum PAle faced Enuy aimes at greatest men And by her nature euer seekes to clime If it be so surely she will not then Looke-downe so low as for to view my rime But if against her nature shee will see 't Her face to face my verse shall dare to meete In eundem IF good it be I write some pick-thanke-pate Will sweare that I had some Coadinuate If naught it be the more is my disgrace For euery man will houte me to my face But spit your venome at me if you will I must write what is good or what is ill Ad candidum Lectorem PLease learned wits I know I neuer shall For shallow is my wit my will is all If that the meanest sort I can but please I 'le count this worke a play this labour ease Ad Lectorem NOr good nor bad I can these verses call Some bad I know and yet not therefore all 'Mongst sweetest flowers no some nettles spring There 's some blacke feathers in the Peaceckes wing Let not the bad then all the rest disgrace Faire Venus had a wart vpon her face Nemo Propheta in patria sua GOod gentle Readers let me truely tell That Citty Towne and Countrey loues me well At home some hate me too too well I know it They thinking me a Prophet or a Poet. Ad Lectorem REad gently gentle Reader as t' is fit Lest that your tongue should ouer-runne my wit Author ALas these rimes I had forgotten quite Not dreaming they should come againe to light But sure at this same pretty riming stuffe The curious world not scoffed hath enough But to come foorth againe since t' is my chance You shall not laugh me out of countenance ¶ A Description OF LOVE NE're toucht my lips the Heliconian Well Mine eies ne'regazd vpon Parnassus Hill My tongue did neuer Ancients stories tell My hand did neuer hold a curious quill Yet write I must but if I barren bee And shew no wit I 'le shew my industry Where is that mortall man that can define The thing cald loue which all the gods do honor Her greatnes goes beyond the wit of mine I go beyond my wits to thinke vpon her The more I think what this same loue should be The lesse I do conceiue what thing is shee A taske most weighty doe I vndergoe By vndertaking for to speake of Loue Whose bare description I did neuer know Whose definition pose the gods aboue She 's deafe yet heares she 's dumb yet speaks she 's blind Yet Ianus like she seeth before behind Like vnto Summers grasse shee 's fresh and greene Shee adornes the body as the flowers the field She in a Begger liues as in a Queene She conquers Mars and yet to Mars shee 'l yeeld Shee 's white shee 's red shee 's yellow as the gold Shee 's euer liuing yet is neuer old Inuisible shee is yet her we see Both Heauen and earth this goddesse doth inherit Shee 's flesh shee 's bloud shee 's bone as well as we Yet can shee nothing doe but with a spirit Shee is a ponderous feather wittie folly A quicke thing slow a merry melancholy Shee 'l soone be angry Shee 'l be pleas'd assoone Maliciousnesse nere harbours in her mind She 's hot i' the morning but shee 's cold ere noon She 's rough shee 's calm shee 's hoggish yet shee 's kind She 'l sing she 'l sob so that the curious fictiō May tearme and call her a contradiction Shee is a restlesse rest a fervent cold A wholsome poyson shee 's a painfull pleasure Exceeding shamefast shee 's exceeding bold Shee 's bitter hony shee 's a gainlesse treasure Shee 's too too loose yet too too fast a knot Shee is a hellish Heauen what is shee not Shee made Leander passe the raging Seas His louing Hero that he might enioy Faire Helena did Paris better please Then all his kinsfolks or the wealth in Troy Shee 's such a thing that we so much respect That we our friends forget our selues neglect Our natiue Country doe we quite forsake Our prudent parents will we disobey Through desert places iournies doe we make And so become some lurking Lions pray Nay more then this downe quicke to hell we go As Orpheus did if Loue would haue it so Whil'st on the key-cold earth our loue doth lie The ground sends forth a comfortable heat Forgetting of her owne proprietie The stones seeme soft whilst loue makes them her seat Down on the downs whil'st Louers lie together The down seems down euery stone a fether Who her enioyes enioyes all earthly pleasure Who her enioyes can feele no cold not heat Who her enioyes enioyes a world of treasure Who her enioyes enioyes his drinke his meat Shee 's hony sweet her selfe not mixt with gall Who her enioyes enioyeth all in all But if the goddesse Loue should changed be And not perpetually abide the same Shee head-long fals into extremity She takes vpon her then another name Her white is blacke her smillings changed are Shee is a fury growne which once was faire Her golden haires are turn'd to slimy snakes Her eies like fire her touch doth poyson spit Most grim and dreadfully her head she shakes Which on her shoulders once did finely sit Her pretty lisping tongue wanton speeches Are turnd to yelling howling and to scretches She whom the gods did loue to looke vpon Makes Pluto quiuer at her odious sight Who was a Mate most meete for Ioue alone Is now become a Fiend of darksome night Who once was louely and in rich estate Is wretched hurtfull and is turn'd to hate Your youthfull Youths will not so often knocke And beate their tender fists against the doore But rust and canker now consumes the locke For want of vse which shind with vse before Shee keepes her home and lurking there doth lie In holes and corners free from company Speake what she will shee may here 's none that heares Let her bite back-bite slander or reuile Weep whilst shee 's weary none respects her tears We know they come but from a Crocodile We know her arts her cunning charmes skill Who can seeme kinde to those she meanes to kill Then why for Rosa should I carke and care Why for my Rosa
but the end Is this shee 's Cinnaes wife the others friend Ad quosdam Academicos You that so many precious houres loose Fall close vnto your studie let your Muse Thinke vpon nought but goodnes Starue pine Before an houre passe without a line For euen as the riuer ebs and flowes This trash and earthly treasure comes and goes But learning lasts vntill the day of doome Sea cannot sinke it nor fire it consume What if thy friends thee meate nor money send Spend thy time well though hast enough to spend What if thou beest by chaunce in prison cast ' Mongst those that are in want thou 'lt find a waste Nay one may come thy face that nere did see And set thee out as one deliuer'd mee A Loue Sonnet I Loued a Lasse a faire one As faire as e're was seene Shee was indeed a rare one Another Sheba Queene But foole as then I was I thought she lou'd me too But now alas sh 's left me Falero lero loo Her haire like gold did glister Each eye was a starre Shee did surpasse her sister Which past all others farre She would me hony call Shee'd-O-shee'd kisse me too But now alas sh 'as left me Falero lero loo In Summer-time to Medley My loue and I would goe The boate-men there stood ready My loue and I to rowe For creame there would we call For cakes for pruines too But now alas sh 'as left me Falero lero loo Many a merrie meeting My loue and I haue had Shee was my onely sweeting Shee made my heart full glad The teares stood in her eies Like to the morning dew But now alas sh 'as left me Falero lero loo And as abroad we walked As Louers fashion is Oft we sweetly talked The Sun would steale a kisse The winde vpon her lips Likewise most sweetly blew But now alas sh 'as left mee Falero lero loo Her cheekes were like the cherry Her skin as white as snow When she was blithe and merry She Angell-like did shew Her waste exceeding small The fiues did fit her shooe But now alas sh 'as left me Falero lero loo In summer-time or winter She had her hearts desire I still did scorne to stint her From sugar sacke or fire The world went round about No cares we euer knew But now alas sh 'as left me Falero lero loo As we walk'd home together At midnight through the towne To keepe away the weather O're her I 'de cast my gowne No cold my Loue should feele What e're the heau'ns could doe But now alas sh 'as left me Falero lero loo Like Doues we would be billing And clip and kisse so fast Yet she would be vnwilling That I should kisse the last They 're Iudas kisses now Since they prou'd all vntrue For now alas sh 'as left me Falero lero loo To Maidens vowes and swearing Henceforth no credit giue You may giue them the hearing But neuer them beleeue They are as false as faire Vnconstant fraile vntrue For mine alas has left me Falero lero loo 'T was I that paid for all things 'T was others dranke the wine I cannot now recall things Liue but a foole to pine 'T was I that beate the bush The bird to others flew For she alas has left me Falero lero loo If euer that Dame nature For this false Louers sake Another pleasing creature Like vnto her would make Let her remember this To make the other true For this alas hath left me Falero lero loo No riches now can raise me No want makes me despaire No miserie amaze me Nor yet for want I care I haue lost a world it selfe My earthly heauen adue Since she alas hath left me Falero lero loo To his Loue fearing a Corriuall THe poisnous Spider and the labouring Bee The one and selfe-same flower daily suckes But yet in nature much they disagree For poison one the other hony pluckes You are the flower you know my meaning he The poisnous Spider is and I the Bee But if you like that swelling creature best Whose onely trap can but insnare a flie I 'le leaue my writing and I 'le liue in rest Vntill another Loue can like my eie But if you leauing me me none can please I 'le lingering liue in paine I 'le pine in ease I am the Bee if thou wilt be the Hiue Wherein no blacke nor poisnous moisture lies I 'le be a painefull Bee I 'le daily striue Home to returne to thee with loaden thighes And in the winter when all flowers perish The hiue the Bee the Bee the hiue shall cherish 'T is not your fringe your gloues your bands your lace Your gold your fathers goods that I desire But 't is your golden haire your comely face 'T is that O that that sets my heart on fire Your hands your heart your loue your comely hue Makes me forget my selfe remembring you O that I were a hat for such a head O that I were a gloue for such a hand O that I were your sheetes within your bed O that I were your shooe whereon you stand To be your very smocke I 'de daily seeke So that you would not shift me once a weeke Another to his Loue seeing her walke in twi-light THe deepest waters haue the smoothest looks The fairest shirt may hide the foulest skin Bad lines are often writ in guilded bookes View not the outside then but looke within Try ere you trust and if all things be true Locke hands in hands and seeke not for a new I must confesse and will I am but poore But rich I am in loue perhaps you know But if you to some higher region soare Disdaining for to take your flight so lowe Take heed lest by some vehemencie of wether You chance to burn some or scorch some other But tell me sweet if that thy minde be set Vpon some other man or if you know What thing this Loue should be if not as yet I le teach you what a thing is loue O no What thing is loue how can you learne of â—e When first I learn'd to loue by seeing thee The pretty winding of thy comely head The decent rowling of thy liuely eie Thy tender lilly hand hath strucke me dead Without a touch Now what is Loue T' is I T' is you t' is I t' is you t' is both together You loue I loue both loues sweete loue come hither I cast an eye vpon you yester-night But Phoebus Horses went too great a pace Vnwilling to afford me so much light Wherein I plainely might discerne your face In spite of Phoebus nay in spite of you I 'le looke I 'le loue t' is somwhat strange but true Desiring an Answer from his loue IF that I am vnworthy of your loue Let me be worthy of your answer yet That I may know whether I must remoue My deare affection from you now and set My minde vpon my bookes which now I feare I spend in Loue toyes and am n'ere the neere