Tho he does that as precious hold In Chains so strong as she Bars up that fatal Treasury Obdurate Walls and Pillars are More soft and penetrable far Than her hard Breast cold as the freezing North Where Nature nought but Snow and Christal Ice brings forth Sure the Infernal Adamantine gate Where guilty Souls are kept by Fate Can't be more fortifi'd With massie Bars than she 's with Pride So firm and wondrous strong in her The weakest part does still appear It almost seems a work of lesser pain To leap the mighty Gulph and Heav'n by force obtain Cruel injustice her destructive Cave Lets none return but to the Grave And as that dreadful door When once 't is shut ne'er opens more So she has acted Deaths hard part And let her Breast take in my Heart Which now in vain alas must ever burn In fiercest flames of Love and ne'er return To Lucinda AH cruel Nymph how canst thou punish me To such a barbarous degree For the same crime that you Your self as often do And yet unjustly go unpunish'd to I tortur'd am because I can't remove My fatal irresistless Love Yet you confess you wou'd Love me too if you cou'd But cannot make your heart do what it shou'd 'T is hard indeed our Passions to command And Fate 's Almighty Power withstand But yet 't is just and fit Seeing you merit it To the same punishment you should submit Such Conqu'ring charms adorn that beauteous face In ev'ry Feature 's such a grace To me 't would harder prove My Passion to remove Than 't would for you to be more kind and Love Embracing his Mistris NOw I can scorn the splendor of a Crown And laugh at the dull pomp of vain Renown The toil of Arms and the litigious Gown How hateful the rude acclamations are The vile unjust unlearn'd unpeaceful Bar The noise of Triumph and stern din of War How worthless are the sands of Tagus Shore The richest orient Pearls and all the store Of glittering Pebbles or Barbaric Ore This costly Jewel higher value yieldâ—… A surer basis of bright glory builds Than proudest gaudy Courts or Martial Fields No greater blessing could to Mortal fall I now methinks am Caesar Croesus all That we can happy or delightful call Had the great Conqu'ror reach'd the British Shore And his Victorious Arms had triumph'd o'er This World of Bliss he ne'er had wept for more Bless'd far beyond the state of busie crowds My lofty head like towring Atlas shrouds Its airy top amidst aspiring Clouds Oh maist thou ever thus supported be While thus my humble suppliant bending knee Bears up the Universal Globe in thee The Unalterable NO Dearest never fear I 'll always be Faithful as Heav'n to dying Saints to thee No Fate shall e'er divide The Sacred knot our Souls have ty'd My heart shall prove as constant to my Fair As others to their Mistrisses unconstant are Not all thy Sexes Charms shall tempt me more I 'll ever thee and Heav'n for thee adore Content with my bless'd Fate Despise the Worlds vain Pageant state And since the Gods no greater bliss can send Like Twins we 'll both our lives together end Thy Sex alas is a false Lottery Where thousand Blancks for one small Prize we see Scarce can th' unerring Gods Direct our choice 'gainst such odds And since kind Fate gave me so vast a Lot who 'd hazard the rich Gem so hardly got If e'er I should from thy bright charms remove From thy dear Constancy thy fervent Love And feel the proud disdain With which your Sex rewards our pain Good Heavens what might avenging fury do Curse thee as well as them for being Woman too TO CORINNA Excusing himself for not Loving her 1. PArdon thou brightest Star throughout our Skies Thou charming Idol of adoring Eyes Pardon the barren soil if Beams Divine From such a Heav'n of Beauty dein To cast their sacred influence yet shine Upon the bare unfruitful Land in vain Long with unwearied toyls my heart has strove To bear the fertile gleab of grateful Love Long have I laboured to obey The Righteous Laws of his imperial sway But still we strive in vain for lo The bright Lucinda long ago In mystic charms has trod the sacred round And now behold the Fairy ground To ev'ry Tillers hand is barren found 2. Condemn not me but our too cruel Fate That let such Beauty charm my eyes too late I was alas a wretched Bankrupt made Before my first great debt of Love was paid She charg'd me with so vast a score That still I 'm bound to her for more And if I must compound with you For less than is your due The starving indigent for pity save Who such a fatal Judgment gave To one who never will release her slave 3. Did not that Monarch Love still rule alone Thou shouldst have half dominion in her Throne By all the World she can't be dispossest Nor will admit a Rival in my Breast So absolute my lovely Sovereign's grown Not only all my power but will is gone For notwithstanding the sad pain That I for her dear sake sustain Would she her self unkindly part With the least Atome of my conquer'd heart I sooner could a separation make 'Twixt Soul and Body than that License take 4. Goe fair Corinna with thy Beauty goe And shew thy pow'r o're some unvanquish'd Foe Such bright inflaming charms can't choose But win a heart where there 's a heart to lose Mine had thy willing Victim been Had it not first that Heavenly Creature seen There I beheld a fatal Conqueror Whose Beauty had not only power To gain the Battel and my heart sudue But keep the Victory for ever too 5. Urge not the greater Happiness that I Might in your Passion more than hers enjoy The calmest seasons and the sweetest rest In any other Breast Would be far worse to me than the dread forms Of Ruin Death and wild devouring Storms Within the Radiant Zone of her delightful arms But oh The blustring Winds can only fly Round the low Regions of that starry Sky The mild favorian gentle Air Is always bright serene and clear Within the Glorious Orb of that Celestial Sphere Alas the very Miseries and Pain Which my afflicted heart did long sustain So much the mighty power of Love can do Were then my sweetest pleasures too Not all the blessings wich kind Heav'n can give Or Man from thence receive Can more delight more happiness create Than I for her dear sake Could in my utter Ruin take If Love were the kind cause of our destructive Fate 6. Blame not my Passion nor condemn my Zeal Could my heart speak 't would greater thoughts reveal Those secret Transports I should then relate That raise my Soul above a Mortal state Hadst thou as happy as I been And that fair Creature in her blooming Beauty seen In all her Grace and Majesty Before she ruin'd it for me Ev'n thou too would'st confess Th' effects
they mount they soar are gone And leave the injur'd slighted Maid to moan If any dazling Beauty fires the Town Each Spark can try to make the Prize his own No musty Customs his Delight controuls To her with Lacques clog'd the Chariot rolls We by dull Rules contriv'd by men confin'd Must not pursue our Fancy please our Mind But modest and demure receive at home The formal Visitants that dain to come And all our Happiness dependeth still Not on our own but on anothers Will. Corinna I grant Men under less constraint than We But 't is constraint from Cares and Misery For the exercise of this their boasted Power Plunges in Woes we never feel each hour When before any stubborn Town they sit If them the haughty Dame will not admit What Tortures they endure what lively pain Afflicts their Soul and racks each trembling vein The Pangs of Love are of so quick a sense As scarce the ensuing Joy can recompence But we by happier Fate ne're suffer these Embracing the Proposals if they please It is not always in their power to win But always is in ours to let them in We either love not or our Love obtains Enjoy the sweet of it without the Pains Lais. Alas they often mock with feign'd desire And warm the innocent Maid with painted sire And when the blushing flag does shew she 's won Their work that only came to abuse is done The ill-natured Creatures leave the melting fair To pine and sigh her spotless Soul to Air. They pleas'd like Nero see the Beauteous Rome In Flames their cruel hands did light consume Corinna We practice this under a different Name In us 't is Honour but in them a Shame With false enticing Looks we gild the Bait And having caught them scorn triumph hate Ensnare to shew what powerful Charms we bear Then slight and damn them to a wild despair And who the grateful Pleasure can despise Of seeing humble Slaves in modest Guise And awful trembling to approach our Eyes And by adoring make us Deities Catch at each Glance and hang on ev'ry Look As if from us their Destiny they took Rate ev'ry Smile above a Monarch's Crown And dread ours more than angry Heavens frown Lais. But add to these the anguish of our mind When forc'd to be to the dear Man unkind When Parents envious Precepts do oblige Against our Will to hold out ten years Siege Till all their dull Formalities are past To yield on tedious Articles at last To force our Nature and belye our Heart Stifle the raging â—…lame and hide our smart Not daring what we most desire to own Constrain'd on him we languish for to srown This this is the Extremity of Pain To suffer without power to complain In Love as in the State they only feel The Rack who dare not their hid thoughts reveal Corinna Why should we thus against our Nature fight And vex our selves with this false Parthian flight Let us no more to Forms and Shadows strike If we the generous Assailant like Admit him ne're disturb our selves to feign Nor make him waste his Vigour to obtain Lais. So things would run too fast the Game of Love Does grateful with this Disadvantage prove 'T is such bewitching sport so draws us in As 't is what would it be if all should win Did we not stop it thus and make it keep Within due bounds the Play would be too deep And all our Stock and Fortune lost too soon Methinks as 't is the stakes are quickly gone Corinna 'T is best then things continue as they are Reformers sometimes mend but oftner mar On the Lords rejecting the Bill of Exclusion November the 15th 1680. GOds this is great These these are they Who truly thus their noble Blood display And by the Soul which they this day have shewn Make all the Glories of their Line their own These are Old Engâ—…ana's Peers Hearts that despise To be o re-aw'd by Number and by Noise No they 're too Brave too Loyal and too Wise. Beauchamp and Howard's Courage Cecil's Brain The Faith of Vere still in the House remain Nor on the Churches Seats do less appear Grave Morton's Piety and Prudence here Such the lay-hands that dare support a Crown And such the Conscience of the sacred Gown Thus did their mighty Ancestors combine When force misplac'd the Crown from the right line Thus they stood fast to Truth and never fail'd Till the unblemish'd Rose of York prevail'd And must again that sad Dispute appear No we are much too young for Plato's year Our Renown'd Peerage will not have it so The Demi-Gods and Heroes thunder No. What remote noise is this Hark how it grows Nearer and louder now the Torrent flows All Europe shouts aloud Spring-Tides of Joy Salute the Brittish Isle hark how they cry Fame now is yours more from one Law refus'd Than half the numerous Laws you ever us'd ELEGY On the Death of Christopher Sherard Esq Son and Heir Apparent to the Right Honourable Bennet Lord Sherrard who died in the Sixteenth Year of his Age Febr. 19. 1681. AND is he dead Is he already dead Ah too surprizing News sudden as sad When hopeful Vertue does abortive fall We weep our own and not his Funeral The loss is ours and all the Tears we shed Are more for them that live than for the dead Let it not then be said untimely Fate Robb'd him of Honour Title or Estate Or what is more to Youth than all beside Of an adored Beauty for his Bride Such Blessings waited him not few nor small Yet our loss we may truly greater call For we are robb'd of him that 's more than all Insolvent Fortune let us count our Woe Bankrupt of much which time will ever owe. A steady Friendship Modesty above The Age we live in A true English Love A generous Heart with an Address compleat Great in his Lineage yet more good than great And above all as the most sacred thing A Soul devoted to his God and King This Treasure had been ours had Fate delay'd 'T was promis'd all and had been surely paid But he is gone untimely ravish'd hence In the prime Bloom of Youth and Innocence He dy'd a Virgin free from modern Crimes Clear and unfully'd in licentious Times Bring Flow'rs ye spotless Maids and strew 'em here Strew all the Beauties of the blooming Year Hither your Roses mix'd with Lillies bring And on his Grave six an eternal Spring Which water'd with your Tears may be encreast To a Perfume beyond the Phoenix Nest Yet all those Odours far less sweet will be To us than his own Name and Memory Farewel Dear Youth had you this Age surviv'd And to the years of our first Parents liv'd Yet when at last your thread of Life had fail'd You might have died more known not more bewail'd Thus young Marcellus fell Rome's darling Name Ever lamented and belov'd by Fame And thus Ah Simile too like thus died Henry Britannia's
Enchanted Ground Descending Heav'n did round about her stand And listning Angels waited her Command Who came to learn of her to moan and speak And when she sung they followed every shake Like her they try'd to soften every grace Melt ev'ry fall and ev'ry Beauty raise So Hallelujahs were improv'd by her And to her voice they tun'd the sweetest Sphere Tho Dreams or Humane Frailty never taught Her spotless Virgin-soul a guilty thought Yet she could blush which to Philosophize Was but the Angels beaming from her eyes Breeding which others toil in Courts to gain And oft with loss of Honour seek in vain Nature had hung about her with such ease That tho her thoughts were ne'er employ'd to please Yet like a Net by chance thrown on some Mead Where many joyful feather'd singers breed Our flut'ring Souls without design she took And surely kill'd with every random look Breeding is untaught Nature well represt And charms the most when negligently drest Since Natures self in all she did was seen What Court her Dress or Motion could refine Or if she had not been so rich in Charms Why should she travel for Offensive Arms When Pity sour'd the Joy of Victory Weeping o'er those who at her feet would dye Whom Pride and Vanity could never move And who was deaf to every sound of Love Before Philander trembled in her Heart And touch'd the String which charm'd so nice a part Philander in whose face was fairly writ Good Nature Honour Manliness and Wit And when a long acquaintance brought him near You saw them in a larger Character Within there Reign'd a Soul which like the Star That Rules some Heroes Birth rode high and clear And in a Thousand generous Actions shown That much against his Nature made him known His friend in a distress he would relieve His friend ne'er knew from whom he should receive The Favour till Philander did repeat The Fact so oft he could not hide the Cheat. So little us'd to boast or to proclaim His Deeds and Trumpet to the World his Fame That him you must like Fairy gifts conceal The way to forfeit all was to reveal He had both seen the Camp and Court of France But came not back a Gay Sr. Fopling thence Or noisie Bully when he lov'd or fought 'T was done with all the silence that he thought His instant secret business might conceal Like one who took in either case a disappointment ill For he did neither Love nor Fight in jest But always found just Motives in his Breast And then advanc'd with the same vigorous heat His Mistris or his Enemy to meet And yet with all the ease that does attend His Graceful fair righted his fame or friend The black and guilty only fear to die He ran the risk with that serenity Which well became a Man at peace within And frighted by no Monster of a Sin For no believing Maid was e'er undone By Perjuries from his perswasive Tongue His Honesty his Business or his Ease To Vanity he would not Sacrifice Nor for the Glory of a fine intrigue Wear out his mind in a ten years fatigue Fawn and Dissemble like a Whigg at Court And Witness like fire murd'ring Oaths in sport Nor basely practise every little Cheat Us'd by the wife the Politick and Great To steal into a weak ill-guarded Town Tho rich in fairer Mansions of their own Yet still they will betray that by these Arts They may attain the name of Men of Parts Philander set his heart upon the Place If in a Siege he ever shew'd his face He lay before the Fort because he there Had Treasur'd up his Soul and could not bear A separation every minute kill'd Which the pale Youth from his best part withheld Then he would talk and kneel protest and swear Each Tree had sence and every Stone could hear And as of old good Moses Charm'd the Rock And rapid Rivers issued where he struck Philander touch'd it too with such an Art That Kindness sprung out of the hardest heart For he would weep a Torrent of wild Woes Which like the Stream that from Vesuvius flows Burnt all before it raging with his crys Fir'd by his Passion driven by his sighs At other times like some soft murmuring Brook In whose fair face the Nymphs their faces look He charm'd the listning Maid into a Dream In which she cou'd see nothing else but him To him committed every tender thought And the conversion which his Tongue had wrought And us'd him like a secret Confessor Whisper'd her melting wishes in his Ear. One Am'rous Ev'ning of the joyful Spring Did many friendly Nymphs together bring Musick they had to Triumph or to Mourn To celebrate the ravage of their Scorn Or tell the Shades in a sad moving strain The falseness of a too much favour'd Swain Whilst our Eirene for that fair was one In undisturb'd and clear reflections shone No cloudy Passion hung upon her mind Which to that Eminency was refin'd That with full day it rose upon her face And gilded every Feature with its Rays And yet so mild and peaceful flow'd the beams In such soft gentle kind and quiet streams As the still Air on which that Ev'ning lay When these young Angels gave a loose to Play And that was calm as Infants rock'd asleep Beauty in aw the angry Winds did keep Who silently in admiration stood And fear'd to tell their mighty joy aloud Left crouding fellow-Winds should drive them thence And share the view of so much Excellence Nor came they empty-handed to adore But the perfumes of both the Indies bore And at the feet of these fair Charmers cast The sweets of all the Countrys they had past Tho like great Monarchs who with vast expence Shew their respect and their Magnificence And make rich Presents to their Brother-Kings Who least of all Mankind can want such things The officious Winds a needless Tribute paid Perfuming what cou'd never want their aid For all the Shades were made of Iessemin Roses and Oranges and Columbine Under whose roots lay the kind Camomile And thousand other humble Flowers did smile Caressing the gay fragrant youthful grass And shedding Honey-dew upon its face This Paradice thus happy ev'ry way In the soft Arms of a smooth River lay Whose Murmurs gently chid the cruel heart That sympathiz'd not with a Shepherd's smart And to the Rocks and Grotto's would complain Of Sylvia's hate or Amoret's disdain And oft in lucky melting minutes move The listning Nymph to lend an ear to Love Eirene sate by his green Flowry side Who swell'd so high with Pleasure or with Pride That 't was respect alone the Lover staid From running o'er to Snatch the careless Maid Whilst she unmindful of the danger near And safe in Innocence exempt from fear Sung to her Lute Harmonious tales of Love That with the natural sweetness of the Grove Crept on the downy bosom of the Air And a new Heavenly Clime created there Commission'd Angels
when their task was done Wondring they should arrive at home so soon Staid here mistaken in their happy Seat Or else unwilling to find out the cheat Would gladly the abodes above forgoe To be for ever ravish'd thus below And then she smil'd and look'd the sweetest things Good nature trickled from the rising Springs Of her kind Eyes and gliding on her Face Diffus'd it self in softest tenderness So have I seen a silver water run Through Natures blooming Beauties whilst the Sun Shining upon it with his youthful beams Plaid like her eyes among the gilded Streams Her rising Breasts on Cupids Wings were made Hiding the little Loves in Ambush laid Who heav'd and panted when their Bows they drew And as they mov'd Millions of Arrows flew The points they had from her bewitching Eyes And all the Feathers from her Lute and Voice To such a sight in such a minute came The young Philander guided by the Fame Of these assembled Beauties and his Star Led him directly to the fatal Fair Led him where bright Eirene did appear He found the danger and wou'd have retir'd But 't was in vain for he had seen and heard It was in vain to fly he might as soon His Shadow or his secret thoughts out-run So being round beset with murth'ring Charms He sought the sacred refuge of her Arms With bended knees and soul the humble Swain Kneel'd to the lovely Author of his pain He fix'd his eyes upon her Heavenly face His heart leapt up and through those eyes wou'd gaze Till melted by the Starry Fire that sprung From the bright Maid it flow'd out of his Tongue Phil. Oh thou art sure a blossom in the Spring Of Joyful Heaven by the eternal King To glad Mankind sent mercifully down And on the Banks of Life's fair Stream hast grown The dear refreshing moisture yet I see Hanging on either Lip from either Eye Fresh Life yet flows ten thousand Angels still Bath in their native Flood and drink their fill Oh! thou all Heav'n tell tell thy ravisht slave What kind of Worship thou expect'st to have Speak and thy Cherubs dancing on thy Tongue Amongst thy words in charming notes shall throng Speak that my heart may spring into a Joy Which nothing but thy silence can destroy The happy Youth never made Love in vain The Graces taught him all the Arts to gain A bounding pleasure leap'd through every part And raptures revell'd at Eirenes heart Which upwards flew and pereh'd upon her eyes For fair Eirene knew not to disguise Her thoughts nor would her self and Lover vex With the afflicted coldness of her Sex Philander could perceive with extasie That his dear Mistris would not let him die But yet to try the ground on which he stood And that he might be sure he grasp'd no Cloud That he would prove his Fortune thus proceed To learn what Fate his fair one had decreed Phil. If in your Breast you have resolv'd my death West to Elizium waft me with that Breath Which charms the World sing to your Lute my doom In that sweet dress let my Destruction come So op'ning Heav'n with all its Choirs and Spheres Shall wing me from the Earth above the Stars Thus far the Lover thus the heedless Maid The budding kindness of her soul betrai'd Eirene Tell me ye softer Powers above Tell me what unfledg'd thing Begins within my Breast to move And try its tender wing Tell me why this unusual heat Thus creeps about my heart And why that heart indulges it And fondly takes its part What God-head could Philander melt To such a flood of sighs That gliding with the Tide unfelt He might my Soul surprize Perfidious Musick took my Ear And bent it to his Song Musick my friend my darling care Betray'd me on his Tongue But now they look'd how late the Ev'ning grew Ill-natur'd Scandal and the falling dew Frighted the fearful Nymphs away in hast Lest this their Beauty that their Fame should blast Eirene snatch'd a minute to bestow A tender smile and a good natur'd bow Upon the ravish'd Youth who drunk with Bliss Reel'd home and thought the Universe was his Great Power who couldst transform the mighty Jove To Showers or softer feathers for his Love Thou only in this figure couldst have stole Through Rocks of Ice the Chaste Eirenes Soul Philander's was the only shape could move Philander newly moulded o'er in Love The quickest Pulse of Love beat in his blood In rowling Waves Love from his Language flow'd From his black eyes fair Love and Rapture broke And in his talking looks plain Passion spoke How alter'd then must cold Eirene be Who catch'd the flaming Meteor from his Eye On whose hot Beams the Youth himself did dart And flew in circling fire into her heart Her burning heart boil'd over at her eyes And all its Sweets distill'd in Tears and Sighs In every Christal drop Philander shone Philanders Image could be seen alone Her flame and fancy glittering on the dew Painted the lovely Phantom finer too Than e'er the Sun a gaudy Rainbow drew She saw him in that Glass with what a Mien With what an easie greatness he came in At the late meeting what a haughtiness And graceful Majesty sate on his face But at her sight how humble was his Love Like Alexander supplicating Iove His trembling soul before her feet he hurl'd To gain a greater Conquest than the World And he continued this humility For to the Earth he fix'd his bended knee The two great Lights above saw him adore But never saw such Constancy before He Worship'd with a Beggars fervency And would take heaven by importunity The Heav'n of Love was open'd to his Prayers And kind Eirene laid aside her fears To ease the Youth of his thus doubly won By mighty Merit and by suff'ring long At first her cautious friends a Lecture read Of Ruin'd Maids by perjur'd Men betray'd And frighted back her passion to her heart But there Philanders Image took its part And aided by her self it grew so strong It drove her Love out of her yielding Tongue Her soul and heart her kindest thoughts express Melted on ev'ry feature of her face But that he should not doubt his happiness Her eyes and Tongue his Conquest thus confess Eirene Oh my Philander ope your Brest I can no longer keep my heart Why do you call it from its nest With such a soft resistless Art It sighs and looks it self away Dissolving with each word I speak Oh! take it take it if you stay You will have nothing left to take There will be no injustice done Tho you have fir'd its native house If you will lodge it in your own Where it can only find repose And there I 'll rest secure from harm Let angry Winds roar as they will That Tongue can ev'ry Tempest charm Those Eyes the blackest Cloud dispell Then the bright Nymph with all her blaze of Charms Shot like a falling Star into his Arms He crush'd her killing
Palate spring Most acceptable to the King Which sweetly shall descend and make The Dumb to speak the Dead to wake Sponsa I my belov'd am only thine And thou by just Exchange art mine Come let us tread the pleasant Fields Taste we what Fruits the Country yields And in the Villages repose When shades of Nights all forms inclose Then with the early Morn repair To our new Vineyard see if there The tender Vines disclose their Gems And Granates blossom on their Stems Then where no Frosts our Springs destroy Shalt thou alone my Love enjoy How sweet a smell our Mandrakes yield Our Gates with various Fruits are fill'd Fruits that are old Fruits from the Tree New gather'd all preserved for thee CANTO VIII Sponsa OH had we from one Mother sprung Both at her Breasts together hung Then should we meeting in the street With unreproved Kisses greet And to my Mothers House conduct Where thou thy Sister should instruct Then would I spiced Wines produce And my Pomegranates purple use Thy left Arm for my Pillow plac'd And gently with thy right embrac'd You Virgins born in Sion's Towers I charge you by the chief of Powers That you a constant Silence keep Nor till he call disturb his Sleep Chorus Who 's this whose Feet the Hills ascend From Desarts leaning on her Friend Sponsa I my belov'd first raised thee From under the Pome-Citron Tree Thy careful Mother in that Shade With Anguish her fair Burden laid Be I oh thou my better part A Seal imprest upon thy heart May I thy Fingers Signet prove For Death is not more strong than Love The Grave not so insatiate As Jealousies inflam'd Debate Should falling Clouds with Floods conspire Their Waters could not quench Love's Fire Nor all in Natures Treasury The Freedom of Affection buy We have a Sister immature That hath no Breasts as yet obscure What Ornaments shall we bestow When Mortals her Endowments know Sponsus On her if strongly built to bear We will a Silver Palace rear Or if a Door to deck her Fume We 'll Leaves of carved Cedar frame Sponsa I am a firm Foundation For my belov'd to build upon My Breasts are Towers I his Delight His Object and sole Favourite Sponsus Late in Baal-hamon Solomon Let forth his Vineyards ev'ry one For Fruits and Wines there yearly made A thousand silver Sheckles paid Sponsa This Vineyard this which I possess With diligence I daily dress Thou Solomon shalt have thy due Two hundred more remain for you Out of the Surplus of our Gains Who in our Vineyard took such pains Sponsus Oh! thou that in the Garden liv'st And life-infusing Counsel giv'st To those that in thy Songs rejoyce To me address thy cheerful Voice Sponsa Come my belov'd Oh come away Love is impatient of Delay Rume like a youthful Hart or Roe On Hills where precious Spices grow The last Parting of Hector with Andromache and his Son Astyanax when he went to assault the Grecians in their Camp in the end of which Expedition he was slain by Achilles HEctor tho warn'd by an approaching Cry That to Troy Walls the conqu'ring Greeks drew nigh One Visit to his Princess makes in haste Some Daemon told him this would be his last But her he pressing thro' the crowded streets Neither at home or in the Circle meets Nor at the Altars where the Royal Train Made Prayers and Vows to angry Powers in vain She half distracted with the loud alarms Aslyanax came in his Nurses Arms Runs to a Turret whose commanding height Presented all the Battel to her sight Advancing Grecians and the Trojans flight Here Hector finds her with a Lovers Pace She flies and breathless sinks in his Embrace The Nurse came after with her Princely care As Hesperus fresh promising and fair Hector in little with paternal Joy He blest in silent Smiles the lovely Boy Andromache come to her self again Pressing his hand did gently thus complain My dearest Lord believe a careful Wife You are too lavish of your precious Life You formost into every danger run Of me regardless and your little Son Shortly the Greeks what none can singly do Will compass pointing all the War at you But before that day comes Heavens may I have The mournful Priviledge of an early Grave For I of your dear Company bereft Have no Reserve no second Comfort left My Father who did in Cilicia reign By fierce Achilles was in Battel slain But yet his Arms that Conqu'rour not spoil But paid just Honour to his Funeral Pile Wood-Nymphs in rows of Elms have planted since A poor memorial of a powerful Prince Seven Brothers who seven Legions did command Follow'd their Father's Fortune by his hand My Mother too who after them did reign With a vast Treasure was redeem'd in vain For she soon clos'd her Empire and her Breath By Wretches last good Fortune sudden death Thus Father Mother Brothers all are gone But they seem all reviv'd in you alone To gain you those Endearments I have sold And like the Purchase if the Title hold Have pity then here in this Tower abide And round the Walls and Works your Troops divide Just now the Greeks by both their Generals led Ajax Idomeneus Diomede With all their most experienc'd Troops brave Three fierce Assaults upon the out-works gave Some God their Courage to this pitch did raise Or this is one of Troys unhappy days Hector reply'd all this you 've said and more I have revolv'd in serious Thoughts before But not my Foes upon that Plain I fear So much as Female Men and Women here For they if I should once decline the Fight Will call wise Conduct Cowardise and Flight Others may methods chuse the most secure My Life no middle Courses can endure Urg'd by my own and my great Father's Name I must add something to our ancient Fame And in Troys Cause engag'd I cannot fly With it will conquer or must for it dye But yet some boding Genius does portend To all my Pains an unsuccessful end tend For how can man with heavenly Powers con The day advances with the swiftest pace Which Troy and all her Glories shall deface Which Asia's sacred Empire shall confound And these proud Towers lay level with the ground But all compar'd with you does scarce appear When I presage your case I learn to fear When you by some proud Conqu'rour shall be led A mournful Captive to a Master's Bed Perhaps some haughty Dame your hands shall doom To weave Troy's downfal in a Grecian Loom Or lower yet you may be forc'd to bring Water to Argos from Hiperius spring And as you measure out the tedious way Some one shall pointing to his Neighbour say See to what Fortune Hector's WiFe is brought The famous General that for Ilium fought This will renew your sorrows without end Depriv'd in such a day of such a Friend But this is Fancy or before it I Low in the Dust will with my Country
Oath augment thy Lovers Train And make this Wonder plain That Mankind never has more Piety Than when they least believe their Deity A MASK Made at the Request of the late Earl of Rochester for the Tragedy of Valentinian The SCENE Lucina Maximus his Wife sleeping Enter Zephyrus and Favonius ushering in the MOON Zephy HAil sacred Cynthia mutable but chaste As the cold Air by which thou art embrac'd Changing thy Shape as often as thy Stations With new Disguises and false Assignations Or hid in an Eclipses Vizard-Mask Thou cheat'st the Gods in Love's laborious Task Mother of calmest Thoughts and sacred Dreams The Earths best neighbour lending thy kind beams To plants to beasts to men to grounds and streams Without whose Influence not a Hair grows well Nor spire of Grass nor Blood nor Waves can swell Parent of temp'rate Passions still allay'd By thy decrease as by thy fulness made Fav Falsly believ'd Sol's Sister thou' rt his Wife Impregnated with fertile Worlds of Life Breeding or teeming still and bring'st to 's Bed A new Face every day a monthly Maiden-head Sol that delights in chaste Polygamy Casts fruitful Beams on Tellus and on thee Contented Wives the Earth and Moon repay Light to each other from their Husband's Ray. Chaste Relict of the Sun thou weep'st his Fate In dewy Tears and mak'st him lie in State Thy heavenly Hall with Blacks and Lamps adorning Hid at his Resurrection in the Morning Thy Splendour to thy Husband's Beams resigning And humbly in his Absence only shining Proceed Great Queen to thy divine Intent Preserve this Loyal Wife and Crimes prevent Sweeping with gentle Gales the Cyprian Coast I blow some VVhispers from the heavenly Host. Hermes and Venus were in Consultation Upon their flight to the All-conquering Nation 'T is time some powerful God should mischiefs stay VVhen Love and Eloquence are on their way The Moon Now thrice seven times since my Increase have I Walk'd round the sleeping World in watchful Sky And summon'd all my twinkling Spies to know Th' effects of Passions they impress'd below VVhere we sow joys griefs hopes fears As men sow Herbs and Flowers in their Parterres For Physick some some planted for Delight And happy those that know to use them right But have not found a Mortal so opprest Honour pursu'd and panting in the Breast Of this bright spotless Dame now takes some rest VVell done good Somnus powerfully repair VVith thy chaste Opiates that weighty Care That friendly Foe frail VVomen cannot spare Ah lovely Face which justly might excuse Thy Prince if he did beg for a Refuse And tempt thee to the Glory to deny For Vertue brighter shines than Sol or I But he would uncontroul'd do all like us Poor Titular God and envies Maximus Too happy Maximus could Fortune stay And from those dangerous heights not roll away Great Joys are to be fear'd for their Allay But Vertue Fortune's Queen preserves entire Eternal Rules bold mortals that enquire Curiously stirring up put out the holy Fire Safe in those Laws Lucina might thou rest VVith mutual Love Vertues best safeguard blest But Man that compound Mortal's ne're secure Whilst Souls are sleepy and the Flesh impure Here take these Lillies arm'd for thy defence Throws down Lillies As white and cold as Snow or Innocence Steep'd in the Ice-house of the River Styx Where Iove drinks Healths to strangers when they mix With heavenly Beings and must cease to know Th' uneasie Joys of the poor World below Sleep on fair Saint with heavenly Visions blest Let no black Dreams defile thy snowy Breast Nor Fiends corrupt thee tho like Angels drest Enter Mercury and Venus Mer. Has Flesh and Blood need of a Power divine To raise their Sympathy and make 'em joyn Is 't not enough to pimp for sacred Iove But every Prince below must have a Love Inflexible to all but Bawds above Ven. You run too fast my Agent Rome declines The Eagles mew their wings which heaven designs Shall further fly The Pilot drunk with Love The great Ship runs aground Shall mighty Iove Enrich a Prince with all the powerful Charms Of Beauty Wit and Vertue Arts and Arms And shall a wretched half-concocted She Depose a Demy-God cramp Victory Rebellious to her Prince to Iove and Me Destroy an Empire for this monstrous Crime 'Gainst Honour only fit for Plays in Rhyme Idle Discourse not Action that gay Dame For all her shifts of Gawdery not of Name Or Quality in Heaven above an odious Broker Betwixt rich Vertues Daughters of the Gods And bankrupt Sins the brats of needy Mortals Dost thou t' assist me shod with wings repine Thy Master's Credit lies at stake not mine Me. Why Madam Venus you can take your sport Cuckold your Husband sing and dance at Court And like a lazy Lady coach about Whilst I must trudge my Legs and Feathers out My Errands are so quick my Time so short That I can get no Wife nor Mistress for 't There 's ne're a Lawyer but his venâ—…al Tongue Is tip'd by me dark points of right and wrong Not obvious to all Hearers I can clear To the doubt-making Judge tell how and where The puzzled Audience with Contention spent A Bribe may safely make a President Never a Tradesman cheats Sectarist prays Stationer sells or Poet steals his Plays Rhetorical Fool must prate or be in Print Insuring Statesman Plot but Mercury is in 't Ven. I tell thee Mercury thy Trade's but small To mine that does ingross and swallow all Mine's like the Ocean whence I took my Birth All streams of Bus'ness crowd from churlish Earth Breaking from Customs bounds and living Graves Seek Liberty in our ungovern'd waves Vices Cabal each other does supply Pride Rapine moves Rapine feeds Luxury But all their motions tend to amorous Joy VVhat 's more than that for Mankind is too high What makes the street-bespatter'd Lawyer trudge What oyl's the turn-stile Conscience of a Judge They squeeze the juicy Rich and bruise the Poor Refunding Fees to their more griping Whore When Sisters throng into the Meeting-place I dress up Cupid like a Babe of Grace The Teacher is to Repetition brought Swaddled with Neck-cloath tender over-wrought Rub'd and repair'd with Cordials he becomes A secret Morsel for the hallowed Gums If Poets write and Love be not their Text Nor Women hear them Fame will leave them next 'T is I that do inspire the Sword or Pill Make Souldiers spare and make Physicians kill Repairing Murders still with Propagations I root out sapless Plants but people Nations Beauty 's the current Coin that none refuses The Bribe of Mars Minerva and the Muses Love's grown so general more Gods should be made To carry on the busie amorous Trade 'T is from a liberal Art turn'd a Disease Infecting those that have not Strength nor Ease Each dying Letcher keeps a hungry Female To gaze upon and handle like fine knacks Religious Pictures pretty Saints in Wax But Flesh and
â—…aw With a chasâ—…e hand thou might'st the chasâ—…e net draw Yet if by cunning sâ—…ealth some Rival Maid Should the soft Pleasures of my Love invade May some unknown misfortune meet her may She suddenly become some wild Beasts prey But thou fair Youth such rough Delights forbear And let thy Father of the Chase take care Thou softer Pleasures follow Thou and I And quickly to my Bosom quickly fly A Translation out of 〈◊〉 To SLEEP WHat horrid Crime did gentle Sleep displease That he refuses me the common ease Of Bird and Beast nay ev'ry breeding Trâ—…e Seems but to nod with Sleep to waking me Fierce Rivers softly glide Seas faintly roar And roul themselves asleep upon the Shore Seven times the Moon has measur'd out the night Seven times my Eyes out-watch'd her borrow'd Light The shining Stars as in their Orbs they move As oft have seen me waking from above Still my Complaints reviv'd Aurora hears And mov'd with Pity baths me with her Tears How will my Strength to bear my Grief suffice Like Argus I have not a thousand Eyes That may alternately their watching take His Body never was all o're awake Perhaps some amorous Youth kind Sleep denies To lodge at present in his wanton eyes With waking Arms he clasps the yielding Dame And quits his Rest to ease a restless Flame Let the ill-treated God take Wing to me Who have so long beg'd for his Company I will not ask him a whole Night to stay A happier Man must for that Blessing pray Let him but call upon me in his way The ATHEIST I. GReat knowing Hero Who dares boast A Conquest o're the Lord of Host Thou wear'st a Soul that scorns to be Corrupted with the Notion of a Deity Thou know'st this World was made by chance In thy eternal Atoms luckey Dance That in their heedless motion hit At last on thee thou mighty Man of Wit Thy shuffl'd Atoms that thus joyn'd And to make a World combin'd By the last Trumps inliv'ning sound Shall be without blind chance calld from the world round And when they 're all together met Shall the Agony beget Then thou shall be Rebuilt to an Eternity Of still beginning misery And thy great Nature too shall fall like thee II. Nature God's Steward only can disburse Events which he before ordain'd And uncontroul'd ne're govern'd us But like the Causes too is chain'd If God from Nature should withdraw his hand The seeble Atlas reels and cannot stand III. Proud Fool recant thy vain Philosophy That of thy God so long has cousin'd thee Thy pinion'd Reason Flesh with Faith and Soar Above thy Reason Nature's God t' adore This will correct thy Reason and thy Pride And shew thee the Eternal crucified Tho you before did think his Blood did never glide But in a Picture from his Side And that God only in a pious Romance dy'd This surely Lord thy Torments must renew And crucifie thy God-head too For 't is a double Pain To dye for Man that will an Infidel remain A Pastoral Reflexion on Death Strephon and Damon Beneath a gloomy Yiew's unhealthy Shade Whose noxious Coverts shun'd by Bird and Beast The wretched Damon lay with Arms a-cross His labouring Breast quick like a sickly Pulse His Heart with Passion seem'd to throb and beat From 's half-clos'd eyes there stole a falling tear Along the fallow Furrows of his Cheeks The deep ingraven Characters of Grief The Pipe which he with tuneful Breath inspir'd And made the vocal Organ of his Lays Lay broke and silent by the dire effect Of raging Sorrow for in that was lost The Wonder and Delight of all the Plains As Strephon chanc'd to shape his course that way In quest of two lost Ewes that lately stray'd He spy'd the Shepherd stretch'd upon the ground Amaz'd at the sad Spectacle of War He silent stood then Damon Damon cry'd Being thus provoked he rais'd his giddy Head That strait recoil'd and gently sunk to rest At last with 's Elbow pillow'd from the ground He gave attention to his speaking Friend Strephon. What makes my Damon secretly retire Resolv'd in private to possess his Grief When Damon's Sheep require their Damon's care Last night I heard the Wolves run howling by That with fierce eyes devour'd all our Flocks Their Fear above their Hunger scarce prevail'd For two Lambs in my view they almost seis'd In yonder Village too I heard this day That Thieves have basely visited our Folds Rise Damon rise and leave thy Cares behind Damon All this cannot provoke my Diligence For fear more rav'nous Wolves have seis'd on me And make my panting heart their wretched prey That vainly strives to shift the cruel Pain My Breast was ne're infested with wild care As long as dear Mirtillo liv'd whose Charms Cou'd calm the roughest Tempests of my Mind A discontinued Sun-shine I enjoy'd Till dear Mirtillo set in his dark Grave Now there 's no lucid Interval of Peace Or pause of Quiet to my troubled Mind Sad Death must be the Period of my Woe And Life then Damon like Mirtillo dye Strephon. Thy Soul fond Shepherd is with Passion craz'd And thy distemper'd Reason falsly takes The dreadful King of Terrors for thy Friend Shou'd he but lay his icy hand on thee Affrighted Nature would recant the Wish Which you in trouble made with too much haste And like the Grass before the Mowers Sythe Wou'd bending try to 'scape the fatal stroke If Death 's so pleasant why shou'd you lament Mirtillo's Fate Strephon. Because the lowly Youth Wou'd willingly have suffered tedious Life The strong Convulsions of his Friendship were More sierce than the last Agonies of Death His parting Soul by ling'ring here below Did seem to catch at Life to stay with me But when resistless Fate had summon'd him He kindly fix'd his closing Eyes on mine Then beckon'd me to follow to the Grave This makes me think 't is no hard task to dye For harmless Shepherds whose unspotted Lives Are innocent as are the Flocks they feed Fear is but the Result of Guilt Strephon. I know Death has his Terrors chiefly from our Crimes And Virtue can disarm the gastly Foe Yet Nature too still fears to be dissolv'd Like tender Lambs that dread the Butchers Knise Although they nothing fear beyond the Blow For who can boast a perfect Innocence Or run the nimble Race of humane Life Always along a spotless milkey way There 's no such Path but in the Heavens above Which we at penning time so plainly see Methinks I quiver whilst I talk of Death Being almost frighted with my own Discourse Thus I anticipate the fatal hour That must snatch me from chaste Dorinda's Arms And the dear pledges of our mutual Love When I am dead who 'll teach my lovely Boys To use the Hook or help the labouring Ewe Dorinda Boys and Sheep must all Be left a Prey to Man that unto Man Proves the most savage Wolf the strong Worry the weak remorsless Avarice
e're you further go Give Audience to a Lover's Woe II. Condoling Air to thee I speak Since she is deaf to all my Grief She that caus'd my Heart to break You never wrong'd yet bring Relief I 'm sure you grieve to hear my Pain For when I sigh you sigh again III. Go gentle Air fly to my Dear That has with Love enflam'd my Breast And whisper softly in her Ear 'T is she has rob'd my Soul of Rest Express if possible such moans May imitate my dying Groans IV. Then with a rougher Breath make bold To toss the Treasures of her Hair 'Till thou dost ev'ry Curl unfold Which cunningly mens Hearts ensnare Try all thy Skill to break the Net Till I like thee my Freedom get On a NIGHTINGALE that was drown'd By the same UPon a Bough hung trembling o're a Spring Sate Philomel to ease her Grief and sing Tuning such various Notes there seem'd to nest A Quire of little Songsters in her Breast Pleas'd Eccho at the close of every Strain Return'd the Musick Note for Note again The jealous Bird who ne're had Rival known Not thinking the sweet Accents were her own So fill'd with Emulation grew that she Express'd her outmost Art and Harmony Till as she eagerly her Conquest try'd Her shadow in the Stream below she spy'd Then heard the Waters bubling but mistook And thought the Nymphs were laughing in the Brook With that Conceit she drop'd into the Well But utter'd these soft Accents as she fell Not Tereus self e're offer'd such a wrong Nymphs take my Life since you despise my Song Love's new Philosophy By the same I. VVHo'ere a Lover is of Art May come and learn of me A new Philosophy Such as no Schools did e're impart Love all my other Notions does controul And reads these now strange Lectures to my Soul II. This God who takes delight to lye The Truth of former days defames And Aristotle blames Concluding all by Subtilty Whilst with such Art his Syllogisms are made As Solomon himself could ne're evade III. So wond'rous is his Craft and Skill His painted Reasons serve as Darts To pierce Mens Intellects and Hearts All Maxims he destroys at Will Plato he blinded so he made him think 'T was Water when he gave him Fire to drink IV. That Water can extinguish Fire Past Ages did allow Love contradicts the notion now And says it makes his Flames rage higher Which truth my self have prov'd for many years Wherein I 've wept whole Deluges of Tears V. When Soul and Body separate 'T is said the Man forthwith must dye This Maxim too I must deny My Soul 's with her who rules my Fate Yet still my Organs move a Proof to give That Soul and Body can divided live VI. Remove the Cause Effects will cease This was an Axiom too Which to my Grief I find untrue Cynthia robs my Soul of Ease Yet when this fair Disturber of my Peace Is farthest from me then my Pains encrease VII In Love Extreams themselves are joyn'd Joy and Sorrow of my Breast Together stand possest And vex with Civil VVar my Mind Thus when I view the Source of all my Wrong I sigh my Musick mix with Tears my Song VIII VVhilst in this Torment I remain To be and not to be No longer is a Mystery I dye to Joy and live to Pain Thus without Paradox I may be said To be and not to be alive and dead IX Now go my Song yet shun the Eyes Of such as never felt Love's Flame And if my Cynthia blame Thy Arguments as Sophistries Tell her this is Love's new Philosophy VVhich none can understand but such as try CYNISCA OR The fourteenth Idyllium of Theocritus imitated By W. Bowles Fellow of Kings-Coll Cambr. Thyonicus and Aeschines OH how does my dear Eschines Oh how Some Care my Friend sits heavy on thy Brow Aeschines Cynisca Friend has shown the Fiend confest And Peace and Joy are banish'd from my Breast Thyonicus Hence this wild look and this distracted Air Staring your Eyes your Face o're-grown with Hair Just such a rosie Crucian here arriv'd Some new Enthusiast sure or Flood reviv'd With such a Meen he came with such a Grace So long his Beard so dry so pale his Face Aeschines You Sir are merry but alas I find No Cure no Ease to my distemper'd Mind I rave am by a thousand Furies tost And call in vain my Reason in my Passion lost Thyonicus I always knew you jealous and severe But does Cynisca's Falshood plain appear Aeschines 'T was my ill fate or chance some Friends to treat With richest Wines the Board was crown'd with choicest Meat But fair Cynisca most adorn'd the Feast In all the Charms of Art and Nature drest Cynisca all our ravish'd Senses fed We gaz'd and we ador'd the lovely Maid With Wine and Beauty all our Hearts were fir'd And fair Cynisca still new Joys inspir'd Now Healths we drank and as the Glasses came Such was the Law each did his Mistress name Charming Cynisca too at last was prest To name the Lover in her favour blest A VVoman sure she hop'd might be excus'd The more they urg'd her she the more refus'd Refus'd Oh Friend and I her Lover by Guess if my Rage with VVine enflam'd grew high Silent she sat and with her Eyes deny'd Lycus is Handsome Tall and Young they cry'd When Lycus Name but touch'd her guilty Soul How down her Cheeks the liquid Globes did roul Confus'd her Look while Shame and Guilt apace Shifted the whole Complexion of her Face Gods with what rage was my rack'd Soul surpriz'd My Curse my Ruine am I then despis'd Ingrateful and inhumane Thou begone Go hug the Man whose Absence you bemoan No more will I deluded by your Charms Cherish an absent Mistress in my Arms. Swiftly as Swallows to their Nest she fled When unfletch'd Young lye gaping and unfed Swiftly she fled with my Embraces cloy'd Lycus she long had lov'd and long enjoy'd A publick Jest and known to all alass The Cuckold last perceives his own disgrace Yet once a Friend accus'd the guilty Maid And to my Ears unheard the fatal News convey'd For I a much abus'd deluded Sot The matter ne're examin'd or forgot Now undisturb'd unrival'd Lycus reigns Enjoys his Conquest and derides my Pains Two Months are past since unregarded I In a deserted Bed and hopeless lye Long with the mighty Pain opprest I strove But ah what Remedy for injur'd-Love In vain I struggle with the fierce Disease The fatal Poison does my Vitals seize Yet Damon did from Travel find Relief And Absence soon remov'd the raging Grief In Fires like mine successless Damon burn'd Diseas'd he parted and he sound return'd I too th' incertain Remedy will try And to less cruel Seas and Rocks will fly Thyonicus For Flanders then since you 'r resolv'd prepare Flanders the Scene of Glory and of War Or if a better choice and nobler Fire Does greater Arms and greater thoughts
Groves and awful Shade They but to thy Torment add Love does there with ease invade No Musick hear no dying Looks Behold read no romantick Books Books and Musick turn the Head Fools only sing and Mad-men read They with false Notions fill the Brain Are only fit to entertain Women and Fops that are more vain Love and Folly still are found In those to make the deepest Wound Who think their Passions to allay By giving of them leave to sway A while but they like Winter Torrents grow And all our Limits overflow Never trust thy self alone Frequent good Company and Wine In gen'rous Wines thy Passion drown That will make thee all divine Better 't is to drink to Death Than sigh and whine away our Breath In Friends and Bottles we may find More Joys than in all Womankind A far enjoyment Women pall Intolerable Plagues they 'r all Vain foolish fond proud whimsical Dissembling hypocritical Wines by keeping them improve And real Friends more firmly love If one Vintage proves severe We 're doubly recompenc'd next year If our dearest Friends we lose Others may succeed to those Women only of all things Have nothing to asswage their Stings Curs'd is the man that does pursue The short-liv'd Pleasures of their Charms There is no Hell but in their Arms For ever damned damning Sex adieu Written on her MASK By the same WEll may'st thou envious Mask be proud That dost such killing Beauties shroud Not Phoebus when behind a Cloud Of half those Glories robs our Eye As behind thee concealed lye I would have kept thee but I find My fair Elisa so unkind Thou wilt better Service do To keep her Charms from humane view For she is so strangely bright So surprizing so divine That I know her very sight Soon will make all Hearts like mine To Mr. S. G. By the same FAir Vertue should I follow thee I should be naked and alone For thou art not in Company And scarce are to be found in one Thy Rules are too severe and cold To be embrac'd by vig'rous Youth And Fraud and Avarice arm the old Against thy Justice and thy Truth He who by light of Reason led Instructs himself in thy rough School Shall all his life-time beg his Bread And when he dies be thought a Fool. Though in himself he 's satisfied With a calm Mind and cheerful Heart The World will call his Virtue Pride His holy Life Design and Art The Reign of Vice is absolute While good men vainly strive to rise They may declaim they may dispute But shall continue poor and wise Honours and Wealth were made by Fate To wait on fawning Impudence To give insipid Coxcombs Weight And to supply the want of Sense Mighty Pompey whose great Soulx Aim'd at the Liberty of Rome In vain did Caesar's Arms controul And at Pharselia was o'recome His Vertue constant in distress In Ptolomy no pity bred Who barely guided by Success Secur'd his Peace with his Friends head Brutus whom the Gods ordain'd To do what Pompey would have done The gen'rous motion entertain'd And stab'd the Tyrant on his Throne This god-like Brutus whose Delight Was Vertue which he had ador'd Haunted by Spectres over night Fell the next day on his own Sword If when his hope of Vict'ry lost This Noble Roman could exclaim Oh Vertue whom I courted most I find she 's but an empty Name In a degen'rate Age like this We wish more reason may conclude That Fortune will attend on Vice And Misery on those who dare be good A Gentleman going to his Country Farm which he had not seen for some time before at the Request of a Fair Lady writes these Verses Amyntas TEll me Damon lovely Swain Prince of all our youthful Train Why such a mighty Stranger grown To all our Pleasures and your own What Passion draws your Thoughts away From all that 's lively brisk and gay Why now no more upon the Plain Where you so well so long did reign Where all our Youths and Nymphs appear So kind so innocent and fair Damon My Phillis is not there Amyntas There 's Daphne Cloe Lidia Is she more fair more sweet than they Damon Yes she than Daphne lovelier seems Softer than Cloe's gentle'st Dreams And with more artless Modesty Than Lydia all these Charms does try Such Charms could only Venus show To Paris one Mount Ida's Brow When she with all her Graces strove To prove her self the Queen of Love And did with Beauties more divine Two Rival Goddesses out-shine Such Venus such does Phillis prove Phyllis the Queen of Me and Love Amyntas Unhappy Damon then I find You have your Liberty resign'd And only can the Honour have To be a tame and gentle Slave And a good-natur'd Prisoner To one as cruel as she 's fair Damon Amyntas no I 'm now set free From the uneasiest Flavery For while my Heart at large did range It only did its Keeper change To ev'ry she an easie prey From whence it quickly fled away Or got its freedom on Parole To yield it self with less controul But now 't is safe with Phillis laid A Prisoner in a Palace made Strange Fate of Lovers who can be Freed only by Captivity Phillis who does like Caesar fight Sees and subdues us with her sight And like that mighty Conquerour Is pleased her Captives to prefer Nor is her Cruelty so great To wound and kill without Regret Fair as the Virgin-spring and gay Cheerful as the dawning day Yet kind as fruitful Summer she Or Autumn's Liberality Only the modest damn'd Pretence Of Maiden-head and Innocence Amyntas Then happy Damon now I find Since you so constant she so kind Let Cupid doubly gild that Dart With which he wounds her tender heart Damon See my Amyntas 't is for her That of these Flocks I take such care For her alone 't is that I bind About this Elm this amorous Vine May thus my Phillis round me twine For her I dig and plough and sow Things she and I methinks should do For her I graft this Plumb and Pear As these so may my Phillis bear These Peaches I innoculate And wish but one thing more of Fate Thus all my Thoughts does but improve The World's great Manufacture Love Whether in Love Men or Women have the Advantage they in making or these in receiving their Court Consider'd in a Dialogue betwixt Corinna and Lais. Written by Mr. C. M. Lais. NAy surely Men in Love have much the start Theirs is the pleasanter and braver part We Passive Creatures must a Siege maintain Which won the Victors as o're Vassals reign Where e're their Appetite does lead they rove Stop where they like when Nature prompts make Love With boundless Will and Fancy unconfin'd Sail through the Air and wanton in the Wind Until they spy some beauteous tempting Dame Then with full Sails pursue the noble Game Bristle each Feather all their Wings display And gripe in eager Arms the panting Prey When they are cloy'd
would commend Methinks the feeble Praise I upwards send Like panting Mists beneath a Hill doth rise 'T is wing'd with Zeal yet whilst aspiring dies It strives to reach your worth but your great height Doth baffle all its best endeavours strait Yet my fond Muse resolves her Strength to try Altho she 's sure in the Attempt to dye And now she hath thus rashly ventur'd in She knows not how or where she should begin Is doubtful which should have the foremost place The native smoothness of your Speech or â—…ace The silent lines that on your Cheeks do grow Or those which in soft pleasing Accents flow These must to one another yield for we In both discern the self same Harmony Your well-fram'd Body seems to her so fine She thinks your glorious Soul doth thro' it shine Doubts which o' th' two she highest ought to set The precious Jewel or the Cabinet When she your unstain'd whiteness views from thence She firmly gathers inward Innocence She doth through Smiles your Patience clearly spy And reads your Wisdom in your searching eye Knows how all Vertues by your Looks are dress'd Or in resembling Characters express'd But stay a while yet hold unhappy Muse And see whom thou thus humbly do'st abuse I 'm sure thou dost unpard'nably offend And needs must come to an untimely end Unless her Mercy do all those transcend To the same immoderately mourning the Death of a Relation IN vain you keep your Sorrow fresh with Tears In vain renew your Trouble and our Fears For Heaven's sake leave your Love no more commend By making Grief so long out-live your Friend Whilst thus with hideous groans and doleful cries You wound the yielding Air with Tears your eyes You must what she to Nature ow'd forget Or else repine she dy'd no more in Debt When she in Baptism her first Vow did make She promis'd by her Sureties to forsake The World and all its Pomp and can you now Grieve she is dead who only keeps her Vow When searching Fate shall its Advantage find And most compendiously destroy Mankind In you alone Mirth then will Scandal grow And all men mourn or feign that they do so Should each of those shed but one single Tear To whom you 're known that is to whom you 're dear The World would in an instant cover'd be With Waters once more perish in a Sea Think then what fears already fill the Breast Of some what haste you make to kill the rest Secret Grief I. FArewel fond Pleasures I disdain Your Nets of Roses loose my Chain And set my fetter'd Powers free For you and I shall ne're agree Tempt me no more 't is all in vain II. The easie World with Charms assail Of Triumphs there you cannot fail On those to whom the Cheat's unknown You will infallibly prevail But let my Solitude and me alone III. Let the sad Cypress crown my Head The deadly Poppy on my Temples shed Through all my Veins its Juyce bespread Could I retrieve my former years I 'd live them o're again in Tears IV. In secret I 'll enjoy my Grief Not tell the Cause nor ask relief Though ne're so high the Streams should grow Yet 't is not fit the World should know The Spring from whence my Sorrows flow Mart. L. 1. Ep 58. WOuld Flaccus know if I would change my Life What kind of Girl I 'd chuse to make my Wife I wou'd not have her be so fond to say Yes at first dash nor dwell too long on Nay These two Extreams I hate then let her be 'Twixt both not too hard-hearted nor too free The GRACES or Hieron Theocriti Idyll 16. Translated by Sir Edward Sherborn above forty years ago THE Muses and the Muse inspired Crew This always as their best-lov'd Theam pursue The Honour of immortal Gods to raise And crown the Actions of Good Men with Praise For Deities the Muses are and use As such to give to Deities their Dues We Poets are but Mortals sing we then The Deeds of god-like tho but mortal men None kindly yet our Graces entertain But send them unrewarded back again This made the Girls when bare-foot they came home Chide me for idly sending them to roam On sleeveless Errands wearied here to stay They sigh their melancholy Souls away They loath their sordid Lodging fume and fret 'Cause for their Labours they can nothing get For where 's the generous Mortal now a-days That loves to hear a Poet 's well-tun'd Lays To find one such I know not some 't is true Love te be prais'd none a good Deed will do They value not their Honours as of old But are meer Slaves to Avarice and Gold Just or unjust all Practices they try For heaps of Treasure but will rather dye Than part with the bare Scrapings of its Rust To satisfie a needy Poet's Gust If any chance a Boon of them to beg They cry My Knee is nearer than my Leg. Of what is mine my self alone shall share 〈◊〉 their own Poets let the Gods take care Who to another's Pray'r now lends an Ear Not one This Truth Homer to all makes clear The best of Poets tho the best he be He gets not yet one single Cross from me Mad men what 's Wealth if still the hoarded Gold From others under Lock and Key you hold None wise thinks this is the true use of it Some part for proper Interest we should fit And some apply to the Support of Wit Some to our near Allies we should allow To Strangers some some to the Gods should vow Set some for Hospitality a-part To treat our Friends with open hand and heart But chiefly to maintain the Muses Quire That when to the old Grave thou shalt retire Thou may'st among the living gain Renown Nor mourn inglorious near sad Acheron As some poor Ditcher with hard brawny hand That cannot heavy Poverty withstand The great Antiochus in plenteous measure Supply'd his Subjects Wants from his own Treasure So King Alevas many sat Droves went Into his Stalls and from his Stalls were sent Insinite Flocks large Pastures did afford To furnish Crion's hospitable Board No Pleasure yet from all this Princely store Could they receive were their Souls wasted o're In Charon's Boat to the dark Stygian Shore But in obscure Oblivion they would lye Depriv'd of all their Superfluity 'Mongst wretched Souls whom no Time can nor Age From their sad Miseries e're disengage If the great Ceian Poet had not been And with his Praises made them live again Evâ—… the swift Coursers at th' Olympick Game Are registred in the Records of Fame Who of the Lycian Princes e're had heard Of Cyrnus with his flaxen Hair and Beard Or Prim's Sons forgot they had been long Their Wars and Battels had not Poets sung Ulisses who full six score Months was tost And Time and Wealth 'mongst several Nations lost Who went to Hell alive and by a slight From the fierce Cyclops Cave made his safe flight
all the Joys of Heav'n And for my sake from Paradice been driv'n Thou should'st the blackest Feind in Hell embrace Sooner than I 'd behold thy guilty Face Ev'n one Crime hadst thou an Angels Charms Would sep'rate me for ever from thy Arms. For Fate and Love on such a point depend If one Link break both the great Unions end Down at one leap from highest Heav'n to Hell The brightest Hi'rarchy of Angels â—…ell How soon by disobedience destroy'd Was the blest state the first great Pair enjoy'd That one sad act which we so much deplore Brought a propension to a thousand more But did not Souls that once receive a stain Tho cleans'd more easily defile again The lesser God requires th' Almighty doom Time past time present and the time to come His Laws are stricter than the Court of Heav'n There sin Original is scarce forgiv'n Tho thou my Life 's fair Guardian dearer art Than the warm ruddy drops that feed my heart With all thy Charms how easie could I part If their first blooming sweets had been destroy'd Tho lawfully without a Crime enjoy'd True Love its Beauteous Object musâ—… invade As did the Sun the World when first 't was made All gay and innocent in Virgin state As fix'd and constant as eternal Fate No Tyrant my dear Sovereign e'er could have A more obedient faithful humble Slave And yet that God-like Pow'r that joyns our souls And all inferiour faculties controuls In ev'ry nice desire must be obey'd And as much Homage to thy Subject paid As if he the Worlds Empire singly swai'd As undisturb'd un rival'd in his Throne As the great Prince that rul'd the Globe alone One smile tho forc'd from those subduing eyes Would forfeit all which they have taken prize Ev'ry kind look my soul esteems so dear It hardly can a Sisters kisses bear Methinks there should be found some other way Our Loves to distant Kindred to convey Scarce canst thou lull a tender Infants cries But streight uneasie pains begin to rise Nothing methinks should fill those snowy Arms But he that has command of all thy Charms Ev'n thou what 's strange canst scarce permitted be To love thy self but leave it all to me And oh if Fate does to my Will give power While Joys of Crowns pass unregarded by Round thy soft Limbs my greedy Arms shall twine And Martyrs Souls not be more blest than mine Through the vast Lab'rinth of thy sweets I 'll rove And give and take all the delights of Love Not the young Monarch when in Triumph led With glitt'ring Diadems round his shining head In all the Glories of his Regal State Can think himself more happy or more great Thy tender Breast is a far softer Throne And at each kiss methinks the World 's my own In that dear Centre all those pleasures move That fill the Earth and the wide Sphears above There does such soft and tender Goddess dwell 'T would draw an Anch'rite from his lonely Cell Nor has thy Beauty less amasing Charms The Conqu'ror there wou'd stop his vengeful Arms Ravish'd in sweets to be a Slave would choose Rather than Triumph o'er his vanquish'd Foes Had I more Kingdoms Crowns and Scepters won Than did of old great Philip's Conquering Son With half my Empires I with ease could part But not with the least Province of thy heart My Soul 's diffus'd through all the crimson Sphere And fix'd in ev'ry lab'ring Fibre there No Joys nor Comforts can admittance find Till they are first with that dear Image sign'd Fates greatest blessings but a moment last And when they 're once injoy'd the pleasure 's past The same dull Joy's repeated o'er and o'er And pleases little when beheld before But thy dear Bosom like Elysian Springs An ever-flowing Tide of Pleasure brings One would have thought that ere the lab'ring Sun Through his vast Regions could so oft have run The riches that one breast could keep in store With lesser pains might have been ransack'd o're But such an infinite Mass does there abound That 't is but running an Eternal round Like vital spirit through the Form 't is spread And ne'er can cease â—…ill life it self is fled No Fate nor Accident o'er-comes thy Skill In Joys and Sorrows thou art charming still And 't is hard judging which has greatest pow'r Thy Tears to wound the heart or Smiles to cure CONTENT ENough enough ye Gods I need no more Nor has this World a greater store Your Bounteous hands have largely given One sovereign Remedy that can Make bless'd the wretchedst state of Man And shew in this dark Globe the brightest glimpse of Heav'n Forgive what 's past and if I e'er again Be found in the least murmuring strain If ever I repine that Fate Me ne'r in pompous Triumph led Nor Crown'd a poor Plebeian head Avenging Powers resume her back and make me great Which of you all ye dreaded Sons of Earth Who from the Gods derive your Birth From Coronations wou'd not fly Throw your unweildy Scepters down And scorn the most Imperial Crown For the vast Realms of bliss that in her bosom lie Welcome thou brightest Diadem â—…thou wealth Thou truest honour fame and health Welcome thou only gift of Heaven Thou wondrous Ark that still contains The blessing of all natures pains Thou dear Celestial Food in whom all sweets were given Welcome true happiness without allay Thou bright and everlasting day Oh! may I thus be ever blest Thus volv'd in endless pleasures feel My wither'd Arms around thee still And see my aged head grown hoary on thy breast The Inconstant 1. NO Flatter not nor me more Constant call Than the false Winds that smile on all Because but one dear She I Love One that might fix those winds and make a Statue move 2. The quickning Sun who with his genial heat Nature's vast Of-spring does beget Is to one Object more inclin'd Than all my Love does me to that dear Creature bind 3. The same kind visit that he makes to day Ten thousand times he does repay In endless rounds his glorious Throne Adorns one rude uncomely Globe of Earth alone 4. But my less constant and ungovern'd Flame Ne'er meets her twice as she 's the same Still wandring like Columbus I Some rich and unknown Land in that bright World descry 5. Ten thousand Offerings to her I 've made Ten thousand more too shall be paid Yet I ne'er did nor never will More than one Sacrifice to one dear Vertue kill 6. Ev'ry embrace and ev'ry melting kiss Tasts of some unexperienc'd bliss Not the first pledge of Nuptial Love Can more transporting be than our last joys will prove 7. The num'rous graces of her outward part Can hardly be summ'd up by Art But when I her Soul's vertues see My dazled sight is lost in vast Infinity 8. There every Grace and every Beauty dwells Ev'n Nature there her self excells In her delightful charming breast Banish'd from Paradice an Angel might be blest 9.
of such a cause could not be less Nature erected her delightful Arms So wondrously adorn'd with heav'nli'st charms That like Herculian Pillars they might shew Th' admiring World she can no farther go But with Pigmalion stand her self amaz'd 〈◊〉 At the stupendious Form her joyful hand has rais'd 7. What service would I pay what wondrous Love Should I not so ungrateful prove To that Terrestrial Angel who below Does such a Glorious Image shew Of Saints eternal Faith and Innocence above Or could there an Exchange in Passions be What recompence would I return to thee With fervent Zeal from an unbounded heart Sould noble Friendship act a Lovers part Nay now methinks I have so great a sense Of all thy Love and Excellence That even that dear she Who 's more than all the World to me Alas hardly two grains more than thee For tho I love you less That Passion does as much express For if in Love as in Religion The Gods accept the Will alone No Martyr ever dy'd With greater zeal than I have liv'd Thee kind Corinna I adore As much as e'er I can and I Love her no more TO LUCINDA GO on Fair Maid persist in your disdain At the first stroke my heart was slain And all your Pride and Scorn can do no more Than what your frowns have done before Tho like first Atoms which compounded thee This wretched Body mangled be When Life 's departed with all sense of pain You the dead Carcass wound in vain When threatning Comets burn no small disease On the Contagious World does seize Devouring Plagues with livid ruin wast The spotted Race of Man and Beast Nor do thy eyes portend a milder doom Where'er their fatal beams o'ercome When from those raging Stars one frown you dart It 's able to destroy the stoutest heart The Captive WHat shall I do to give my soul some rest This cruel barbarous Tyrant Love Now it has got possession of my breast Will never from its Throne remove I must alas the sad disease indure Whose raging pain no sov'reign Balm can cure At first it lodg'd in my unwary eyes And like a slave obey'd my Will But streight did the proud Basilisk surprize That seat of Life it soon will kill O'er my whole Form th' Imperial Viper reigns And spreads its poison through my burning veins When it invaded first my lab'ring heart To stop the fatal Course I strove And gave away the dear infected part To her whom more than that I love Now sure thought I for ever from my Breast Is banish'd that unkind disquiet Guest But all my pleasing hopes alas were crost As disarm'd Patients feel the pain Of the same Limb they many years have lost My Torment still returns again And now I find it is increas'd so high 'T will ne'er leave me till I leave that and die The Command NO no bold heart forbear rather than speak Thou shalt with pain and silence break My Passion 's rais'd so dangerously high Thou must for ever speechless lie On Penalty of a worse death Use not the least complaining breath But silent as the Grave with all thy Sorrows dye Alas shouldst thou begin what tongue could tell The raging pangs of Love I feel More Torment ev'ry dismal hour does bear Than thou couldst in an Age declare Great sorrows overwhelm the tongue And wouldst thou do me so much wrong To let her know by halves what I endure for her ON LUCINDAS Singing at CHURCH TEll me no more of soft harmonious spheres Or Syrens voices that enchant our ears From her sweet tongue such tuneful ' Musick springs Angels might cease while the bright Charmer sings Hark how the Temples sacred Roof rebounds With warbling Ecchoes and seraphic sounds Methinks the well-pleas'd Gods themselves attend To hear a Heav'nly voice from Earth ascend Delighted Saints move from their Mansions there To be partakers of our Pleasures here Pleasures so charming that they plainly prove What entertainment we shall find above Such Beauteous Forms Elysian Fields adorn And such sweet notes awake the Morn Cease dull Devotion cease we need no more The sacred Deities for Heav'n implore While thus her voice wounds the Melodious Air Our Souls must think themselves already there No humane tongue could ever entertain The Divine Powers in so divine a strain Nor does she glorifie the Gods alone For while she sings Heav'ns Praises she sings her own The Convert VVHen first I saw Lucinda's face And view'd the dasling glories there She seem'd of a Diviner Race Than that which Nature planted here With Sacred Homage down I fell Wondring whence such a Form could spring Tell me I cry'd fair Vision tell The dread Commands from Heav'n you bring For if past sins may be forgiven By this bright Evidence I know The careful Gods have made a Heav'n That made such Angels for it'too Vicissitude VVHo that ere Fortune's Trait'rous smiles has try'd Can hope for any constant Bliss In such a faithless World as this Or in the surest promises of treach'rous Fate conside The tott'ring Globe turns with the rolling Spheres And the same Motion may be seen Concentric too from us within Exalted now with Hopes and then depress'd with Fears Eternal Change revolves with ev'ry day The most Triumphant Glorious Crown Is in a moment tumbl'd down And shrines of burnish'd Gold to mouldring Earth decay Ev'n I my self who would not change the Fate Auspicious Stars ordain'd my Birth With any Mortal Man on Earth Midst all my joys can't boast of a much happier state When my Lucinda smiles no Prince can be So blest on his Imperial Throne But if she chance to dart a Frown The wretched'st Slave alive's an Emperour to me The CURE worse than the DISEASE AS they whom raging Feavers burn Drink cooling things for ease Which make a fiercer heat return And heighten their disease In hopes to cure my tort'ring pain A worse Experiment I found Running upon the Sword again That gave me first my wound The Denial HOld hold my dear Destroyer hold I do confess I was too bold My violent Passion rais'd so high That in the mighty Transport I Feeling my troubled Breast so full Let my tongue speak the language of my Soul Stop dearest stop that fatal breath Presaging Omens bode my Death Tho I would give my Life to hear That charming voice which now I fear As Criminals expect their doom I wish to know but dread the Fate to come THE Royal Canticle OR THE SONG OF SOLOMON CANTO I. Sponsa JOyn thy life-breathing Lips to mine Thy Love excells the Joys of Wine Thy Odours oh how redolent Attract me with their pleasing Scent These sweetly flowing from thy Name Our Virgins with desire enflame Oh! draw me my Belov'd and we With winged feet will follow thee Thy Loving Spouse at length great King Into thy Royal Chamber bring Then shall our Souls intranc'd with joy In thy due Praise their Zeal employ Thy celebrated Love recite Which more than
rosie Cups delight Who Truth and Sacred Justice prize To thee their hearts shall Sacrifice You Daughters of Ierusalem You Branches of that Holy Stem Though Black in Favour I excel Black as the Tents of Ismael Yet Graceful as the burnish'd Throne And Ornaments of Solomon Despise not my discolour'd look From the Enamour'd Sun I took My Mothers Sons envy'd my worth And swoln with Malice thrust me forth To keep their Vines in heat of day While ah mine own neglected lay More Lov'd than all of Humane Breed Oh tell me where thy Flocks do feed Where rest they in what graceful shade When scorching Beams the Fields invade Why should I stray and turn to those Thy seeming Friends and real Foes Sponsus Oh! thou the fairest of thy Kind I will inform thy troubled mind Follow the way my Flocks have led And in their steps securely tread Thy Kids feed on the faithful Plains Beside the Sheep-cots of our Swains Thou Love art like the Gen'rous Steeds Which Pharaoh for his Chariot breeds Harness'd in rich Caparisons How shine thy Cheeks with sparkling Stones That vie in Beauty with thy Tears Thy Neck the Oceans Treasure wears I will a Golden Zone impart Enamell'd with a bleeding heart Sponsa While he the Prince of Bounty Feasts And entertains his happy Guests My Spikenard shall perfume his hair Whose Odours fill the ambient Air All night his Sacred head shall rest Betwixt the Pillows of my Breast Not Myrrh new bleeding from the Tree So accetpable is to me Nor Camphire Clusters when they blow Which in Engeddi's Vineyard grow Sponsus Thy Beauty Love allures my sight And sheds a Firmament of Light In either sits a Silver Dove So mild so full of artless Love Sponsa Thou oh my Love art fairer far Thou as the Sun I but a Star Come my delight our pregnant Bed Is with green buds and Violets spread Our Cedar Roofs are richly gilt Our Galleries of Cypress built CANTO II. Sponsus I Am the Lily of the Vale The Rose of Sharons fragrant Dale Love as th' unsully'd Lily shews Which in a Brake of Brambles grows My Love so darkens all that are By erring Men admir'd for fair Sponsa Love as the Tree which Citrons bears Amidst the barren Shrubs appears So my Belov'd excells the Race Of Man in ev'ry wining Grace In his desired Shade I rest And with his fruit my Palate feast He brought me to his Magazines Replenish'd with refreshing Wines And over me a tender Maid The Ensign of his Love displaid With Flagons oh revive my Powers And strow my Bed with Fruits and Flowers Whose taste and smell may cordial prove For oh my Soul is sick of Love Beneath my Head thy left Arm place And gently with thy right embrace Sponsus You Daughters of Ierusalem You Branches of that Holy Stem I by the Mountain Roes and by The Hinds that through the Forrest fly Adjure you that you silence keep Nor till he call disturb his sleep Sponsa Is it a Dream or do I hear The voice that so delights mine ear Lo he his steps o'er Hills extends And bounding from the Cliffs descends Now like a Roe outstrips the Wind And leaves the well-breath'd Hart behind Behold without my dearest stays And through the Casement darts his Rays Thus as his words his Looks invite Oh! thou the Crown of my Delight Arise my Love My fair one rise Our bliss with every Minute flies Lo the sharp Winter now is gone Those threatning Tempests over-blown Hark how the Airs Musicians sing The Advent of the flowry Spring Chast Turtles lodg'd in shady Groves Now murmur to their Faithful Loves Green Figs on sprouting Trees appear And Vines sweet smelling Blossoms bear Arise my Love my fair one rise Our bliss with ev'ry minute flies Oh thou my Love whom Terror locks Within the Crannies of the Rocks Come forth now like thy self appear And with thy voice delight mine Ear Thy Voice is Musick and thy face All conquers with transcending Grace Approach and timely rescue make These Foxes these young Foxes take Who thus our tender Grapes destroy Our present hope and future Joy I am my Loves and he is mine So mutually our Souls combine He whose affection words exceeds His Dear among the Lilleis feeds Until the Morning paint the Skie And Nights repulsed shadows flie Return to me my only Dear And with the Morning-Star appear Run like a youthful Hart upon The tops of lofty Lebanon CANTO III. Sponsa STretch'd on my restless Bed all Night I vainly sought my Souls delight Then rose the City search'd no Street No Corner my unwearied feet Untrodden left yet could not find The only comfort of my mind The Watch and those that walk't the Round Me in my Soul's Distraction found Of whom with Passion I enquir'd Saw you the Man so much desir'd Nor many steps had farther past But found my Love and held him fast Fast held till I the so long sought Had to my Mothers Mansion brought In that adorned Chamber laid Of her who gave me Life I said You Daughters of Ierusalem You branches of that Holy Stem I by the Mountain Roes and by The Hinds which through the Forrest flie Adjure you that you silence keep Nor till he call disturb his sleep Chorus Who 's this whose feet the Hills ascend From Desarts leaning on her Friend Who 's this that like the Morning shews When she her Paths with Roses strews More fair than the replenish'd Moon More radiant than the Sun at Noon Not Armies with their Ensigns spread Display such Beauty mix'd with dread Sponsa Behold the Bed he rests upon The Royal Bed of Solomon Twice fifty Soldiers that excell In Valour Sons of Israel So dreadful to his Enemies Their Swords well mounted on their Thighs His Person guard from the affright And Treasons of concealing Night King Solomon a Chariot made With Trees from Lebanon convey'd The Pillars Silver and the Throne With Gold of Indian Ophir shone With Tyrian Purple ceil'd above For Sions Daughters pav'd with Love Come Holy Virgins oh come forth Behold a Spectacle of worth Behold the Royal Solomon High mounted on his Glorious Throne Crown'd with the Crown his Mother plac'd On his smooth Brows with Gems inchac'd At that solemnized Nuptial Feast When Joy his ravish'd Soul possest CANTO IV. Sponsus HOw fair art thou how wondrous fair Thy Dove-like Eyes in Shades of Hair Thy dangling Curles appears like Flocks Of climbing Goats from Gileads Rocks Thy Teeth like Sheep in their return From Chison wash'd and smoothly shorn None mark'd her Barren none of all But equal Twins at once let fall Thy Cheeks like Punick Apples are Which blush beneath thy flowing hair Thy Lips like threads of Scarlet show Whence Graceful Accents sweetly flow Thy Neck like Davids Armory With polish'd Marble rais'd on high Whose Wall a Thousand Shields adorn By Worthies oft in Battel born Thy Breasts two twins new wearied show There grazing where the Lillies grow Untill
the Morning paint the Sky And Nights repining Shadows flie I to the Mountains will retire Where bleeding Trees Perfumes expire My Spouse let us at length be gone Leave we the fragrant Lebanon Look down from Amana look down From Shemis top from Hermons Crown From Hills where dreadful Lions raye And from the Mountain-Leopards Cave Thou who my Spouse and Sister art How hast thou ravish'd my sick heart Struck with one glance of thy bright Eyes One hair of thine like Fetters ties Thy Beauty Sister is Divine Thy Love my Spouse more strong than Wine Thy Odour's far more redolent Than Spices from Panehea sent Thy Lips winh Honey-dew o'er-flow Thy Breasts celestial Milk bestow Thy Robes a sweeter Odour cast Than Lebanon with Cedars grace 't My Love my mutual Vows assur'd A Garden is with strength immur'd A Christal Fountain a clear Spring Shut up and Seal'd with my own Ring An Orchard stor'd with pleasant fruit Pomegranate Trees extend their Roots Where sweetly smelling Camphire blows And never-dying Spikenard grows Sweet Spikenard Crocus newly blown Sweet Calamus and Cinnamon Those Trees which Sacred Incence shed And Tears of Myrrh perfume our Bed Sponsa Those livings Springs from thee proceed Whose Rills our Plants with moisture feed Like those clear streams which issue from The Fountain fruitful Lebanon You cooler Winds blow from the North You dropping Southern Gales break forth On this our Garden gently blow And through the Land rich Odours throw CANTO V. Sponsus MY Spouse my Sister thou who art The Joy and Treasure of my heart I to my Garden have retir'd Reap'd Spices which perfumes expir'd Sweet Gums from Trees profusely shed On dropping Combs of Honey fed Drinks Mornings-Milk and new-press'd Wine Oh friends who like desires combine Eat drink drink freely nor remove Till you be all inflam'd with Love Sponsa Altho I sleep my Passions wake For he who call'd thus sadly spake My Spouse my Sister thou more mild Than Gall-less Doves my undefil'd Oh let me enter Night hath shed Her dew on my uncover'd head Which from my drenched Locks distills While freezing Snow my Bosom fills Can I assent to thy request Disrob'd and newly laid to rest Shall I now cloath my feet again And feet so lovely wash'd distain But when I had his hand discern'd Benumn'd with Cold my Bowels yearn'd I rose nor longer could defer T' unlock the door persum'd with Myrrh But ah when open'd he was gone But whither by no foot-step shewn The Watch and those that walk't the Round In this pursuit th' afflicted found Smote wounded and prophanely tore The Sable Veil my Sorrow wore You Virgins of fair Solyma I charge you if you see him say That I his Spouse am sick of Love And with your Tears his Pity move Chorus Oh thou of all thy Sex most fair Can none with thy belov'd compare Doth he so much our Love transcend That we should him alone intend Sponsa Loe in his face the blushing Rose Joyn'd with the Virgin Lilly grows Among a Myriad he appears The chief that Beauty's Ensign bears His head adorn'd with burnish'd Gold Which curles of shining hair infold Black as Ravens shining Wings His eyes like Doves by Christal Springs His Cheeks with Spice and Flowers compare His Lips like Roses dropping Myrrh His hands the wandring Eye invites Like Rings which flame with Chrisolites His Belly polish'd Ivory Where Saphires mixt with Coral lye His Legs like Marble Pillars plac'd On Bases with pure Gold inchas'd His looks like Cedars planted on The top of lofty Lebanon His Tongue the Ear with Musick feeds And he in ev'ry part exceeds You Daughters of Ierusalem You Branches of that Holy Stem Such is my Love and Praises Theme CANTO VI. Chorus FAir Virgin parallell'd by none Oh! whither 's thy Beloved gone Direct our forward Zeal that we May joyn in his pursuit with thee Sponsa I to my pleasant Garden went Where Spices breath a fragrant scent There gather'd Flowers feasts in the shade On beds of bruised Spices laid I am my Loves and he is mine So mutually our Souls combine He whose Affection Speech exceeds His Dear among the Lillies feeds Sponsus Not Regal Tirza Israels Delight thy Beauty Love excells Not thou Divine Ierusalem That art of all the World the Gem Nor Armies with their Ensignes spread Display such Beauty mix'd with red Oh turn from me thy wounding eyes In every glance an Arrow flies Thy shining hair appears like Flocks Of climbing Goats from Giliads Rock Thy Teeth like Sheep in their return From Chison wash'd and smoothly shorn Nor mark'd for Barren none of all But equal Twins at once let fall Thy Cheeks like Punic Apples are Which blush beneath thy flowing hair They boast of many Queens great store Of Concubines and Virgins more Than can be told my undefil'd Is all in one the only Child Of her fair Mother and brought forth To shew the world an unknown worth Queens Virgins Concubines beheld Admir'd and Bless'd th' unparallell'd Chorus Who 's this who like the Morning shews When she her path with Roses strews More fair than the replenish'd Moon More radiant than the Sun at Noon No Armies with their Ensignes spread At once such Beauty Fear and Dread Sponsa I to my pleasant Garden went Where Nutmegs breath a fragrant scent To see the Gen'rous Fruits which grac'd The pregnant Vale with Gems inchac'd To see the Vines disclose their Gems And Granates blossom on their Stems When unawares and half amaz'd Methought my ravish'd Soul was rais'd Up to a Chariot swift as winds Drawn by my Peoples willing minds Chorus Return fair Shulamite return To us who for thy absence mourn What see you in the Shulamite Two Armies prevalent in Fight CANTO VII Sponsus OH Princess thou than Life more dear How beautiful thy feet appear When they with purple Ribbands bound In Golden Sandals print the Ground Thy Joynts like Jewels which impart To wondring Eyes the Workmans Art Thy Navell's like a Mazer fill'd With Juice from rarest Fruits distill'd Thy Belly 's like an heap of Wheat With never fading Lillies set Thy Breasts two Twins new wearied show Which fell at once from one fair Doe Thy Neck an Ivory Tower displays Thine Eyes do shine with equal Rays Like Heshbons Pools by Bathrabim Where Silver-Scaled Fishes swim Thy Nose presents that Tower upon The top of Flow'ry Lebanon Which all the pleasant Plain Surveys Where Abana her Streams displays Thy Head like Carmel cloath'd with shade Whose Tresses Tyrian Fillets bray'd The King from Cypress Galleries This Chain of strong Affection tyes How Pleasant oh how exquisite Thy Beauty 's fram'd for sweet delight Thy Stature's like an upright Palm Thy Breasts like Clusters dropping Balm I will ascend the Palms high Crown Whose Boughs victorious Hands renown And from the spreading Branches Root Will gather her delicious Fruit. Thy Breasts shall like ripe Clusters swell Thy Breath like new-pull'd Citrons smell Choice Wines shall from thy
Globe so long admire Till we fall down in Adoration to the glorious fire Sure the Almighty God Consulted with himself and said He not in Nature's common road But as their first great Parent shall be made So the Divine Particle from his own Essence flow'd To make his Image eminently great He trusted not to the slight hand of Fate But to his own ineffable Idea sat Oh might we worship now the Pow'rs divine In any outward form then surely thine As Gods best Mirror shou'd Great Charles be mine Of intellectual first causes we Nothing but by effects can see And Heav'ns most lovely Attributes were all in thee When most severe around his awful Throne With dawning beams th' exalted Cherub shon Easie and placable his bending ear The softest Voice of Misery did hear When his vile Subjects any Crimes had done They safely to their injur'd Sov'reign run As if the upright Judge had heard a Cause That violated God's and Nature's Laws Divine Compassion in his Looks appear'd And long his just Decree the gracious King deferr'd Favour unsought and such prevenient Grace With cheerful Majesty adorn'd his Face That scarcely was the Mercy-seat of God More mild than the indulgent Throne on which he trod X. Tell me oh tell me all ye wither'd Scrowls Aegyptian Records of Dynastian Race Imperial Rome that loudly from of old The deeds of your illustrious Hero's told And thou O Time whose envious brazen rowls Do all Memorials but thy own deface Tell me if e're Humanity so well So gloriously suffer'd reign'd and fell Oh! had he flourish'd in the Ages past Eternal Triumphs wou'd their King have grac'd In ev'ry shining Capitol had stood Honours divine ador'd him as he rode His House a Temple and himself a God And sure if Mortal e're deserv'd the Name His Virtues might demand the glorious claim In Dignity born next to heavenly Race Humble and open as the Throne of Grace His Rods and Axes were beheld by few He sav'd more Subjects Lives than Sylla slew Nor were his moral Gifts alone confin'd Rich was the soil of his capacious Mind How when unbent from Cares at hours of ease The great Dictator wou'd inform or please Tho sharp and pointed as his Sword how sweet And mild he rul'd his Monarchy of Wit So tenderly the sov'reign sway he bore None wish'd him less tho no man could have more Never my humble and obedient Ear The sacred Oracle but once did hear And oh methought a light divine Did round his beaming Temples shine Sense of new Joy to my charm'd Soul was giv'n And the blest sound as of a Voice from Heav'n Nor did the clear sagacious King excell In speaking only but in judging well Conspicuous venerable and great As high in Knowledge as in Pow'r he sat Learning and Arts still flourish'd round his Throne As well they might for they were all his own In noblest Sciences so much renown'd As he for Wisdom only had been crown'd Great Iove himself his darling Prince endow'd And him his own Prerogative allow'd That divine Blessing granted but to few From his own Head his wiâ—…e and warlike Pallas grew XI But these tho graceful raise but common fame Compar'd to Glories which attend his Name That Heav'ns peculiar Mercy might be shewn To all the World its Lord anointed known His Maker trebly mark'd him for his own To Empire born he long in Exile mourn'd But like triumphant royal Oar he burn'd And with more lustre to his Realms return'd He came and lo with his Imperial Crown Such Honour Peace and Plenty shower'd down That he on his ingrateful Land bestow'd Blessings as great as upon him the God So much these Nations did his Bounty share A Realm of People all his Fav'rites were When his mild hand had stop'd the sulph'rous Breath Of savage War that gorg'd the Jaws of Death And had destroy'd that vile Cadmean Brood Who bath'd their Swords in their own reaking Blood And doubly dy'd 'em in a Royal Flood His Temples never open'd but when Heav'n Was prais'd and their rebellious Sins forgiv'n With what endearing Arts he always strove To gain a wicked murm'ring Peoples Love Succour'd their dangers all and led 'em thro' A wild Abyss and Wilderness of Woe Tho they so oft provok'd his sacred Ire His heav'nly Covenant did ne're expire Their leading Cloud by day by night their lambent Fire No sort of Misery but he repeal'd The diseas'd look'd up to him and were heal'd When their flagitious Crimes so num'rous were That he like Eastern Kings might have been Heir To forfeit Realms forgave the share And yet when by his Charge our fruitful Nile With pregnant Surge enriches all the Isle And the World's Wealth flows in with ev'ry tide How barbarously were his Wants deny'd Through his own precious Wounds the gen'rous Palm To cure his People gave 'em sov'reign Balm When he in danger sat upon his Throne Mourn'd the dear Partner of his Woes alone Their Kindred and Estates were all their own Oh may the Laws of God and Man depart From my immortal Soul and in my Heart No glad Remembrance of blest Joy remain But run a savage with the bestial Race If ever I forget the dying Scene How tenderly he with his parting Breath Inherent Love unutterable Grace Midst all the Agonies and racking Pain Of a tormenting hard convulsive death Did his dear Pledge to his lov'd Heir bequeath Calm as Favonian Winds when Halcyon's breed To his twin-star these potent Realms decreed Govern 'em well the yielding Monarch cry'd Then on his balmy Nest the lovely Phoenix dy'd With Peace and Goodness dy'd so very full His Body took Impressions from his Soul The Royal Entrails fair unspotted shin'd With purple orient Spirits and divin'd The wondrous Blessing in Great Iames we find And well were their auspicious Omens made Of Joys whose vast Foundations Charles has laid With untaught Hymns and loud immortal Lays Ages unborn shall bless his peaceful days And make three Kingdoms one large House of Praise Learn hence ye mortal Potentates who boast Of Mansolean Tombs and Memphian Cost Learn how t' embalm an everlasting Name That may out-live those mould'ring works of Fame Tho dead Great Charles his God-like Vertues shall Bravely revenge their renown'd Masters Fall His deathless Praise with the unwearied Sun Bright as his Beams round the wide Earth will run Till drawing near to this dissolving frame The sulph'rous Bowels of the Deep enflame Till in vast Flakes the fervid Surges rowl Thro' Heav'ns wide Battlements from Pole to Pole And in a Deluge of tempestuous Fire With his Illustrious Name the World expire FINIS * Italian Rivers ‖ French Rivers * Spanish * Febris acuta virulenta * His Blood * His Heart a The Herculean Way rais'd by Hercules in his Return from Spain b Sybil. c Plac'd by some near Naples d Pausâ—…lipus and Nesis are the Names of two Promoâ—…tories near Naples * Parthenâ—…pe ‖ A Colony of 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 â—…ulle Cuâ—… and Naplâ—… a 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 Poeâ—… b 〈◊〉 â—…oem â—…'d â—…la c Vâ—… 〈◊〉 a Frederick King of Naples See Guicciardine