place a Paradise Where nothing noxious or forbidden grows Nothing but what will make one truly wise Or make or please or truly keep one so For all there planted as its Trees do grow XIX The Pomgranate is there and there the Date The Spikenard and the Cypress Tree Spikenard and Saffron and hi'ther brought of late The sweet-Cane Cinamom and all sorts that be Of Frankincense Myrrh Aloes and a Train Of Princely Spices wont in th' East to Reign XX. There Reign they but here serve my Love and me Whose Fountain all their drought supplies And slows so largely constant and so free Th' whole World may have for its necessities Jordan that sacred and perpetual Flood Had not more streams when like the Sea on heaps it stood SPONSA Surge Aquilo veni Auster I. FATHER Winds that gently ride On downy Feathers through the Skie You that i th' cold North abide And Southern Gales which cold defie II. North-Wind awake and Thou O South And gently on my Garden blow Blow gentle Winds with different Mouth That all its various scents may slow III. Then on your Wings the Perfumes take And bear them with you gently Home More grateful your return they 'll make And th' young Winds wonder whence you come IV. But why O Winds first call I you Let my BELOVED rather come More than your Gales his Breath can do Not show but make my best Perfume V. Why comes he not Ah! where 's the Lett Now that his Garden 's in its prime Now that his Fruits are fit to eat And may be worse another time V. CATASTASIS SPONSUS SPONSA CHORUS SPONSUS Veni in Hortum meum Soror I. I HEARD Thee call my Sister my SPOUSE I heard Thee call and I came away To my Garden I came and as Lovers use Have gath'red each Flower in my Walk that lay My Myrrh and my Spices and all that is rare And thus to my Garden I 'll often repair II. So pleased I was with each choice delight And delights such as Thine I but rarely meet That scarce knowing how I forgot my self quite Nor took time enough to choose only the sweet My Hony and Hony-comb at once devour'd And with my Wine Milk into the Bowl pour'd III. Chear up my Friends and eat your fill Chear up and eat here 's store enough Thanks to my bounteous Love And drink drink plenteously what each one will Who fears excess or fondly thinks to spare Disparages that Heav'n whose Guests we are SPONSA Ego dormio cor meum vigilat ALL as I slept but with my waking mind My Heart slept not tho sleep my Eyes did bind And on my Temples his soft Fillet ti'd But as I slept and dead to all beside Liv'd to my LOVE a Voice I seem'd to hear A shrilling Voice and pitteous pierc't my ear A Voice well known 't was my BELOVED's Voice And at the Door he made th' appointed Noise Knocking and calling Why comes not my Love Open my SISTER my ' Undefil'd my Dove Open I pray Thee nor be so unkind Thus to treat him who 's come thy Love to find A long and weary Journey come i th' Night Weary and wet by the Moon 's dusky Light Lo how my Head with the moist Dew is fill'd And the Nights drops through all my Curls distill'd And art Thou come I flatteringly repli'd But why my Dear so late without a Guide I fear it much but ah I 'm now in Bed And many a sad distrust nights horrors breed He're in the dark i th' dark here all alone My Vest's put off How shall I put it on My Feet are washt too from the Days foul soil Nor with new sullies would I them defile O how I tremble and would gladly rise But dare not Oh! I dare not LOVE how dark it is I spake but 't was excuse To be deni'd Unwilling he still for admission cry'd Drawing the Latch and lifting with his Hand The easie Door grieving he thus should stand My Heart was in me mov'd and I began To pitty him and my ' unjust self disdain At his so meek attendance did relent And of my own unlovelike words repent So up I rose in haste and let him in Who was my LOVE and had so patient been I rose and to the Door like Lightning flew To th' very place where he the Latch first drew My Hands dropt Myrrh which on the Door he left Pure Myrrh in eve'ry chink of th' Door and cleft Myrrh on the Lock in every ward was Myrrh And Myrrh where every busie Finger I could stir But opening Woe 's me he was gone Himself my dearest LOVE had thence withdrawn My Soul was gone too roused as I lay And heard him speak but with him fled away So pensive all about I for him sought Sought curiously about but found him not Call'd him by Name begg'd his return to have I call'd and sought but he no answer gave Nor hear nor find him could I but they found me They who the Warders of the City be Unlike in Court'sie tho alike in Name Those Just ones to ' whom in my first search I came Who let me pass unwrong'd â— ese barba'rously Struck and did more than strike have wounded me And though by place and office bound to look No' assaults be made my torn Vail rudely took But you fair Daughters of Jerusalem From whom much better things to hope I seem Worthy your selves and worthy your bright stem If you chance my Love to find Virgins be to ' a Virgin kind If you chance my LOVE to meet Virgins be to a Virgin sweet Sweet and kind so Love to y'ou be As you are kind and sweet to me I charge you I charge you by all that is dear My LOVE to inform that his Wounds I do bear Sick to death with his Love without his care CHORVS Filiarum Hierosolymitanarum Qualis est Dilectus tuus FAIREST of Women if we find Thy LOVE we 'll to Thy suit be kind Fairest of Women if we meet Thy LOVE we 'll be as Thou art sweet Sweet and kind so Love to us be As we are kind and sweet to Thee Tell him all thou hast charg'd us In terms like Thine obsequious But if unseasonable it is not Nor we be too o're curious thought Be pleas'd t' advise us what above All other Lovers is Thy LOVE In Air and rich Endowments large That us Thou giv'st so strict a charge SPONSA Dilectus meus candidus rubicundus FAIR Ones tho that which you of me require And which my self should in your place desire Be far above all Art or Skill of mine As it deserves in Colours to design Yet that I may my just Compliance show The best that 's in my power I 'll gladly do Help help me LOVE to give each part its grace Nor from my humble Verse or Heart their Lines efface WHITE and ruddy is my LOVE As when the Rose
Like heaps of Wheat with Lillies set around Thy Children shew and how their Mother 's Crown'd Thy Brest 's like two Twin-Roses and Twins they are In all the Herd there 's not a lovelier pair Thy Neck is like a Tower of Ivory Hung with the Trophies of Loves Victory Thy Eyes surpass the Silver Streams that run By Bathrabbim to th' Pools of Essebon Thy Nose of perfect shape like a Fort Royal stands Off from Thy Cheeks and th' under Plains commands Or like Loves Labyrinth by the Forrest side Pointing and to Damascus op'ning wide Thy Head 's like Carmel and Thy purple Hair The brightest Dye th' Assyrian Fleece can bear Fetter'd in its soft Chains the King doth lie Enamour'd of the Bands of his Captivity How fair art Thou how made for all delight Slender clean Limb'd and as a Palm upright Grow happy Tree the Queen of all the Wood Grow as Thou dost less great than Thou art good In whose warm Bosom the Vines clusters rest And shew and seem themselves the swellings of Thy Brest Up to the Palm-Tree I 'll ascend I said Palm in my Hand with Palm Ill crown my Head The blushing clusters with my Lips I 'll seise And all their winy juyce rich Wines express With which enflam'd I 'll cooling Apples take Apples the best repast that Lovers make Apples whose Cordial they the best can tell Apples which like Thy perfum'd Breath do smell Apples Thy Breath Thy Speech is generous Wine That sparkles in the Cup and gives its shine Moves it self right to my Beloved goes Goes as it can and all its Wonders shows Making the Lips of those who sleep to speak And at one touch their Chains and silence break SPONSA Fgo Dilecto mee ad me conversio ejus I My BELOVED's am alone And beside me has he none None beside me does he love Equal none and none above Mine he is and mine alone And beside him have I none None beside him do I love Equal none and none above Come then my LIFE ah come away i th' City let 's not ever stay But look how our Fields do smile And in the Villas lodg a while There with the Sun We 'll early rise And visiting our Nurseries See how the Vines their Branches spread And the young Grape shoots forth his head And how the Pomgranates do blow But then my LOVE less ruddy show My Loves there will I to Thee give Loves in the Country happie'st live The Mandrag's there that Love excites The Mandrag chief in Loves delights Which forward now begins to ' appear And fumes our Gates with it's Rosie Hair With many a Fruit and many a Flower Which I will in Thy Bosom pour Store of Pleasures new and old More than can of Tongue be told More if possible than enough And all reserv'd for Thee my LOVE VIII CATASTROPHE SPONSA CHORVS Gentium SPONSVS SPONSA Quis mihi det te Fratrem meum I LOVE but cannot yet my LOVE injoy Ah! Love that Thou should'st have so much alloy Still some nice thing to interrupt Our bliss Something to fault which yet we would not miss This as I think I wish Thou wert my BROTHER Thou my Soul loves the Son of my own Mother How would I ' embrace Thee then and kiss thine Eyes Where e're I meet Thee safe from base surmize Home would I lead Thee to my Mothers House And by her taught the happy Moment use Talk o're our Loves fill fill the Wine The spicy blood of th' Pomgranate and Vine Satiate with which Thou should'st thy Left-hand place Under my Head whole me with the' right embrace 'T is done and see he sleeps Fair Daughters of Jerusalem Who are and to your selves more glorious seem In our attendance than your own bright Stem By the Hills and by the Launs By the Roes and by the Fauns By the Fields and by the Woods By the Springs and by the Floods All that I or you count dear All he loves and all I fear I charge you I charge you not to awake My LOVE from the rest which now he does take Till himself pleases the signal to make CHORVS Gentium Quae est ista quae ascendit de deserto WHAT fair One's that but words can ne'er express How fair she is who from the Wilderness Leaning on her BELOVED's Arm ascends And hitherward their amo'rous Journey tends They ' are come and now approach't so near That wer 't not rudeness we their privacies may hear SPONSVS Sub arbore malo suscitavi te THERE 't was under the Apple-Tree Where first I found and first rais'd Thee Thy Mother there her Fruit disclos'd And there thou first didst lie expos'd And hadst lain still but that I came I â—d to Thy rescue by my first Loves purest flame SPONSA Pone me ut signaculum super Cor. BLEST ever blessed be that Day When tâ—us Thou cam'est and thus I lay O let us never never part But make me ' a Scal upon Thy Heart A Badg Thou on Thy Arm mayst wear That where Thou art I may be there And never never from Thee part But always on or next Thy Heart For love And who loves more than I Stronger than Death does Death defie His Conquests like the Graves extend And further up to Heav'n his flames ascend But never was there such a Flame As that in which to me he came So dreadful scorching and so bright I blest but trembled at the sight A Fire Love was himself that Fire Which in no Waters will expire But eve'n in Floods securely lives And all their watry threats survives Nor quench nor drown it can the Flood Nor buy it all the seeming good This World that mighty Chapman boasts In his vast Traffique through all Coasts For so invaluable is its price And its exchange so monstrous high does rise The Universe too little is for ' its Merchandise CHORVS Gentium c. Soror nostra parva ubera non habet A LITTLE Sister yet we have For whom we 'd Loves assistance crave Young and little though she ' is yet And her Brest not fully set Tho as yet no Breasts she has Grow our Sister does apace But if thus high Loves price does go What shall we for our little Sister do When the time comes that we should her bestow SPONSVS Si murus est aedificemus super IF when grown up your Sister prove a Wall We 'll on her build a Silver Arcenal Defence and Ornament we 'll to her give And all her Stones shall as i th' Quarry live If when grown up your Sister prove a Door With Cedar mouldings we will case her o re With Freeze and Cornice all her Pillars crown And to her sacred Glories add our own SPONSA Ego Murus ubera mea sicut Turris BUT I 'm a Wall and my soft Brests full grown Like Towers upon the subject Camp look down My constancy
motions felt and Powers before unknown And swallow'd up in Speculation Forgot what ever he admir'd below Himself and Her whom he had left alone To wait ' his return and rapt he scarce knew how To th' Land of Love himself a Love transform'd did grow XXX For why that Tract the Realm of Love was stil'd And all who thither in deducted mind Leaving this lower Earth arrive are fill'd As the bright Region is with thoughts refin'd And Quintessence of Love but of what kind Impossible it is to be exprest And in a Chime of soundful Words design'd Which but Conceits are to our Fashion drest And if Immortal with the mortal Load opprest XXXI Suffice it Angels there Inhabited Rang'd all in their Trinal Triplicities Into a Body under Love their Head And ready all for some Renown'd Emprise Soon as the mighty Signal given is He saw it given and all before a Throne Of Heav'nly Diamond vailing each his Eyes Each Angel prostrate on his Face falls down And at its Foot-stool casts his Consecrated Crown XXXII From simple ANGELS as th' Inferiour Band To the ARCHANGELS led by Michael Then to DOMINIONS that the third Rank stand To VIRTUES then whose numerous Banners swell And PRINCIPALITIES of whom none fell With Rebel Lucifer ' or abbetted him To POWERS then and to THRONES whom who can tell And so up to th' eighth Order CHERUBIM But by the ninth compleat Love-flaming SERAPHIM XXXIII All these our Father saw by Love retir'd In and above Himself but o're them all One fairer yet to whom his Mind aspir'd Th' Incomprehensible Original In whom no Blemish and no Spot can fall By Love he saw Him and in Him the end And utmost point of Love enough to ' appall The Holie'st of his Sons who should descend From ' his after sinful Loins and thither after tend XXXIV But him the sight appall'd not rather fill'd With Images more fair his enlarg'd Brest And from the Principles his Love instil'd On naught less high could he affix his rest Or be content tho of the Earth possest The' whole Earth that in this Res'very view'd round Too scanty seem'd an Heav'n-born Soul to ' invest Too scant a Limit and too scant a Bound For what an Infinite was only equal found XXXV Excursions therefore into that he made Often Excursions into Infinite Infinite Love and Beauties seen display'd I' th' Prototype by Intellectual Light And Reasons yet undim'd discursive sight Tho when that fail'd or when t was weary grown Through ' excess of conceiv'd Vision as it might The' Almighties self would come in Person down And oft prevent Man's journey to Him with His own XXXVI Or come or send Him frequent Embassies Of Angels who still ready on the Wing With hasty flight from summit of the Skies Would seem to vie who should the Message bring And first approach the Favorite of their King Tho all the Message which they bore was Love And all their Service was but Ministring To one below them made yet who above Was Heav'ns great Care and greatest Ornament should prove XXXVII Not much below them while his Innocence On its Foundation did unshockt abide And perfect Love seen in obedience The nether World so fast to th' upper ti'd That Hell between them could not once divide One Heart one Business was in both approv'd One God alike in both was magnifi'd That mighty Axis round which both were mov'd And whom alike both prais'd and whom alike both lov'd XXXVIII Alike they lov'd and as they lov'd alike All Vertues in that Act did comprehend Which did in both an awful Reverence strike And careful made them lest they should offend But chiefly Man did thence his Mark intend With greater vigour as on whom was laid Fear for a Rein if Hell its Wiles should send For Death was threatned if he disobey'd And He not to be ' high-minded chose to be afraid XXXIX Love made him chuse so kind and wholesome Fear From which all Torment yet secluded was And but the brighter made his Love appear Like Beams reflected upon burnisht â—rass That their own Native Lustre thence surpass So shon his Love and thence his Temperance That the forfended Limit would not pass Nor to behold it care'd with wanton Glance What ever fond Conceit its Glories might enhance XL. Hence Justice hence true Magnanimity Prudence and Wisdom o're his Soul did flow And sacred Truth and peaceful Loyalty And all the Graces that to Love do owe Their Rise and into ' Eternal Rivers grow And all upon the Supreme Beauty plac'd That Good which still the more we come to know The more we ' admire till in its Arms embrac'd An end of all our Love we find the First and Last XLI Such was his Love and like it was his Praise A Service wherein with him Nature joyn'd Whole Nature and each part by several ways As with him in one love they were combin'd And various was the Anthems stops and kind Articulate by Man their High Priest made And in one sacred Hallelu-jah twin'd Which he as First-Fruits on Earths Altar laid And Heav'n with grateful Odours early did invade XLII Their Orisons which he each Morning paid With his fair Partner or by Angels taught Or whereof capable their Form was made By Images from Heav'n first thither brought And which they into perfect Figure wrought By Plastic Art of Words harmonious Which to the great Occasion came unsought And whether sung in Verse or said in Prose In Prose most powerful were in Verse most numerous XLIII For Verse and all that does to Verse belong In this lowe'r World had its first happy rise In Innocence which first invented Song And how so e're one may its Charms despise Or which is worse abuse in Paradise By Pause and Fugue's adapted to fit strains Was first perform'd to whose Discoveries The Sons of Verse now elocate their pains And save from Heav'n expect not their Immortal gains XLIV In Paradise discover'd first was Verse And Voice and Number with it given to Song And glorious Subjects which both did reherse Alternate and in Chorus as or long Or short returns did to the Ground belong But than of Love they sounded nothing more Or ofter or with Brest more large and strong The Love Divine whom thus they did implore In raptur'ous Odes and as they of it sang adore XLV They sang how All things their beginning had From Loves diffusive and Life-giving heat How Immaterial Spirits with Glory clad It s First-born were with Love as high and great As from this lower World 's remov'd their Seat Then how this lower World from Nothing rose And No-where in that beauteous order met That Place and Matter which the whole compose And circumscribe unconceiv'd Luster did disclose XLVI Not at an instant made but by degrees As confus'd Chaos could th' impression take In Six Days space and throughly purge its Lees Hell newly form'd more horrible to make And its own new made
Enmities off-shake For of such jarring Parts it was contriv'd And of such contrarieties did partake That it by Discord and Confusion liv'd A life such as it was with Death to be surviv'd XLVII So strove they thus would they have striven ever Till pittying their debate the Spirit of Love Calm'd the discordant Mole and did dissever Th' Eternal Combatants plac'd some above Others did to the deep Abysse remove Fast to be held in Adamantine Chain Whilst those few Parts that did more ductile prove Into Four Principles which all contain Themselves in all contain'd were solely left to reign XLVIII FIRE which as lightest took the highest place And upward rais'd its towring Head then AIR That followâ—d it but with unequal pace And tho it vy'd to be and look as fair Forc'd in the midst to hang self-ballanc'd there Next WATER which the Surface cover'd o're That pregnant Mother of the EARTH less rare In its vast Womb conceiv'd but which before It could emerge lackt mighty Love to force the Door XLIX And so it did but LIGHT was first to shine And an whole Day for that which makes the Day But little enough was thought i th' Mind Divine Through Darkness palpable to clear its way And all its various Beauties to display Darkness which tho but counted Privative Such claims to th heap whence 't was call'd out did lay That Love like equal shares to both did give Alternately each Day in Day and Night to live L. But harder were the teeming Waters Throes When on the second Day Earth nearer came To its great Birth like weight that heavier grows Long born and to break through disjoynts the frame The Waters pangs compar'd thus were the same When they divided burst but ne're to close Stopt by the solid FIRMAMENT whose Name Immoveable Partition does suppose By ' whose Shoar disjoyn'd upper and nether Ocean flows LI. And now the third Day of her Monstrous Child Half way deliver'd the Great Mother was Monstrous unsightly yet with Horrour fill'd Which in its Oasy Arms it did embrace And half supprest to the' Birth would ne're let pass But with it joyn'd one Monstrous Body made Above DRY GROUND below a confus'd Mass Part Earth with Briny Hatchments overlaid Part unmixt Water upon empty Nothing staid LII And called SEA as what appear'd was LAND Rough bare mishape't tho dry unbeautifi'd It self unbeautiful vast plains of Sand More horribly deform'd with terrors Pride Mountains that to ' Heav'n aspir'd and gaping wide With rais'd up Jaws threatned to swallow down In gorge unsatiate glories there envy'd And wrinkled Forehead which scarce made did frown And Omens give of Future War from cause unknown LIII Nor could there cause be gi'ven for a new Face From the' Love Divine it took and Nakedness Was cloath'd upon with all the Charming Grace Of Fruit and Flower and the grim Gyantess Its own Eternal Goodness to express Kind Heav'n illumin'd with a double Light The fourth Day made the greater and the less By Day the SUN with vital heat and bright To warm the MOON with starry Robe to ' invest at night LIV. Nor was this all but at the fifth Days dawn Earth and her Mother Sea replenished With new Inhab'itants were and every Laune And every Hill scar'd Solitude thence fled Legions of FOWL produc'd and kindly bred Which on large Wings above the Ground did fly But perching on some Tree made that their Bed Whilst Lakes and Streams and the huge Sea fast by With mighty WHALES were fill'd and with the lesser FRY LV. Fill'd were the Floods with these but still the Earth As whose Wing'd-People most partook of th' Air Their haunt impregnate with a second Birth For which disclos'd 't had room enough to spare Did on the sixth Day to disclose prepare And out all BEASTS and REPTILS in their kind Sprang from the fertile Womb proportion'd fair Each to its Nature but with Look declin'd To th' Earth whence tane to th' Earth whereto confin'd LVI Of these and other Works of God they sang In Lays harmonious as Love utterance gave Yet these and others which they lowdly rang Were but as Praeludes which with Mast'ry brave Their Voice shew'd and what compass Verse might have Verse which then triumpht in Recitative When they all other Grounds resolv'd to wave Sang of themselves and Him who at once did give One power to Sing thus to Him and like Him to live LVII A wondrous Work it was from Nothing thus All things in weight and measure up to raise And perfect Order form'd most beauteous Subordinate as different were the Ways Whereby their Maker would direct his Praise But none so Wondrous did and strange appear Of Power and Beauty with so rich displays As Mans Formation made the Rule to bear And sublim'd Earth equal to highest Heaven rear LVIII That Dust could Live in what was done before Was plainly told but that it too could love As Love all life in it contains and more All that or Reason knows or can improve Th' Eternal Treasures only were enough To drein and to be drein'd For God but spake And all below and all the Hosts above Being and Life from the great Word did take But Hands Divine Man's model were employ'd to make LIX By Hands Divine his Body first was wrought The full Abridgment of this World to be With curious Art to ' its last perfection brought But infinitely base in its degree To th' Soul the Pourtraict of the Deity Into his Nostrils breath'd that in his Brain Might be infixt the Heav'nly Ima'gry And Life with Vital Blood in every Vein To th' Parts extream convey'd the Character retain LX. Love was that Character in Holiness And perfect Purity exemplifi'd And Innocence which that first state did bless And Reason with them Empire to divide And o're th' Inferiour Appetite preside Which it restrain'd and furnisht with true Skill It self in all its Acts to curb and guide At least had power to do so and fulfil The Charge Divine close backt by Freedom of the Will LXI Blest Qualities which made him Lord and King Of all this lower World and Majesty On his Erected Countenance stampt did bring Heav'n down to Earth and Earth that flat did lie Advance'd to be for Angels Company Nay farther and what Angels did admire For its Aetern Exemplar the Most High Who with his Work delighted would retire Frequent from Heav'n as to divert and view it nighe'r LXII Himself hereby Man dexterously did guide And o're himself so absolutely reign The greatest Kingdom in the World beside And which all other Kingdoms did contain In ' it self in Chief or Vassalages Chain That only Peace and only what was Good And only Love was given for Love again With Charms that by no force could be withstood And centred in one Point Indivisible GOD. LXIII Hail happy state of Innocence thrice Hail Hail to Thy Love and Thee And may my Verse From thence inspir'd with generous Souls
prevail As they deserve Thy Wonders to reherse And through the World thy Sacred Name disperse No Theam like that so high can Numbers raise Or render more Humane Mankinds converse For if there any Vertue be or Praise They in Perfection shon in those first happy Days LXIV Ah! that those Happy Days should be so few Ended cut off e're scarce they were begun Whose early Happiness when known to Two A Third crept in by whom all was undone And Love unthron'd hard drive'n away to run Follow him Muse for if he should go wrong Thou art in danger too whose Fates are one With his Nor canst Thou be without him long But do it if thou'hast Courage in another Song THE LEGEND of LOVE CANTO II. I. I OFT am thinking whether Love was known To the World Heathen and what was their sense Of Man's and His Origination Or if of this first state of Innocence They any certain knowledg had and whence The Notice was deriv'd and to them came Dark as it was and turn o're Books but thence Am little satisfi'd find there the Name 'T is true but Pillars of black Smoak instead of Flame II. Fiction I there find has so Truth disguis'd That hard it is for one to know what 's true And amongst all the Vanities they priz'd How much or little 't was they truly knew And ancient Faith obscur'd with Fancies new Which diversly as diffe'rent was their Art They dressed out and 'mongst the People threw Part plain with lame or monstrous Figures part As in a scarce or not discover'd Countrys Chart. III. For there as We ' Hippogryphs and Satyrs place Or Seas or Carra'vans when there 's nothing found Of certainty to fill the empty space That each Man in his own sense may abound Just so did they but more the Truth confound With Fable as themselves it suited best Who so they did but keep the markt out bound Convey'd them by Tradition for the rest Left it to others as 't was left them to be ghest IV. A Godlike therefore 't was and Golden Age Tho little known to them who call'd it so And of it counted fill'd with ancient rage Not as it was but did at distance show Tho something 't is confest they seem'd to know And what they of it said by chance was true As to the main if somewhat we allow For the false Light and those who ' its Figure drew In Plane or Prospective and were but Copiers too V. By Negatives the Plane was most design'd And prov'd the Fairest and the luckiest Draught The Prospective was stiff and more enclin'd To an hard confus'd roughness scarcely brought To decence done by Images they sought In their own Breasts or Age by Heav'nly Light Unlumin'd and by false Priests blindly taught Love only made o're all to take his Flight Came nearest to the Truth if understood aright VI. For by a Child they Love did represent As his best Emblem under which disguise For such it was they hid with high intent Or rather plainly shew'd those Mysteries Which were conceal'd from base and vulgar Eyes Native Simplicity pure Innocence Absolute freedom from all touch of Vice An easie mildness Favours to dispense And all those Graces that its Actions influence VII Not that they would that Ages Faults approve In Lovers but its Vertues thence propound For tho a Child they made and painted Love Scarce such another Child i th' World was found By whose soft Hands were fiercest Lions bound Traind to his Yoke the Course of Thunder staid And all the Gods above and underground Which Gentilisms great Religion made As sottish as it was in heavy Fetters laid VIII Naked 't is true they feign'd him but just so As we who yet esteem our selves more Wise In Oratories naked Angels show Nor count it blame our selves thus to advise How open all we do or think to Heaven lies That from it nought we can or would conceal That from us banisht is all Artifice All which by ' his Nakedness Love does reveal And from his Step-dames Temples to the Church appeal IX But by his Fillet they such Lessons taught As the Worlds present Learning far out-goes Nor did the Master who design'd the Draught And for a Dia'dem put it on Loves brows E're think it would his Sacred Head expose Tho be ' it a Fillet what can it intend What teach but that which every Lover knows Eve'ry true Lover that to chuse a Friend Barely by sight 's beginning where scarce Fools would end X. His Eyes were therefore hid if hid they were From all commerce in Love to ' exclude the Eyes Which judging as the Object does appear Too oft impose impos'd by Flatteries False mirrors of an Heart which deeper lies The Heart where Love that 's true does first begin By Reason guided it s own worth to ' apprize Then by Discretion seld in Lovers seen Who still the more 's the outward glare see least within XI Eyes Intellectual he ' had wherewith agree Those Wings which they no less unto him gave I 'll Furniture for Love if Blind he be Who rather then would want a Guide to have Himself from dangers unforeseen to save But love himself alone was his own Guide Nor needed any others Conduct crave And with his Wings spread and extended wide A flight to Heav'n attempted none durst dare beside XII For why no Love it is whose vile desires Incline it downwards to the Miry Ground This Earth of ours which Sottices inspires Preying on Carnage there or made or found And with ignoble thoughts does most abound But that 's true Love and does deserve the Name Whose noble Acquists nothing mean can bound And mindful of the Region whence it came Thither aspiring terminates with Heav'n its Fame XIII Like Wings like Quiver With bright Arrows fill'd Of different sorts but with like Mystery As is well known to them who in Love are skill'd Well taught what Motions in the Mind there be And how both Love and Hatred there agree Hatred of all that bears the' impress of ill With love of all that 's good in its degree The Choques and just fixt byass of the Will Which make up Love and all its various parts fulfil XIV The Golden pyl'd its Inclination prov'd Leaden Aversion ne're to be deny'd Or if thereof there should be Question mov'd The Torch Love bore his other Arms beside Too bright did shine the Mystic Truth to hide That Soul of th' World that all things keeps intire In Life and Motion nobly Typifi'd Noblest of Elements but yet rais'd hi'gher Than place'd at first when made Loves noblest Symbol Fire XV. Thus by the Ancients Love was first express'd And tho a Child their God most ancient own'd Older than Saturn whom Jove dispossess'd Of Right usurpt and in his stead was Crown'd Son of Vrania as in Books is found Venus Vrania whom we Heaven call With them who their Mythologie expound Distinct from that Pandeme who was
longer there would stay Till having th' whole Earth compass'd and laid waste A Deluge came and swept their Spoils away The Spoilers ' scaping with the few who past By Ship to a new world where C ham their Standard plac'd XXXIII C ham pitcht it there Curst Cham who for the shame Done to his Father just Reproach did bear In that Addition to his cursed Name Servant of Servants which his Race still wear But never did he Slave so much appear Of Slaves the verie'st Drudg as when he Love Permitted uncontroll'd to domineer And lustful War 'gainst Heav'n and God to move And all below seduce and defy all above XXXIV With him Love went while yet the World was one One People and one Language unperceiv'd And so great Victories by his Conduct won That He was openly at last receiv'd The first that no more Worlds there were who griev'd And yet more Worlds he for his Triumphs found Or what 's as good new Coasts to be deceiv'd When the divided Earth was Peopled round With distinct Nations sown which stockt the new-broke Ground XXXV Each Nation was a several World or as A World distinct the Islands most of all Which late discover'd for new Worlds did pass With those who by that Name did Countries call Surrounded by the wide Seas rolling Wall And Love in every Land and every Isle Did reign with Majesty Imperial And sway unbounded by the farthest Thyle Tho that as the World 's farthest bound did stand erewhile XXXVI A mighty Prince and curious Traveller Of sense most exquisite from each to take Each Country lay it farther off or near What for the gust of Loving most could make And the o're-labour'd Appetite awake Satiate with loose disport and rockt asleep Of not yet tasted Pleasures to partake Which in his dark Serraig'ls he close did keep And laid till time should serve as the Earths Center deep XXXVII At length it serv'd Ah! that it serv'd not now And Love by his Conquests had such Subjects gain'd For to his Yoak the Universe did bow And Arts and Arms were to the Service train'd That out of fear to lose what he ' had obtain'd He only Trophies gave himself to rear And the Disguise put off he had sustain'd As the Supreme God would Himself appear And above all that 's else call'd God his Head did bear XXXVIII Above the Sun whom Himself worshipped But whom disgraded he to th' Persian sent Next to himself to be propitiated In their Horn'd Mithra which to Idols bent With thousand others of obscure descent By this time Gentilism Gods had made New Deities industr'ious to invent Whom or in Hills or thick Groves hallow'd shade With Beasts or Humane Blood they aton'd and to them pray'd XXXIX Their Sons or Daughters Blood for these suffic'd But what to him they offer'd was their own Freedom above their Life to be appriz'd Which how they could disvalue well was shown By this if only this had been alone That when th' Usurper did their Homage claim And in ' his true Colours made himself be known In throngs they to his Feet and Altars came And kept with Fires from their own Brests perpetual Flame XL. Fires which consum'd e're felt the noblest Part And all that 's good in Man or great laid waste By th' Eyes convey'd most treacherously to th' Heart Whence to the Liver soon the Burning past And Vertues Images in both defac'd Thence to the Bones nor did the Flesh 'scape long Till Soul and Body in a Flame at last The present God to be deny'd too strong Plung'd all into a Sea of Sulphur'ous Flame headlong XLI Like God like Victim To a God unclean Of Beasts th' Uncleanest offer'd Man turn'd Beast Himself the Sacrifice and Priest obscene In which to minister he did divest All that above the Brute he once possest And lower than the Brute unforce'd sank down With such Unmanly ' Indignities opprest He ' had scorn'd them as he might by ' another done Her rude disgusts whom he solicited and his own XLII For why a SHE 's the Quarry and the Game At which this Mock-Love and his Haggards flie The Sex in either Sex both worthy blame And tho distinguisht first for ends more high Both equally debaucht by ' his Effrontry And acts so mad and foolish yet call'd Love Thereby engrossing the' whole Monopoly That one would think 't should Indignation move Such Follies to commit such Madness to reprove XLIII A Medly with part Folly Madness part And is the All of Love Person or Thing Or Act or Powe'r or by the Poets Art However call'd as he can Matter bring Of Love in Numbers and in Verse to sing And tending all as Love 's in all the same By Images of divers fashioning If all are yet enough to ' expose the shame One Spoiler to denote and LEGION is his Name XLIV The hardest Devil to be dispossest For e're he came the empty Rooms were swept By Idleness the' Housekeeper and new drest Idleness only for that service kept And who or so employ'd or ever slept A brawny Carle that ne're did work beside But here commanded forward briskly stept And rather than be found unoccupi'd The Windows stopt and all the several Lights did hide XLV But Fancy well enough did that supply Or little mist Loves next fore-runner light Who having once uprear'd his tender Eye And of the Object ta'ne the distant height Made up the view all by Internal Sight And with new Beauties unperceiv'd before But there display'd himself did first delight Then open'd which he'had to him shut the Door To let in loose Desire and again tell them o're XLVI So in Desire came vainest of the Three And after him in Triumph rode the Fiend Whom seven Spirits full as bad as he Did close behind in Mascarade attend And Iö sang to Love that Heav'n did rend So sang they all but with unequal grace As were their looks for some their Brows did bend And grin'd most horrid with distorted Face Others were blith and smil'd as they along did pass XLVII These Folly were and Mirth and Dalliance Who hardly could their Way for laughing hold By Genius clos'd the Three who lookt askaunce And midst their shouts could hardly cease to scold Were Lust that scorn'd by th' best to be controll'd And Proteus Sin who diverse Shapes put on As diverse kind and Names he ' had manifold And Death the seventh from Love mere Skeleton One half t'other Fantastick clad as shall be shown XLVIII Folly the First by ' her Habit seem'd a Maid And by her Face which was excelling fair Tho whether such was difficult to be said Nor safe it may be since few Men there were But in her claim'd with Women equal share And ill had took 't had she pure Woman been A pretty thing to gaze on but whose Air And Gate and Gesture made it quickly seen She none of th' Wisest was and somewhat lackt within XLIX Light Gesture Gate
vast expence LXVI Death such a Bankrupt therefore flies Hasting to those who call'd or call'd him not By Loves own Hands crown'd for the Sacrifice And or pursue'd or i' th' pursuit were hot E're well aware to th' end of all things got By Death inglorious and with Infamy Of most Luxurious Livers the hard lot Yet which Love colour'd with such Maistery That the most follow'd what the most did seem to flie LXVII For Love had thousand Deaths at his command And every Lover might his own Fate make Which some did but by'a way so under-hand That from the praise of Love it much did take And many 'a Lover lost he for their sake Tho such he pleaded were by him giv'n o're If all might be believ'd which then Love spake Nor could to his account be reckoned more Than if thus or a Natural Death they dy'd before LXVIII Be the Point therefore as it will for me Who list not further of it here to tell Enough are Lovers Deaths we daily see And so 't was then a Songs scant bounds to swell Nor yet for Love or them contriv'd so well But that one midst the Pomp might easily find The Mighty by whose cruel Hands they fell And Verdict give the Murther was design'd By th' Pains they felt before Reproach they left behind LXIX Pains more than can of Mortal Tongue be told And sharper than e're Tyran did invent Which the whole Man did in strait Fetters hold Till tortur'd Nature quite worn out was spent Of Love the Guerdon and the Punishment Yet Tyrans Racks found out the Pale and Wheel And Fire and all that can by Fire torment Or be prepar'd th' â—x and derr-doing Steel But make no wounds all set with those which Lovers feel LXX Thrice and than thrice more wretched state of Love When Innocence and Truth to Heav'n were gone But seve'n times wretcheder it yet did prove When this Mock-love wholly usurpt the Throne As he ' after did and single reign'd alone With Name and Pow'r alike usurpt yet was Ah! What not was he But 't is time to ' have done With him who can to Verse give little grace And in another Canto to the True Love pass 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THE LEGEND OF LOVE CANTO III. I. TIRE'D with the Way I have already gone Longer by many a Stage than setting out I thought it would have prov'd and where there 's none To guide me in the search I am about How well I shall succeed is my great doubt Who almost of the Enterprize repent Wishing I better of it first had thought At least before me some Espials sent Who might have told the hazard of the bold Attempt II. But to repent alas 't is now too late And in the last Act fail a wrong to Love Which in another I should surely hate And cannot in my self unblam'd approve What Arguments so e're Distrust may move Which many cogent seem and weighty all But all which by this singleâ—One I reprove That well if well if ill succeed I shall 'T is not inglorious from the noblest heights to fall III. But help me Love and I 'll not yet despair For other Muse I dare not invocate None but thy Self with whom the Treasures are Of bright Idaeas tho discover'd late To me who half my time in Darkness sat Ylamped only by a Foolish Fire Whose wandring guidance I now deprecate Led by it often and my vain desire To whence I could not till Thy Day brake out retire IV. At length it brake out and I came to know How wofully I had mistook my Way Shine forth again with double Glory now And in my Verse Thy fairest Beams display That others with me in it triumph may And having their Night Sullys thence refin'd Carol with sacred Hymn's to th' Beauteous Day Carol to Thee by Heav'n and God design'd The Counterfeit to ' uncase and Eyes restore the Blind V. LONG had the mock-Mock-love by his false disguise Upon the Credulous World impos'd but more Upon himself if he had been so wise To think how much 't would cost him to restore And what by tort he ' had snatcht a new pay o're But this alas came seldom in his thought Rather perverse still as he was before The World which he had into Bondage brought Eternally to ' enthral was th' only Prize he sought VI. This was his aim nor to rebate it found Save Prophecies of a Supplauters race Which well he knew not and could worse expound Wherein the happy Country was the place Whence was foretold should come his great disgrace But when or how tho himself Oracles gave Too hard to be resolv'd was the dark case Nor could he any certain knowledg have Who should the Mighty Conqueror be his Thralls to ' unslave VII The happy Country well enough he knew Part of his Syria to be ' hight Palestine Wherefore he thither his Chief Forces drew And seiz'd it first by 'a more than double Trine Of cursed Nations from the Great Chams Line Cham who first gave him credit by his Arms And then his Empire to him did resign Cham whom he thus rewarded for the harms He had sustain'd to be Camp-Master of his Charms VIII Seven cursed Nations of his cursed Seed To be its constant Guard Love thither sent Who â—â—ll'd the Land so with their cursed Breed That scarce was left him room for his own Tent Less for new Col'onies if such thither went A stup d bestial and unmanly Rout That all their Age in Lusts unnatural spent Till the time came their Land should spue them out Too long opprest and bring the dread Foresight about IX Lovâ— saw it coming and began to fear When Jacob's numerous Host from Bondage led Unto the Cananitish bounds drew near Seising the Nations with unusual Dread While Seas to make them way rose up and fled But never did he more confounded stand Than when he Jordan saw recoil to ' his Head And to new Armies shar'd by Lot his Land Supplanted e're he did th' Supplanters understand X. Before he doubted those would prove the Men And therefore when they were upon the Way From Madian drest a Female Stratagem By which above two Myriads slaughter'd lay Tho Madian for it after dear did pay And he who gave the Counsel with them fell Balam their Priest and his the Sword did slay To expiate for th' Whoredoms he did sell And more advise than by Prophetic rage foretel XI But then he knew it and in every Age As Israel did in wealth and power encrease New Wars would with the Holy People wage Wars Amorous the sad result of Peace Nor his Assaults defeated oft surcease Till David was exalted to the Throne With Testimony that he God did please As Enoch had and then Love gave for gone All he before had gain'd and by his Conquests won XII Ah! that it had been gone and that his sway Had here expir'd But Jesses Son soon fell A victim at his Altars
But in all else more secret Snares than we Till by them Caught shall ever know From this to clear it and restore To th' Garden what it had before And perfect Innocence add one Beauty more As there fall'n Man his Life first forfeited There to Redeem him first the Blood of God was shed VI. How grievous were his Pains there and how great Burning tho in the frosty shades of Night Shivering with Cold but in a Bloody Sweat And all dissolv'd at his approaching Passions Sight Thrice did He his Disciples leave And thrice to his Great Father pray'd Thrice to himself He answer made And by an Angel did support receive But O! th' Assaults that were within Compar'd with which his Bodies Flame Was temperate heat and scarce deserv'd the Name When in his Soul the Burning did begin And Hell to ' encrease the Fire did Mines of Brimstone bring A thousand Fiends about him flew And Coals and bailful Firebrand threw That seiz'd at length the noblest Part Beyond the weak defence of Nature or of Art And unconsum'd did only leave the Heart VII The Heart did unconsum'd remain By the Arch-Fiend With its own Grief to burst design'd When in the Judgment Hall again He should the Charge renew but all in vain Thither betray'd by 'a Kiss the Traytors bring With Fetters bound Heav'ns Sacred King Where being Cited and Blasphem'd Flouted Scourg'd Spat upon Derided and Contemn'd By them Revil'd deny'd by ' His own A Reed in ' his Hand his Head with Thorns they Crown And lead to Golgotha their God whom they ' had Condemn'd VIII Follow Muse if thou hast the heart and see What other Torments they prepare I know the utmost of their Cruelty And from thy Mouth had rather hear The sad Report than a Spectator be Yet that thou mayst not stand thy self surpriz'd Stript off his Clothes in Nakedness disguiz'd To th' Cross they 'll nail his Hands 't is said And bore with Nalls his tender Feet Then all his Sufferings to upbraid Cry If Thou art the Son of God let 's see 't Now from the Tree triumphantly come down Or reign thence like Thy self alone Or any other Wonder show Whereby Thy De'ity may be known And to its Scepter we will bow As if there greater Miracle could be Than all that Patience which they do but will not see IX Nor is this all but when He 's Dead His Side they 'll open with a Spear Approach the Wound and look what Blood is shed For it Mysterious will appear And be another Argument for thee next Year A better Spring will thence arise Than Helicon so Fam'd of old There bath thy self if thou art wise Nor fear in those chast Streams to be too bold But see be sure too long thou dost not stay For all the while Thou art away Tears only from these Eyes will flow And in my Fancy I shall double o're All that I have told thee now before And all that thou return'd will'st tell again and more Beside my Verse will fetter'd be and slow And want both Wings to flie and Feet to go 10. Martii 166â— EPIGRAM WHen my God Di'd I first began to Live And Life which he refus'd Heav'n me did give Unlike that Day O how unlike we were Him dead the Cross me ' alive the Knees did bear But may not I die too This life of mine I can as well as Thou dispise if not like Thine Ah dearest Lord this Legacy bestow A double Life then to Thy Death I 'll owe And sanctifi'd thus in my Birth by Thee A living Death my dying Life shall be 5. Decemb. 1668. An Extasie of Divine Love Aquesta Divina Vnion c. I. THat sacred Bond of Charity Wherein I uncorrupted Live Makes God the Captive Chain receive But my pinion'd Heart sets free Tho causing still such love in me To see Heav'ns King my Pris'ner lie That I die 'cause I cannot die II. How teadious now this Life is grown The way to Death how hard and long How dark the Dunge'on th' Ir'ns how strong With which my ' unwilling Soul 's kept down And has no trust but hope alone These thoughts my Troubles raise so high That I die 'cause I cannot die III. Bitter Life shalt thou be to me Where I my God can ne're enjoy But if my Love has no alloy My hope as try'd and pure may be Ah! come my Lord and set me free Take off this weight which makes me cry That I die 'cause I cannot die IV. By hope alone it is I Live Hope that I bear the seeds of Death And dying once a second Birth Secures that Hope and Life do's give O Death I 'll ne're thy coming grieve When Life succeeds through hope so nigh That I die 'cause I cannot die V. Who can the Charms of Love refuse Ah Life no more my Heart betray 'T is only thou stand'st in my way Which rather than my Love I 'll loose And Death for my great Champion choose So much alate thy Enemy That I die 'cause I cannot die VI. The Life alone that 's hid above Can of true Life the Title claim That Toy which here usurps the Name Its pleasure hides and deads our Love And a worse Foe than Death does prove Death for whose sake I Life so flie That I die 'cause I cannot die VII What can I give frail Life but thee To th' God who in me deigns to live Yet how can I the nothing give Till he first grants me Liberty O let me die his Face to see But that 's so distant from my Eye That I die 'cause I cannot die VIII Beside my God from thee away Who would not of a Life complain That terrible and full of pain Suffers a thousand Deaths each Day A Mortal but a slow decay And this so swells my Misery That I die 'cause I cannot die IX All Creatures love their Element And pleasure there enjoy and rest And if by Death they are disseas'd To their first nothing they are sent But I 'm beyond kind Death's extent And yet so many hardships try That I die 'cause I cannot die X. When in the Eucharist my dull Soul Eating thy Flesh it self would ease A thousand thoughts for entrance press And there not to enjoy Thee whole Whole and alone I a ' new condole For 't is the Voice of every Sigh That I die cause I cannot die XI I please my self i th' Hopes 't is true E're long my God of seeing Thee But fearing lest they false should be My Torments with my Fears renew And both so close my Soul pursue Hoping mid both so heartily That I die 'cause I cannot die XII Lord from this Death deliver me And Life thus beg'd at length bestow Why should I still be kept below Look how I die for love of Thee And since enjoy'd Thou canst not be In this Lifes death regard my cry That I die 'cause I cannot die XII My dying Life
Favours shown by me A Fame which by his Birth he ne're had gain'd Till I who rais'd his Wit that Honour too obtain'd VII Ei sa che'l grande Atride He knows that Menelaus and Achilles too And Anibal and a greater than all these The mighty Scipio I did once subdue And after all their Wars enslav'd in Peace Giving them Waiting-Maids for Mistresses But for him Wretch a Love so sacred chose And of a Million so beyond compare That Heav'n alone such sublim'd Beauties knows This World has nothing half so bright or fair Not Rome it self tho its Lucrece were there Nor was this all but gave withal a Voice And of Harmonious Numbers so great choice Such skill to Sing that nothing base or low E're reacht his Thoughts except his Malice now These my Deceits were these my Flatteries For which I 'm charg'd which other would as Honours prize VIII Questo fu il fel c. This was the Gall these the Disdains and Ire Favours too great to be so soon forgot By which I kindled the most sacred Fire But see the Blaze my Labour answers not Who for a thankless Man thus long have wrought If under me he has the Skill attain'd To Ravish all who do his Numbers hear If with the Good he such Respect has gain'd And with the Great that to ' him they Deference bear How high so e're he Soar'd I fixt him there Till now perchance some servile Wretch he ' had been A Brawler at some Bar without esteem But I first rais'd him made him first be known Nor were those Arts he Riots in his own But in my School he first procur'd the Grace And then from her who next me his great Mistris was IX E per dir al extremo c. Yet last of all hear his grand Slavery And you will think he ' has reason to complain From thousand Chains of Vice I set him free By Her whose Favour he could never gain By any Act which had the smallest stain Temp'rate and Modest in design and deed Since a Liege Man of hers he still has been Who with great thoughts his abject Soul did feed And of her self i th' Cure threw so much in That to be her like he did strait begin What e're he boasts then worthy Praise or Fame From us the Spoilers of his Fortune came But ne're was Dream so wild or humorous To it self so strange as he has been to us For tho by us he 's known to God and Man The Happiness he or repents or does disdain X. Anchor questo è qual c. There 's one thing more which all the rest out-does I gave him Plumes to mount above the Skies By Mortal things which to the Man who knows The Learning like a Towring Pyramis To the first Maker by degrees arise For seeing well how great and wondrous fair Vertue in her whom he ador'd did shine From thence he might to ' himself present the Air By Heav'nly Vision of the Cause Divine As himself sings and proves this Charge of mine But I 'm forgot now and with me that Dame I gave him to support his Life and Fame Whereat I shriekt and answer'd tho in pain Well might he give who took her soon again Not I but God from whom She first did come He smartly turn'd with him would have her live at Home 1967. XI Al fin ambo c. Then pressing both to th' Bar I trembling clamorous he and over rude Both of us did in one Request conclude Great Queen we wait what Sentence you will give On both she smil'd but did us both deceive Pleas'd with your Pleadings are we she reply'd But it requires more time your Difference to decide BALLAD Prophane Love LOVE is a Net and Love 's a Snare A Thief disguis'd is Love Poyson below Honey above A Serpent under Flowers most fair Fatal as Death whose bitings are A Whirl-pool sounded ne're to be And a soul Sea from Tempests never free Love is a Lion robb'd of his Prey A Wolf with Famin pin'd Love is a Fortress undermin'd A Fire whose flames no Floods allay Flattery which does our Life betray A Labrinth pleasant to the Eye But without Clew to guide the Wand'rer by Love is a â—â—ck of Ambushments A weeping Crocodile A Syrene us'd to Sing and Spoil And all the Lovers false Contents Are Frauds which he too late resents Love 's an incurable Disease And War eternal mid vain boasts of Peace Dirupisti Domine vincula mea Tibi hostiam laudis Sacrificabo SONNET Loves Exaltation ENLARGE Thy flight Love said I and on high Raise my dull Soul those Beauties to admire Which in the Heav'nly Treasuries do lie And Mortal Brests with holy Flame inspire Shew me the Spring of that Celestial Fire Design'd our Earthy Dross to purifie But after which in vain below we ' enquire Who sit down i th' warm Sun of a fair Eye So up he rais'd me but no Tongue can tell What I in Rapturous Vision did behold My Love I found was Pure and made me bold This only I remember very well So high we soar'd till on an Arch above I saw inscrib'd SACRED TO HEAVENLY LOVE ODE The Thoughts I. I'vo pensando c. FULL of strange Thoughts and pensive as I go A tenderness which to my self I owe So strongly does my Mind assail And so insensibly prevail That all in Tears I flow But for my own misfortune now And not anothers Cruelty as I was wont to do For seeing every Day my end draw nigh A thousand times of God I 've begg'd those Wings With which from this lewd World and Mortal things Th' unpinion'd Soul to Heav'n does flie And beg still but he does the Grace deny And tho I Sigh and Grieve and Pray That Happiness does countermand But reason 't is that he who will not upright stand When 't is in his own Power or wilfully must stray Low as the Earth should lie and never find his way I see 't is true th' Eternal Arms extended wide But my own Fear and others Fate Who have deferr'd till 't was too late Make me tremble at my present state Another Tyran too beside Whom oft to throw in vain I oft have try'd Furiously spurs me on Ah! Whither will he ride II. L'un pensier parla c. But Lo what thoughts my mind assault And how to it thus One roundly says Why foolish Thing why these delays What lookt-for Succour causes such an Alt Seest thou not how the winged Minutes pass And add more Years to thy Disgrace And yet thy help as far to seek as e're it was Take rather take thy last Farewel And do it quickly every Root destroy Of fruitless Pleasure which couldst thou enjoy In its Perfection for it thou must sell Thy Soul and Liberty and in an hurry dwell But since thou ne're canst that expect And in the toilsome quest art tir'd Of what so much admired Yet which the glozing
other occasional Poems for I cannot yet say the same directly for his Faery Queen design'd for an Heroic Poem that it could not but from him receive the last Perfection whereof it was capable out of its Original Others as I hinted before have since attempted it and in English my self now among the rest but how successfully we must all leave both to those who have skill to judg and to those who have not to censure and sit down having pleased our selves if yet our selves are pleased as contented under their Doom as we can for since we will be Rhythming and Printing too forsooth I know no other remedy I must confess it is a Song above the flight of Mortal Wit and has been ever lookt upon by the Sober and Religious as the most Noble tho most Mysterious and difficult part of the Old Testament There are I know but they are but some few I hope in this and others there have been in the last Age who tho else very Learned and it is to be charitably supposed truly Pious without just cause have gone about to question whether it ever intended any more than it expressed as to the Letter and by debasing it to that which it seemed most to sound Humane Love to call it no worse have insinuated at least because Theocritus and some other of the Ancient Greek and Latine Poets have a few like Phrases in their amorous Compositions either hence first taken as the most ancient Original in the kind and not unknown as may be conjectured to the Greeks by the Translation of the LXXII and by them Communicated to the Latines by both light upon by chance that it is unworthy the place where it stands contrary to the opinion of the Jewish Church which always had and still has antiquated and broken as it is for it the greatest Reverence reputed it through all Ages uncontrovertedly Canonical of Sense purely and only Mystical and thereupon proclaimed Salomon the inspired Author to be the most Spirituous and Heavenly Interpreter of their Law And contrary also to the Judgment of the Christian Church which from our Lord's time downward and in the beginning of the Seventh Century if not in the latter end of the Sixt Gregory the Great piously Commented upon it has trodden in the same steps enlarging only as I may say the Lines of Communication and transferring to the Assembly of the Faithful under the Gospel what the Jews confined to the Synagogue Should we understand it only or even chiefly if at all according to the Letter terminating our Conceptions in the bare words it might very easily become the occasion of Scandal to the unwary Reader nay without doubt had been so to the Jews themselves at its first appearance the severity of that Nation not allowing in the Female Sex we may be assured such open demonstrations of Love as are more than once there expressed And this possibly might be one reason amongst many other to be urged from the Propensity which is in Youth especially to that passion too apt from the least spark to take fire that this Book together with the three first Chapters of Genesis and the beginning and end of the Prophecy of Ezekiel from the Fortieth Chapter was only permitted them to read who had arrived to the Sacerdotal Age as St. Jerom notes in his Prologue to that Prophet that is the Thirtieth Year in whom Youthful Heats by that time were thought to be somewhat allayed and who thereupon would not be in so great danger to pervert the Divine Text to impure and wanton Imaginations Whether Salomon at first composed it to represent his own Loves and as an Epithalamium upon his Marriages with Pharaoh's Daughter and the Sulamite one or both I leave to others to dispute tho for my part guessing as we can but guess at the time of those Marriages and the penning this Divine Song I think he only took occasion thence as from a thing long before done if from thence he took any occasion at all to give his Muse as I may call it an higher flight and under the terms of the Spouse and her Beloved of which latter himself in his own Person was to be the Type the Spouse whether a Stranger of Egypt Symbolical of the Gentiles to be called or of Jewish Parentage Typical of the Seed of Abraham to sing the greatest loves this World e're knew and which shall be our employment through all Eternity to admire The Divine Love to whole Mankind both Jew and Gentile these first call'd and those invited under the Person of the Sulamite to return expressed in the Incarnation of the Son of God who of two has made One breaking down the Wall of Partition and continued through all the Circumstances and the very manner of his Appearance in our Flesh in order to our Salvation Some hereby would have the Glories and Prerogatives of the Jewish State both Civil and Ecclesiastical and even of their Country under Salomon's auspicious Reign to be signified under the Similitude of a beautiful Virgin just marriageable and the rather because of those Resemblances taken from Places which if attributed to the Female Sex as according to the Letter they sound and our kind of Wit as it is called are so hard in their opinions so uncooth stiff and unusual that otherwise they cannot be forced as I said in the beginning into any tolerable and proportionable decence Yet even those who thus judg of the Letter reduce the whole according to the Allegory to Christ and his Church and the sacred Members of it joyntly and severally Be the immediate occasion therefore of its writing what it may the Jews are very earnest as they have been from the beginning to have it meant of their Synagogue only the Modern among our selves of the Christian Church exclusive wholly of the Jews and both so dress it up with Allegories for scarce will they permit a Word or Syllable to be sure not a Description of the Time or Place c. to pass without half a score at least that according to the Poet Pars minima est ipsa Puella sui Without therefore determining its Sense Mystical directly to this or that whether private or more communicative Interpretation I have in my Paraphrase left it at least endeavoured to leave it as I found it and even in those places where I have taken the greatest Liberty have not gone far from the literal Sence not at all from that which approached nearest it in the Judgment of the most sober Commentators Such an one I look upon the learned Jo. Mercerus to be whom when I found it necessary to consult the Opinions of others I chiefly followed and by whose pious and elaborate Annotations if any shall take the pains to compare my Paraphrase the mistakes of the Printer being amended which are in some place through my absence during the whole Impression very gross the greatest difficulties of Sense or Expressions may very
involvuntur We find the Spouse all Joy before Mourning for the absence of her Beloved and all things for a while seem to incline to the worst The Catastasis before its time in the printed Copy is intituled to the fourth Partition but belongs rightly to the fifth Chapter or Division where I have also caused it as soon as by seeing the sheets I perceived the Error of the Press again to be set desiring the Reader instead of that Title in the fourth Chapter to put Desiderium successive of the Epitasis in the third And it is a continuance of the Spouses trouble for the absence of her Lord there first hinted and whereas in the Epitasis eadem cernitur rerum perturbatio but somewhat greater and opens the way to the clearing of all in the following Partitions under their several Titles till the Drama comes to its last Period in the Catastrophe which I have placed at the eighth Partition tho if any one will he may make the Catastrophe begin at the seventh and in the eighth bring the Spouse ad Sponsi fores after the Jewish Custom in pursuance and complement of it That which is signified by the Catastrophe in the Drama being the conclusion of the whole according to its expected or unlookt-for event I might add here a great deal concerning the Unity of Action strictly observed in this Hymn and the Chorus which is every where regular but I pass them both over With respect to what I have already laid down I will not say that Salomon design'd all or any of these parts in this Divine Song or in the manner that I following the Ancients have bounded them but this I dare say that whosoever knows the Motions of the Pious Soul in its love to God knows also that these several parts make it up which I shall endeavour thus briefly to evidence and appeal to those who understand it best and have try'd the great experiment No sooner therefore by the Preaching of the Gospel and the most benign Operations of the good Spirit of God comes the devout Soul to be convinced of the Divine Love in it self and infinite Perfections how beyond expression amiable to the Soul by ten thousand Experiences how indeared but being first loved and knowing assuredly it self to be loved it endeavours according to its unequal measure to return love for love Is all as it were on a flame towards its Beloved and thinks nothing comparative with him Lovely nothing for his sake too hard or grievous to be undertaken The World to such an One and all its gaudy Pageantry appears as it truly is a dead and lifeless and accursed thing without any Charms except to betray and ensnare and with Pleasures such as they are which continue but for a moment and perish in the using nor can it find any relish or satisfaction but in the enjoyment of those Real and Eternal Beauties on which Time and Age have no effect and whose most frequent use encrease only and heighten their delight Of these it continually thinks loves and admires none but these and is so wholly transformed into what it loves that it is no more it self nor lives any other Life than what that inspires Or in St. Paul's phrase Being Crucified with Christ nevertheless it lives or Christ rather lives in it and the Life which it lives in the Flesh it lives by the Faith of the Son of God who loved it and gave himself for it In this Extasy while it continues the Pious Soul once enflamed with the Love of God exults with joy unspeakable and continue the Extasy will till either Our love by degrees as is not unusual the more wretched We grow cold in its once most ardent pursuits or the violence of a Temptation intervene or the most Highest for either the punishment of our Remissness or trial of our Sincerity for a while withdraw himself but then the happier we once to perceive and take notice of it how is the Soul that truly loves perplext This way it runs and that and only thoughtful of its Misery and what it would find where yet to find it knows not Here comes in the true Epitasis Another face of things appears than was wont and instead of Hymns and joyous Acclamations which used before to be its constant Companions nothing is heard in all its Retreats but the Sighs and Laments as of one forsaken The Soul is overwhelmed almost with Sorrow which to prove the most Intense Hearty and Sincere it endeavours all it can to clear its Innocence calling Heaven and God to witness it of yet which having paused a while and not daring in cooler Blood to be too confident it reflects upon its former coldness and negligence and resolves on greater Care and Circumspection for the future is angry with it self and afraid and mourns bitterly and begs but once more to be try'd and professes its Zeal and passes ten thousand Promises binding them with as many Vows and resolves so throughly to be revenged of it self that it will never give over its unweary search till it has found its Beloved Away in this heat it flies out of it self as it were and seeks and asks after him of all it meets and tho affronted frequently by the way bears the Indignity with patience and feels the smart of no Wound received in the inquiry comparable to his absence till almost quite tired now and again and the third time and it were well if but the three hundredth time the Epitasis and the Catastasis consequent of it recurr'd Lo he whom the Soul loves and who infinitely more loves the Soul taking pity of its Labours and approving its Integrity at length discovers himself a-new with greater Attractives than before And now all is perfectly well again Peace and Joy and the tender endearments of a mutual Affection blown up to a Flame which no Waters can quench sparkle in both No Discourse passes but of the constancy of each others Love its Charms how great its Renewals how surprizing The happy Nuptials which make the Catastrophe seem not to be far off and by Faith through the Vail the Soul looks and sees the Preparations and hastens the time by its calls and even dies with Impatience because it is but a moment deferr'd This is the Progress of Divine Love in the holy Soul adumbrated as I conceive in this Mysterious Song but so coldly and imperfectly displayed by me God help poor Mortals that suspected thence as I fear for my self I justly may never to have been really touched with it I can only appeal to Him who searches the Heart with the most earnest Obtestations that if my Love to my Lord and Saviour be not such as it ought with a flame so pure and great as to warm and enlighten others according to the Prerogative of my Office it may yet be sufficient to keep my self from either freezing or stumbling especially from either thinking or speaking any thing unbecoming it at
expert all in War Girt as in Fight her mighty Conquerours are Each with his Sword upon his guarded Thigh And able each an Army to defy But whose united Forces all meet here To keep the Post and drive thence grizly fear A Chair the King of Cedar too has made The cleanest Trees that Libanus e're had Whose Balli'sters are of finest Silver wrought The floor of Gold from Ophirs treasures brought Its Cano'py of the richest Tyrian dye Enough to upbraid a meaner Majesty Such the Materials but Art Divine i th' Workmanship does Nature far out-shine For all with winged Loves t is Carv'd around Love in more various postures ne're was found Some on Heav'ns Message flying from above Thither advancing some our mortalâ— love Which all refin'd like Prophets others Preach But learn of Sions Daughters whom they seem to teach These are the shadows fair One of that bliss Awaits Thy love and all are Myste'ries Which none but he that 's Wise can understand Nor any write but with a guided Hand SPONSA Egredimini videte filiae Sion DAUGHTERS of Jerusalem The fairest Sprouts of Sions stem Come forth my Friends come forth and see What mine and what your Honours be You will remember th' happy Day And well remember it you may When first your King receiv'd his Crown King Salomon and 't was his own Not of the Kingdom but of his Love And it the fairer Crow'n did prove From ' his Mothers Hands the joyful Son On ' his Nuptial Day receiv'd the Crown But such a Son and such a Mother Vying Glories each with th' other And such a Crown and such a Day When in chast Joys dissolv'd they lay The happy Bridegroom and the Bride And you their Friends on either side If once again you 'd wish to see And greater Joys than those could be Come and my greater SALOMON behold More glorious in his Love than he in all his Gold CAP. IV. CATASTASIS SPONSUS SPONSA SPONSUS Quam Pulchra es Amica mea I. BEHOLD Thou ' art fair my Love behold Thou art Fair Let the World know and know it Thou But alas what Thy hidden Beauties are Nor thou nor that till by me taught can know Till Thee by all that 's Beauteous I compare And after all rejoyn Thou ' art yet more Fair. II. Begin my Song But where shall I begin Ah! where but with Thy Dove-like Eyes Those Doors of Dia'mond which first let me in And of my Passion were the Virgin prize Love thence redoubled on me his thick stroaks But sallying forth lay fetter'd in thy Locks III. Locks of that Head which does like Gilead shine When on the Golden Fleeces there The jealous Sun just ready to decline i th' mid-way stops his Tresses to compare But brighter far and longer too are they Than Sun-beam in the fairest Summer-day IV. Such is thy Hair thy Teeth like couples thence All washt in Aenons streams and shorn In Aenons Silver streams and rising whence To th' joyful shearing House new washt they ' are born Each has its make and Twins they bear all round Nor is a barren One i th' number found V. And as Thy Teeth such are Thy Lips their Fence The purest Wooll with the' noblest Dye And every graceful Word that 's uttred thence On purple Wings to Thy ' lovers Heart does flie Thy Cheeks hid under Thy bright Curls appear Like shaded Pomgranates but shine more clear VI. But O Thy Neck that Tower impregnable How full of Beauty and of Dread Like that of David built for a Cittadel With thousand spoyls of the' Living and the Dead A thousand Shields of th' Mighty hang up there All mighty Shields and but thy Necklace are VII Yet such a Cittadel and such a Tower To guard those Twins there was but need Those two Roe-twins of all the Herd the Flower Which under it among the Lillies feed Thy two fair Breasts which yet to Lillies give A tincture brighter than they thence receive VIII Till the Day come my Love the Bridal-Day For which thou less than I dost long Till the Nights shadows swiftly flee away A while I 'll leave Thee a little while be gone To th' Hills of Myrrh and Frankincense I 'll go And fetch the Morning as it 'gins to blow IX Yet ah I cannot leave Thee Love thus soon My Love thus soon I cannot leave Our Flocks may gaze for 't is yet scarce High-noon And we till Folding time the Hours deceive Thou art all fair my Love all fair Thou art And first I 'll die e're from Thee thus depart X. Rather a while my Love let ' us hand in hand To Liban walk and Amana Shenir and Hermon which large views command And thence see how our Lambs do feed and play Whether unscar'd they from the Lions rest Or Leopards paws and where the' next Folding's best XI They ' are safe my SPOUSE they ' are safe but Oh my heart SISTER my Heart Oh where is 't gone For gone it is I know by the' pleasing smart Welfare poor Heart that 's from its Master flown But this one glance one Eyes bright glance has done Who 's proof for both if thus Thou wound'st with One XII Yet as Thou ' hast tane my Heart so keep it fast A single Chain is strong enough One link o' th' Chain with which thy Neck is grac'd To hold fast hold a never starting Love My SPOUSE my SISTER I 'm Thy Captive made Bind him nor of Thy Priso'ner be afraid XIII A willing Captive Prisoner of Thy love Which guess how strong and fair it is So strong 't has drawn me from my Throne above And truly hides a God in this disguise So fair that Thee no less to Heav'n 't shall raise To Crown Thy Maker with Immortal Bays XIV But this till to ' Heav'n we come I 'll let alone Nor canst Thou understand it yet Wherefore Thy Love by things to Thee well known As thou cansâ— bear I will before Thee set To Wine compare 't tho better 't is than Wine And all Thy Odours are of race Divine XV. Thy Lips my SPOUSE drop as the Hony-comb Hony and Milk are in Thy Tongue Some drops for Susten'ance and for Med'cine some The Weak to nourish and confirm the Strong Like Libanus Thy perfum'd Garments smell Liban that does all Mounts for Sweets excel XVI All but that Garden in the holy Mount Where I design three Nights to lie In Spices wrapt as Prophets shall recount And notice give the World when the' time draws nigh Yet such a Garden and so sweet art Thou My SPOUSE my SISTER when Thy Spices blow XVII A Garden fenc'd and all enclos'd around Lockt up and double is the Key With a quick Spring that waters the' holy Ground And all its parching Fervors does allay But so seal'd up the curious passer by With Foot ne're soild ne're saw it with his Eye XVIII To none but its own sacred Plants it slows Making the
to guard the Fort does stand And dares the rudest Shock of th' roughest Hand This as my WELL-BELOVED heard me say The Holy Boast he did approve And in his Eyes I found such grace that Day I dare no longer doubt his Love SPONSVS Vinea fuit Pacifico in ea c. I HAVE a Vineyard so has Salomon His at a distance lies in Baal-hannon To Keepers and to Under-Keepers set And Yearly for a thousand pieces let But mine the Vineyard that 's my own does lie In my own care and ever in my Eye Accountable for ' its Fruits to me alone And sharers in them with me have I none Compare we now our Vineyards peaceful King Which does to ' its Lord the greatest Profit bring Thine for a thousand Pieces yields its store Admit it do 't is worth two hundred more But these the Keepers have Mine is my own Accountable for ' its Fruits to me alone As for its care and sharers have I none Thou art that Vineyard Love my Vineyard Thou Who in the Flowry Gardens dwellest low Low but with all the Stars of th' Garden crown'd And Thy Companions sitting Thee around Attent and listning to Thy tuneful Voice O make me hear it and fulfil my Joys SPONSA Fuge Dilecte mi assimilare c. AND so Thou shalt LOVE bring the Day Haste it LOVE and come away On th' Spicy Mountain tops appear Swift as the fleet-wing footed Deer And driving thence the baleful Night On th' Spicy Mountains shed Thy Light Fleet as their heels and than their Horns more bright Veni Domine JESV Veni citò SOLI DEO GLORIA Cujus Amore inflammato corde haec occini Inscius licet indignus Suscipe laudes Famuli tui AMEN Apud Hartley Maudet Com. Southton in Vigiliâ Ascensionis MDCLXXVII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THE LEGEND OF LOVE CANTO I. I. SONG which the God of Love did first inspire Not he the blind and sottish World calls so No God nor ought save a wild raging Fire Which with incessant Bellows Lust does blow But HE to whom all things their being owe In whom alone they live in whom they move And by his Love made to perfection grow All who below adore Him or above The Mighty Lord of Hosts the very GOD of LOVE II. Song by the very God of Love inspir'd And of a thousand more the sacred Chief But wherein Salomon from himself retir'd Not what his Love but what was his belief Songs ill became the cause of all his Grief If love we to our Mortal Standart bring Whose spoils are Robbe'ries and whose God 's a thief Under Love's borrow'd name to th' World did sing LOVE is the borrow'd Name Holy Churches FAITH the thing III. Song which the borrow'd Name dost understand And all the Mysteries which in it lie For 't is the Dialect of the Heav'nly Land Nor as to us it sounds does signifie Blest Souls in Love discourse with the most High Thou who knowst this and more than this whence came The profanation of the Deity And how this lustful Earth took th' empty Name Embracing sulphu'rous clouds for its Gods purest flame IV. Tell the World Song whence first its madness grew Who knows not thâ— World is mad Thou best of all Which if 't were possible Inno'cence to renew To its first Inno'cence wouldst the World recal And more than e're it lost i th' wretched Fall By love Thou callst it and the Voice is known Well known 's the Voice but we too sensual So brutishâ— in our Lusts obscene are grown That call'd by it's name we think 't an Idol of our own V. Yet none of ours is what we ' have stol'n the name That Idol which we thus with Mirtles crown But with our form from Heav'n at once it came From Heav'n was with a Silver Cord let down And into the Souls mass divinely thrown To be its Salt miraculously contriv'd And first in Heav'n the name of Love was known From whence at length it hither was deriv'd And here a while such and so call'd in pleasure liv'd VI. In pleasure ' it liv'd and with its chang'd aboad Strangely surprizd was strangely pleas'd a-while At first perceiv'd not the unusual load But in her Face who should betray ' it did smile As fearless as unconscious yet of guile And to a Body tho it were design'd A Body as the Land of its exile All parts so ' agreeable and soft did find It s Tour seem'd thence enlarg'd more than confin'd VII For all with Spiâ—rits it did converse before It self a Spirit but when the Eternal Mind To new displays of his creating Power In beings of a lower Rank inclin'd Which Angels yet should not come far behind Soon as the great Resolve was past above And Man of all those Works the Lord design'd Love the first mover and the last did move That He whom all obey'd o're all should rule by Love VIII It mov'd thus and the motion was embrac't Al 's ' Love that made it downwards took its way And viewing how the Bodies parts were cast Seiz'd with the Spiâ—rit the scarce yet moulded Clay Nor for partition or nice choice did stay But blending both together seiz'd the whole Both in the whole whole both in each part lay And both together making th' humane Soul Th' unactive Matter did both quicken and controul IX The Spi'rit gave Life with what to Life pertain Sense Motion and the several Faculties A cheerful goodly and a pompous Train When rul'd as they ' ought and manag'd by the Wise The wise is Love that th' whole unites and ties And which where e're it undisturb'd does reign Makes th' earthly frame with th' Heav'nly sympathize Nor to rebel dare any passion strain When o're them reason o're that love does hold the rein X. Thus i th' first happy Pair a while Love reign'd And but a while with regal Soveraignty Who to its Lore so early both were train'd That Love it self as rapt in extasie Wondred what in dull Flesh the' effects might be It wondred but so chast and innocent So Love-conspiring every part did see And so obsequious to its great intent That Love it self enamour'd was of its descent XI Forthy the happy pair with sever'd flame Which yet in both was one to love inclin'd Two downwards only but rise'n whence it came Again collected in one point and joynd And still the higher rise'n the more refind They lov'd and so in Heav'n to love are seen Bright Seraphs nor could Differe'nce be assignd But that the Body here did croud between There by pure Spi'rits was dressed out the mighty Scene XII The new form'd Body here did croud between But all to love was so dispos'd and made In either Sex and with so Beauteous meen That either seem'd with other well appay'd And Love himself the Hymenaeal said For Love 's an He who proud of what was done And of Man most as fairest there Pourtraid
The form assum'd which likest was to ' his own And will but as a Male when sung in Verse be known XIII Love said it and Heav'n all he said approv'd By signs authentick which none durst deny The new Creation in soft measures mov'd And the whole World of beings waiting by Bow'd all a-down and blest the Augury They bow'd and blest it as they waiting stood They bow'd and blest it each tho near so high From the Angeliâ— Natures to the Brood Of Earth-born Vegetables and God saw 't was Good XIV 'T was good He saw for Man to have his Make Man saw no less 't was good for him to love And in his Arms the Virgin Bride did take With all the' endearments that affection move Nor Hell that lookt askaunce could th' Rites reprove In ' his Arms he took her as Superiour She as one yet who would be Conquer'd strove Till safe arriving at the Genial Bowre And conquer'd both Love each saluted Conquerour XV. There gentle purpose did they enterchange And all the innocent delights that make Blest Wedlock happy nor did think it strange Connubial pleasures to or leave or take For nor him Inn'ocence did nor her forsake And they who think it did or that the place Or state forbad such use 'i th sordice rake Of their own lusty-head fouly miss the case And on God's noblest Masterpiece retort disgrace XVI Think so who will for me and bear the shame Of such sad thought those just ones thought not so Nor God nor Love who kindled first the flame Wherewith they in desire alike did glow Desire unhappy never till 't would know Secrets of knowledg unpermitted it Unhappy knowledg source of all our Woe Unhappy Tree i th' midst oth Garden set Unhappy seen but tasted more unhappy yet XVII Forbidden therefore 't was but that alone What else beside Man could or wish or crave Enclosure Limit and Restraint had none Nor other Law than what Right Reason gave Right Reason unforc'd yet to be a Slave To ' its under Ministers a Lawless suit Of stubborn Lusts when they the Mastery have Less of the Man partaking than the Brute And are the dire effects of the forbidden Fruit. XVIII Too dire Effects if God had seen it fit Which Natures Course disturb'd and alter'd so That all the Bands which held it were unknit And quite revers'd the Pyramis did show Above a Front unshapely 'a point below Thus while 't was turning but once set upon It 's no Foundation for so grim a Brow Or which was but a point as good as none Down fell the Heap Hell trembled and the Earth did groan XIX Love was that Pyramis which whilst it stood As fixt by Heav'n on its own proper Base Matter in Mankind cemented by Blood Spiritous where Sense had lowest place Reason supreme whole Nature did embrace Which o're her Works such Robes of Beauty threw And with such Rays did th' Universe enchase That Instinct some the' rest Inclination drew Only to Love and what was lov'd by Love pursue XX. Love and Fruition of their Kind was the' whole Whither to ' arrive most Creatures did aspire By Sense led and arriv'd but Man whose Soul Had particles of an Aethereal Fire Aim'd at Fruition too but of what high'er And more sublime was laid up than his Kind Or that part of ' it his Flesh whence to retire In Innocence he found himself inclin'd The beauties of his own and of th' Eternal Mind XXI His Kind he lov'd as all things did beside All things beside his Kind he also lov'd In their due Rank but how to be apply'd To use th' Hypothesis was to be prov'd And thousand Stones to move and be remov'd E're Love he to so just an height could raise As in his Intellect it was approv'd That he from Earth to Heav'n by steps of Praise Might hourly mount and boldly tread God's secrer Ways XXII Deep in himself was the Foundation laid And in those Acts wherein he did partake With meaner Beings for his Empire made And of which some for Propagation make By their first Institution call'd Love by mistake Whose name they have engrost but Love Or cause or sign of Love no more are take But the Disguise off as bare Acts they prove Nor higher look than 't is Love naturally to move XXIII These therefore were laid deep and of the Pile If ought Substruction consecrate to Night The sense of Touch too subject to beguile Where Reason does not hold the Ballance right Reason wherein true Love and pure Delight Only consists and is the Fabricks Scale Uninterruptedly to ' ascend Heav'ns height To him who has the skill Heav'n thus to assail And o're th' Omnipotent by almighty Love prevail XXIV The first Man had that Skill and of his Love BEAUTY and GOOD the Object he it sought In that bright Sphere where it on High does move And thither by Reduction all things brought Which in their Season beautiful are wrought All that in others or himself he spi'd Which of the Heav'nly Goodness Trace had ought And by this Chain did an Ascent provide To th' Foot-stool of that Throne where its first Link was ty'd XXV By view hereof He upward did ascend Still upward as he cast his curious view The Higher any thing did upward tend The better 't was and much more Beauteous grew And with it from the Earth Love upward drew From th' Earth of which once having lost the sight Love more refin'd became by Objects new And all presented by a clearer Light That did exhaust the Flesh and ravished the Sp'rit XXVI For having past at length the Atmosphere By many a Stage the Flesh was left behind And now another Face of things appear And other Beauties that surprize the Mind On which to gaze he did strange Pleasure find And tho their Light excessive he scarce bear Seeing above his Journey unconfin'd Upward he presses still and void of Fear As perfect grown above the Skies his Head does rear XXVII Above the Skies he to those Heav'ns does mount Step after step ascending where there be For happy Souls as sacred Writ does count Mansions prepar'd for their sublimity The third Heav'n call'd and ' its Furniture does see With which he could delighted ever stay But that advanced to the last Degree That mortal Foot e're toucht a farther way By Wing to be dispatcht he ' espies Loves last Essay XXVIII So on he claps his best and largest Wings And swift as thought but more direct upright Than Eagle soars into a Welkin springs If so it may be call'd of Flame more bright And pure than what by this Worlds Sun and Light Can be compar'd and in blest Extasy With sacred Wonder but without affright Those fair Idaeas contemplates whereby Himself and th' World was made and there laid up do lie XXIX Ascended hither Love the place well knew As whence himself into our World came down Eve'n Man as nearer to his God he drew New
Thrall To Vulgar Souls and had from th' Earth Original XVI Two unlike Mothers of two Sons unlike Eros and Anteros whose oppos'd Name Which different Sentiments in them did strike From their own first great Opposition came That from their Nature and tho judg'd the same In one and t'other Sex where they preside The Male and Female Hymeneal Flame Are two so that once kindled they divide Just like those Fatal Brethrens who Dead each defi'd XVII Eros was Elder and the stronger too Of Constitution likely to endure Eternal Ages if the Spi'rit he drew Were not empoyson'd by an Air impure Of which consulting how to be secure 'T was plainly told him from th' Oraculous Throne Than that of Themis far more Old and sure A Tripode which ne're fail'd When two are One Then Love in danger is by Love to be undone XVIII Of two made one Love well enough conceiv'd For that himself had seen himself had done But it by Love could hardly be believ'd That he to ' himself so contrary should run As to provoke what most he sought to shun Against himself that he should so prevail As thence in hazard be to be undone This ev'en to Love obscur'd in Mortal Vail Abstruse did seem and by another sai'd might fail XIX But Time a little time the Mysterie clear'd When by another Love this Anteros He was betray'd who that which first appear'd And 't was the Sun when from the Earth he rose Ador'd as his chief God with sacred Vows And many Altars to it after made By ' his Votaries on whom he did impose The Task Idolatrous and First-fruits pai'd Himself the first Idolater there prophanely laid XX. From Earth first rose this feign'd and Idol Love By DIS begot tho not till after known Who was his Sire or what himself would prove Of a curst Father the as cursed Son Born Arm'd for others Ruine and his own With all the Ensigns Love was wont to bear By th' Heathen read that if together shown All but themselves to ' impose on they 'd go near And here 's the true Love one would say one he 's there XXI Like Youth in both like Face and Looks were seen Like naked Limbs with covered Impudence In this but gesture tending to obscene In a free gayety ' hid to ' elude the Sense Like Chaplet for their Brows and Eyes defence Like Wings like Quiver hung their Backs adown Like different Arrows to be drawn out thence Like burning Torch which Flames so like did crown Either would seem the true if single and alone XXII Ah! that they had like Grace those Arms to use But this was loudly by the False decry'd Who only took them that he might abuse The World by whom he should be Deifi'd And acts inglorious in that Visor hide Never to use them was his full intent Or if he did not as before well try'd But to a Love and Learning different Where Sense alone should be supreme in Government XXIII Love saw all this for what to Love is hid The true Love saw it and withdrew in haste No place was left him on the Earth to ' abide Wherefore he to the Empyrean past And only Conscience his Vicegerent plac'd With Promise yet that if in time to come Man wiser grew the Counterfeit uncas'd Himself his now left Charge would reassume And once again to Man return as his last Home XXIV For Man 't is known scarce the wild Phanto'sm saw This Pageant Counterfeit of Love Divine But his Allegeance back he straight did draw And to the Enemies part from Love decline By Sense led which had quickly sunk a Mine Reason or to surprize or to o'rethrow And the vain Stratagem had drest so fine With umbrage that it Good and Ill should know The Fort surrendred was scarce known for what or how XXV But up 't was given and therewith given was all For Nothing or what 's worse than nothing lies What ever Man his own by right might call Or by Commission but sure ne're did prize Deserv'dly since he ' it could so soon despise His Life his Soul what most was of behoof To ' a Being so dispos'd and fram'd as His Of his Obedience the first easie proof And what as Heav'n it self was valuable his Love XXVI All were give'n up and now adieu blest Love Adieu all Happiness and Innocence Honour and Vertue which the same Course move And Mortals very rarely visit since Adieu unto you all for Love 's gone hence And only left your empty Names behind Upon the Stage to please or give offence As variously Spectators are inclin'd But wherewith most are pleas'd as most 'gainst Love combind XXVII Honour and Love adieu And now my Song Since thou hast trace'd them to their first aboad Rest they a while and tell as does belong To the mock-Mock-Love the World's and â—coples God! But make of every Rime an Iron Rod Wherewith thou mayst the Profligate chastise And tho thou goest a way as yet untrod Despair not but thy Work shall beauteous rise And with the Sober find acceptance and the Wise XXVIII With these acceptance but with others scorn Who to this Anti-Love blind Vassals made By our First-Fathers Act have Fealty sworn To a fell Tyran who must be obeyâ—d And will nor in his furious heats gain-said Unhappy Men if their unhappiness They could but know and how they are betray'd Enough unhappy would they but confess The little that they know which words can scarce express XXIX Slaves of Vile Passions which drive furiously And all that 's Sacred with high Hand bear down Themselves their Ancestors the Deity Reason and Reasons Guide Religion The Worlds consent attested by their own Till to the Winds and Seas their Faith they gave And sought what else they could not flee to drown In bottomless Abyss nor Shipwrackt have The least security they shall their Fraightage save XXX And yet who more secure But this their Love Their New Love in whose Service they 're retain'd Gives as his own and their most urging Proof That they true Conquerors have the Victory gain'd And broke those Iro'ns wherewith all else are chain'd Ill Education brutal Thunders dread A fear of what 's above to which they ' are train'd And what 's to come dreams of the long since dead That first made Gods and what their Fears made worshipped XXXI Horrors th' Anti-diluvian World ne're knew Or if it did durst not bare-face'd profess Tho from one Seed their Love and Atheism grew Both Ills but which the greater which the less Is hard to say almost as hard to ghess For either both in both was either had In both and either lost Man's Righteousness I' th' cause or in th' effect both equal bad And both that sensually and this prophanely mad XXXII But for Prophaneness Sense was th' Harbinger And busily by Love prepar'd its way For so Iâ—ll call awhile the Worlds Troubler Who all its Stages did before-hand lay And longer here and
ungraceful compos'd Air Save when she spake or laught but then betray'd A thousand Follies with prodigious glare For by a Glass she with a Shadow plaid Her self to whom she frequent Honours made And every glance which she design'd to cast And every look by that in order laid And to such troublesome Impertinence past That every little Word she thereby form'd at last L. Mirth was a Youth of beautiful regard With chearful Eyes plump downy Cheeks and Chin And nothing in his looks or strange or hard That if one by the Face could ought divine All Beauties there amass't did seem to shine All that can Man become or Love excite In Loves great Criticks the Sex Feminine All but i' th' Timorous whom his Whip did fright And more deterr than all his other Charms invite LI. For in his Hand a Bloody Discipline With many a' pointed Rowel stuck he bore And wherewith when unmark't he saw his time Backward reflecting he his Shoulders tore And the smooth Channel fill'd with purple gore But when or Folly call'd or Dalliance The fretting exercise he soon gave o're And as recovered from a sullen Trance Met with quick Eyes and amorous Look each smiling Glance LII Him Dalliance followed next a Damsel gay Of light behaviour as she well could feign And wantonly her Brest did open lay The Lover who came next to entertain Tho who the He were of her mighty Train She was not much solicitous to know Nor much to fancy him her self did pain For she like Favours did on all bestow And bonnour was to all how high so e're or low LIII A Night-Gown was the Habit which she wore Loosely clapt round her but so airy thin That through its light disguise appear'd the more What she ne're strove to hide her beauteous Skin And just proportion of each curious Limb With Impudence too luscious to be told And speech Lascivious when she did begin Which none but like her self unchast and bold Or unreprov'd could hear or unasham'd behold LIV. Next after her in order Genius came Of Body somewhat gross but Humour free Whom part call'd Comus as by his Sirname Tho both or either with him well agree Without whom Love nor merry Life can be A right good Fellow as his Belly show'd Which in a Swath reacht almost to his Knee And made him passage through th' admiring Crowd Which shouting to him louted as to them he bow'd LV. No wrinkle in his Counte'nance did appear Nor careful thought seem'd to come near his Mind Of what should be but things which present were Variously turn'd him as did sit the Wind And this way now now that way he inclin'd Tho if 't were still and sometime still it lay Diversions to himself he 'd make or find And sometimes only muse a live-long Day Tho askt on what he or nought knew or nought could say LVI These were the fairest Shews Loves entrance had And of the Pomp the sightliest Officers Who therefore next the Carr Triumphal staid But Spirits Incarnate were and all as fierce Provoke'd once as those Fatal Ministers Of his and more than his of th' Wrath Divine Which follow'd next with look and meen perverse A Grisly Horrid and Prodigious Trine Which hardly into shape Love could by ' his Art refine LVII Lust was the First but whether Man or Beast Or He or She one could by no means know For it both Sexes had and did invest Mankind above and Beast mishape'd below And slote divided did for ostent show With shaggy Hair the' whole Body cover'd o're And poysonous stench which he around did throw Undampt by th' Perfumes which the Satyre bore For so they call'd him and about him ever wore LVIII A very Satyr whom he nearest came In Face and Guise but in Deformity Excell'd the first of the' Family and Name And shameless was his Look and lew'd his Eye But sharp withal Beauties which cloyster'd lie First to discover then to circumvent By Clamour wherein low'd he was and high Nor could forbear as he in Triumph went Prime Visier of the Port and Loves chief Confident LIX Sin follow'd him who was his Eldest Son And only Child with place and dignity His Parents Titles suiting and his own But on his own he mostly did relie And all but what his own was did decry Would and did loudly against Lust declame As Impotent couragious to defie But who to Handy-blows or never came Or not with such effect as he to get a Name LX. For tho but one a thousand Heads he had And twice a thousand Hands boldly to fight An Army of himself and which he made Greater or less as the Cause did invite Love and Loves Good Old Cause was his delight Rebellion whose design to carry on Himself he variously as ' it hapt would dight A Beasts or Man's form take now and anon Angels or Fiends a multitude one be or none LXI But Death the third the same shape alway kept If Shape it might be call'd that shape had none Except in that half of him which foremost stept And to the view expos'd a side of Bone That seem'd with Skin to have been cloath'd upon And Musculage not many Days before For scarcely cleansed was the Skeleton And here and there appear'd fresh stains of Gore And gobbets of green flesh which from the joynts he tore LXII To'ther half was the Universe and all And every thing that in the World is found Which hastens or is ready at Death's call And are th' Ingredients which he does compound Or single or in Mass to give the Wound A dreadful Mixture and of which to tell Almost to think would th' greatest Wit confound For since the time that Man from Happi'ness fell They were collecting and had at the bottom Hell LXIII Where e're he came these were Loves Company With Train and Baggage which did far extend And Meny suiting so great Prince as He For Prince and God they call'd him tho Pure Fiend Unquiet Care which all his time did spend Himself to ' undo backt by Suspicion Then Impudence which did to Lechery lend His unchast Ear and Fury bad come on By Riotice drawn up and Irreligion LXIV Without door Danger and Distrust did wait And Fear that never was himself at rest Or others would permit their Watch to ' abate And Jealousie which tho he were possest Of what he lov'd for rage tore his own Breast And Lust unnatural and Villany And Revellings in thousand Anticks drest And Poverty in Rags clad piteously Calling aloud for Death which did th' unhappy fly LXV It fled him as one who from Love was fled Under the Disc'ipline if he had the skill To use it right of Sorrow seeming dead But which for a blest Life prepares Our will By that Repentance which Shame does instil Repentance the first step to Innocence Whose various parts it makes or does fulfil But whereof Lustful Minds have little sense Till Shame sum up the Total of the
and a Prey Wherewith and with his Pride he so did swell That tho he after had not much to tell Nor much to boast more during his whole Reign Eluded was he judg'd the Oracle Nor could there for him ought behind remain But what He thus had got as happ'ly to maintain XIII This Salomons youth did easily perswade David's next Successor who tho most wise Love of the Wisest ne're was yet afraid Had other Grandures which might chance to rise Higher in Loves account well plac'd than his Infinite Riches Peaceful Government The Necks and Pleasures of his Enemies And what then these was more a mind intent Of Folly and of Love to make th' Experiment XIV He made it and in making it was caught To his Lands baleful Ruine and his own And both by him that he by Love ill taught As from a Precipice together thrown Ne're stopt till come to th' bottom Head-long down Unhappy Prince who could not single fall Whose smiles appear'd more fatal than his frown The Kingdoms Laws this for the Criminal But bad example those which further reacht to all XV. And now if ever Love to the' top was got Of his unmeasurable Soveraigntie So far above his Hope and deepest Plot That scarce could he believe what he did see And almost trembled in those heights to be Compar'd with which the Honours he had gain'd In the World Heathen were a low degree For there he o're the brutish only reign'd The Noblest and the Wisest here to ' his Lore were train'd XVI Ev'n God himself most High to serve was made And his first Institution Marriage Cement of holy Love so base allay'd That it degen'rated to Bestial rage And more divided than it did engage To mutual Amours and joyn'd Hearts consent Madness before begun but which this Age With ancient Rites indulg'd long not content Perfected by a new and wild Establishment XVII Of sharers infinite in the Marriage Bed By this false Loves prime Ministers brought in With Artifice at first close palliated The New-made World which was but peopled thin To stock amain and plausibly begin Hence Bigamy and then Polygamy Divorce next to them near of kin On every small dislike did multiply And Children reck'ned were of Loves huge Family XVIII And so it stood even in the Holy Race From the Beginning tho it were not so For many Ages of permissive Grace But more of Hardness that i th' Heart did grow Of those who no delight in One would know And whom Variety would only please Yet God at first but One design'd to show His and the pow'r of Love and if Disease Abus'd 't should after be its Remedy and Ease XIX For more if more are sought the drought to allay But like strange waters to th' Hydropic prove And frequent draughts which in the Bowels stay And nor the Thirst nor the Disease remove And such is Change to him who Change does love The more the worse He drinks and thirsts again And still the more he drinks does more improve His Thirst the very remedy is pain Yet neither can shake off of neither but complain XX. And that Disease 't would prove in his Foresight Abus'd once the Almighty knew and thence To 'a single Circle bound the subtile Sp'rit Who one transgrest was Proof against all fence And easi'ly could with Just and Fit dispense One Partner in Chast Nuptials as enough Their Ornament to be and their Defence By Sin prevented all that was above Or two or more or many came from this False Love XXI From him they came All but successively And even the Many yet were but a Few Compar'd with that excess which grown most high In Salomon's Reign no limits had or knew And into th' Band not One but Hundreds drew Seven hundred Wives Three hundred Concubins Whom the Uxorious King did close pursue A Female Army under Love's Ensigns With Treasure infi'nit drein'd and with exausted Loins XXII Prodigious Astoreth be ' it an He or She Or both or neither an opprobrious Stock For Sex in Idols is a Nicetie Unknown to th' Makers whom it ne're did choque To stile as they should please the sensless Block Tho if they call'd it by a Female Name More Folly and less Power they if ere did yoke And if need serv'd a Male the God became Their own to ' attemper and expose the Votaries shame XXIII Be it prodigious therefore and a She And a She this Mock-Love if so it please Prodigious Astoreth and prodigious He Who was her Slave and Slave to 'a thousand Shee s On the Rack put by ' his Lusts or Marriages And if 't is true that each a Body makes And true it is how monstrous with all these Must his appear who has so different stakes Where each with only ' him he with each and all partakes XXIV With all partook he and made up with all One monstrous Body which did all contain All Lands and Languages from the huge Wall Of Babylon to where Nile bedds the Main Lusty in Egypts Spoils with Pompous Train No Country was there but sent in some Love No Love but did its Countries Gods retain All which he serv'd if he were Service-proof Enough to satiate not to satify enough XXV Marriage perverted thus from its design Love to enhance and raise an Holy Seed To hinder Whoredoms and the Rage confine Of an unruly Passion which did need More Reins than Spurs and of Hells fiercest breed But above all nobly to typify The Mystic Union which shall intercede 'Twixt Christ holy Church Man th' Most High All Mischiefs thence brake in and all Idolatry XXVI Thence Whoredoms Fornications thence brake in And which the Holy People did or'eflow Rapes Incests and than Incest worse the Sin Confusion call'd foul Sod'omy and a row Of bestial Vices which 't were guilt to know But more to tell The ' unwary Course some take Lust to perstringe by action or by show But teaching more what does no teaching lack And those whose Ign'orance their whole Innocence does make XXVII Yet Israel acted all and did out-do Well thew'd in Villanies their Teachers skill And Men with Men with Women Women too All Shame put off and did both parts fulfil With Sexes counterfeited every Hill And Grove with Humane Beasts and mingled Blood Promiscuous cast replenisht thick the while Brutes themselves as less salvage wondring stood Man o're them made to reign should with them change Manhood XXVIII No wonder thus debas'd new Gods they chose Gods like themselves and they new Gods did chuse Prodigious as their Lusts on whom they'impose Horrors the Beast would if it could refuse Design'd for Service and a nobler use Baalim and Astaroth or what-ever name Those Generals include bleeding Thamuze Dagon and Moloch Kemos Moabs shame And thousand others which into the Bead-roll came XXIX All which they worship'd and did lowly bow Before their Altars lowest bow'd their King Who Temples made them and did first allow Their
thus shame on those Whose either Atheism or Impiety Dare the Tremendous Figure or expose Or subject make it of foul Raillery And to vile Lust embase the Mystery That of their Happ'ness have so little sense Their God their Souls and their Civility That they with things most sacred can dispense And rather than not give it take from Heav'n offence XLVII From Thee most sacred and inspired Song The humblest Condescention of Heav'ns King From which my roving Verse has stray'd too long Led by the Mock-love and now late does sing Next that the humblest which with Saffron Wing Gabriel the True-loves mighty Harbinger Foretold to the' EVER-VIRGIN e're the thing Was full accomplisht and thereof did bear When done first News and what the signs to know him were XLVIII Signs too unlikely till by Angels told Whereby the Maker of all things to find For who would think a simple Cratch should hold Eternal Majesty mean Swathings bind Th' Incomprehensible and Unconfin'd And that an Ox and Ass were company To Scorn enur'd and labour by their kind In an Inns-Stable fit for God Most High And that a Babe should be that God and expos'd lie XLIX Yet signs they were with Heav'n which suited best And best with God when God should Flesh appear And so was Wedlock thence to be exprest E're that time came the Image he should bear Or rather what our selves allyed to ' him near Nearer by Purchase than Creation Should thence become like Glories with him wear And since to us it could not else be known Till Man to Heav'n should rise high Heav'n to Man bring down L. By Love to bring it And by Love HE brought it Who all the Mysteries of Love did know Second alone to Loves dear self who taught it As or above it was or as below And in thee Song its Mystic Power did show Not as thy Words to ' us sound but as thy Sense To th' Church apply'd by â—oly Churches Vow Must be expounded with this Difference Of God 't is Figure All of Man all Innocence LI. Of Soul and Body but of Soul the most Whose Acts and Motions Thou dost most intend By views Material to our Light dispos'd But where the Matter does all Act suspend And shadows what it cannot comprehend Is nothing or as nothing how e're laid Compar'd with what comparison does transcend Nor meant at all tho by it all is said That 's said of Love which through its broken Pipe 's convey'd LII So wouldst Thou Song so must Thou be understood And short of this who e're Thy Flight would bound To th' Deity sacrifices Human Blood And fixes on th' Impassible that Wound Which the Mock-love to offer had astound For He soon as he heard the words Divine His Sentence in them and his Doom he found At which affrighted back he did resign All he before usurpt nor ought had to rejoyn LIII Happy he so could scape tho e're away Cast and condemn'd he into Exile went The True Love who long waited for that Day Hymen his great Embassadour down sent To beg some Exemplary Punishment And Caution that he would return no more But all the Caution which to give he meant Was but his Word nor longer tâ—at than Power Should fail him to attempt what he had done before LIV. For Punishment 't was yet too early Day To move or hope Himself enough had done By those Spoyls which unforce'd he down did lay The Jurisdiction of Heav'ns Court to own Whom that acknowledgment must serve or none And out he went with stern and bloody Eyes And bitter Railings on blest Hymen thrown Who all his Railings did no less despise Content since he no more could get with the bare Prize LV. Marriage restor'd to ' its Just and Ancient Right And all th' Intents to which it was design'd Marriage which once secur'd does Souls unite And made in Heav'n to Heav'n so near is joyn'd That only there we purer Love can find Marriage of th Fallen World the best Estate Marriage most Honourable with Mankind Which to abuse a Man his Flesh must hate Marriage God's Blessing when He gave o're to create To the Muse ODE PINDARIC I. STROPHE BUT whither bear'st Thou me O Love Sovereign Disposer of all things Beyond the flight of Verses Wings Which after Thee a Course unequal move So swift Thy passage is and wondrous light Scarce can I of Thee get the sight And all so here and there So unconfin'd and every where Appear Thou dost and disappear A Phantosm Thou would'st reckned be But that whole Nature lives alone by Thee I. ANTISTROPHE From Heav'n to Earth from Earth again To Heav'n who has Loves Journy trace't Hail ye bright Stars which saw him last And greater Lustre by his grant obtain You last of all his parting Charge receiv'd And still to keep it are believ'd In times and seasons thence Which you to all his Works dispense With kind and wholesome Influence And at his Thrones dread Footstool wait Illustrious Guards and Messengers of Fate I. EPODOS Happy the Man whose noble Soul Hath rais'd him to a pitch so high That he the Heav'ns as they about him roll Undazled can behold with curious Eye And every Mystic note That 's in their Mighty Volume wrote As clearly understand As if acquainted with no other hand Yet happier He by far Who like the Kings first guided by a Star Obtains like Royal Grace Into the Sacred Presence usher'd thus to pass II. STROPHE An Honour done but to a few As few there be who care to joyn Their quest to th' search of Love Divine Thither applying what from thence they drew Heav'ns Priests and Loves who have the lucky skill Both Services at once to fill Nor like the most all day Or Idle stand or play And gaze tho' on Heaven their Age away Of Love who largely boast the Name But never saw his Light or felt his Flame II. ANTISTROPHE At once both Services he fill'd Whom the Muse sings both knows the best Of any who e're those Gifts possest In Books so different so divinely skill'd Natures and God's the Gloss that this the Text And read together unperplext While that by ' it self alone Read as too oft is done But Altars rears to ' a God unknown To th' True this does a way provide But difficult to walk without a Guide II. EPODOS Not SETH whose Pillars Fabulous Surviv'd the all-devouring Flood Taught the New World the Half he teaches us Were all he taught as well but understood Tho when of Love He treats And His high Mysteries repeats All hear and what is heard By all for certain Truth is so rever'd The ravisht Soul resents Its teadious stay and future joys prevents Rapt in Ecstatic Fires To the Divine Aboads almost i th' Flame expires III. STROPHE Witness Thou Sarums sacred Pile Which from the day Thou first cam'st down From the parcht neighbouring Hill the Town Attending Thee and shouting all the while None
ELEGY Upon the death of SAUL and JONATHAN 2 Sam. 1. Considera Israel pro hiis qui mortui I. ISRAELS delight the glory of our Land How are the Mighty overthrown Before their Enemies Swords they could not stand Nor conquer'd fall by any but their own In Thy High-places Israel both did fall A publick Victim for their Land in view of all II. Let not in Gath the mournful News be known Nor in Philistia publish it Stop the Report e're it reach Ascalon Nor let our Captive names their Arches fit Lest fearful Women whom they left at Home With Songs to share the Spoil and meet their Triumph come III. And ye Gilboas Mounts may never Rain Or fertile Showres descend on you But on your Heads let there abide that stain Which Seas should they pour down would but renew Let the curst Earth no more an Offering yield Nor God expect his First-fruits from the empty Field IV. 'T was there the valiant Saul resign'd his Breath And there his Shield was thrown away Never was such a Trophy rear'd to Death Nor ever sacred arms so scattered lay The valiant Saul's as if he ne're had been The Lord 's Anointed or his Chosen Peoples King V. From the pursuit the Bow of Jonathan Some Regal Spoil did daily bring Destruction after his fleet arrows ran And at the Wounds they made Death entred in The Sword of Saul did never empty come But a new Purple from the Blood of Kings brought home VI. Alike in Life in Death alike they were Not more in Blood ally'd than Mind Themselves alone you with them could compare Who none their equals saw or left behind And on their arms there hung such Victory That Men they only seem'd because they both could die VII For as the Eagle to her Prey does haste And hovering o're the Quarry flies Or the fierce Lion having once a taste Of Blood does all the Shepherds noise despise And at their Slings no shew of fear does make Like Lions they o're-came like Eagles did o're-take VIII And you O Daughters of so great a King Our Tribes support his Death lament Whose Victories you before were wont to Sing And clad in Scarlet to adorn them went Now put on Mourning to attend his Hearse Sad as your own complaints and mournful as my Verse IX For Lo the Glories of our State and Land Lo how the Mighty are o're-thrown Before their Enemies Swords they could not stand Tho Saul by none could perish but his own In thy High-places Jonathan thou didst fall A publick Victim where thou shouldst have reigned o're all X. For thee my Brother 't is for thee I grieve The best of Friends as well as Men In whose Death I that fatal Wound receive Which clos'd will ne're be till we meet again And in the Mansions of the Saints above Enjoy what here we vow'd our more than mortal love XI Israels Delight the Glory of our Land How are the Mighty overthrown Before his Enemies Sword one could not stand Nor th' other fall by any but his own In thy High-places Israel both did fall A publick Victim for their Land in view of all DAVID's Thansgiving and Prayer Ingressus est autem Rex David sedit coram Domino dixit Quis ego sum Domine quae I. WHO am I Lord and what 's my Family The youngest House of the Jessean Race In all things little but that Grace Which Thou on us hast shour'd but most on me Who am I that Thou hitherto Hast brought me Lord Thy Bounty and Thy Power to show II. Hitherto Thou hast brought me and that Hand Which for a Sling and Sheephook was design'd A nobler Service is enjoyn'd And Men instead of Flocks are my command Israel the Flock and care Divine And my exalted Name does midst rich Trophies shine III. Like the great Mens of th' Earth Thou ' hast made my Name And yet as if all this were not enough And thousand Pledges more of Love But the foundation only of that Frame Thou in Thy mind hadst cast to raise Of future Glories Thou foretell'st and growing Praise IV. Of Times to come Thou ' hast told long hence to come And that my House and Throne upheld shall be Like a Prince born Thou ' hast treated me As having what Thou ' art making for me room And are Men Lord thus wont to do Who rather than exalt the Poor will keep them low V. Yet thus Thou ' hast done and what can I say more Or greater for Thy Honour Lord or mine Which both here equal issues joyn That all who th' Work admire may Thee adore Greater I 'd say Thou knowst full well And more but what I know not how I cannot tell VI. Unless I add that for Thy great Words sake Thou didst it that Thou mightst at once fulfil The secret Counsels of Thy Will And what they were known to Thy People make For Thine own sake my God and mine For Thou thy Servant knowst and that his will is Thine VII Great art Thou Lord and wondrous are Thy Ways The best and greatest the only God alone Beside or like whom there is none Glorious in Holiness fearful in Praise Thus sing we who did first receive The Truth from our Fore-fathers but seeing now believe VIII For what one Nation as from them of Old We ' have often heard with Israel can compare For whom Himself God did not spare But came from Heav'n in Person to behold The Mise'ries they did undergo And not to see alone but to Revenge them too IX From Heav'n he came from Heav'n himself came down All cloath'd in Tempest and sulphureous Flame To get Himself the greater Name And do what by His Word He might have done That thus from Egypts Gods set free Himself he might declare His Peoples God to be X. This our Fore-fathers told us but we ' have seen Our selves as mighty Wonders of Thy Love Nor need we fetch from them our Proof Who ' our selves as mighty Wonders oft have been Confirm'd by Thy after vast expence And more 's to come to be Thy great Inheritance XI And now my God the Word which Thou hast said Th' irrevocable Word concerning me Let it for ever stablisht be And stablisht be that House which Thou hast made Thy Servant David thus approv'd Establish with his House nor let them be remov'd XII So shall Thy Word and Name be ever prais'd And Israels Holy God shall Israel sing Is God alone and Israel's King He His Anointeds Horn on high has rais'd Of David and his House approv'd David and ' his House establisht ne're to be remov'd XIII Not that I 'm worthy Thou shouldst hear my Vows Only Thy self was pleas'd the Word to pass Lord since I ' have with Thee found this Grace To be assur'd Thou It build Thy Servants House Another Grace turn not away Which in my Heart I since have found even thus to pray XIV Thy Promise 't is this
I 'll then lament And living Death in Tears bewail For my Sins sake those Foes prevail And all my Age in Mourning 's spent To my release at length consent Nor let me grieve eternally That I die 'cause I cannot die L'Envoy Blest Soul that hither couldst arrive How do I love yet envy Thee Wishing my self this Extasie And that th' Example Thou dost give Would make me less afraid to live And to each close of Thine reply That I die cause I cannot die 20. May 1668. The FLIGHT I. NO wonder Soul thou so admir'st a Verse And countst thy self in its Possession brave For 't is what e're thou canst desire to have On this side Heav'n but more to make than to rehearse II. 'T is th' end of Preaching Loves best Exercise The Quintessence of Prayer Praises refin'd A Change exstatic into th' Heav'nly Mind And on whose soaring Wings above the World I rise III. O could I always stay where 't first sets me How naked looking down would th' World appear Its Joys how empty and how vain its Fear Another flight would make me leave Mortality IV. For as the sealed Dove so high does towre That i' th' pure Air at last it flying dies So should I mount too and above the Skies Rapt to th' Etern aboads unfeel my dying Hour V. But I must live still and my flight to bound Till truly seal'd there something Lord will be Some Work of Thine be ' it be it but a Tree Eve'n there I nearer Heav'n shall rest than on the Ground 22. Jan. 1671 2. noctu Exsurrexi adhuc sum tecum An Hymn and Prayer To the Holy JESUS my Lord. Parode I. JESU th' Eternal Sun of Righteousness Unlike our Mortal Suns which Rise and Set Subliming this and t'other World with Light Love bids me of Thy wondrous Power to Treat But how Thy Power or Wonders to express I know not till Thou make my Darkness bright And with Thy Beams dispel the shades of Night Therefore I beg Thy aid JESU to whom I' have pray'd And still pray that I worthy Thee may write Illustriously o're all th' Expansion shine And if I 'm weak to endure A Light so pure dart through my Verse a ray Divine II. JESU the Wisdom of the Deity In whom the Mistic Treasures are conceal'd Be'yond Reasons search of the Eternal Mind And with whose Stripes the Afflicted World is heal'd Proof against Death the Vanguishts Victory Under whose Standart to its God rejoyn'd Love for the Noblest Service is design'd Love that 's a Rebel now JESU so Great that Thou From Heav'n Thy self must come his Slaves to ' unbind That I some Trophies of Thy Power may boast When Thou dost Conquering ride I 'll Crowns provide and sing Thy Triumphs through his Coast. III. JESU the Virgins and the Martyrs Wrath Who without Spot or Wrinkle didst adorn The fairest Soul which in a Body all Of Charms was wondrously Conceiv'd and Born Fought'st and wast fought resign'dst thy labouring Breath The Lost to Save and from the Dungeon call Hopes weary Pris'ners and Death's Captive thrall To Thrones at Thy Right Hand JESU as Thou dost stand At Thy Great Father's in Heav'ns Judgment Hall Grant me the Grace and Thou the Grace canst grant That when Thou shalt come next Tho now perplext to attend Thee then I nothing want IV. JESU in whom the Godhead does repose Infinites Comprehension and the Bound Of boundless Majesty fathomless Deep With Thorns first pierc'd and e're with Glory Crown'd Submitted to the Triumphs of Thy Foes A Man of Sorrows and inur'd to weep Substantial God and Man who both dost keep Unmixt and Unconfus'd JESU th' Untoucht and Bruis'd Quickning the Dead yet who i th' Grave didst sleep 'T is Thou hast broke our Bands th' Uusurper hurld Headlong into the Pit In whose sides sit the great Disturbers of the World V. JESU the Way the Truth whose Life does give The' exactest Method how we may direct Our wandring Course to Thy Divine Aboad And whence seduc'd to stray is not to Live A Way Thy self while here Unerring trode And now Exalted dost with Blessings load A Way which rough at first JESU appears and Curst But entred once proves worthy Thee and God Shew me Thy Way nor take it in ill part Since I am blind and weak If I bespeak Thee ' in that whose Guide and End Thou art VI. JESU Whose Cross the surest Anchor makes Both strong and sure entring within the Vail Where Passions waves how fierce and uncontroul'd So e're rage not and yet they dare assail The holiest Place and Heav'n i th' Tempest shakes Thou seest how there I have fixt all my hold And am i th' midst of Storms and Floods grown bold Yet still there is a Shelf JESU I mean my Self 'Gainst which I am in danger to be roll'd I sink O now thy saving Hand forth stretch Now e're my Head with th' Weeds Which this Sea breeds is wrapt and I 'm below Thy reach VII JESU how many Tears have I in vain How many Sighs and Prayers in vain pour'd out Tho by th' expence my Flame alone 's encreast My Life from its first Stage trac'd all about Unchang'd by change of Habit 's nought but Pain Anguish and Torment void of Peace and Rest Nay even my Soul Heav'n-born has been opprest And humbled to the Grave JESU make hast to save Nor tarry tho of Men I ' have lov'd Thee least Now help to Morrow may not be so well For Misery and Sin Have me ' on the Wing and where they 'll pitch me who can tell VIII JESU one half of me 's already gone So gone that tho I have piec'd up the Rent Methinks I 'm not the perfect thing I was Tho happy still in that I am content And who shall be more perfect when th' World 's done And One made Three into ' One again shall pass Unhappy Man unhappy were my case Such doubts gave'st Thou not skill JESU to Reconcile Thou who see'st Past and Future in one Glass Dear Lord for whom too hard there nothing is Give all my Griefs such end As may intend Thy Honour first and then my Bliss IX JESU my Confidence my Hope my Fear Able to help in time of Need and Free O leave me not when my last Hour shall come Not for my sake but His who Ransom'd me Merit crys No. But th' Image which I bear Pleads Lord and would for Ancient Love make room Tho I have been betray'd by Errors doom To a Fairy Wood and Brook JESU my Shepherd look Find Thy lost Sheep and bring the Stragler home Of Streams so troubled may I drink no more Or having found my Way Any more stray or wander as I did before X. JESU My God who far off seest the Proud And hatest him let Thy Blood some pity move An Heart all bruis'd and contrite to regard That does at length bewail its sottish love And which if once it
for the Wrongs her Alleys bore Without regret that Sacrifice could see And shall she now more sparing be When stricter Bands and sacred Piety Expect and challenge more Her Saviour to revenge and Sepul cher to restore What help can Nature yield or Art Or what saint hopes inforce the Enemies part When from Christ's Hand is thrown the first fatal Dart VII Pon mente al temerario c. Think of Proud Xerxes bold design Who to approach and tread our Shore Europe and Asia with a Bridg did joyn And Seas an Outrage bore Which Rivers only felt unwillingly before The Persian Dames who thought to Greet Their Husbands Victo'ries and their Conquests meet At their o're-throw confounded stood In Black they Mourn'd and th' Hellespont triumph'd in Blood Nor is 't this Naval Victory alone Which like Success does promise you But the unlucky Marathon To th' Father so as Thermopyle was to the Son When brave Leonidas with but a few Maintain'd those Straits and like a Lion flew Or Eagle on the Prey and did more than Subdue With thousand Histories more Which youâ—my Friend have heard and read and treasur'd up in store Wherefore the least which you can do Devoutly is that God to Praise Who for such haypy Times and hopes has cast your Days Comiato To Rome long since and Tybers Streams Petrarch this Ode when his did recommend To London now and the more honour'd Thames Since thus made mine I it abroad will send Where more judicious Spi'rits its numbers will attend And thence whole Christendome invite All other Wars being thrown aside In vain 'twixt Brethren for false Glory often tri'd In an Eternal League to ' unite And where the true may be ' easier gain'd with Infidels to fight 1668. ODE To the Right Reverend Father in God GEORGE Lord Bishop of Winton my very good Lord. I. Vna Donna piu bella AFAIR and Vertuous Dame Bright as the Mid-day Sun but more Divine My tender Age first overcame And made me to her part my Fortunes joyn With thoughts uncommon she my Mind inspir'd Then gave me Words their Image to express Whilst the dull World judg'd me to sloth inclin'd Or piti'd which was worse my Unhappiness For such it counts those gifts which Heavâ— n-born Souls possess Through thousand ways she was my guide And changing still from what I was Tho her fair Eyes she with a Vail did hide I felt their Influence through my Liver pass So that for love of her I have undergone Such Hardships and such Risques have run That if at last I shall arrive At th' happy Port I hope to live Beyond the power of Death an Age which She can give II. Questa mia Donna 'T was many a Year that thus She led me on Big with Conceit and Youthful Fire For trial as I since have known If I 'd prove constant to my first desire Shewing me now her Mantle Shade or Vest But to my Fancy leaving all the rest With which yet well enough content My Youth I in her Service spent So pleasantly that I can scarce the Time repent At length prevail'd on by my Prayers My Importunity and Tears Her Glories She was pleas'd to show But then how little was 't that I before did know 'T was midnight with me sure I said till now And with the sight there rose a storm of Cares Amaz'd I at the Vision stood Wisht in my Arms what yet I fear'd too good A Flame was in my Heart and Ice was in my Blood III. Ma non me'l tolse la paura In this Surprize the heat I felt within Gave me new Courage and did make me bold Whilst the chil Fetters which did hold My Captive Powers to loosen did begin And nearer I approacht to ' admire her Beauties yet unseen I came and gazing stood when she Turning to mine her Heav'nly Face Now Friend that I am Fair said you may see Possibly Fairer than you ghest I was I 'm sure more Powerful for what ever now Befits your Years but ask and I 'll bestow 'T is a long time Fair One I said That on you only have I placed my love The Joys of which I here most truly prove With Air before and empty Shadows fed But now so strangely smitte'n that to require Ought but your Pleasure were my ' own ruine to desire With a Voice then and look Divine Which chase'd my Fears and did my Hope refine In this most gracious Speech she answer'd mine IV. Rado fu al mondo c. In your mad World and its Impertinence 'T is rare but when my Worth is heard The veriest Stock has felt some little sense And my just Service for a time preterr'd In love to me and my rewards would burn Only my cruel Enemy That seeks what e're I build to overturn Quenches the Flames I kindle with mine Eye And makes all Vertue die Promising largely what he ne're can grant Those Pleasures and that ease he crys my Subjects want But Love my Friend has said so much of you And all he said I find so true That you henceforth my Charge shall be Unsought for Honours both to Gain and Merit too One of my choicest Friends I 'll stile you now And as to such a Fairer Lady show Than me you ' admire where you more richly may your Love bestow V. I ' volea dir c. That can ne're be I was about to say When look she added to that Gallery 'T was a large Terrace rais'd on High And if you can my words deny Such Beauties are not seen by all nor every Day I lookt but strait inclin'd my Head With Wonder struck and sacred Dread I lookt again and felt within A new and greater Flame begin Which as she saw her Railliery thus she drest I well enough know where-about you are And as the Sun when he doth first appear Makes every Star its twinkling ray devest Perceive my Eyes now seem less bright Since thus obscur'd by 'a greater Light Tho to be hers you need not me to leave For to us both one Seed and Birth did being give She as the Elder first then I did mine receive VI. Ruppesi in tanto c. A Strain so sweet my Tongue unloos'd And fearing now no more the Shame I had conceiv'd upon my hasty Flame Least my first Love should deem her self abus'd Thus I repli'd If this be true And who dare doubt it once since said by you Thrice happy Father and thrice happy Day In which you two into the World were brought And such from hence shall all that time be thought Which others tell I' have fondly thrown away 'T is now my Trouble more Than e're it was my Joy before That I reacht here so late or did no sooner stray But if I 'm worthy and 't is fit to show Of your Condition more than what I know A greater Honour you to none can ever do Looking me then to th' very Heart And with her Eye engraving
there What e're she spake in a deep Character Fixt and Compos'd she thus resum'd her part VII Si come piacque c. Know then 't was our Eternal Father's Will That we like Him should both Immortal be But what 's all that to you the while Wretches enamour'd of your Slavery For whom 'twere better that the fault were ours Of all the disrespect we find than that 't is only yours Courted and Lov'd we were of Old But now to such a Pass reducâ—d That she to Heav'n and Contemplation us'd Has taken Flight to reach her ancient hold I stay'd behind a while but have been so abus'd That thither too Iâ— ll 'scape e're long And only where she gives the ground inspire the Song For of my self I'm but her empty shade Then turning as about to go But first receive as both our Gift she said This Wreath which we for you together made And with her Hands she bound Immortal Bays my Temples all around Comiato To FERNHAM Song I 'd have thee go Where thy great Patron at first sight will know Both what 's thy Sense and Mystery Nor needs thou Him as thou must others show When they ask who these Virgins be That one is sacred POESY Th' other the Heav'nly Maid THEOLOGY With whom thy Master long since deep in Love And destitute of Friends The fair One in his Suit to move Thee on the Message to his Palace sends Only remember thou his Leisure wait And nor intrude too soon nor stay too late If He says thou art none of mine And so to Petrarch more incline Tell him our Thoughts were equal as our Fate And that there lacks one Spirit to Write and to Translate 1668. Sonnet of the same Ad promotionem in S. S. Ordines PRepare thy Chariot Love and heaviest Chain That for my Muses Sister this for me For I at length have got the Victory And loaded thus must grace her pompous Train I 'm Conqueror and the Arms which did obtain The mighty Spoil were Importunity Freedom renounc'd and sacred Vows to be Her Slave o're whom I should the Victory gain Mysterious War yet since thou dost delight Great Love thy Sov'raignty to exercise In such unheard of Contrarieties Lo how I suit my entrance to the Fight The Victor is in Chains led Captive Home And she in Triumph Rides who was o'recome ODE The Apology I. Quel antiquo mio c. CITING my old and cruel Master Love Before that Queen which holds our part Divine And first descending from the Seats above i th' Brain enthronâ—d with Heavenly Light does shine I shew'd my self like Gold by Flames made fine Loaded I came with Horrour Grief and Fear Those heavy Chains my Jaylor on me laid As is a Wretch who begs his Judg to hear Tho Self-condemn'd and of pale Death afraid I bow'd to th' Bar and all in Tears thus said In an ill Hour Great Queen I toucht the Land Of this false Prince where Rage and Pride command And where even from a Youth I underwent Such different Torments that with Pain quite spent My Life seem'd more a burden than delight And Patience was o'recome tho next to Infinite II. Cosi ' l mia tempo c In Pains and Anguish spending thus my Age How many Seasons did I Fool despise My self in Noble Studies to engage Whereby in Wealth I might and Honour rise Deceiv'd of both by empty Flatteries But where 's the Wit that can such Words command And at its pleasure fit Expressions call That others may my Miseries understand And how I 'm just to implead this Criminal How little Hony has Love and how much Gall I tasted both but both were temper'd so The sweet above the bitter lay below Seducing to fond Amours by surprize A Soul if I mistake not made to rise And up in Heavn Exalted look more fair Nor did Love only brake my Peace but rais'd new War III. Questi m' ha fatto c. My God I 'm sure He less has made me love Ten thousand times less than a Creature ought Nor could I to my self more faithful prove While for a Mistress I by him was brought To slight compar'd with her all other thought Love was my Counsellor that Enemy Whom here I charge who ' exciting my desire Whilst all in vain I for Repose did cry Permitted me no leisure to respire But to asswage the burning brought more Fire Alas what profit's it to have a mind By Heav'ns best Gifts and purest Flame refin'd Since tho my Hairs through Age I 'm changing still I ne're O ne're can change my ' unruly Will Become to this fierce One so much a Slave By use that it were Death my Liberty to have IV. Cercar m' ha fatto c. Strange Coasts he ' has made me seek and Forraign Lands And thousand Perils blindly undergo Sometime by Robbers sometime rolling Sands Ready to be devour'd rude Manners know And Pilgrim like no Guide my way to show Mountains I ' have past and Vales rough Storms and Seas Treading on Snares too close to be descry'd And in my wandrings stranger than all these Have Winter seen on th' Wings of Summer ride With Dangers only running by my side But nor him nor my other Enemy Could I by flight escape or secresie So that with Death if I unconquer'd strove The thanks are Heav'ns and none belong to Love This tyran Love who by my Grief revives Feeds on my Pain and by my Torment only lives V. Poi che suo fui Not one free Hour since his have I enjoy'd Nor hope to ' enjoy eve'n sleep from the sad Night Is bannisht and my former rest destroy'd In vain by Herbs or Charms I seek my right For what by Fraud he ' has got he keeps by Might Usurping Tyran and he knows 't is true When I add further my just Charge to swell The Darkness only did my Pain renew Nor wanted I oft heard times Passing-Bell Who by my Groans the weary Hours could tell What more Gnawing he in my Brest does lie And long sought Death does to th' assault defie Hence flow my Tears and hence my Flames arise Hence my Complaints and all those dolorous Sighs With which my self I tire and others too Great Queen who knowst us both between us Justice do VI. Il mio Adversario I spake but Love all in a rage reply'd Now t'other part Great Queen be pleas'd to hear The Truths which this Ingrate has sought to hide I to your Clemency will make appear And Sentence till I ' have spoken too forbear Know then this Wretch with Mercenary Breath Not Words alone but Lyes had learnt to sell Till I his Youth reclaim'd and from that Death Whither he was hasting brought him sound and well In pure Delights sore ' against his Will to dwell I was his Guide by me he first arriv'd At th' happy Port where he has safely liv'd And this he grieves this he calls Misery And all thoâ—â— unsought
World when it does thee neglect May to an He as ill deserving give Why as fixt here dost thou live And midst rude Wars and giddy Vanity Hope for Peace and Constancy Now while thou mayst dare to be Wise In thine own hand keep fast the Rein And since thou must begin again Stop and turn back the Road behind thee lies T is hazardous thou knowst too long to stay And till to Morrow leave what 's better done to Day III. Gia sai tu ben c. Long since Thou hast been taught nor art thou now To learn what Happiness and Content From the fairest Eyes are sent To ' n Heart that does the Charms of Beauty know But what think'st Thou both had been What Thy Content and Happiness The greater Glory and the less If those fair Eyes had ne're been seen And in their stead another Flame had entred in Thou well remembrest and 't is well thou dost How their Image seiz'd thee first And thy Heart like Lightning pierc'd Where it was so much Lord of all the Coast So fatally did overcome That none for other Loves it left scarce for it self had room With that thou first wert set on fire And if its wild fallacious heat Has held thee many Years with vain desire And expectation of what ne're was yet Nor er'e may come that joyful Day Which should thy Mise'ries end and largely for thy waiting pay For none so silily themselves undo As Lovers and so thanklesly if Poets too Why dost thou not to a better hope thy Soul advance And Heav'ns Immortal Glories view For if one Smile one pleasing Glance A Song dear purchas'd one kind word or two The price of Love can here enhance What will those Heavenly Beauties do And how great must the Pleasure be above Where they do ever Sing and where they ever Love IV. Da l' altra parte On tother side a different thought With a sharp but pleasing pain Of Hope and Fear together wrought Makes me love it but complain For while with Hope it feeds my Heart And profers Fame to crown desert The Fear I can despise and dare the cruel smart Insensible it almost renders me Of all but its dear self insensible The effects of Study I ne're feel How hot or cold how pale so e're I be Nor will one Death to kill 't suffice One Death to end its Tyrannies Since throughly slain it does with greater vigor only rise When but a Child as a Child with me it plaid Just like my self and as I grew encreast Nor will 't I fear permit me any rest Till in one Tomb we be together laid Dead with my Body there 't will lie Nor any further with me go And then what signifies this Fame if I Its best Report can never know Since there must once a parting be And away the Shade will flee For the true substance I 'll leave it e're that leave me V. Ma quel ' altro voler But Oh! that Passion like my Soul Which in each part is all and all i th' whole And as a great and spreading Root To ' it self the moisture draws and starves the Ground about How does it Vex and Torture me When I my Pride and Folly see My Ignorance and Vanity Of others writing still so mindless of my self to be Those Eyes I mean whose heavy Chain My captive Will does so restrain That Art and Force to break it I employ in vain What then tho my spread Sails are fill'd And that prepar'd I for the Voyage am If yet my Barque midst Rocks is held By two such Cables Love and Fame But Thou my God who from those other Bands With which the sottish World 's held fast Long since my freedom Ransom'd hast Why hear not these Thy great Commands And loose the Pris'ner who with shame confounded stands Abasht I stand and like a Man at Night Assaulted in his Dreams with Deaths grim sight Fain would resist but want both words to speak and Arms to fight VI. Quel ch' i fo veggio c. I well enough know what I ought to do Nor does the Ignorance of what is true At all deceive me but this Love With which so mise'rably I am opprest Tho all his and my ' own Follies I reprove Too much and much too long of me possest Permits me not one step to move And the true Honours shiny Path intend above Yet now and then there does begin Something I know not what to strive within A cruel and severe Disdain Thus for ever to remain And where of all it may be read again This secret thought writes in my Forehead plain What can more unmorthy be The Man who does to th' fairest Prize aspire Than towards Mortal things to be on fire With the same Flame that only fits the Deity Nor does it thus alone but crys aloud To my Reason drawn aside And behind my Senses hid Reason obeys and strait condemns what it allowd But as I 'm thinking back to go Custome does or make me stay Or leads me to some other way I gaze and that does show The brightest Eyes e're shon below But born alass for my incurable Disease For too much me too much their cruel selves they please VII Ne so che spatio mi c. How long or short the space may be Which when into this World I first came down By Heav'ns Arrest was granted me To undergo Wars misery And all those pains which from my self have grown I know as little as I do the Time When this wretched Life shall end For both are Mysteries too sublime And Mortal knowledg far transcend But this I know and daily find That all without and all within My Body 's chang'd and so 's my Mind Gray Hairs appear nor is th' End far behind When to approach these Harbingers begin Like a Man therefore who much Ground and Day has lost But wiser made at length by his cost I 'm thinking oft to take the Right Hand way Where I see my Journey lay And which when first I left I first began to stray But Grief and Shame to have truanted so long Hold my one half Pleasure does t'other seize Pleasure through Custome grown so strong That it with Death dare stand on terms for War or Peace Comiato SONG thou seest me as I am And me more than thou Petrarch sawst of old With an Heart than Ice more cold Ne're to be thaw'd I fear by any Flame But that which in ' its embrace the Universe shall hold Yet Lo I am resolv'd again Once more the great Experiment to try Tho ne're liv'd Man in so much pain With Death or in his Heart or Eye But this my Trouble does renew That what I would I cannot do And what I hate and would not that I vigorously pursue 1668. SONNET Convertimento á Dio. Io son sistanco sotto ' l c. TIR'D and almost or'ecome with th' heavy weight Of my old Sins by Custome grown so strong
I 'm fearful lest Lifes way being rough and long I from it turn by my own or Foes deceit I have a Friend 't is true that from Heav'ns height Came down to free me and redress my Wrong Of love he came but quickly ' amidst the throng I lost him whose return in vain I wait Upwards he flew and flying thus did cry Burd'ned and weary Souls behold your Way Hither come hither to me and find Rest What Grace what Love my Lord what Destiny Will give me a Doves wings on which I may Mount from this Earth and be of Heav'n possest SONNET To the same Purpose Poi che voi io piu vòlte c. SINCE you and I my Friend so oft have prov'd How false our Hopes and full of Vanity To that best Good at length thy Heart apply Which still the more 't is known the more 't is lov'd The present Life 's a Field till thus improv'd In which midst Flowers an hidden Snake does lie And tho its Verdure please the wanton Eye Death from th' unwary Foot 's not far remov'd Would you then have a Mind at last secure And endless Joys in which thou mayst persever Follow the Few to them thy Steps inure And all thou canst to leave the most endeavour Brother you teach well but youâ—self first sure Who oft have stray'd yet more of late than ever SONNET To the now M rs M. W. under the feigned Name of Iärma with the Parable of the Pilgrim ATEDIOUS Age I like this Pilgrim spent In search of that fair Place where Heav'n design'd I should an end of all my Travels find But still I stray'd the more the more I went I stray'd till Clelia in a Vision sent Illustrious Rays diffus'd o're all my Mind And made me see the Way lay far behind Whose entrance was my Wandrings to Repent She told me what Companions I should take How Resolution and Humility And Faith and Charity I should provide If I a prosperous Journey hope'd to make But where dear Clelia do these Graces lie Iärma has them all make her your Guide 1666. SONNET To the Reverend Mr. J. G. TO GOD it is my Friend and you I owe What I have been the twenty Years that last In various Changes o're my Head have past And forty more if Heav'n shall on me throw How good so e're I by that time may grow For Great I wish not and who makes less haste To your account shall be at th' Audit plac'd Who Virtues Path by few trod mad'st me know And timely didst my wandring Youth reclaim By Grave Advice tho not so reckoned then The more my Folly how e're it has been since But when the Spirit Divine to blow begins What Boys we scorn'd we follow close grown Men And the kind Warner have in greatest Fame SONNET On the Picture of our LORD represented on the Cross as Dead Pietoso quanto accorto c. SOMETHING there was Great Master more than chance That Thou the Pencils Wonders to express And therein Thy more wonderous Hands address Tookst my Dead Lord the Colours to advance Pity directed Thee that Choice to make And having in Thy Pious Brest design'd To shew how rude the Jews Thy Self how kind His Pale and Lifeless Form resolve to take 'T was nobly done for hadst Thou made him breathe Ever in Torment he had seem'd to live And from Thy Hands a greater Wound receive Than all their Cruelty contriv'd in his Death For such Thy Picture is now he enclines his Head That he would Groan and Speak but that he 's Dead St. Paul done by Titian A Madrigal DEAD to the World and far from Heav'n remov'd Long'd for by him so much and so much lov'd The blessed Paul while here Did really as Dead appear But in Thy Colours Titian looks so warm and clear So Mortifi'd and yet so full of Life That the most curious need not be at strife But confidently swear If they could both together see The true with this design'd by Thee Such breathing Strokes do from Thy Pencil fall Live Paul's the Draught Thy Draught the living Paul 1668. SONNET The Vanity of thinking to get Fame by Riming WHAT dost Thou Man what thinkst Thou to what end Of old Bards emulous and their ancient Praise In Riming spendst Thou all Thy Strength and Days Nor ever what 's of more concern intend Fame which Thou courtest never did commend Of true Desert or if she does delays Till ' it be too late no Monument does raise But to along since dead or dying Friend And Thou if Thou desir'st that Friend to be What art the better for it in the Grave Thither Thy Fame will never follow Thee Nor with the Dead shalt Thou more Honour have For Verse than if Thou Verse hadst never known The Living will not Dead can give Thee none SONNET To give o're Riming and fall to Business AS I one Day did of my Fate complain And to Loves Charge the great Occasion laid Recounting all the Ways I had assay'd A Name or Fortune in the World to gain And still to ' obtain it strive but all in vain Ah! sottish Wretch with Rage and Scorn he said Me with Thy Artless Follies to upbraid When Thou alone art cause of all Thy Pain Go and to Business Man Thy self present Business the noblest Mistress tho ' it be late Who many Servants has and more will take Riming and Modesty ne're got Estate Or Name or Fortune 't is the Confident And Busie carry ' all Love I did mistake ODE To the Right Reverend Father in God JOHN late Lord Bishop of Chester upon his Promotion thither I. FAIR Seminary of the Flourishing Arts Great Wadhams bounteous Legacy The last result of Heav'n-born Charity Who mounting thither from these Frozen parts Design'd Thee with an high intent To be both Hers and Thy own Pious Founders Monument Thee WADHAM first of all I sing Where in soft Verse I learnt the early Skill Ah! that one so well Disciplin'd should rehearse so ill And have for all Thy care no better Strains to bring Thee sacred Colledg who dost rise Like a new Sion to the North Of th' Muses City with Thy Wings stretcht forth And in their Kingdom hast her Royalties OXFORD the brightest City ' and Kingdom which the Muses have Small as thou art but wondrous brave Both Peacefully there to Command And send abroad Thy Fathers through our Land Thee I tho far unworthy Greet And at Thy Gates as does a Son befit To lead him to his Stall with Songs Thy late great Guardian meet II. With Thee my Song in Thee this happy Man Whilst only Thine a bold Attempt began Whose Fame Posterity shall ne're let die But thence it self instructed how to live Due Honours to the first Discoverer give And Consecrate his Name to Vast Eternity A bold Attempt it was worthy this Age And Him whom Heaven did with the thought Inspire Yet which this Age