Bold Poets and rash Painters may aspire With pen and pencill to describe my Faire Alas their arts in the performance fayle And reach not that divine Original Some Shadd'wy glimpse they may present to view And this is all poore humane art Can doe M. Vander â—ucht Seul Philabius THE Young Lovers Guide OR The Unsuccessful Amours of Philabius a Country Lover set forth in several kind Epistles writ by him to his Beautious-unkind Mistress Teaching Lovers how to comport themselves with Resignation in their Love-Disasters WITH The Answer of Helena to Paris by a Country Shepherdess AS ALSO The Sixth Aeneid and Fourth Eclogue of Virgil both newly Translated By J. B. Gent. Si nec blanda satis nec crit tibi comis amica Perfer obdura postmodo mitis crit If your fair Mistress be not mild and kind Bear and persever Time may change her Mind Ovid. de Art Am. l. 1. LONDON Printed and are to be Sold by the Booksellers of London 1699. The PREFACE Writ by Philabius to Venus his Planetary Ascendant Dear Mother Venus I must style you so From you descended tho' unhappy Beau. You are my Astral Mother at my birth Your pow'rful Influence bore the sway on Earth From my Ascendent being sprung from you I hop'd Success where-ever I should woo Your Pow'r in Heav'n and Earth prevails shall I A Son of yours by you forsaken die Twenty long Months now I have lov'd a Fair And all my Courtship 's ending in Despair All Earthly Beauties scatter'd here and there From you their Source derive the Charms they bear The Fair I court partakes in high'st degree Of your transcending Heav'nly Quality Her I admire as most resembling You O take from her what is your Right and Due Or so incline her Favour for your Son That by hard Vsage he be not undone 'T is said those Persons at whose birth you reign Prove gracious to your Sex and Favour gain Must I be th' only Man whom you deny This Privilege O great Severity But ' gainst Heav'ns Actions what can Mortals say It deals with us as Potters do with Clay E'en as it lists for better or for worse Thrice happy those not fated for a Curse Tho' while our Ages Course is running on We little know what Heav'n intends t' have done What seems Affliction oft proves for our Good If with Submission we embrace the Rod. Life we are promis'd but first we are drown'd In Death and then with Life immortal crown'd God's Works are all by Means contrary done And cross to Man's Imagination run 'Till the just time is come that they 're fulfill'd And then tho' late to Providence we yield Perhaps my Fair's unkindness and delay Are more t' endear what once I shall enjoy Those Goods are priz'd for which we dearly pay Or if she 's fated for some other Man Perhaps for me kind Heav'n has order'd one More kind and Fair if Fairer there may be Or if being turn'd my Year of Jubilee Fate has ordain'd me a Quietus here And now my Course for Heav'n I must steer O Venus draw me by your Charms divine From Objects here my dreggy Thoughts refine From Earthly Things that being rais'd to you As I your Heav'nly Kingdom have in view Fixt on Ideal Beauty 'mong the Blest I may enjoy an everlasting Rest Philabius E R The Reader is desir'd to Correct the following Mistakes of the Press PAge 10. line 6. read maturer p. 12. l. 9. seldom does r. often fails p. 26. l. 17. mightily r. nightly p. 34. l. 6. breath r. leave ib. l. 14. r. there 's p. 42. l. 4. r. Ideal p. 44. l. 5. our r. ber p. 48. l. 18. r. learnt p. 53. l. 2. Faith's dele ' s ib. l. 3. with r. wish ib. l. 17. r. suppress p. 56. l. 4. calm r. but p. 64. l. 6. now r. new p. 65. l. 14. but r. cut p. 97. l. 11. r. in Heav'n ib. l. 16. might r. night p. 86. l. 20. ward's dele ' s. New Poems Three Addresses writ by Philabius to his beautious Mistress The First Address My only DEAR WIth Thoughts as kind as Lover ever knew Your Lover writes this Love-Address to you Did you but feel that Passion moves my Heart While I to you my Fondness here impart 'T would move your Pity Love Compassion all That tender Lovers grateful Kindness call But here alas my great Misfortune lies Words can't present before your gracious Eyes My inward Feeling All that Words can do I 'll say in short my Dear as God is true There 's nought on this side Heav'n I love as You. Yet let not Words alone my Witness be They 're Actions I desire should testify Command me what you please I beg command When once your Pleasure 's known if I withstand Your Will in ought my Life my Fortunes all I have from God afford then let me fall For ever in Disfavour of my Dear The greatest Curse that Man on Earth can bear I 'll not attempt as common Lovers use To write my Mistress Praise the Fair I choose Surpasses me surpasses Praise of Man She 's Praise it self she 's all Perfection Thrice happy 's he whose blessed Stars incline Her gracious Favour Heav'ns grant they are mine Beside those Stars which influence our Birth Three I must beg propitious here on Earth Your Father and your Mother dear and You Of whom I have already courted two And tho' some Men this Practise may disown Who pass by Friends and Daughter court alone Yet since I know your Parents mighty fond Of their dear Child I let them understand My Thoughts for you and hope 't will not displease My Dearest since their study is your ease ' Gainst my Address they one thing did object It was my Age indeed in that respect There 's disproportion yet such have I known When happy Life has follow'd thereupon All kind Indulgence to my Dear I 'd show Your Will should be my Law to come and go And do whate'er you pleas'd you should be free And I 'll presume to say I think with me You may enjoy as happy Scene of Life As where you else may choose to be a Wife I know in Age but two things give offence The Man's Moroseness or his Impotence And Heav'n's my Witness I think I 'm as free From these as one pretends to court should be And by my Years I this advantage gain They 've taught me Knowledge which may entertain My Dear sometimes with what may please her Mind Sometimes in London Pastimes we would find Where all that 's Curious to my Dear I 'd shew Being more perhaps than other Men may do In Summer-heats the Country we would see The small Retirement there belongs to me Is pretty pleasant may be made much more With little Cost Some Things I have in store Are also curious and of Value these And all I have are yours whene'er you please Indeed but poor are such Allurements where So high Desert
arbitrement And grant this true sure th' other part is feign'd That I should be your Gift if Venus gain'd I can't presume my Beauty such that she Should say 't the great'st Gift in her Treasury I 'm well content so Men my Shape approve A treach'rous Praiser is the Queen of Love Yet I 'll not gainsay 't tho' I it admire For why should I gainsay what I desire Nor be you angry that my Faith is slow Great things require no hasty Faith you know First then t' have liked Venus it's a Pleasure Next that you take me as your greatest Treasure And slighting th' Honours Juno did propose And Pallas you from Venus Helen chose Then I 'm to you both Virtue and a Throne An iron-Iron-heart such Love were bound to own Nor am I Iron credit me but may I love him whom I cannot hope t' enjoy To what end should I plough the barren Sands And follow hopes the very place withstands Untrain'd to Venus-Thefts my Husband 's Trust I ne'er as yet abus'd as Heav'ns just And now my Pen does correspond with you This thing to me is altogether new They 're happy who 're inur'd my inn'cent Mind Does think the way to Vice is hard to find I 'm full of Fears and in Confusion I Suspect that all on me do cast their Eye Nor is it causeless Aethra says of late The World talks of me at an evil rate Be therefore close unless you 'll quite give o'er Tho' why desist your Actions you may cover Act but be wary tho' we 're somewhat free By Menelaus absence Spies can see He 's gone 't is true a Voyage far away For just and weighty Reasons could not stay At least to me it seem'd for when he slack And doubting stood I said pray make haste back With th' Omen pleas'd he kist me'nd did commend To me the care of 's House and 's Trojan Friend I scarce held Laughter striving at it all I could return in Answer was I shall So he to Creete with happy Wind is gone But do not think for this the World 's your own Tho' he be absent yet his Guard is strong On me you know Kings Hands are very long Beside my Fame and Shape you so much prais'd In him the more his Jealousy has rais'd In this Conjuncture better 't were I 'd none And that you 'd let my Beauty's Praise alone Nor wonder I 'm left by my self he knows What Confidence he in me may repose My Face he fear'd my Virtue trusted there My Faith 's secur'd where Beauty made him fear You with me not to let th' occasion die But that we use the Man's simplicity I would and fear nor can I yet command My wav'ring Will my Heart is at a stand My Husband 's absent you 've no Wife in lieu Your Shape embraces me and mine does you The Nights are long and we converse alone Your Charms alas are great our House is one And let me die all things to sin conspire There 's nought but Fear can check our fond Desire What weakly you persuade would you could force To stir my Dulness 't is the likeliest course Sometimes th' abuse good for the Bearer's held And surely I were happy if compell'd But rather let 's surpass our young Desires A little Water quells new-kindl'd Fires A Stranger 's Love 's unfixt with him it flies Or when we think it most secure it dies Hypsiphile and Ariadne stand Sad Proofs against wedding Men of Foreign Land And you unfaithful Man are also said These many Years t' have left Oenone's Bed You can't deny 't I boldly say 't and know More of your Actions than you think I do And say you constant would in Love remain You can't the Phrygians would fetch you again And while you talk and for that hoped Night Provide d' you know the Wind will then stand right When half Seas o'er and glutted with your Prey The blustring Winds will blow your Love away Shall I then go to Troy your Court to see Shall I great Laomedon's Grandchild be I slight not so the noise of flying Fame To spot my Country with eternal Shame Pray what will Sparte what will Achaia say What Asia's Nations what your very Troy What will judge Priam of me what his Queen What all your Matrons and your Trojan Kin And could your self e'er think that I 'd be true If I should once do such a thing with you When any Stranger tho' by chance you hear Comes to your Port he 'll give you cause to fear How often angry you 'll Adultress cry Forgetting you are guilty more than I. You 'll be both Author and condemn the Crime O let me die e'er live to see the time But I shall all your Trojan Wealth enjoy And you your Gifts will greater make than say You 'll give me Purple for my Princely Dress And heaps of Gold you talk I shall possess Your Pardon if I say 't my Country's Love Does draw me back more than your Offers move Whom shall I call if wrong'd upon your Shoar What Brothers or what Fathers help implore Fair Promises false Jason to his Spouse Medea made whom he expell'd his House No Aetes nor Ipsaea then was by No Friend to whom in her Distress to fly Such Dealing I suspect not nor did she The fairest hopes are sometimes foil'd you see Those Ships we hear so often cast away At setting Sail had calm and gentle Sea The Torch does also fright which before Your Birth your frighted Mother dreamt she bore And I do dread what Prophets do forewarn That Grecian Flames your Town of Troy shall burn As Venus is your Friend ' cause she obtain'd Her Suit by you and double Trophy gain'd So those I fear whom if your Boast be true In their appeal your Sentence overthrew And certain 't is War follows if I fly And clashing Swords our Love will soon unty Did not Hippodameia Athrax stir Against the Centaurus to a bloody War Can Menelaus think you tamely hush Th' Affront my Brothers and King Tyndarus And tho' you boast your Valour at your Sword Your Face methink does contradict your Word You seem more fit for Venus than for Mars Let Paris love and others follow Wars Let Hector whom you praise his War pursue There is another Warfare fit for you In that your Skill I 've half a Mind to try A wifer Lady would and why not I Or else perhaps 't were better quit the Field And e'en to you my conquer'd Hand to yield Whereas you pray we may of these Things treat In private I know what you would be at But you 're too quick you 'd reap before you 've sown Perhaps your stay makes for you tho' unknown These Secrets of my guilty Mind I send To you and thus my weary Pen does end We by Clymene may the rest confer Or Aethra both my Friends and Council are A New Translation OF VIRGIL's Sixth Aeneid AND Fourth Eclogue THE PREFACE HAving a
abounds as in my Dear Far greater Offers doubtless you have met Youth Beauty Riches all that 's gay and great From Men your sweet-prevailing Charms have won As who can stand before the glorious Sun If I to these a Sacrifice must fall I 've this at last my Dear to say for all A Judge of Men most values Gifts of Mind For these I dare contend tho' still resign'd If by your Judgment cast hard Fate I 'll cry And humbly kiss that Hand by which I die My only Dear Yours for ever Philabius The Second Address My only DEAR SInce to my last no Answer you have giv'n Impatient Love commands me write agen Silence sometimes they say implies consent If yours be such I have my Heart 's content But if your Silence as I fear it may Concludes your Lover's doom another way Sad is my Fate which tho' with trembling Hand I ne'ertheless desire to understand Tumultuous Passions now torment my Soul Hope gives me Comforts Fear does all controul All sick in Mind where shall my Refuge be There 's none but you can ease my Misery Once you were ill I then prescrib'd a Cure Fond was my Soul your sacred Health t'ensure And now I languish to you I must fly 'T is at your pleasure that I live or die And e'en to Death more easily I 'm resign'd Than to continue in this state of Mind Your gentle Nature can't be so severe To let him perish calls you's Only Dear And calls all Heav'n to witness it is true O! pity one devoted thus to you I know some Lovers only Passions feign And if they Court for nothing 't is but Gain Fine Words they have if Ladies will believe Sweet goes the Pipe while Fowlers Birds deceive Such Fraud my Dearest can't suspect in me Her Person only's my great Treasury There lies in store the whole that I pursue For this alone her Self and Friends I wooe 'T is all on Earth I beg of Heaven too I 'm not ambitious know the World too well Content with Greatness does not always dwell Great should I be so I could sit at ease Admire my Dear with fond Caresses please No Soul so clear no Aspect so divine Sweet Mildness with Sublimeness there combine No cloud of Passion intercepts those Rays Of charming Graces which she thence displays All 's there surprizing Mortals can descry Symmetrious Features wondrous Harmony There should I gaze for ever still should find My Sense transported with transported Mind O Nature's Goddess to you I must pay All Adoration zealous Votive may What state of Bliss does Heav'n to him decree derive Where it alots your blest Society Where-e'er that God whence you these Charms Designs the Station wherein you shall live To me 's unknown of this at least I 'm sure Your absence long I can't with Life endure As Flowers fade in th' absence of the Sun My Life without your Influence is gone What may I do your Favour Dear to gain Can Life can Love can nothing it obtain With Muse sublime above the Stars I 'll raise Your Name your Fame with my immortal Lays A Poem next I 'll write of Love divine In which my Fair Heav'ns Angels shall out-shine In Praise of her let all the World that dares Contend they 'll find Philabius void of Fears And would's his Suit had Issue by such Wars I want a Friend Death robb'd me of this Year To plead my Cause with Kindness to my Dear Had he surviv'd I had not stood alone To deal with many hard it is for one And florid Youth now rivals my Desire And most are apt the rising Sun t' admire Tho' Judges know the perfect state of Man Is when his Sun 's in the Meridian The Air is foul with Fogs as Sun does rise And as it further climbs the lofty Skies 'Till come t'its height nor is Man's Reason clear 'Till he has reach'd his Jubilean Year And this with Favour let me farther say Unstedfast Youth tho' specious brisk and gay Is prone to change contingent Beauty too Mature Years more likely may prove true And let not this unminded pass by you Fain would my Pen much farther here inlarge Whole Floods of Passion thus I could discharge But fearing this already tires my Dear I check my Pen and stop in full career This only Boon imploring at your Hand That you 'll vouchsafe to let me understand In Verse or Prose or by some private Friend How all my Hopes and Love-Address must end O Beauty O Love O Pity Philabius The Third Address My only DEAR ONce more I write for who can Love withstand Which Heart inflames and presses on the Hand Help Muse agen this once my Fate to try And gently guide my Pen before I die Help me to soft Expressions which my Dear May move and force from her kind Eyes a Tear Of Pity for me Heav'ns what is 't I say Do I wish Sorrow to my only Joy Through Love distracted all in Mind I rave And wish for what I 'd rather die than have Help me t'Expressions may affect her Mind With Thoughts as chearful as they make them kind No Pity let them but gay Love inspire Cold 's hopeless Pity Love 's a sacred Fire If e'er on Earth true Love in Man has been It reigns in me and Love I hope 't will win By Love of Heav'n we Love from Heav'n obtain My Fair is heav'nly Love her Love must gain On this I stand on this my Soul relies If I 'm deceiv'd my Fall is with the Wise Tho' twice I 've writ no Answer from my Fair Have yet receiv'd must I for this despair Once or twice asking seldom does with Men Ought I not ask Heav'ns Darling once agen Perhaps this Silence of my Dear's to try Her Lover's Patience Zeal and Constancy If so with constant Patience I must bear Altho' if long such Trials prove severe My Temper 's not the same with other Men Strong are my Passions where they take a run A Check inflames them raging they boil o'er As Waves when broken on a craggy Shoar And strongly checkt with Terror rage and roar Such Measures with dull Lovers may do well They serve to stir and kindle sluggish Zeal But where you find Love apt to take on Flame I think the way of Dealing 's not the same Good Sportsmen seek not to destroy their Game As roughness fits a rough ungenerous Mind The tender-hearted Tenderness should find To them the Usage should be mild and kind O! sick am I my Dear by your delay What one Man cures another may destroy I always take it as a double Boon If what I sue for may be granted soon And as the Favour 's greater still the more The Grantor I prize honour love adore With what surprizing Joy think you then Dear Quick News and kind from you 'd ravish my Ear I beg at least let gentle Hopes maintain My Flame and let my Heart some respite gain And cast me not
severely in Despair Despair as dark as Heav'n has made you Fair. Doubt not how constant to you I will prove I 'll cease to live before I cease to love Consider Dearest what to you is said In Three Addresses now by me are made Proceeding all from Heart and Soul sincere As ever in devoted Lover were If more I thought my Dearest would desire More would I write my Pen should never tire And loath it is to part with Paper now Tho' I no farther Scope shall it allow Till I my Dearest's Pleasure know and then All crown'd with Joys I hope to write agen Philabius An Address to a famous Poetess going by the Name of Philomela wherein Philabius having receiv'd no Answer to his three foregoing Epistles begs her Aid for moving his Mistress's Favour MADAM IF any of your Sex fall'n in Distress Desir'd my Aid such is my Tenderness I should afford it freely would to me They would vouchsafe an equal Charity Madam 'thas been my direful Chance to fall In Love of late with what we Beauty call Beauty that Lot divine your Sex attends Working on Men too often fatal Ends. Thrice to my Fair Addresses I have sent Writ as I could how she does them resent I can't divine nor will my Fair disclose She drowns her Thoughts in Silence me in Woes Self-musing often with revolving Mind This cause of Silence in my Dear to find I may suspect my unpathetick Style Moves neither Frowns nor an obliging Smile But leaves my Fair as unconcern'd as tho' She nothing of Love-Verses yet did know This puts me to a stand and what to do 'T is hard to think and how my Suit pursue I 've done my best and more to write were vain Unless I could pretend some happy'r Strain Your Genius Madam 's known by what you 've writ Great is your Fancy Judgment Art and Wit Sweet Philomela's Aid I 'd fain implore Her pow'rful Charms dumb Spirits may conjure Her sweet-tun'd Voice thro' all the Forest rings And all are mov'd when Philomela sings Shout with Applause and eccho forth her Praise Surpriz'd and charm'd with her melodious Lays Her wondrous Notes in Rapture all admire As hither brought from the Celestial Quire Would Heav'n my zealous Wishes could obtain Her Aid the Favour of my Dear to gain The depth of Hearts your Love-dipt Pen may reach And where mine fails may force an easy breach Those genuine Arts your Muse may soon descry Which charm your Sex to me a Mystery And tho' some Beau perhaps has not been true In zealous Passions he has vow'd for you Which may discourage your Assistance when Desir'd for gaining Kindnesses to Men Heav'n knows my Soul's sincere and Love to feign Is what my Heart will ever much disdain I bear a Mind too free to fawn on them Or fondly write but where I 've found Esteem And had I judg'd my Verses to my Dear Worth Philomela's view I 'd sent 'em here It may be thought a very heavy Doom That all hard Censure should incur for some I wish Success may crown all your Desires And pray your Aid now where my Heart aspires Your Aid's the last Expedient I can try There all the hopes I have of Life do lie Great are the Pains thro' Love I undergo Which tho' unfelt by you you truly know And as you judg them please your Favour show MADAM Your great Admirer and humbly-devoted Servant Philabius Philomela having not vouchsaft her Aid Philabius writ his Farewel to his beautious Mistress as follows My only DEAR IT grieves my Soul to write my last Adieu To one I so entirely love as you All Happiness your Self and Friends I wish Tho' no way kind to me in my Address I know Affection is not always free Tho' one be fond another may not be Heav'n grants it as a Favour now and then That where we love we are belov'd agen I find your Favour Dear I can't obtain And cease my Suit which I could wish to gain But cease as doubting all my Suit 's in vain Or ' stead of Favour may incur Disdain What I have writ already pray resent With Kindness as by me 't was kindly meant Which tho' not worth your Thanks or Notice still A gentle Heart despises not good Will As far as I among the World converse Unseigned Friends I find are very scarce And wish I had one Friend on Earth as true As if accepted I had been to you The Heav'ns 't is like far greater Things design T' attend your Fate than Kindnesses of mine Heav'n grant my Life a quick and gentle end And let all Joy my Dearest still attend My joyful Hopes to Sorrows now must turn My Muse in Silence shall for ever mourn 'Till Death gives ease and quiet in my Urn. Philabius A gentle Reviver writ by Philabius to his beautious Mistress My only DEAR I 'Ve try'd and try'd but find 't is ne'er the near T'unlove that Person once I call'd my Dear My only Dear and find she must be so In spight of all abused Love can do When Love 's abus'd in some it turns to Hate It can't in me may it's so far from that I rather love you more if more may be When Love 's exalted to its high'st degree To Love and find great Slights and almost Scorn May seem severe and hardly to be born Yet this from you and yours I undergo And love you still entirely and you know Such Trials height of Love will truly shew Some in Addresses no resistance find Their Love-suit's easy and their Mistress kind Kind Fortune with such Lovers sports and plays These freely may enjoy Love's Holy-days Others in Love-suits Hardships undergo They can't prevail upon their Mistress so But meet with Lets and Rubs and yet at last Run smoothly on and win the doubtful Cast Some others more unfortunate than these Reap but Disdain for all their Kindnesses And such am I who yet with chearful Mind Bear even this to you my Dear resign'd Tho' Heav'n on us is often pleas'd to frown We must not be displeas'd but still love on Some Lovers Beauty meerly for the sake Of Beauty love and seek not to partake Of more Enjoyments yet Disdain to them Would seem severe and check their fond Esteem I therefore even these in Love surpass And nothing stirs me where my Love I place That Apathy the Stoicks teach to me Seems but a frigid-dull Philosophy With Patience arm'd just Passions let 's pursue It keeps our Thoughts in action ever new Let us agree then Dearest to go on I with my Love and you with your Disdain Time and Experience to us both will shew Which in our Pursuits weary first may grow I 'm apt to think th' advantage on my side Disdain Love's kind Assaults can scarce abide Love sweetly charms the Mind where it does reign That Soul 's uneasy where there is Disdain How then shall this hold out with that but tire And yield to Love as Nature does
require And this is that to which my Hopes aspire Philabius Another Epistle writ by Philabius to his beautious Mistress My only DEAR IF Men distracted chance to give Offence Good Natures turn it all to Innocence I hope in you such Goodness I shall find O'er-doz'd with Love I 'm discompos'd in Mind I write and write and know not what I do O! pardon this fond Trouble giv'n to you With Thought o'er-set my Soul no rest can have But in your Kindness or my fatal Grave Oft do my Friends dissuade me from my Suit Such is my Love no Friend on Earth can do 't Whate'er Severeness you to me shall shew If Love be true 't will creep where 't cannot go Who shall presume t' a Lover Laws prescribe The Law within him is his only Guide ' Tshall not be said I vow'd Love to my Dear And fell from what my Protestations were Love now so long I 've foster'd in my Breast In wilful Bondage I must lie opprest My Will is not my own to wish me free Or eas'd of my endeared Misery When Love 's inflam'd it 's vain to seek an end On it will go as boundless as the Wind. Oft by your House I sad and musing pass Fain would I enter then I cry Alas All is Unkindness there I ever found Despairing Thoughts my willing Mind confound My Soul at least is ever with my Dear Her Charms admiring whisp'ring in her Ear. Soft is that Whisper which when you perceive In silent Thoughts you roughly bid it Leave My Soul then silent for a while does stand Humbly obedient to your dread Command Watches a time its Courtship to renew Believe me so ' will ever ever do Alas my Dear take some small Care of me My Zeal for you a Person blind may see Long since it is I writ you an Adieu Can't yet resign to leave my Home and You. Still am in Fear that dreadful Day will come Which I may truly call my Day of Doom If you enforce it what can I then say What Heav'n denies us we cannot enjoy A Wand'rer in the World I then become No Friend I have on Earth no House nor Home And if I had them what are these to me When I 'm debarr'd your dear Society If I must leave my Country Friends and Dear And as a Vagrant wander here and there My Spirit mightily will return to you Be not affrighted when you it shall view 'T will be as gentle as my Heart is kind Begging and Praying Kindness I may find As you 'd have Kindness from the Pow'rs above Tho' not your Person let me have your Love I 'm but your Eccho Kindness thence you pray Kindness from you my Soul again does cry Heav'n grant that both our Prayers may be heard Your Kindness mine Heav'ns Kindness your Reward Philabius The last intended Farewel writ by Philabius to his beautious Mistress on his hearing she was married to his Rival My only DEAR THis Month is call'd the merry Month of May I wish to me 't were as the People say So 't was in you to make it had you pleas'd My sad and discomposed Mind t' have eas'd In Fields delightful lately I have gone T' enjoy the pleasure of the glorious Sun Revive my Senses all the various ways Our Sense by Nature's Bounty now enjoys Our Eyes are feasted with the curious dye Flowers display in great variety Their fragrant Odours strangely please the Smell Soft to the Foot the tender Meadows feel Young Fruits delight the Taste the spacious Sky Resounding with the charming Melody Of chanting Birds compleats our Senses Joy Thrice happy those whose undisturbed Mind Calm Ease enjoys when Nature is so kind Unhappy Man my Fate is most severe I languish through th' unkindness of my Dear Cares and despairing Thoughts my Soul oppress Without my Fair there is no Happiness Thus all complaining to my Self I talkt With Sorrows tir'd while in the Fields I walkt At length betwixt a Lilly and a Rose I lay'd me down to take a small Repose I could not sleep but slumber'd for a while Th'uneasy time thus striving to beguile Long could not slumber but awakt agen When all surpriz'd I saw the curious Scene Of Nature chang'd and wonder'd what did mean The Sun was clouded and the Air was cold The Meadows all unpleasing to behold Their Verdure faded all their Beauty gone The Lilly black the blushing Rose turn'd wan While thus amaz'd Queen Mab I chanc'd to spy With num'rous Train of Fairies standing by O Queen I cry'd what means this sudden change Is Nature nigh its end 't is wondrous strange The Queen enjoyn'd me Patience then reply'd You know we often visit your Bed-side You are no Stranger to our ways you 've seen How we 're concern'd in all Designs of Men. You Mortals oft propose your selves a Bliss In your Pursuits now that and sometimes this We watch your Motions know all you intend Abet or Counter as Heav'n has design'd Think not that Men can gain all they pursue Heav'n guides them by its providential Clew Whate'er they purpose Heaven will dispose Their fondest Longings often they must lose Strive not against great Providence's course Which leads the willing others draws by force We are its Servants in an Order far Surpassing yours your Guidance is our Care With this Advice let me possess your Mind If you 'll live happy live with Ease resign'd Those fond Enjoyments Men would fain obtain Prove often fatal if they chance to gain Man headlong runs presuming on his Wit When Heav'n alone knows what for him is fit This change of Nature you so much admire Is wrought by us as we with Fate conspire That Beauty in the Fields when you lay down All on a sudden to your Dear is gone You know of Beauty she had ever store And those have much you find will still have more This we have lent her for her Wedding-dress To make her Person charming in Excess Your Patience now for I must tell you too She 's e'en now wedded tho' unknown to you Enquire not of me who the Man may be We long since told you what 's your Destiny Which future Times to you will make appear With what concerns your Rival and your Dear This said the Queen was in a moment gone With her Attendants leaving me alone I deeply sigh'd enforc'd by Nature tho' Grief in such Cases us no Good can do And Fairest now its time to take my leave My long Farewel I therefore to you give Whate'er Unkindness I from you have found It 's all forgot and in my Fondness drown'd Kind Wishes you shall ever have from me Now humbly yielding to the Fate 's Decree If by oft Writing I have you displeas'd I beg at parting I may be releas'd My Pen's fond Trouble now is wholly o'er Nor ever shall disturb my Dearest more Philabius A second Reviver writ by Philabius to his beautious Mistress upon his being inform'd that the Report of her being
married was false My only DEAR QUeen Mab you see late put me in a Fright To sport with Mortals Faries take delight It 's not the first time she has serv'd me so Would now with Joy she 'd recompence my Woe When she said you were wedded 't was to try How meekly with Heav'ns Orders I 'd comply And found 't was with all Resignation done Tho' hard as if I 'd sacrifiz'd a Son O! could I be rewarded as the Man In whom such pure Obedience first began The Queen now says I may in Love proceed Tho' still without assurance to succeed Some gentle Hopes she grants I entertain And leave the rest to Providence again No India Merchant ever would give more Effects in his Adventure to ensure With Hopes reviv'd by leave I then go on My heav'nly Dear saluting once agen And shall salute her Monthly while on Earth Kind Heav'n vouchsafes my Fairest here to breath And she continues in unmarried State And Men are free to try contingent Fate Twice since I heard you wedded I 'd a Mind To see a Beauty might perhaps been kind Twice intervening Chances put me by Of that Design as 't were by Destiny This makes me think since you are single still There something lies conceal'd in Heav'ns Will Which You and I may fatally fulfil I hear my Rival's lately at a stand As no Man Fortune can at Will command I wish him well and ever shall as he Must have his Lot so I my Destiny If with your Favour Dearest now I may Be free to utter what I have to say I think I 've Reason greatly to complain Of your hard dealing with such Love as mine I need not tell you what your conscious Mind Foretels you that you have been most unkind I am persuaded both your Friends and You Must be convinc'd my Love is great and true And that whatever here I have on Earth Is yours at Will I nothing for it crave But Kindness If you cannot condescend To make me Husband let me be your Friend Your Friendship only should engage me still To serve my Dearest with my utmost Zeal Let me persuade you Dear no Friend to slight When found endear him as your Eye does light I mean a Friend will firmly stand his Ground Pretending Friends are common to be found By Men of Learning Love has been defin'd A fond desire we have of being kind To those we love for Beauty's sake To you Soon would I prove this Definition true Would you give way and poss'bly might do more For you than all the Friends you have in store As you are now at Bath there would I be If any hopes of Welcome I could see Whenever Love and Service hitherto I 've tender'd still they found Contempt with you As I strive to oblige you take offence For tender Kindness 't is hard recompence Tho' offer'd Service oft has such Success In you I hop'd t' have found it otherwise I thought in you a mild-sweet Temper reign'd That tender'd Kindness would not be disdain'd O! please to shew by some kind Word or Deed Your Lover in so judging not deceiv'd To none for Friendship did I ever sue Or court for Kindness as your Friends and You. No Self-advantage therein I propose Both Life and Fortunes for you I would lose Use or abuse me as you please you see How great 's the Force of stedfast Constancy Many to me in Kindness now excel Only presuming that I wish them well From none such Usage as from you I 've found For whom my Love did ever most abound Surely there 's something tho' unknown to me Moves your Averseness in so high degree O! let me know why you are so severe Freedom allow to try my self to clear If I have Failures so have other Men We can but promise that we 'll mend agen Nature I 'd force to mend all Faults I have And ' stead of Servant I would be your Slave My most endeared Princess you shall be Rule me with Mildness or with Tyranny These Protestations Dearest please receive And let your Lover in your Favour live It 's all on Earth 't is all he begs of you So with all Fondness bids his Dear adieu Philabius The last Address writ by Philabius to his beautious Mistress My only DEAR HArd Case it seems Heav'n should present to Men Objects that please beyond their Strength and then Find Fault they love too much and oft withstands Th' enjoyment of them by its countermands I own the Charm's abounding in my Dear O'er-pow'r my Soul that love I can't forbear And tho' Heav'n seems t' oppose me hitherto I can't desist my Suit I must pursue All ways I try my charming Dear to move I beg I pray I tender Life and Love My Fortunes Service all that Man can do And this my All is still despis'd by you Would at the time when first I kiss'd your Hand I had been banish'd in some Foreign Land There to remain for ever ne'er t' have seen This wretched State your Lover now is in If you 're resolv'd I perish pray be quick I 'd rather die than long continue sick Say plainly Dear that mine you 'll never be So seal my Death conclude my Misery Your Silence keeps me in continual Dread As tott'ring Stones when hanging o'er the Head With Frights torment us never giving rest E'en thus am I now cruelly opprest All my Invention now is at an end When Stocks are out we have no more to spend Words I here heap'd on Words with all my Zeal Hoping thereby t' incline your gracious Will No Word of Comfort can get from my Fair O! keep me now if ever from Despair Philabius A Copy of Verses writ by a Platonick to his Valentine Most beautious Princess WHEN joyful Birds have chose at Spring Their pretty Mates they quaintly sing Their little Notes and strive to please Those whom they love I taught by these Salute my Dearest with this Air As you surpass their fairest Fair So should my Song their Chant excel And 't will if you but say 't is well See how their Quills with curious dyes Are deckt to please their Lovers Eyes The inn'cent White the constant Blue The hopeful Green and stately how Of Purple joyful Yellow's there Gay Red and Black Badge of Despair There is no Passion of the Mind But there exprest the Eye does find Thus drest they fly with Wings of Love Together to some pleasant Grove Where nothing can disturb their Joys All 's calm and still and free from Noise Some gentle Stream steals softly by ' Fraid to offend Love's Mystery Sweet Flowers from the Fields beneath With Smells perfume the Air they breath Fresh Blossoms from the budding Trees Afford them rare varieties Of Food Thus blest in all Desires They pass their Days in am'rous Fires Blest Birds but blest with sensual Joys A Bliss for Birds Alas what Toys To Bliss of Man the Bliss of Mind To sensual Objects unconfin'd With
us while in this Frame of Clay We live those Objects still convey Into our Minds the specious Rays Of Beauty which incite and raise Us to contemplate that Divine Idol Beauty seen to shine In Beauty's Source whence Fairest you And all Things here their Beauty drew There Princess your Idea lies Fair Spotless charming in our Eyes The Charms of Beauty here you bear Still raise us to contemplate there Where I with all Men evermore Must love admire you and adore J. B. The Answer of Helena to Paris Translated by a Country Shepherdess The PREFACE THo' Lords and Knights and others of the Town Inspired Poets all of great Renown Have taught quaint Ovid speak our Mother Tongue In Language fit for Phoebus to have sung Yet since Mens Fancies change as Womens Dress I thought my self tho' Country Shepherdess Might please as well by off'ring somewhat new Tho' coming short of what before they knew And as more ways than one lead to a Mill Why may not many climb Parnassus Hill E'en Women for some of us rise betimes And fall into Enthusiastick Rhimes In Love-Concerns at least for as we draw Our Passions deep when once our Hearts do thaw We melt in Love It 's Helen's Case we find That beautious Wonder of us Women-kind Who to our Paris thus exprest her Mind The ANSWER MY guilty Eyes your Letter having read Small Glory now to leav 't unanswered You then a Guest ' gainst sacred Laws of Friends Dare tempt a Wife to break her Wedlock Bonds 'T is like for this when stormy Seas had tost You here you found your Safety on our Coast And when you came a Stranger to our Port You were not barr'd the freedom of our Court These are the Thanks you to our Bounty owe Is this done like a Guest or like a Foe I make no doubt tho' my Complaint be just You 'll call 't uncourtly be it if it must Let me be courtless so an honest Wife And that none find a blemish in my Life Altho' my Count'nance speaks me not severe Tho' I use not a grave-affected Air Yet am I spotless and have liv'd my time E'en unsuspected from the least of Crime The more 's my Wonder what your Fancy fed And gave you hopes you should enjoy my Bed Cause Theseus once by force constrain'd me go With him perhaps you think to do so too Had I been drawn by 's fawning Words in me The Fault had been but being forc'd am free Nor by his Fact did he his Will obtain Unless by Fear I unhurt return'd again The sawcy Gallant only got a Kiss Sometimes by striving and was glad h 'ad this It seems you naughty Man would more pursue But Heav'n be prais'd he was not like to you Modest in this which made his Crime the less He left m'unwrong'd and did his Fault confess Sure he repented what h 'ad done that you Might all enjoy d' you think he 'll say so too Yet I 'm not angry who can be with Love Unless 't is all but feign'd that you do move And this I doubt not that I you distrust Or know not well my Face is not the worst But cause an easy Faith does oft abuse Us and they say Men Truth do seldom use Tho' others sin and few good Women known Of those so few why may not I be one And tho' to you my Mother seems to be A fit Example in this thing for me You know my Mother by a false Disguise Of Feathers cheated suffer'd a Surprize If I should sin I cannot say the same Nor have I any Cloak to hide my Shame She well might sin the Author could dispence With her what Jove will take off my Offence Your Race and ancient Blood and Kingly Fame You boast our House is not to seek a Name To pass by Jove as Great-Sire to Atraeus And all the Stock of Pelops Tyndarus Jove turn'd a Swan deceiving Laeda'll own Me for his Child whom she embrac'd unknown Go now and boast your rise if you think good From Priam's and your Laomedon's Blood Whom I suspect but he on whom you build Your Fame is fifth from you when I 'm his Child And grant your Crown of Troy I great should own I cannot but as much esteem our own Tho' you 've more Riches and your Subjects far In number greater yours Barbarians are Your rich Epistle talks of so much Gold ' Gainst it a Goddess-heart might hardly hold But if'gainst modest Laws I 'd yield to sin 'T is you your self would sooner draw me in Or with my spotless Flame I 'll live and die Or after you not after Gifts will fly Tho' I contemn them not for well I know They 're grateful when the Giver makes them so But more your Love does move me and your Pain And that for me you ventur'd o'er the Main I also mark tho' still conceal as fit Your Actions when at Table you do sit Sometimes on me you cast such piercing Eyes That mine to bear their Glances scarce suffize Sometimes you sigh sometimes my Cup you draw And drink just at the place where me you saw How oft your Fingers and your speaking Brows Have I seen making secret Signs and Vows And often fear'd my Husband would perceive And blush'd to see the open Marks you gave I often softly to my self did say This Man is shameless and I think I may I often found upon the Table writ My Name in Wine I Love set under it Some Mark I gave I did not think it true But since alas I 've learn to say so too To these Allurements if inclin'd to sin I should submit 't is this my Heart would win Tho' I confess your Features I admire And your Embraces Ladies may desire But let some happy'r Person lov'd by you Without a Crime enjoy what I can't do Pray learn by me a Beauty to forbear A Virtue 't is those things we love to spare How many think you wish for what you sue Have none discerning Eyes d' you think but you You see not more but rasher more you dare You 've not more Passion but more shameless are Then should you 've come as swift as Winters Flood When being a Virgin me a thousand woo'd If then but seen from all you 'd had my Voice My Husband's self must pardon me my choice You 're now too late the thing you seek's possest And what you hope for 's in anothers Breast To be your Wife yet should I still consent If Menelaus would be so content Pray cease with Words my tender Heart to move Don't go t' abuse her whom you say you love But leave me to my Lot by Fortune gi'en Nor basely seek my Honours Spoils to win Venus you say on Ida gave you this Where you did judge three naked Goddesses And when th' one promis'd Crowns a Name divine In war the other she said Helen's thine I scarce believe those Heav'nly Queens content To leave their shape to your