any sensuall feast with thee alone But my fiue wits nor my fiue sences can Diswade one foolish heart from seruing thee Who leaues vnswai'd the likenesse of a man Thy proud hearts slaue and vassall wretch to be Onely my plague thus farre I count my gaine That she that makes me sinne awards me paine 142 LOue is my sinne and thy deare vertue hate Hate of my sinne grounded on sinfull louing O but with mine compare thou thine owne state And thou shalt finde it merrits not reproouing Or if it do not from those lips of thine That haue prophan'd their scarlet ornaments And seald false bonds of loue as oft as mine Robd others beds reuenues of their rents Be it lawfull I loue thee as thou lou'st those Whome thine eyes wooe as mine importune thee Roote pittie in thy heart that when it growes Thy pitty may deserue to pittied bee If thou doost seeke to haue what thou doost hide By selfe example mai'st thou be denide 143 LOe as a carefull huswife runnes to catch One of her fethered creatures broake away Sets downe her babe and makes all swift dispatch In pursuit of the thing she would haue stay Whilst her neglected child holds her in chace Cries to catch her whose busie care is bent To follow that which flies before her face Not prizing her poore infants discontent So runst thou after that which flies from thee Whilst I thy babe chace thee a farre behind But if thou catch thy hope turne back to me And play the mothers part kisse me be kind So will I pray that thou maist haue thy Will If thou turne back and my loude crying still 144 TWo loues I haue of comfort and dispaire Which like two spirits do sugiest me still The better angell is a man right faire The worser spirit a woman collour'd il To win me soone to hell my femall euill Tempteth my better angel from my sight And would corrupt my saint to be a diuel Wooing his purity with her fowle pride And whether that my angel be turn'd finde Suspect I may yet not directly tell But being both from me both to each friend I gesse one angel in an others hel Yet this shal I nere know but liue in doubt Till my bad angel fire my good one out 145 THose lips that Loues owne hand did make Breath'd forth the sound that said I hate To me that languisht for her sake But when she saw my wofull state Straight in her heart did mercie come Chiding that tongue that euer sweet Was vsde in giuing gentle dome And tought it thus a new to greete I hate she alterd with an end That follow'd it as gentle day Doth follow night who like a fiend From heauen to hell is flowne away I hate from hate away she threw And sau'd my life saying not you 146 POore soule the center of my sinfull earth My sinfull earth these rebbell powres that thee array Why dost thou pine within and suffer dearth Painting thy outward walls so costlie gay Why so large cost hauing so short a lease Dost thou vpon thy fading mansion spend Shall wormes inheritors of this excesse Eate vp thy charge is this thy bodies end Then soule liue thou vpon thy seruants losse And let that pine to aggrauat thy store Buy tearmes diuine in selling houres of drosse Within be fed without be rich no more So shalt thou feed on death that feeds on men And death once dead ther 's no more dying then 147 MY loue is as a feauer longing still For that which longer nurseth the disease Feeding on that which doth preserue the ill Th' vncertaine sicklie appetite to please My reason the Phisition to my loue Angry that his prescriptions are not kept Hath left me and I desperate now approoue Desire is death which Phisick did except Past cure I am now Reason is past care And frantick madde with euer-more vnrest My thoughts and my discourse as mad mens are At random from the truth vainely exprest For I haue sworne thee faire and thought thee bright Who art as black as hell as darke as night 148 O Me what eyes hath loue put in my head Which haue no correspondence with true sight Or if they haue where is my iudgment fled That censures falsely what they see aright If that be faire whereon my false eyes dote What meanes the world to say it is not so If it be not then loue doth well denote Loues eye is not so true as all mens no How can it O how can loues eye be true That is so vext with watching and with teares No maruaile then though I mistake my view The sunne it selfe sees not till heauen cleeres O cunning loue with teares thou keepst me blinde Least eyes well seeing thy foule faults should finde 149 CAnst thou O cruell say I loue thee not When I against my selfe with thee pertake Doe I not thinke on thee when I forgot Am of my selfe all tirant for thy sake Who hateth thee that I doe call my friend On whom froun'st thou that I doe faune vpon Nay if thou lowrst on me doe I not spend Reuenge vpon my selfe with present mone What merrit do I in my selfe respect That is so proude thy seruice to dispise When all my best doth worship thy defect Commanded by the motion of thine eyes But loue hate on for now I know thy minde Those that can see thou lou'st and I am blind 150 OH from what powre hast thou this powrefull might VVith insufficiency my heart to sway To make me giue the lie to my true sight And swere that brightnesse doth not grace the day Whence hast thou this becomming of things il That in the very refuse of thy deeds There is such strength and warrantise of skill That in my minde thy worst all best exceeds Who taught thee how to make me loue thee more The more I heare and see iust cause of hate Oh though I loue what others doe abhor VVith others thou shouldst not abhor my state If thy vnworthinesse raisd loue in me More worthy I to be belou'd of thee 151 LOue is too young to know what conscience is Yet who knowes not conscience is borne of loue Then gentle cheater vrge not my amisse Least guilty of my faults thy sweet selfe proue For thou betraying me I doe betray My nobler part to my grose bodies treason My soule doth tell my body that he may Triumph in loue flesh staies no farther reason But rysing at thy name doth point out thee As his triumphant prize proud of this pride He is contented thy poore drudge to be To stand in thy affaires fall by thy side No want of conscience hold it that I call Her loue for whose deare loue I rise and fall 152 IN louing thee thou know'st I am forsworne But thou art twice forsworne to me loue swearing In act thy bed-vow broake and new faith torne In vowing new hate after new loue bearing But why of two othes breach doe I accuse
compare 131 THou art as tiranous so as thou art As those whose beauties proudly make them cruell For well thou know'st to my deare doting hart Thou art the fairest and most precious Iewell Yet in good faith some say that thee behold Thy face hath not the power to make loue grone To say they erre I dare not be so bold Although I sweare it to my selfe alone And to be sure that is not false I sweare A thousand grones but thinking on thy face One on anothers necke do witnesse beare Thy blacke is fairest in my iudgements place In nothing art thou blacke saue in thy deeds And thence this slaunder as I thinke proceeds 132 THine eies I loue and they as pittying me Knowing thy heart torment me with disdaine Haue put on black and louing mourners bee Looking with pretty ruth vpon my paine Better becomes the gray cheeks of th' East Nor that full Starre that vshers in the Eauen Doth halfe that glory to the sober West As those two morning eyes become thy face O let it then as well beseeme thy heart To mourne for me since mourning doth thee grace And sute thy pitty like in euery part Then will I sweare beauty her selfe is blacke And all they foule that thy complexion lacke 133 BEshrew that heart that makes my heart to groane For that deepe wound it giues my friend and me I' st not ynough to torture me alone But slaue to slauery my sweet'st friend must be Me from my selfe thy cruell eye hath taken And my next selfe thou harder hast ingrossed Of him my selfe and thee I am forsaken A torment thrice three-fold thus to be crossed Prison my heart in thy steele bosomes warde But then my friends heart let my poore heart bale Who ere keepes me let my heart be his garde Thou canst not then vse rigor in my Iaile And yet thou wilt for I being pent in thee Perforce am thine and all that is in me 134 SO now I haue confest that he is thine And I my selfe am morgag'd to thy will My selfe I le forfeit so that other mine Thou wilt restore to be my comfort still But thou wilt not nor he will not be free For thou art couetous and he is kinde He learnd but surerie-like to write for me Vnder that bond that him as fast doth binde The statute of thy beauty thou wilt take Thou vsurer that put'st forth all to vse And sue a friend came debter for my sake So him I loose through my vnkinde abuse Him haue I lost thou hast both him and me He paies the whole and yet am I not free 135 WHo euer hath her wish thou hast thy Will And Will too boote and Will in ouer-plus More then enough am I that vexe thee still To thy sweet will making addition thus Wilt thou whose will is large and spatious Not once vouchsafe to hide my will in thine Shall will in others seeme right gracious And in my will no faire acceptance shine The sea all water yet receiues raine still And in aboundance addeth to his store So thou beeing rich in Will adde to thy Will One will of mine to make thy large Will more Let no vnkinde no faire beseechers kill Thinke all but one and me in that one Will. 136 IF thy soule check thee that I come so neere Sweare to thy blind soule that I was thy Will And will thy soule knowes is admitted there Thus farre for loue my loue-sute sweet fullfill Will will fulfill the treasure of thy loue I fill it full with wils and my will one In things of great receit with ease we prooue Among a number one is reckon'd none Then in the number let me passe vntold Though in thy stores account I one must be For nothing hold me so it please thee hold That nothing me a some-thing sweet to thee Make but my name thy loue and loue that still And then thou louest me for my name is Will. 137 THou blinde foole loue what doost thou to mine eyes That they behold and see not what they see They know what beautie is see where it lyes Yet what the best is take the worst to be If eyes corrupt by ouer-partiall lookes Be anchord in the baye where all men ride Why of eyes falsehood hast thou forged hookes Whereto the iudgement of my heart is tide Why should my heart thinke that a seuerall plot Which my heart knowes the wide worlds common place Or mine eyes seeing this say this is not To put faire truth vpon so foule a face In things right true my heart and eyes haue erred And to this false plague are they now transferred 138 WHen my loue sweares that she is made of truth I do beleeue her though I know she lyes That she might thinke me some vntuterd youth Vnlearned in the worlds false subtilties Thus vainely thinking that she thinkes me young Although she knowes my dayes are past the best Simply I credit her false speaking tongue On both sides thus is simple truth supprest But wherefore sayes she not she is vniust And wherefore say not I that I am old O loues best habit is in seeming trust And age in loue loues not t' haue yeares told Therefore I lye with her and she with me And in our faults by lyes we flattered be 139 O Call not me to iustifie the wrong That thy vnkindnesse layes vpon my heart Wound me not with thine eye but with thy toung Vse power with power and slay me not by Art Tell me thou lou'st else-where but in my sight Deare heart forbeare to glance thine eye aside What needst thou wound with cunning when thy might Is more then my ore-prest defence can bide Let me excuse thee ah my loue well knowes Her prettie lookes haue beene mine enemies And therefore from my face she turnes my foes That they else-where might dart their iniuries Yet do not so but since I am neere slaine Kill me out-right with lookes and rid my paine 140 BE wise as thou art cruell do not presse My toung-tide patience with too much disdaine Least sorrow lend me words and words expresse The manner of my pittie wanting paine If I might teach thee witte better it weare Though not to loue yet loue to tell me so As testie sick-men when their deaths be neere No newes but health from their Phisitions know For if I should dispaire I should grow madde And in my madnesse might speake ill of thee Now this ill wresting world is growne so bad Madde slanderers by madde eares beleeued be That I may not be so nor thou be lyde Beare thine eyes straight though thy proud heart goe wide 141 IN faith I doe not loue thee with mine eyes For they in thee a thousand errors note But 't is my heart that loues what they dispise Who in dispight of view is pleasd to dote Nor are mine eares with thy toungs tune delighted Nor tender feeling to base touches prone Nor taste nor smell desire to be inuited To
couer thee Is but the seemely rayment of my heart Which in thy brest doth liue as thine in me How can I then be elder then thou art O therefore loue be of thy selfe so wary As I not for my selfe but for thee will Bearing thy heart which I will keepe so chary As tender nurse her babe from faring ill Presume not on thy heart when mine is slaine Thou gau'st me thine not to giue backe againe 23 AS an vnperfect actor on the stage Who with his feare is put besides his part Or some fierce thing repleat with too much rage Whose strengths abondance weakens his owne heart So I for feare of trust forget to say The perfect ceremony of loues right And in mine owne loues strength seeme to decay Ore-charg'd with burthen of mine owne loues might O let my books be then the eloquence And domb presagers of my speaking brest Who pleade for loue and look for recompence More then that tonge that more hath more exprest O learne to read what silent loue hath writ To heare wit eies belongs to loues fine wiht 24 MIne eye hath play'd the painter and hath steeld Thy beauties forme in table of my heart My body is the frame wherein ti 's held And perspectiue it is best Painters art For through the Painter must you see his skill To finde where your true image pictur'd lies Which in my bosomes shop is hanging stil That hath his windowes glazed with thine eyes Now see what good-turnes eyes for eies haue done Mine eyes haue drawne thy shape and thine for me Are windowes to my brest where-through the Sun Delights to peepe to gaze therein on thee Yet eyes this cunning want to grace their art They draw but what they see know not the hart 25 LEt those who are in fauor with their stars Of publike honour and proud titles bost Whilst I whome fortune of such tryumph bars Vnlookt for ioy in that I honour most Great Princes fauorites their faire leaues spread But as the Marygold at the suns eye And in them-selues their pride lies buried For at a frowne they in their glory die The painefull warrier famosed for worth After a thousand victories once foild Is from the booke of honour rased quite And all the rest forgot for which he foild Then happy I that loue and am beloued Where I may not remoue nor be remoued 26 LOrd of my loue to whome in vassalage Thy merrit hath my dutie strongly knit To thee I send this written ambassage To witnesse duty not to shew my wit Duty so great which wit so poore as mine May make seeme bare in wanting words to shew it But that I hope some good conceipt of thine In thy soules thought all naked will bestow it Til whatsoeuer star that guides my mouing Points on me gratiously with faire aspect And puts apparrell on my tottered louing To show me worthy of their sweet respect Then may I dare to boast how I doe loue thee Til then not show my head where thou maist proue me 27 WEary with toyle I hast me to my bed The deare repose for lims with trauaill tired But then begins a iourny in my head To worke my mind when boddies work 's expired For then my thoughts from far where I abide Intend a zelous pilgrimage to thee And keepe my drooping eye-lids open wide Looking on darknes which the blind doe see Saue that my soules imaginary sight Presents their shaddoe to my sightles view Which like a iewell hunge in gastly night Makes blacke night beautious and her old face new Loe thus by day my lims by night my mind For thee and for my selfe noe quiet finde 28 HOw can I then returne in happy plight That am debard the benifit of rest When daies oppression is not eazd by night But day by night and night by day oprest And each though enimes to ethers raigne Doe in consent shake hands to torture me The one by toyle the other to complaine How far I toyle still farther off from thee I tell the Day to please him thou art bright And do'st him grace when clouds doe blot the heauen So flatter I the swart complexiond night When sparkling stars twire not thou guil'st th' eauen But day doth daily draw my sorrowes longer And night doth nightly make greefes length seeme stronger 29 WHen in disgrace with Fortune and mens eyes I all alone beweepe my out-cast state And trouble deafe heauen with my bootlesse cries And looke vpon my selfe and curse my fate Wishing me like to one more rich in hope Featur'd like him like him with friends possest Desiring this mans art and that mans skope With what I most inioy contented least Yet in these thoughts my selfe almost despising Haplye I thinke on thee and then my state Like to the Larke at breake of daye arising From sullen earth sings himns at Heauens gate For thy sweet loue remembred such welth brings That then I skorne to change my state with Kings 30 WHen to the Sessions of sweet silent thought I sommon vp remembrance of things past I sigh the lacke of many a thing I sought And with old woes new waile my deare times waste Then can I drowne an eye vn-vs'd to flow For precious friends hid in deaths dateles night And weepe a fresh loues long since canceld woe And mone th' expence of many a vannisht sight Then can I greeue at greeuances fore-gon And heauily from woe to woe tell ore The sad account of fore-bemoned mone Which I new pay as if not payd before But if the while I thinke on thee deare friend All losses are restord and sorrowes end 31 Thy bosome is indeared with all hearts Which I by lacking haue supposed dead And there raignes Loue and all Loues louing parts And all those friends which I thought buried How many a holy and obsequious teare Hath deare religious loue stolne from mine eye As interest of the dead which now appeare But things remou'd that hidden in there lie Thou art the graue where buried loue doth liue Hung with the tropheis of my louers gon Who all their parts of me to thee did giue That due of many now is thine alone Their images I lou'd I view in thee And thou all they hast all the all of me 32 IF thou suruiue my well contented daie When that churle death my bones with dust shall couer And shalt by fortune once more re-suruay These poore rude lines of thy deceased Louer Compare them with the bett'ring of the time And though they be out-stript by euery pen Reserue them for my loue not for their rime Exceeded by the hight of happier men Oh then voutsafe me but this louing thought Had my friends Muse growne with this growing age A dearer birth then this his loue had brought To march in ranckes of better equipage But since he died and Poets better proue Theirs for their stile I le read his for his loue 33 FVll many a glorious morning haue I seene Flatter
heauy sleepe on sightlesse eyes doth stay All dayes are nights to see till I see thee And nights bright daies when dreams do shew thee me 44 IF the dull substance of my flesh were thought Iniurious distance should not stop my way For then dispight of space I would be brought From limits farre remote where thou doost stay No matter then although my foote did stand Vpon the farthest earth remoou'd from thee For nimble thought can iumpe both sea and land As soone as thinke the place where he would be But ah thought kills me that I am not thought To leape large lengths of miles when thou art gone But that so much of earth and water wrought I must attend times leasure with my mone Receiuing naughts by elements so sloe But heauie teares badges of eithers woe 45 THe other two slight ayre and purging fire Are both with thee where euer I abide The first my thought the other my desire These present absent with swift motion slide For when these quicker Elements are gone In tender Embassie of loue to thee My life being made of foure with two alone Sinkes downe to death opprest with melancholie Vntill liues composition be recured By those swift messengers return'd from thee Who euen but now come back againe assured Of their faire health recounting it to me This told I ioy but then no longer glad I send them back againe and straight grow sad 46 MIne eye and heart are at a mortall warre How to deuide the conquest of thy sight Mine eye my heart their pictures sight would barre My heart mine eye the freeedome of that right My heart doth plead that thou in him doost lye A closet neuer pearst with christall eyes But the defendant doth that plea deny And sayes in him their faire appearance lyes To side this title is impannelled A quest of thoughts all tennants to the heart And by their verdict is determined The cleere eyes moyitie and the deare hearts part As thus mine eyes due is their outward part And my hearts right their inward loue of heart 47 BEtwixt mine eye and heart a league is tooke And each doth good turnes now vnto the other When that mine eye is famisht for a looke Or heart in loue with sighes himselfe doth smother With my loues picture then my eye doth feast And to the painted banquet bids my heart An other time mine eye is my hearts guest And in his thoughts of loue doth share a part So either by thy picture or my loue Thy seife away are present still with me For thou nor farther then my thoughts canst moue And I am still with them and they with thee Or if they sleepe thy picture in my sight Awakes my heart to hearts and eyes delight 48 HOw carefull was I when I tooke my way Each trifle vnder truest barres to thrust That to my vse it might vn-vsed stay From hands of falsehood in sure wards of trust But thou to whom my iewels trifles are Most worthy comfort now my greatest griefe Thou best of deerest and mine onely care Art left the prey of euery vulgar theefe Thee haue I not lockt vp in any chest Saue where thou art not though I feele thou art Within the gentle closure of my brest From whence at pleasure thou maist come and part And euen thence thou wilt be stolne I feare For truth prooues theeuish for a prize so deare 49 AGainst that time if euer that time come When I shall see thee frowne on my defects When as thy loue hath cast his vtmost summe Cauld to that audite by aduis'd respects Against that time when thou shalt strangely passe And scarcely greete me with that sunne thine eye When loue conuerted from the thing it was Shall reasons finde of setled grauitie Against that time do I insconce me here Within the knowledge of mine owne desart And this my hand against my selfe vpreare To guard the lawfull reasons on thy part To leaue poore me thou hast the strength of lawes Since why to loue I can alledge no cause 50 HOw heauie doe I iourney on the way When what I seeke my wearie trauels end Doth teach that ease and that repose to say Thus farre the miles are measurde from thy friend The beast that beares me tired with my woe Plods duly on to beare that waight in me As if by some instinct the wretch did know His rider lou'd not speed being made from thee The bloody spurre cannot prouoke him on That some-times anger thrusts into his hide Which heauily he answers with a grone More sharpe to me then spurring to his side For that same grone doth put this in my mind My greefe lies onward and my ioy behind 51 THus can my loue excuse the slow offence Of my dull bearer when from thee I speed From where thou art why shoulld I hast me thence Till I returne of posting is noe need O what excuse will my poore beast then find When swift extremity can seeme but slow Then should I spurre though mounted on the wind In winged speed no motion shall I know Then can no horse with my desire keepe pace Therefore desire of perfects loue being made Shall naigh noe dull flesh in his fiery race But loue for loue thus shall excuse my iade Since from thee going he went wilfull slow Towards thee I le run and giue him leaue to goe 52 SO am I as the rich whose blessed key Can bring him to his sweet vp-locked treasure The which he will not eu'ry hower suruay For blunting the fine point of seldome pleasure Therefore are feasts so sollemne and so rare Since sildom comming in the long yeare set Like stones of worth they thinly placed are Or captaine Iewells in the carconet So is the time that keepes you as my chest Or as the ward-robe which the robe doth hide To make some speciall instant speciall blest By new vnfoulding his imprison'd pride Blessed are you whose worthinesse giues skope Being had to tryumph being lackt to hope 53 WHat is your substance whereof are you made That millions of strange shaddowes on you tend Since euery one hath euery one one shade And you but one can euery shaddow lend Describe Adonis and the counterfet Is poorely immitated after you On Hellens cheeke all art of beautie set And you in Grecian tires are painted new Speake of the spring and foyzon of the yeare The one doth shaddow of your beautie show The other as your bountie doth appeare And you in euery blessed shape we know In all externall grace you haue some part But you like none none you for constant heart 54 OH how much more doth beautie beautious seeme By that sweet ornament which truth doth giue The Rose lookes faire but fairer we it deeme For that sweet odor which doth in it liue The Canker bloomes haue full as deepe a die As the perfumed tincture of the Roses Hang on such thornes and play as wantonly When sommers breath their masked buds discloses
But for their virtue only is their show They liue vnwoo'd and vnrespected fade Die to themselues Sweet Roses doe not so Of their sweet deathes are sweetest odors made And so of you beautious and louely youth When that shall vade by verse distils your truth 55 NOt marble nor the guilded monument Of Princes shall out-liue this powrefull rime But you shall shine more bright in these contents Then vnswept stone besmeer'd with sluttish time When wastefull warre shall Statues ouer-turne And broiles roote out the worke of masonry Nor Mars his sword nor warres quick fire shall burne The liuing record of your memory Gainst death and all obliuious emnity Shall you pace forth your praise shall stil finde roome Euen in the eyes of all posterity That weare this world out to the ending doome So til the iudgement that your selfe arise You liue in this and dwell in louers eies 56 Sweet loue renew thy force be it not said Thy edge should blunter be then apetite Which but too daie by feeding is alaied To morrow sharpned in his former might So loue be thou although too daie thou fill Thy hungrie eies euen till they winck with fulnesse Too morrow see againe and doe not kill The spirit of Loue with a perpetual dulnesse Let this sad Intrim like the Ocean be Which parts the shore where two contracted new Come daily to the banckes that when they see Returne of loue more blest may be the view As cal it Winter which being ful of care Makes Sōmers welcome thrice more wish'd more rare 57 BEing your slaue what should I doe but tend Vpon the houres and times of your desire I haue no precious time at al to spend Nor seruices to doe til you require Nor dare I chide the world without end houre Whilst I my soueraine watch the clock for you Nor thinke the bitternesse of absence sowre VVhen you haue bid your seruant once adieue Nor dare I question with my ieallous thought VVhere you may be or your affaires suppose But like a sad slaue stay and thinke of nought Saue where you are how happy you make those So true a foole is loue that in your Will Though you doe any thing he thinkes no ill 58 THat God forbid that made me first your slaue I should in thought controule your times of pleasure Or at your hand th' account of houres to craue Being your vassail bound to staie your leisure Oh let me suffer being at your beck Th' imprison'd absence of your libertie And patience tame to sufferance bide each check Without accusing you of iniury Be where you list your charter is so strong That you your selfe may priuiledge your time To what you will to you it doth belong Your selfe to pardon of selfe-doing crime I am to waite though waiting so be hell Not blame your pleasure be it ill or well 59 IF their bee nothing new but that which is Hath beene before how are our braines beguild Which laboring for inuention beare amisse The second burthen of a former child Oh that record could with a back-ward looke Euen of fiue hundreth courses of the Sunne Show me your image in some antique booke Since minde at first in carrecter was done That I might see what the old world could say To this composed wonder of your frame Whether we are mended or where better they Or whether reuolution be the same Oh sure I am the wits of former daies To subiects worse haue giuen admiring praise 60 LIke as the waues make towards the pibled shore So do our minuites haften to their end Each changing place with that which goes before In sequent toile all forwards do contend Natiuity once in the maine of light Crawles to maturity wherewith being crown'd Crooked eclipses gainst his glory fight And time that gaue doth now his gift confound Time doth transfixe the florish set on youth And delues the paralels in beauties brow Feedes on the rarities of natures truth And nothing stands but for his sieth to mow And yet to times in hope my verse shall stand Praising thy worth dispight his cruell hand 61 IS it thy wil thy Image should keepe open My heauy eielids to the weary night Dost thou desire my slumbers should be broken While shadowes like to thee do mocke my sight Is it thy spirit that thou send'st from thee So farre from home into my deeds to prye To find out shames and idle houres in me The skope and tenure of thy Ielousie O no thy loue though much is not so great It is my loue that keepes mine eie awake Mine owne true loue that doth my rest defeat To plaie the watch-man euer for thy sake For thee watch I whilst thou dost wake elsewhere From me farre of with others all to neere 62 SInne of self-selfe-loue possesseth al mine eie And all my soule and al my euery part And for this sinne there is no remedie It is so grounded inward in my heart Me thinkes no face so gratious is as mine No shape so true no truth of such account And for my selfe mine owne worth do define As I all other in all worths surmount But when my glasse shewes me my selfe indeed Beated and chopt with tand antiquitie Mine owne selfe loue quite contrary I read Selfe so selfe louing were iniquity T' is thee my selfe that for my selfe I praise Painting my age with beauty of thy daies 63 AGainst my loue shall be as I am now With times iniurious hand chrusht and ore-worne When houres haue dreind his blood and fild his brow With lines and wrincles when his youthfull morne Hath trauaild on to Ages steepie night And all those beauties whereof now he 's King Are vanishing or vanisht out of sight Stealing away the treasure of his Spring For such a time do I now fortifie Against confounding Ages cruell knife That he shall neuer cut from memory My sweet loues beauty though my louers life His beautie shall in these blacke lines be seene And they shall liue and he in them still greene 64 WHen I haue seene by times fell hand defaced The rich proud cost of outworne buried age When sometime loftie towers I see downe rased And brasse eternall slaue to mortall rage When I haue seene the hungry Ocean gaine Aduantage on the Kingdome of the shoare And the firme soile win of the watry maine Increasing store with losse and losse with store When I haue seene such interchange of state Or state it selfe confounded to decay Ruine hath taught me thus to ruminate That Time will come and take my loue away This thought is as a death which cannot choose But weepe to haue that which it feares to loose 65 SInce brasse nor stone nor earth nor boundlesse sea But sad mortallity ore-swaies their power How with this rage shall beautie hold a plea Whose action is no stronger then a flower O how shall summers hunny breath hold out Against the wrackfull siedge of battring dayes When rocks impregnable are not so stoute
Nor gates of steele so strong but time decayes O fearefull meditation where alack Shall times best Iewell from times chest lie hid Or what strong hand can hold his swift foote back Or who his spoile or beautie can forbid O none vnlesse this miracle haue might That in black inck my loue may still shine bright 66 TYr'd with all these for restfull death I cry As to behold desert a begger borne And needie Nothing trimd in iollitie And purest faith vnhappily forsworne And gilded honor shamefully misplast And maiden vertue rudely strumpeted And right perfection wrongfully disgrac'd And strength by limping sway disabled And arte made tung-tide by authoritie And Folly Doctor-like controuling skill And simple-Truth miscalde Simplicitie And captiue-good attending Captaine ill Tyr'd with all these from these would I be gone Saue that to dye I leaue my loue alone 67 AH wherefore with infection should he liue And with his presence grace impietie That sinne by him aduantage should atchiue And lace it selfe with his societie Why should false painting immitate his cheeke And steale dead seeing of his liuing hew Why should poore beautie indirectly seeke Roses of shaddow since his Rose is true Why should he liue now nature banckrout is Beggerd of blood to blush through liuely vaines For she hath no exchecker now but his And proud of many liues vpon his gaines O him she stores to show what welth she had In daies long since before these last so bad 68 THus is his cheeke the map of daies out-worne When beauty liu'd and dy'ed as flowers do now Before these bastard signes of faire were borne Or durst inhabit on a liuing brow Before the goulden tresses of the dead The right of sepulchers were shorne away To liue a scond life on second head Ere beauties dead fleece made another gay In him those holy antique howers are seene Without all ornament it selfe and true Making no summer of an others greene Robbing no ould to dresse his beauty new And him as for a map doth Nature store To shew faulse Art what beauty was of yore 69 THose parts of thee that the worlds eye doth view Want nothing that the thought of hearts can mend All toungs the voice of soules giue thee that end Vttring bare truth euen so as foes Commend Their outward thus with outward praise is crownd But those same toungs that giue thee so thine owne In other accents doe this praise confound By seeing farther then the eye hath showne They looke into the beauty of thy mind And that in guesse they measure by thy deeds Then churls their thoughts although their eies were kind To thy faire flower ad the rancke smell of weeds But why thy odor matcheth not thy show The solye is this that thou doest common grow 70 THat thou are blam'd shall not be thy defect For slanders marke was euer yet the faire The ornament of beauty is suspect A Crow that flies in heauens sweetest ayre So thou be good slander doth but approue Their worth the greater beeing woo'd of time For Canker vice the sweetest buds doth loue And thou present'st a pure vnstayined prime Thou hast past by the ambush of young daies Either not assayld or victor beeing charg'd Yet this thy praise cannot be soe thy praise To tye vp enuy euermore inlarged If some suspect of ill maskt not thy show Then thou alone kingdomes of hearts shouldst owe. 71 NOe Longer mourne for me when I am dead Then you shall heare the surly sullen bell Giue warning to the world that I am fled From this vile world with vildest wormes to dwell Nay if you read this line remember not The hand that writ it for I loue you so That I in your sweet thoughts would be forgot If thinking on me then should make you woe O if I say you looke vpon this verse When I perhaps compounded am with clay Do not so much as my poore name reherse But let your loue euen with my life decay Least the wise world should looke into your mone And mocke you with me after I am gon 72 O Least the world should taske you to recite What merit liu'd in me that you should loue After my death deare loue for get me quite For you in me can nothing worthy proue Vnlesse you would deuise some vertuous lye To doe more for me then mine owne desert And hang more praise vpon deceased I Then nigard truth would willingly impart O least your true loue may seeme falce in this That you for loue speake well of me vntrue My name be buried where my body is And liue no more to shame nor me nor you For I am shamd by that which I bring forth And so should you to loue things nothing worth 73 THat time of yeeare thou maist in me behold When yellow leaues or none or few doe hange Vpon those boughes which shake against the could Bare rn'wd quiers where late the sweet birds sang In me thou seest the twi-light of such day As after Sun-set fadeth in the West Which by and by blacke night doth take away Deaths second selfe that seals vp all in rest In me thou seest the glowing of such fire That on the ashes of his youth doth lye As the death bed whereon it must expire Consum'd with that which it was nurrisht by This thou perceu'st which makes thy loue more strong To loue that well which thou must leaue ere long 74 BVt be contented when that fell arest With out all bayle shall carry me away My life hath in this line some interest Which for memoriall still with thee shall stay When thou reuewest this thou doest reuew The very part was consecrate to thee The earth can haue but earth which is his due My spirit is thine the better part of me So then thou hast but lost the dregs of life The pray of wormes my body being dead The coward conquest of a wretches knife To base of thee to be remembred The worth of that is that which it containes And that is this and this with thee remaines 75 SO are you to my thoughts as food to life Or as sweet season'd shewers are to the ground And for the peace of you I hold such strife As twixt a miser and his wealth is found Now proud as an inioyer and anon Doubting the filching age will steale his treasure Now counting best to be with you alone Then betterd that the world may see my pleasure Some-time all ful with feasting on your sight And by and by cleane starued for a looke Possessing or pursuing no delight Saue what is had or must from you be tooke Thus do I pine and surfet day by day Or gluttoning on all or all away 76 WHy is my verse so barren of new pride So far from variation or quicke change Why with the time do I not glance aside To new found methods and to compounds strange Why write I still all one euer the same And keepe inuention in a noted weed That
this faire guift in me is wanting And so my pattent back againe is sweruing Thy selfe thou gau'st thy owne worth then not knowing Or mee to whom thou gau'st it else mistaking So thy great guift vpon misprision growing Comes home againe on better iudgement making Thus haue I had thee as a dreame doth flatter In sleepe a King but waking no such matter 88 WHen thou shalt be dispode to set me light And place my merrit in the eie of skorne Vpon thy side against my selfe I le fight And proue thee virtuous though thou art forsworne With mine owne weakenesse being best acquainted Vpon thy part I can set downe a story Of faults conceald wherein I am attainted That thou in loosing me shall win much glory And I by this wil be a gainer too For bending all my louing thoughts on thee The iniuries that to my selfe I doe Doing thee vantage duble vantage me Such is my loue to thee I so belong That for thy right my selfe will beare all wrong 89 SAy that thou didst forsake mee for some falt And I will comment vpon that offence Speake of my lamenesse and I straight will halt Against thy reasons making no defence Thou canst not loue disgrace me halfe so ill To set a forme vpon desired change As I le my selfe disgrace knowing thy wil I will acquaintance strangle and looke strange Be absent from thy walkes and in my tongue Thy sweet beloued name no more shall dwell Least I too much proface should do it wronge And haplie of our old acquaintance tell For thee against my selfe I le vow debate For I must nere loue him whom thou dost hate 90 THen hate me when thou wilt if euer now Now while the world is bent my deeds to crosse Ioyne with the spight of fortune make me bow And doe not drop in for an after losse Ah doe not when my heart hath scapte this sorrow Come in the rereward of a conquerd woe Giue not a windy night a rainie morrow To linger out a purposd ouer-throw If thou wilt leaue me do not leaue me last When other pettie griefes haue done their spight But in the onset come so stall I taste At first the very worst of fortunes might And other straines of woe which now seeme woe Compar'd with losse of thee will not seeme so 91 SOme glory in their birth some in their skill Some in their wealth some in their bodies force Some in their garments though new-fangled ill Some in their Hawkes and Hounds some in their Horse And euery humor hath his adiunct pleasure Wherein it findes a ioy aboue the rest But these perticulers are not my measure All these I better in one generall best Richer then wealth prouder then garments cost Of more delight then Hawkes or Horses bee And hauing thee of all mens pride I boast Wretched in this alone that thou maist take All this away and me most wretched make 92 BVt doe thy worst to steale thy selfe away For tearme of life thou art assured mine And life no longer then thy loue will stay For it depends vpon that loue of thine Then need I not to feare the worst of wrongs When in the least of them my life hath end I see a better state to me belongs Then that which on thy humor doth depend Thou canst not vex me with inconstant minde Since that my life on thy reuolt doth lie Oh what a happy title do I finde Happy to haue thy loue happy to die But what 's so blessed faire that feares no blot Thou maist be falce and yet I know it not 93 SO shall I liue supposing thou art true Like a deceiued husband so loues face May still seeme loue to me though alter'd new Thy lookes with me thy heart in other place For their can liue no hatred in thine eye Therefore in that I cannot know thy change In manies lookes the falce hearts history Is writ in moods and frounes and wrinckles strange But heauen in thy creation did decree That in thy face sweet loue should euer dwell What ere thy thoughts or thy hearts workings be Thy lookes should nothing thence but sweetnesse tell How like Eaues apple doth thy beauty grow If thy sweet vertue answere not thy show 94 THey that haue powre to hurt and will doe none That doe not do the thing they most do showe Who mouing others are themselues as stone Vnmooued could and to temptation slow They rightly do inherrit heauens graces And husband natures ritches from expence They are the Lords and owners of their faces Others but stewards of their excellence The sommers flowre is to the sommer sweet Though to it selfe it onely liue and die But if that flowre with base infection meete The basest weed out-braues his dignity For sweetest things turne sowrest by their deedes Lillies that fester smell far worse then weeds 95 HOw sweet and louely dost thou make the shame Which like a canker in the fragrant Rose Doth spot the beautie of thy budding name Oh in what sweets doest thou thy sinnes inclose That tongue that tells the story of thy daies Making lasciuious comments on thy sport Cannot dispraise but in a kinde of praise Naming thy name blesses an ill report Oh what a mansion haue those vices got Which for their habitation chose out thee Where beauties vaile doth couer euery blot And all things turnes to faire that eies can see Take heed deare heart of this large priuiledge The hardest knife ill vs'd doth loose his edge 96 SOme say thy fault is youth some wantonesse Some say thy grace is youth and gentle sport Both grace and faults are lou'd of more and lesse Thou makst faults graces that to thee resort As on the finger of a throned Queene The basest Iewell wil be well esteem'd So are those errors that in thee are seene To truths translated and for true things deem'd How many Lambs might the sterne Wolfe betray If like a Lambe he could his lookes translate How many gazers mighst thou lead away If thou wouldst vse the strength of all thy state But doe not so I loue thee in such sort As thou being mine mine is thy good report 97 HOw like a Winter hath my absence beene From thee the pleasure of the fleeting yeare What freezings haue I felt what darke daies seene What old Decembers barenesse euery where And yet this time remou'd was sommers time The teeming Autumne big with ritch increase Bearing the wanton burthen of the prime Like widdowed wombes after their Lords decease Yet this aboundant issue seem'd to me But hope of Orphans and vn-fathered fruite For Sommer and his pleasures waite on thee And thou away the very birds are mute Or if they sing t is with so dull a cheere That leaues looke pale dreading the Winters neere 98 FRom you haue I beene absent in the spring When proud pide Aprill drest in all his trim Hath put a spirit of youth in euery thing That heauie Saturne laught and leapt with him Yet
109 O Neuer say that I was false of heart Though absence seem'd my flame to quallifie As easie might I from my selfe depart As from my soule which in thy brest doth lye That is my home of loue if I haue rang'd Like him that trauels I returne againe Iust to the time not with the time exchang'd So that my selfe bring water for my staine Neuer beleeue though in my nature raign'd All frailties that besiege all kindes of blood That it could so preposterouslie be stain'd To leaue for nothing all thy summe of good For nothing this wide Vniuerse I call Saue thou my Rose in it thou art my all 110 ALas 't is true I haue gone here and there And made my selfe a motley to the view Gor'd mine own thoughts sold cheap what is most deare Made old offences of affections new Most true it is that I haue lookt on truth Asconce and strangely But by all aboue These blenches gaue my heart an other youth And worse essaies prou'd thee my best of loue Now all is done haue what shall haue no end Mine appetite I neuer more will grin'de On newer proofe to trie an older friend A God in loue to whom I am confin'd Then giue me welcome next my heauen the best Euen to thy pure and most most louing brest 111 O For my sake doe you wish fortune chide The guiltie goddesse of my harmfull deeds That did not better for my life prouide Then publick meanes which publick manners breeds Thence comes it that my name receiues a brand And almost thence my nature is subdu'd To what it workes in like the Dyers hand Pitty me then and wish I were renu'de Whilst like a willing pacient I will drinke Potions of Eysell gainst my strong infection No bitternesse that I will bitter thinke Nor double pennance to correct correction Pittie me then deare friend and I assure yee Euen that your pittie is enough to cure mee 112 YOur loue and pittie doth th' impression fill Which vulgar scandall stampt vpon my brow For what care I who calles me well or ill So you ore-greene my bad my good alow You are my All the world and I must striue To know my shames and praises from your tounge None else to me nor I to none aliue That my steel'd sence or changes right or wrong In so profound Abisme I throw all care Of others voyces that my Adders sence To cryttick and to flatterer stopped are Marke how with my neglect I doe dispence You are so strongly in my purpose bred That all the world besides me thinkes y' are dead 113 SInce I left you mine eye is in my minde And that which gouernes me to goe about Doth part his function and is partly blind Seemes seeing but effectually is out For it no forme deliuers to the heart Of bird of flowre or shape which it doth lack Of his quick obiects hath the minde no part Nor his owne vision hâ—â—ds what it doth catch For if it see the rud'st or gentlest sight The most sweet-fauor or deformedst creature The mountaine or the sea the day or night The Croe or Doue it shapes them to your feature Incapable of more repleat with you My most true minde thus maketh mine vntrue 114 OR whether doth my minde being crown'd with you Drinke vp the monarks plague this flattery Or whether shall I say mine eie saith true And that your loue taught it this Alcumie To make of monsters and things indigest Such cherubines as your sweet selfe resemble Creating euery bad a perfect best As fast as obiects to his beames assemble Oh t is the first t is flatry in my seeing And my great minde most kingly drinkes it vp Mine eie well knowes what with his gust is greeing And to his pallat doth prepare the cup. If it be poison'd t is the lesser sinne That mine eye loues it and doth first beginne 115 THose lines that I before haue writ doe lie Euen those that said I could not loue you deerer Yet then my iudgement knew no reason why My most full flame should afterwards burne cleerer But reckening time whose milliond accidents Creepe in twixt vowes and change decrees of Kings Tan sacred beautie blunt the sharp'st intents Diuert strong mindes to th' course of altring things Alas why fearing of times tiranie Might I not then say now I loue you best When I was certaine ore in-certainty Crowning the present doubting of the rest Loue is a Babe then might I not say so To giue full growth to that which still doth grow 119 LEt me not to the marriage of true mindes Admit impediments loue is not loue Which alters when it alteration findes Or bends with the remouer to remoue O no it is an euer fixed marke That lookes on tempests and is neuer shaken It is the star to euery wandring barke Whose worths vnkowne although his higth be taken Lou's not Times foole though rosie lips and cheeks Within his bending sickles compasse come Loue alters not with his breefe houres and weekes But beares it out euen to the edge of doome If this be error and vpon me proued I neuer writ nor no man euer loued 117 ACcuse me thus that I haue scanted all Wherein I should your great deserts repay Forgot vpon your dearest loue to call Whereto al bonds do tie me day by day That I haue frequent binne with vnknown mindes And giuen to time your owne deare purchas'd right That I haue hoysted saile to al the windes Which should transport me farthest from your sight Booke both my wilfulnesse and errors downe And on iust proofe surmise accumilate Bring me within the leuel of your frowne But shoote not at me in your wakened hate Since my appeale saies I did striue to prooue The constancy and virtue of your loue 118 LIke as to make our appetites more keene With eager compounds we our pallat vrge As to preuent our malladies vnseene We sicken to shun sicknesse when we purge Euen so being full of your nere cloying sweetnesse To bitter sawces did I frame my feeding And sicke of wel-fare found a kind of meetnesse To be diseas'd ere that there was true needing Thus pollicie in loue t'anticipate The ills that were not grew to faults assured And brought to medicine a healthfull state Which rancke of goodnesse would by ill be cured But thence I learne and find the lesson true Drugs poyson him that so fell sicke of you 119 WHat potions haue I drunke of Syren teares Distil'd from Lymbecks foule as hell within Applying feares to hopes and hopes to feares Still loosing when I saw my selfe to win What wretched errors hath my heart committed Whilst it hath thought it selfe so blessed neuer How haue mine eies out of their Spheares bene fitted In the distraction of this madding feuer O benefit of ill now I find true That better is by euil still made better And ruin'd loue when it is built anew Growes fairer then at first more strong far greater So I
returne rebukt to my content And gaine by ills thrise more then I haue spent 120 THat you were once vnkind be-friends mee now And for that sorrow which I then didde feele Needes must I vnder my transgression bow Vnlesse my Nerues were brasse or hammered steele For if you were by my vnkindnesse shaken As I by yours y'haue past a hell of Time And I a tyrant haue no leasure taken To waigh how once I suffered in your crime O that our night of wo might haue remembred My deepest sence how hard true sorrow hits And soone to you as you to me then tendred The humble salue which wounded bosomes fits But that your trespasse now becomes a fee Mine ransoms yours and yours must ransome mee 121 T IS better to be vile then vile esteemed When not to be receiues reproach of being And the iust pleasure lost which is so deemed Not by our feeling but by others seeing For why should others false adulterat eyes Giue salutation to my sportiue blood Or on my frailties why are frailer spies Which in their wils count bad what I think good Noe I am that I am and they that leuell At my abuses reckon vp their owne I may be straight though they them-selues be beuel By their rancke thoughtes my deedes must not be shown Vnlesse this generall euill they maintaine All men are bad and in their badnesse raigne 122. TThy guift thy tables are within my braine Full characterd with lasting memory Which shall aboue that idle rancke remaine Beyond all date euen to eternity Or at the least so long as braine and heart Haue facultie by nature to subsist Til each to raz'd obliuion yeeld his part Of thee thy record neuer can be mist That poore retention could not so much hold Nor need I tallies thy deare loue to skore Therefore to giue them from me was I bold To trust those tables that receaue thee more To keepe an adiunckt to remember thee Were to import forgetfulnesse in mee 123 NO Time thou shalt not bost that I doe change Thy pyramyds buylt vp with newer might To me are nothing nouell nothing strange They are but dressings of a former sight Our dates are breefe and therefor we admire What thou dost foyst vpon vs that is ould And rather make them borne to our desire Then thinke that we before haue heard them tould Thy registers and thee I both defie Not wondring at the present nor the past For thy records and what we see doth lye Made more or les by thy continuall hast This I doe vow and this shall euer be I will be true dispight thy syeth and thee 124 YF my deare loue were but the childe of state It might for fortunes basterd be vnfathered As subiect to times loue or to times hate Weeds among weeds or flowers with flowers gatherd No it was buylded far from accident It suffers not in smilinge pomp nor falls Vnder the blow of thralled discontent Whereto th'inuiting time our fashion calls It feares not policy that Heriticke Which workes on leases of short numbred howers But all alone stands hugely pollitick That it nor growes with heat nor drownes with showres To this I witnes call the foles of time Which die for goodnes who haue liu'd for crime 125 WEr't ought to me I bore the canopy With my extern the outward honoring Or layd great bases for eternity Which proues more short then wast or ruining Haue I not seene dwellers on forme and fauor Lose all and more by paying too much rent For compound sweet Forgoing simple sauor Pittifull thriuors in their gazing spent Noe let me be obsequious in thy heart And take thou my oblacion poore but free Which is not mixt with seconds knows no art But mutuall render onely me for thee Hence thou subbornd Informer a trew soule When most impeacht stands least in thy controule 126 O Thou my louely Boy who in thy power Doest hould times fickle glasse his sickle hower Who hast by wayning growne and therein shou'st Thy louers withering as thy sweet selfe grow'st If Nature soueraine misteres ouer wrack As thou goest onwards still will plucke thee backe She keepes thee to this purpose that her skill May time disgrace and wretched mynuit kill Yet feare her O thou minnion of her pleasure She may detaine but not still keepe her tresure Her Audite though delayd answer'd must be And her Quietus is to render thee 127 IN the ould age blacke was not counted faire Or if it weare it bore not beauties name But now is blacke beauties successiue heire And Beautie slanderd with a bastard shame For since each hand hath put on Natures power Fairing the soule with Arts faulse borrow'd face Sweet beauty hath no name no holy boure But is prophan'd if not liues in disgrace Therefore my Mistersse eyes are Rauen blacke Her eyes so suted and they mourners seeme At such who not borne faire no beauty lack Slandring Creation with a false esteeme Yet so they mourne becomming of their woe That euery toung saies beauty should looke so 128 HOw oft when thou my musike musike playst Vpon that blessed wood whose motion sounds With thy sweet fingers when thou gently swayst The wiry concord that mine eare confounds Do I enuie those Iackes that nimble leape To kisse the tender inward of thy hand Whilst my poore lips which should that haruest reape At the woods bouldnes by thee blushing stand To be so tikled they would change their state And situation with those dancing chips Ore whome their fingers walke with gentle gate Making dead wood more blest then liuing lips Since sausie Iackes so happy are in this Giue them their fingers me thy lips to kisse 129 TH' expence of Spirit in a waste of shame Is lust in action and till action lust Is periurd murdrous blouddy full of blame Sauage extreame rude cruell not to trust Inioyd no sooner but dispised straight Past reason hunted and no sooner had Past reason hated as a swollowed bayt On purpose layd to make the taker mad Made In pursut and in possession so Had hauing and in quest to haue extreame A blisse in proofe and proud and very wo Before a ioy proposd behind a dreame All this the world well knowes yet none knowes well To shun the heauen that leads men to this hell 130 MY Mistres eyes are nothing like the Sunne Currall is farre more red then her lips red If snow be white why then her brests are dun If haires be wiers black wiers grow on her head I haue seene Roses damaskt red and white But no such Roses see I in her cheekes And in some perfumes is there more delight Then in the breath that from my Mistres reekes I loue to heare her speake yet well I know That Musicke hath a farre more pleasing sound I graunt I neuer saw a goddesse goe My Mistres when shee walkes treads on the ground And yet by heauen I thinke my loue as rare As any she beli'd with false
thee When I breake twenty I am periur'd most For all my vowes are othes but to misuse thee And all my honest faith in thee is lost For I haue sworne deepe othes of thy deepe kindnesse Othes of thy loue thy truth thy constancie And to inlighten thee gaue eyes to blindnesse Or made them swere against the thing they see For I haue sworne thee faire more periurde eye To swere against the truth so foule a lie 153 CVpid laid by his brand and fell a sleepe A maide of Dyans this aduantage found And his loue-kindling fire did quickly steepe In a could vallie-fountaine of that ground Which borrowd from this holie fire of loue A datelesse liuely heat still to indure And grew a seething bath which yet men proue Against strang malladies a soueraigne cure But at my mistres eie loues brand new fired The boy for triall needes would touch my brest I sick withall the helpe of bath desired And thether hied a sad distemperd guest But found no cure the bath for my helpe lies Where Cupid got new fire my mistres eye 154 THe little Loue-God lying once a sleepe Laid by his side his heart inflaming brand Whilst many Nymphes that vou'd chast life to keep Came tripping by but in her maiden hand The fayrest votary tooke vp that fire Which many Legions of true hearts had warm'd And so the Generall of hot desire Was sleeping by a Virgin hand disarm'd This brand she quenched in a coole Well by Which from loues fire tooke heat perpetuall Growing a bath and healthfull remedy For men diseasd but I my Mistrisse thrall Came there for cure and this by that I proue Loues fire heates water water cooles not loue FINIS A Louers complaint BY WILLIAM SHAKE-SPEARE FRom off a hill whose concaue wombe reworded A plaintfull story from a sistring vale My spirrits t' attend this doble voyce accorded And downe I laid to list the sad tun'd tale Ere long espied a fickle maid full pale Tearing of papers breaking rings a twaine Storming her world with sorrowes wind and raine Vpon her head a plattid hiue of straw Which fortified her visage from the Sunne Whereon the thought might thinke sometime it saw The carkas of a beauty spent and donne Time had not sithed all that youth begun Nor youth all quit but spight of heauens fell rage Some beauty peept through lettice of sear'd age Oft did she heaue her Napkin to her eyne Which on it had conceited charecters Laundring the silken figures in the brine That seasoned woe had pelleted in teares And often reading what contents it beares As often shriking vndistinguisht wo In clamours of all size both high and low Some-times her leueld eyes their carriage ride As they did battry to the spheres intend Sometime diuerted their poore balls are tide To th'orbed earth sometimes they do extend Their view right on anon their gases lend To euery place at once and no where fixt The mind and sight distractedly commxit Her haire nor loose nor ti'd in formall plat Proclaimd in her a carelesse hand of pride For some vntuck'd descended her sheu'd hat Hanging her pale and pined cheeke beside Some in her threeden fillet still did bide And trew to bondage would not breake from thence Though slackly braided in loose negligence A thousand fauours from a maund she drew Of amber christall and of bedded Iet Which one by one she in a riuer threw Vpon whose weeping margent she was set Like vsery applying wet to wet Or Monarches hands that lets not bounty fall Where want cries some but where excesse begs all Of folded schedulls had she many a one Which she perus'd sighd tore and gaue the flud Crackt many a ring of Posied gold and bone Bidding them find their Sepulchers in mud Found yet mo letters sadly pend in blood With sleided silke feate and affectedly Enswath'd and seald to curious secrecy These often bath'd she in her fluxiue eies And often kist and often gaue to teare Cried O false blood thou register of lies What vnapproued witnes doost thou beare Inke would haue seem'd more blacke and damned heare This said in top of rage the lines she rents Big discontent so breaking their contents A reuerend man that graz'd his cattell ny Sometime a blusterer that the ruffle knew Of Court of Cittie and had let go by The swiftest houres obserued as they flew Towards this afflicted fancy fastly drew And priuiledg'd by age desires to know In breefe the grounds and motiues of her wo. So slides he downe vppon his greyned bat And comely distant sits he by her side When hee againe desires her being satte Her greeuance with his hearing to deuide If that from him there may be ought applied Which may her suffering extasie asswage T is promist in the charitie of age Father she saies though in mee you behold The iniury of many a blasting houre Let it not tell your Iudgement I am old Not age but sorrow ouer me hath power I might as yet haue bene a spreading flower Fresh to my selfe if I had selfe applyed Loue to my selfe and to no Loue beside But wo is mee too early I atttended A youthfull suit it was to gaine my grace O one by natures outwards so commended That maidens eyes stucke ouer all his face Loue lackt a dwelling and made him her place And when in his faire parts shee didde abide Shee was new lodg'd and newly Deified His browny locks did hang in crooked curles And euery light occasion of the wind Vpon his lippes their silken parcels hurles What 's sweet to do to do wil aptly find Each eye that saw him did inchaunt the minde For on his visage was in little drawne What largenesse thinkes in parradise was sawne Smal shew of man was yet vpon his chinne His phenix downe began but to appeare Like vnshorne veluet on that termlesse skin Whose bare out-brag'd the web it seem'd to were Yet shewed his visage by that cost more deare And nice affections wauering stood in doubt If best were as it was or best without His qualities were beautious as his forme For maiden tongu'd he was and thereof free Yet if men mou'd him was he such a storme As oft twixt May and Aprill is to see When windes breath sweet vnruly though they bee His rudenesse so with his authoriz'd youth Did liuery falsenesse in a pride of truth Wel could hee ride and often men would say That horse his mettell from his rider takes Proud of subiection noble by the swaie What rounds what bounds what course what stop he makes And controuersie hence a question takes Whether the horse by him became his deed Or he his mannad'g by 'th wel doing Steed But quickly on this side the verdict went His reall habitude gaue life and grace To appertainings and to ornament Accomplisht in him-selfe not in his case All ayds them-selues made fairer by their place Can for addicions yet their purpos'd trimme Peec'd not his grace but were al
grac'd by him So on the tip of his subduing tongue All kinde of arguments and question deepe Al replication prompt and reason strong For his aduantage still did wake and sleep To make the weeper laugh the laugher weepe He had the dialect and different skil Catching al passions in his craft of will That hee didde in the general bosome raigne Of young of old and sexes both inchanted To dwel with him in thoughts or to remaine In personal duty following where he haunted Consent's bewitcht ere he desire haue granted And dialogu'd for him what he would say Askt their own wils and made their wils obey Many there were that did his picture gette To serue their eies and in it put their mind Like fooles that in th' imagination set The goodly obiects which abroad they find Of lands and mansions theirs in thought assign'd And labouring in moe pleasures to bestow them Then the true gouty Land-lord which doth owe them So many haue that neuer toucht his hand Sweetly suppos'd them mistresse of his heart My wofull selfe that did in freedome stand And was my owne fee simple not in part What with his art in youth and youth in art Threw my affections in his charmed power Reseru'd the stalke and gaue him al my flower Yet did I not as some my equals did Demaund of him nor being desired yeelded Finding my selfe in honour so forbidde With safest distance I mine honour sheelded Experience for me many bulwarkes builded Of proofs new bleeding which remaind the foile Of this false Iewell and his amorous spoile But ah who euer shun'd by precedent The destin'd ill she must her selfe assay Or forc'd examples gainst her owne content To put the by-past perrils in her way Counsaile may stop a while what will not stay For when we rage aduise is often seene By blunting vs to make our wits more keene Nor giues it satisfaction to our blood That wee must curbe it vppon others proofe To be forbod the sweets that seemes so good For feare of harmes that preach in our behoofe O appetite from iudgement stand aloofe The one a pallate hath that needs will taste Though reason weepe and cry it is thy last For further I could say this mans vntrue And knew the patternes of his soule beguiling Heard where his plants in others Orchards grew Saw how deceits were guilded in his smiling Knew vowes were euer brokers to defiling Thought Characters and words meerly but art And bastards of his foule adulterat heart And long vpon these termes I held my Citty Till thus hee gan besiege me Gentle maid Haue of my suffering youth some feeling pitty And be not of my holy vowes affraid That 's to ye sworne to none was euer said For feasts of loue I haue bene call'd vnto Till now did nere inuite nor neuer vovv All my offences that abroad you see Are errors of the blood none of the mind Loue made them not with acture they may be Where neither Party is nor trew nor kind They sought their shame that so their shame did find And so much lesse of shame in me remaines By how much of me their reproch containes Among the many that mine eyes haue seene Not one whose flame my hart so much as warmed Or my affection put to th smallest teene Or any of my leisures euer Charmed Harme haue I done to them but nere was harmed Kept hearts in liueries but mine owne was free And raignd commaunding in his monarchy Looke heare what tributes wounded fancies sent me Of palyd pearles and rubies red as blood Figuring that they their passions likewise lent me Of greefe and blushes aptly vnderstood In bloodlesse white and the encrimson'd mood Effects of terror and deare modesty Encampt in hearts but fighting outwardly And Lo behold these tallents of their heir With twisted mettle amorously empleacht I haue receau'd from many a seueral faire Their kind acceptance wepingly beseecht With th'annexions of faire gems inricht And deepe brain'd sonnets that did amplifie Each stones deare Nature worth and quallity The Diamond why t was beautifull and hard Whereto his inuis'd properties did tend The deepe greene Emrald in whose fresh regard Weake sights their sickly radience â—o amend The heauen hewd Saphir and the Opall blend With obiects manyfold each seuerall stone With wit well blazond smil'd or made some mone Lo all these trophies of affections hot Of pensiu'd and subdew'd desires the tender Nature hath chargd me that I hoord them not But yeeld them vp where I my selfe must render That is to you my origin and ender For these of force must your oblations be Since I their Aulter you en patrone me Oh then aduance of yours that phraseles hand Whose white weighes downe the airy scale of praise Take all these similies to your owne command Hollowed with sighes that burning lunges did raise What me your minister for you obaies Workes vnder you and to your audit comes Their distract parcells in combined summes Lo this deuice was sent me from a Nun Or Sister sanctified of holiest note Which late her noble suit in court did shun Whose rarest hauings made the blossoms dote For she was sought by spirits of ritchest cote But kept cold distance and did thence remoue To spend her liuing in eternall loue But oh my sweet what labour i st to leaue The thing we haue not mastring what not striues Playing the Place which did no forme receiue Playing patient sports in vnconstraind giues She that her fame so to her selfe contriues The scarres of battaile scapeth by the flight And makes her absence valiant not her might Oh pardon me in that my boast is true The accident which brought me to her eie Vpon the moment did her force subdewe And now she would the caged cloister flie Religious loue put out religions eye Not to be tempted would she be enur'd And now to tempt all liberty procure How mightie then you are Oh heare me tell The broken bosoms that to me belong Haue emptied all their fountaines in my well And mine I powre your Ocean all amonge I strong ore them and you ore me being strong Must for your victorie vs all congest As compound loue to phisick your cold brest My parts had powre to charme a sacred Sunne Who disciplin'd I dieted in grace Beleeu'd her eies when they t' assaile begun All vowes and consecrations giuing place O most potentiall loue vowe bond nor space In thee hath neither sting knot nor confine For thou art all and all things els are thine When thou impressest what are precepts worth Of stale example when thou wilt inflame How coldly those impediments stand forth Of wealth of filliall feare lawe kindred fame Loues armes are peace gainst rule gainst sence gainst shame And sweetens in the suffring pangues it beares The Alloes of all forces shockes and feares Now all these hearts that doe on mine depend Feeling it breake with bleeding groanes they pine And supplicant their sighes to you extend To leaue the battrie that you make gainst mine Lending soft audience to my sweet designe And credent soule to that strong bonded oth That shall preferre and vndertake my troth This said his watrie eies he did dismount Whose sightes till then were leaueld on my face Each cheeke a riuer running from a fount With brynish currant downe-ward flowed a pace Oh how the channell to the streame gaue grace Who glaz'd with Christall gate the glowing Roses That flame through water which their hew incloses Oh father what a hell of witch-craft lies In the small orb of one perticular teare But with the invndation of the eies What rocky heart to water will not weare What brest so cold that is not warmed heare Or cleft effect cold modesty hot wrath Both fire from hence and chill extincture hath For loe his passion but an art of craft Euen there resolu'd my reason into teares There my white stole of chastity I daft Shooke off my sober gardes and ciuill feares Appeare to him as he to me appeares All melting though our drops this diffrence bore His poison'd me and mine did him restore In him a plenitude of subtle matter Applied to Cautills all straing formes receiues Of burning blushes or of weeping water Or sounding palenesse and he takes and leaues In eithers aptnesse as it best deceiues To blush at speeches ranck to weepe at woes Or to turne white and sound at tragick showes That not a heart which in his leuell came Could scape the hane of his all hurting ayme Shewing faire Nature is both kinde and tame And vaild in them did winne whom he would maime Against the thing he sought he would exclaime When he most burnt in hart-wisht luxurie He preacht pure maide and praisd cold chastitie Thus meerely with the garment of a grace The naked and concealed feind he couerd That th'vnexperient gaue the tempter place Which like a Cherubin aboue them houerd Who young and simple would not be so louerd Aye me I fell and yet do question make What I should doe againe for such a sake O that infected moysture of his eye O that false fire which in his cheeke so glowd O that forc'd thunder from his heart did flye O that sad breath his spungie lungs bestowed O all that borrowed motion seeming owed Would yet againe betray the fore-betrayed And new peruert a reconciled Maide FINIS INGENIO PYLIUM GENIO SOCRATEM ARTE MARONEM TERRA TEGIT POPULUS MAERET OLYMPUS HABET Stay Passenger why dost thou go so fast Read if thou canst whom enuious Death has plac'd Within this Monument Shakespear with whom Quick Nature dy'd whose Name doth deck the Tomb Far more than Cost since all that he has Writ Leaves living Art but Page to serve his Wit Ob Ano. D ni 1616. Aetat 53. Die 23 Apr