our rich Suttons store Had I therewith a man whom Nature lent Person enough to giue the eye content If I no outward due nor right did want Which the best Husbands in appearance grant Nay though alone we had no priuate iarres But merry liu'd from all domesticke cares Vnlesse I thought his Nature so incline That it might also sympathize with mine And yeeld such correspondence with my mindâ— Our soules might mutually contentment find By adding vnto these which went before Some certaine vnexpressed pleasures more Such as exceed the streight and curb'd dimensions Of common mindes and vulgar apprehensions I would not care for such a match but tarry In this estate I am and neuer marry Such were the sweets I hop'd to haue possest When Fortune should with thee haue made me blesâ—… My heart could hardly thinke of that content To apprehend it without rauishment Each word of thine me-thought was to my eares More pleasing then that musicke which the Spheares They say doe make the gods when in their chime Their motions Diapason with the time In my conceit the opening of thine eye Seem'd to giue light to euery obiect by And shed a kinde of life vnto my shew On euery thing that was within it view More ioy I 'ue felt to haue thee but in place Then many doe in the most close embrace Of their beloued'st friend which well doth proue Not to thy body onely tends my loue But mounting a true height growes so diuine It makes my soule to fall in loue with thine And sure now whatsoe're thy body doe Thy soule loues mine and oft they visit too For late I dream'd they went I know not whither Vnlesse to Heauen and there play'd together And to this day I nere could know or see 'Twixt them or vs the least Antipathy Then what should make thee keepe thy person hence Or leaue to loue or hold it in suspence If to offend thee I vnawares was driuen Is 't such a fault as may not be forgiuen Or if by frownes of Fate I haue beene checkt So that I seeme not worth thy first respect Shall I be therefore blamed and vpbraided With what could not be holpen or auoyded T is not my fault yet cause my Fortunes doe Wilt thou be so vnkinde to wrong me too Not vnto Thine but thee I set my heart So nought can wipe my loue out while thou art Though thou wert poorer both of house and meat Then he that knowes not where to sleepe or eat Though thou wert sunke into obscurity Become an abiect in the worlds proud eye Though by peruersenesse of thy Fortune crost Thou wert deformed or some limbe had'st lost That loue which Admiration first begot Pitty would strengthen that it failed not Yea I should loue thee still and without blame As long as thou couldst keepe thy minde the same Which is of Vertues so compact I take it No mortall change shall haue the power to shake it This may and will I know seeme strange to those That cannot the Abyss of loue disclose Nor must they thinke whom but the out-side moues Euer to apprehend such noble Loues Or more coniecture their vnsounded measure Then can we mortals of immortall pleasure Then let not those dull vnconceiuing braines Who shall hereafter come to reade these straines Suppose that no loues fire can be so great Because it giues not their cold Clime such heate Or thinke m'inuention could haue reached here Vnto such thoughts vnlesse such loue there were For then they shall but shew their knowledge weake And iniure me that feele of what I speake But now my lines grow tedious like my wrong And as I thought that thou think'st this too long Or some may deeme I thrust my selfe into More then beseemeth modesty to do But of the difference I am not vnwitting Betwixt a peeuish coynesse and things fitting Nothing respect I who pries ore my doing For here 's no vaine allurements nor sond wooing To traine some wanton stranger to my lure But with a thought that 's honest chaste and pure I make my cause vnto thy conscience knowne Suing for that which is by right my owne In which complaint if thou doe hap to finde Any such word as seemes to be vnkind Mistake me not it but from Passion sprung And not from an intent to doe thee wrong Or if among these doubts my sad thoughts breed Some peraduenture may be more then need They are to let thee know might we dispute There 's no obiections but I could refute And spight of Enuy such defences make Thou shouldst embrace that loue thou dost forsake Then do not oh forgetfull man now deeme That 't is ought lesse then I haue made it seeme Or that I am vnto this Passion mou'd Because I cannot else-where be belou'd Or that it is thy state whose greatnesse knowne Makes me become a suter for my owne Suppose not so for know this day there be Some that wooe hard for what I offer thee And I haue euer yet contented bin With that estate I first was placed in Banish those thoughts and turne thee to my heart Come once againe and be what once thou wert Reuiue me by those wonted ioyes repairing That am nigh dead with sorrowes and despairing So shall the memory of this annoy But adde more sweetnesse to my future ioy Yea make me thinke thou meantst not to deny me But onely wert estranged thus to try me And lastly for that loues sake thou once bar'st me By that right hand thou gau'st that oath thouswar'st me By all the Passions and if any be For her deare sake that makes thee iniure me I here coniure thee no intreat and sue That if these lines doe ouer-reach thy view Thou wouldst afford me so much fauour for them As to accept or at least not abhorre them So though thou wholly cloake not thy disdaine I shall haue somewhat the lesse cause to plaine Or if thou needs must scoffe at this or me Do 't by thy selfe that none may witnesse be Not that I feare 't will bring me any blame Onely I am loth the world should know my shame For all that shall this plaint with reason view Will iudge me faithfull and thee most vntrue But if Obliuion that thy loue bereft Hath not so much good nature in thee left But that thou must as most of you men doe When you haue conquer'd tyrannize it too Know this before that it is praise to no man To wrong so fraile a Creature as a woman And to insult or'e one so much made thine Will more be thy disparagement then mine But oh I pray that it portend no harmes A chearing heate my chilled senses warmes Iust now I flashing feele into my brest A sudden comfort not to be exprest Which to my thinking doth againe begin To warne my heart to let some hope come in It tels me 't is impossible that thou Shouldst liue not to be mine it whispers how My former feares and
consume the sullen Night She doth for my comfort stay And keepes many cares away Though I misle the flowry Fields With those sweets the Spring-tyde yeelds Though I may not see those Groues Where the Shepheards chant their Loues And the Lasses more excell Then the sweet voyc'd Philomel Though of all those pleasures past Nothing now remaines at last But Remembrance poore reliefe That more makes then mends my griefe Shee 's my mindes companion still Maugre Enuies euill will Whence she should be driuen to Wer 't in mortals power to do She doth tell me where to borrow Comfort in the midst of sorrow Makes the desolatest place To her presence be a grace And the blackest discontents To be pleasing ornaments In my former dayes of blisse Her diuine skill taught me this That from euery thing I saw I could some inuention draw And raise pleasure to her height Through the meanest obiects sight By the murmure of a spring Or the least boughes rusteling By a Dazie whose leaues spred Shut when Tytan goes to bed Or a shady bush or tree She could more infuse in mee Then all Natures beauties can In some other wiser man By her helpe I also now Make this churlish place allow Some things that may sweeten gladnes In the very gall of sadnes The dull loannesse the blacke shade That these hanging vaults haue made The strange Musicke of the waues Beating on these hollow Caues This blacke Den which Rocks embosse Ouer-growne with eldest Mosse The rude Portals that giue light More to Terror then Delight This my Chamber of Neglect Wall'd about with Disrespect From all these and this dull ayre A fit obiect for Despaire She hath taught me by her might To draw comfort and delight Therefore thou best earthly blisse I will cherish thee for this Poesie thou sweetest content That e're Heau'n to mortals lent Though they as a trifle leaue thee Whose dull thoughts cannot conceiue thee Though thou be to them a scorne That to nought but earth are borne Let my life no longer be Then I am in loue with thee Though our wise ones call thee madnesse Let me neuer taste of gladnesse If I loue not thy mad'st fits More then all their greatest wits And though some too seeming holy Doe account thy raptures folly Thou dost teach me to contemne What make Knaues and Fooles of them Oh high power that oft doth carry Men aboue Willie Good Philarete tarry I doe feare thou wilt be gon Quite aboue my reach anon The kinde flames of Poesie Haue now borne thy thoughts so high That they vp in Heauen be And haue quite forgotten me Call thy selfe to minde againe Are these Raptures for a Swaine That attends on lowly Sheepe And with simple Heards doth keepe Philarete Thankes my Willie I had runne Till that Time had lodg'd the Sunne If thou had'st not made me stay But thy pardon here I pray Lou'd Apolo's sacred sire Had rais'd vp my spirits higher Through the loue of Poesie Then indeed they vse to flye But as I said I say still If that I had Willi's skill Enuie nor Detractions tongue Should ere make me leaue my song But I 'de sing it euery day Till they pin'd themselues away Be thou then aduis'd in this Which both iust and sitting is Finish what thou hast begun Or at least still forward run Haile and Thunder ill hee ' l beare That a blast of winde doth feare And if words will thus afray thee Prethee how will deeds dismay thee Doe not thinke so rathe a Song Can passe through the vulgar throng And escape without a touch Or that they can hurt it much Frosts we see doe nip that thing Which is forward'st in the Spring Yet at last for all such lets Somewhat of the rest it gets And l'me sure that so maist thou Therefore my kind Willie now Since thy folding time drawes on And I see thou must be gon Thee I earnestly beseech To remember this my speech And some little counsell take For Philarete his sake And I more of this will say If thou come next Holy-day FINIS The Shepheards Hunting The fifth Eglogue THE ARGVMENT Philaret Alexis moues To embrace the Muses loues Bids him neuer carefull seeme Of anothers dis-esteeme Since to them it may suffice They themselues can iustly prize PHILARETE ALEXIS Philarete ALexis if thy worth doe not disdaine The humble friendship of a meaner Swaine Or some more needfull businesse of the day Vrge thee to be too hasty on thy way Come gentle Shepheard rest thee here by mee Beneath the shadow of this broad leau'd tree For though I seeme a stranger yet mine eye Obserues in thee the markes of courtesie And if my iudgement erre not noted to More then in those that more would seeme to doe Such Vertues thy rare modesty doth hide Which by their proper luster I espy'd And though long maskt in silence they haue beene I haue a Wisedome through that silence seene Yea I haue learned knowledge from thy tongue And heard when thou hast in concealement sung Which me the bolder and more willing made Thus to inuite thee to this homely shade And though it may be thou couldst neuer spie Such worth in me I might be knowne thereby In thee I doe for here my neighbouring Sheepe Vpon the border of these Downes I keepe Where often thou at Pastorals and Playes Hast grac'd our Wakes on Summer Holy-dayes And many a time with thee at this cold spring Met I to heare your learned shepheards sing Saw them disporting in the shady Groues And in chaste Sonnets wooe their chaster Loues When I endued with the meanest skill Mongst others haue been vrg'd to tune my quill But cause but little cunning I had got Perhaps thou saw'st me though thou knew'st me not Alexis Yes Philaret I know thee and thy name Nor is my knowledge grounded all on fame Art thou not he that but this other yeere Seard'st all the Wolues and Foxes in the Sheere And in a match at Foot-ball lately tride Hauing scarce twenty Satyrs on thy side Held'st play and though assailed kept'st thy stand Gainst all the best-tride Ruffians in the Land Did'st thou not then in dolefull Sonnets mone When the beloued of great Pan was gone And at the wedding of faire Thame and Rhine Sing of their glories to thy Valentine I know it and I must confesse that long In one thing I did doe thy nature wrong For till I mark'd the ayme thy Satyrs had I thought them ouer-bold and thee halfe mad But since I did more neerely on thee looke I soone perceiu'd that I all had mistooke I saw that of a Cynicke thou mad'st show Where since I finde that thou wert nothing so And that of many thou much blame had'st got When as thy Innocency deseru'd it not But that too good opinion thou hast seem'd To haue of me not so to be esteem'd Preuailes not ought to stay him who doth feare He rather should reproofes then prayses heare 'T
mind by that doth seeme to see How vertue shines through base obscurity But prying neerer seeing it doth proue Some relique of her deere deceased Loue Which to her sad remembrance doth lay ope What she most sought and sees most far from hope Fainting almost beneath her Passions weight And quite forgetfull of her first conceit Looking vpon 't againe from thence she borrowes Sad melancholy thoughts to feed her sorrowes So I beholding Natures curious bowers Seel'd strow'd and trim'd vp with leaues hearbes and flowers Walke pleased on a while and doe deuize How on each obiect I may moralize But er'e I pace on many steps I see There stands a Hawthorne that was trim'd by thee Here thou didst once slip off the virgin sprayes To crowne me with a wreath of liuing Bayes On such a Banke I see how thou didst lye When viewing of a shady Muthery The hard mishap thou didst to me discusse Of louing Thysbe and young Piramus And oh thinke I how pleasing was it then Or would be yet might he returne agen But if some neighbouring Row doe draw me to Those Arbors where the shadowes seeme to wooe The weary loue-sicke Passenger to sit And view the beauties Nature strowes on it How faire thinke I would this sweet place appeare If he I loue were present with me heere Nay euery seuerall obiect that I see Doth seuerally me thinkes remember thee But the delight I vs'd from thence to gather I now exchange for eares and seeke them rather But those whose dull and grosse affections can Extend but onely to desire a Man Cannot the depth of these rare Passions know For their imaginations flagge too low And cause their base Conceits doe apprehend Nothing but that whereto the flesh doth tend In Loues embraces they neere reach vnto More of content than the brute Creatures do Neither can any iudge of this but such Whose brauer mindes for brauer thoughts doe touch And hauing spirits of a nobler frame Feele the true heate of Loues vnquenched flame They may conceiue aright what smarting sting To their Remembrances the place will bring Where they did once enioy and then doe misse What to their soules most deere and precious is With mee 't is so for those walkes that once seem'd Pleasing when I of thee was more esteem'd To me appeare most desolate and lonely And are the places now of torment onely Where I the highest of contents did borrow There am I paid it home with deepest sorrow Vnto one place I doe remember well We walkt the eu'nings to heare Phylomel And that seemes now to want the light it had The shadow of the Groue's more dull and sad As if it were a place but fit for Fowles That screech ill-lucke as melancholy Owles Or fatall Rauens that seld ' boding good â—â—â—ke their blacke Auguries from some darke wood Then if from thence I halfe despairing goe Another place begins another wo For thus vnto my thought it semes to say Hither thou saw'st him riding once that way Thither to meete him thou didst nimbly hast thee You he alighted and eu'n there embrac'd thee Which whilst I sighing wish to doe againe Another obiect brings another paine For passing by that Greene which could it speake Would tell it saw vs run at Barly-breake There I beheld what on a thin rin'd tree Thou hadst engrauen for the loue of me When we two all one in heate of day With chaste imbraces draue swift houres away Then I remember to vnto my smart How loath we were when time compel'd to part How cunningly thy Passions thou couldst faine In taking leaue and comming backe againe So oft vntill as seeming to forget We were departing downe againe we set And freshly in that sweet discourse went on Which now I almost faint to thinke vpon Viewing againe those other walkes and Groues That haue beene witnesses of our chaste loues When I beheld those Trees whose tender skin Hath that cut out which still cuts me within Or come by chance vnto that pretty Rill Where thou wouldst fit and teach the neighbouring hill To answere in an Eccho vnto those Rare Problems which thou often didst propose When I come there thinke I if these could take That vse of words and speech which we partake They might vnfold a thousand pleasures then Which I shall neuer liue to taste agen And thereupon Remembrance doth so racke My thoughts with representing what I lacke That in my minde those Clerkes doe argue well Which hold Priuation the great'st plague of hell For there 's no torment gripes mee halfe so bad As the Remembrance of those joyes I had Oh hast thou quite forgot when sitting by The bankes of Thame beholding how the Fry Play'd on the siluer-waues There where I first Granted to make my Fortune thus accurst There where thy too-too earnest suit compeld My ouer-soone beleeuing heart to yeeld One fauour first which then another drew To get another till alas I rue That day and houre thinking I nere should need As now to grieue for doing such a deed So freely I my curtesies bestow'd That whose I was vnwarily I show'd And to my heart such passage made for thee Thou canst not to this day remoued be And what breast could resist it hauing seene How true thy loue had in appearance beene For I shall ne're forget when thou hadst there Laid open euery discontent and care Wherewith thou deeply seem'dst to me opprest When thou as much as any could protest Had'st vow'd and sworne and yet perceiu'dst no signe Of pitty-mouing in this brest of mine Well Loue sald'st thou since neither sigh nor vow Nor any seruice may auaile me now Since neither the recitall of my smart Nor those strong Passions that assaile my heart Nor any thing may moue thee to beliefe Of these my sufferings or to grant reliefe Since there 's no comfort nor desert that may Get mee so much as Hope of what I pray Sweet Loue farewell farewell faire beauties light And euery pleasing obiect of the sight My poore despayring heart heere biddeth you And all Content for euermore adue Then eu'n as thou seemd'st ready to depart Reaching that hand which after gaue my hart And thinking this sad Farewell did proceed From a sound breast but truely mou'd indeed I stayed thy departing from mee so Whilst I stood mute with sorrow thou for show And the meane while as I beheld thy looke My eye th' impression of such Pitty tooke That with the strength of Passion ouercome A deep-fetcht sigh my heart came breathing from Whereat thou euer wisely vsing this To take aduantage when it offered is Renewd'st thy sute to mee who did afford Consent in silence first and then in word So that for yeelding thou maist thanke thy wit And yet when euer I remember it Trust me I muse and often wondring thinke Thorough what craney or what secret chinke That Loue vnwares so like a slye close Else Did to my heart insinuate it selfe Gallants I had
doubts haue beene in vaine And that thou mean'st yet to returne againe It saies thy absence from some cause did grow Which or I should not or I could not know It tels me now that all those proofes whereby I seem'd assur'd of thy disloyalty May be but treacherous plots of some base foes That in thy absence sought our ouerthrowes Which if it proue as yet me thinkes it may Oh what a burden shall I cast away What cares shall I say by and to what height Towre in my new ascension to delight Sure er'e the full of it I come to try I shall eu'n surfet in my ioy and die But such a losse might well be call'd a thriuing Since more is got by dying so then liuing Come kill me then my deare if thou thinke fit With that which neuer killed woman yet Or write to me before so shalt thou giue Content more moderate that I may liue And when I see my staffe of trust vnbroken I will vnspeake againe what is mis-spoken What I haue written in dispraise of Men I will recant and praife as much agen In recompence I le adde vnto their Stories Encomiasticke lines to ymp their glories And for those wrongs my loue to thee hath done Both I and it vnto thy Pitty runne In whom if the least guilt thou finde to be For euer let thine armes imprison me Meane while I 'le try if misery will spare Me so much respite to take truce with care And patiently await the doubtfull doome Which I expect from thee should shortly come Much longing that I one way may be sped And not still linger 'twixt aliue and dead For I can neither liue yet as I should Because I least enioy of that I would Nor quiet die because indeed I first Would see some better daies or know the worst Then hasten Deare if to my end it be It shall be welcome cause it comes from thee If to renew my Comfort ought be sent Let me not loose a minute of Content The precious Time is short and will away Let vs enioy each other while we may Cares thriue Age creepeth on Men are but shades Ioyes lessen Youth decaies and Beauty fades New turnes come on the old returneth neuer If we let our goe past 't is past for euer FINIS A Metricall Paraphrase vpon the CREEDE SInce it befits that I account should giue What way vnto saluation I beleeue Of my profession here the summe I gather First I confesse a Faith in God the Father In God who without Helper or Pertaker Was of himselfe the Worlds Almighty Maker And first gaue Time his being who gaue birth To all the Creatures both of Heauen and Earth Our euerlasting wel-fare doth consist In his great mercies and in Iesus Christ The second person of that Three in one The Father's equall and his onely Sonne That euer-blessed and incarnate Word Which our Redeemer is our life Our Lord. For when by Sathans guile we were deceiued Christ was that meanes of helpe which was conceiued Yea when we were in danger to be lost Conceiued for Vs by the Holy Ghost And that we might not euer be for-lorne For our eternall safety he was Borne Borne as a Man that Man might not miseary Euen of the substance of the Virgin Mary And loe a greater mercy and a wonder He that can make All suffer suffered vnder The Iewish spite which all the world reuile at And Romish tyrannies of Pontius Pilate In him doe I beleeue who was enuied Who with extreamest hate was Crucified Who being Life it selfe to make assured Our soules of safety was both dead and buried And that no seruile feare in vs might dwell To conquere Hee descended into Hell Where no infernall Power had power to lay Command vpon him but on the third day The force of Death and Hell he did constraine And so in Triumph He arose againe Yea the Almighty power aduanc'd his head Aswell aboue all things as from the dead Then that from thence gifts might to men be giuen With glory Hee ascended into Heauen Where that supreame and euerlasting throne Which was prepar'd he climb'd and sitteth on That blessed seate where he shall make abode To plead for vs at the right hand of God And no where should he be enthroned rather Then there for he is God as is the Father And therefore with an equall loue delight I To praise and serue them both as one Almighty â—et in their office there 's a difference And I beleeue that Iesus Christ from thence Shall in the great and vniuersall doome Returne and that with Angels He shall come To question such as at his Empire grudge Euen those who haue presumed him to iudge And that blacke day shall be so Catholicke As I beleeue not onely that the quicke To that assise shall all be summoned But he will both adiudge them and the dead Moreouer in the Godhead I conceiue Another Person in whom I beleeue For all my hope of blessednesse were lost If I beleeu'd not in the holy Ghost And though vaine Schismatickes through pride folly Contemne her power I doe beleeue the holy Chast Spouse of Christ for whom so many search By markes vncertaine the true Cath'like Church I doe beleeue God keepe vs in this vnion That there shall be for euer the Communion Of Gods Elect and that he still acquaints His Children in the fellowship of Saints Though damned be Mans naturall condition By grace in Christ I looke for the remission Of all my foule misdeeds for there begins Deaths end which is the punishment of sinnes Moreouer I the Sadduces infection Abhorre and doe beleeue the Resurrection Yea though I turne to dust yet through God I Expect a glorious rising of the body And that exempted from the cares here rise I shall enioy perfection and the life That is not subiect vnto change or wasting But euer blessed and for euerlasting This is my Faith which that it faile not when It most should steed me let God say Amen A Metricall Paraphase vpon the Lords Prayer To whom that he so much vouchsafe me may Thus as a member of his Church I pray LOrd at thy Mercy-seat ourselues we gather To doe our duties vnto thee Our Father To whom all praise al honor should be giuen For thou art that great God which art in heaueÌ„ Thou by thy wisdome rul'st the worlds whole frame For euer therefore Hallowed be thy Name Let neuer more delayes diuide vs from Thy glories view but let Thy Kingdome come Let thy commands opposed be by none But thy good pleasure and Thy will be done And let our promptnesse to obey be euen The very same in earth as 't is in heauen Then for our selues O Lord we also pray Thou wouldst be pleased to Giue vs this day That food of life wherewith our soules are fed Contented raiment and our daily bread With eu'ry needfull thing doe thou relieue vs And of thy mercy pitty And forgiue vs All our misdeeds in him whom thou didst please To take in offering for our trespasses And for as much O Lord as we beleeue Thou so wilt pardon vs as we forgiue Let that loue teach vs wherewith thou acquaints vs To pardon all them that trespasse against vs. And though sometime thou findst we haue forgot This Loue or thee yet helpe And leade vs not Through Soule or bodies want to desperation Nor let abundance driue into temptation Let not the soule of any true Beleeuer Fall in the time of tryall But deliuer Yea saue him from the malice of the Diuell And both in life and death keepe vs from euill Thus pray we Lord And but of thee from whom Can this be had For thine is the Kingdome The world is of thy workes the grauen story To thee belongs the power and the glory And this thy happinesse hath ending neuer But shall remaine for euer and for euer This we confesse and will confesse agen Till we shall say eternally Amen Thou shalt write them vpon the postes of thy house and vpon thy Gates Deut. 6. 9. FINIS * â—ere reâ—ers and â—ibes the Winter 〈◊〉 was so â—…ing 〈…〉 The reason of the 〈◊〉 Winter 〈◊〉 cause of all 〈◊〉 dangers as 〈◊〉 during 〈◊〉 distemperaâ—… of the ayre He noteth the most 〈◊〉 alteration of 〈◊〉 weather a 〈◊〉 before these Nuptials The 〈…〉 preparation 〈◊〉 this 〈◊〉 the state whâ—â—… of â—is here â—â—…gorically 〈◊〉 * Meaning the 〈…〉 and 〈…〉 of 〈…〉 on 〈◊〉 water which 〈◊〉 most 〈…〉 〈…〉 workes 〈…〉 a He declares what vsâ— is to be made of these showes and triumphes and whaâ— meditations the minde may be occupied about when 〈◊〉 behold them * Fire-workes The Marriage being on S. Valentines day the Author showes it by beginning with the salutation of a supposed Valentine a 〈◊〉 b Wales a Tyber 〈◊〉 the Riâ—er which 〈…〉 Rome b White-â—all Semel in anno ridet Apol. a Abuses stript and whipt He noteth the mildnesse of the winter which excepting that the beginning was very windy was as temperate as the spring Moft men 〈◊〉 of opinion â—hat this â—ay euery â—ird doth â—huse her â—ate for 〈◊〉 yeer a By these he means the two Masques one of them being presented by the Lords the other by the Gentry * Hopes See Pro. 30. 8. 9.