than the merit of the gift and so accept it not as a thing of desert but as a testimony of good wil. A description of a Married woman VVidow and Maid A Wâ—fe is like a Garment worn and torn A Maid like one made up and never worn A Widow like a Garment worn thred-bare Sold at the second hand like Brokers ware The Maids Complement upon his Eloquence YOur eloquent deserts speak love and I should wrong to lock it in the wards of covert bosome when it deserves with characters of brass asorted residence against the tooth of time and a razor of oblivion therefore my soul cannot but yeild you forth to publike thanks forerunning more requiralls Oh! how you are winding up the watch of your wit Sir I cannot but admire the delight and life of your wit the light of your wisdome and the Mercury of your Eloquence His Answer in praise of her Elegancie Sweet Mistris I could not without making my self guilty of irreverance speak otherwise to you than in a way of praise I value love in all but faire Lady most in you where I find it richly sitting on the neck of honour Fair one such is the galled condition of the age that should my feeble Encomiums presume to touch a lâ—ttle at what your beauty in the largest manner merits the fairest title I should gain for my true meaning would be parasite Madam Let others daub and flatter I 'le not give over to draw true lines but maugre all their painting â—il proclaim you aloud vertuous and faire In a Word Madam to live with you is to live with all the graces for Nature hath made you the example of all her liberalities Madam I wil put it upon the file of thankful remembrance and register it for a singular act of your benificence A Lady and a Knight Sir say not you love unless you do For lying wil not honour you His answer Madam I love I love to die And wil not lye unless by you You say I lye I say you A lovers sad passion for loss of his Mistris VVHere shall I finde that Melancholie Muse That never heard of any thing but moan And read that passion that herpen doth usâ— When she and sorrow sadly sit alone To tel the world more than the world can tel What fits indeed most fitly figured hel Let me not think once of the smallest thought Nay speak of love then of the greatest griefe Where every lover with sorrows over-wrought Live but in death dispairing of reliefe While thus my heart with torments torn assunde May of the world be call'd the woful wonder The Day 's like Night all darkned in distress Pleasure becomes a subject unto pain The Spirit over-prest with heaviness While helpless horror vexeth every vein Deaâ—h shakes her dart grief hath my grave prepaâ— Yet to more sorrow is my spirit spar'd The Only eyes that not endures the light The Nâ—ght-ravens song that soundeth nought but death The Cockatrice that killeth with her sight The poysoned ayre that choaks the sweetest breath Thunders and earthquakes all together met These tel a little how my life is set Were woes dissolv'd to sighes and sighes to tears And every tear a torment of the mind The minds destress unto the deadly fears That finde more death than death it self can find Death to that life that living can descrie A little more yet of my misery Put all the woes of all the world together Sorrow and Death set down in all their pride Let miserie bring all her Muses hither Wâ—th all the horrors that the heart may hide Then read the state but of my ruthful story And say my griefe hath gotten sorrows glory For Natures sickness sometime may have ease Fortune though fickle sometime is a friend The minds affection patience may appease And death is cause that many torments end To shew the nature of my pain alas Pain hath no nature to discry my pain But where that pain it self in pain doth pass Think on vexation so in every vein That hopeless helpless some endless pain may tel Save hel it self but mine there is no hel If such love be a ground of deadly grief Consuming cares hath caught me by the heart If want of comfort hopeless of relief Be further moe so weigh my inward smart If love's unkindness so my grief is grounded If causeless wronged so my heart is wounded If love refused so read on my ruin If truth disgraced so my sorrow moved If faith abus'd the ground my sorrow grew in If Vettues scorned so my death approved If death delaying so my heart perplexed If living dying so my spirit vexed My Infants years mispent in Childish toyes My riper years in rules of little reason My better years in all mistaken joyes My present time O most unhappy season In fruitless labour and in endless love O what a horror hath my life to prove I sigh to see my infancy mispent I mourn to finde my youthful life misled I weep to feel my farther discontent I dye to try how love is living dead I sigh I mourn I weep I living dye And yet must live to shew more misery The hunted Hart sometime doth leave the hound My heart alas doth never leave the Chase The live Hounds line sometimes is yet unfound My bands are hopeless of so high a grace Summer restores what winter doth deprive But my love withered never can revive I cannot figure sorrows in conceit Sorrow exceeds all figures in our sense But on my wo even sorrows all may wait To see a note exceed their excellence Let me conclude to see how I am wounded A lover himself is in his love confounded But whereof groweth this passion of the pain That thus perplexeth every other part Whence is the humor of this hateful vain So damps the Spirit and consumes the heart O let my soul with bitter teares confess It is the ground of all unhappiness If lack of love I am the note of need If lack of friends no faith on earth remains If lack of health see how my soul doth bleed If lack of pleasure look upon my pains If lack of love of friends of wealth and pleasure Say then my sorrow must be out of measure Measure No measure measure can my thought But that one love that is beyond all measure Which knowing how my grief have now been wrought Can bring her love into the highest pleasure Which must my sorrows either cut off quite Or never let me think upon delight There is a lack that tels me of a life There is a loss that tels me of a Love Betwixt them both a state of such a strife As makes my spirit such a passion prove That lack of one and the others loss alas Makes me the wofulst wretch that ever was A Schollar in praise or rather dispraise of his Mistris A Schollar to win his Mistris love Compar'd her to three Goddesses above And swore she had to give her due
happiness Once a day read these few lines for my sake which if they do that good to thee which I heartily pray for in thee till when and ever my hearts love Thy loving Brother c. His Answer MY good Brother I thank you for your carefull and kind Letter yet let me â—â—l you that zeale without discretion proves not the best part of Religion Reports may be idle and then belief may be erronious when mistakings may breed abuse of good uses I know that riches are witches to them that make heaven of this world but he that hath a leaden wit wil never worship a Golden Calf but since I know Abraham and Lazarus were alike in election give me leave while I am in this world by Christ rather than avarice rather to be a husbandman than to be a labourer for hire If I have wronged any it is unwittinglyâ— whom if I know I wil satisfie most willingly and for the wound of conscience I will hope to be so far from hypocrisie that I shal be free from that fear and therefore though travel hath taught you much experience in the world and having sufficient maintenance to pass through the world you make the less account of the world yet when carefull thrist breedeth no covetous thraldome be not jealous of my love with all the pleasures of the world to make comparison with the least of heavens comfort I know the highest Mountain is but earth and the lowest valley is no other and therefore when I carry my foot-stool on my head let me walk like a fool or monster In brief I know the world and 〈◊〉 to use it and keep account with my care how I mâ—â— most contentedly leave it but for my love to him thâ—â— made it let me live no longer in it then I love and hâ—nour him above it and so intreating you to blow oâ—â— ill breaths that may abuse my disposition and to bâ—â— perswaded so far of my souls health that my joy is ever and only in Christ Jesus to his preservation leaving the happy issue of your hopes in the nature of the best love til I see you and alwaies I rest Your most loving Brother c. A Letter of love to an honourable Lady HOnourable Madam if love were not above reason it would not be so high in regard who dwelling only in the spirits of the best understanding feeds the heart only with the fruits of an infallible resolution What it is in its own nature hath been diversly described but I think never known but unto them that inwardly know it Some hold it a Riddle thaâ— none can interpret but he that made it But if it be aâ— I have read of it a child and beauty begot it I hopâ— Nature wil be her self not unkind to her own breâ—â— how to prove truth the honour in your eyes thâ—◠〈◊〉 wrought my heart to your service shal make â—n oâ—â— to your favour in the happiness of your employmeâ—â— So craving pardon for my presumption in my devâ—â—â— duty to the honour of your command I humbly taâ—â—â— my leave Your Lady-ships in all humbleness c Her answer WOrthy knight if love be above reason it musâ— be either divine or devillish and so regarded accordingly what it is I think is best known by the effect of it howsoever idle brains have beaten about the description of it Riddles are but jests of wit and miracles are ceased from being seen in our age But 〈◊〉 be a child though of a strange Parentage surely nature wil not suffer the Mother to be cruel to her own breed but if it fall out to be an ungracious father what then wil be thought of the children Yet lest in misconstruing a conceit I may mistake a content since in the secret of nature may be a sense of strange under standing I wil suspend my judgement til I have made proof of my opinion when eyes and hearts meet together in discourse I hope the business wil be soon ended that is referred to indifferent judgment So til occasion be offered of the performance of imployment hoping that vertue and honour will soon agree upon sure grounds til I see you I rest Your loving friend c. A Letter from a Knight to a Nobleman for the entertaining of a Secretary NOble LORD I hear that your Secretary hath lately taken his leave of thâ—s world in whose place if you be not provided let my love prevail with your honour for the entertaâ—nment of thâ—s bearer a Gentleman and a kinsman of mine in whose commendations I dare thus far use my cred â— h s heart shall be as fair as his hand upon any occasion of your imployment and for his wâ—t it â—s both in caput and copy-hold for he hath read much and observed morâ— than a little his discent hath been from the loyns of an honourable Line and for his disposition every way I hope you shall finde it no way displeasing Not to trouble you with long circumstance leaving happiness to your acceptance with my service to your command in all humble love I take my leave at this time but rest during life Your Honours devoted to be commanded c. The Lords Answer MY kind Knight I have received your Letter fulfilled your request and entertained your Kinsman of whom I am already so wel perswaded besides the assurance of your knowledg that I think a little matter shal not make square in our loves I find what you write of him and shal have much imployment for him I thank you for him and if he continue his carriage which I doubt not he will be of better fortune than my favour and yet somwhat the more for your sake I wil take such a care of him that ere many months pass you shall find my love in him so til I see you at my house where you shall make your own welcome I rest Your most assured friend c. A Letter to a friend on the other side of the Sea SIR Distance of place must make no difference of minds love and life amongst hearts make an enâ— together I have long longed to hear from you anâ— if I had known whither I had ere this written unto you but now having met with him that meaneth shortly to see you I have thought good to let you know that 〈◊〉 yet live to love you and soâ—ger not to pray for you that all happâ—ness may befall you glad I would be 〈◊〉 see you in the mean tâ—me to â—ear from you how thâ— world goeth there about you whether all birds be 〈◊〉 one feather and how they flie together What blazing Stars have been lately seen and what your Astronomers think wil follow of their appearance whether your wine be watred before it come over and how Youth and Age agree upon the Conjunction Copulative How the great fith and little agree together in your seas and how your Rabbets escape the Kite abroad and the Pole-cat in their Borrows
deserts Pallas Iuno and fair Venus Parts Pallas was foul and grim so out of measure That neither Gods nor men in her took pleasure Iuno so shrowd and curst was of her tongue That all mis-liked her both old and young Venus unchast strong Mars enticing still To garnish Vulcans temples and fulfil Her lust Now think you these are praises mean Compared to a slut a shrow a quene A woman kind that is not true Playes false and makes her husband rue If true she be and nothing kind She is a Corrasive to his mind True kindness and kind truth in one Makes up a happy union On a dishonest woman HEre lies a faire wife in earth foul and dirty Who drew at fifteen and went out at thirty On a Maids inconstancy SHall I weep or shall I sing I know not best which fits mourning If I weep I ease my brain If I sing I sweeten pain Weeping I le sing and singing weep To see how Maids no love can keep On a Maids lying sick A Maiden faire with a Green-sickness late Pitty to see perplexed was ful sore Resolving how to mend her bad estate In this distress Apollo doth implore And cure for her ill the Oracle assignes To keep the first letter of these following Lines On a beautifull and fair Lady called my Lady May And her Deare loue Mr. Field THis is the sweet and pleasant month of May Which cloaths the fields in his most rich aray Adorning him with colours better dide Than any King can weare than any Bride But May is almost spent the Fields grows dun With gazing over-much on Mayes hot Sun Vouchsafe O Zephyrus thou gentle Wind And you O Flouds unto the Fields be kind Distil your honyed drops this heat to lay Or else poor Field wil burn in midst of May. On a Lovers departing THough envious fortune which could ne're have while As yet to grace me with one pleasing smile But ever frown new to augment my griefe Bare me my sight my refuge and reliefe Yet thou 'ast my heart my dear instead of me And as it lives so shall it dye with thee Though I must part and parting be a pain Keep thou my heart til I return again So that in part I but depart from thee Thou hast my heart the rest remains with me Which rest small rest that finde til having run Its wonted course and where it first begun What more remains best thoughts shall thee attend My love in thee begun in thee shall end On a VVelsh man A Welshman 'twixt Saint Tassies day and Easter Ran on his Host is score for cheese a Teaster His hostis choak't it up behind the dore And said good sir for cheese discharge your score â—ods so quoth he what meaneth these Do you think her knows not choak from cheese On Virginity Iewells being lost are found again This never this lost but once is lost for ever Two falling out into a ditch they fâ—lâ— For falling out their falling out was well On the dispraise of women O Heavenly powers why did you bring to light That thâ—ng call'd woman Natures Oversight That born Tyrant proud shop of Vanity That guilded Weather-Cock Trunck of miserie That Wayward Froward that unconstant Evill That seeming Saint sole Factor for the Devil For what 's a woman she is such a creature As Nature striving to adorn her Feature Forgot to make her honest this was she That first pluck't Fruit from the forbidden Tree For which accurst she then began to fall From bad to worse from worse to worst of all Now therefore thus I will define a woman She is a spightfull Creature true to no man 'T is plain she can do more than can the Devill For man which God made good did she make evill And oft those women which we oft do cherish Are oft the cause why men so oft do perish An answer to the former BEest be you heavenly powers that brought to light That precious thing call'd woman mans delight That free-born subject kask ful of treasure That constant author of mans hoped pleasure That spotless harmless Saint not knowing evil No Devils Factor unless man 's the Devil She is a work so purely wrought that nature Knew not whether it were more adorn'd with feature Or with chast honesty yea this was â—he Fruit of whose womb freed man from misery For which she is blest that her sons fault should fall From small to less from less to none at all And therefore thus I will define a woman She is lovely faithfull constant false to no man And what she can do more than can the Devil 'T is true she made those good whâ—ch he made evill And if sweet womans love no man should cherish Those that condemn them without them let perish Of VVoman of VVomen Are Women fair yea passing fair to see to Are Women sweet yea passing sweet they be toâ— Both fair and sweet they be to them that love them Kinde and discreet to all but them that prove them Be women proud yea passing proud and praise them Are woomen kind yea wondrous kind and please them Envious and disdainful if you move them More proud than wise yet we fools must love them Are women wise not wise but wondrous witty Are Women witty yea the more is the pitty They are so witty and they are so wily That being ne're so wise they wil beguile you Are Women fools Not fools but fondlings many Are Women shrows Not shrows but sheepish nosey Or if in in sheeps attire they please to cloath them 'T is done as Foxes do that none may knew them Are women Saints No Saints nor yet no Devils So Women Goods No they are needful evills So Angel-like that Devils none need doubt them And yet so needful tha none can live without them A Hushand on his wife a shrow VVE lived one and twenty years A man and wife together I could no longer keep hernere She is gone I know not whither Could I but guess I do protest I speak it not to flattet Of all the women in the World I never would come at her Her body is bestowed wel A handsome grave doth hide her And sure her foul is not in hell For the Devil could never abide her I rather think she is soard aloft For in a late great thunder Me thought I heard her very voice Rendring the Clouds assunder Thus charity bids judge the best Of them that are departed Oh! what a Heavenly thing is Rest To them that long have smarted A Lover to his Mistris with a pair of Gloves If that from Glove you take the Letter G Then Glove is love and that I send to thee Her answer with a Handkerchief If that from Clout you take the Letter C Then Clout iâ—â—out and that I send to thee An old VVidâ—weâ— to a young VVench AN old stale widower loving a young wench Told her nought but her his love would quench Good Sir quoth she your
precious for if you please to let it incircle your white finger it being a Diamond Ring will sparkle most in the dark shewing that love like a clouded Star shines lightest in the night of misfortune Gent VVell sir I am obliged to your courtesie to receive it and since you please to conser so rich a gift on my unworthiness I wil weare it for your sake Aym. Then you honour me above my desert for your acceptance of this sacrifice of my love is to me above all rewards The Ring is inscribed with amor circulus love is a Circle without end Gent. I must acknowledge your beauty and my self your servant for bestowing on me so rich a gift Aym. The sparkling lustre thereof cannot compare with the light beams of your eyes but honour me so much to weare it on your finger Gent. I promise that and more acknowledge my selfe infinitely beholding to you Aym. You have said too much concerning so poor a present yet in your acceptance of this trifle I shall ever bless my own happiness To wooe a coy scornfull Maid Aym. LEt not my love be misconstrued for presumption if I once again strive to warm your affection by declaring unto you how much I honour your perfection pray at last be mercifull and do not stil reward my love with cold disdain Maid Sir I know that men have powerfull Language but I am none of those young ones you are deceived if you think that fine Musk words can sweeten me up to betray my self and for my beauty I would not have you dote on that it suffices me without commendation Aym. Should I not commend what all admire I were much too blame Maid Sir Wise men admire nothing for if I were beautiful what is beauty but a fading flower blasted often with too much breathing on and cannot grow safely upon the stalk of Virginity because every one will be reaching forth to gather it Pray excuse me if I prevent such a danger for love and I are quite faln out Aym. Let me reconcile you to a good opinion of a chast love there is no greater happiness than the sacred Vnion of Hearts especially when long and humble suits conquer disdain and so I hope perseverance will at last Crown me with your love and bring you to entertain my desire with a mutuall affection Maid Sir If you would be more thrifty of your breath you may spend it to better purpose for you may intimate your desires and make tedious discourses But in a word I shall never love you Aym. O say not so you know not how much misery those few words would bring upon me for hope grounded on your gentle disposition hath hitherto kept me alive and made me walk like a faint shadow whilest in my chamber I am like a mourner with a Taper by me watching my own funerall and I will dwell there in a mist of sighes and all this for your sake Maid Sir I hope you will not accuse me of your death pray shake of this love and I will then acknowledg your kindness in ceasing to trouble me with complaints Learn wisdome that will cure all distempers Aym. Yet while I live I wil attend upon you and when I am dead I wil visit yoâ—â—n a dream and tel you you were a ciuell Maid 〈◊〉 â—â—clude let one parting kiss seal my transport to Eliâ—â—â—â— and I am gone Maid Sir since you are so resoluâ—e I will strive to give you a better answer at your next return Aym. In confidence of that happiness I wil presume to visit you again and live to be your servant A jesting discourse with a maid Aym COme why wil you be an enemie to your self and let modestie keep you stil in the state of virginity I came to offer my service to help you out of this trouble Maid You are very kind but I like my present estate Maids are happie Aym. Alas poor ignorance dost thou talk of happiness I tel thee until thou art married thou art but a Cypher and of no account Maid O sir You are deceived our hearts are free from the passion of love retain a world of happiness being exempted from any wanto Knowledge for maids dying in their present condition do all go to heaven Aym. You are deceived their punishment is to lead apes in hel and therefore to avoid this be kind while you may and accept of a friendly offer Maid What offer Aym. Lest it should raise a blush upon your cheek I wil whisper it into your ear you understand Maid Take heed sir lest while you counterfeit a flame you kindle a real fire I bear too much thy infectious words have betrayed a base ignoble mind Aym. Why I did but tel you a truth I had thought you had been more intelligent and would not have scarred at a bold word Maid Nay farwel Aym. Pardon me all I have spoken was to try your temper and having found you both wise and witty I wil desire you in a fair manner to grant me your love which I only desire and though I did appear rash and wanton you shal find me worthy of your affections To contract privately ones self to tythe knot of marriage Aym. NOw our love hath arrived to a happy conclusion the storms raised by our disdain being blown over the union of our affections making a soft and gentle harmony which the soul can only discern therefore that our new begun love may never expire I do here in the sight of heaven and all good angels marry and contract my soul to yours and give away my selfe wholly to be at your disposing till the Ceremonies of the Church confirm my promise Maid With as true an affection I do give my self over into your possession and freely bestow on you my love which shall never know alteration but remain ever firm and constant to you it is therefore expedient that you obtain my friends good wil according to your promise and til then we must remain only contracted in our affections Aym. Heaven I beseech thee bear witness to our private agreement and may I never know one day of comfort when I break my promised Vow let me now embrace you with the arms of affection and thus with a soft kiss seal the obligation of our loves To salute a friend newly arriv'd from a journey Alex. SIir When first the news of your return had arrived to my knowledg I was heigtn'd with an earnest desire to behold you and prevent other of your friends by the first tender of my service that as my love towards you doth exceed theirs in true perfect sincerity so it might in place obtain priority and shew how ambitious I am of your favour Aym. Sir You still continue your former nobleness making it your chiefe ayme to exceed others in perfection of mind otherwise I had an intention to visit you but it is your desire and happiness to overcome others in kindness for which I can but
than whitest bone of all On her feet Her feet so short and slender little round On earth a finer pair cannot be found A last of his Mistresses perfections She hath Venus lip and eye With Diana's chastity In those parts I have reveal'd Venus beauty is exprest Yet there are some parts conceal'd Which my fancie judgeth best The conclusion Thus every part impairs a grace And beauty dwels in every place Loves Month. May is not loves month May is ful of flowers But dropping Aprill-love is ful of showers Definition of love Love is a friend a fire a heaven a hel Where pleasure pain sad repentance dwel Love will out The light of hidden fire it self discovers And love that 's conceal'd bewraies poor lovers On the parting of lovers Lovers wel wot what grief it is to part When 'twixt two bodies liveth but one heart And lovers say the heart hath double wrong When it is bar'd the assistance of the tongue On the constancie of affections Love wel is said to be a life in death That laughs and weeps and all within one breath Lovers Lottery The World 's a Lottery a Lovers prise Is such a Girl that 's fair that 's chast wise The quality of Love Love is a spirit all compact with fire Not gross to sink but light and wil aspire VVhat love is Love is a Golden Bubble full of Dreams That waking breaks and fills us with extreams Lovers delight to be alone Lovers best lâ—ke to see themselves alone Or with their loves if needs they must have one Vows of Lovers We know not how to love til love unblinde us And vows made ignorantlie can ne're bind us On the purity of their affections Needs must Venus wars be sweet When two Maiden-lovers meet Impossibility of concealing love The light of hidden fire it self discovers And love that is conceal'd betraies poor lovers On one sick with love Where Venus strikes with beautie to the quick Great are the cares of those that are love-sick The errors of love All men do erre because that men they be And men with beautie blinded cannot see VVhat love is Love is a subtil influence Whose smallest force stil hangeth in suspence Love admits of no contrary arguments Love hates all arguments disputing stil For sense against reason with a senseless will VVhat love is Love is a blinded God an angry Boy A slave to beauties wil a witless toy A ravening bird tyrant most unjust A private hel a very sea of lust Another definition of love Love is a sowre delight a sugred griefe A breach of reasons law a secret thiefe A living death an ever dying life A sea of tears an everlasting strife A bait for fools a scourge of noble wits A deadly wound a shot which ever hits On sudden affection From hasty love see thou abstain 'T is lust not love thou seeks thus to obtain The effects of love This is the least effect of Cupids dart To change the mind by woundâ—ng of the heart Cruelty of love Love is not ful of mercy as men say But deaf cruel where he means to prey The parting of Lovers Love goes to love as School-boyes from their Books But love from love toward School with heavy looks A Maxime of love 'T is folly by our wisest worldlings proved If not to gain by love to be beloved Loves wounds One was the bow One was the Dart That wounded us both to the heart Then since we both do feel one pain Let one love cure us both again The constancie of lovers Once learn to love the lesson is most plain And being learnt is never lost again The force of love Were beauty under twenty locks kept fast Yet love breaks through and picks them all at last Of Musick and love As without breath no pipe doth move No Musick 's kindly without love A loving conjunction The day unto my hope doth now shine fair I and my love in love united are Love finds an opportunity When love hath knit two hearts in unity They seldome fail to find and opportunity Offers of love not to be refused Occasion 's winged and ever flyeth fast Coming she smiles and frowns once being past Patience of Lovers One may endure for when the pain is past Reward though long it stay yet comes at last Sorrows of Lovers â—ighs are the ease calamity affords Which serve for speech when sorrow wanteth words To his Mâ—stris on her expected humiliation from him for a rude Kiss â—f that I must such penance do â—'le bow unto no Saint but you On the Tears of Lovers â—n sighs the Lover speaks his secret pains Tears are his Oratory words do make him tremble â—et womens tears fall when they most dissemble On frozen affection There where the hearts Atturney once is mute The Clyent breaks as desperate off his suit Of true and false love True love 's a Saint so shal you true love know False love 's a Scythian yet a Saint in show Love breaks all silence What Fish so dumb what Beast so dul of heart That hears love sing and will not bear a part No business like that of love The fair the false love can â—dmit all but the busie man He that hath business and makes love does do â—uch wrong as if a married man should woo The perseverance of a Lover Desire being Pilot and bright beauties prize Who can fear sinking where such treasure lyes The beginning of love â—air beauty is the spark of hot desire And sparks in time will kindle to a fire On a Lovers adveâ—sity As the Stars in darkelt night So love by suffering shines more bright For like unto a hidden flame It wil at last break forth again On lust Lust maks Oblivion beateth reason back Forgetteth shames pure blush and honours wrack On Virginity The ripest Corn dies if it be not reapt Beauty alone is lost too early kept A cruel Mâ—stris Nothing so ill becomes the fair As cruelty which yeilds unto no prayer On Coyness A wayward beauty doth not fancie move A frown forbids a smile engendreth love Another Fair words and power attractive beauty Brings men too wanton in subjective Another Hope and despair attend a Lover still Hope for to save despair to kill On jealousie Where jealousie in baseâ—t minds doth dwel 'T is metal Vulcans Cyclops sent from hel On pleasures Somthing must stil be left to cheer our sin And give a touch of what should not have bin To those that know but pleasures price All 's one a Prison or a Paradice On chastity The unstain'd vail which innocents adorn The ungathered rose defended with the thorn Another on the same Penelope in spending chast her dayes As worthy as Vlysses was of praise A chast Vow To thee as constant as the Sun to day Til from this light night hurries me away Protestations of service I have vowed both love and duty To your vertue and your beauty On the Court. Thither let Phoebus sons resort
how the Foxes and wolves prey upon your Geese and lambs and what sport your Swallows make with the Flyes in the aire I wish you not to write of any wonders because they are incredulous nor of matters of state for they may be perhaps ill taken but only how honest men may thrive and knaves have their reward how wise men are honoured and fools laught at and how the weaker sort hold their strength with the stronger when wenches eyes pul out mens hearts out of their bellies their wits out of their brains and the money out of their purses and such matters of no moment then must needs if you wil take a little pains to set down in a little Paper I shall be glad to look upon them and in my love to requite them for our world to hear it were a world to think of it but the messengers hast not giving me time to write of it til the next Post I wil say this of it God bless the best and mend or end the worst grant all honest hearts good lives in it and a joyfull departure when they are to leave it to which prayer hoping you will say Amen til we meet and alwayes I rest Thine or not his own c. His Answer My long acquaintance and worthy beloved friend I have lately received your Lette wherein I find your desire to hear of the passages in the world on this side the salt water now to satisfie in as much as I can let me tel you that I find some difference in the natures of nations but touching their divisions I think they are much alike through the whole world for the one side I finde the powerful imperious the ambitious envious the covetous never satisfied the liscencious idle and the foolish unprofitable On the other side majesty gracious honour vertuous wealth charitable thrift wealthy wit painful and religion loyall and labour commodious Now looking into the danger of greatness the charge of honour the care of wealth the misery of want the folly of wantonness and the beggary of idleness I have chosen the mean for my part of Musick where I shall neither strain my voyce nor stretch my strings but with little charge keep my instrument in tune The passages are here as in other places where Ianuary and May meet in conjunction there are strange kinds of countenances that shew not the best content And when winds are highest in summer the fruit shal fall ere they be ripe many idle exercises are more costly than comfortable much talk and little truth and gaâ— outsides have poor insides oathes and lyes are as common as highwayes and painted images make fools idolls honest men thought more silly than the wise men among the wizards of the world and the devills among the brokers daily hunted with beggars murmuring of war among the unquiet spirits and peace guarded for fear of a close stratagem In sum such variety of business that every mans brain is ful of humors and for women they are of such force that they put men to great patience for my self I see the world at that pass that I think him happy that is wel out of it In sum God bless the best while the worst mend and send us his grace health with a happy meeting so till hear from you which I wish often with my hearts love that shal never end but with life my hearty commendations I commit you to the almighty Yours as mine own c. A Letter from an apprentice to his father to send him some Money to succour himself withall he being hardly used by a cruel Master and mistris KInd and loving Father my humble duty premised with hope of your good health with my Mother and the rest of our good friends c. The extremity which I have long endured at the hands of my unconscionable Master and Mistris constraineth me seeing no likelyhood of redress to reveal and manifest that unto you which long I have concealed which as it is uncouth unto me in regard of your paternall care of me whilst I lived with you so I doubt not your fatherly love continued unto me but it wil be displeasing unto you I am placed by your good friend A. W. in a service where til I was bound Apprentice I had good usage but since I was bound I have seldom had good day nay after that you sent them the mony which Master A. W. did promise with me they began to exasterate hard usage unto me to debar from me not only liberty but victuals finding many times faults without occasion wrongfully beating and buffeting me without offence which I neither can nor do I think you wil wish me to endure I am almost pin'd with want which how to redress I know not unless you vouchsafe to supply my present wants to leave my trade I am loath to call my master in question I am more loath where to have redress I know not in this my extremity unless you take some course for me and send me wherewith to succour my selfe between time untill it shal please God to turn their hard hearts Thus having briefly acquainted you with my present estate hoping of your fatherly love unto me humbly craving your and my Mothers dayly blessing leaving you to the tuition of the Almighty expecting speedily to hear from you I rest Your Obedient Son c. His Answer SON I have received your Letter wherein I am given to understand that my Friend A. VV. hath not so friendly discharged that friendly trust which I reposed in him as I expected Notwithstanding I will in what I may seek redress for thy wrongs In the mean time deliver this twenty shillings to your Master as a token from me happly his hard usage of you is to draw somthing from me which if I see I cannot by my giftâ— which I have sent to him have mended I wil come up my self and take some course to remove you from him In the mean time I send you ten shillings to supply your necessary wants which I wish you sparingly as you have occasion to bestow and not idely or wastfully and let me hear from you alwayes by this Carryer Serve God endeavour to please your Master and Mistris and whil'st I live Boy they shall know thou hast a Father So in hast I rest Your loving father c. A Letter of a Patient to his Physiciâ—n MAster Doctor your Patient commends him to your patience to bear a little kind chiding for your too long absence my disease holds his own and my pain nothing diminished and if you come not the sooner your Physick wil be past working for my Stomack is weak and my heart groweth faint and yet I feed though my digestion be not he best loath I am to languish if I may have hope oâ— comfort but your absence makes me doubt of my recovery I pray you therefore hast you unto me anâ— let me be assured of your comming lest you
by the fires of Cupid blame me not since your eyes kindled the flames of my affections Madam exercise not the extremity of your rigour upon him that suffers such miseries under the false title and quality of an offender Know faire Creature that such a bright day may at last enlighten my innocencie when revengeful lovers shall search into my ashes to find out truth there buried Sir These glorious progressions of your vertue will at last mount you to the highest pith of admiration Madam shut not up these eyes from the light of your beautie lest they be perpetuallie opened to tears Madam It is impossible you should ever draw to you a reputation of honour signed with the effusion of my blood Madam There are those will deplore my ashes and strew some silly flowers on the place impressed with the prints of your punishments Fair one When my soul shall be seperated from my body it shall every where wait on your purified spirit as the shadow of it Madam If you should please to condemn me to darkness by the eclipsing of the divine light of your beautie yet I despair not but that at last from the sphere of your splendors due to my merits you will vouchsafe the rayes of your clemencie to enlighten the duskie nights of my miseries and misfortunes Fair one Though death may seperate our lives yet love shall unâ—te our ashes and we shall preserve the immortalitie of our affections by the immortality of our souls Madam Seated thus on your faire pavilion you appear like resplendent day in the attires of a Majesty absolutely royall Madam Your goodly nature well proportioned body the bright colour of your face the lively port and grave carriage of your person all these speak you to be a real branch sprung from some royall stem Fair one Your haire negligently disshevel'd and careless attire grace forth your beautie which shines in the midst of so many obstacles as the Sun in a winter day Faire Creature Cast not those eyes down neither colour your face with those modest blushes since it would appear most admirable that your Vertues should finde Fetters in a place where they expect Crowns Sir I desire to end my daies on the Theater of Kings in their glorious services Madam Heaven hath created me such a one as you see ful of good wil though of slender fortunes and means Sir We have continuallie lived together as one soul divided into two bodies and since our amities have taken root in a mutuall temperance and correspondencie of humours we have maintained in us a continuall familaritie which neither death nor hell can ever have power to separate Fairest Our breasts shall be ever interchangeablie transparent Fair one Dissimulation or contradiction cannot approach the sincerity of our loves Fairest let me embrace you with the oppenness of my heart and the profusion of my love that our souls may evaporate themselves into one another Sir Your favours create me againe and give me a new being Sir I shal never pretend any right to any honour in the world but only to obey your commands Mistris The grace of speech dwells on your fair lips Sir Hereafter ages shall take Palms and Lawrels to crown the reliques of your honoured ashes Fairest these eies of mine are but emblems of tears mixt with love Madam spread not that Cipress Vail over your face lest you benight your beauty and darken the bright raies of that which makes our day Madam Your beauty is a divinitie left on earth to be known and beloved of mortalls A description of Beauty BEauty is Natures Ivy-Bush It is her beauty only creates her queene 't is that which adds a commanding power to every syllable Glory not too much in the prerogative of Nature seeing she hath made thee man make not thy selfe a woman Your beauty is a Tyrant of a short reign you cannot call it your own for you can neither give it nor preserve it long Beauty is the conqueress of man never to be satisfyed with the raies of her chrystal painted eyes A feature that excels all mortall sense Such a one that when she lay naked his eyes did carve him out a Feast of love Her body doth present those fields of peace that Poets sing of in Elizium She lay like eclipsed Cynthia sweetly canopied with darkness til he drew the curtains of love Had Paris seen her naked he had slighted his Nell of Greece for her Trimming her beauty forth with blushing bravery with the wonders of her beauty mortall eyes are never to be satisfyed as if she were made only for admiration to be adored of men or win grace from Heaven A Complexion as clear as the Sky Beauty is the image of the Creator and the Rhetorick of Heaven THE School of Complements Choice and fair Flowers selected out of the Garden of Eloquence to adorn our Language with variety of Expressions upon severall occasions Upon his absence I Shall no longer esteem my selfe absent from you whil'st I hold any room in your heart and memory Let those dul clods of earth not yet informed with true promethean fire measure affections by their Miles of Acres we whose souls are cast in a more pure mould by a most subtile penetration and transfusion of hearts enjoy a secure freedome in one anothers wishes and in the greatest distance are cherished with a virtuall contiguity It is a brutish love and wants the quickning fire of reason that can by circumstances be intermitted the more extracted flames of our affections shal like more glorious Pyramides burn bright and cleare and light our souls though thus seemingly disjoyned to our daily mutual imbracements Let not my remoteness change your purposes more than it shakes the resolution I have made to live yours Protestations of love IT is as impossible for me not to love you as it is for the Sun to forget his ordinary course So am I ravished with your beauty that it will prove harder for mee to forget you than it would prove difficult to resolve for death and know for a certain that I shall stil be rather content and disposed to consent to the hatred of my selfe than to the love of any other object but you Your sight may be forbidden me and you may hinder me from speaking to you but not to have the effiges of your divine beauty imprinted in my heart and not to love and serve you it is a thing not onely out of your power but mine also for I am to you as an accident so inseparable that you cannot be without me Vpon her beauty I Should have thought I had too much failed in so much duty had I not directed it to so faire a mark but the favour of your affections is that to which I sacrifice my best endeavours Vanquished by your beauty I have yeelded up the arms of my libertie and freedome under your obedience Nothing shall take from your heart but death it self the fair image of your divine
return you thanks and acknowledge you a worthy friend Alex. Sir you make too good an interpretation of my rash presumption but it is held that friends have but one soul in two bodies therefore when I behold you I enjoy the other halfe of my selfe besides after long absence your company must needs be more precious so that I had both love and reason on my side to perswade me to come and visit you Aym. Sir I want words to express my mind or to argue a case in love but in my opinion I ought to have visited you first in regard I am very much obliged unto you But to proceed no farther in ceremony let us discourse of some other affairs I will be bold to enquire how all our friends do Alex. Sir some of them hath undergone change of fortunes and therein declared an invincible strength of mindâ— but heaven be thanked all that honour and respect you are living and in health Aym. Sir I am wonderfull glad to hear of it and I shall rejoyce exceedingly when I meet any of my old acquaintance I hope I am not altogether lost unto their remembrance they will know me certainly Alex. Sir travel hath not wrought much change in youâ— but I detain you too long I fear from your rest Aym. Sir were I tyred with travel as I am not yeâ— your company would very much refresh me Alex. Sir I wil crave your pardon at this time I know o tarry longer would be troublesome unto you but to morow I wil wait on you again To entertain a friend who is come to visâ—â— one Alex. SIR I am most glad to see you though I have no other entertainment for you but a kinde welcome Aym. Sir I expect no more I come to give you a visit and to be happy in your society for in the generall I do find none that can suit my disposition so wel as your self Alex. Sir say what you please of me I am vowed to your service and your loving visitation is an addition to your many other kindnesses Aym. Sir all that I acknowledg is a wil to do you service but I have been slow in producing the effects hereafter I wil study to deserve Alex. Sir it is your ingenius goodness to decline the acknowledgement of your own vertue and deserts far surpassing my merits for 't is I am bound to be your servant Aym. Sir it is I that am obliged to you by many strong tyes of affection from which the service of my life cannot dis-ingage me but I have trespass'd against manners pray take the chair Alex. Sir wil you please to sit first for it is an honour for me to wait your pleasure Aym. Sir I am provided but if it may not appear too much boldness what was the adamant that drew you or occasion that made you so kind to visit my lodging Alex. Sir I shall tel you I came not to borrow money or to force your good nature to any thing beyond civility but onely to keep our love and amity fresh and in perfect strength by a visit and some conference Aym. Sir you have chosen a bad opportunity my affairs carry me away from my friends besides the obligation of my word to a Lady to attend upon heâ— thiâ— day Alex. Sir I wil chuse some other time to wait upon you Aym. Sir I wil attend upon you if I might know the place and hour where to meet you Alex. Sir I will not put you to that trouble it will become me rather to wait on you Aym. Pardon me Sir I am much obliged to you Alex. Sir I am your servant Aym. Sir I am the servant of your servants pray remember my respects to all my friends A. Sir I wil be yours in that and all other services To woce a fair young Gentlewoman A. PArdon me Lady if I presume to speak what â— have hitherto with much affection concealeâ— from you knowledg There is a Gentleman that hath beheld your heavenly beauty and with his judgment clearly discern'd youâ— virtues the ornaments of your mind these have produced in him strange effects so that in spite of his own reason or disswasion of friends he is violently compelled to speak truth Penel. Sir call you this an affliction 't is a happinesâ— to speak and hear truth Aym. Do you hold that opinion then I will convince yoâ— by your own Expressions For if it be a happiness to hear trâ—tâ— then I hope you wil pardon me if being compelled by thâ— strength of my passion I do truly tell you that I have placeâ— my affection wholly upon you or as they commonly say I â—â— love you Pen. Sir I am sorry that you have made me thâ— object of your love I know your Birth and Person maâ— deserve one of greater account and therefore I aâ— amazed at the unexpected novelty of your motâ—◠〈◊〉 imagining but your bosome had been free from any flame let your wisdom then suppress it lest your love become fruitless in the event Aym. I wil not be discouraged by your first answer for neither are you beneath me in quality who am your servant neither can it appear to you so strange a matter that I should be taken with your beauty which others admire though it be my fortune only to be bolder than the rest and I hope not unwelcome Pen. Sir I would not have you cherish any uncertain hope nor build any assurance where you have but a sandie foundation Love cannot be compelled but must â—low from the spring of naturall desire bâ—â— I find in my self no inclination to entertain your aâ—â—â—ction therefore you must pardon me if I deny youâ— suit which is not in my power to grant Aym. Nothing is impossible to love for if you woâ—â— believe that I bear a noble and constant affection â—â—wards you you would soon overcome this difficulty 〈◊〉 incline your mind to reward my affection with your â—avour Pen. Sir I am confident that your affection is riâ—â—â— and perfect nor seeking under a fair and colouraâ—â—â— prâ—tence to betray me I cannot force my self to comenâ— to your motion being utterly ignorant in love matterâ—â— therefore excuse me til time and consideration shalâ— enforce me to answer your desire Aym. I am comforted that you have not utterly denyed my suit I hope at my next visit to receive more incouragement til then I take my leave and presume only to breath my heart upon your hand or if you please your lip desiring you to remember me in your absence VVhen one meeteth a friend in the Street A. GOd save you sir you are most happily met How fare you Clor. Sir I am the better to see you wel and lusty why wil not you do me the honor to visit me at my chamber Alex. Sir I must confess I have often broke promise therein but my business would not permit me other wise I had long since waited on you Clor. I should rather account my self obliged to
wait on you for I am bound unto you for many favours especially for the last courtesie you did me in matter which concerned me much Wil you now do me â—he kindness to present my respects to a Gentlewoman Alex. Sir if she be honest I am ready to go on your errand I hope you wil not put me upon a disgracefull piece of service Clor. I hope you have no such bad suspition of me for she is both fair and a virtuous Gentlewoman and hath a nimble wit but I know you can deliver your mind in an excellent way Alex. Sir it is you whom Mercury the God of wit hath adorned with a gentle amarous speech but I wil speak in your behalf in as good moving effectual terms as I can remember Clor. Sir shal you do me a most perfect favor Tel her I am her ready and willing servant and that the powers of love hath given her my heart which I wil come to fetch in hope she shall give it me back and til then keep it warm in her own bosome But what need I instruct you who are all love and courtship Alex. Sir I will perform your command though not in such words as you would desire yet so as my sudden Genius shall prompt me but I have heard it said That in the way of love and glory Lovers best tel their own story Clor. Sir Pardon me I know whom I do intrust with this business I am assured of your fidely and that you can deliver your mind in a powerfull manner especially to Gentlewomen Alex. Sir it must be my love to you that will inspire me for I promise you I will strive to speake my best Clor. Sir I am confident in you and at your return from my Mistris I will prepare thanks for this great piece of service and rest yours obliged Alex. Sir It is but my duty and I am happy to be imployed in any service that concerns you Suppose this done To court a Gentlewoman in the way of Marriage Eugenius MIstris I doubt not but that you will judge me as rash as bold but I beseech you by your Divine beauty which glistereth in your fair eyes to excuse my audacitie and to pardon my temeritie which have emboldned me to come and present unto you my most humble and most affectionate service Calia Sir I am sorry that I have not the honour to know you and I marvel that you wil offer service to me that of all am most unworthy Eugen. Mistris it is the sweetness of your naturall goodness that causeth you to speak so humbly of your self Calia Pardon me sir I speak nothing but what I know to be most clear truth Eugen. Lady The singular modesty which I have heard you express in your language gives me a hope that you wil entertain my intentions not as harsh and disconsonant but agreeable and consonant and that in time I shall obtain your grace and favour Calia Sir If there were any graces in me they proceed from you and with such expressions you honour your self Eugen. Mistris you are pleased thus to oblige me to a greater estimation of you which makes you more amiable and me more affectionate towards you I therefore beseech you to believe that my intentions were never otherwise than chast and vertuous and that I never had any other end than honesty Did you think â—rue to have framed some design prejudiciall to your honour I had rather lose my being than entertain any such thought so firm is my resolution for ever to continue your faithfull and most obedient servant as the effects shall make evident whensoever your commands shall call upon me Calia I humbly thank you sir with my best affection as also for the pains you have taken for one that no way merits such favours I being your very humble servant Eugenius Lady It is I that am so deeply engaged to you that I am dis-inabled to quit my selfe of the obligation and therefore most faire Mistris I beseech and conjure you to make use of my service and me in whatsoever you shall judge me acceptable to serve you and in the mean time after a million of recommendations I wil be bold to take my leave of you and will leave my heart with you as an hostage and pledge of fidelity and constancie Calia Farwel sir and I give you humble thanks for this your loving visit Eug. I hope to see you again and very speedily where for the ptesent I must leave you Calia Sir so far as your intentions shal continue good and your suits lawfull you shall alwaies find the doors open and also to gentlemen like your self who shal not want the best entertainment according to my ability n that regard you shall not oftner come than be welâ—ome Eugen. Lady I do assure you that I now go to elongate my self from the bright day and confine my selfe into an abyss of melanchollick darkness for I dare be bold to protest unto you that without you I enjoy not the light and therefore all the time of this sad abâ—ence wil be so tedious to me that moments will be hours the hours dayes and the dayes will be ages unless it be so that the experience of being in your favour be my sole consolation which will arm me with a resolute patience Calia You speak strong lines sir but it may be you are not so passionate as your words pretend Farewell sir til our next meeting Eugen. Mistris You do wrong to your beauty and to my love which is faithfull and loyall but I hope that time wil make me appear to be more largely what I am and seeing necessity constrains me to retire from you I wil never retreat from that affection which your fair eyes have darted in my soul and so Lady adieu til my next review which I assure you shall be assoon as possible I can Vpon her absence EVgenius I protest to you my fairest that I could never have believed that the torments of true affection could have been so miserable for I dare swear to thee by those fair eys the stars of my fortunes that I dwelt with impatiencie and sorrows til I saw you C. It is impossible sir surely I can hardly believe it Eug. Mistris I beseech you to believe it if you please for I assure you that I could no longer endure nor support the violent and troublesome tediousness which I endured in the time of your long absence the object of my good and sole content being removed C. Sir it may very wel be for you seem very passionate in your expressions Eugen. I protest that it is impossible for me to take any complacencie in the world but in that only that flatters my affection and in the aspect of your raâ—e form and most excellent beauty C. It pleaseth you to term it so you are delighted in laughing at me as you may at one that enjoyeth not the least glimps of beauty in her self Eugen.
right belonging to these other Gentlemen Alex. We might have spar'd this Ceremonie for the appetite loves good dainties better than Complements Now pray carve for your selves you are kindly welcome Gent. Sir We wil not put you to any trouble in helping us we know that manners wil allow us to make a dinner we come to trespass on you The Feasters excuse to his friend after Dinner ALEX. Sir I desire you to excuse your mean fare and slender entertainment whereunto I have presumed much to invite you but I hope our ancient acquaintance and your own good nature will procure me Pardon in that I have done this only to enjoy your company and society for your good discourse is to me a Feast far exceeding any dainties that I could provide for you Friend Your reall kindness hath been such and so unexpected that I cannot give you sufficient thanks for your courtesie and kinde entertainment all that I can retribute is t promise that I wil snatch an opportunity to express my gratitude Alex. You have honoured me enough in your acceptance of my good will But it is not wholsome to stir suddenly after dinner Let 's discourse you are conversant abroad what News do you hear Fr. Pardon me sir the world runs round about me whilest I stand unmoved never markiâ—g the motions thereof and therefore I am altogether ignorant in novelties it may be you hear more A. Indeed sir J have so many affairs that J can enquire after none J thought you could have given us some good intelligence Fr. Sir J desire you to excuse me for J hold it fruitless imployment but to satisfie your request if J knew any fresh News that were not yet in print J should be bold to acquaint you with it since you desire me A. J wil not importune any further but desire your pardon that J should impose on you the office of an intelligencer excuse my intent therein since what J desired was to pass away the time while we sit but now if you please we will rise Fr. Sir then J most really thank you you have made me bold with you J wil accompany you a while to the fire and then take my leave To offer service to a young Maid AYM Seeing you are alone I would willingly attenâ— on you if you please to accept of my service Maid It is more than I desite or deserve and it would appear boldness in me to accept of a strangers companie For it is not for me to entertain all shews and offers of kindness I can but thank you for your good wil I am not far distant from mine own home Aym. I pray let me bear you company and by the way make me happy in some discourse resolve me one question wâ—re you ever in love Maid Though it be no manners to answer one question with demanding another yet wil I presume to ask you if you were never in love Aym. Fair one from thence springs my unhappâ—ness I am too forward in these desires I have beheld many beauties but you have prevailed more than the rest to conquer my affection and I must acknowledge that in meeting you I have met death or life Maid Pray speak in plain terms I am ignorant of your meanings Aym. I desire you then know and believe that I am already far in love with you and I hope you will not scorn my sudden motion if I should desire you to reward my love with your favour and by the way let me entreat you to thâ—nk that heaven have pointed our sâ—range accidental meeting and gave me boldness to pâ—tition your favour and affection which I hope you wil grant Maid Sir I know not â—n this case how to give an answer that may procure your content but I desire you to impoâ—tune me no farther but grant me time to consider your motion and this is my fathers house whâ—ther if you pease to come hereaâ—ter I wil strâ—ve to resolve â—ou howsoeâ—er you shall be welcome Aym. But before I lose your presence which is my chiefest happiness let me tel you that when you go you bear away my heart with you and I shall only languish in sorrow til I visit you again Maid Pray sir do not hold me any longer in dâ—scourse there are many jealous eyes that do watch an occasion to expose me to censures for maintaining with you such an usuall familiarity let me intreat you as you tender my credit to leave me Aym. I must obey you honour me with an ordinary salutation and I wil vanish like a shadow and return again to wait on you who are the substance of my life To confer with a widow in an amorous wooing manner AYM I would entreat you fair widow not to discourage me in my first suit since your modesty and virtuous carriage in your husbands life time hath made me bold to plead for affection and to cherish a certain hope that I should obtain your good liking VVid. Sir I would not have you imagine that my love to my former husband was Written in a Table-Booâ— the Letters whereof may be soon wiped out again no it wa engraven upon my heart and there doth remain to inform me that I ought not to wrong him with a second marriage Aym. Nay widow I must acknowledge you have a fair prâ—tence to put me off with the remembrance of your said husband but will you alwayes punish your self and fast from the joyes of marriage VVid. It is my ful resolved purpose and therefore let not any wanton opinion concerning me give you hope of obtaining my love alas since his departure I am dead unto the world and do but only lye to sigh when I remember that I had so good an husband Aym. His goodness is gone with him but for my part I will be your loving active servant come come put off grief and false imaginations of honouring of the dead for if his soul were capable of any knowledg concerning earthly matters he would rejoyce to see you happâ—ly married and as he gave you all contentment in his life so he would desire that you might be supplyed in the same kind after his death Widow You speake unhappily but pray be satisfied that I intend not to marry yet I respect your good will and in other matters will remaine readie to requite your love A. For other matters I am satisfied but your love is the Mark whereat I aim why would you thus strive to become a Virgin again and forget the conceit of former pleasures which are yet fresh in your remembrance fie fie you do not wel to make your self so dul of apprehension I am come to offer service in the right kind and therefore you are very much to blame to refuse the tender of my respects W. You speak mysteries but I desire if you love me shew it in ceasing to prosecute your suit for I must tell you plainly it will prove fruitless and of none effect Aym. I cannot
And as the Divine Creator hath made you the fairest and most accomplished that he also make you the most pitifull to retain me in your most desired favour that J may be able continually to witness how violent my affections are toward you Lad. Heaven grant you may be as faithfull to me as J am to you and give you as much quiet and contentment as you take from me But what should J say more J must cease to remember you of the force and heat of my affections but not to intreat you to pity my martyrdome and that wheresoever you are to be mindfull of me And so once more J intreat the Deity to grant you such prosperity that your fortunes may parallel your perfection Flor. Rest assured sweet Mistris to be beloved of me â—hough not equall to your merit to which height it is imposble my affections should raise it self COMPLEMENTALL POEMS On the beauty of his Mistress BRighter than inside Barks of new-hewen Cedar Sweeter than flames of fire perfum'd with mirth And comlier than the Silver clouds that dance On Zephyrus wings before the queen oth'Spring 'T is she doth teach those Torches to burn bright It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night As a rich Jewel in the Aethiop's ear Beauty too rich for use for love more dear So doth a snowy Dove trooping with Crows As this my Mistris o're her fellow shows Since her whole bodies frame hath pow'r t' have moved The chast Hyppollitus for to have loved In sum her parts are white as Milk As smooth as Ivory and as soft as silk O! who can her perfections tel In whom alone all graces dwel On her hair Her hairs reflex with red streaks paint the Skies Stars fall to fetch fresh lustre from her eyes Whil'st that those golden threds play with her breath Shewing lifes triumph in the map of death On her locks Her locks being platted like a piece of wool Are ful of sweet as sweet of sweets is ful On her Forehead Her stately front was figured from above Majestick fair wel polisht high and pale Pure white that dim s the Lillies of the Vale. On her face Her face like Cynthea's when in the ful she shâ—neth And blustring to her Love-mates bower declineth Such brightness hath her angels face Can make a Sun-shine in a shady place On the colour of her face Such colour hath her face as when the Sun In summer his first rising hath begun On her Eye-brows and châ—â—ks Each Eye-brow hangs like Iris in the skâ—es On either Cheek a Rose and Lillie lyes Another on her Eye-brows and breath Her bright Brows drive the Sun to Clouds beneath Sweet Morn and Evening dews fall from her breath On her Eye-lids Her arches be two heavenly lâ—ds Whose wincks each bold attempt forbids On her Eyes Her eyes the contradictors of the night Like marigolds unsheath their glorious light Another on the same Two jettie sparks where Cupid chaftly hides His subtil shafts that from his quiver glides Piercing the hearts of others yet they be Unhappy since themselves they cannot see On her smiles Her smiles so sweet and nice On eath do make a heavenly Paradice On her cheeks Her cheeks with ripened lillies steep'd in wine Or gorgious Clouds upon the Suns decline Another on the samâ— Her cheeks with kindlie Claret spred Aurora like new out of bed On her nose and breath Her nose is streight and of a stately frame Her breath a sweet perfume a holy flame On her chin Her christal chin like to the purest white Is lovers pavillion and the boys delight On her Ears On these Meanders if you gaze You soon wil read a lovers maze On her lips Her lips like Roses over-waâ—ht with dew Do by their breath their beauties stil renew On hâ—r lips and Neck Hâ—r lips more red than Coral stone Her neck 's more white than aged Swans that moan O! who those â—uddie lips can miss Which blessed still themselves do kiss On her Mouth Sweet mouth that send'st a musick-rosied breath Whose very word darts me a living death On her mouth and teeth Wâ—thin the compass of this hollow sweet Thos orienâ— rankss of silver pearls do meet On her breath She breaths forth flowers she makes the spring Perfumes the ayre and comforts every thing On her tongue and words Her words do fall like summer dews on me Her tongue strikes Musicks sweetest harmonie On her teeth Her lips ne're part but they shew Of precious pearl a double row On her speech In all her words such virtues couched be The learned thence fetch their Philosophy On her voice A voice which doth the Thrushes shrilness stain And makes declining nature young again On her neck Her necks an Ivory shining Tower Or like delight that doth it self devour On her shoulders These parching squares with silver skin Do pass the hate-spot-Ermaline On her arms Her twin-like arms that stainless pair Fit for a Kings imbraces are On her hands Her azured veins do use to stray With pretty Cupids every way Moist Pearl warm snow pure Ivory Within these strange compacts do ly On her fingers Long small and fit for Orpheus Lute Which made the savage Tyger mute On her actions Her deeds are like great clusters of ripe grapes Which load the branches of the fruitful vine Ostering to fall into each mouth that gapes And fil the same with store of costly wine On her brests Her Brests those Ivory Globes circled with blue Save of their Lord no bearing yoke they knew On her Paps Her Paps like two fair apples in their prime From those blest sweets love sucks his summer-time On her good Thought Her mindful Breasts perfumes with Frâ—nckinsense And sweetest odors every fainting sense On her wast and ribs Fitly so named since it doth wast Mens lives until it be embraced Her ribs with white all armed be Compact with curious symmetry On her Skin and flesh Her lovely skin is white like Curds new prest And snowy flesh as soft as wool new drest On her navel Her love delights the wandring thought Whilest that my eyes astray are brought Since nature here would fain unite In curious circles busie fight On her Belly Most beautious seal of Virgins wax Pitty 't is the impression lacks This place with sense my joy doth fil Since 't is intitled Cupids hil From whence a seemly passage there doth flow To stranger pleasures that are plac'd below On her womb Her Maiden womb the dwelling house of pleasure O blest is he may search that secret treasure On her Thighes These are the subjects that do fit The Genius of an Ovids wit Whose branches smooth as in a Glass Our Albions Cliffs in whiteness pass On her Knees These Knots of joy and Gems of love With motion makes all graces move Nn the calves of her legs Mark wel how fare the flesh doth rise In her brave calves like crystall skies On the small of her legs View but her Atlus smallest small More white
your favours so intreating your patience for answer to my poor Letter until I hear from you and alwayes I rest Your devoted to be commanded c. A Love-Letter to a Lady Madam SVch and so extreme are the passions of love that the more they are quenched by disdain greater flames are â—ncreased by desire and the more they galled with hate are the more they gape after love like to the Stone Tâ—pâ—zon which being once kindled burneth most vehemently in the water so I having my heart scorched with the beams of your beauty and my mind flamed with your singular vertue neither can any bitter looks abâ—â—t my love nor extreme discourtesie diminish my affection I am not be that wil leave the rose because it hath pricked my finger or refuse the gold in the fire because it burnt my hand for the mind of a faithful lover is neither to be daunted with despight nor affrighted with danger I rest Yours c. Her Answer SIR if your wits go with your eyes your brains may be on the outside of your head and then if you deceive your selfâ— I hope you will not blame me colours are but shadows and may be ful of illusions and the worthiness of vertue may be a reach above the worlds reason yet the discovery of affection may be more in words than in matter especially where discretion sounds the depth of desert though the honour of truth be worth regard where there is no fault there need no pardon and therefore without trouble of patience finding no cause of displeasure I thus conclude love hath a priviedge to be at the command of kindness in which I resâ— to wish you much happiness Your wel-willing friend c Another Love-Letter FAire Creature To tel you I love you were a phrase of too plain a fashion and yet when truth is indeed the best Eloquence affection needs no invention to express the care of her content which being in threâ— Letters makes a word soon to be read which being Y O V nothing doubting your spelling I hope you will so kindly put together that a conjunction of love shall have no seperation during life And thus beseâ—ching you to learn this Lesson by heart without a cross in conceit to hinder the course of loves comfort till I hear from you in that nature that may make me a happy creature I rest Yours wholly and only if you wil c Her Answer KInd Sir to tel you I love you were too crosse an Answer with a comfortable request and yet whâ—n dissimulation is the worst fruit of invention d scretion may be pardoned in concealing of Love Touching your Letters they are sooner read than understood while imaginative hopes may be deceived in their happiness and yet to avoid all touch of ingratitude in that nature of kindness that may give honour to content as a simple Schollar in the art of love loath to have that by heart that may trouble more than my head when seperations of conjunctions may indanger the death of comfort wishing nothing amiss to them that mean all well I rest Your as I may be mine own c. A Letter from a Lady to a Gentleman whom she called her servant for the preferring of a Gentlewoman to her SErvant I have often spoken unto you for that you must needs do me I am going to the Court and shall have great use of a Gentlewoman to attend me I know you have many Kinsmen and acquaintance among whom you may find one to fit me I will take her at your hand and regard her for your sake and if her deserts answers my desires she shall lose no love in my favour and therefore leaving this trusty charge to the care of your discreet kindness as you wil expect a greater courtesie at my hands I rest Your loving Mistris c. His Answer GOod Madam you speak unto me to help you to a Gentlewoman which with my Letter I have here sent you a woman and Gentle who I hope will not be altogether unworthy of your entertainment for her person she is not deformed nor her face of the worst feature she is â—eithâ—r blear-eyed nor tongue-tyed And for her qualities I hope she can do more than make curtesie and blush her Paâ—entage is not bare nor her breeding idle and for her disposition I hope will be nothing displeasing to praise her in any perfection I dare not but in all will leave her to the tryall of your patience So wishing my dutiful service in this or â—hat else mayly in my power so fortunate as to deserve your favour and this Gentlewoman so gracious as to gain the continuance of your good opinion in prayer for your health and hearts most wished happiness I take my leave at this time but rest at all times Your Ladyships most humble servant A Letter of zealous love written from a Gentleman to his Brother BRother since I last heard from you I am sorry to hear that I do of you that you are wound so far into the world as if that you never meant to out of it you know I have travelled far seen much and I have some understanding by all the observation of time in the courses of nature I find Solomons truth in the tryal of the world that there is a little of it but is little worth in it when all being but vanity there is little vertue to be found in it Believe me brother we are neer in one nature but differ in another in the flesh but not in the spirit for whil'st I contemplate the substance of the souls comfort thou art puzzelled in the world among the puddles of the earth yea I fear the nature of thy affect to be as far from the rule of religion as the most senceless creature is from the use of reason Brother I know that thou hast wronged many thy self most I would thou wert a Zacheus to right all but better betimes than too late look home to the main chance have a care of thy soul and thy body wil be the better believe it there is no rust eateth so fast into any mâ—rtal as the venome of avarice into the heart of a wicked man Prodigality is the way to penury but covetousness is the root of all evil betwixt both there is a mean that to hit on is a kind of happiness and if thou hast no ears but of Mydas thou canst hear of nothing but gold take a heart of Simeon to joy in nothing but Christ Iesus turn a new leaf serve God for whom thou wert created let nor the earth triumph over thee for whom it was made to tread upon lift up thine eyes towards heaven where one joy of the elect is worth all the Kingdoms of the World Leave the world ere it leave thee and love him ever that will never leave thee Let they life be a Pilgrimage and the earth but a passage and the Heaven only the home of thy souls eternal
comâ— too late you know my disease and are acquainted with my body for my cure I leave it to God and your conscience and so intreating your present answer oâ— your speedy presence I commend you to the Almighâ—y Your sick loving Patient c. His Answer MY good Patient I fear your impatience hath by somâ— passion encreased your pain I know the force of your disease cannot but be weakned if you be not more afraid than burt you will not dye of this malady if my business were not greaâ— I would see you or if your need were great I would not be from you but knowing every cramp is not a Convulsion nor every stitch at the heart I will only wish you to put off melancholly to take heed of cold to have mind rather of Heaven than earth eat good meat but not too much drink good wine but measurably be in charity with all the world but not too far with any especially with the feminine gender use motion for naturall Physick and let a merry heart be your best Physician for conceit is hurtfull if it be not contentive and it is past the reach of my Reason to cure a corrupted mind Shortly and God willing I will see you in the mean time imagine I am with you for indeed I wil not be long from you and this let me tell you that to put you out of fear I have no fear of you but that you will be past physick ere my hope fail of your cure and that wil not be in hast and so hoping that you are not so weak in spirit but that you can endure a little pain with patience in hope of assured health til J see you and alwayes I rest Your Physician and loving friend A letter from a Son in prison to his mother his estate being wasted DEar and loving Mother as ever your Maternall love hath heretofore been manifested unto me so now J beseech you in this great extremity to extend it towards me my means are consumed my self captivated ready to perish with want and which way to turn me in this height of misery I know not but unto you whose ever careful respect of me hath bin such that nought could or as yet J hope can remove your love from me wherefore in pity of my present misery J desire you good mother to make some means for my Enlargment my debts are not much notwithstanding of my self J am utterly unable to give satisfaction insomuch that unless you be pleased to commiserate my distress J am utterly devoid of all hope of comfort or Enlargement if therefore you wil vouchsafe to set me at liberty my future duty and diligence shall obsequiously in such sort be manifested that whatsoever hath heretofore bin amiss shal be amended to my good your comfort whereof wishing you to be most assured and expecting your comfortable answer J rest Your distressed Son c. Her Answer Son J am sorry your folly hath brought you to such extremity had you been heedfull in your courses you might have prevented these disasters notwithstanding since misery ought rather to be pittied than blamed especially by a Mother J will in this your extremity in hope of your reformity manifest a Mothers Love unto you Your Debts shall be paid you set at liberty and some speedy course be taken for your future maintenance if you wil conâ—â—m what you have written I wil be wiâ—h you to moâ—row til then comfort your self and fear God and pray for your poor Mother Your loving Mother c. A letter to a Kinsman that came from the university to the Court and was given much to the Study MY good Cousin I hear since you came from the University to the Court you are inclined much to Melancholly your mind only delighteth in reading and study and among many variety of matters of import that you take much delight in searching out of Petigrees and Herauldry the knowledg whereof I hold both honourable and profitable but the use thereof requires a heedfull care for in the discoursing of matters unfit you may be brought within the compass of folly But as a friend to give you a Caveat in all your course of that study take my advice for the bettering of your understanding in the best of your Coats Be not too busie with the Crown and of all Beasts beware of the Lyon if he sleep wake him noâ— lest you trouble his patience and in his walk cross noâ— his way lest his frown grows wrathfull For otheâ— beasts think of them as your reason wil give you leave where you find honours note if you can the desert oâ— them and for bought Coats consider of them in theiâ— kinds times alter and natures in them and thereforâ— in the setting down of Antiquities there may be mucâ— deceit through the corruption of the writers or directors for strange Coats and to see an Eagle have a Flâ— in her mouth and a Mouse bite a Cat by the Tail or â— Goose keep a Fox in a Den wonder at it but make nâ— words of it and if you see a black swan in a blue Field an Eele in her belly running out at her tail or a 〈◊〉 cock pulled out of his feathers and making hâ—s 〈◊〉 upon a Cross-bar smile at the conceit but keep 〈◊〉 censure of it your self To conclude read much but believe little think much but speak little and 〈◊〉 much but meddle little but in medling with â—theâ— mens coats look that you lose not more than your 〈◊〉 jerkin and so wishing your studies as profitable as pleâ—sing to you til I see you I commit you to the almighty Your loving Cousin His answer SIR I have read your Letter and considered of the contents To the Answer whereof give me leave to tel you that I am not determined to hurt mine eye-sight with too deep looking into a Milstone nor to believe Antiquity further than reason may carry my understanding and whatsoever I find of Coats I will so carry my due and true allegeance to the Crown thaâ— I wil avoid all touch of disloyalty For the Lyon wâ—l neither trouble him waking nor sleeping and foâ— his walk wish no beast to be so foolish as to cross his pleasure in his passage For your merry conceits oâ— strange Coats I will only smile at my conjecture of them and so long as I know a Falcon from a buzzard an Eagle from an Owl and a Nightingale from â— Cuckow let me alone to judg of the nature of Birds and how they are born and when I look into the nature of honour whether by purchase favour or desert I note the time with the persons and so go on with mâ— opinions to the judgement I keep to my self now foâ— what else may grow out of this study either prâ—fâ—â— pleasure loss of time or repentance I thank you foâ— your item to keep my conceit from discourse for all things are to be taken in their right kind and when â—â—arning grows hurtful it proves wit not wel tempered â—nd therefore hoping so to make use of my brains that 〈◊〉 â—ead shal do my body no hurt with many thanks 〈◊〉 your kind instructions I commend you to the Alâ—â—â—â—ty Your very loving Kinsman c. FINIS