must cure or not deserve thy Grief Philoclea 's parting KInder than a condemned Man's reprieve Was your dear Company that bad me live When by Rosania's silence I had been The wretchedst Martyr any Age hath seen But as when Traytors faint upon the rack Tormentors strive to call their Spirits back Not out of kindness to preserve their breath But to increase the Torments of their Death So was I raised to this glorious state To make my fall the more unfortunate But this I know none ever dy'd before Upon a sadder or a nobler score To Rosania now Mrs. Mountague being with her 1. AS men that are with Visions grac'd Must have all other thoughts displac'd And buy those short descents of Light With loss of Sense or Spirit 's flight 2. So since thou wert my happiness I could not hope the rate was less And thus the Vision which I gain Is short t' enjoy and hard t' attain 3. Ah then what a poor trifle's all That thing which here we Pleasure call Since what our very Souls hath cost Is hardly got and quickly lost 4. Yet is there Justice in the fate For should we dwell in blest estate Our Joys thereby would so inflame We should forget from whence we came 5. If this so sad a doom can quit Me for the follies I commit Let no estrangement on thy part Adde a new ruine to my heart 6. When on my self I do reflect I can no smile from thee expect But if thy Kindness hath no plea Some freedom grant for Charity 7. Else the just World must needs deny Our Friendship an Eternity This Love will ne're that title hold For mine 's too hot and thine too cold 8. Divided Rivers lose their name And so our too unequal flame Parted will Passion be in me And an Indifference in thee 9. Thy absence I could easier find Provided thou wert well and kind Than such a Presence as is this Made up of snatches of my bliss 10. So when the Earth long gasps for rain If she at last some few drops gain She is more parched than at first That small recruit increas'd the thirst To my Lucasia LEt dull Philosophers enquire no more In Nature's womb or Causes strive t'explore By what strange harmony and course of things Each body to the whole a tribute brings What secret unions secret Neighbourings make And of each other how they do partake These are but low Experiments but he That Nature's harmony intire would see Must search agreeing Souls sit down and view How sweet the mixture is how full how true By what soft touches Spirits greet and kiss And in each other can complete their bliss A wonder so sublime it will admit No rude Spectator to contemplate it The Object will refine and he that can Friendship revere must be a noble man How much above the common rate of things Must they then be from whom this Union springs But what 's all this to me who live to be Disprover of my own Morality And he that knew my unimproved Soul Would say I meant all Friendship to controul But Bodies move in time and so must Minds And though th' attempt no easie progress finds Yet quit me not lest I should desp ' rate grow And to such Friendship adde some Patience now O may good Heav'n but so much Vertue lend To make me fit to be Lucasia's Friend But I 'le forsake my self and seek a new Self in her breast that 's for more rich and true Thus the poor Bee unmark'd doth hum and flye And broan'd with age would unregarded dye Unless some lucky drop of precious Gum Do bless the Insect with an Amber-tomb Then glorious in its funeral the Bee Gets Eminence and gets Eternity On Controversies in Religion REligion which true Policy befriends Design'd by God to serve Man's noblest ends Is by that old Deceiver's subtle play Made the chief party in its own decay And meets that Eagles destiny whose breast Felt the same shaft which his own feathers drest For that great Enemy of Souls perceiv'd The notion of a Deity was weav'd So closely in Man's Soul to ruine that He must at once the World depopulate But as those Tyrants who their Wills pursue If they expound old Laws need make no new So he advantage takes of Nature's light And raises that to a bare useless height Or while we seek for Truth he in the Quest Mixes a Passion or an Interest To make us lose it that I know not how 'T is not our Practice but our Quarrel now As in the Moon 's Eclipse some Pagans thought Their barbarous Clamours her deliverance wrought So we suppose that Truth oppressed lies And needs a Rescue by our Enmities But 't is Injustice and the Mind's Disease To think of gaining Truth by losing Peace Knowledge and Love if true do still unite God's Love and Knowledge are both Infinite And though indeed Truth does delight to lie At some Remoteness from a Common Eye Yet 't is not in a Thunder or a Noise But in soft Whispers and the stiller Voice Why should we then Knowledge so rudely treat Making our weapon what was meant our meat 'T is Ignorance that makes us quarrel so The Soul that 's dark will be contracted too Chimaera's make a noise swelling and vain And soon resolve to their own smoak again But a true Light the spirit doth dilate And robs it of its proud and sullen state Makes Love admir'd because 't is understood And makes us Wise because it makes us Good 'T is to a right Prospect of things that we Owe our Uprightness and our Charity For who resists a beam when shining bright Is not a Sinner of a common height That state 's a forfeiture and helps are spent Not more a Sin than 't is a Punishment The Soul which sees things in their Native frame Without Opinion's Mask or Custom 's name Cannot be clogg'd to Sense or count that high Which hath its Estimation from a Lie Mean sordid things which by mistake we prize And absent covet but enjoy'd despise But scorning these hath robb'd them of their art Either to swell or to subdue the Heart And learn'd that generous frame to be above The World in hopes below it all in love Touch'd with Divine and Inward Life doth run Not resting till it hath its Centre won Moves steadily until it safe doth lie I' th' Root of all its Immortality And resting here hath yet activity To grow more like unto the Deity Good Universal Wise and Just as he The same in kind though diff'ring in degree Till at the last 't is swallow'd up and grown With God and with the whole Creation one It self so small a part i' th' Whole is lost And Generals have Particulars engrost That dark contracted Personality Like Mists before the Sun will from it flie And then the Soul one shining sphear at length With true Love's wisdom fill'd and purged strength Beholds her highest good with open face And
Beams wherein thy Worth was drest Thy Wit so bright so piercing and immense Adorn'd with wise and lovely Innocence Might have foretold thou wert not so compleat But that our joy might be as short as great So the poor Swain beholds his ripened Corn By some rough Wind without a Sickle torn Never ah never let sad Parents guess At one remove of future happiness But reckon Children 'mong those passing joys Which one hour gives and the next hour destroys Alas we were secure of our content But find too late that it was onely lent To be a Mirrour wherein we may see How frail we are how spotless we should be But if to thy blest Soul my grief appears Forgive and pity these injurious tears Impute them to Affections sad excess Which will not yield to Nature's tenderness Since 't was through dearest ties and highest trust Continued from thy Cradle to thy Dust And so rewarded and confirm'd by thine That wo is me I thought thee too much mine But I 'le resign and follow thee as fast As my unhappy Minutes will make hast Till when the fresh remembrances of thee Shall be my Emblems of Mortality For such a loss as this bright Soul is not Ever to be repaired or forgot In memory of that excellent person Mrs. Mary Lloyd of Bodidrist in Denbigh-shire who died Nov. 13. 1656. after she came thither from Pembroke-shire I Cannot hold for though to write were rude Yet to be silent were Ingratitude And Folly too for if Posterity Should never hear of such a one as thee And onely know this Age's brutish fame They would think Vertue nothing but a Name And though far abler Pens must her define Yet her Adoption hath engaged mine And I must own where Merit shines so clear 'T is hard to write but harder to forbear Sprung from an ancient and an honour'd Stem Who lent her lustre and she paid it them Who still in great and noble things appeared Whom all their Country lov'd and yet they feared Match'd to another good and great as they Who did their Country both oblige and sway Behold herself who had without dispute More then both Families could contribute What early Beauty Grief and Age had broke Her lovely Reliques and her Off-spring spoke She was by nature and her Parents care A Woman long before most others are But yet that antedated season she Improv'd to Vertue not to Liberty For she was still in either state of life Meet as a Virgin Prudent as a Wife And she well knew although so young and fair Justly to mix Obedience Love and Care Whil'st to her Children she did still appear So wisely kind so tenderly severe That they from her Rule and Example brought A native Honour which she stampt and taught Nor can a single Pen enough commend So kind a Sister and so clear a Friend A Wisdom from above did her secure Which as 't was peaceable was ever pure And if well-order'd Commonwealths must be Patterns for every private Family Her House rul'd by her hand and by her eye Might be a Pattern for a Monarchy Solomon's wisest Woman less could do She built her house but this preserv'd hers too She was so pious that when she did die She scarce chang'd Place I 'm sure not Company Her Zeal was primitive and practick too She did believe and pray and read and do A firm and equal Soul she had engrost Just ev'n to those that disoblig'd her most She grew to love those wrongs she did receive For giving her the power to Forgive Her Alms I may admire but not relate Bur her own works shall praise her in the gate Her Life was checquer'd with afflictive years And even her Comfort season'd in her Tears Scarce for a Husband's loss her eyes were dried And that loss by her Children half supplied When Heav'n was pleas'd not these dear Propâ— afford But tore most off by sickness or by sword She who in them could still their Father boast Was a fresh Widow every Son she lost Litigious hands did her of Right de prive That after all 't was Penance to survive She still these Griefs hath nobly undergone Which few support at all but better none Such a submissive Greatness who can find A tender Heart with so resolv'd a Mind But she though sensible was still the same Of a resigned Soul untainted Fame Nor were her Vertues coarsly set for she Out-did Example in Civility To bestow blessings to oblige relieve Was all for which she could endure to live She had a joy higher in doing good Than they to whom the benefit accru'd Though none of Honour had a quicker sense Never had Woman more of complacence Yet lost it not in empty forms but still Her Nature noble was her Soul gentile And as in Youth she did attract for she The Verdure had without the Vanity So she in Age was mild and grave to all Was not morose but was majestical Thus from all other Women she had skill To draw their good but nothing of their ill And since she knew the mad tumultuous World Saw Crowns revers'd Temples to ruine hurl'd She in Retirement chose to shine and burn As a bright Lamp shut in some Roman Urn. At last when spent with sickness grief and age Her Guardian Angel did her death presage So that by strong impulse she chearfully Dispensed blessings and went home to die That so she might when to that place removed Marry his Ashes whom she ever loved She dy'd gain'd a reward and paid a debt The Sun himself did never brighter set Happy were they that knew her and her end More happy they that did from her descend A double blessing they may hope to have One she convey'd to them and one she gave All that are hers are therefore sure to be Blest by Inheritance and Legacy A Royal Birth had less advantage been 'T is more to die a Saint than live a Queen To the truly competent Judge of Honour Lucasia upon a scandalous Libel made by J. J. HOnour which differs Man from Man much more Then Reason differ'd him from Beasts before Suffers this common Fate of all things good By the blind World to be misunderstood For as some Heathens did their Gods confine While in a Bird or Beast they made their shrine Depos'd their Deities to Earth and then Offer'd them Rites that were too low for Men So those who most to Honour sacrifice Prescribe to her a mean and weak disguise Imprison her to others false Applause And from Opinion do receive their Laws While that inconstant Idol they implore Which in one breath can murther and adore From hence it is that those who Honour court And place her in a popular report Do prostitute themselves to sordid Fate And from their Being oft degenerate And thus their Tenents too are low and bad As if 't were honourable to be mad Or that their Honour had concerned been But to conceal not to forbear a sin But
and Visits all would useless grow Love's whole expression then would be its cloud And it would be refin'd to nothing so 16. If I distrust 't is my own worth for thee 'T is my own fitness for a love like thine And therefore still new evidence would see T' assure my wonder that thou canst be mine 17. But as the Morning-Sun to drooping Flowers As weary Travellers a Shade do find As to the parched Violet Evening-showers Such is from thee to me a Look that 's kind 18. But when that Look is drest in Words 't is like The mystick pow'r of Musick 's unison Which when the finger doth one Viol strike The other 's string heaves to reflection 19. Be kind to me and just then to our love To which we owe our free and dear Converse And let not tract of Time wear or remove It from the privilege of that Commerce 20. Tyrants do banish what they can't requite But let us never know such mean desires But to be grateful to that Love delight Which all our joys and noble thoughts inspires A Resvery A Chosen Privacy a cheap Content And all the Peace a Friendship ever lent A Rock which civil Nature made a Seat A Willow that repulses all the heat The beauteous quiet of a Summer's day A Brook which sobb'd aloud and ran away Invited my Repose and then conspir'd To entertain my Phancie thus retir'd As Lucian's Ferry-man a loft did view The angry World and then laugh'd at it too So all its sullen Follies seem to me But as a too-well acted Tragedy One dangerous Ambition doth befool Another Envies to see that man Rule One makes his Love the Parent of his Rage For private Friendship publickly t' engage And some for Conscience some for Honour die And some are meanly kill'd they know not why More different then mens faces are their ends Whom yet one common Ruine can make Friends Death Dust and Darkness they have only won And hastily unto their Periods run Death is a Leveller Beauty and Kings And Conquerours and all those glorious things Are tumbled to their Graves in one rude heap Like common dust as quiet and as cheap At greater Changes who would wonder then Since Kingdoms have their Fates as well as men They must fall sick and die nothing can be In this World certain but uncertainty Since Pow'r and Greatness are such slippery things who 'd pity Cottages or envy Kings Now least of all when weary of deceit The World no longer flatters with the Great Though such Confusions here below we find As Providence were wanton with Mankind Yet in this Chaos some things do send forth Like Jewels in the dark a Native worth He that derives his high Nobility Not from the mention of a Pedigree Who thinks it not his Praise that others know His Ancestors were gallant long ago Who scorns to boast the Glories of his blood And thinks he can't be great that is not good Who knows the World and what we Pleasure call Yet cannot sell one Conscience for them all Who hates to hoard that Gold with an excuse For which he can find out a nobler use Who dares not keep that Life that he can spend To serve his God his Country and his Friend Who flattery and falsehood doth so hate He would not buy ten Lives at such a rate Whose Soul then Diamonds more rich and clear Naked and open as his face doth wear Who dares be good alone in such a time When Vertue 's held and punish'd as a Crime Who thinks dark crooked Plots a mean defence And is both safe and wise in Innocence Who dares both fight and die but dares not fear Whose only doubt is if his cause be clear Whose Courage and his Justice equal worn Can dangers grapple overcome and scorn Yet not insult upon a conquer'd foe But can forgive him and oblige him too Whose Friendship is congenial with his Soul Who where he gives a heart bestows it whole Whos 's other ties and Titles here do end Or buried or completed in the Friend Who ne're resumes the Soul he once did give While his Friend's Honesty and Honour live And if his Friend's content could cost the price Would count himself a happy Sacrifice Whose happy days no Pride infects nor can His other Titles make him slight the man No dark Ambitious thoughts do cloud his brow Nor restless cares when to be Great and how Who scorns to envy Wealth where e're it be But pities such a Golden Slavery With no mean fawnings can the people court Nor wholly slight a popular report Whose house no Orphan groans do shake or blast Nor any riot help to serve his taste Who from the top of his Prosperities Can take a fall and yet without surprize Who with the same august and even state Can entertain the best and worst of Fate Whose suffering's sweet if Honour once adorn it Who slights Revenge yet does not fear but scorn it Whose Happiness in ev'ry Fortune lives For that no Fortune either takes or gives Who no unhandsome ways can bribe his Fate Nay out of Prison marches through the Gate Who losing all his Titles and his Pelf Nay all the World can never lose himself This Person shines indeed and he that can Be Vertuous is the great Immortal man A Country-life HOw Sacred and how Innocent A Country-life appears How free from Tumult Discontent From Flattery or Fears This was the first and happiest Life When man enjoy'd himself Till Pride exchanged Peace for Strife And Happiness for Pelf 'T was here the Poets were inspir'd Here taught the multitude The brave they here with Honour fir'd And civiliz'd the rude That Golden Age did entertain No Passion but of Love The thoughts of Ruling and of Gain Did ne're their Fancies move None then did envy Neighbour's wealth Nor Plot to wrong his bed Happy in Friendship and in Health On Roots not Beasts they fed They knew no Law nor Physick then Nature was all their Wit And if there yet remain to men Content sure this is it What Blessings doth this World afford To tempt or bribe desire Her Courtship is all Fire and Sword Who would not then retire Then welcome dearest Solitude My great Felicity Though some are pleas'd to call thee rude Thou art not so but we Them that do covet only rest A Cottage will suffice It is not brave to be possest Of Earth but to despise Opinion is the rate of things From hence our Peace doth flow I have a better Fate then Kings Because I think it so When all the stormy World doth roar How unconcern'd am I I cannot fear to tumble lower Who never could be high Secure in these unenvi'd walls I think not on the State And pity no mans case that falls From his Ambition's height Silence and Innocence are safe A heart that 's nobly true At all these little Arts can laugh That do the World subdue While others Revel it in State Here
lies Errour and Shadows are our choice and we Owe our perdition to our own decree If we search Truth we make it more obscure And when it shines cannot the light endure For most men now who plod and eat and drink Have nothing less their bus'ness then to think And those few that enquire how small a share Of Truth they find how dark their Notions are That serious Evenness that calms the Breast And in a Tempest can bestow a Rest We either not attempt or else decline By ev'ry trifle snatch'd from our design Others he must in his deceits involve Who is not true unto his own Resolve We govern not our selves but loose the Reins Counting our Bondage to a thousand chains And with as many Slaveries content As there are Tyrants ready to torment We live upon a Rack extended still To one Extreme or both but always ill For since our Fortune is not understood We suffer less from bad then from the good The Sting is better drest and longer lasts As Surfeits are more dangerous then Fasts And to complete the misery to us We see Extremes are still contiguous And as we run so fast from what we hate Like Squibs on Ropes to know no middle state So outward storms strengthned by us we find Our Fortune as disordered as our Mind But that 's excus'd by this it doth its part A trech'rous World befits a trech'rous Heart All ill 's our own the outward storms we loath Receive from us their Birth their Sting or both And that our Vanity be past a doubt 'T is one new Vanity to find it out Happy are they to whom God gives a Grave And from themselves as from his wrath doth save 'T is good not to be born but if we must The next good is soon to return to dust When th' uncag'd Soul fled to Eternity Shall rest and live and sing and love and see Here we but crawl and grovel play and cry Are first our own then others enemy But there shall be defac'd both stain and score For Time and Death and Sin shall be no more The Soul 1. HOw vain a thing is Man whose noblest part That Soul which through the World doth rome Traverses Heav'n finds out the depth of Art Yet is so ignorant at home 2. In every Brook or Mirrour we can find Reflections of our face to be But a true Optick to present our Mind We hardly get and darkly see 3. Yet in the search after our selves we run Actions and Causes we survey And when the weary Chase is almost done Then from our Quest we slip away 4. 'T is strange and sad that since we do believe We have a Soul must never die There are so few that can a Reason give How it obtains that Life or why 5. I wonder not to find those that know most Profess so much their Ignorance Since in their own Souls greatest Wits are lost And of themselves have scarce a glance 6. But somewhat sure doth here obscurely lie That above Dross would fain advance And â—ants and catches at Eternity As 't were its own Inheritance 7. A Soul self-mov'd which can dilate contract Pierces and judges things unseen But this gross heap of Matter cannot act Unless impulsed from within 8. Distance and Quantity to Bodies due The state of Souls cannot admit And all the Contraries which Nature knew Meet there nor hurt themselves nor it 9. God never Body made so bright and clean Which Good and Evil could discern What these words Honesty and Honour mean The Soul alone knows how to learn 10. And though 't is true she is imprison'd here Yet hath she Notions of her own Which Sense doth only jog awake and clear But cannot at the first make known 11. The Soul her own felicity hath laid And independent on the Sense Sees the weak terrours which the World invade With pity or with negligence 12. So unconcern'd she lives so much above The Rubbish of a sordid Jail That nothing doth her Energy improve So much as when those structures fail 13. She 's then a substance subtile strong and pure So immaterial and refin'd As speaks her from the Body's fate secure And wholly of a diff'rent kind 14. Religion for reward in vain would look Vertue were doom'd to misery All actions were like bubbles in a brook Were 't not for Immortality 15. But as that Conquerour who Millions spent Thought it too mean to give a Mite So the World's Judge can never be content To bestow less then Infinite 16. Treason against Eternal Majesty Must have eternal Justice too And since unbounded Love did satisfie He will unbounded Mercy shew 17. It is our narrow thoughts shorten these things By their companion Flesh inclin'd Which feeling its own weakness gladly brings The same opinion to the Mind 18. We stifle our own Sun and live in Shade But where its beams do once appear They make that person of himself afraid And to his own acts most severe 19. For ways to sin close and our breasts disguise From outward search we soon may find But who can his own Soul bribe or surprise Or sin without a sting behind 20. He that commands himself is more a Prince Then he who Nations keeps in awe Who yield to all that does their Souls convince Shall never need another Law Happiness NAture courts Happiness although it be Unknown as the Athenian Deity It dwells not in Man's Sense yet he supplies That want by growing fond of its disguise The false appearances of Joy deceive And seeking her unto her like we cleave For sinking Man hath scarce sense left to know Whether the Plank he grasps will hold or no. While all the business of the World is this To seek that Good which by mistake they miss And all the several Passions men express Are but for Pleasure in a diff'rent dress They hope for Happiness in being Great Or Rich or Lov'd then hug their own conceit But the Good man can find this treasure out For which in vain others do dig and doubt And hath such secret full Content within Though all abroad be storms yet he can sing His peace is made all 's quiet in that place Where Nature 's cur'd and exercis'd by Grace This inward Calm prevents his Enemies For he can neither envy nor despise But in the beauty of his ordered Mind Doth still a new rich satisfaction find Innocent Epicure whose single breast Can furnish him with a continual feast A Prince at home and Scepters can refuse Valuing only what he cannot lose He studies to do good a man may be Harmless for want of Opportunity But he 's industrious kindness to dispence And therein onely covets eminence Others do court applause and fame but he Thinks all that giddy noise but Vanity He takes no pains to be observ'd or seen While all his acts are echoed from within He 's still himself when Company are gone Too well employ'd ever to be alone For studying God
to their Nature all compos'd of kindness so that I hope Time it self shall have as little power against them as these other storms have had and then * Nec Jovis ira nec ignis nec poterit ferrum nec edax abolere vetustas c. Ovid's conclusion of his Metamorphosis may with little alteration more truth and less vanity than by him to himself be applyed to these once transformed or rather deformed Poems which are here in some measure restor'd to their native Shape and Beauty and therefore certainly cannot fail of a welcome reception now since they wanted it not before when they appeared in that strange disguise The Earl of Orrery to Mrs. Philips Madam WHen I but knew you by report I fear'd the praises of th' admiring Court Were but their Complements but now I must Confess what I thought civil is scarce just For they imperfect Trophies to you raise You deserve wonder and they pay but praise A praise which is as short of your great due As all which yet have writ come short of you You to whom wonder 's paid by double right Both for your Verses smoothness and their height In me it does not the least trouble breed That your fair Sex does Ours in Verse exceed Since every Poet this great Truth does prove Nothing so much inspires a Muse as Love Thence has your Sex the best poetick fires For what 's inspir'd must yield to what inspires And as Our Sex resigns to Yours the due So all of your bright Sex must yield to You. Experience shows that never Fountain fed A stream which could ascend above its Head For those whose wit fam'd Helicon does give To rise above its height durst never strive Their double Hill too though 't is often clear Yet often on it clouds and storms appear Let none admire then that the ancient wit Shar'd in those Elements infused it Nor that your Muse than theirs ascends much higher She sharing in no Element but fire Past ages could not think those things you do For their Hill was their Basis and height too So that 't is Truth not Complement to tell Your lowest height their highest did excel Your nobler thoughts warm'd by a heav'nly fire To their bright Centre constantly aspire And by the place to which they take their flight Leave us no doubt from whence they have their light Your merit has attain'd this high degree 'T is above praise as much as flattery And when in that we have drain'd all our store All grant from this nought can be distant more Though you have sung of friendships power so well That you in that as you in wit excel Yet my own interest obliges me To praise your practise more than Theory For by that kindness you your friend did show The honour I obtain'd of knowing you In Pictures none hereafter will delight You draw more to the life in black and white The Pencil to your Pen must yield the place This draws the Soul where that draws but the Face Of blest retirement such great Truths you write That 't is my wish as much as your delight Our gratitude to praise it does think fit Since all you writ are but effects of it You English Corneil's Pompey with such flame That you both raise our wonder and his fame If he could read it he like us would call The copy greater than th' Original You cannot mend what is already done Vnless you 'l finish what you have begun Who your Translation sees cannot but say That 't is Orinda's Work and but his Play The French to learn our Language now will seek To hear their greatest Wit more nobly speak Rome too would grant were our Tongue to her known Caesar speaks better in 't than in his own And all those Wreaths once circl'd Pompey's brow Exalt his Fame less than your Verses now From these clear Truths all must acknowledge this If there be Helicon in Wales it is Oh happy Country which to our Prince gives His Title and in which Orinda lives The Earl of Roscomon to Orinda an imitation of HORACE Integer vitae c. Carm. lib. 1. od 22. 1. VErtue dear Friend needs no defence No arms but it s own innocence Quivers and Bows and poison'd darts Are only us'd by guilty hearts 2. An honest mind safely alone May travel through the burning Zone Or through the deepest Scythian snows Or where the fam'd Hydaspes flows 3. While rul'd by a resistless fire Our great ORINDA I admire The hungry Wolves that see me stray Vnarm'd and single run away 4. Set me in the remotest place That ever Neptune did embrace When there her image fills my breast Helicon is not half so blest 5. Leave me upon some Lybian plain So she my fancy entertain And when the thirsty Monsters meet They 'll all pay homage to my feet 6. The Magick of ORINDA's Name Not only can their fiereeness tame But if that mighty word I once rehearse They seem submissively to roar in Verse Upon Mrs. K. Philips her Poems WE allow'd you beauty and we did submit To all the tyrannies of it Ah cruel Sex will you depose us too in Wit Orinda does in that too reign Does man behind her in proud triumph draw And cancel great Apollo's Salick Law We our old Title plead in vain Man may be Head but Woman 's now the Brain Verse was Love's fire-arms heretofore In Beauties Camp it was not known Too many arms beside that Conquerour bore 'T was the great Cannon we brought down T' assault a stubborn Town Orinda first did a bold sally make Our strongest quarter take And so successful prov'd that she Turn'd upon Love himself his own Artillery 2. Women as if the Body were the whole Did that and not the Soul Transmit to their posterity If in it sometimes they conceiv'd Th' abortive Issue never liv'd 'T were shame and pity Orinda if in thee A spirit so rich so noble and so high Should unmanur'd or barren lie But thou industriously hast sow'd and till'd The fair and fruitful field And 't is a strange increase that it doth yield As when the happy Gods above Meet all together at a Feast A secret joy unspeakably does move In their great Mother Cybeles contented breast With no less pleasure thou methinks should'st see This thy no less immortal Progeny And in their Birth thou no one touch dost find Of th' ancient Curse to Woman-kind Thou bring'st not forth with pain It neither Travel is nor Labour of thy Brain So easily they from thee come And there is so much room In the unexhausted and unfathom'd womb That like the Holland Countess thou might'st bear A Child for ev'ry day of all the fertile year 3. Thou dost my Wonder would'st my Envy raise If to be prais'd I lov'd more than to praise Wheree're I see an excellence I must admire to see thy well-knit Sense Thy Numbers gentle and thy Fancies high Those as thy Forehead smooth these
remov'd from all bold noise And what is worse all hollow joyes Who never had a mean design Whose flame is serious and divine And calm and even must contented be For they 've both Union and Society Then my Lucasia we who have Whatever Love can give or crave Who can with pitying scorn survey The Trifles which the most betray With innocence and perfect friendship fir'd By Vertue joyn'd and by our Choice retir'd 12. Whose Mirrours are the crystal Brooks Or else each others Hearts and Looks Who cannot wish for other things Then Privacy and Friendship brings Whose thoughts and persons chang'd and mixt are one Enjoy Content or else the World hath none A Dialogue of Absence 'twixt Lucasia and Orinda Set by Mr. Hen. Lawes Luc. SAy my Orinda why so sad Orin Absence from thee doth tear my heart Which since with thine it union had Each parting splits Luc. And can we part Orin Our Bodies must Luc. But never we Our Souls without the help of Sense By wayes more noble and more free Can meet and hold intelligence Orin And yet those Souls when first they met Lookt out at windows through the Eyes Luc. But soon did such acquaintance get Not Fate nor Time can them surprize Orin Absence will rob us of that bliss To which this Friendship title brings Love's fruits and joys are made by this Useless as Crowns to captiv'd Kings Luc. Friendship 's a Science and we know There Contemplation's most employ'd Orin Religion's so but practick too And both by niceties destroy'd Luc. But who ne're parts can never meet And so that happiness were lost Orin Thus Pain and Death are sadly sweet Since Health and Heav'n such price must cost Chorus But we shall come where no rude hand shall sever And there wee 'l meet and part no more for ever To my dear Sister Mrs. C. P. on her Marriage WE will not like those men our offerings pay Who crown the cup then think they crown the day We make no garlands nor an altar build Which help not Joy but Ostentation yield Where mirth is justly grounded these wild toyes Are but a troublesome and empty noise 2. But these shall be my great Solemnities Orinda's wishes for Cassandra's bliss May her Content be as unmix'd and pure As my Affection and like that endure And that strong Happiness may she still find Not owing to her Fortune but her Mind 3. May her Content and Duty be the same And may she know no Grief but in the name May his and her Pleasure and Love be so Involv'd and growing that we may not know Who most Affection or most Peace engrost Whose Love is strongest or whose Bliss is most 4. May nothing accidental e're appear But what shall with new bonds their Souls endear And may they count the hours as they pass By their own Joys and not by Sun or Glass While every day like this may sacred prove To Friendship Gratitude and strictest Love To Mr. Henry Vaughan Silurist on his Poems HAd I ador'd the multitude and thence Got an antipathy to Wit and Sense And hugg'd that fate in hope the World would grant 'T was good affection to be ignorant Yet the least Ray of thy bright fancy seen I had converted or excuseless been For each Birth of thy Muse to after-times Shall expiate for all this Age's crimes First shines thy Amoret twice crown'd by thee Once by thy Love next by thy Poetry Where thou the best of Unions dost dispence Truth cloth'd in Wit and Love in Innocence So that the muddiest Lovers may learn here No Fountains can be sweet that are not clear There Juvenal reviv'd by thee declares How flat man's Joys are and how mean his Cares And generously upbraids the World that they Should such a value for their Ruine pay But when thy sacred Muse diverts her Quill The Landskip to design of Leon's hill As nothing else was worthy her or thee So we admire almost t' Idolatry What Savage breast would not be rap'd to find Such Jewels in such Cabinets enshrin'd Thou fill'd with Joys too great to see or count Descend'st from thence like Moses from the Mount And with a candid yet unquestion'd aw Restor'st the Golden Age when Verse was Law Instructing us thou so secur'st thy fame That nothing can disturb it but my name Nay I have hopes that standing so near thine 'T will lose its dross and by degrees refine Live till the disabused World consent All Truths of Use or Strength or Ornament Are with such Harmony by thee display'd As the whole World was first by Number made And from the charming rigour thy Muse brings Learn there 's no pleasure but in serious things A retir'd Friendship To Ardelia COme my Ardelia to this Bower Where kindly mingling Souls a while Let 's innocently spend an hour And at all serious follies smile 2. Here is no quarrelling for Crowns Nor fear of changes in our Fate No trembling at the great ones frowns Nor any slavery of State 3. Here 's no disguise nor treachery Nor any deep conceal'd design From Bloud and Plots this Place is free And calm as are those looks of thine 4. Here let us sit and bless our Stars Who did such happy quiet give As that remov'd from noise of Wars In one anothers hearts we live 5. Why should we entertain a fear Love cares not how the World is turn'd If crouds of dangers should appear Yet Friendship can be unconcern'd 6. We wear about us such a charm No horrour can be our offence For mischief's self can do no harm To Friendship or to Innocence 7. Let 's mark how soon Apollo's beams Command the flocks to quit their meat And not entreat the neighbouring streams To quench their thirst but cool their heat 8. In such a scorching Age as this Who would not ever seek a shade Deserve their Happiness to miss As having their own peace betray'd 9. But we of one anothers mind Assur'd the boisterous World disdain With quiet Souls and unconfin'd Enjoy what Princes wish in vain To Mrs. Mary Carne when Philaster courted her AS some great Conqueror who knows no bounds But hunting Honour in a thousand wounds Pursues his rage and thinks that Triumph cheap That 's but attended with the common heap Till his more happy fortune doth afford Some Royal Captive that deserv'd his sword And only now is of his Laurel proud Thinking his dang'rous valour well bestow'd But then retreats and spending hate no more Thinks Mercy now what Courage was before As Cowardise in fight so equally He doth abhor a bloudy Victory So Madam though your Beauty were allow'd To be severe unto the yielding Croud That were subdu'd e're you an Object knew Worthy your Conquest and your Mercy too Yet now 't is gain'd your Victory 's compleat Only your Clemency should be as great None will dispute the power of your Eyes That understands Philaster is their prize Hope not your Glory can have new access For all
th' Alembick lose variety So Vertue though in pieces scatter'd 't was Is by her Mind made one rich useful mass Nor doth Discretion put Religion down Nor hasty Zeal usurp the Judgment 's crown Wisdom and Friendship have one single Throne And make another Friendship of their own Each sev'ral piece darts such fierce pleasing rayes Poetick Lovers would but wrong in praise All hath proportion all hath comliness And her Humility alone excess Her Modesty doth wrong a Worth so great Which Calumny her self would noblier treat While true to Friendship and to Nature's trust To her own Merits only she 's unjust But as Divinity we best declare By sounds as broken as our Notions are So to acknowledge such vast Eminence Imperfect Wonder is our Eloquence No Pen Lucasia's glories can relate But they admire best who dare imitate Wiston Vault ANd why this Vault and Tomb alike we must Put off Distinction and put on our Dust Nor can the stateliest fabrick help to save From the corruptions of a common Grave Nor for the Resurrection more prepare Than if the Dust were scatter'd into air What then Th' ambition 's just say some that we May thus perpetuate our Memory Ah false vain task of Art ah poor weak Man Whose Monument does more than 's Merit can Who by his Friends best care and love 's abus'd And in his very Epitaph accus'd For did they not suspect his Name would fall There would not need an Epitaph at all But after death too I would be alive And shall if my Lucasia do survive I quit these pomps of Death and am content Having her heart to be my Monument Though ne're Stone to me 't will Stone for me prove By the peculiar miracles of Love There I 'le Inscription have which no Tomb gives Not Here Orinda lies but Here she lives Friendship in Embleme or the Seal To my dearest Lucasia 1. THe Hearts thus intermixed speak A Love that no bold shock can break For joyn'd and growing both in one Neither can be disturb'd alone 2. That means a mutual Knowledge too For what is' t either heart can do Which by its panting Centinel It does not to the other tell 3. That Friendship Hearts so much refines It nothing but it self designs The hearts are free from lower ends For each point to the other tends 4. They flame 't is true and several wayes But still those Flames do so much raise That while to either they incline They yet are noble and divine 5. From smoke or hurt those Flames are free From grossness or mortality The Heart like Moses Bush presumed Warm'd and enlightned not consumed 6. The Compasses that stand above Express this great immortal Love For Friends like them can prove this true They are and yet they are not two 7. And in their posture is exprest Friendship 's exalted Interest Each follows where the other leans And what each does this other means 8. And as when one foot does stand fast And t'other circles seeks to cast The steddy part does regulate And make the wandrer's motion straight 9. So Friends are only two in this T'reclaim each other when they miss For whosoe're will grosly fall Can never be a Friend at all 10. And as that useful Instrument For Even lines was ever meant So Friendship from good Angels springs To teach the world Heroick things 11. As these are found out in design To rule and measure every Line So Friendship governs actions best Prescribing unto all the rest 12. And as in Nature nothing's set So just as Lines in number met So Compasses for these b'ing made Do Friendship 's harmony perswade 13. And like to them so Friends may own Extension not Division Their Points like Bodies separate But Head like Souls knows no such fate 14. And as each part so well is knit That their Embraces ever fit So Friends are such by destiny And no third can the place supply 15. There needs no Motto to the Seal But that we may the mind reveal To the dull Eye it was thought fit That Friendship only should be writ 16. But as there are Degrees of bliss So there 's no Friendship meant by this But such as will transmit to Fame Lucasia and Orinda's name In Memory of F. P. who died at Acton the 24. May 1660. at 12. and ½ of Age. IF I could ever write a lasting Verse It should be laid dear Saint upon thy Herse But Sorrow is no Muse and does confess That it least can what it would most express Yet that I may some bounds to grief allow I 'le try if I can weep in Numbers now Ah beauteous Blossom too untimely dead Whither ah whither is thy sweetness fled Where are the charms that alwaies did arise From the prevailing language of thy Eyes Where is thy beauteous and lovely meen And all the wonders that in thee were seen Alas in vain in vain on thee I rave There is no pity in the stupid Grave But so the Bankrupt sitting on the brim Of those fierce billows which had ruin'd him Begs for his lost Estate and does complain To the inexorable Flouds in vain As well we may enquire when Roses die To what retirement their sweet Odours flie Whither their Virtues and their Blushes haste When the short triumph of their life is past Or call their perishing Beauties back with tears As adde one moment to thy finish'd years No thou art gone and thy presaging Mind So thriftily thy early hours design'd That hasty Death was baffled in his Pride Since nothing of thee but thy Body dy'd Thy Soul was up betimes and so concern'd To grasp all Excellence that could be learn'd That finding nothing fill her thirsting here To the Spring-head she went to quench it there And so prepar'd that being freed from sin She quickly might become a Cherubin Thou wert all Soul and through thy Eyes it shin'd Asham'd and angry to be so confin'd It long'd to be uncag'd and thither flown Where it might know as clearly as 't was known In these vast hopes we might thy change have found But that Heav'n blinds whom it decrees to wound For Parts so soon at so sublime a pitch A Judgment so mature Fancy so rich Never appear unto unthankful Men But as a Vision to be hid again So glorious Scenes in Masques Spectators view With the short pleasure of an hour or two But that once past the Ornaments are gone The Lights extinguish'd and the Curtains drawn Yet all these Gifts were thy less noble part Nor was thy Head so worthy as thy Heart Where the Divine Impression shin'd so clear As snatch'd thee hence and yet endear'd thee here For what in thee did most command our love Was both the cause and sign of thy remove Such fools are we so fatally we choose That what we most would keep we soonest loose The humble greatness of thy Pious thought Sweetness unforc'd and Bashfulness untaught The native Candour of thine open breast And all the
time or company 2. What thou hast got by this Exchange Thou wilt perceive when the Revenge Shall by those treacheries be made For which our Faith thou hast betray'd 3. When thy Idolaters shall be True to themselves and false to thee Thou 'lt see that in Heart-merchandise Value not Number makes the price 4. Live to that day my Innocence Shall be my Friendship 's just defence For this is all the World can find While thou wert noble I was kind 5. The desp'rate game that thou dost play At private Ruines cannot stay The horrid treachery of that Face Will sure undo its native place 6. Then let the Frenchmen never fear The victory while thou art there For if Sins will call Judgments down Thou hast enough to stock the Town To my Excellent Lucasia on our Friendship I Did not live until this time Crown'd my felicity When I could say without a crime I am not thine but Thee This Carcass breath'd and walkt and slept So that the World believ'd There was a Soul the Motions kept But they were all deceiv'd For as a Watch by art is wound To motion such was mine But never had Orinda found A Soul till she found thine Which now inspires cures and supplies And guides my darkned Breast For thou art all that I can prize My Joy my Life my Rest No Bridegrooms nor Crown-conquerors mirth To mine compar'd can be They have but pieces of this Earth I 've all the World in thee Then let our Flames still light and shine And no false fear controul As innocent as our Design Immortal as our Soul Rosania 's private Marriage IT was a wise and kind design of Fate That none should this day's glory celebrate For 't were in vain to keep a time which is Above the reach of all Solemnities The greatest Actions pass without a noise And Tumults but prophane diviner Joys Silence with things transcendent nearest suits The greatest Emperours are serv'd by Mutes And as in ancient time the Deities To their own Priests reveal'd no Mysteries Until they were from all the World retir'd And in some Cave made fit to be inspir'd So when Rosania who hath them out-vied And with more Justice might be Deified Who if she had their Rites and Altars we Should hardly think it were Idolatry Had found a breast that did deserve to be Receptacle of her Divinity It was not fit the gazing World should know When she convey'd her self to him or how An Eagle safely may behold the Sun When weak Eyes are with too much Light undone Now as in Oracles were understood Not the Priest's only but the common good So her great Soul would not imparted be But in design of general Charity She now is more diffusive than before And what men then admir'd they now adore For this Exchange makes not her Power less But only fitter for the World's Address May then that Mind which if we will admit The Universe one Soul must sure be it Inform this All which till she shin'd out lay As drowsie men do in a cloudy day And Honour Vertue Reason so dispence That all may owe them to her influence And while this Age is thus imploy'd may she Scatter new Blessings for Posterity I dare not any other wish prefer For only her bestowing adds to her And to a Soul so in her self complete As would be wrong'd by any Epithete Whose splendour's fix'd unto her chosen Sphere And fill'd with Love and Satisfaction there What can increase the Triumph but to see The World her Convert and her History Injuria Amicitiae LOvely Apostate what was my offence Or am I punish'd for Obedience Must thy strange Rigour find as strange a time The Act and Season are an equal Crime Of what thy most ingenious scorns could do Must I be Subject and Spectator too Or were the Sufferings and Sins too few To be sustain'd by me perform'd by you Unless with Nero your uncurb'd desire Be to survey the Rome you set on fire While wounded for and by your Power I At once your Martyr and your Prospect die This is my doom and such a ridling Fate As all impossibles doth complicate For Obligation here is Injury Constancy Crime Friendship a Heresie And you appear so much on Ruine bent Your own destruction gives you now Content For our twin-Spirits did so long agree You must undo your self to ruine me And like some Frantick Goddess you 're inclin'd To raze the Temple where you are enshrin'd And what 's the Miracle of Cruelty Kill that which gave you Immortality While glorious Friendship whence your Honour springs Lies gasping in the Crowd of common things And I 'm so odious that for being kind Doubled and studied Murthers are design'd Thy sin 's all Paradox for should'st thou be Thy self again th' wouldst be severe to me For thy Repentance coming now so late Would only change and not relieve my Fate So dangerous is the consequence of ill Thy least of Crimes is to be cruel still For of thy Smiles I should yet more complain If I should live to be betray'd again Live then fair Tyrant in Security From both my Kindness and Revenge be free While I who to the Swains had sung thy Fame And taught each Echo to repeat thy Name Will now my private Sorrow entertain To Rocks and Rivers not to thee complain And though before our Union cherish'd me 'T is now my pleasure that we disagree For from my Passion your last Rigour grew And you kill'd me because I worshipp'd you But my worst Vows shall be your Happiness And not to be disturb'd by my distress And though it would my sacred flames pollute To make my heart a scorned prostitute Yet I 'le adore the Author of my Death And kiss the Hand that robs me of my breath To Regina Collier on her cruelty to Philaster TRiumphant Queen of scorn how ill doth sit In all that Sweetness such injurious Wit Unjust and Cruel what can be your prize To make one heart a double Sacrifice Where such ingenious Rigour you do shew To break his Heart you break his Image too And by a Tyranny that 's strange and new You murther him because he worships you No pride can raise you or can make him start Since Love and Honour do enrich his heart Be Wise and Good lest when Fate will be just She should o'rethrow those glories in the dust Rifle your Beauties and you thus forlorn Make a cheap Victim to another's scorn And in those Fetters which you do upbraid Your self a wretched Captive may be made Redeem the poyson'd Age let it be seen There 's no such freedom as to serve a Queen But you I see are lately Round-head grown And whom you vanquish you insult upon To Philaster on his Melancholy for Regina GIve over now thy tears thou vain And double Murtherer For every minute of thy pain Wounds both thy self and her Then leave this dulness for 't is our belief Thy Queen
in all his volumes he Begins the business of Eternity And unconcern'd without retains a power To such like Bees a sweet from ev'ry flower And as the Manna of the Israelites Had several tastes to please all Appetites So his Contentment is that catholick food That makes all states seem fit as well as good He dares not wish nor his own fate propound But if God sends reads Love in every wound And would not lose for all the joys of Sense The glorious pleasures of Obedience His better part can neither change nor lose And all God's will can bear can do can chuse Death 1. HOw weak a Star doth rule Mankind Which owes its ruine to the same Causes which Nature had design'd To cherish and preserve the frame 2. As Commonwealths may be secure And no remote Invasion dread Yet may a sadder fall endure From Traitors in their bosom bred 3. So while we feel no violence And on our active Health do trust A secret hand doth snatch us hence And tumbles us into the dust 4. Yet carelesly we run our race As if we could Death's summons wave And think not on the narrow space Between a Table and a Grave 5. But since we cannot Death reprieve Our Souls and Fame we ought to mind For they our Bodies will survive That goes beyond this stays behind 6. If I be sure my Soul is safe And that my Actions will provide My Tomb a nobler Epitaph Then that I onely liv'd and dy'd 7. So that in various accidents I Conscience may and Honour keep I with that ease and innocence Shall die as Infants go to sleep To the Queen's Majesty on her late Sickness and Recovery THe publick Gladness that 's to us restor'd For your escape from what we so deplor'd Will want as well resemblance as belief Unless our Joy be measur'd by our Grief When in your Fever we with terrour saw At once our Hopes and Happiness withdraw And every crisis did with jealous fear Enquire the News we scarce durst stay to hear Some dying Princes have their Servants slain That after death they might not want a Train Such cruelty were here a needless sin For had our fatal Fears prophetick been Sorrow alone that service would have done And you by Nations had been waited on Your danger was in ev'ry visage seen And onely yours was quiet and serene But all our zealous Grief had been in vain Had not Great Charles's call'd you back again Who did your suff'rings with such pain discern He lost three Kingdoms once with less concern Lab'ring your safety he neglected his Nor fear'd he Death many shape but this His Genius did the bold Distemper tame And his rich Tears quench'd the rebellious Flame At once the Thracian Hero lov'd and griev'd Till he his lost Felicity retriev'd And with the moving accents of his wo His Spouse recover'd from the shades below So the King's grief your threatned loss withstood Who mourn'd with the same fortune that he woo'd And to his happy Passion we have been Now twice oblig'd for so ador'd a Queen But how severe a Choice had you to make When you must Heav'n delay or Him forsake Yet since those joys you made such haste to find Had scarce been full if he were left behind How well did Fate decide your inward strife By making him a Present of your Life Which rescu'd Blessing he must long enjoy Since our Offences could it not destroy For none but Death durst rival him in you And Death himself was baffled in it too Vpon Mr. Abraham Cowley 's Retirement ODE 1. NO no unfaithful World thou hast Too long my easie Heart betray'd And me too long thy Foot-ball made But I am wiser grown at last And will improve by all that I have past I know 't was just I should be practis'd on For I was told before And told in sober and instructive lore How little all that trusted thee have won And yet I would make haste to be undone Now by my suff'ring I am better taught And shall no more commit that stupid fault Go get some other Fool Whom thou mayst next cajole On me thy frowns thou dost in vain bestow For I know how To be as coy and as reserv'd as thou 2. In my remote and humble seat Now I 'm again possest Of that late fugitive my Breast From all thy tumults and from all thy heat I 'le find a quiet and a cool retreat And on the Fetters I have worn Look with experienc'd and revengeful scorn In this my sov'raign Privacy 'T is true I cannot govern thee But yet my self I may subdue And that 's the nobler Empire of the two If ev'ry Passion had got leave Its satisfaction to receive Yet I would it a higher pleasure call To conquer one then to indulge them all 3. For thy inconstant Sea no more I 'le leave that safe and solid Shore No though to prosper in the cheat Thou shouldst my Destiny defeat And make me be Belov'd or Rich or Great Nor from my self shouldst me reclaim With all the noise and all the pomp of Fame Judiciously I 'le these despise Too small the Bargain and too great the Price For them to cozen twice At length this secret I have learn'd Who will be happy must be unconcern'd Must all their Comfort in their Bosom wear And seek their treasure and their power there 4. No other Wealth will I aspire But that of Nature to admire Nor envy on a Laurel will bestow Whil'st I have any in my Garden grow And when I would be Great 'T is but ascending to a Seat Which Nature in a lofty Rock hath built A Throne as free from trouble as from guilt Where when my Soul her wings does raise Above what Worldlings fear or praise With innocent and quiet pride I 'le sit And see the humble waves pay tribute to my feet O Life Divine when free from joys diseas'd Not always merry but 't is always pleas'd 5. A Heart which is too great a thing To be a Present for a Persian King Which God himself would have to be his Court Where Angels would officiously resort From its own height should much decline If this Converse it should resign Ill-natur'd World for thine Thy unwise rigour hath thy Empire lost It hath not onely set me free But it hath made me see They onely can of thy possession boast Who do enjoy thee least and understand thee most For lo the Man whom all Mankind admir'd By ev'ry Grace adorn'd and ev'ry Muse inspir'd Is now triumphantly retir'd The mighty Cowley this hath done And over thee a Parthian Conquest won Which future Ages shall adore And which in this subdues thee more Then either Greek or Roman ever could before The Irish Grey-hound BEhold this Creature 's Form and state Which Nature therefore did create That to the World might be exprest What meen there can be in a Beast And that we in this shape may find A Lion of another
Since 't would my thanks but not the praise pursue 3. To praise your Art is then it self more hard Nor would it the Endeavour much regard Since it and Vertue are their own reward 4. A Pencil from an Angel newly caught And Colours in the Morning's bosom sought Would make no Picture if by you not wrought 5. But done by you it does no more admit Of an Encomium from the highest Wit Then that another hand should equal it 6. Yet whilst you with creating power vye Command the very spirit of the Eye And then reward it with Eternity 7. Whilst your each touch does Life and Air convey Fetch the Soul out like overcoming Day And I my friend repeated here Survey 8. I by a Passive way may do you right Wearing in that what none could ere endite Your Panegyrick and my own delight Parting with a Friend 1. WHoever thinks that Joyes below Can lasting be and great Let him behold this parting blow And cure his own deceit 2. Alas how soon are pleasures done Where Fortune has a Power How like to the declining Sun Or to the Withered Flower 3. A thousand unconcerned Eyes She 'l suffer us to see But of those we chiefly prize We must deprived be 4. But we may conquer if we will The wanton Tyrant teach That we have something left us still Which grows not in her reach 5. That unseen string which fastens Hearts Nor time nor chance e're ty'd Nor can it be in either's Arts Their unions to divide 6. Where sympathy does Love convey It braves all other Powers Lucasia and Rosania say Has it not formed ours 7. If forty Weeks converse has not Been able yet to tye Your Souls in that Mysterious Knot How Wretched then am I. 8. But if I read in eithers Mind As sure I hope I do That each to other is combin'd Absence will make it true 9. No accident will e're surprise Or make your kindness start Although you lose each others Eyes You 'l faster keep the Heart 10. Letters as kind as Turtle-Doves And undisguis'd as thought Will entertain those fervent Loves Which have each other bought 11. Till Fortune vexed with the sight Of Faith so free from stain Shall then grow weary of her spight And let you meet again 12. Wherein may you that Rapture find That sister Cherâ—ls have When I am in my Rocks confin'd Or seal'd up in my Grave To my dearest Friend upon her shunning Grandeur SHine out rich Soul to greatness be What it can never be to thee An ornament thou canst restore The lustre which it had before These ruines own it and 't will live Thy favour 's more than Kings can give Hast more above all titles then The bearers are above common men And so heroick art within Thou must descend to be a Queen Yet honour may convenient prove By giving thy Soul room to move Affording scene unto that mind Which is too great to be confin'd Wert thou with single vertue stor'd To be approv'd but not ador'd Thou mightst retire but who e're meant A Palace for a Tenement Heaven has so built thee that we find Thee buried when thou art confin'd If thou in privacy would'st live Yet lustre to thy vertues give To stifle them for want of air Injurious is to Heavens care If thou wilt be immur'd where Shall thy obliging soul appear Where shall thy generous prudence be And where thy magnanimity Nay thy own Darling thou dost hide Thy self-denial is deny'd For he that never greatness tries Can never safely it despife That Antoninus writ well when He held a Scepter and Pen Less credit Solomon does bring As a Philosopher than King So much advantage flows from hence To write by our Experience Diogenes I must suspect Of envy more than wise neglect When he his Prince so ill did treat And so much spurned at the great A censure is not clear from those Whom Fate subjects or does depose Nor can we greatness understand From an opprest or fallen hand But 't is some Prince must that define Or one that freely did resign A great Almanzor teaches thus Or else a Dionysius For to know Grandeur we must live In that and not in perspective Vouchsafe the tryal then that thou May'st safely wield yet disallow The World's temptations and be still Above whatever would thee fill Convince mankind there 's somewhat more Great than the titles they adore Stand neer them and 't will soon be known Thou hast more splendour of thy own Yield to the wanting Age and be Channel of true Nobility For from thy Womb such Heros need must rise Who Honours will deserve and can despise To Pastora being with her Friend 1. WHile you the double joy obtain Of what you give and what you gain Friendship who owes you so much Fame Commands my Tribute to your Name 2. Friendship that was almost forlorn Sunk under every Critick's scorn But that your genius her protects Had fled the World at least the Sex 3. You have restored them and us Whence both are happy Caesar thus Ow'd Rome the glories of his Reign And Rome ow'd him as much again 4. You in your friend those Joys have found Which all Relations can propound What Nature does 'mong them disperse You multiply in her Converse 5. You her Enjoyment have pursu'd In Company and Solitude And wheresoever she 'l retire There 's the Diversion you desire 6. Your Joys by this are more immense And heat contracted grows intense And friendship to be such to you Will make these Pleasures Honours too 7. Be to each other that Content As to your Sex y' are Ornament And may your hearts by mixture lost Be still each others Bliss and Boast 8. Impossible your Parting be As that you e're should disagree And then even Death your friend will prove And both at once though late remove 9. But that you may severely live You must th' offending World forgive And to employ your Charity You have an Object now in me 10. My Pen so much for you unfit Presents my Heart though not my Wit Which Heart admires what you express More than what Monarchs do possess 11. Fear not infection from my Fate Though I must be unfortunate For having paid my Vows due I Shall soon withdraw wither and die To my Lord and Lady Dungannon on their Marriage 11. May 1662. TO you who in your selves do comprehend All you can wish and all we can commend Whom worth does guide and destiny obey What Offerings can the useless Muses pay Each must at once suspend her charming Lyre Till she hath learnt from you what to inspire Well may they wonder to observe a Knot So curiously by Love and Fortune wrought To which propitious Heaven did decree All things on earth should tributary be By gentle sure but unperceiv'd degrees As the Sun's motion or the growth of Trees Does Providence our wills to hers incline And makes all accidents serve her design Her Pencil Sir within your
quickly bring her back Achillas then the great Head did expose Which still to speak it self seem'd to dispose At this new injury some warm remain Did in imperfect groans seem to complain I thought his open mouth and ghastly look Recall'd the Soul which scarce her leave had took And his last anger seem'd with dying breath To charge the gods with his Defeat and Death Caesar seem'd Thunder-stricken at this view As not resolv'd what to believe or do Immoveably on that sad Object ty'd He long from us his inward thought did hide And I would say if I durst make a guess By what our Nature uses to express Some such malignant pleasure he enjoy'd As his offended honour scarce destroy'd That the whole World now in his power lies Could not but bring some flattering surprize But though a while this conflict he endur'd Yet his great Soul it self soon re-assur'd Though he loves Power yet he Treason hates Himself he judges on himself debates Each joy and grief at Reason's Bar appears At length resolv'd he first let fall some Tears His Virtues Empire he by force regains And noblest thoughts by that weak sign explains The horrid present from his sight expell'd His Eyes and Hands he up to Heaven held In a few words their insolence repress'd And after did in pensive silence rest Nor even to his Romans could reply But with a heavy sigh and furious eye At last with thirty Cohorts come to Land To seiz the Gates and Ports he does command The Guards he set and secret Orders sent Shew his distrust as well as discontent Egypt he speaks of as a Province won And now calls Pompey not a Foe but Son This I observ'd CHARMION By which the Queen may find The just Osiris to her Vows inclin'd Whilst with this happy News to her I flye Do you preserve her your Fidelity ACHOREUS Ne're doubt it but here Caesar comes go then Describe the Consternation of our Men And whatsoever proves to be their Fate I 'le first observe and then to her relate SCEN. II. Caesar Ptolomy Lepidus Photinus Achoreus Roman and Egyptian Souldiers PTOLOMY Great Sir ascend the Throne and govern Us. CAESAR Do you know Caesar and speak to him thus What worse could envious Fortune offer me Who alike hate a Crown and Infamy This to accept would all my boast confute That Rome did me unjustly persecute Rome who both scorns gives Crowns every where And nothing sees in Kings to love or fear Nay at our Birth does all our Souls enflame To slight the Rank and to abhor the Name This truth you might have learn'd from Pompey who If he such Offers lik'd could shun them too Both Throne and King had honour'd been t' afford Service to him who had them both restor'd So glorious had been even ill success In such a Cause that Triumphs had been less And if your Fortune safety had deny'd To have bestow'd it had been Caesar's pride But though you would not own so brave a strife What right had you to that illustrious Life Who that rich blood to wash your hands allow'd That to the meanest Roman should have bow'd Was it for you Pharsalia's Field I won Wherein so many Nations were undone And did I purchase at so high a rate That you should be the Arbiters of Fate If I in Pompey that could ne're admit Shall you escape o're him assuming it How much is my success abus'd by you Who attempt more than ever I durst do What Name think you will such a blow become Which has usurp'd the Soveraignty of Rome And in one Person did affront her more Than could the Asian Massacre before Do you imagine I shall e're agree You would have been more scrupulous for me No had you Pompey here Victorious seen My Head to him had such a Present been I to my Conquest your Submissions owe When all wrongs had pursu'd my Overthrow You do adore the Conqueror not me I but enjoy it by Felicity Dangerous Friendship Kindness to be fear'd Which turns with Fortune and by her is steer'd But speak this silence does encrease your sin PTOLOMY Never hath my Confusion greater been And I believe Sir you 'l allow it me Since I a King born now a Master see Where at my frown each man did trembling stand And every word of mine was a Command I see a new Court and another sway And I have nothing left but to obey Your very look abates my spirits force And can it be regain'd by your Discourse Judge how I can from such a Trouble cease Which my Respects create and Fears encrease And what can an astonisht Prince express Who anger sees in that Majestick Dress And whose Amazements do his Soul subdue That Pompey's Death should be reveng'd by You. Yet I must say whatever he bestow'd We owe you more then ever him we ow'd Your Favour was the first to us exprest And all he did was done at your Request He did the Senate move for injur'd Kings And them that Prayer to our Assistance brings But all that He for Egypt could obtain Without your Mony Sir had been in vain By that his Rebels our late King subdu'd And you have Right to all our Gratitude We Pompey as your Friend and Son rever'd But when he your Competitour appear'd When of your Fortune he suspicious grew Tyranny sought and dar'd to fight with you CAESAR Forbear your hatreds Thirst his Blood supplies Touch not his Glory let his Life suffice Say nothing here that Rome still dares deny But plead your Cause without a Calumny PTOLOMY Then let the Gods be Judges of his Thought I only say that in the Wars last fought To which so many Wrongs did you perswade Our Vows for your success were only made And since he ever sought your Blood to spill I thought his Death a necessary Ill. For as his groundless Hatred daily grew He would by all ways the Dispute renew Or if at length he fell into your Hand We fear'd your Mercy would your Right withstand For to that Pitch your sense of Honour flies As would to Fame your Safety sacrifice Which made me Judge in so extream an Ill We ought to serve you Sir against your will My forward Zeal th' occasion did embrace Without your leave and to my own disgrace And this you as a Crime in me disclaim But nothing done for you deserves that Name I stain'd my Hands your Danger to remove Which Act you may enjoy and disapprove Nay by my Guilt my Merit higher grows Since I my Glory gave for your Repose And by that greatest Victim have procur'd Your Glory and your Power to be assur'd CAESAR You employ Ptolomy such Crafty Words And weak Excuses as your Cause affords Your Zeal was false if 't were afraid to see What all Mankind beg'd of the Gods should be And did to you such subtleties Convey As stole the Fruit of all my Wars away Where Honour me engag'd and where the end Was of
a Foe subdu'd to make a Friend Where the worst Enemies that I have met When they are conquer'd I as Brothers treat And my Ambition only this Design'd To Kill their Hate and force them to be kind How blest a Period of the War't had been If the glad World had in one Chariot seen Pompey and Caesar at once to have sate Triumphant over all their former Hate These were the Dangers you fear'd should befal O fear Ridiculous and Criminal You fear'd my Mercy but that trouble quit And wish it rather you have need of it For I am sure strict Justice would consent I should appease Rome with your punishment Not your Respects nor your Repentance now No nor your Rank preserves you from that Blow Ev'n on your Throne I would revenge your Guilt But Cleopatra's Blood must not be spilt Wherefore your Flatterers only I condemn And must expect you 'l do me Right on them For what in this I shall observe you do Must be the Rule of my Esteem for you To the great Pompey Altars now erect And to him pay as to the Gods Respect By Sacrifices your Offence expel But have a Care you chuse your Victims well Go then and whilst you do for this prepare I must stay here about another Care SCEN. III. Caesar Antonius Lepidus CAESAR Antonius have you this bright Princess seen ANTONIUS Yes Sir I have and shee 's a matchless Queen With such proportion Heaven never yet All Beauties both of Mind and Body knit So sweet a Greatness in her Face does shine The Noblest Courage must to it resign Her Looks and Language with such ease subdue If I were Caesar I should love her too CAESAR How was the Offer of my Love receiv'd ANTONIUS As doubted and yet inwardly believ'd She modestly declin'd her highest aims And thinks she merits what she most disclaims CAESAR But can I hope her love ANTONIUS Can she have yours As that your Joys so this her Crown secures To gain that Heart can you believe it hard Whose kindness you with Empire can reward Then let your Passion all its Doubts disband For what can Pompey's Conquerour withstand But yet her Fear to her remembrance brings How little Rome hath ever valu'd Kings And more then that she dreads Calphurnia's Love But both these Rubs your presence will remove And your successful Hope all Mists will break If you vouchsafe but for your Self to speak CAESAR Let 's go then and these needless scruples quit Shewing my Heart to Her that wounded it Come let us stay no longer ANTONIUS But first know Cornelia is within your Power now Septimius brings her boasting of his Fault And thinks by that he hath your Favour bought But once ashore your Guards by Orders taught No notice took but hither both have brought CAESAR Then let her enter Ah unwelcome News Which my Impatience does so roughly use O Heaven and am I not allow'd to pay My Love this small remainder of one day SCEN. IV. Caesar Cornelia Antonius Lepidus Septimius SEPTIMIUS Sir CAESAR Go Septimius for your Master look Caesar a Traytors presence cannot brook A Roman who to serve a King could be Content when he had Pompey serv'd and me Exit Septimius CORNELIA Caesar that envious Fate which I can brave Makes me thy Prisoner but not thy Slave Expect not then my Heart should ere afford To pay thee Homage or to call thee Lord How rude soever Fortune makes her blow I Crassus Widow once and Pompey's now Great Scipio's Daughter and what 's higher yet A Roman have a Courage still more great And of all strokes her cruelty can give Nothing can make me blush but that I live And have not follow'd Pompey when he dy'd For though the means to do it were deny'd And cruel Pity would not let me have The quick assistance of a Steel or Wave Yet I 'm asham'd that after such a woe Grief had not done as much as they could do Death had been glorious and had set me free As from my Sorrow then so now from thee Yet I must thank the gods though so severe That since I must come hither thou art here That Caesar reigns here and not Ptolomy And yet O Heaven what Stars do govern me That some faint kind of satisfaction 't is To meet here with my greatest Enemies And into their hands that I rather fall Than into his that ow'd my Husband all But of thy Conquest Caesar make no boast Which to my single Destiny thou ow'st I both my Husbands Fortunes have defac'd And twice have caus'd th' whole World to be disgrac'd My Nuptial Knot twice ominously ty'd Banish'd the Gods from the uprighter side Happy in misery I had been if it For Romes advantage had with thee been knit And on thy House that I could so dispense All my own Stars malignant influence For never think my hatred can grow less Since I the Roman Constancy profess And though thy Captive yet a heart like mine Can never stoop to hope for ought from thine Command but think not to subject my will Remember this I am Cornelia still CAESAR O Worthy Widow of a Man so brave Whose Courage Wonder Fate does pity crave Your generous Thoughts do quickly make us know To whom your Birth to whom your Love you owe And we may find by your hearts glorious frame Both to and from what Families you came Young Crassus Soul and noble Pompey's too Whose Vertues Fortune cheated of their due The Scipio's Blood who sav'd our Deities Speak in your Tongue and sparkle in your Eyes And Rome her self hath not an ancient Stem Whose Wife or Daughter hath more honour'd them Would to those Gods your Ancestors once sav'd When Hannibal them at their Altars brav'd That your dear Hero had declin'd this Port And better known a false Barbarians Court And had not his uncertain Honour try'd But rather on our ancient love rely'd That he had suffered my successful Arms Only to vanquish his unjust Allarms Then he without distrusting me had stay'd Till he had heard what Caesar could have said And I in spight of all our former strife Would then have beg'd him to accept of life Forget my Conquest and that Rival love Who fought but that I might his Equal prove Then I with a content entirely great Had pray'd the gods to pardon his Defeat And giving me his Friendship to possess He had pray'd Rome to pardon my success But since Fate so ambitious to destroy Hath rob'd the World and Us of so much Joy Caesar must strive t'acquit himself to you Of what was your illustrious Husbands due Enjoy your self then with all freedom here Only two days my Prisoner appear And witness be how after our debate I shall revere his Name revenge his Fate You this account to Italy may yield What Pride I borrow from Thessalia's Field I leave you to your self and shall retire Lepidus furnish her to her desire As Roman Ladies have respected been So honour her