University of Virginia Library

1. Of my falling in Love.

Having resolv'd in Numbers great and high
To sing our Brutus Flight from Italie;
How in this Island he arriv'd, and fought
Till he it under his Subjection brought;
Here reign'd some years in peace, & when he di'de
To his three Sons did all the whole divide:
And being prepar'd to write, a sudden noise
Of a Coach did occasion me to rise,
Conjecturing whom it might be that did come,
Till a new day approch'd our Dining-room.
She was no sooner entred in the Place,
With her fair hand dispers'd Night from her face
By taking off her mask, and with a free
Well-pleasing Garbe look'd on the Companie,
(My eies being all the while fix'd on her face,
Astonish'd at her beauty, and her grace)
But I both sigh'd and trembled; For I saw
The winged Boy did follow her in awe,
And was become her Champion, to subject
All mankind at her feet that dare reflect
Rash looks on her. Alas! had I espide
The fatal God, ere I her Beauties eyde,
The sight of his resistless bow had soon
(With down cast eies) made me to leave the room.
To him she turning scornfully, did finde
No shaft in's hand, I had it in my minde,
And said; Why Truant, do you suffer thus
A rash presumptuous youth to gaze on us?
He humbly gave this answer; Madam, you
May be appeas'd, he soon his fault will rue;
When he came hither first, he did intend
A mighty Epick Poem to have pen'd;
But now that resolution will despise,
And court your favours in soft Elegies:
Before he had withdrawn his eies he found
His yeilding heart assaulted with a wound.
This said, a pretty, and disdainful look
She cast upon me, and her leave then took
Of those she came to visit, leaving me
Possest with sad thoughts of my Miserie.
Away (Great Mars) sigh'd I, when she was gone,
And welcome (Gentle Venus) with thy Son;
The horrid wars that I did mean to write
(In stately numbers) of the Trojan Knight,
I must convert to softer Layes, and prove
All ways t'incline her noble heart to Love.