 | Poems on Several Occasions |  |
A Valediction.
I go, I go, Perfidious Maid,
Obeying thee, my froward Fate,
Whether forsaken or betray'd,
By Scorn, or Hate.
Obeying thee, my froward Fate,
Whether forsaken or betray'd,
By Scorn, or Hate.
I go, th' exact'st Professour of
Desire, in its Diviner sence,
That ever in the School of Love
Did yet commence.
Desire, in its Diviner sence,
That ever in the School of Love
Did yet commence.
421
Cruel, and False, could'st thou find none
Amongst those Fools thy Eyes engrost,
But me to practise Falshood on,
That lov'd thee most.
Amongst those Fools thy Eyes engrost,
But me to practise Falshood on,
That lov'd thee most.
I lov'd thee 'bove the Day's bright Eye,
Above mine own; who melting drop,
As oft, as opening they miss thee,
And 'bove my hope;
Above mine own; who melting drop,
As oft, as opening they miss thee,
And 'bove my hope;
Till (by thy promise grown secure)
That hope was to assurance brought,
My Faith was such, so chastly pure,
I doubted not
That hope was to assurance brought,
My Faith was such, so chastly pure,
I doubted not
Thee, or thy Vows, nor should I yet
(Such, False one, is my Loves extream)
Should'st thou now swear, the Breath's so sweet
That utters them.
(Such, False one, is my Loves extream)
Should'st thou now swear, the Breath's so sweet
That utters them.
Ah, Syren! why did'st t'me entice,
To that unconstant Sea, thy love
That ebbs and flows so in a trice?
Was it to prove
To that unconstant Sea, thy love
That ebbs and flows so in a trice?
Was it to prove
422
The power of each attractive spell
Upon my fond enamour'd Youth?
No: I must think of thee so well
Thou then spak'st truth.
Upon my fond enamour'd Youth?
No: I must think of thee so well
Thou then spak'st truth.
Else amongst overweening Boyes,
Or Dotards, thou had'st chosen one
Than me, methinks a fitter choice
To work upon.
Or Dotards, thou had'st chosen one
Than me, methinks a fitter choice
To work upon.
Mine was no wither'd Old man's suit;
Nor, like a Boys just come from School,
Had'st thou been either deaf, or mute,
I'de been no Fool.
Nor, like a Boys just come from School,
Had'st thou been either deaf, or mute,
I'de been no Fool.
Faith! I was then, when I embrac't
A false belief thy Vows were true,
Or, if they were, that they could last
A day, or two.
A false belief thy Vows were true,
Or, if they were, that they could last
A day, or two.
Since I'de been told a Womans mind
Varies as oft, as April's Face:
But I suppos'd thine more refin'd,
And so it was,
Varies as oft, as April's Face:
But I suppos'd thine more refin'd,
And so it was,
423
Till (sway'd by thy unruly Blood)
Thou changed'st thy uncertain will,
And 'tis far worse to have been good,
Than to be ill.
Thou changed'st thy uncertain will,
And 'tis far worse to have been good,
Than to be ill.
Methinks thou'rt blemisht in each part,
And so, or worse than others are,
Those eyes grown hollow as thy heart,
Which two Suns were.
And so, or worse than others are,
Those eyes grown hollow as thy heart,
Which two Suns were.
Thy Cheeks are sunk, and thy smooth Skin
Looks like a Conquest now of Time,
Sure th' had'st an Age to study in
For such a Crime.
Looks like a Conquest now of Time,
Sure th' had'st an Age to study in
For such a Crime.
Th' art so transform'd; that I in thee,
(As 'tis a general loss) more grieve
Thy falling from thy self, than me
Fool to believe!
(As 'tis a general loss) more grieve
Thy falling from thy self, than me
Fool to believe!
For I by this am taught to prize
The inward beauties of the Breast,
Bove all the gayeties of the Eyes
Where Treasons rest.
The inward beauties of the Breast,
Bove all the gayeties of the Eyes
Where Treasons rest.
424
Whereas, grown black with this abuse
Offer'd to Love's commanding Throne,
Thou may'st despair of an excuse,
And wish't undone.
Offer'd to Love's commanding Throne,
Thou may'st despair of an excuse,
And wish't undone.
Farewel thou pretty brittle piece
Of fine-cut Crystal, which once was
Of all my Fortune, and my Bliss
The only Glass,
Of fine-cut Crystal, which once was
Of all my Fortune, and my Bliss
The only Glass,
Now something else: But in its state
Of former lustre, fresh and green
My Faith shall stand, to shew thee what
Thou should'st have been.
Of former lustre, fresh and green
My Faith shall stand, to shew thee what
Thou should'st have been.
| Poems on Several Occasions | |