University of Virginia Library

Search this document 
Argalvs and Parthenia

Written by Fra: Quarles

collapse section 
  
  
collapse section 
 1. 
 2. 
 3. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Sir you haue done enough; and I require
No more; Your hands haue done, what I desire;

Parthenia last speech.


What I expect; and if against your will,
The better; So I wish your fauours still;
Yet one thing more, (if enemies may sue)
I craue, which is, To be vntoucht by you;
And as for Honour, all that I demand
Is not to purchase honour from your hand.
No, no; 'twas no such bargaine made; That he
Whose hands had kill'd my Argalus, should helpe me;
Your hands haue done enough; I craue no more;
And for the deed sake, I forgiue the Doer;
What then remaines? but that I goe to rest
With Argalus, and to be repossest
Of him; with him for euer to abide,
E're since whose death, I haue so often died.
And there she fainted (euen as if the Clock
Of death had giuen a warning, e're it struck)
But soone returning to her selfe againe;
Welcome sweet death, said she, whose minutes paine,
Shall crowne this soule with euerlasting pleasure;
Come, come, and welcome; I attend thy leasure:
Delay me not; O doe me not that wrong,
My Argalus will chide, I stay so long;
O now I feele the Gordian-knotted bands,
Of life vntied; O heauens! into your hands,
I recommend my better part with trust,

158

To finde you much more mercifull, then iust;
(Yet truly iust withall) O life, O death,
I call you both to witnesse, that this breath
Ne're drew a dram of comfort, since that houre
My Argalus dyed: O thou eternall power,
Shroud all my faults beneath the milkewhite veile
Of thy deare mercy; and when this tongue shall faile
To speake, O then: