University of Virginia Library


147

Madrigals, etc.


149

[_]

Poem i. (Clorus) in this section is repeated in the section of commendatory poems at the beginning of this document.


150

[ii] Son.

Aye me , and am I now the Man whose Muse
In happier Times was wont to laugh at Loue
And those who suffred that blind Boy abuse
The noble Gifts were giuen them from aboue?
What Metamorphose strange is this I proue?
My selfe now scarse I finde my selfe to be,
And thinkes no Fable Circes Tyrannie,
And all the Tales are told of changed Iove,
Vertue hath faire with her Philosophie
My Mind vnto a better Course to moue,
Reason may chide her full, and oft reproue
Affections Power, but what is that to me
Who euer thinkes, and neuer thinkes on Ought
But that bright Cherubine that thralles my Thought.

[iii] MAD.

Trees happier farre then I,
Which haue the Grace to heaue your Heads so hie,
And ouer-looke those Plaines:
Grow till your Branches kisse that lofty Skie
Which her (sweet Her) containes.
There make her know mine endlesse Loue, and Paines,
And how these Teares which from mine Eyes doe fall,
Helpt you to rise so Tall:
Her tell, as once I for her sake lou'd Breath,
So for her sake I now court lingring Death.

151

[iv] To Sleepe.

How comes it Sleepe, that thou
Euen kisses me affords
Of her (deare her) so farre who's absent now?
How did I heare those Words,
Which Rockes might moue, and moue the Pines to bow?
Aye mee before halfe Daye
Why didst thou steale away?
Returne, I thine for euer will remaine,
And onlie bring with thee that Guest againe.

[v] An Almanacke.

This strange Ecclipse one sayes
Strange Wonders doth fortell,
But yee whose Wyfes excell,
And loue to count their Praise,
Shut all your gates, your Hedges Plant with Thornes,
The Sunne menac'd the World this Time with Hornes.

152

[vi] A Chaine of Gold.

Are not those Lockes of Gold
Sufficient Chaines the wildest Harts to hold?
Is not that Yuorie Hand
A Diamantine Band,
Most sure to keepe the most vntamed Minde,
But yee must others finde?
O yes: why is that Golden One then borne
Thus free in Chaines (perhaps) Loues Chaines to scorne.

[vii] EPITAPH.

The Bawd of Iustice, he who Lawes controll'd,
And made them fawne, and frowne as he got gold,
That Proteus of our State, whose Hart and Mouth
Were farther distant than is North from South,
That Cormorant who made himselfe so grosse
On Peoples Ruine, and the Princes Losse,
Is gone to and though he here did euill,
He meanes below to prooue an honest Deuill.

153

[viii] A TRANSLATION.

[Fierce Robbers were of old]

Fierce Robbers were of old
Exild the Champian Ground,
From Hamlets chas'd, in Citties kill'd or bound,
And onely Woods, Caues, Mountaines, did them hold:
But now (when all is sold)
Woods, Mountaines, Caues, to good Men be refudge,
And doe the Guiltlesse lodge,
And cled in Purple Gownes
The greatest Theeues command within the Townes.

[ix]

[Come Citizens erect to Death an Alter]

Come Citizens erect to Death an Alter,
That sau'd to you Axe, Fuell, Timber, Halter.

[x] Proteus of Marble.

This is no worke of Stone,
Though breathlesse, cold it seeme and sense hath none,
But that false God which keepes
The monstruous people of the raging Deepes:
Now that he doth not change his Shape this while,
Is't not thus constant more you to beguile?

154

[xi] The Statue of VENVS sleeping.

Passenger vexe not thy Minde
To make mee mine Eyes vnfold,
For when thou them doest behold,
Thine perhaps they will make blinde.

[xii] LAVRA to PETRARCH.

I rather loue a Youth and childish Rime,
Then thee whose Verse and Head be wise through time.

[xiii] A Louers Prayer.

Neare to a Christall Spring,
With Thirst and Heat opprest,
Narcissa faire doth rest,
Trees pleasant Trees which those green plaines forth bring
Now interlace your trembling Tops aboue
And make a Canopie vnto my Loue,
So in Heauens highest House when Sunne appeares,
Aurora may you cherish with her Teares.

155

[xiv] For Dorvs.

Why Nais stand yee nice
Like to a well wrought Stone,
When Dorus would you kisse?
Denie him not that blisse,
He's but a Childe (old Men be Children twice)
And euen a Toothlesse one:
And when his Lips yours touch in that delight
Yee need not feare he will those Cherries bite.

[xv] Loue vagabonding.

Sweet Nymphes if as yee straye
Yee finde the froth-borne Goddesse of the Sea,
All blubbred, pale, vndone,
Who seekes her giddie Sone,
That litle God of Loue,
Whose golden shafts your chastest Bosomes proue:
Who leauing all the Heauens hath runne away:
If shee to him him findes will ought impart
Her tell he Nightlie lodgeth in my Heart.

156

[xvi] Phræne.

Aonian Sisters helpe my Phrenes Praise to tell,
Phrene hart of my hart with whom the Graces dwel,
For I surcharged am so sore that I not know
What first to praise of her, her Brest, or Necke of Snow,
Her Cheeks with Roses spred, or her two Sun-like Eies,
Her Teeth of brightest Pearle, her Lips where Svveetnes lies:
But those do praise themselues, being to all Eyes set forth,
That Muses yee need not to say ought of their Worth,
Then her white sistring Papes essaye for to make knowne,
But her white sistring Papes through smallest Vail are showne,
Yet Shee hath some thing else more worthie then the rest
Not seene, goe sing of that farre beneath her Brest
Which mounts like fair Parnasse, where Pegasse wel doth run:
Here Phræne stay'd my Muse ere shee had well begun.

157

[xvii] Desired Death.

Deare Life while as I touch
These Corrall Ports of blisse,
Which still themselues do kisse,
And sweetly me inuite to do as much,
All panting in my Lips,
My Life my Heart doth leaue,
No sense my Senses haue,
And inward Powers doe find a strange Ecclipse,
This Death so heauenly well
Doth so me please, that I
Would neuer longer seeke in sense to dwell,
If that euen thus I only could but die.

[xviii] Phœbe.

If for to be alone and all the Night to wander
Maids can proue chast, then chast is Phœbe without slander.

Ansvver.

Fool still to be alone, all Night in Heauen to wander,
Wold make the wanton chast, then she's chast without slander.