Small poems of Divers sorts :: :: University of Virginia Library

Small poems of Divers sorts

Written by Sir Aston Cokain

Cokain, Aston (1608-1684)

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The tenth Song.

[Curle every hair, smile with your eyes]

1

Curle every hair, smile with your eyes,
And enchant
Any Saint
With the rare musick of your voice:
Show your breast,
Or your best,
Me you no way have to entice.

2

Dance to sweet numbers, to excel,
Being so quick,
'Rithmetick;
And so most evenly, and so well,

262

That our wonder
May not number
Those soft steps your feet do tell.

3

Take your sweet Lute (which is the spirit
Of musick)
And use it
Unto your highest praise of merit:
Though each sound
My ears wound,
My heart nereless shall freely bear it.

4

Were all your clothes so rich and fine,
As you were
In her sphere
Bright Citheræa to out-shine;
Yet they shoo'd
Not my blood
Warm like unto a glass of wine.

5

In hope to conquer at first sight,
To each part
Add all art:
And to provoke an appetite,
To your will
Joyn your skill;
Yet all your magick I shall slight.

263

6

Let you and I together go
In the spring,
When birds sing;
And I'le swear to talk, not wooe:
Or when heat
Makes us get
Into an Arbour, I'le do so.

7

I cannot be a thrall to her
Who I know
Heart doth ow
To another, and him prefer;
If my suit
Miss the fruit,
I the tree can well abhor.

8

Yet (Lady) witness all we see,
Tis not I
That deny,
Nor is it you that disagree:
Honour so
Slight you do,
That I in love can never be.