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Argalvs and Parthenia

Written by Fra: Quarles

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Whereto, she thus; Had the pleas'd God aboue,
Forgiuen my faults, and made me fit for Ioue
To blesse at large; Had all the powers of heauen
(To boast the vtmost of their bounty) giuen
As great addition to my slender fortune
As they could giue, or couetous mind importune,
I vow to heauen, and all those heauenly powers,
They should no sooner beene made mine, but yours.

71

Nay, had my fortunes staid but at the rate
They were; had I remained in that state
I was (although, at best, vnworthy farre
Of such a peerlesse blessing as you are)
My deare acceptance should haue fill'd my heart
As full of ioyes, as now it is of smart;
But, as I am, let angry Ioue then vent
On me his plagues, till all his plagues be spent.
And when I roare, let heauen my paines deride,
When I match Argalus to such a Bride.
Liue happy, Argalus, let thy soule receiue
What blessings poore Parthenia cannot haue;
Liue happy: May thy ioyes be neuer done,
But let one blessing draw another on:
O may thy better Angell watch and ward
Thy soule, and pitch an euerlasting guard
About the portals of thy tender heart,
And showre downe blessings wheresoere thou art;
Let all thy ioyes be as the month of May,
And all thy dayes be as a mariage day.
Let sorrow, sicknesse, and a troubled minde
Be strangers to thee; Let them neuer finde
Thy heart at home; Let Fortune still alot
Such lawlesse guests to those that loue thee not:
And let those blessings, which shall wanting be
To such as merit none, alight on thee.
That mutuall faith, betwixt vs, that of late
Hath past, I giue thee freedome to translate
Vpon the merits of some fitter spouse:
I giue thee leaue, and freely quit thy vowes.
I call the gods to witnesse, nothing shall
More blesse my soule; no comfort can befall

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More truely welcome to me, then to see
My Argalus, (what ere become of me)
So linckt in wedlocke, as shall most augment
His greater honour, and his true content.