University of Virginia Library

2. To my friend and Kinsman Mr. George Giffard, who cal'd his Mistress the Green Bird of France.

The Necromancy of your love doth change
Your Mistress to a Bird, so to 'estrange
Her name from vulgar ears, and to conceal
Those harmless passages of love you steal:
And by this means be your heart what it will,
Your tongue's Platonick that can keep this still.
But sure your judgement and most curious eyes
Fancie no bird, but that of Paradise,
The Phœnix, or a third of mighty worth;
A wonder and a Glory to the earth.
Jove's Eagle's too aspiring to invite
Your mind to love, or love to apetite:
The Doves of Venus you too gentle know;
And yours must give you cause to court and wo.
Minerva's Owl is onely for the Night;
And your fair Mistress doth become the light:
Saturnia's Peacock hath a gaudy train,
But feet too course such Colours to sustain:
Your Bird so curious is, she would disperse
The Clouds of prose, and make it run in verse.
She's not deriv'd from Magellanick Streights,
Where the most numerous Parat-Covey delights:
But from a richer Soyle, and may perchance
The Dolphin wake, to court the Bird of France:
But Cæsars self might conquer Gaul anew,
And with his victories not trouble you.
Your fair green Bird of France doth know her power
Superiour to the roughest Conquerour;
Whil'st she resists no fort so strong as she,
Whose victour must her own consenting be.
Nor martial engine, sword, or piece can move
Her from your love while she will be your love.
But if her Resolution alter, then
Her how to you will you retrieve agen?
Like the mad lover make your heart the lure,
And that will bring her, or she'l come no more.
Had Hymen lighted his auspicious Pine,
And you joyn'd happy hands before his shrine,
Then would not you and your admired love
The Changes imitate of amorous Jove,
Who like a Swan fair Læda did compress,
And on her got the Twins Tyndarides?
But why since Birds are of all colours seen,
Do you call her you most affect the Green?
The Firmament we see attir'd in blew,
But that too heavenly a Colour is for you.
The earth is green; and you do think most fit
That she be so, while she doth live on it.
The Sea is green, and Sea-born Venus was
Made beauties Goddess being most beauteous Lass:
And your fair One, whom you think Parallel
To her, you call the Green-Bird wondrous well.
All health I wish her, from each sickness free
But one, whose cure I do commit to thee:
If the Green Sickness she doth chance to get,
Your Love and Care of her may remed' it.