University of Virginia Library

Sister (said she) (That title past betweene vs
Not vndeseru'd; for, all that ere had scene vs,
Mistooke vs so, at least) The latest sand
Of my spent hower-glasse is now at hand.
Those ioyes, which heauen appointed out for me,
I here bequeath to be possest by thee.
And when sweet death shall clarifie my thoughts,
And draine them from the dregs of all my faults,
Enioy them thou, wherewith (being so refinde
From all their drosse) full fraught thy constant minde
And let thy prosprous voyage be addrest
To the faire port of Argalus his brest,
As whom the eye of noone did ne'er discouer
So loyall, so renownd, so rare a louer:
Cast anchor there, for by this dying breath
Nothing can please my soule more, after death,
And make my ioyes more perfect, then to see
A mariage twixt my Argalus and thee;
This Ring the pledge betwixt his heart and mine,
As freely as he gaue me, I make thine:
With it, vnto thy faithfull heart I tender
My sacred vowes: with it, I here surrender
All right and title, that I had, or haue
In such a blessing, as I now must leaue;
Goe to him, and coniure him in my name
What loue he bare to me, the very same
That he transferre on thee: take no deniall.
VVhich granted, liue thou happy, constant, loyall.
And as she spake that word, her voice did alter;
Her breath grew cold, her speech began to faulter;
Faine would she vtter more, but her spent tongue
(Not able to goe further) faild, and clung
To her dry roofe. A while, as in a trance,
She lay; and, on a sudden, did aduance
Her forced language to the height, and cryed,
Farewell my dearest Argalus: and died.