Greene in Conceipt New raised from his graue to write the Tragique Historie of faire Valeria of London. Wherein is Trvly Discovered the rare and lamentable issue of a Husbands dotage, a wiues leudnesse, & childrens disobedience. Receiued and reported by I. D. [i.e. John Dickenson] |
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[Happie lot to men assign'd] |
 | Greene in Conceipt |  |
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[Happie lot to men assign'd]
Happie lot to men assign'd
Hartes with harts in loue combinde:
Loue the some of earthly sweetes,
Where with mutuall loue it meets:
Not consisting all in lookes,
Like to Idols, lay-mens bookes,
But who tryes, this true shall proue.
Action is the life of loue.
Why slacke we then to bath in sweet delight,
Before our day be turn'd to endlesse night?
Hartes with harts in loue combinde:
Loue the some of earthly sweetes,
Where with mutuall loue it meets:
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Like to Idols, lay-mens bookes,
But who tryes, this true shall proue.
Action is the life of loue.
Why slacke we then to bath in sweet delight,
Before our day be turn'd to endlesse night?
Fairest things, to nothing fade,
Wrapt in deaths eternall shade:
Hence I proue it beauties crime,
Not to reape the fruits of time;
Time which passeth swift as thought;
Time whose blisse is dearely bought;
Dearely bought so soone to faile vs;
Soone, that should so long auaile vs.
Why slacke wee then to bath in sweete delight,
Before our daye be turnd to enlesse night?
Wrapt in deaths eternall shade:
Hence I proue it beauties crime,
Not to reape the fruits of time;
Time which passeth swift as thought;
Time whose blisse is dearely bought;
Dearely bought so soone to faile vs;
Soone, that should so long auaile vs.
Why slacke wee then to bath in sweete delight,
Before our daye be turnd to enlesse night?
Loue and beautie fade together,
Fickle both as changing weather:
Age or sicknes wastes the one,
That doth faile, when this is gone:
Let vs then while both doth last,
Vie them both, eare both be past.
Sport we freely while wee may,
yet a while it will be daye.
Oh but this day drawes on to endlesse night,
And with our life, still weares our loues delight.
Fickle both as changing weather:
Age or sicknes wastes the one,
That doth faile, when this is gone:
Let vs then while both doth last,
Vie them both, eare both be past.
Sport we freely while wee may,
yet a while it will be daye.
Oh but this day drawes on to endlesse night,
And with our life, still weares our loues delight.
Soone ah soone was Adon slaine,
Bashfull boy how faire in vaine!
Fram'd by nature to be loou'd:
Fram'd, but why, himselfe not mou'd?
Dide hee not in prime of youth,
Prime of beautie, pray to ruth.
Dye he did, himselfe preuenting;
Sotte, vnworthy all lamenting.
Oh thinke on him which changing safe delight,
For certaine danger, turn'd his day to night.
Bashfull boy how faire in vaine!
Fram'd by nature to be loou'd:
Fram'd, but why, himselfe not mou'd?
Dide hee not in prime of youth,
Prime of beautie, pray to ruth.
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Sotte, vnworthy all lamenting.
Oh thinke on him which changing safe delight,
For certaine danger, turn'd his day to night.
But me thinks I talking see,
How each minute slippes from me.
Losse I deeme the least delay;
Hast we then to this sweete play,
Whence is suckt the sappe of pleasure,
Such as loue by time doth measure:
Loue that gardes his mothers forte,
Peeping oft to see the sport:
A sport how rare, how rich in sweete delight?
But we how dull, how nere our day to night!
How each minute slippes from me.
Losse I deeme the least delay;
Hast we then to this sweete play,
Whence is suckt the sappe of pleasure,
Such as loue by time doth measure:
Loue that gardes his mothers forte,
Peeping oft to see the sport:
A sport how rare, how rich in sweete delight?
But we how dull, how nere our day to night!
| Greene in Conceipt | |