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University of Virginia Library

Poems &c. By James Shirley

Shirley, James (1596-1666)

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[VVhen th'Age groan'd out Thou and thy Muse were gone]

To his unkind M.

To his Mistris.

To his Mistris confined.

Loves Hue and Cry.

[Would you know what's soft? I dare]

To L. for a wreath of Bayes sent.

To the Painter preparing to draw M. M. H.

To a L. who had courted a Lady of much perfection, and after offered his Service to another of an inferiour Beauty and Parts; in confidence that the first would re-accept him.

A Lover that durst not speak to his M.

To one that said his Mistris was old.

Upon his M. Dancing.

Upon his Mistris sad.

A Gentleman in Love with two Ladies.

Melancholy converted.

To a Mistris in whose Letter some Tears were dropt.

Presenting his Mistris with a Bird.

Upon Scarlet and blush coloured Ribbands given by two Ladies.

To his Mistris upon the Bayes withered.

Strephon, Daphne.

Taking leave when his Mistris was to ride.

Love for Enjoying.

Upon the Princes Birth.

To his honoured friend Tho. Stanley Esquire, upon his elegant Poems.

To the E. of S. upon his recovery.

One that loved none but deformed Women.

The Common-Wealth of Birds.

To the Excellent Pattern of Beauty and Vertue, L. El. Co. of Or.

To the H. Lady, D. C. at his departure.

A Letter to the Lady D. S. sent with a New Comedy.

To the never enough Honoured E. of St. on New-yeares day at night, after other entertainment.

To M. Phil. Massenger on his Renegado.

To a L. upon a Looking-Glasse sent.

A Song in a Play called Hide-Parke.

A Mother hearing her child was sick of the Small-Poxe.

Epithalamium. To his Noble Friend, Mr. I. W.

On a black Ribband.

To Gent. that broke their promise of a meeting, made when they drank Claret.

Upon a Gentlewoman that died of a Fever.

Upon the death of G. M.

Upon the death of K. James.

Vpon the death of Sr. Th. Nevill.

An Elegie upon the honourable, fair, and vertuous M. Borlase.

Upon the Death of C. D. Engineere, who died upon service to which he had no command.

Epitaph On the Duke of BUCKINGHAM.

An Elegie upon the truly Honourable Tho. Viscount Savage

Vpon Mr. Charles Beaumont who died of a Consumption.

The Passing Bell.

To the proud M.

Cupid ungodded.

To a Beautiful Lady.

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To the never enough Honoured E. of St. on New-yeares day at night, after other entertainment.

Sir, give me leave to Court your stay,
There is somthing I must pay,
Due to your greatnesse, and the day,
Which by a revolution of the Sphere
Is proud to open the New-year,
And having look'd on you, hath hid his face,
And chang'd his robe, with stars to grace
And light you going to bed, so wait
With trembling lustre on your state.

Shine brighter yet, y'are not the same,
Cleer Lamps you were, shine like the name
Of him I bow to, while a flame

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Active and burning here with pure desires,
Shall equal your best borrow'd fires.
May health, the bosoms friend stream through your blood
And know no end of the chast flood:
And though time shift, and yeers renew,
May yet the Spring be still in you.

May she, whom heaven hath sweetly grac'd
And in your noble bosome plac'd,
Whose heart, by onely you embrac'd
Hath made one true and holy Gordian prove
Fruitful in children as in love:
And may that fair top-branch, whose early bloom
Doth promise all the fruit can come
To vertue, and your name, be blest,
And live a story to the rest.

All honour with your same increase,
In your bosome dwell soft peace,
And Justice the true root of these.
Wealth be the worst, and outside of your fate,
And may not heav'n your life translate,
Till for your Royal Master, and this Isle
Your acts have fill'd a Chronicle.
In all that's great and good, be bold,
And every yeer be coppy of the old.