The Whole Works of William Browne of Tavistock ... Now first collected and edited, with a memoir of the poet, and notes, by W. Carew Hazlitt, of the Inner Temple |
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A SIGH FROM OXFORD. |
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 | The Whole Works of William Browne |  |
A SIGH FROM OXFORD.
Goe, and if thou chance to finde
That is southwardes bent a wynde,
Take it vp on any hire,
But be sure it doe not tyre:
If with Loue-sighes mixt it bee,
Be secure 'twill carry thee;
Spurre it on, and make more haste,
Then ye Fleet that went out last;
Doe not stay to curle a Rill,
Clense a Corne, or driue a Mill;
Nor to crispe a locke, or turne it:
Thou hast fire, and so mayst burne it.
That is southwardes bent a wynde,
Take it vp on any hire,
But be sure it doe not tyre:
If with Loue-sighes mixt it bee,
Be secure 'twill carry thee;
Spurre it on, and make more haste,
Then ye Fleet that went out last;
Doe not stay to curle a Rill,
Clense a Corne, or driue a Mill;
Nor to crispe a locke, or turne it:
Thou hast fire, and so mayst burne it.
For thy lodging doe not come
In a bagpipe or a drumme:
In the belly of some Lute
That hath strooke Apollo mute;
Or a gentle ladyes eare,
That might dreame, whilst thou art there,
Of such vowes as thou dost carry,
There for one night thou mayst tarry;
Whisper there thy Message to her;
And if she haue any woor,
In her sleepe perhaps she maye
Speake what she denyes the daye,
And instruct thee to replye
To my Cælia more then I.
For thy lodging (the next daye)
Doe not thankelesse goe awaye;
Giue the Lute a Test of Ayre,
That a Poets Sigh lay there;
And informe it with a soule
Of so high diuine controule,
That whoeuer heares it next
Shall be with a Muse perplext;
And a Lawyer shall reherse
His Demurres and Pleas in verse.
In a bagpipe or a drumme:
In the belly of some Lute
That hath strooke Apollo mute;
Or a gentle ladyes eare,
That might dreame, whilst thou art there,
Of such vowes as thou dost carry,
There for one night thou mayst tarry;
Whisper there thy Message to her;
And if she haue any woor,
In her sleepe perhaps she maye
Speake what she denyes the daye,
And instruct thee to replye
To my Cælia more then I.
271
Doe not thankelesse goe awaye;
Giue the Lute a Test of Ayre,
That a Poets Sigh lay there;
And informe it with a soule
Of so high diuine controule,
That whoeuer heares it next
Shall be with a Muse perplext;
And a Lawyer shall reherse
His Demurres and Pleas in verse.
In the Ladyes Labrynth leaue
Not a sound that may deceaue;
Driue it thence; and after see
Thou there leaue some part of thee,
By which shee maye well descry
Any louers forgery:
For yt neuer will admit
Ought that is not true as it.
Not a sound that may deceaue;
Driue it thence; and after see
Thou there leaue some part of thee,
By which shee maye well descry
Any louers forgery:
For yt neuer will admit
Ought that is not true as it.
When that office thou hast done,
And the Lady lastly wonne,
Let the ayre thou leftst the Girle,
Twine a dropp, and then a pearle;
Which I wish that she would weare
For a pendant in her Eare;
And its vertue still shall be,
To detect all flatterie.
Could I giue each Monarch such,
None would say I sighd to much.
When thy largesse thou hast giuen,
(My best sigh next that for heauen)
Make not any longer stay;
Kisse thine Hostesse, and awaye.
And the Lady lastly wonne,
Let the ayre thou leftst the Girle,
Twine a dropp, and then a pearle;
Which I wish that she would weare
For a pendant in her Eare;
And its vertue still shall be,
To detect all flatterie.
Could I giue each Monarch such,
None would say I sighd to much.
When thy largesse thou hast giuen,
(My best sigh next that for heauen)
Make not any longer stay;
Kisse thine Hostesse, and awaye.
If thou meet, as thou dost stirre,
Any Sigh a Passenger,
Stand vpon thy Guard, and be
Jealous of a Robberye;
For the sighes that trauell now,
Beare not so much truth as thou;
Those may robbe thee to supply
That defect of constancye
Which their Masters left to be
Filld by what was stolne from thee:
Yet aduenture, for in soothe
Few dare meddle now with truthe;
'Tis a coyne that will not paye
For their Meat or horses haye;
'Tis cride downe, & such a coyne
As no great Thiefe will purloyne.
Any Sigh a Passenger,
Stand vpon thy Guard, and be
Jealous of a Robberye;
272
Beare not so much truth as thou;
Those may robbe thee to supply
That defect of constancye
Which their Masters left to be
Filld by what was stolne from thee:
Yet aduenture, for in soothe
Few dare meddle now with truthe;
'Tis a coyne that will not paye
For their Meat or horses haye;
'Tis cride downe, & such a coyne
As no great Thiefe will purloyne.
Petty-foot-sighes thou mayst meet,
From the counter or the Fleet,
To a Wife or Mistresse sent,
That her Louers meanes hath spent,
Of such ones beware, for those,
Much spent on their masters woes,
May want of that store which thou
Carry'st to my Cælia nowe:
And so robbe thee, and then spend thee,
Soe as I did nere intend thee;
With dishonor thou shalt moue
To begg an Almes, not get a loue.
Shun them, for they haue noe ruthe,
And know that few are hang'd for Truthe:
Naye the Lawes haue bin more briefe
To iayle that theft, more then a thiefe;
The Hue and Cry will not goe post
For the worth which thou hast lost.
Yet for Faith and Truth betrayde
Countryes heretofore haue payde.
Warye be, and fearing Losse,
Like those of the Rosy-Crosse,
Be not seen, but hye thee on
Like an Inspiration;
And as ayre, ascending hyer,
Turnes to drops, or else to fire;
So when thou art neerer come
To my Starre, and to thy Home,
If thou meet a Sigh, which she
Hath but coldly sent to me,
Kisse it, for thy warmer ayre
Will dissolue into a teare;
As the steame of Roses will
At the Cold top of a Still:
Nor shalt thou be lost; her eyes
Haue Apollo's facultys;
Their faire Rayes will work amayne,
And turne thee to a Sigh againe.
From the counter or the Fleet,
To a Wife or Mistresse sent,
That her Louers meanes hath spent,
Of such ones beware, for those,
Much spent on their masters woes,
May want of that store which thou
Carry'st to my Cælia nowe:
And so robbe thee, and then spend thee,
Soe as I did nere intend thee;
With dishonor thou shalt moue
To begg an Almes, not get a loue.
Shun them, for they haue noe ruthe,
And know that few are hang'd for Truthe:
Naye the Lawes haue bin more briefe
To iayle that theft, more then a thiefe;
The Hue and Cry will not goe post
For the worth which thou hast lost.
Yet for Faith and Truth betrayde
Countryes heretofore haue payde.
Warye be, and fearing Losse,
Like those of the Rosy-Crosse,
Be not seen, but hye thee on
Like an Inspiration;
273
Turnes to drops, or else to fire;
So when thou art neerer come
To my Starre, and to thy Home,
If thou meet a Sigh, which she
Hath but coldly sent to me,
Kisse it, for thy warmer ayre
Will dissolue into a teare;
As the steame of Roses will
At the Cold top of a Still:
Nor shalt thou be lost; her eyes
Haue Apollo's facultys;
Their faire Rayes will work amayne,
And turne thee to a Sigh againe.
What thou art yet closely shroude,
Rise vp like a fleecy cloude;
And as thou doest so aspire,
To her Element of fire,
(Which afarre its forces darte,
And exhal'd thee from my heart).
Make thyne owne shape, iust as we
Fashion Clouds by phantasie;
Be a Cupid, be a Heart
Wounded, and her rayes the dart;
Have a Chasma too, and there
Only let our vowes appeare:
Lastly, I would wish thee be
Such a clowd resembling me,
That Ixion-like she might
Claspe thee with his appetite;
Yet more temperate and chaste,
And whilst thou art so imbrac't,
And afforded some sweet sipps
From her Muse inspiring lipps,
Vanish! and then slip by Art
Through those Rubyes to her heart.
Wynde yt round, and let yt be
Thoughtles of all earth, but mee;
Grow acquainted with that ayre,
Which doth to her heart repayre;
And so temper and so blysse yt,
And so fanne yt, and so kysse yt,
That the new borne Rose may be,
Not so truly chast as she.
Rise vp like a fleecy cloude;
And as thou doest so aspire,
To her Element of fire,
(Which afarre its forces darte,
And exhal'd thee from my heart).
Make thyne owne shape, iust as we
Fashion Clouds by phantasie;
Be a Cupid, be a Heart
Wounded, and her rayes the dart;
Have a Chasma too, and there
Only let our vowes appeare:
Lastly, I would wish thee be
Such a clowd resembling me,
That Ixion-like she might
Claspe thee with his appetite;
Yet more temperate and chaste,
And whilst thou art so imbrac't,
And afforded some sweet sipps
From her Muse inspiring lipps,
Vanish! and then slip by Art
Through those Rubyes to her heart.
274
Thoughtles of all earth, but mee;
Grow acquainted with that ayre,
Which doth to her heart repayre;
And so temper and so blysse yt,
And so fanne yt, and so kysse yt,
That the new borne Rose may be,
Not so truly chast as she.
With that Regent, from that howre,
Lieger lye Embassadour:
Keepe our truce vnbroke, preferre
All the suites I send to her:
Get Dyspatches, that may stand
With the good of either hand;
Soe that you be bold and true,
Neuer feare what may ensue;
For there is noe pollicy
Like to that of Honesty.
Lieger lye Embassadour:
Keepe our truce vnbroke, preferre
All the suites I send to her:
Get Dyspatches, that may stand
With the good of either hand;
Soe that you be bold and true,
Neuer feare what may ensue;
For there is noe pollicy
Like to that of Honesty.
Gett into her Mynion thought,
Howsoeuer dearly bought;
And procure that she dispense
To transport some kisses thence:
These are Rarityes and deare,
For like hers I meet none heere.
Howsoeuer dearly bought;
And procure that she dispense
To transport some kisses thence:
These are Rarityes and deare,
For like hers I meet none heere.
This thy charge is; then begonne
With thy full Cōmission:
Make her myne, and cleere all doubts;
Kill each jealousye that sprouts;
Keepe the honor of thy place;
Let no other sigh Disgrace
Thy iust worth, and neuer sitt
To her, though [s]he brybe for it.
With thy full Cōmission:
Make her myne, and cleere all doubts;
Kill each jealousye that sprouts;
Keepe the honor of thy place;
Let no other sigh Disgrace
Thy iust worth, and neuer sitt
To her, though [s]he brybe for it.
And when I shall call thee home,
To send another in thy roome;
Leaue these thoughts for Agents there:
To send another in thy roome;
Leaue these thoughts for Agents there:
275
Ffirste, I thinke her pure and chaste,
As the Ice congealed last;
Next, as Iron (though it glowes)
Neuer melts but once, and flowes;
So her loue will only be
Fluent once, and that to me:
Lastly, as the glow-wormes might
Neuer kindled other light,
I belieue that fire which she
Haplye shewes in louing mee,
Neuer will encorage man,
(Though her loues meridian
Heat him to it) once to dare
To mention Loue, though vnaware;
Much lesse fire a Sigh that may
Incorporate with my faire Raye.
As the Ice congealed last;
Next, as Iron (though it glowes)
Neuer melts but once, and flowes;
So her loue will only be
Fluent once, and that to me:
Lastly, as the glow-wormes might
Neuer kindled other light,
I belieue that fire which she
Haplye shewes in louing mee,
Neuer will encorage man,
(Though her loues meridian
Heat him to it) once to dare
To mention Loue, though vnaware;
Much lesse fire a Sigh that may
Incorporate with my faire Raye.
I haue read of two erewhile,
Enemyes burnt in one pyle;
That their flames would neuer kisse,
But made a seuerall Pyramis.
Lett all Sighes that come to thee,
By thy loue inlightened be;
If they ioyne and make one flame,
Be secure from me they came.
If they seperate, beware,
There is Craft that would ensnare;
Myne are rarifyde and iust;
Truth and loue: the others lust.
Enemyes burnt in one pyle;
That their flames would neuer kisse,
But made a seuerall Pyramis.
Lett all Sighes that come to thee,
By thy loue inlightened be;
If they ioyne and make one flame,
Be secure from me they came.
If they seperate, beware,
There is Craft that would ensnare;
Myne are rarifyde and iust;
Truth and loue: the others lust.
With this charge, farewell, and try
What must be my destenye:
Wooe, secure her; pleade thy due;
This sigh is not so long as true:
And whoever shall enclyne
To send another after myne,
Though he haue more cunning farre,
Then the Jugler Gondimar,
All his sleights, and all his faults,
Hollownesse of heart, and halts;
By thy chaster fire will all
Be so wrought diaphanall;
She shall looke through them, and see
How much he comes short of mee:
Then my sigh shall be approud,
And kisse that heart whome I haue loude.
What must be my destenye:
Wooe, secure her; pleade thy due;
This sigh is not so long as true:
And whoever shall enclyne
To send another after myne,
Though he haue more cunning farre,
Then the Jugler Gondimar,
276
Hollownesse of heart, and halts;
By thy chaster fire will all
Be so wrought diaphanall;
She shall looke through them, and see
How much he comes short of mee:
Then my sigh shall be approud,
And kisse that heart whome I haue loude.
| The Whole Works of William Browne | |