University of Virginia Library

LVI
ISABELLS ODE.

Sitting by a riuer side,
Where a silent streame did glide,
Banckt about with choice of flowers,
Such as spring from Aprill showers,
When fair Iris smiling sheaws.
All her riches in her dewes,
Thicke leaued trees so were planted,
As nor arte nor nature wanted,
Bordring all the broke with shade,
As if Venus there had made
By Floraes wile a curious bowre,
To dally with her paramoure.
At this current as I gazd,
Eies intrapt, mind amazde,
I might see in my ken,
Such a flame as fireth men,
Such a fier as doth frie,
With one blaze both heart and eie,
Such a heate as dooth proue
No heate like to the heate of loue.
Bright she was, for twas a she,
That tracde hir steps towards me:
On her head she ware a bay,
To fence Phoebus light away:
In her face one might descrie
The curious beauty of the skie,
Her eies carried darts of fier,
Feathred all with swift desier,
Yet foorth these fierie darts did passe
Pearled teares as bright as glasse,
That wonder 'twas in her eine
Fire and water should combine:
If th' old sawe did not borrow,
Fier is loue, and water sorrow:
Downe she sate, pale and sad,
No mirth in her lookes she had,
Face and eies shewd distresse,
Inward sighes discourst no lesse:
Head on hand might I see,
Elbow leaned on hir knee,
Last she breathed out this saw,
Oh that loue hath no law.
Loue inforceth with constraint,
Loue delighteth in complaint;
Who so loues hates his life:
For loues peace is mindes strife.
Loue doth feede on beauties fare,
Euerie dish sawst with care:
Chiefly women, reason why,
Loue is hatcht in their eye:
Thence it steppeth to the hart,
There it poysneth euerie part:
Minde and heart, eye and thought,
Till sweete loue their woes hath wrought.
Then repentant they 'gin crie,
Oh my heart that trowed mine eye.
Thus she said and then she rose,
Face and minde both full of woes:
Flinging thence with this saw;
Fie on loue that hath no law.