University of Virginia Library

Posthumous Poems. IV.

ECLOGUES.

i. Eclogue.

[Damon and Moeris by a christal spring]

ii. Eclogue.

[Vhile dayes bright coachman makes our schadows schort]

Syrenus. Montanus.
Sy.
Vhile dayes bright coachman makes our schadows schort,
And panting rests him in his halff dayes course,
Vhile gladder shephards giue them selues to sport,
Let vs deare Montane rest vs by this source,
Vher ve may stanche our thrist vith coldest streames,
And vnder schade be fred of Phebus beames.

M.
Content am I; but since Syluanus left
This earthlie round I neuer like that spring,
The vearie place from me my ioyes hath reft,
Vhen I behold vher he vas vont to sing,
Syluane vell knowne, the honor of our voods,
Vho made the rocks to heare & stayed the floods.

Sy.
Bevaile not Syluane, since he is releu'd
Of flesclie bonds and these our mortal toiles,
Vith sad misfortunes now he is not grieuet.
This earth is framd for deaths triumphing spoiles;
The pleasant leaues, the suetest floures decayes,
And fairest things doth last the fewest dayes.

M.
Th'enuyous heauens, befor the course of time
Stole the from earth for to enrich theer spheares,
Vhile scars thow flourish't in thy youthful prime,
Filling our harts vith voe, our eies vith teares.
Syren, for these deare dayes that heer thow spent,
Stay not my grief but help me to lament.

Sy.
If floods of teares from the elysian plaine
Culd call a happie gost, if sights culd giue
A sparke of lyff, then Phillis schoures of raine
And lasting grones might make him yet to liue.
Yet in remembrance of this orphane place,
And her Il murne, Il sing vith the a space.

M.
A streame of teares, poore riuer christalline,
Len these mine eies; so may along thy banks
Sueet roses, lilies, & the columbine,
In pleasant flourish keep theer statlie ranks,
To vash Syluanus Tombe, that of my sorrow
The floods, the hils, the mids, a part may borrow.

Sy.
Len me the voice that Boreas hath the giuen,
Stracht reachet pin, vhen he his blows redoubles;
So may thy loftie head mont vp to heauen,
& neare heareefter feare his angry troubles,
That my sad accents may surpasse the skies,
& make heuens echoes answer to my cries.

M.
Forests since your best darling now is gone,
Vho your darke schadows suetnet vith his layes,
Teache al your nightingales at once to grone,
Cut your greene lockes, let fal your palmes & bayes,
Let not a mirtil tree be in yow found,
But eurie vher vith cypress sad abound.

Sy.
Faire Midows from vhose tender bosome springs
The vhite Narcissus, Venus deare delight,
The Hyacinth, & others vho var kings
And ladies faire vhen thay enioyd this light,
In mourning blake your princely coulours die,
Bow downe your heads, vhile sighing zephires flee.

M.
Vhat now is left vnto this plane but veeping?
This litil flood that sometime did inuite
Our vearied bodies to sueet rest and sleeping,
Vith his soft murmur semes to vaile our plight,
Telling the rocks, the banks, vheer ere he goes,
& the vyde ocean, our remedlesse voes.

Sy.
As Philomela sight vpon a tree,
Me thocht (for vhat thinks not a troublet mynd?)
Vith her old grieues, amids her harmonie,
Syluanus death, our losse, sche oft combind,
Vherto tuo vidow turtles lent theer eares,
Syne planed that Nature had not giuen them teares.

M.
The earth althocht cold vinter kil her flowres,
And al her beautie eurie vher deface,
Vhen Phebus turnes into his hoter boures,
Made ful of lyff smiles vith her former grace;
But so soone as, alas, mans giuen to death,
No sunne againe doth euer make him breath.

Sy.
The Moone that sadlie cheers the gloomie night,
Vhen sche in deaths blake armes a vhile remaines,
New borne doth soone recev her siluer light
And queenlike glances or the silent plaines;
The stars sunke in the vest again doth rise;
But man, forgot, in vglie horror lies.

M.
Ah souueraine poures, vhen ye did first deuise
To make poore man, vhy brak ye not the molde?
Vith fleschie maskes vhy did ye sprits disguyse?
Caussing a glasse so foole that liquor hold,
Vith cryes & paine him bringing to the light,
Happie t'haue sleepe in a eternal night.

Sy.
Happie t'haue sleepe in a eternal night
& neuer interrup that silent rest,
He felt no voes if he had no delight,
He did not know vhat's euil, of nocht vhat's best;
If he vsd not th'vnperfyt piece of reason,
He feard not voes to come at eurie season.

M.
If that I var againe for to be framd,
& that the heuens vald freelie to me giue
Vhat of the things below I suld be made,
A hart, a doue, I rather choose to liue,
Then be a man, my losses stil lamenting,
Tost first with passion, then vith sore repenting.

Sy.
If I var one of yow my sille lambes,
I suld not beene oprest vith th'vncuth caire
That mankind hath, nor felt the cruel flames
Of Phillis eies, nor knowne vhat vas despaire:
Sueet harmlesse flocke, vhen as ye stray alone,
Ar ye affraid of Styx or Phlegeton?

M.
The mids ar not embled vith so manie floures,
So many hews heuens doth neuer borrow,
So many drops hath not the april schoures,
As ve poore vretchet men hath vorlds of sorrow:
For these, o glorious gifts of noble skies,
Vith bitter teares ye fillet hath our eies.

Sy.
Vith bitter teares ye fillet hath our eies,
And fostreth vith beguiling hope our mind
Vith promist good that doth vs stil intice:
Lo, seeke ve ve vot not vhat, and so mad blind
Ve follow lies and change to taste of ioyes,
But hauing changd ve find but new annoyes.

M.
If lies bred ioyes and vertue bring voe,
Fals thochts be ful of comfort, trewth of sadnesse,
Velcome braue lies of that I neuer know!
Vnhappie trewth to take from me my gladnesse;
For thocht ve veep our voes ve cannot mend them,
& ve may end our selues befor ve end them.

SONNETS AND MISCELLANEOUS PIECES.

iii. In Sr. P. d. R.

Great Paragon, of Poets richest Pearle,
Beneath the artick circles statlie pole
Abut quoes point the sphears of knouledge role,
The magnes of al mynds, ear-charming Mearle;
The perfumd cabinet quher muses duel,
Enameling neu-found skyes vith starres of gold,
Quher Pallas vith the free-borne queens enrold,
And beutie, stryffs it selff for to excel.
Farre-virthier Orpheus then they quho suel
Vith sacred Pegasus azure streames,
Or he quho brocht from Heauen the fyrie beames:
Mor fit for Pho̧bus Bay then Phebus sel.
Thy perfyt praises if the vorld vold vrit
Must haue againe thy selff for to end it.

iv.

[Faire cruel Siluia since thow scornes my teares]

Faire cruel Siluia since thow scornes my teares,
And ouerlookes my cares vith carelesse eie;
Since my requests in loue offends thy eares,
Hensefoorth I vowe to hold my pace in thee and die.
But vhile I hold my pace thes things sal crie:
The brookes sal murmure, & the vinds complaine;
The hils, the dails, the deserts vher I lie,
Vith Echoes of my plents sal prech my paine.
Yet put the case thay silent vald remaine;
Imagine brookes & vinds vald hold theer pace,
Suppone hils, dailes, and deserts vald disdaine
T'acquant thy deaff disdaines vith my disgrace;
Yet vhile thay dombe, thow deaff, to me sal proue,
My death sal speake and let the know my loue.

v.

[Great Queene whom to the liberall Heauens propine]

Great Queene whom to the liberall Heauens propine
All what their force or influence can impart;
Whose Vertues rare, whose Beauties braue but art
Makes thee aboue thy sacred sex to shine.
Resembling much those Goddesses diuine;
The thundrers Bride for thy heroicke hart,
Cytherȩa for proportion of each part,
Joues braine-born gyrle for judgment and ingyne.
But now I feare my flatrie flows to farre;
Three Goddesses in one are rarelie seene,
Nor can a goddesse be vngrate—you are.
What rests then but, a Woman, and a Queene:
A Woman in vnconstancie and change,
A Queene because so statlie & so strange.

vi. De Porcheres, on the eies of Madame la Marquise de Monceaux,

Thus englished.

Wer these thine eies, or lightnings from aboue,
Vhose glistring glances dazel'd so my sight?
I tooke them to be lightnings send from Joue
To threten that theer thunder bolt vald light.
But lightnings culd not lest so long so bright.
Thay rather semed for to be suns, vhose rayes
Promou'd to the Meridian of theer might,
Did change my noisome nights in joyful dayes.
But euen in that theer nomber them bevrayes
Suns ar thay not: the vorld endures but one.
Theer force, theer figure, & theer coulour sayes
That thay ar heuens; but heuens on earth ar none.
Be vhat thay vil, theer poure in force agrees:
The heauns, the sune, the lightnings, and her eies.

vii.

[Ah! eyes, deare eyes, how could the Heuens consent]

Ah! eyes, deare eyes, how could the Heuens consent
To giue to you occasion of those teares?
Brest, sugred Brest that Globes of Beautie beares,
With sighes why should yee swell—with teares be sprent?
Hair, that in spight of griefe art excellent,
What haue you done? That hand you wronglie teares;
Voice, through deare portes of pearle and rubies sent,
Why should yee moane? mor fit to tune heauens spheares.
Foule Grief, the scourge of life, from heauen exild,
Child of Mishap, the Hells extreame disgrace,
Brother to paine, Mans weaknesse, forster child,
How did thou mount to so diuine a place?
Yet Grief, come there, so stranglie she thee furmes,
That thou seemst Joy, while shee thus sweetlie murnes.

viii. To my Ladye Mary Wroath.

For beautye onlye, armd with outward grace,
I scorne to yeeld, to conquerre, or to striue;
Let shallow thoughtes that can no deeper dyue,
As fits their weaknesse, rest vpon a face.
But when rare partes a heunlye shape confines,
Scarce reacht by thoughtes, not subiect to the sight,
Yet but the lanterne of a greater light,
Wher worth accomplisht crownd with glorie shines,
Then when bright vertue raignes in beautyes throne,
And doth the hart by spirituall magick moue,
Whilst reasone leads though passiones follow loue,
Lothd may hee be that likes not such a one.
If it not lou'd so braue a mynd thus shown,
I hated had the basenesse of myne own.

ix.

[Our faults thy wrath deserued haue, alas!]

Our faults thy wrath deserued haue, alas!
And thou must craue iust count of eurye deed;
But if our faults their punishment doe passe,
Thy Goodnesse farre our errors doth exceed.
All, all crye mercye, chargd with grief & teares,
A iust remorse orthrowing wylier powers;
Reason can not effect in many yeeres
What thy great wisdome can in few short howres.
Passed ills wee see the present murne,
Stand fearfull & amazd of what should come,
Euen those hidden fires eternaly that burne;
For wretched life deserueth such a doome.
But loue to vs a ray send from thy face,
And after open wyde the Gates of Grace.

x.

[Or the vinged boy my thochts to the made thral]

Or the vinged boy my thochts to the made thral,
When babie-like I knew not vhat vas loue,
My vit embrasing al my vit could proue,
At others lacing, fearing not my fal,
Vith two faire eies vher Cupids mother smyld,
Thow oft inuited me to venter boldlie,
As if my sad lookes spake minds langage coldlie,
Til vith thes gleames in end I vas beguild.
But free thow kneust I vas no more mine awne,
Charmed in thes circles vher I forc'st remaine;
Churlish thow doth thy vonted smyles retaine,
And, voe is me! giues oft a cruel frowne.
Alas! if loue in lookes hath made such change,
Vnkind I loue the not but yet am strange.

xi. Essay out of the Italien.

Melpomene in Athenes neuer song
More sueter accents, nor a more sad dittie,
Nor neare made harts bleed vith a greater pitie,
Vhere Tyber playes his floury banks along,
Then vhen she veeping daigned by Forth to sing,
Forth vhere thy heuenlie suannet loues to dwel,
Forth that may claime the name of that faire vel
Vhich Horses haue from flintie rocke mad spring.
But Medwaye, Seuern, Tames vil not consent.
To Monarks fals if y'il not giue such praise,
Yet grant at least to them, in sueet sad layes
Vho help faire Sions virgins, to lament.
And if these trumpets yeilds not schrillest sounds,
Forth boasts of him vho song the Turquish vounds.

xii. To Anne, the french Queen, new come from Spaine, and applyable to Marye of England, meeting the King at Douer.

xiii. Fragment.

[Like vnto her nothing can be namd]

Like vnto her nothing can be namd:
The mold is broke vherin dear sche vas framd.
Vho may of her rare beautie count ich part,
And all these gifts heauen doth to her impart,
On Affricke shores the sand that ebs & flows,
The skalie flockes that vith old Proteus goes,
He sur may count, and al these vaues that meet
To vashe the Mauritanian Atlas feet—
Her curlet haire, faire threeds of finest gold,
In nets & curious knots mens harts to hold,
Her forhead large & euen of vhich the lilies
Do borrow beautie & the daffadilies,
Faire ebaine bows aboue her heunlie eies,
Vher tratrous loue in silent ambush lies,
Vell framd her nose, her cheekes vith purest red,
Cinabre like, most dantelie ar spred,
Prettie & schort her eares, vith heunlie smiles
Her visage schind that sadest eies beguiles,
To orient perles her teeth do nothing yeild,
Nor lips to coral, or of gueles a feild;
Juno vith maiestie, & faire aurore,
Vith blush & fingers did this sueet decore;
The Graces gaue theer smiles & did reioice
To heare her sing vith Phebus heaunlie voice,
Pallas gaue vit, the vertews gaue theer part:
Liuing the heauen thay loget in her hart.

xiv. Fragment.

[A faire, a sueet, a pleasant heunlie creature]

A faire, a sueet, a pleasant heunlie creature
Lycoris vas—the miracle of Nature:
Her haire more faire then gold of Tagus streames
Or his that cheeres the vorld vith golden beames,
Her suetest mouth & lips that halff shee closes
Did nothing yeild to corral & fresh roses,
Her brow more vhite, more beautiful & gay
Then is a day but clouds in mids of May,
Vnder the vhich tuo equal planets glancing
Cast flames of loue, for loue theer stil is dancing;
Vhile jurie, vith a dantiest purple spred,
Of her faire cheks resembld the fairest red;
Her nek semd framd by some most curious master,
Most vhite, most smoth, a piece of alabaster;
Vpon her brest two aples round did grow,
Vith tops of strawberries more vhite then snow:
So far in grace sche did excell each other
That Cupid vald haue taine her for his mother.

xv. To my ladye Mary Wroath.

MADRIGALS AND EPIGRAMS.

xvii.

[Loue once thy lawes]

Loue once thy lawes
I did rebellious blame,
When they did cause
My chastest hart to flame
With fruitlesse vaine desire
Of her, who scorneth both thy dartes & fire.
But now (iust Loue)
Thee and thy lawes I free,
And doe reproue
My selfe, since plaine I see
The best but worthye is
To couuet, not enjoye such blisse.

xviii. Of Anthea.

When Hylas saw the eyne
Of Anthea his loue,
Who e're (said hee) such burning lampes hath seene,
Vnlesse in Heauen aboue?
Shee at his sillie praise
With blush more faire became.
In vaine (said hee) cheekes [in] skies that Morne do raise,
For my hart can not feele a greater flame.

xix.

[In ashe her lies the wanton God of loue]

In ashe her lies the wanton God of loue,
By her whom for I die.
For longtyme hauing hee
Bent all his powres her marble hart to moue,
In spight of dart of gold
And torch of heunlye fire
That neere would know desire,
Nay what is strange more harder grew & cold,
Hee dowbting if the flame vnquencht remand the same,
Wherwith hee heuen & earth did burne of old,
Proud on him selfe his brandones force,
Which, ere hee wist, consumd his litle corse.

xx. On a lamp.

Faithfull and loued light
That silent sees our thefts,
Be glad at the sweet sound of kisses sweet.
Oh! doe not dye! but if thou lou'st to die,
Dye amidst our delight
When languish both our brests.
So, thou mayst dye at ease;
For lamps to mee, no starres, are her faire eyes.

xxi. Amarillis to her dog Perlin.

Faire Perlin doe not barke,
Poore foole dost thou not know
My louer, my desire?
If thou dost turne my fow,
Who to mee shall be true?
Thou neare shall after any kisses haue.
Ist not enough all day
That thou do with mee stay?
Giue place to night, and like her silent bee,
Lulld with the noyse that kisses make to thee.

xxii.

[This Monument vnder]

This Monument vnder
Doth lie the wonder
Of that faire brest which Loue dar'd neuer tuch.
His courage kill'd him; but was it not much
A flea should bold and naked without armes
Of Loueres wronged thus reuenge the harmes?
Amantes proprio aere
Militi bene merenti posuere.

xxiii.

[The Gods haue heard my vowes]

xxiv. On the lut of Margarite.

The harmonie vherto the heauens doe dance,
Keeping to curious notes a suoft cadance,
Nor al Joues quiristers ar not so suet
As is the voice & lut of Margarite.
If angry vith his sheares he had vndoone thee,
Her onlie voice vald serue againe to tune thee;
If he phlegrean squadrons vald bring vnder,
Her lut vald combat better then his thunder.

xxv.

[If it be trew that Echo doth remaine]

If it be trew that Echo doth remaine
Mong hardest rockes, alas
Calling so oft for Grace
To her hard hart, vhy anser'st not againe?
Vhile vinds and tempests blow
The Echoes silent ar,
And neuer answer: sounds are sent to far.
So, troublet vith thy stormes of loue and voe,
Or distant then vhen most thy griefe doth flow,
Sche doth no answer giue.
Yet this thow may beleaue
That silence ofter is aye then no.

xxvi.

[Idas to schune sunnes beames]

Idas to schune sunnes beames
Did soume in cristal flood.
Perchance, like faire Aurore,
At Ganges bankes Phillis came to the schore.
He lookt vher as sche stood,
And stracht did burne amidst these coldest streames.

xxvii.

[O most perfidious face]

O most perfidious face
That hauing lost thy loue
Dost yet retaine thy wonted hew & grace!
Thy smyling eyes said
Thy splendour should be gone,
Thy cheekes faire roses fade
And furrowed be with wrinkles shown,
Ere thy affection any whit decay,
Which now is cold & dead.
Now, Tyme, haste, make her old:
In siluer turne her lockes, her face like gold.

xxviii. Epitaph.

Heere lyes a Docter who with droges and pelfe
Could not corrupte Death, but dyed himselfe.

xxix. Epitaph.

Heer lyes a cooke who went to buye ylles,
But met death in the Market who turned vp his heeles.

xxx.

[That which preserueth cherries, peares and plumes]

That which preserueth cherries, peares and plumes
Can not preserue the liuer, lights and lungs.

xxxi.

[A lady in her prime to whom was giuen]

A lady in her prime to whom was giuen
As much perfection as could flow from Heauen,
Who, had shee liud when good was loud of men,
Had made the Graces fiue, the Muses ten.

xxxii.

[Strange is his end, his death most rare and od]

Strange is his end, his death most rare and od,
Who made his god his gold, his gold his god.

xxxiii.

[Killd by ingratitude heere blest within doth rest]

Killd by ingratitude heere blest within doth rest:
To marye or not to marye which is best.

xxxiv. Epitaphe on a Cooke.

Heere lyes a sowre and angry cooke,
A miser, wretched man;
Who liued in smoke, & dyed in smoke,
Besides his frying pan.

xxxv. On a noble man who died at a counsel table.

Vntymlie Death that neither wouldst conferre,
Discourse nor parley with our great Treasurer,
Had thou beene as hee was or one of his tribe,
Thou wouldst haue spar'd his life & tane a Bribe.
Hee who so long with gold & subtil wit,
Had iniurd strong law & almost conquerd it,
Hee who could lenthen causes and was able
To sterue a suiter at the counsel Table,
At lenth not hauing euidents to show,
Was faine (Good lord) to take's Death. It was so.

xxxvi.

[Mops gaue his fath to Anne and Helen, yet doth ow]

Mops gaue his fath to Anne and Helen, yet doth ow:
Quho sayes good Mopsus hath no fath he lies, for he hath tuo.

xxxvii.

[Tom moneyless his agnus dei hath sold]

Tom moneyless his agnus dei hath sold,
For he had rather vant his God then gold.

xxxviii.

[To build a tombe Jhone doth him daylie paine]

To build a tombe Jhone doth him daylie paine;
For suth he fears his father rise againe.

xxxix.

[Ye veep as if your husbands death yow griuit]

Ye veep as if your husbands death yow griuit;
Ye onlie veep the old man so long liuit.

xl.

[Hear lyeth Jean that some tyme vas a maid]

Hear lyeth Jean that some tyme vas a maid;
But quhen that vas, it cannot vel be said.

xli.

[Paule vent to Toune to saue him selfe from horning]

Paule vent to Toune to saue him selfe from horning;
Scarse vas he gone, vhen Kite him hornd that morning.

xlii. On the poems of ------

Thocht poets skil her vant, thinke it no crime,
For he knows nocht of poesie but rime.

xliii.

[Zoilus eies in glasse did see them selues looke euen]

Zoilus eies in glasse did see them selues looke euen:
That each of them micht gree, then both did pray to heauen.

xliv.

[A foolish change made vretchet Chremes dead]

A foolish change made vretchet Chremes dead:
His hairs gat gold, and they left him but lead.

xlv.

[Jeane cal not your husband hart vhen ye him kis]

Jeane cal not your husband hart vhen ye him kis:
The harts doo losse ther hornes, but he keeps euer his.

xlvi.

[Thocht louers lie borne by the streame of yuth]

Thocht louers lie borne by the streame of yuth,
Yet vhen thay say ther dames no mortal creatures
Can be, but something els, sure they say truth:
Vomen adord in feinds do change ther natures.

xlvii.

[Into the sea al cornards Thomas vist]

Into the sea al cornards Thomas vist,
But his faire vyff to suyme bad him learne first.

xlviii.

[Chremes did hing him selff vpon a tree]

Chremes did hing him selff vpon a tree
Because the price of Ceres fruits did alter;
His seruant ran and cut the rope, but he,
Com'd to him selff, socht monnoye for the halter.

xlix.

[Be reasons good Jhon him a christian proueth]

Be reasons good Jhon him a christian proueth:
H'il drinke strong vine, & flesh of suine vel loueth.

l.

[Vhy byeth old Chremes land so near his death?]

Vhy byeth old Chremes land so near his death?
Like loueth like: he halfe earth liketh earth.

li. Charles the IX of France.

Vhy vomets Charles so much blood from his brest?
The bloud he dranke he culd not vel dygest.

lii. Out of Passerat.

Vho cuckhold is & tries it not,
A honest man he is God vot;
Vho vell it sees yet vil not see,
A vise subtile man is hee;
Vho searcheth if his head be hornd,
At best is vorthie to be scornd.

liii.

[Samarias Motheres when to Death they steru'd]

Samarias Motheres when to Death they steru'd
Did make a couenant their sonnes to eate;
The first (poor foole) aduanced hers for meate,
The other, pitifull, hid and preseru'd:
Comparisones are odious, therefore I
To Britannes kingdome will not this applye.

liv.

[Two Bittes of Noses may make on tall nose.]

Two Bittes of Noses may make on tall nose.
Philip on Nose-bit had, Leslea another;
Leslea a goodlye piece to make of those
Determinates to ioyne the two together;
But when Philps nose should but haue been his pray,
He tooke his head: lords was not that foule playe?

lv. Epitaph.

Truth hatred breedes.
Who lyes beneath this stone
Thou shalt not know,
Yet know hee's not alone:
About him staye some findes for his euill deedes.
Let him who reedes
In haste this place foregoe.

lvi. Discontented Phillis.

Blacke are my thoughts as is my Husbands haire,
My fortune ill-proportiond like his face,
My Mind wantes joyes, his countenance all grace,
His wit is lead, Myne heauye is with care:
In things so great since so conforme wee be,
Who then can say but that wee well agree.

lvii. Vindiciae against the Com̄ones for B. C.

Some are that thinke it no way can agree
A Bishop good good Minister can bee,
Nay, that no more be in one man these can
Than to be honest and a Puritan.
How farre they runne astray and strangelie erre,
This Man showes, Man good, Bishop, Minister.
Onlie one fault hee had, for he did proue
Too meeke for this world, too too much a doue.
Hence Harmelesse liu'd hee and exposd to wronges,
And now lyes murthered by injurious tongues.
Such which talke still of Relligion,
Yet hold it best in practike to haue none,
Who deeme men like to him to be great euills,
May God to preach to them raise vp some else.

lviii.

[Heere lye the Bones of a gentle horse]

Heere lye the Bones of a gentle horse
Who liuing vsed to carrye the corse
Of an insolent preacher. O had the asse
Of Balaam him carryed, he had told what hee was!
Now courteous readeres tell so, if yee can,
Is the Epitaph of the horse or of the Man?