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The poems of William Habington

Edited with introduction and commentary by Kenneth Allott
Habington, William (1605-1654)

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CASTARA:
  
To his best friend and Kinsman William Habington, Esquire.
  
To CASTARA,
  
To CASTARA,
  
To Roses in the bosome of CASTARA.
  
To CASTARA,
  
To CASTARA,
  
To my honoured Friend, Mr. E. P.
  
To CASTARA.
  
To CASTARA,
  
To a Wanton.
  
To the Honourable my much honoured friend, R. B. Esquire.
  
To CASTARA,
  
To CASTARA,
  
To the right honourable the Countesse of Ar.
  
Vpon CASTARA'S frowne or smile.
  
In CASTARA,
  
Vpon thought CASTARA may dye.
  
Time to the moments, on sight of CASTARA.
  
To a friend inquiring her name, whom he loved.
  
A Dialogue betweene HOPE and FEARE.
  
To CVPID,
  
Vpon CVPID'S death and buriall in CASTARA'S cheeke.
  
To Fame.
  
A Dialogue betweene ARAPHILL and CASTARA.
  
To CASTARA,
  
Vpon CASTARA'S departure.
  
To CASTARA,
  
To CASTARA,
  
Vpon CASTARA'S absence.
  
To CASTARA,
  
To THAMES.
  
To the right honourable the Earle of SHREWES.
  
To CVPID.
  
To CASTARA.
  
To the Spring,
  
To Reason,
  
An answere to CASTARA'S question.
  
To CASTARA,
  
To the honourable my honoured kinsman Mr. G. T.
  
Eccho to Narcissus.
  
To CASTARA,
  
To Seymors,
  
To the Dew,
  
To CASTARA.
  
To CASTARA,
  
Vpon CASTARA'S departure.
  
A Dialogue betweene NIGHT and ARAPHIL.
  
To the Right Honourable, the Lady, E. P.
  
To CASTARA,
  
An Apparition.
  
To the Honourable Mr. Wm. E.
  
To CASTARA,
  
To my honoured Friend and Kinsman, R. St. Esquire
  
To the World.
  
To the Winter.
  
Vpon a visit to CASTARA in the Night.
  
To CASTARA. Of the chastity of his Love.
  
The Description Of CASTARA.
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CASTARA
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To CASTARA,
  
To CASTARA,
  
To Zephirus.
  
To CASTARA
  
To DEATH,
  
To CASTARA
  
Upon CASTARA'S recoverie.
  
To a Friend,
  
To CASTARA,
  
To CASTARA.
  
To CASTARA,
  
To CASTARA,
  
To CASTARA,
  
To CASTARA,
  
To the Right Honourable the Lady F.
  
To CASTARA.
  
To CASTARA.
  
To CASTARA,
  
A Dialogue betweene ARAPHILL and CASTARA.
  
To the Right Honourable HENRY Lord M.
  
To a Tombe.
  
To CASTARA.
  
To the Right Honourable, the Lord P.
  
His Muse speakes to him.
  
To Vaine hope.
  
To CASTARA,
  
To CASTARA.
  
On the death of the Right Honourable, GEORGE Earle of S.
  
To my worthy Cousin Mr. E. C.
  
Loves Aniversarie
  
Against them who lay unchastity to the sex of Women.
  
To the Right Honourable and excellently learned, William Earle of St.
  
To CASTARA,
  
To the Honourable, G. T.
  
To CASTARA.
  
To my noblest Friend, Sir I. P. Knight.
  
To The Right Honourable Archibald Earle of Ar.
  
An Elegy upon The Honourable Henry Cambell, sonne to the Earle of Ar.
  
To CASTARA.
  
To CASTARA,
  
To the Moment last past
  
To CASTARA.
  
To the Right Honourable the Countesse of C.
  
The harmony of Love.
  
To my honoured friend Sir Ed. P. Knight.
  
To CASTARA.
  
To CASTARA.
  
To my noblest Friend, I. C. Esquire.
  
To CASTARA.
  
To his Muse.
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The Funerals of the Honourable, my best friend and Kinsman, GEORGE TALBOT, Esquire.
 1. 
Elegie, 1.
 2. 
Elegie, 2.
 3. 
Elegie, 3.
 4. 
Elegie, 4.
 5. 
Elegie, 5.
 6. 
Elegie, 6.
 7. 
Elegie, 7.
 8. 
Elegie, 8.
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CASTARA:
  
Domine labia mea aperies. DAVID.
  
Versa est in luctum cythara mea. IOB.
  
Perdam Sapientiam Sapientum.
  
Paucitatem dierum meorum nuncia mihi. DAVID.
  
Non nobis Domine. DAVID.
  
Solum mihi superest sepulchrum. IOB.
  
Et fugit velut umbra. IOB.
  
Nox nocti indicat Scientiam. DAVID.
  
Et alta a longè cognoscit. DAVID.
  
Universum stratum ejus versasti in infirmitate ejus. DAVID.
  
Laudate Dominum de cælis. DAVID.
  
Qui quasi flos egreditur.
  
Quid gloriaris in malicia? DAVID.
  
Deus Deus Meus. DAVID.
  
Quoniam ego in flagella paratus sum. DAVID.
  
Militia est vita hominis.
  
Vias tuas Domine demonstra mihi.
  
Et Exaltavit Humiles.
  
Dominus Dominantium.
  
Cogitabo pro peccato meo.
  
Recogitabo tibi omnes annos meos. ISAY.
  
Cupio dissolvi. Paule.
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PROLOGUES, EPILOGUES AND SONGS FROM THE QUEENE OF ARRAGON 1640
  
The Prologue at Court.
  
The Prologue at the Fryers.
  
The Song in the second Act.
  
The Song in the fourth Act.
  
The Epilogue at Court.
  
The Epilogue at the Fryers.
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OTHER POEMS FROM PRINTED BOOKS
  
[Spread faire thou growing Tree, with which in vaine]
  
To his noble Friend, th' Author on his Tragedy of Albouine.
  
To my friend the author.
  
An ELEGIE UPON THE Death of Ben. Johnson, the most Excellent of English Poets
  
To MY FRIEND, Will. Davenant.
  
On Master JOHN FLETCHERS Dramaticall Poems.
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DOUBTFUL POEMS
  
on Castaraes sittinge on Primrose banks
  
upon Castaries and her sisters goinge Afoote in the Snow

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Paucitatem dierum meorum nuncia mihi. DAVID.

Tell me O great All-knowing God!
What period
Hast thou unto my dayes assign'd?
Like some old leafelesse tree, shall I
Wither away: or violently
Fall by the axe, by lightning, or the Wind?
122

Heere, where I first drew vitall breath
Shall I meete death?
And finde in the same vault a roome
Where my fore-fathers ashes sleepe?
Or shall I dye, where none shall weepe
My timelesse fate, and my cold earth intombe?
Shall I 'gainst the swift Parthians fight
And in their flight
Receive my death? Or shall I see
That envied peace, in which we are
Triumphant yet, disturb'd by warre;
And perish by th' invading enemie?
Astrologers, who calculate
Vncertaine fate
Affirme my scheme doth not presage
Any abridgement of my dayes:
And the Phisitian gravely sayes,
I may enjoy a reverent length of age.
But they are jugglers, and by slight
Of art the sight
Of faith delude: and in their schoole
They onely practise how to make
A mistery of each mistake,
And teach strange words credulity to foole.
For thou who first didst motion give,
Whereby things live
And Time hath being! to conceale
Future events didst thinke it fit
To checke th' ambition of our wit,
And keepe in awe the curious search of zeale.
Therefore so I prepar'd still be,
My God for thee:
Oth' sudden on my spirits may
Some killing Apoplexie seize,
Or let me by a dull disease
Or weakened by a feeble age decay.
123

And so I in thy favour dye,
No memorie
For me a well-wrought tombe prepare,
For if my soule be 'mong the blest
Though my poore ashes want a chest,
I shall forgive the trespasse of my heire.
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