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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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Universum stratum ejus versasti in infirmitate ejus. DAVID.

My Soule! When thou and I
Shall on our frighted death-bed lye;
Each moment watching when pale death
Shall snatch away our latest breath,
And 'tweene two long joyn'd Lovers force
An endlesse sad divorce:
How wilt thou then? that art
My rationall and nobler part,
Distort thy thoughts? How wilt thou try
To draw from weake Philosophie
Some strength: and flatter thy poore state,
'Cause tis the common fate?
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How will thy spirits pant
And tremble when they feele the want
Of th' usuall organs; and that all
The vitall powers begin to fall?
When 'tis decreed, that thou must goe,
Yet whether; who can know?
How fond and idle then
Will seeme the misteries of men?
How like some dull ill-acted part
The subtlest of proud humane art?
How shallow ev'n the deepest sea,
When thus we ebbe away?
But how shall I (that is
My fainting earth) looke pale at this?
Disjointed on the racke of paine.
How shall I murmur, how complaine;
And craving all the ayde of skill,
Finde none, but what must kill?
Which way so ere my griefe
Doth throw my sight to court releefe,
I shall but meete despaire; for all
Will prophesie my funerall:
The very silence of the roome
Will represent a tombe.
And while my Childrens teares,
My Wives vaine hopes, but certaine feares,
And councells of Divines advance
Death in each dolefull circumstance:
I shall even a sad mourner be
At my owne obsequie.
For by examples I
Must know that others sorrowes dye
Soone as our selves, and none survive
To keepe our memories alive.
Even our fals tombes, as loath to say
We once had life, decay.
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