The Minor Poems of Joseph Beaumont ... Edited from the autograph manuscript with introduction and notes by Eloise Robinson |
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The Pretence
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 | The Minor Poems of Joseph Beaumont |  |
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The Pretence
1
Vain Hart, why wouldst Thou tryThe Bag of every Bee that buzzeth by?
With any didst Thou ever meet
Amidst whose Honey was not sett
A Sting to warn thine Hand
The Danger of Delight to understand?
2
Nay, leave thy Preaching: IBeleve that Pleasure Lawfull is, which thy
Fond Tooth, desires to taste. But since
The Lawfulnes is thy Pretence,
Come, I will let Thee loose
To Lawful things, where Thou mayst noblier choose.
3
First, know, tis Lawful toAbstein from that Thou pantest after so.
'Tis Lawful quite to quench the fire
Of any secular Desire:
Tis Lawful to refuse
What Law itself alloweth Thee to use.
4
'Tis Lawful to denyWhate'r doth feuel to thy Flame supply.
317
Against thy Self, & not to spare
That Body, which unless
Thou mortifie'st it, will thy Life suppress.
5
To Weep, to Fast, to Pray;To walk the hardy & heroik Way
Of Saints & Martyrs, whoe in fear
Of nothing more then Pleasures were;
To bowe thy venturous back
And any Cross on thy brave Shoulders take;
6
By his deer Blood to traceThe gallant Footstepps of thy Lord; to Place
Thy Self above thy Self, & live
In Lifes own Fount, whil'st Thou dost give
All thy Desires to His
Incomparable Will in Sacrifice.
7
All these are Lawful; andMuch more then so.—Why dost Thou trembling stand?
That Tremor shakes off from thy face
The Mask in which it sheltred was;
And makes Thee now confess
Thou fearest thine own Weapon, LAWFULNES.
| The Minor Poems of Joseph Beaumont | |