University of Virginia Library

Cant. VI.

Chorus.
Faire Virgin, paralel'd by none,
O whither's thy Beloved gone!
Direct our forward Zeal, that we
May joyn in this pursuit with thee.

Sponsa.
Behold, the more then life desir'd
Down to his Garden is retir'd:
There gathers Flowers, Feasts in the Shade,
On Beds of bruised Spices laid.
Our mutuall flame all flames exceeds:
My Dear among the Lillies feeds.

Sponsus.
Not Regall Terza, Israels
Delight, thy Beautie, Love, excels:
Not thou, Divine Ierusalem,
That art of all the World the Iem:
Nor Armies with their Ensigns spread,
So threaten with amazing Dread.
O turn from me thy wounding Eyes!
In every glance an Arrow flyes!
Thy dangling Haire appears like flocks
Of climing Goats from Gileads Rocks:
Thy Teeth, like Sheep in their Return
From Chison, washt and smoothly shorn;
None markt for barren, none of all
But equall Twins at once let fall:
Thy Cheeks like Punick Apples are,
Which blush beneath thy flowing Haire.
They boast of many Queens, great store
Of Concubines, and Virgins more
Then can be told: my Vndefill'd
Is all in one; the onely Child
Of her faire Mother: and brought forth
To shew the World an unknown Worth.
Queens, Virgins, Concubines, beheld,
Admir'd, and blest th'Vnparalel'd.

Chorus.
Who's this, who like the Morning shews,
When she her Paths with Roses strews!
More faire then the replenisht Moon,
More Radiant then the Sun at Noon:
Not Armies with their Ensigns spread.
So threaten with amazing dread.

Sponsus.
I to my pleasant Gardens went,
Where Nutmegs breath a fragrant sent,
To see the generous fruits which grac'd
The pregnant vale, with springs inchac'd:
To see the Vines disclose their Iems,
And Granets blooming on their Stems.
Then unaware, and half amaz'd,
Me thought my ravisht Soul was rais'd
Vp to a Chariot, swift as winds,
Drawn by my Peoples willing Minds.

Chorus.
Return faire Shulamite, return
To us, who for thy absence mourn.
What see you in the Shulamite!
Two Armies prevalent in fight.