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Loves Visibility.

I.

Ith much of pain, and all the Art I knew
Have I endeavour'd hitherto

WI

To hide my Love, and yet all will not do.

2.

The world perceives it, and it may be, she;
Though so discreet and good she be,

By hiding it, to teach that skill to Me.

3.

Men without Love have oft so cunning grown,
That something like it they have shown,
But none who had it ever seem'd t'have none.

4.

Love's of a strangely open, simple kind,
Can no arts or disguises find,

But thinks none sees it 'cause it self is blind.

5.

The very Eye betrays our inward smart;
Love of himself left there a part,
When thorow it he past into the Heart.

6.

Or if by chance the Face betray not it,
But keep the secret wisely, yet,

Like Drunkenness, into the Tongue t'will get.

Looking on, and discoursing with his Mistress.

T

I.

Hese full two hours now have I gazing been,
What comfort by it can I gain?

To look on Heav'en with mighty Gulfs between
Was the great Misers greatest pain;

So neer was he to Heavens delight,
As with the blest converse he might,
Yet could not get one drop of water by't.

2.

Ah wretch! I seem to touch her now; but, oh,
What boundless spaces do us part?

Fortune, and Friends, and all earths empty show
My Lowness, and her high Desert:
But these might conquerable prove;
Nothing does me so far remove,

As her hard Souls aversion from my Love.

3.

So Travellers, that lose their way by night,
If from afar they chance t'espy

Th' uncertain glimmerings of a Tapers light,
Take flattering hopes, and think it nigh;
Till wearied with the fruitless pain,
They sit them down, and weep in vain,
And there in Darkness and Despair remain.

Resolved to Love.

I.

Wonder what the Grave and Wise

I Wonder Walt us that Love;

Whether our Pretty Fooleries

Their Mirth or Anger move;

They understand not Breath, that Words does want; Our Sighs to them are unsignificant.

2.

One of them saw me th' other day,

Touch the dear hand, which I admire;

My Soul was melting strait away,

And dropt before the Fire.

This silly Wiseman, who pretends to know,
Askt why I look'd so pale, and trembled so?

3.

Another from my Mistress' dore

Saw me with eyes all watry come; Nor could the hidden cause explore,

But thought some smoak was in the room; Such Ign'orance from unwounded Learning came; He knew Tears made by Smoak, but not by Flame.

[4.]

If learn'd in other things you be,

And have in Love no skill,

For Gods sake keep your arts from me,
For I'll be ign'orant still.

Study or Action others may embrace;

My Love's my Business, and my Books her Face.

[5.]

These are but Trifles, I confess,

Which me, weak Mortal, move;

Nor is your busie Seriousness

Less trifling than my Love.

The wisest King who from his sacred brest
Pronounc'd all Van'ity, chose it for the best.

G

My Fate.

I.

O bid the Needle his dear North forsake,

To which with trembling rev'erence it does bend;

Go bid the Stones a journey upwards make;

Go bid th' ambitious Flame no more ascend:

And when these false to their old Motions prove,
Then shall I cease Thee, Thee alone to Love.

2.

The fast-link'd Chain of everlasting Fate

Does nothing tye more strong, than Me to You; My fixt Love hangs not on your Love or Hate; But will be still the same, what e're you do. You cannot kill my Love with your disdain, Wound it you may, and make it live in pain.

3.

Me, mine example let the Stoicks use,

Their sad and cruel doctrine to maintain, Let all Prædestinators me produce,

Who struggle with eternal bonds in vain. This Fire I'm born to, but 'tis she must tell, Whether't be Beams of Heav'en, or Flames of Hell.

4.

You, who mens fortunes in their faces read,
To find out mine, look not, alas, on Me;
But mark her Face, and all the features heed;
For only there is writ my Destiny.

Or if Stars shew it, gaze not on the Skies;
But study the Astrology of her Eyes.

5.

If thou find there kind and propitious rays,
What Mars or Saturn threaten I'll not fear;
I well believe the Fate of mortal days

Is writ in Heav'en; but, oh my heav'en is there. What can men learn from stars they scarce can see? Two great Lights rule the world; and her two, Me.

The Heart-breaking.

I.

T gave a piteous groan, and so it broke;

IT

In vain it something would have spoke : The Love within too strong for❜t was, Like Poyson put into a Venice-Glass.

2.

I thought that this some Remedy might prove,
But, oh, the mighty Serpent Love,
Cut by this chance in pieces small,
In all still liv'd, and still it stung in all.

3.

And now (alas) each little broken part

Feels the whole pain of all my Heart:
And every smallest corner still

Lives with that torment which the Whole did kill.

4.

Even so rude Armies when the field they quit,
And into several Quarters get;

Each Troop does spoil and ruine more,
Then all joyn'd in one Body did before.

5.

How many Loves raign in my bosom now?
How many Loves, yet all of you?
Thus have I chang'd with evil fate
My Monarch-Love into a Tyrant-State.

TH

The Usurpation.

I.

Hou'hadst to my Soul no title or pretence;
I was mine own, and free,

Till I had giv'n my self to Thee;

But thou hast kept me Slave and Prisoner since. Well, since so insolent thou'rt grown,

Fond Tyrant, I'll depose thee from thy Throne ; Such outrages must not admitted be

In an Elective Monarchy.

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