5.

My Lines of amorous desire

I wrote to kindle and blow others fire:
And 'twas a barbarous delight

My Fancy promis'd from the sight;
But now, by Love, the mighty Phalaris, I
My burning Bull the first do try.

Never yet could see that face
Which had no dart for me;

From fifteen years, to fifties space,

They all victorious be.

Love thou'rt a Devil; if I may call thee One, For sure in Me thy name is Legion.

2.

Colour, or Shape, good Limbs, or Face,
Goodness, or Wit in all I find.
In Motion or in Speech a grace,

If all fail, yet 'tis Woman-kind;

And I'm so weak, the Pistol need not be
Double, or treble charg'd to murder Me.

3.

If Tall, the Name of Proper slays;
If Fair, she's pleasant as the Light;
If Low, her Prettiness does please ;

If Black, what Lover loves not Night?
If Yellow-hair'd, I Love, lest it should be
Th' excuse to others for not loving Me.

4.

The Fat, like Plenty, fills my heart;
The Lean, with Love makes me too so.
If Streight, her Body's Cupid's Dart
To me; if Crooked, 'tis his Bow.

Nay Age it self does me to rage encline,

And strength to Women gives, as well as Wine.

5.

Just half as large as Charity

My richly-landed Love's become;
And judg'd aright is Constancy,

Though it take up a larger room:

Him, who loves always one, why should they call More Constant, than the Man loves Always All? 6.

Thus with unwearied wings I flee

Through all Loves Gardens and his Fields; And, like the wise, industrious Bee,

No Weed but Honey to me yields !

Honey still spent this dil'igence still supplies, Though I return not home with laden Thighs.

7.

My Soul at first indeed did prove

Of pretty strength against a Dart;
Till I this Habit got of Love;

But my consum'd and wasted Heart
Once burnt to Tinder with a strong Desire,
Since that by every Spark is set on Fire.

The Constant.

I.

Great, and wise Conqu'rour, who where e're

Thou com'st, dost fortifie, and settle there! Who canst defend as well as get;

And never hadst one Quarter beat up yet;
Now thou art in, Thou ne're wilt part
With one inch of my vanquisht Heart;
For since thou took'st it by assault from Me,
'Tis Garison'd so strong with Thoughts of Thee,
It fears no beauteous Enemy.

2.

Had thy charming strength been less, I'had serv'd e're this an hundred Mistresses. I'm better thus, nor would compound To leave my Pris'on to be a Vagabound.

A Pris'on in which I still would be,
Though every door stood ope to Me.
In spight both of thy Coldness and thy Pride,
All Love is Marriage on thy Lovers side,
For only Death can them divide.

3.

Close, narrow Chain, yet soft and kind,
As that which Spirits above to good does bind,
Gentle, and sweet Necessity,

Which does not force, but guide our Liberty!
Your love on Me were spent in vain,
Since my Love still could but remain
Just as it is; for what, alas can be
Added to that which hath Infinity
Both in Extent and Quality?

W

Her Name.

I.

Ith more than Jewish Reverence as yet
Do I the Sacred Name conceal;

When, ye kind Stars, ah when will it be fit
This Gentle Mystery to reveal?

When will our Love be Nam'd, and we possess
That Christning as a Badge of Happiness?

2.

So bold as yet no Verse of mine has been,
To wear that Gem on any Line;

Nor, till the happy Nuptial Muse be seen,
Shall any Stanza with it shine.

Rest, mighty Name, till then; for thou must be
Laid down by Her, e're taken up by Me.

3.

Then all the fields and woods shall with it ring; Then Ecchoes burden it shall be;

Then all the Birds in several notes shall sing, And all the Rivers murmur Thee;

Then ev'ery wind the Sound shall upwards bear, And softly whisper't to some Angels Ear.

4.

Then shall thy Name through all my Verse be spread, Thick as the flowers in Meadows lye,

And, when in future times they shall be read, (As sure, I think, they will not dye)

If any Critick doubt that They be mine,

Men by that Stamp shall quickly know the Coyn.

5.

Mean while I will not dare to make a Name
To represent thee by;

Adam (Gods Nomenclator) could not frame
One that enough should signifie.

Astræa or Calia as unfit would prove
For Thee, as 'tis to call the Deity, Jove.

SEE

Weeping.

I.

EE where she sits, and in what comely wise, Drops Tears more fair then others Eyes! Ah, charming Maid, let not ill Fortune see

Th'attire thy sorrow wears,

Nor know the beauty of thy Tears: For shee'l still come to dress her self in Thee.

2.

As stars reflect on waters, so I spy

In every drop (methinks) her Eye. The Baby, which lives there, and alwayes plays In that illustrious sphære,

Like a Narcissus does appear, Whilst in his flood the lovely Boy did gaze.

3.

Ne're yet did I behold so glorious weather,
As this Sun-shine and Rain together.
Pray Heav'en her Forehead, that pure Hill of snow,
(For some such Fountain we must find,

To waters of so fair a kind)

Melt not, to feed that beauteous stream below.

4.

Ah, mighty Love, that it were inward Heat Which made this precious Limbeck sweat!

But what, alas, ah what does it avail

That she weeps Tears so wondrous cold, As scarce the Asses hoof can hold, So cold, that I admire they fall not Hail.

Discretion.

D

I.

Iscreet? what means this word Discreet?
A Curse on all Discretion!

This barbarous term you will not meet
In all Loves-Lexicon.

2.

Joynture, Portion, Gold, Estate,

Houses, Houshold-stuff, or Land,

(The Low Conveniences of Fate)

Are Greek no Lovers understand.

3.

Believe me, beauteous one, when Love
Enters into a brest,

The two first things it does remove,
Are Friends and Interest.

4.

Passion's half blind, nor can endure
The careful, scrup'lous Eyes,
Or else I could not love, I'm sure,
One who in Love were wise.

5.

Men, in such tempests tost about,
Will without grief or pain,
Cast all their goods and riches out,

Themselves their Port to gain.