For this to th'comfort of my Dear I vow, 95
My Deeds shall still be what my words are now;
The Poles shall move to teach me ere I start;
And when I change my Love, I'll change my heart;
Nay, if I wax but cold in my desire,
Think, heaven hath motion lost, and the world, fire: 100
Much more I could, but many words have made
That, oft, suspected which men would perswade;
Take therefore all in this: I love so true,
As I will never look for less in you.
My Deeds shall still be what my words are now;
The Poles shall move to teach me ere I start;
And when I change my Love, I'll change my heart;
Nay, if I wax but cold in my desire,
Think, heaven hath motion lost, and the world, fire: 100
Much more I could, but many words have made
That, oft, suspected which men would perswade;
Take therefore all in this: I love so true,
As I will never look for less in you.
John Donne
_1633-69:_ _in MSS.
generally spelt
as pronounced_, biles _or_ byles]
[13 vile lying stones _1635-54 and MSS. :_ vile stones lying
_1633_, _1669_]
[14 they hang _A18_, _B_, _JC_, _L74_, _M_, _N_, _O'F_
(_altered to_ it), _S_, _TC_, _W:_ it hangs _1633-69_]
[19 a] _om. _ _1635-39_]
[26 grave] grav'd _1669_
dust _1633-69_, _W:_ durt _A18_, _A25_, _JC_, _M_, _N_, _O'F_,
_P_, _S_, _TC_]
[28 hands. _W:_ hands, _1633-69_]
[34 thy gouty hand. _1635-69_, _A18_, _A25_, _B_, _L74_, _N_,
_O'F_, _P_, _S96_, _TC_, _W_ (hand; _1635-69_): her gouty
hand; _1633_, _JC_, _S:_ thy mistress hand; _1669_]
[37 durt _1635-69:_ part _1633_, _from next line_]
[46 feares] fear'd _A18_, _L74_, _N_, _O'F_, _TC_, _W_]
[48 when _1635-69 and MSS. :_ where _1633_]
[50 Are Priests . . . sacrifice,] A Priest is in his handling
Sacrifice, _1669_]
[51 such _A18_, _A25_, _B_, _JC_, _L74_, _N_, _O'F_, _P_, _S_,
_S96_, _TC_, _W:_ nice _1633-69_]
ELEGIE IX.
_The Autumnall_
No _Spring_, nor _Summer_ Beauty hath such grace,
As I have seen in one _Autumnall_ face.
Yong _Beauties_ force our love, and that's a _Rape_,
This doth but _counsaile_, yet you cannot scape.
If t'were a _shame_ to love, here t'were no _shame_, 5
_Affection_ here takes _Reverences_ name.
Were her first yeares the _Golden Age_; That's true,
But now shee's _gold_ oft tried, and ever new.
That was her torrid and inflaming time,
This is her tolerable _Tropique clyme_. 10
Faire eyes, who askes more heate then comes from hence,
He in a fever wishes pestilence.
Call not these wrinkles, _graves_; If _graves_ they were,
They were _Loves graves_; for else he is no where.
Yet lies not Love _dead_ here, but here doth sit 15
Vow'd to this trench, like an _Anachorit_.
And here, till hers, which must be his _death_, come,
He doth not digge a _Grave_, but build a _Tombe_.
Here dwells he, though he sojourne ev'ry where,
In _Progresse_, yet his standing house is here. 20
Here, where still _Evening_ is; not _noone_, nor _night_;
Where no _voluptuousnesse_, yet all _delight_.
In all her words, unto all hearers fit,
You may at _Revels_, you at _Counsaile_, sit.
This is loves timber, youth his under-wood; 25
There he, as wine in _Iune_, enrages blood,
Which then comes seasonabliest, when our tast
And appetite to other things, is past.
_Xerxes_ strange _Lydian_ love, the _Platane_ tree,
Was lov'd for age, none being so large as shee, 30
Or else because, being yong, nature did blesse
Her youth with ages glory, _Barrennesse_.
If we love things long sought, _Age_ is a thing
Which we are fifty yeares in compassing.
If transitory things, which soone decay, 35
_Age_ must be lovelyest at the latest day.
But name not _Winter-faces_, whose skin's slacke;
Lanke, as an unthrifts purse; but a soules sacke;
Whose _Eyes_ seeke light within, for all here's shade;
Whose _mouthes_ are holes, rather worne out, then made; 40
Whose every tooth to a severall place is gone,
To vexe their soules at _Resurrection_;
Name not these living _Deaths-heads_ unto mee,
For these, not _Ancient_, but _Antique_ be.
I hate extreames; yet I had rather stay 45
With _Tombs_, then _Cradles_, to weare out a day.
Since such loves naturall lation is, may still
My love descend, and journey downe the hill,
Not panting after growing beauties, so,
I shall ebbe out with them, who home-ward goe. 50
[Eleg. IX. The Autumnall. _1635-54:_ Elegie. The Autumnall.
_1633:_ Elegie IX. _1669:_ Elegie. _A18, N, TCC, TCD:_ Elegie
Autumnall. _D, H40, H49, JC, Lec:_ An autumnall face: On the
Ladie S^r Edward Herbart mothers Ladie Danvers. _B:_ On the
Lady Herbert afterwards Danvers. _O'F:_ Widdow. _M_, _P:_ A
Paradox of an ould Woman. _S:_ Elegie Autumnall on the Lady
Shandoys. _S96: no title, L74_]
[1 _Summer 1633: Summers 1635-69_]
[2 face. _Ed:_ face, _1633-69_]
[3 our love, _1633_, _D_, _H49_, _Lec_, _S:_ our Loves, _1669:_
your love, _1635-54_, _A18_, _A25_, _B_, _H40_, _L74_, _M_, _N_,
_O'F_, _P_, _S96_, _TC_]
[6 _Affection_ . . . takes _A18_, _A25_, _B_, _D_, _H40_, _H49_,
_L74_, _Lec_, _M_, _N_, _P_, _S_, _S96_, _TC:_ _Affections_
. . . take _1633-69_, _JC_, _O'F_]
[8 shee's _1635-69_, _A18_, _A25_, _B_, _D_, _H40_, _H49_,
_JC_, _L74_, _Lec_, _M_, _N_, _O'F_, _P_, _S_, _S96_, _TC:_
they'are _1633_]
[10 tolerable _1633_, _D_, _H40_, _H49_, _Lec_, _S:_ habitable
_1635-69_, _A18_, _A25_, _L74_, _M_, _N_, _O'F_, _P_, _TC_]
[14 for _1633:_ or _1635-69_]
[15 Love] love _1633_]
[22 Where] Where's _O'F_, _S_]
[23 unto all] to all her _P_]
[24 _Counsaile_, _Ed:_ _counsaile_, _1633-54:_ _counsails_
_1669_]
[26 enrages] bringes _D_, _H49:_ breeds _Lec_]
[27 seasonabliest, _1633:_ seasonablest, _1635-69_]
[28 past. ] past; _1633_]
[30 large _1633:_ old _1635-69_]
[37 not] noe _several MSS. _]
[38 soules sacke; _1633_, _1669_, _and MSS. :_ fooles sack;
_1635-54_]
[40 made; _Ed:_ made _1633-54:_ made, _1669_]
[42 their soules] the soul _1669_]
[43 _Deaths-heads_ _1633:_ _Death-heads_ _1635-69_,
_Chambers:_ death-shades _H40_]
[44 _Ancient, . . . Antique_ _1633_, _1669_, _D_, _H49_, _Lec:_
Ancients, . . . Antiques _1635-54_, _B_, _O'F_, _S:_ ancient . . .
antiques _A18_, _A25_, _H40_, _L74_, _M_, _N_, _TC_
be. _Ed:_ be; _1633_]
[46 a] the _1669_, _M_, _P_]
[47 naturall lation _A18_, _A25_, _B_, _D_, _H40_,
_H49_, _L74_, _M_, _N_, _P_, _S_, _TC_ (_sometimes thus_,
natural-lation): motion naturall _1633:_ naturall station
_1635-69_, _Lec_, _O'F_]
[50 ebbe out _1633:_ ebbe on _1635-69_, _A18_, _A25_, _B_,
_D_, _H40_, _H49_, _JC_, _L74_, _Lec_, _M_, _N_, _O'F_, _P_,
_S_, _TC_]
ELEGIE X.
_The Dreame. _
Image of her whom I love, more then she,
Whose faire impression in my faithfull heart,
Makes mee her _Medall_, and makes her love mee,
As Kings do coynes, to which their stamps impart
The value: goe, and take my heart from hence, 5
Which now is growne too great and good for me:
_Honours_ oppresse weake spirits, and our sense
Strong objects dull; the more, the lesse wee see.
When you are gone, and _Reason_ gone with you,
Then _Fantasie_ is Queene and Soule, and all; 10
She can present joyes meaner then you do;
Convenient, and more proportionall.
So, if I dreame I have you, I have you,
For, all our joyes are but fantasticall.
And so I scape the paine, for paine is true; 15
And sleepe which locks up sense, doth lock out all.
After a such fruition I shall wake,
And, but the waking, nothing shall repent;
And shall to love more thankfull Sonnets make,
Then if more _honour_, _teares_, and _paines_ were spent. 20
But dearest heart, and dearer image stay;
Alas, true joyes at best are _dreame_ enough;
Though you stay here you passe too fast away:
For even at first lifes _Taper_ is a snuffe.
Fill'd with her love, may I be rather grown 25
Mad with much _heart_, then _ideott_ with none.
[Eleg. X. The Dreame. _1635-54:_ Elegie X. _1669:_ Elegie.
_1633:_ Picture. _S96:_ Elegie. _or no title_, _A18_, _B_,
_D_, _H40_, _H49_, _L74_, _Lec_, _N_, _O'F_, _P_, _S_, _S96_,
_TCC_, _TCD_]
[7 sense] sense, _1633_]
[8 dull; _1635-69:_ dull, _1633_]
[16 out] up _B_, _P_, _S_]
[17 a such _1633-54:_ such a _1669_]
[22 _dreame_] _dreams_ _1669_]
ELEGIE XI.
_The Bracelet. _
_Vpon the losse of his Mistresses Chaine, for which he made
satisfaction. _
Not that in colour it was like thy haire,
For Armelets of that thou maist let me weare:
Nor that thy hand it oft embrac'd and kist,
For so it had that good, which oft I mist:
Nor for that silly old moralitie, 5
That as these linkes were knit, our love should bee:
Mourne I that I thy seavenfold chaine have lost;
Nor for the luck sake; but the bitter cost.
O, shall twelve righteous Angels, which as yet
No leaven of vile soder did admit; 10
Nor yet by any way have straid or gone
From the first state of their Creation;
Angels, which heaven commanded to provide
All things to me, and be my faithfull guide;
To gaine new friends, t'appease great enemies; 15
To comfort my soule, when I lie or rise;
Shall these twelve innocents, by thy severe
Sentence (dread judge) my sins great burden beare?
Shall they be damn'd, and in the furnace throwne,
And punisht for offences not their owne? 20
They save not me, they doe not ease my paines,
When in that hell they'are burnt and tyed in chains.
Were they but Crownes of France, I cared not,
For, most of these, their naturall Countreys rot
I think possesseth, they come here to us, 25
So pale, so lame, so leane, so ruinous;
And howsoe'r French Kings most Christian be,
Their Crownes are circumcis'd most Iewishly.
Or were they Spanish Stamps, still travelling,
That are become as Catholique as their King, 30
Those unlickt beare-whelps, unfil'd pistolets
That (more than Canon shot) availes or lets;
Which negligently left unrounded, looke
Like many angled figures, in the booke
Of some great Conjurer that would enforce 35
Nature, as these doe justice, from her course;
Which, as the soule quickens head, feet and heart,
As streames, like veines, run through th'earth's every part,
Visit all Countries, and have slily made
Gorgeous _France_, ruin'd, ragged and decay'd; 40
_Scotland_, which knew no State, proud in one day:
And mangled seventeen-headed _Belgia_.
Or were it such gold as that wherewithall
Almighty _Chymiques_ from each minerall,
Having by subtle fire a soule out-pull'd; 45
Are dirtely and desperately gull'd:
I would not spit to quench the fire they'are in,
For, they are guilty of much hainous Sin.
But, shall my harmlesse angels perish? Shall
I lose my guard, my ease, my food, my all? 50
Much hope which they should nourish will be dead,
Much of my able youth, and lustyhead
Will vanish; if thou love let them alone,
For thou wilt love me lesse when they are gone;
And be content that some lowd squeaking Cryer 55
Well-pleas'd with one leane thred-bare groat, for hire,
May like a devill roare through every street;
And gall the finders conscience, if they meet.
Or let mee creepe to some dread Conjurer,
That with phantastique scheames fils full much paper; 60
Which hath divided heaven in tenements,
And with whores, theeves, and murderers stuft his rents,
So full, that though hee passe them all in sinne,
He leaves himselfe no roome to enter in.
But if, when all his art and time is spent, 65
Hee say 'twill ne'r be found; yet be content;
Receive from him that doome ungrudgingly,
Because he is the mouth of destiny.
Thou say'st (alas) the gold doth still remaine,
Though it be chang'd, and put into a chaine; 70
So in the first falne angels, resteth still
Wisdome and knowledge; but,'tis turn'd to ill:
As these should doe good works; and should provide
Necessities; but now must nurse thy pride.
And they are still bad angels; Mine are none; 75
For, forme gives being, and their forme is gone:
Pitty these Angels; yet their dignities
Passe Vertues, Powers, and Principalities.
But, thou art resolute; Thy will be done!
Yet with such anguish, as her onely sonne 80
The Mother in the hungry grave doth lay,
Vnto the fire these Martyrs I betray.
Good soules, (for you give life to every thing)
Good Angels, (for good messages you bring)
Destin'd you might have beene to such an one, 85
As would have lov'd and worship'd you alone:
One that would suffer hunger, nakednesse,
Yea death, ere he would make your number lesse.
But, I am guilty of your sad decay;
May your few fellowes longer with me stay. 90
But o thou wretched finder whom I hate
So, that I almost pitty thy estate:
Gold being the heaviest metal amongst all,
May my most heavy curse upon thee fall:
Here fetter'd, manacled, and hang'd in chains, 95
First mayst thou bee; then chaind to hellish paines;
Or be with forraine gold brib'd to betray
Thy Countrey, and faile both of that and thy pay.
May the next thing thou stoop'st to reach, containe
Poyson, whose nimble fume rot thy moist braine; 100
Or libels, or some interdicted thing,
Which negligently kept, thy ruine bring.
Lust-bred diseases rot thee; and dwell with thee
Itching desire, and no abilitie.
May all the evils that gold ever wrought; 105
All mischiefes that all devils ever thought;
Want after plenty; poore and gouty age;
The plagues of travellers; love; marriage
Afflict thee, and at thy lives last moment,
May thy swolne sinnes themselves to thee present. 110
But, I forgive; repent thee honest man:
Gold is Restorative, restore it then:
But if from it thou beest loath to depart,
Because 'tis cordiall, would twere at thy heart.
[Elegie XI. _&c. _ _Ed. :_ Eleg. XII. The Bracelet. _&c. _ _1635_
(Eleg. XI. _being_ Death, _for which see p. _ 284): Eleg. XII.
Vpon _&c. _ _1639-54_ (Eleg. IV. _1650-54, a misprint_): Elegie
XII. _1669:_ Elegie (_numbered variously_). The Bracelett.
_or_ The Chaine. _A25_, _B_, _C_, _Cy_, _D_, _H49_, _JC_,
_L74_, _Lec_, _M_, _N_, _O'F_, _P_, _S_, _S96_, _TCD_, _W_]
[2 For . . . weare:] Armelets of that thou maist still let me
weare: _1669_]
[6 were knit, _1635-69:_ are knit _Cy:_ are tyde _A25_, _D_,
_H49_, _Lec_, _N_, _O'F_, _P_, _R212_, _S_, _S96_, _TCD_, _W:_
were tyde _L74_
love] loves _1669_]
[11 way _1635-69:_ taynt _S96_, _O'F_, _W:_ taynts _B:_ fault
_A25_, _Cy_, _D_, _H49_, _L74_, _Lec_, _M_, _N_, _P_, _S_,
_TCD_]
[15 great] old _1669_]
[16 rise; _Ed:_ rise. _1635-69_]
[22 chains. _Ed. :_ chains: _1635-69_]
[24 these _1635-54:_ them _1669_
their naturall Countreys _Cy_, _O'F:_ their Countreys naturall
_1635-54_, _P:_ their naturall Countrey _1669, and rest of
MSS. _]
[26 ruinous; _Ed:_ ruinous. _1635-69_]
[28 Iewishly. _Ed:_ Iewishly; _1635-69_]
[35 great] dread _1669_]
[36 course; _Ed:_ course. _1635-69_]
[38 streames, _Ed:_ streames _1635-69_]
[40 ruin'd, ragged and decay'd; _1669, and MSS. , but end stop
varies:_ ruin'd: ragged and decay'd _1635:_ ruin'd: ragged and
decay'd, _1639-54_]
[42 _Belgia. _ _Ed:_ _Belgia:_ _1635-69_]
[45 soule] Mercury _B_]
[47 they'are in, _1635-69:_ therein, _Cy_, _P:_ they were in,
_rest of MSS. _]
[51 dead, _Ed:_ dead. _1635-69_]
[52 lustyhead _Ed:_ lusty head _1635-69_]
[53 vanish; _Ed:_ vanish, _1635-69_
if thou love let them alone, _1635-39:_ if thou Love let them
alone, _1650-69:_ if thou, Love, let them alone; _Grolier_
(_conjecturing_ atone)]
[54-5 gone; And _Ed:_ gone, And _1635-69_, _Cy_, _P:_ gone.
Oh, _rest of MSS. _]
[58 conscience, if they meet. _1669 and MSS. :_ conscience, if
hee meet. _1635-54_, _JC_, _L74_, _P_]
[60 scheames _D_, _H49_, _JC_, _Lec_, _O'F_, _S96_, _W:_
scenes _1635-69_, _Cy_, _L74_, _P_, _TCD_]
[63 passe] place _1669_]
[65 _new par. 1635-69_ But _1635-69_, _Cy_, _P:_ And _rest of
MSS. _]
[66 yet _1635-69_, _Cy_, _P:_ Oh _rest of MSS. _]
[67 that _1635-54_, _Cy_, _P:_ the _1669 and rest of MSS. _]
[70 chaine; _Ed:_ chaine, _1635-69_]
[74 pride. _Ed:_ pride, _1635-69_]
[76 being, _Ed:_ being: _1635-69_]
[77 Angels; yet _Cy_, _D_, _H49_, _N_, _P_, _S_, _TCD:_ Angels
yet; _1635-69_, _W_]
[79 done! _Ed:_ done; _1635-39:_ done: _1650-54:_ done?
_1669_]
[90 few fellowes] few-fellowes _1635-69_]
[92 So, that _1635-69_, _Cy_, _P:_ So much that _A25_, _D_,
_H49_, _JC_ (as), _L74_, _Lec_, _N_, _S_, _S96_ (as), _TCD_,
_W_ (as): So much _B_
estate] state _D_, _H49_, _&c. _]
[93 metal amongst all,] amongst metals all, _1669_, _Cy_]
[95 Here] Her _1639_]
[98 that _MSS. :_ it _1635-69_
thy] _om. 1669_]
[104 Itching] Itchy _MSS. _]
[105 evils that gold ever _1635-69_, _P:_ hurt that ever gold
hath _rest of MSS. _]
[106 mischiefes _all MSS. :_ mischiefe _1635-69_]
[108 love; marriage _1635-54_, _Cy_, _P:_ love and marriage
_1669_, _and rest of MSS. _]
[109 at] that _1669_]
[110 thee] thou _1669_]
[113 But if from it . . . depart, _1635-54_, _Cy_, _P:_ But if
that from it . . . part, _1669:_ Or if with it . . . depart _rest
of MSS. _]
ELEGIE XII.
_His parting from her. _
Since she must go, and I must mourn, come Night,
Environ me with darkness, whilst I write:
Shadow that hell unto me, which alone
I am to suffer when my Love is gone.
Alas the darkest Magick cannot do it, 5
Thou and greate Hell to boot are shadows to it.
Should _Cinthia_ quit thee, _Venus_, and each starre,
It would not forme one thought dark as mine are.
I could lend thee obscureness now, and say,
Out of my self, There should be no more Day, 10
Such is already my felt want of sight,
Did not the fires within me force a light.
Oh Love, that fire and darkness should be mixt,
Or to thy Triumphs soe strange torments fixt?
Is't because thou thy self art blind, that wee 15
Thy Martyrs must no more each other see?
Or tak'st thou pride to break us on the wheel,
And view old Chaos in the Pains we feel?
Or have we left undone some mutual Right,
Through holy fear, that merits thy despight? 20
No, no. The falt was mine, impute it to me,
Or rather to conspiring destinie,
Which (since I lov'd for forme before) decreed,
That I should suffer when I lov'd indeed:
And therefore now, sooner then I can say, 25
I saw the golden fruit, 'tis rapt away.
Or as I had watcht one drop in a vast stream,
And I left wealthy only in a dream.
Yet Love, thou'rt blinder then thy self in this,
To vex my Dove-like friend for my amiss: 30
And, where my own sad truth may expiate
Thy wrath, to make her fortune run my fate:
So blinded Justice doth, when Favorites fall,
Strike them, their house, their friends, their followers all.
Was't not enough that thou didst dart thy fires 35
Into our blouds, inflaming our desires,
And made'st us sigh and glow, and pant, and burn,
And then thy self into our flame did'st turn?
Was't not enough, that thou didst hazard us
To paths in love so dark, so dangerous: 40
And those so ambush'd round with houshold spies,
And over all, thy husbands towring eyes
That flam'd with oylie sweat of jealousie:
Yet went we not still on with Constancie?
Have we not kept our guards, like spie on spie? 45
Had correspondence whilst the foe stood by?
Stoln (more to sweeten them) our many blisses
Of meetings, conference, embracements, kisses?
Shadow'd with negligence our most respects?
Varied our language through all dialects, 50
Of becks, winks, looks, and often under-boards
Spoak dialogues with our feet far from our words?
Have we prov'd all these secrets of our Art,
Yea, thy pale inwards, and thy panting heart?
And, after all this passed Purgatory, 55
Must sad divorce make us the vulgar story?
First let our eyes be rivited quite through
Our turning brains, and both our lips grow to:
Let our armes clasp like Ivy, and our fear
Freese us together, that we may stick here, 60
Till Fortune, that would rive us, with the deed
Strain her eyes open, and it make them bleed:
For Love it cannot be, whom hitherto
I have accus'd, should such a mischief doe.
Oh Fortune, thou'rt not worth my least exclame, 65
And plague enough thou hast in thy own shame.
Do thy great worst, my friend and I have armes,
Though not against thy strokes, against thy harmes.
Rend us in sunder, thou canst not divide
Our bodies so, but that our souls are ty'd, 70
And we can love by letters still and gifts,
And thoughts and dreams; Love never wanteth shifts.
I will not look upon the quickning Sun,
But straight her beauty to my sense shall run;
The ayre shall note her soft, the fire most pure; 75
Water suggest her clear, and the earth sure.
Time shall not lose our passages; the Spring
How fresh our love was in the beginning;
The Summer how it ripened in the eare;
And Autumn, what our golden harvests were. 80
The Winter I'll not think on to spite thee,
But count it a lost season, so shall shee.
And dearest Friend, since we must part, drown night
With hope of Day, burthens well born are light.
Though cold and darkness longer hang somewhere, 85
Yet _Phoebus_ equally lights all the Sphere.
And what he cannot in like Portions pay,
The world enjoyes in Mass, and so we may.
Be then ever your self, and let no woe
Win on your health, your youth, your beauty: so 90
Declare your self base fortunes Enemy,
No less by your contempt then constancy:
That I may grow enamoured on your mind,
When my own thoughts I there reflected find.
For this to th'comfort of my Dear I vow, 95
My Deeds shall still be what my words are now;
The Poles shall move to teach me ere I start;
And when I change my Love, I'll change my heart;
Nay, if I wax but cold in my desire,
Think, heaven hath motion lost, and the world, fire: 100
Much more I could, but many words have made
That, oft, suspected which men would perswade;
Take therefore all in this: I love so true,
As I will never look for less in you.
[Elegie. XII. _&c. _ _Ed:_ Eleg. XIIII _&c. _ _1635-54_ (Eleg.
XIII. _being_ Come, Fates, _&c. _, _p. _ 407): Elegie XIIII.
_1669:_ At her Departure. _A25:_ At his Mistris departure.
_B:_ Elegie. _H40_, _O'F_, _P_, _S96_, _TCD_ (_II_)]
[1 Night, _Ed:_ night _1635-69_]
[4 Love] soule _1635-54_]
[5-44 _omit_, _1635-54_, _A25_, _B_]
[6 Thou and greate Hell _H40_, _O'F_, _P_, _S96:_ And that
great Hell _1669_
to boot are _1669_, _H40_, _O'F:_ are nought but _P_, _S96_]
[7 thee, _Ed:_ thee _1669_]
[9 thee _H40:_ them _1669_, _P_, _S96_, _TCD_]
[10 Day, _Ed:_ Day. _1669_]
[11 felt want _H40_, _O'F_, _P_, _S96_, _TCD:_ self-want,
_1669_
sight, _Ed:_ sight _1669_]
[12 fires _H40_, _S96_, _TCD:_ fire _1669_, _P_]
[14 Or] Are _S96:_ And _TCD_
soe _H40_, _O'F_, _P_, _S96_, _TCD:_ such _1669_]
[17 the _H40_, _O'F_, _P_, _S96_, _TCD:_ thy _1669_]
[20 Through holy fear, that merits (causes _S96_) thy despight
(meriteth thy spight _P_) _H40_, _O'F_, _P_, _S96_, _TCD:_
That thus with parting thou seek'st us to spight? _1669_]
[21 was _H40_, _S96:_ is _1669_, _P_, _TCD_]
[23 Which . . . decreed, _H40_, _O'F_, _S96:_ Which (since I
lov'd) for me before decreed, _1669_, _P_, _TCD:_ Which,
since I lov'd in jest before, decreed _H-K_, _which Chambers
follows_]
[25 now, sooner _all the MSS. :_ sooner now _1669_
rapt] wrapt _1669_]
[27 a vast _H40_, _O'F_, _P_, _S96_, _TCD:_ the vast _1669_]
[29 thy self] myself _Chambers_]
[31 my own _H40_, _O'F_, _P_, _S96:_ one _1669_
sad _1669:_ glad _H40_, _O'F_, _P_, _S96_, _TCD_]
[32 fate: _Ed:_ fate. _1669_]
[33 blinded] blindest _H40_]
[34 followers _H40_, _P_, _TCD:_ favourites _1669_, _S96_]
[37 glow _H40_, _S96_, _P_, _TCD:_ blow _1669_]
[38 flame _H40_, _S96_, _P_, _TCD:_ flames _1669_]
[40 so dangerous _H40_, _P_, _S96_, _TCD:_ and dangerous
_1669_]
[42 all, _Ed:_ all _1669_
towring _1669_, _TCD:_ towred _O'F_, _P_, _S96:_ lowering
_Grolier_
the towred husbands eyes _H40:_ the Loured, husbandes eyes
_RP31_]
[43 That flam'd with oylie _H40_, _O'F_, _P_, _S96_, _TCD:_
Inflam'd with th'ouglie _1669_
jealousie: _Ed:_ jealousie, _1669_]
[44 with _H40_, _O'F_, _P_, _S96_, _TCD:_ in _1669_]
[45 Have we not kept our guards, _H40_, _O'F_, _P_, _S96_,
_TCD:_ Have we for this kept guards, _1669_
on _1669:_ o'r _1635-54_]
[49 most _1635-69_, _H40_, _O'F_, _P_, _S96_, _TCD:_ best
_1669_]
[50 our] thy _RP31_]
[52 from our words? _1669:_ from words? _1635-54_]
[53 these secrets _MSS. :_ the secrets _1635-69_
our] thy _RP31_]
[54 Yea . . . panting heart? _1635-69_, _A25:_ Yea thy pale
colours inward as thy heart? _H40_, _O'F_, _P_, _S96_, _TCD_]
[56 sad] rude _P_, _TCD_]
[57-66 _om. _ _1635-54_, _A25_, _B_]
[58 brains] beams _P:_ brain _Chambers_]
[61 Fortune, _Ed:_ fortune, _1669_
would rive us, with _H40_, _O'F_, _S96_, _TCD:_ would ruine us
with _1669_]
[62 her _H40:_ his _1669_
it] yet _1669_
bleed: _Ed:_ bleed. _1669_]
[65 Oh Fortune,] Oh fortune, _1669_, _S96:_ And Fortune _H40_,
_P_]
[66 shame. _H40_, _O'F_, _P_, _S96:_ name. _1669_]
[67 Do thy great worst _&c. _ _1669:_ Fortune, doe thy worst
_&c. _ _1635-54_ (_after_ 56 the vulgar story? )
armes, _1635-69_, _H40_, _O'F_, _P_, _S_, _TCD:_ charmes _H-K_
(_Grosart and Chambers_)]
[69 Rend us in sunder, _1669 and MSS. :_ Bend us, in sunder
_1635-54_]
[72 shifts. _1635:_ shifts, _1639-69_]
[76 Water _H40_, _P_, _TCD:_ Waters _1635-69_, _A25_, _S96_
sure. _Ed:_ sure; _1635-69_]
[77 Time] Times _H40_, _TCD_
Spring _Ed:_ spring _1635-69_]
[79 ripened in the eare; _B_, _H40_, _O'F_, _P_, _S96_, _TCD:_
ripened in the yeare; _1635:_ inripened the yeare; _1639-69_]
[83-94 _omit_ _1635-54_, _A25_, _B_]
[85 Though _H40_, _P_, _TCD:_ The _1669_, _S96_]
[87 he . . . Portions _Ed:_ he . . . portions _H40:_ he . . .
portion _O'F_, _P_, _TCD:_ we . . . Portion _1669:_ he can't in
like proportion _H-K_ (_Grosart_)]
[88 enjoyes] yet joys _H40_]
[89 ever your] your fayrest _H40_, _TCD_]
[92 by your contempt then constancy: _H40_, _S96:_ be your
contempt then constancy: _O'F_, _H-K_ (_Grosart_), _P_, _TCD:_
be your contempt then her inconstancy: _1669_]
[94 there reflected _H40_, _O'F_, _P_, _S_, _TCD:_ here
neglected _1669:_ there neglected _H-K_ (_Grosart, probably
wrongly_)]
[95-104 _om. TCD_]
[95 For _H40, S96:_ And _1635-69_]
[96 my words are now; _H40, P:_ my deeds are now; _1635-69,
O'F, S96:_ my thoughts are now; _A25_]
[102 oft, _1633-54:_ oft _1669_
would _1635-54, A25, B, H40, O'F, S96: _ most _1669_]
ELEGIE XIII.
_Iulia. _
Harke newes, o envy, thou shalt heare descry'd
My _Iulia_; who as yet was ne'r envy'd.
To vomit gall in slander, swell her vaines
With calumny, that hell it selfe disdaines,
Is her continuall practice; does her best, 5
To teare opinion even out of the brest
Of dearest friends, and (which is worse than vilde)
Sticks jealousie in wedlock; her owne childe
Scapes not the showres of envie, To repeate
The monstrous fashions, how, were, alive, to eate 10
Deare reputation. Would to God she were
But halfe so loath to act vice, as to heare
My milde reproofe. Liv'd _Mantuan_ now againe,
That foemall Mastix, to limme with his penne
This she _Chymera_, that hath eyes of fire, 15
Burning with anger, anger feeds desire,
Tongued like the night-crow, whose ill boding cries
Give out for nothing but new injuries,
Her breath like to the juice in _Tenarus_
That blasts the springs, though ne'r so prosperous, 20
Her hands, I know not how, us'd more to spill
The food of others, then her selfe to fill.
But oh her minde, that _Orcus_, which includes
Legions of mischiefs, countlesse multitudes
Of formlesse curses, projects unmade up, 25
Abuses yet unfashion'd, thoughts corrupt,
Mishapen Cavils, palpable untroths,
Inevitable errours, self-accusing oaths:
These, like those Atoms swarming in the Sunne,
Throng in her bosome for creation. 30
I blush to give her halfe her due; yet say,
No poyson's halfe so bad as _Iulia_.
[Elegie XIII. _&c. Ed:_ Eleg. XV. _&c. 1635-54:_ Elegie XV.
_1669:_ Iulia. _B:_ Elegy. Iulia. _O'F_]
[5 practice; _Ed:_ practice, _1635-69_]
[7 vilde) _Ed:_ vile) _1635-69:_ vilde _is the regular spelling
of this word in the Donne MSS. _]
[8 in wedlock;] in the sheets of wedlock; _B_]
[10 how, _1635:_ how; _1639-69_]
[That foemall Mastix, _1635:_ _1639-69 and Chambers drop
comma. But see note_]
[18 injuries, _1635-39:_ injuries. _1650-69_]
[20 prosperous, _Ed:_ prosperous. _1635-69_]
[24 mischiefs _O'F:_ mischiefe, _1635-69_]
[28 oaths: _B_, _H-K_ (_Grosart_): loathes: _1635-69_, _O'F_]
[31 give but half _B:_ give half her _O'F_
yet say,] only this say, _B:_ but this say _O'F_]
ELEGIE XIV.
_A Tale of a Citizen and his Wife. _
I sing no harme good sooth to any wight,
To Lord or foole, Cuckold, begger or knight,
To peace-teaching Lawyer, Proctor, or brave
Reformed or reduced Captaine, Knave,
Officer, Iugler, or Iustice of peace, 5
Iuror or Iudge; I touch no fat sowes grease,
I am no Libeller, nor will be any,
But (like a true man) say there are too many.
I feare not _ore tenus_; for my tale,
Nor Count nor Counsellour will redd or pale. 10
A Citizen and his wife the other day
Both riding on one horse, upon the way
I overtooke, the wench a pretty peate,
And (by her eye) well fitting for the feate.
I saw the lecherous Citizen turne backe 15
His head, and on his wifes lip steale a smacke,
Whence apprehending that the man was kinde,
Riding before, to kisse his wife behinde,
To get acquaintance with him I began
To sort discourse fit for so fine a man: 20
I ask'd the number of the Plaguy Bill,
Ask'd if the Custome Farmers held out still,
Of the Virginian plot, and whether Ward
The traffique of the I<n>land seas had marr'd,
Whether the Brittaine _Burse_ did fill apace, 25
And likely were to give th'Exchange disgrace;
Of new-built _Algate_, and the _More-field_ crosses,
Of store of Bankerouts, and poore Merchants losses
I urged him to speake; But he (as mute
As an old Courtier worne to his last suite) 30
Replies with onely yeas and nayes; At last
(To fit his element) my theame I cast
On Tradesmens gaines; that set his tongue agoing:
Alas, good sir (quoth he) _There is no doing
In Court nor City now_; she smil'd and I, 35
And (in my conscience) both gave him the lie
In one met thought: but he went on apace,
And at the present time with such a face
He rail'd, as fray'd me; for he gave no praise,
To any but my Lord of _Essex_ dayes; 40
Call'd those the age of action; true (quoth Hee)
There's now as great an itch of bravery,
And heat of taking up, but cold lay downe,
For, put to push of pay, away they runne;
Our onely City trades of hope now are 45
Bawd, Tavern-keeper, Whore and Scrivener;
The much of Privileg'd kingsmen, and the store
Of fresh protections make the rest all poore;
In the first state of their Creation,
Though many stoutly stand, yet proves not one 50
A righteous pay-master. Thus ranne he on
In a continued rage: so void of reason
Seem'd his harsh talke, I sweat for feare of treason.
And (troth) how could I lesse? when in the prayer
For the protection of the wise Lord Major, 55
And his wise brethrens worships, when one prayeth,
He swore that none could say Amen with faith.
To get him off from what I glowed to heare,
(In happy time) an Angel did appeare,
The bright Signe of a lov'd and wel-try'd Inne, 60
Where many Citizens with their wives have bin
Well us'd and often; here I pray'd him stay,
To take some due refreshment by the way.
Looke how hee look'd that hid the gold (his hope)
And at's returne found nothing but a Rope, 65
So he on me, refus'd and made away,
Though willing she pleaded a weary day:
I found my misse, struck hands, and praid him tell
(To hold acquaintance still) where he did dwell;
He barely nam'd the street, promis'd the Wine, 70
But his kinde wife gave me the very Signe.
[Elegie XIV. _&c. _ _Ed:_ Eleg. XVI. A Tale _&c. _ _1635-54:_
Elegie XVI. _1669:_ Elegie XV. _O'F:_ _no title, B_]
[2 or foole,] to fool, _1669_]
[5 Iugler, _1635-39:_ Iudge, _1650-69_]
[9 _tenus;_ _Ed:_ _tenus_, _1635-69_]
[10 will redd or pale. _1669_, _B_, _O'F_ (shall): will looke
redd or pale. _1635-54_]
[14 feate. _Ed:_ feate, _1635-69_]
[16 steale] seale _O'F_]
[21 Plaguy _1669_, _B_, _O'F:_ Plaguing _1635-54_]
[22 Custome] custome _1635_]
[24 I<n>land _Ed:_ Iland _1635-54:_ Midland _1669_, _O'F:_ the
land, the seas _B_, _but later hand has inserted_ mid _above
the line:_ Island _Chambers and Grolier_]
[27 _More-field_] Moorefields _B_]
[32 To fit] To hit _O'F_]
[33 agoing: _Ed:_ agoing, _1635-69_]
[35 _In . . . now_; _Ed:_ _roman_ _1635-69_]
[38 time _1669:_ times _O'F_]
[41 those . . . (quoth Hee) _1669_, _B_, _O'F:_ that . . . (quoth
I) _1635-54_]
[46 Bawd, . . . Scrivener; _B_, _O'F:_ Bawds, Tavernkeepers,
Whores and Scriveners, _1635-54:_ Bawds, Tavernkeepers, Whore
and Scrivener _1669_]
[47 kingsmen, and the store _1669_, _B_, _O'F_ (kingsman):
kinsmen, and store _1635-54_]
[58 him off _O'F:_ off him _1669:_ him _1635-54_]
[61 have bin _B_, _O'F:_ had beene, _1635-69_]
[64 the gold (his hope)] his gold, his hope _1669_]
[65 at's _1669:_ at _1635-54_]
[66 on _1669_, _B:_ at _1635-54_
me,] me: _1635-54_]
[67 day: _1669_, _B_, _O'F:_ stay. _1635-39:_ stay: _1650-54_]
[69 dwell; _1635:_ dwell _1639-54:_ dwell, _1669_]
ELEGIE XV.
_The Expostulation. _
To make the doubt cleare, that no woman's true,
Was it my fate to prove it strong in you?
Thought I, but one had breathed purest aire,
And must she needs be false because she's faire?
Is it your beauties marke, or of your youth, 5
Or your perfection, not to study truth?
Or thinke you heaven is deafe, or hath no eyes?
Or those it hath, smile at your perjuries?
Are vowes so cheape with women, or the matter
Whereof they are made, that they are writ in water, 10
And blowne away with winde? Or doth their breath
(Both hot and cold at once) make life and death?
Who could have thought so many accents sweet
Form'd into words, so many sighs should meete
As from our hearts, so many oathes, and teares 15
Sprinkled among, (all sweeter by our feares
And the divine impression of stolne kisses,
That seal'd the rest) should now prove empty blisses?
Did you draw bonds to forfet? signe to breake?
Or must we reade you quite from what you speake, 20
And finde the truth out the wrong way? or must
Hee first desire you false, would wish you just?
O I prophane, though most of women be
This kinde of beast, my thought shall except thee;
My dearest love, though froward jealousie, 25
With circumstance might urge thy'inconstancie,
Sooner I'll thinke the Sunne will cease to cheare
The teeming earth, and _that_ forget to beare,
Sooner that rivers will runne back, or Thames
With ribs of Ice in June would bind his streames, 30
Or Nature, by whose strength the world endures,
Would change her course, before you alter yours.
But O that treacherous breast to whom weake you
Did trust our Counsells, and wee both may rue,
Having his falshood found too late, 'twas hee 35
That made me _cast_ you guilty, and you me,
Whilst he, black wretch, betray'd each simple word
Wee spake, unto the cunning of a third.
Curst may hee be, that so our love hath slaine,
And wander on the earth, wretched as _Cain_, 40
Wretched as hee, and not deserve least pitty;
In plaguing him, let misery be witty;
Let all eyes shunne him, and hee shunne each eye,
Till hee be noysome as his infamie;
May he without remorse deny God thrice, 45
And not be trusted more on his Soules price;
And after all selfe torment, when hee dyes,
May Wolves teare out his heart, Vultures his eyes,
Swine eate his bowels, and his falser tongue
That utter'd all, be to some Raven flung, 50
And let his carrion coarse be a longer feast
To the Kings dogges, then any other beast.
Now have I curst, let us our love revive;
In mee the flame was never more alive;
I could beginne againe to court and praise, 55
And in that pleasure lengthen the short dayes
Of my lifes lease; like Painters that do take
Delight, not in made worke, but whiles they make;
I could renew those times, when first I saw
Love in your eyes, that gave my tongue the law 60
To like what you lik'd; and at maskes and playes
Commend the selfe same Actors, the same wayes;
Aske how you did, and often with intent
Of being officious, be impertinent;
All which were such soft pastimes, as in these 65
Love was as subtilly catch'd, as a disease;
But being got it is a treasure sweet,
Which to defend is harder then to get:
And ought not be prophan'd on either part,
For though'tis got by _chance_, 'tis kept by _art_. 70
[Elegie XV. _Ed:_ Eleg. XVII. The Expostulation. _1635-54:_
Elegie XVII. _1669:_ Elegie. _1633_, _B_, _Cy_, _H40_, _HN_,
_M_, _N_, _O'F_, _P_, _RP31_, _S_, _S96_, _TCD_, _Jonson's_
Underwoods]
[2 strong] full _Und_]
[3 purest] the purer _Und_]
[6 Or your _1633-69:_ Or of your _H40_]
[8 it hath,] she hath _B_, _H40_, _M_, _N_, _P_, _S96_]
[12 (Both hot and cold at once) _RP31:_ Both . . . at once,
_Und:_ (Both . . . cold) at once _1633-69_, _S96:_ Both heate
and coole at once _M_
make] threat _Und_]
[14 Form'd into] Tun'd to our _Und_]
[15 As] Blowne _Und_]
[16-18 (all sweeter . . . the rest) _1633_, _B_, _Cy_, _M_, _N_,
_O'F_, _P_, _RP31:_ (all sweetend _&c. _ _1635_, _which does
not complete the bracket:_ (all sweetend by our fears) _&c. _
_1639-69_, _L74_ (sweeter), _P_ (sweeter), _S96_ (sweetned)]
[22 wish] have _P_]
[24 This kinde of beast,] The common Monster, _Und_
my thought _1633:_ my thoughts _1635-69_, _HN_, _S96_]
[25 though froward] how ever _RP31_, _Und_]
[26 thy'inconstancie,] the contrarie. _Und_]
[28 beare, _1633:_ beare: _1635-69_]
[30 would _1633_, _Und:_ will _1635-69_
streames, _Ed:_ streames; _1633-69_]
[32 yours. ] yours; _1633_]
[34 trust _1633-69:_ drift _Chambers_]
[37 wretch] wrech _1633_]
[38 third. _Ed:_ third; _1633-69_]
[39 love] loves _RP31_]
[40 wretched as _Cain_, _1633-69_, _B_, _Cy_, _N_, _O'F:_
as wretched Cain, _P:_ as cursed Cain, _S:_ wretched on the
Earth, as Cain: _Und_]
[52 dogges, . . . beast. ] dogges; . . . beast; _1633_]
[53 have I] I have _1669_
revive] receive _Und_]
[58 worke, _1633-39_, _most MSS. :_ works, _1650-69_, _S96_,
_Und_]
[61 and playes] or playes _Und_]
[64 be] grow _Und_]
[65 soft] lost _Und_]
ELEGIE XVI.
_On his Mistris. _
By our first strange and fatall interview,
By all desires which thereof did ensue,
By our long starving hopes, by that remorse
Which my words masculine perswasive force
Begot in thee, and by the memory 5
Of hurts, which spies and rivals threatned me,
I calmly beg: But by thy fathers wrath,
By all paines, which want and divorcement hath,
I conjure thee, and all the oathes which I
And thou have sworne to seale joynt constancy, 10
Here I unsweare, and overswear them thus,
Thou shalt not love by wayes so dangerous.
Temper, o faire Love, loves impetuous rage,
Be my true Mistris still, not my faign'd Page;
I'll goe, and, by thy kinde leave, leave behinde 15
Thee, onely worthy to nurse in my minde,
Thirst to come backe; o if thou die before,
My soule from other lands to thee shall soare.
Thy (else Almighty) beautie cannot move
Rage from the Seas, nor thy love teach them love, 20
Nor tame wilde Boreas harshnesse; Thou hast reade
How roughly hee in peeces shivered
Faire Orithea, whom he swore he lov'd.
Fall ill or good, 'tis madnesse to have prov'd
Dangers unurg'd; Feed on this flattery, 25
That absent Lovers one in th'other be.
Dissemble nothing, not a boy, nor change
Thy bodies habite, nor mindes; bee not strange
To thy selfe onely; All will spie in thy face
A blushing womanly discovering grace; 30
Richly cloath'd Apes, are call'd Apes, and as soone
Ecclips'd as bright we call the Moone the Moone.
Men of France, changeable Camelions,
Spittles of diseases, shops of fashions,
Loves fuellers, and the rightest company 35
Of Players, which upon the worlds stage be,
Will quickly know thee, and no lesse, alas!
Th'indifferent Italian, as we passe
His warme land, well content to thinke thee Page,
Will hunt thee with such lust, and hideous rage, 40
As _Lots_ faire guests were vext. But none of these
Nor spungy hydroptique Dutch shall thee displease,
If thou stay here. O stay here, for, for thee
England is onely a worthy Gallerie,
To walke in expectation, till from thence 45
Our greatest King call thee to his presence.
When I am gone, dreame me some happinesse,
Nor let thy lookes our long hid love confesse,
Nor praise, nor dispraise me, nor blesse nor curse
Openly loves force, nor in bed fright thy Nurse 50
With midnights startings, crying out, oh, oh
Nurse, o my love is slaine, I saw him goe
O'r the white Alpes alone; I saw him I,
Assail'd, fight, taken, stabb'd, bleed, fall, and die.
Augure me better chance, except dread _Iove_ 55
Thinke it enough for me to'have had thy love.
[Elegie XVI. _&c. _ _Ed:_ Elegie on his Mistris. _1635-54
where, and in 1669, it appears among_ Funerall Elegies:
Elegie. _1669: among_ Elegies _with or without heading or
number_, _A18_, _A25_, _B_, _D_, _H49_, _JC_, _Lec_, _M_, _N_,
_O'F_, _P_, _S_, _TCC_, _TCD_, _W:_ _B heads_ His wife would
have gone as his page. ]
[1 interview, _Ed:_ interview _1635-69_]
[3 starving] striving _1669_, _B_, _P:_ starvling _A18_, _N_,
_TC_]
[7 beg: _D:_ beg. _1635-69_
fathers _1635-69_, _O'F:_ Parents _A18_, _A25_, _B_, _D_,
_H49_, _JC_, _Lec_, _M_, _N_, _P_, _S_, _TC_, _W_]
[11 Here I] I here _1669_]
[12 wayes _1635-54_, _O'F:_ means _1669, and rest of MSS. _]
[14 still . . . faign'd] _1669 om. _ still _and reads_ faigned]
[18 My soule . . . to thee] From other lands my soule towards
thee _A18_, _A25_, _B_, _D_, _H49_, _JC_, _Lec_, _M_(to), _N_,
_P_, _S_, _TC_, _W_
soare. _Ed:_ soare, _1635-69_]
[21 harshness] rashness _P_. _Compare_ Elegy V, 8]
[23 Faire Orithea] The fair Orithea _1669_]
[26 Lovers] friends _P_]
[28 mindes; _A18_, _A25_, _B_, _JC_, _N_, _TC_, _W:_ minde,
_1635-69_, _D_, _H49_, _Lec_, _O'F_, _P_]
[29 onely; _A18_, _D_, _N_, _TC:_ onely. _1635-69_]
[35 Loves fuellers,] Lyves fuellers, _1669_, _B_, _D_, _H49_,
_JC_, _Lec_, _S96_, _P_]
[37 Will quickly know thee, and no lesse, alas! _1635-54_,
_O'F:_ Will too too quickly know thee; and alas, _1669:_ Will
quickly know thee, and know thee, and alas _A18_, _N_, _S_
(_omitting second_ and), _TCD_, _W:_ Will quickly know thee,
and thee, and alas _A25:_ Will quickly know thee, and alas
_D_, _H49_, _JC_, _Lec_, _P_, _S96_, _TCC_]
[39 Page, _Ed:_ Page _1635-39_]
[40 hunt _1635-69_, _O'F:_ haunt _most MSS. _]
[42 hydroptique] Aydroptique _1669_]
[46 greatest _1635-69_, _B_, _O'F_, _P:_ greate _A18_, _A25_,
_D_, _H49_, _JC_, _Lec_, _N_, _S_, _TC_
call] doe call _A18_, _N_, _TC_
to] in to _A25_, _JC_, _S_]
[49 me, nor blesse] me; Blesse _A18_, _D_, _H49_, _JC_, _Lec_,
_N_, _TC_, _W_]
ELEGIE XVII.
_Variety. _
The heavens rejoyce in motion, why should I
Abjure my so much lov'd variety,
And not with many youth and love divide?
Pleasure is none, if not diversifi'd:
The sun that sitting in the chaire of light 5
Sheds flame into what else so ever doth seem bright,
Is not contented at one Signe to Inne,
But ends his year and with a new beginnes.
All things doe willingly in change delight,
The fruitfull mother of our appetite: 10
Rivers the clearer and more pleasing are,
Where their fair spreading streames run wide and farr;
And a dead lake that no strange bark doth greet,
Corrupts it self and what doth live in it.
Let no man tell me such a one is faire, 15
And worthy all alone my love to share.
Nature in her hath done the liberall part
Of a kinde Mistresse, and imploy'd her art
To make her loveable, and I aver
Him not humane that would turn back from her: 20
I love her well, and would, if need were, dye
To doe her service. But followes it that I
Must serve her onely, when I may have choice
Of other beauties, and in change rejoice?
The law is hard, and shall not have my voice. 25
The last I saw in all extreames is faire,
And holds me in the Sun-beames of her haire;
Her nymph-like features such agreements have
That I could venture with her to the grave:
Another's brown, I like her not the worse, 30
Her tongue is soft and takes me with discourse.
Others, for that they well descended are,
Do in my love obtain as large a share;
And though they be not fair, 'tis much with mee
To win their love onely for their degree. 35
And though I faile of my required ends,
The attempt is glorious and it self commends.
How happy were our Syres in ancient times,
Who held plurality of loves no crime!
With them it was accounted charity 40
To stirre up race of all indifferently;
Kindreds were not exempted from the bands:
Which with the Persian still in usage stands.
Women were then no sooner asked then won,
And what they did was honest and well done. 45
But since this title honour hath been us'd,
Our weake credulity hath been abus'd;
The golden laws of nature are repeald,
Which our first Fathers in such reverence held;
Our liberty's revers'd, our Charter's gone, 50
And we're made servants to opinion,
A monster in no certain shape attir'd,
And whose originall is much desir'd,
Formlesse at first, but goeing on it fashions,
And doth prescribe manners and laws to nations.
as pronounced_, biles _or_ byles]
[13 vile lying stones _1635-54 and MSS. :_ vile stones lying
_1633_, _1669_]
[14 they hang _A18_, _B_, _JC_, _L74_, _M_, _N_, _O'F_
(_altered to_ it), _S_, _TC_, _W:_ it hangs _1633-69_]
[19 a] _om. _ _1635-39_]
[26 grave] grav'd _1669_
dust _1633-69_, _W:_ durt _A18_, _A25_, _JC_, _M_, _N_, _O'F_,
_P_, _S_, _TC_]
[28 hands. _W:_ hands, _1633-69_]
[34 thy gouty hand. _1635-69_, _A18_, _A25_, _B_, _L74_, _N_,
_O'F_, _P_, _S96_, _TC_, _W_ (hand; _1635-69_): her gouty
hand; _1633_, _JC_, _S:_ thy mistress hand; _1669_]
[37 durt _1635-69:_ part _1633_, _from next line_]
[46 feares] fear'd _A18_, _L74_, _N_, _O'F_, _TC_, _W_]
[48 when _1635-69 and MSS. :_ where _1633_]
[50 Are Priests . . . sacrifice,] A Priest is in his handling
Sacrifice, _1669_]
[51 such _A18_, _A25_, _B_, _JC_, _L74_, _N_, _O'F_, _P_, _S_,
_S96_, _TC_, _W:_ nice _1633-69_]
ELEGIE IX.
_The Autumnall_
No _Spring_, nor _Summer_ Beauty hath such grace,
As I have seen in one _Autumnall_ face.
Yong _Beauties_ force our love, and that's a _Rape_,
This doth but _counsaile_, yet you cannot scape.
If t'were a _shame_ to love, here t'were no _shame_, 5
_Affection_ here takes _Reverences_ name.
Were her first yeares the _Golden Age_; That's true,
But now shee's _gold_ oft tried, and ever new.
That was her torrid and inflaming time,
This is her tolerable _Tropique clyme_. 10
Faire eyes, who askes more heate then comes from hence,
He in a fever wishes pestilence.
Call not these wrinkles, _graves_; If _graves_ they were,
They were _Loves graves_; for else he is no where.
Yet lies not Love _dead_ here, but here doth sit 15
Vow'd to this trench, like an _Anachorit_.
And here, till hers, which must be his _death_, come,
He doth not digge a _Grave_, but build a _Tombe_.
Here dwells he, though he sojourne ev'ry where,
In _Progresse_, yet his standing house is here. 20
Here, where still _Evening_ is; not _noone_, nor _night_;
Where no _voluptuousnesse_, yet all _delight_.
In all her words, unto all hearers fit,
You may at _Revels_, you at _Counsaile_, sit.
This is loves timber, youth his under-wood; 25
There he, as wine in _Iune_, enrages blood,
Which then comes seasonabliest, when our tast
And appetite to other things, is past.
_Xerxes_ strange _Lydian_ love, the _Platane_ tree,
Was lov'd for age, none being so large as shee, 30
Or else because, being yong, nature did blesse
Her youth with ages glory, _Barrennesse_.
If we love things long sought, _Age_ is a thing
Which we are fifty yeares in compassing.
If transitory things, which soone decay, 35
_Age_ must be lovelyest at the latest day.
But name not _Winter-faces_, whose skin's slacke;
Lanke, as an unthrifts purse; but a soules sacke;
Whose _Eyes_ seeke light within, for all here's shade;
Whose _mouthes_ are holes, rather worne out, then made; 40
Whose every tooth to a severall place is gone,
To vexe their soules at _Resurrection_;
Name not these living _Deaths-heads_ unto mee,
For these, not _Ancient_, but _Antique_ be.
I hate extreames; yet I had rather stay 45
With _Tombs_, then _Cradles_, to weare out a day.
Since such loves naturall lation is, may still
My love descend, and journey downe the hill,
Not panting after growing beauties, so,
I shall ebbe out with them, who home-ward goe. 50
[Eleg. IX. The Autumnall. _1635-54:_ Elegie. The Autumnall.
_1633:_ Elegie IX. _1669:_ Elegie. _A18, N, TCC, TCD:_ Elegie
Autumnall. _D, H40, H49, JC, Lec:_ An autumnall face: On the
Ladie S^r Edward Herbart mothers Ladie Danvers. _B:_ On the
Lady Herbert afterwards Danvers. _O'F:_ Widdow. _M_, _P:_ A
Paradox of an ould Woman. _S:_ Elegie Autumnall on the Lady
Shandoys. _S96: no title, L74_]
[1 _Summer 1633: Summers 1635-69_]
[2 face. _Ed:_ face, _1633-69_]
[3 our love, _1633_, _D_, _H49_, _Lec_, _S:_ our Loves, _1669:_
your love, _1635-54_, _A18_, _A25_, _B_, _H40_, _L74_, _M_, _N_,
_O'F_, _P_, _S96_, _TC_]
[6 _Affection_ . . . takes _A18_, _A25_, _B_, _D_, _H40_, _H49_,
_L74_, _Lec_, _M_, _N_, _P_, _S_, _S96_, _TC:_ _Affections_
. . . take _1633-69_, _JC_, _O'F_]
[8 shee's _1635-69_, _A18_, _A25_, _B_, _D_, _H40_, _H49_,
_JC_, _L74_, _Lec_, _M_, _N_, _O'F_, _P_, _S_, _S96_, _TC:_
they'are _1633_]
[10 tolerable _1633_, _D_, _H40_, _H49_, _Lec_, _S:_ habitable
_1635-69_, _A18_, _A25_, _L74_, _M_, _N_, _O'F_, _P_, _TC_]
[14 for _1633:_ or _1635-69_]
[15 Love] love _1633_]
[22 Where] Where's _O'F_, _S_]
[23 unto all] to all her _P_]
[24 _Counsaile_, _Ed:_ _counsaile_, _1633-54:_ _counsails_
_1669_]
[26 enrages] bringes _D_, _H49:_ breeds _Lec_]
[27 seasonabliest, _1633:_ seasonablest, _1635-69_]
[28 past. ] past; _1633_]
[30 large _1633:_ old _1635-69_]
[37 not] noe _several MSS. _]
[38 soules sacke; _1633_, _1669_, _and MSS. :_ fooles sack;
_1635-54_]
[40 made; _Ed:_ made _1633-54:_ made, _1669_]
[42 their soules] the soul _1669_]
[43 _Deaths-heads_ _1633:_ _Death-heads_ _1635-69_,
_Chambers:_ death-shades _H40_]
[44 _Ancient, . . . Antique_ _1633_, _1669_, _D_, _H49_, _Lec:_
Ancients, . . . Antiques _1635-54_, _B_, _O'F_, _S:_ ancient . . .
antiques _A18_, _A25_, _H40_, _L74_, _M_, _N_, _TC_
be. _Ed:_ be; _1633_]
[46 a] the _1669_, _M_, _P_]
[47 naturall lation _A18_, _A25_, _B_, _D_, _H40_,
_H49_, _L74_, _M_, _N_, _P_, _S_, _TC_ (_sometimes thus_,
natural-lation): motion naturall _1633:_ naturall station
_1635-69_, _Lec_, _O'F_]
[50 ebbe out _1633:_ ebbe on _1635-69_, _A18_, _A25_, _B_,
_D_, _H40_, _H49_, _JC_, _L74_, _Lec_, _M_, _N_, _O'F_, _P_,
_S_, _TC_]
ELEGIE X.
_The Dreame. _
Image of her whom I love, more then she,
Whose faire impression in my faithfull heart,
Makes mee her _Medall_, and makes her love mee,
As Kings do coynes, to which their stamps impart
The value: goe, and take my heart from hence, 5
Which now is growne too great and good for me:
_Honours_ oppresse weake spirits, and our sense
Strong objects dull; the more, the lesse wee see.
When you are gone, and _Reason_ gone with you,
Then _Fantasie_ is Queene and Soule, and all; 10
She can present joyes meaner then you do;
Convenient, and more proportionall.
So, if I dreame I have you, I have you,
For, all our joyes are but fantasticall.
And so I scape the paine, for paine is true; 15
And sleepe which locks up sense, doth lock out all.
After a such fruition I shall wake,
And, but the waking, nothing shall repent;
And shall to love more thankfull Sonnets make,
Then if more _honour_, _teares_, and _paines_ were spent. 20
But dearest heart, and dearer image stay;
Alas, true joyes at best are _dreame_ enough;
Though you stay here you passe too fast away:
For even at first lifes _Taper_ is a snuffe.
Fill'd with her love, may I be rather grown 25
Mad with much _heart_, then _ideott_ with none.
[Eleg. X. The Dreame. _1635-54:_ Elegie X. _1669:_ Elegie.
_1633:_ Picture. _S96:_ Elegie. _or no title_, _A18_, _B_,
_D_, _H40_, _H49_, _L74_, _Lec_, _N_, _O'F_, _P_, _S_, _S96_,
_TCC_, _TCD_]
[7 sense] sense, _1633_]
[8 dull; _1635-69:_ dull, _1633_]
[16 out] up _B_, _P_, _S_]
[17 a such _1633-54:_ such a _1669_]
[22 _dreame_] _dreams_ _1669_]
ELEGIE XI.
_The Bracelet. _
_Vpon the losse of his Mistresses Chaine, for which he made
satisfaction. _
Not that in colour it was like thy haire,
For Armelets of that thou maist let me weare:
Nor that thy hand it oft embrac'd and kist,
For so it had that good, which oft I mist:
Nor for that silly old moralitie, 5
That as these linkes were knit, our love should bee:
Mourne I that I thy seavenfold chaine have lost;
Nor for the luck sake; but the bitter cost.
O, shall twelve righteous Angels, which as yet
No leaven of vile soder did admit; 10
Nor yet by any way have straid or gone
From the first state of their Creation;
Angels, which heaven commanded to provide
All things to me, and be my faithfull guide;
To gaine new friends, t'appease great enemies; 15
To comfort my soule, when I lie or rise;
Shall these twelve innocents, by thy severe
Sentence (dread judge) my sins great burden beare?
Shall they be damn'd, and in the furnace throwne,
And punisht for offences not their owne? 20
They save not me, they doe not ease my paines,
When in that hell they'are burnt and tyed in chains.
Were they but Crownes of France, I cared not,
For, most of these, their naturall Countreys rot
I think possesseth, they come here to us, 25
So pale, so lame, so leane, so ruinous;
And howsoe'r French Kings most Christian be,
Their Crownes are circumcis'd most Iewishly.
Or were they Spanish Stamps, still travelling,
That are become as Catholique as their King, 30
Those unlickt beare-whelps, unfil'd pistolets
That (more than Canon shot) availes or lets;
Which negligently left unrounded, looke
Like many angled figures, in the booke
Of some great Conjurer that would enforce 35
Nature, as these doe justice, from her course;
Which, as the soule quickens head, feet and heart,
As streames, like veines, run through th'earth's every part,
Visit all Countries, and have slily made
Gorgeous _France_, ruin'd, ragged and decay'd; 40
_Scotland_, which knew no State, proud in one day:
And mangled seventeen-headed _Belgia_.
Or were it such gold as that wherewithall
Almighty _Chymiques_ from each minerall,
Having by subtle fire a soule out-pull'd; 45
Are dirtely and desperately gull'd:
I would not spit to quench the fire they'are in,
For, they are guilty of much hainous Sin.
But, shall my harmlesse angels perish? Shall
I lose my guard, my ease, my food, my all? 50
Much hope which they should nourish will be dead,
Much of my able youth, and lustyhead
Will vanish; if thou love let them alone,
For thou wilt love me lesse when they are gone;
And be content that some lowd squeaking Cryer 55
Well-pleas'd with one leane thred-bare groat, for hire,
May like a devill roare through every street;
And gall the finders conscience, if they meet.
Or let mee creepe to some dread Conjurer,
That with phantastique scheames fils full much paper; 60
Which hath divided heaven in tenements,
And with whores, theeves, and murderers stuft his rents,
So full, that though hee passe them all in sinne,
He leaves himselfe no roome to enter in.
But if, when all his art and time is spent, 65
Hee say 'twill ne'r be found; yet be content;
Receive from him that doome ungrudgingly,
Because he is the mouth of destiny.
Thou say'st (alas) the gold doth still remaine,
Though it be chang'd, and put into a chaine; 70
So in the first falne angels, resteth still
Wisdome and knowledge; but,'tis turn'd to ill:
As these should doe good works; and should provide
Necessities; but now must nurse thy pride.
And they are still bad angels; Mine are none; 75
For, forme gives being, and their forme is gone:
Pitty these Angels; yet their dignities
Passe Vertues, Powers, and Principalities.
But, thou art resolute; Thy will be done!
Yet with such anguish, as her onely sonne 80
The Mother in the hungry grave doth lay,
Vnto the fire these Martyrs I betray.
Good soules, (for you give life to every thing)
Good Angels, (for good messages you bring)
Destin'd you might have beene to such an one, 85
As would have lov'd and worship'd you alone:
One that would suffer hunger, nakednesse,
Yea death, ere he would make your number lesse.
But, I am guilty of your sad decay;
May your few fellowes longer with me stay. 90
But o thou wretched finder whom I hate
So, that I almost pitty thy estate:
Gold being the heaviest metal amongst all,
May my most heavy curse upon thee fall:
Here fetter'd, manacled, and hang'd in chains, 95
First mayst thou bee; then chaind to hellish paines;
Or be with forraine gold brib'd to betray
Thy Countrey, and faile both of that and thy pay.
May the next thing thou stoop'st to reach, containe
Poyson, whose nimble fume rot thy moist braine; 100
Or libels, or some interdicted thing,
Which negligently kept, thy ruine bring.
Lust-bred diseases rot thee; and dwell with thee
Itching desire, and no abilitie.
May all the evils that gold ever wrought; 105
All mischiefes that all devils ever thought;
Want after plenty; poore and gouty age;
The plagues of travellers; love; marriage
Afflict thee, and at thy lives last moment,
May thy swolne sinnes themselves to thee present. 110
But, I forgive; repent thee honest man:
Gold is Restorative, restore it then:
But if from it thou beest loath to depart,
Because 'tis cordiall, would twere at thy heart.
[Elegie XI. _&c. _ _Ed. :_ Eleg. XII. The Bracelet. _&c. _ _1635_
(Eleg. XI. _being_ Death, _for which see p. _ 284): Eleg. XII.
Vpon _&c. _ _1639-54_ (Eleg. IV. _1650-54, a misprint_): Elegie
XII. _1669:_ Elegie (_numbered variously_). The Bracelett.
_or_ The Chaine. _A25_, _B_, _C_, _Cy_, _D_, _H49_, _JC_,
_L74_, _Lec_, _M_, _N_, _O'F_, _P_, _S_, _S96_, _TCD_, _W_]
[2 For . . . weare:] Armelets of that thou maist still let me
weare: _1669_]
[6 were knit, _1635-69:_ are knit _Cy:_ are tyde _A25_, _D_,
_H49_, _Lec_, _N_, _O'F_, _P_, _R212_, _S_, _S96_, _TCD_, _W:_
were tyde _L74_
love] loves _1669_]
[11 way _1635-69:_ taynt _S96_, _O'F_, _W:_ taynts _B:_ fault
_A25_, _Cy_, _D_, _H49_, _L74_, _Lec_, _M_, _N_, _P_, _S_,
_TCD_]
[15 great] old _1669_]
[16 rise; _Ed:_ rise. _1635-69_]
[22 chains. _Ed. :_ chains: _1635-69_]
[24 these _1635-54:_ them _1669_
their naturall Countreys _Cy_, _O'F:_ their Countreys naturall
_1635-54_, _P:_ their naturall Countrey _1669, and rest of
MSS. _]
[26 ruinous; _Ed:_ ruinous. _1635-69_]
[28 Iewishly. _Ed:_ Iewishly; _1635-69_]
[35 great] dread _1669_]
[36 course; _Ed:_ course. _1635-69_]
[38 streames, _Ed:_ streames _1635-69_]
[40 ruin'd, ragged and decay'd; _1669, and MSS. , but end stop
varies:_ ruin'd: ragged and decay'd _1635:_ ruin'd: ragged and
decay'd, _1639-54_]
[42 _Belgia. _ _Ed:_ _Belgia:_ _1635-69_]
[45 soule] Mercury _B_]
[47 they'are in, _1635-69:_ therein, _Cy_, _P:_ they were in,
_rest of MSS. _]
[51 dead, _Ed:_ dead. _1635-69_]
[52 lustyhead _Ed:_ lusty head _1635-69_]
[53 vanish; _Ed:_ vanish, _1635-69_
if thou love let them alone, _1635-39:_ if thou Love let them
alone, _1650-69:_ if thou, Love, let them alone; _Grolier_
(_conjecturing_ atone)]
[54-5 gone; And _Ed:_ gone, And _1635-69_, _Cy_, _P:_ gone.
Oh, _rest of MSS. _]
[58 conscience, if they meet. _1669 and MSS. :_ conscience, if
hee meet. _1635-54_, _JC_, _L74_, _P_]
[60 scheames _D_, _H49_, _JC_, _Lec_, _O'F_, _S96_, _W:_
scenes _1635-69_, _Cy_, _L74_, _P_, _TCD_]
[63 passe] place _1669_]
[65 _new par. 1635-69_ But _1635-69_, _Cy_, _P:_ And _rest of
MSS. _]
[66 yet _1635-69_, _Cy_, _P:_ Oh _rest of MSS. _]
[67 that _1635-54_, _Cy_, _P:_ the _1669 and rest of MSS. _]
[70 chaine; _Ed:_ chaine, _1635-69_]
[74 pride. _Ed:_ pride, _1635-69_]
[76 being, _Ed:_ being: _1635-69_]
[77 Angels; yet _Cy_, _D_, _H49_, _N_, _P_, _S_, _TCD:_ Angels
yet; _1635-69_, _W_]
[79 done! _Ed:_ done; _1635-39:_ done: _1650-54:_ done?
_1669_]
[90 few fellowes] few-fellowes _1635-69_]
[92 So, that _1635-69_, _Cy_, _P:_ So much that _A25_, _D_,
_H49_, _JC_ (as), _L74_, _Lec_, _N_, _S_, _S96_ (as), _TCD_,
_W_ (as): So much _B_
estate] state _D_, _H49_, _&c. _]
[93 metal amongst all,] amongst metals all, _1669_, _Cy_]
[95 Here] Her _1639_]
[98 that _MSS. :_ it _1635-69_
thy] _om. 1669_]
[104 Itching] Itchy _MSS. _]
[105 evils that gold ever _1635-69_, _P:_ hurt that ever gold
hath _rest of MSS. _]
[106 mischiefes _all MSS. :_ mischiefe _1635-69_]
[108 love; marriage _1635-54_, _Cy_, _P:_ love and marriage
_1669_, _and rest of MSS. _]
[109 at] that _1669_]
[110 thee] thou _1669_]
[113 But if from it . . . depart, _1635-54_, _Cy_, _P:_ But if
that from it . . . part, _1669:_ Or if with it . . . depart _rest
of MSS. _]
ELEGIE XII.
_His parting from her. _
Since she must go, and I must mourn, come Night,
Environ me with darkness, whilst I write:
Shadow that hell unto me, which alone
I am to suffer when my Love is gone.
Alas the darkest Magick cannot do it, 5
Thou and greate Hell to boot are shadows to it.
Should _Cinthia_ quit thee, _Venus_, and each starre,
It would not forme one thought dark as mine are.
I could lend thee obscureness now, and say,
Out of my self, There should be no more Day, 10
Such is already my felt want of sight,
Did not the fires within me force a light.
Oh Love, that fire and darkness should be mixt,
Or to thy Triumphs soe strange torments fixt?
Is't because thou thy self art blind, that wee 15
Thy Martyrs must no more each other see?
Or tak'st thou pride to break us on the wheel,
And view old Chaos in the Pains we feel?
Or have we left undone some mutual Right,
Through holy fear, that merits thy despight? 20
No, no. The falt was mine, impute it to me,
Or rather to conspiring destinie,
Which (since I lov'd for forme before) decreed,
That I should suffer when I lov'd indeed:
And therefore now, sooner then I can say, 25
I saw the golden fruit, 'tis rapt away.
Or as I had watcht one drop in a vast stream,
And I left wealthy only in a dream.
Yet Love, thou'rt blinder then thy self in this,
To vex my Dove-like friend for my amiss: 30
And, where my own sad truth may expiate
Thy wrath, to make her fortune run my fate:
So blinded Justice doth, when Favorites fall,
Strike them, their house, their friends, their followers all.
Was't not enough that thou didst dart thy fires 35
Into our blouds, inflaming our desires,
And made'st us sigh and glow, and pant, and burn,
And then thy self into our flame did'st turn?
Was't not enough, that thou didst hazard us
To paths in love so dark, so dangerous: 40
And those so ambush'd round with houshold spies,
And over all, thy husbands towring eyes
That flam'd with oylie sweat of jealousie:
Yet went we not still on with Constancie?
Have we not kept our guards, like spie on spie? 45
Had correspondence whilst the foe stood by?
Stoln (more to sweeten them) our many blisses
Of meetings, conference, embracements, kisses?
Shadow'd with negligence our most respects?
Varied our language through all dialects, 50
Of becks, winks, looks, and often under-boards
Spoak dialogues with our feet far from our words?
Have we prov'd all these secrets of our Art,
Yea, thy pale inwards, and thy panting heart?
And, after all this passed Purgatory, 55
Must sad divorce make us the vulgar story?
First let our eyes be rivited quite through
Our turning brains, and both our lips grow to:
Let our armes clasp like Ivy, and our fear
Freese us together, that we may stick here, 60
Till Fortune, that would rive us, with the deed
Strain her eyes open, and it make them bleed:
For Love it cannot be, whom hitherto
I have accus'd, should such a mischief doe.
Oh Fortune, thou'rt not worth my least exclame, 65
And plague enough thou hast in thy own shame.
Do thy great worst, my friend and I have armes,
Though not against thy strokes, against thy harmes.
Rend us in sunder, thou canst not divide
Our bodies so, but that our souls are ty'd, 70
And we can love by letters still and gifts,
And thoughts and dreams; Love never wanteth shifts.
I will not look upon the quickning Sun,
But straight her beauty to my sense shall run;
The ayre shall note her soft, the fire most pure; 75
Water suggest her clear, and the earth sure.
Time shall not lose our passages; the Spring
How fresh our love was in the beginning;
The Summer how it ripened in the eare;
And Autumn, what our golden harvests were. 80
The Winter I'll not think on to spite thee,
But count it a lost season, so shall shee.
And dearest Friend, since we must part, drown night
With hope of Day, burthens well born are light.
Though cold and darkness longer hang somewhere, 85
Yet _Phoebus_ equally lights all the Sphere.
And what he cannot in like Portions pay,
The world enjoyes in Mass, and so we may.
Be then ever your self, and let no woe
Win on your health, your youth, your beauty: so 90
Declare your self base fortunes Enemy,
No less by your contempt then constancy:
That I may grow enamoured on your mind,
When my own thoughts I there reflected find.
For this to th'comfort of my Dear I vow, 95
My Deeds shall still be what my words are now;
The Poles shall move to teach me ere I start;
And when I change my Love, I'll change my heart;
Nay, if I wax but cold in my desire,
Think, heaven hath motion lost, and the world, fire: 100
Much more I could, but many words have made
That, oft, suspected which men would perswade;
Take therefore all in this: I love so true,
As I will never look for less in you.
[Elegie. XII. _&c. _ _Ed:_ Eleg. XIIII _&c. _ _1635-54_ (Eleg.
XIII. _being_ Come, Fates, _&c. _, _p. _ 407): Elegie XIIII.
_1669:_ At her Departure. _A25:_ At his Mistris departure.
_B:_ Elegie. _H40_, _O'F_, _P_, _S96_, _TCD_ (_II_)]
[1 Night, _Ed:_ night _1635-69_]
[4 Love] soule _1635-54_]
[5-44 _omit_, _1635-54_, _A25_, _B_]
[6 Thou and greate Hell _H40_, _O'F_, _P_, _S96:_ And that
great Hell _1669_
to boot are _1669_, _H40_, _O'F:_ are nought but _P_, _S96_]
[7 thee, _Ed:_ thee _1669_]
[9 thee _H40:_ them _1669_, _P_, _S96_, _TCD_]
[10 Day, _Ed:_ Day. _1669_]
[11 felt want _H40_, _O'F_, _P_, _S96_, _TCD:_ self-want,
_1669_
sight, _Ed:_ sight _1669_]
[12 fires _H40_, _S96_, _TCD:_ fire _1669_, _P_]
[14 Or] Are _S96:_ And _TCD_
soe _H40_, _O'F_, _P_, _S96_, _TCD:_ such _1669_]
[17 the _H40_, _O'F_, _P_, _S96_, _TCD:_ thy _1669_]
[20 Through holy fear, that merits (causes _S96_) thy despight
(meriteth thy spight _P_) _H40_, _O'F_, _P_, _S96_, _TCD:_
That thus with parting thou seek'st us to spight? _1669_]
[21 was _H40_, _S96:_ is _1669_, _P_, _TCD_]
[23 Which . . . decreed, _H40_, _O'F_, _S96:_ Which (since I
lov'd) for me before decreed, _1669_, _P_, _TCD:_ Which,
since I lov'd in jest before, decreed _H-K_, _which Chambers
follows_]
[25 now, sooner _all the MSS. :_ sooner now _1669_
rapt] wrapt _1669_]
[27 a vast _H40_, _O'F_, _P_, _S96_, _TCD:_ the vast _1669_]
[29 thy self] myself _Chambers_]
[31 my own _H40_, _O'F_, _P_, _S96:_ one _1669_
sad _1669:_ glad _H40_, _O'F_, _P_, _S96_, _TCD_]
[32 fate: _Ed:_ fate. _1669_]
[33 blinded] blindest _H40_]
[34 followers _H40_, _P_, _TCD:_ favourites _1669_, _S96_]
[37 glow _H40_, _S96_, _P_, _TCD:_ blow _1669_]
[38 flame _H40_, _S96_, _P_, _TCD:_ flames _1669_]
[40 so dangerous _H40_, _P_, _S96_, _TCD:_ and dangerous
_1669_]
[42 all, _Ed:_ all _1669_
towring _1669_, _TCD:_ towred _O'F_, _P_, _S96:_ lowering
_Grolier_
the towred husbands eyes _H40:_ the Loured, husbandes eyes
_RP31_]
[43 That flam'd with oylie _H40_, _O'F_, _P_, _S96_, _TCD:_
Inflam'd with th'ouglie _1669_
jealousie: _Ed:_ jealousie, _1669_]
[44 with _H40_, _O'F_, _P_, _S96_, _TCD:_ in _1669_]
[45 Have we not kept our guards, _H40_, _O'F_, _P_, _S96_,
_TCD:_ Have we for this kept guards, _1669_
on _1669:_ o'r _1635-54_]
[49 most _1635-69_, _H40_, _O'F_, _P_, _S96_, _TCD:_ best
_1669_]
[50 our] thy _RP31_]
[52 from our words? _1669:_ from words? _1635-54_]
[53 these secrets _MSS. :_ the secrets _1635-69_
our] thy _RP31_]
[54 Yea . . . panting heart? _1635-69_, _A25:_ Yea thy pale
colours inward as thy heart? _H40_, _O'F_, _P_, _S96_, _TCD_]
[56 sad] rude _P_, _TCD_]
[57-66 _om. _ _1635-54_, _A25_, _B_]
[58 brains] beams _P:_ brain _Chambers_]
[61 Fortune, _Ed:_ fortune, _1669_
would rive us, with _H40_, _O'F_, _S96_, _TCD:_ would ruine us
with _1669_]
[62 her _H40:_ his _1669_
it] yet _1669_
bleed: _Ed:_ bleed. _1669_]
[65 Oh Fortune,] Oh fortune, _1669_, _S96:_ And Fortune _H40_,
_P_]
[66 shame. _H40_, _O'F_, _P_, _S96:_ name. _1669_]
[67 Do thy great worst _&c. _ _1669:_ Fortune, doe thy worst
_&c. _ _1635-54_ (_after_ 56 the vulgar story? )
armes, _1635-69_, _H40_, _O'F_, _P_, _S_, _TCD:_ charmes _H-K_
(_Grosart and Chambers_)]
[69 Rend us in sunder, _1669 and MSS. :_ Bend us, in sunder
_1635-54_]
[72 shifts. _1635:_ shifts, _1639-69_]
[76 Water _H40_, _P_, _TCD:_ Waters _1635-69_, _A25_, _S96_
sure. _Ed:_ sure; _1635-69_]
[77 Time] Times _H40_, _TCD_
Spring _Ed:_ spring _1635-69_]
[79 ripened in the eare; _B_, _H40_, _O'F_, _P_, _S96_, _TCD:_
ripened in the yeare; _1635:_ inripened the yeare; _1639-69_]
[83-94 _omit_ _1635-54_, _A25_, _B_]
[85 Though _H40_, _P_, _TCD:_ The _1669_, _S96_]
[87 he . . . Portions _Ed:_ he . . . portions _H40:_ he . . .
portion _O'F_, _P_, _TCD:_ we . . . Portion _1669:_ he can't in
like proportion _H-K_ (_Grosart_)]
[88 enjoyes] yet joys _H40_]
[89 ever your] your fayrest _H40_, _TCD_]
[92 by your contempt then constancy: _H40_, _S96:_ be your
contempt then constancy: _O'F_, _H-K_ (_Grosart_), _P_, _TCD:_
be your contempt then her inconstancy: _1669_]
[94 there reflected _H40_, _O'F_, _P_, _S_, _TCD:_ here
neglected _1669:_ there neglected _H-K_ (_Grosart, probably
wrongly_)]
[95-104 _om. TCD_]
[95 For _H40, S96:_ And _1635-69_]
[96 my words are now; _H40, P:_ my deeds are now; _1635-69,
O'F, S96:_ my thoughts are now; _A25_]
[102 oft, _1633-54:_ oft _1669_
would _1635-54, A25, B, H40, O'F, S96: _ most _1669_]
ELEGIE XIII.
_Iulia. _
Harke newes, o envy, thou shalt heare descry'd
My _Iulia_; who as yet was ne'r envy'd.
To vomit gall in slander, swell her vaines
With calumny, that hell it selfe disdaines,
Is her continuall practice; does her best, 5
To teare opinion even out of the brest
Of dearest friends, and (which is worse than vilde)
Sticks jealousie in wedlock; her owne childe
Scapes not the showres of envie, To repeate
The monstrous fashions, how, were, alive, to eate 10
Deare reputation. Would to God she were
But halfe so loath to act vice, as to heare
My milde reproofe. Liv'd _Mantuan_ now againe,
That foemall Mastix, to limme with his penne
This she _Chymera_, that hath eyes of fire, 15
Burning with anger, anger feeds desire,
Tongued like the night-crow, whose ill boding cries
Give out for nothing but new injuries,
Her breath like to the juice in _Tenarus_
That blasts the springs, though ne'r so prosperous, 20
Her hands, I know not how, us'd more to spill
The food of others, then her selfe to fill.
But oh her minde, that _Orcus_, which includes
Legions of mischiefs, countlesse multitudes
Of formlesse curses, projects unmade up, 25
Abuses yet unfashion'd, thoughts corrupt,
Mishapen Cavils, palpable untroths,
Inevitable errours, self-accusing oaths:
These, like those Atoms swarming in the Sunne,
Throng in her bosome for creation. 30
I blush to give her halfe her due; yet say,
No poyson's halfe so bad as _Iulia_.
[Elegie XIII. _&c. Ed:_ Eleg. XV. _&c. 1635-54:_ Elegie XV.
_1669:_ Iulia. _B:_ Elegy. Iulia. _O'F_]
[5 practice; _Ed:_ practice, _1635-69_]
[7 vilde) _Ed:_ vile) _1635-69:_ vilde _is the regular spelling
of this word in the Donne MSS. _]
[8 in wedlock;] in the sheets of wedlock; _B_]
[10 how, _1635:_ how; _1639-69_]
[That foemall Mastix, _1635:_ _1639-69 and Chambers drop
comma. But see note_]
[18 injuries, _1635-39:_ injuries. _1650-69_]
[20 prosperous, _Ed:_ prosperous. _1635-69_]
[24 mischiefs _O'F:_ mischiefe, _1635-69_]
[28 oaths: _B_, _H-K_ (_Grosart_): loathes: _1635-69_, _O'F_]
[31 give but half _B:_ give half her _O'F_
yet say,] only this say, _B:_ but this say _O'F_]
ELEGIE XIV.
_A Tale of a Citizen and his Wife. _
I sing no harme good sooth to any wight,
To Lord or foole, Cuckold, begger or knight,
To peace-teaching Lawyer, Proctor, or brave
Reformed or reduced Captaine, Knave,
Officer, Iugler, or Iustice of peace, 5
Iuror or Iudge; I touch no fat sowes grease,
I am no Libeller, nor will be any,
But (like a true man) say there are too many.
I feare not _ore tenus_; for my tale,
Nor Count nor Counsellour will redd or pale. 10
A Citizen and his wife the other day
Both riding on one horse, upon the way
I overtooke, the wench a pretty peate,
And (by her eye) well fitting for the feate.
I saw the lecherous Citizen turne backe 15
His head, and on his wifes lip steale a smacke,
Whence apprehending that the man was kinde,
Riding before, to kisse his wife behinde,
To get acquaintance with him I began
To sort discourse fit for so fine a man: 20
I ask'd the number of the Plaguy Bill,
Ask'd if the Custome Farmers held out still,
Of the Virginian plot, and whether Ward
The traffique of the I<n>land seas had marr'd,
Whether the Brittaine _Burse_ did fill apace, 25
And likely were to give th'Exchange disgrace;
Of new-built _Algate_, and the _More-field_ crosses,
Of store of Bankerouts, and poore Merchants losses
I urged him to speake; But he (as mute
As an old Courtier worne to his last suite) 30
Replies with onely yeas and nayes; At last
(To fit his element) my theame I cast
On Tradesmens gaines; that set his tongue agoing:
Alas, good sir (quoth he) _There is no doing
In Court nor City now_; she smil'd and I, 35
And (in my conscience) both gave him the lie
In one met thought: but he went on apace,
And at the present time with such a face
He rail'd, as fray'd me; for he gave no praise,
To any but my Lord of _Essex_ dayes; 40
Call'd those the age of action; true (quoth Hee)
There's now as great an itch of bravery,
And heat of taking up, but cold lay downe,
For, put to push of pay, away they runne;
Our onely City trades of hope now are 45
Bawd, Tavern-keeper, Whore and Scrivener;
The much of Privileg'd kingsmen, and the store
Of fresh protections make the rest all poore;
In the first state of their Creation,
Though many stoutly stand, yet proves not one 50
A righteous pay-master. Thus ranne he on
In a continued rage: so void of reason
Seem'd his harsh talke, I sweat for feare of treason.
And (troth) how could I lesse? when in the prayer
For the protection of the wise Lord Major, 55
And his wise brethrens worships, when one prayeth,
He swore that none could say Amen with faith.
To get him off from what I glowed to heare,
(In happy time) an Angel did appeare,
The bright Signe of a lov'd and wel-try'd Inne, 60
Where many Citizens with their wives have bin
Well us'd and often; here I pray'd him stay,
To take some due refreshment by the way.
Looke how hee look'd that hid the gold (his hope)
And at's returne found nothing but a Rope, 65
So he on me, refus'd and made away,
Though willing she pleaded a weary day:
I found my misse, struck hands, and praid him tell
(To hold acquaintance still) where he did dwell;
He barely nam'd the street, promis'd the Wine, 70
But his kinde wife gave me the very Signe.
[Elegie XIV. _&c. _ _Ed:_ Eleg. XVI. A Tale _&c. _ _1635-54:_
Elegie XVI. _1669:_ Elegie XV. _O'F:_ _no title, B_]
[2 or foole,] to fool, _1669_]
[5 Iugler, _1635-39:_ Iudge, _1650-69_]
[9 _tenus;_ _Ed:_ _tenus_, _1635-69_]
[10 will redd or pale. _1669_, _B_, _O'F_ (shall): will looke
redd or pale. _1635-54_]
[14 feate. _Ed:_ feate, _1635-69_]
[16 steale] seale _O'F_]
[21 Plaguy _1669_, _B_, _O'F:_ Plaguing _1635-54_]
[22 Custome] custome _1635_]
[24 I<n>land _Ed:_ Iland _1635-54:_ Midland _1669_, _O'F:_ the
land, the seas _B_, _but later hand has inserted_ mid _above
the line:_ Island _Chambers and Grolier_]
[27 _More-field_] Moorefields _B_]
[32 To fit] To hit _O'F_]
[33 agoing: _Ed:_ agoing, _1635-69_]
[35 _In . . . now_; _Ed:_ _roman_ _1635-69_]
[38 time _1669:_ times _O'F_]
[41 those . . . (quoth Hee) _1669_, _B_, _O'F:_ that . . . (quoth
I) _1635-54_]
[46 Bawd, . . . Scrivener; _B_, _O'F:_ Bawds, Tavernkeepers,
Whores and Scriveners, _1635-54:_ Bawds, Tavernkeepers, Whore
and Scrivener _1669_]
[47 kingsmen, and the store _1669_, _B_, _O'F_ (kingsman):
kinsmen, and store _1635-54_]
[58 him off _O'F:_ off him _1669:_ him _1635-54_]
[61 have bin _B_, _O'F:_ had beene, _1635-69_]
[64 the gold (his hope)] his gold, his hope _1669_]
[65 at's _1669:_ at _1635-54_]
[66 on _1669_, _B:_ at _1635-54_
me,] me: _1635-54_]
[67 day: _1669_, _B_, _O'F:_ stay. _1635-39:_ stay: _1650-54_]
[69 dwell; _1635:_ dwell _1639-54:_ dwell, _1669_]
ELEGIE XV.
_The Expostulation. _
To make the doubt cleare, that no woman's true,
Was it my fate to prove it strong in you?
Thought I, but one had breathed purest aire,
And must she needs be false because she's faire?
Is it your beauties marke, or of your youth, 5
Or your perfection, not to study truth?
Or thinke you heaven is deafe, or hath no eyes?
Or those it hath, smile at your perjuries?
Are vowes so cheape with women, or the matter
Whereof they are made, that they are writ in water, 10
And blowne away with winde? Or doth their breath
(Both hot and cold at once) make life and death?
Who could have thought so many accents sweet
Form'd into words, so many sighs should meete
As from our hearts, so many oathes, and teares 15
Sprinkled among, (all sweeter by our feares
And the divine impression of stolne kisses,
That seal'd the rest) should now prove empty blisses?
Did you draw bonds to forfet? signe to breake?
Or must we reade you quite from what you speake, 20
And finde the truth out the wrong way? or must
Hee first desire you false, would wish you just?
O I prophane, though most of women be
This kinde of beast, my thought shall except thee;
My dearest love, though froward jealousie, 25
With circumstance might urge thy'inconstancie,
Sooner I'll thinke the Sunne will cease to cheare
The teeming earth, and _that_ forget to beare,
Sooner that rivers will runne back, or Thames
With ribs of Ice in June would bind his streames, 30
Or Nature, by whose strength the world endures,
Would change her course, before you alter yours.
But O that treacherous breast to whom weake you
Did trust our Counsells, and wee both may rue,
Having his falshood found too late, 'twas hee 35
That made me _cast_ you guilty, and you me,
Whilst he, black wretch, betray'd each simple word
Wee spake, unto the cunning of a third.
Curst may hee be, that so our love hath slaine,
And wander on the earth, wretched as _Cain_, 40
Wretched as hee, and not deserve least pitty;
In plaguing him, let misery be witty;
Let all eyes shunne him, and hee shunne each eye,
Till hee be noysome as his infamie;
May he without remorse deny God thrice, 45
And not be trusted more on his Soules price;
And after all selfe torment, when hee dyes,
May Wolves teare out his heart, Vultures his eyes,
Swine eate his bowels, and his falser tongue
That utter'd all, be to some Raven flung, 50
And let his carrion coarse be a longer feast
To the Kings dogges, then any other beast.
Now have I curst, let us our love revive;
In mee the flame was never more alive;
I could beginne againe to court and praise, 55
And in that pleasure lengthen the short dayes
Of my lifes lease; like Painters that do take
Delight, not in made worke, but whiles they make;
I could renew those times, when first I saw
Love in your eyes, that gave my tongue the law 60
To like what you lik'd; and at maskes and playes
Commend the selfe same Actors, the same wayes;
Aske how you did, and often with intent
Of being officious, be impertinent;
All which were such soft pastimes, as in these 65
Love was as subtilly catch'd, as a disease;
But being got it is a treasure sweet,
Which to defend is harder then to get:
And ought not be prophan'd on either part,
For though'tis got by _chance_, 'tis kept by _art_. 70
[Elegie XV. _Ed:_ Eleg. XVII. The Expostulation. _1635-54:_
Elegie XVII. _1669:_ Elegie. _1633_, _B_, _Cy_, _H40_, _HN_,
_M_, _N_, _O'F_, _P_, _RP31_, _S_, _S96_, _TCD_, _Jonson's_
Underwoods]
[2 strong] full _Und_]
[3 purest] the purer _Und_]
[6 Or your _1633-69:_ Or of your _H40_]
[8 it hath,] she hath _B_, _H40_, _M_, _N_, _P_, _S96_]
[12 (Both hot and cold at once) _RP31:_ Both . . . at once,
_Und:_ (Both . . . cold) at once _1633-69_, _S96:_ Both heate
and coole at once _M_
make] threat _Und_]
[14 Form'd into] Tun'd to our _Und_]
[15 As] Blowne _Und_]
[16-18 (all sweeter . . . the rest) _1633_, _B_, _Cy_, _M_, _N_,
_O'F_, _P_, _RP31:_ (all sweetend _&c. _ _1635_, _which does
not complete the bracket:_ (all sweetend by our fears) _&c. _
_1639-69_, _L74_ (sweeter), _P_ (sweeter), _S96_ (sweetned)]
[22 wish] have _P_]
[24 This kinde of beast,] The common Monster, _Und_
my thought _1633:_ my thoughts _1635-69_, _HN_, _S96_]
[25 though froward] how ever _RP31_, _Und_]
[26 thy'inconstancie,] the contrarie. _Und_]
[28 beare, _1633:_ beare: _1635-69_]
[30 would _1633_, _Und:_ will _1635-69_
streames, _Ed:_ streames; _1633-69_]
[32 yours. ] yours; _1633_]
[34 trust _1633-69:_ drift _Chambers_]
[37 wretch] wrech _1633_]
[38 third. _Ed:_ third; _1633-69_]
[39 love] loves _RP31_]
[40 wretched as _Cain_, _1633-69_, _B_, _Cy_, _N_, _O'F:_
as wretched Cain, _P:_ as cursed Cain, _S:_ wretched on the
Earth, as Cain: _Und_]
[52 dogges, . . . beast. ] dogges; . . . beast; _1633_]
[53 have I] I have _1669_
revive] receive _Und_]
[58 worke, _1633-39_, _most MSS. :_ works, _1650-69_, _S96_,
_Und_]
[61 and playes] or playes _Und_]
[64 be] grow _Und_]
[65 soft] lost _Und_]
ELEGIE XVI.
_On his Mistris. _
By our first strange and fatall interview,
By all desires which thereof did ensue,
By our long starving hopes, by that remorse
Which my words masculine perswasive force
Begot in thee, and by the memory 5
Of hurts, which spies and rivals threatned me,
I calmly beg: But by thy fathers wrath,
By all paines, which want and divorcement hath,
I conjure thee, and all the oathes which I
And thou have sworne to seale joynt constancy, 10
Here I unsweare, and overswear them thus,
Thou shalt not love by wayes so dangerous.
Temper, o faire Love, loves impetuous rage,
Be my true Mistris still, not my faign'd Page;
I'll goe, and, by thy kinde leave, leave behinde 15
Thee, onely worthy to nurse in my minde,
Thirst to come backe; o if thou die before,
My soule from other lands to thee shall soare.
Thy (else Almighty) beautie cannot move
Rage from the Seas, nor thy love teach them love, 20
Nor tame wilde Boreas harshnesse; Thou hast reade
How roughly hee in peeces shivered
Faire Orithea, whom he swore he lov'd.
Fall ill or good, 'tis madnesse to have prov'd
Dangers unurg'd; Feed on this flattery, 25
That absent Lovers one in th'other be.
Dissemble nothing, not a boy, nor change
Thy bodies habite, nor mindes; bee not strange
To thy selfe onely; All will spie in thy face
A blushing womanly discovering grace; 30
Richly cloath'd Apes, are call'd Apes, and as soone
Ecclips'd as bright we call the Moone the Moone.
Men of France, changeable Camelions,
Spittles of diseases, shops of fashions,
Loves fuellers, and the rightest company 35
Of Players, which upon the worlds stage be,
Will quickly know thee, and no lesse, alas!
Th'indifferent Italian, as we passe
His warme land, well content to thinke thee Page,
Will hunt thee with such lust, and hideous rage, 40
As _Lots_ faire guests were vext. But none of these
Nor spungy hydroptique Dutch shall thee displease,
If thou stay here. O stay here, for, for thee
England is onely a worthy Gallerie,
To walke in expectation, till from thence 45
Our greatest King call thee to his presence.
When I am gone, dreame me some happinesse,
Nor let thy lookes our long hid love confesse,
Nor praise, nor dispraise me, nor blesse nor curse
Openly loves force, nor in bed fright thy Nurse 50
With midnights startings, crying out, oh, oh
Nurse, o my love is slaine, I saw him goe
O'r the white Alpes alone; I saw him I,
Assail'd, fight, taken, stabb'd, bleed, fall, and die.
Augure me better chance, except dread _Iove_ 55
Thinke it enough for me to'have had thy love.
[Elegie XVI. _&c. _ _Ed:_ Elegie on his Mistris. _1635-54
where, and in 1669, it appears among_ Funerall Elegies:
Elegie. _1669: among_ Elegies _with or without heading or
number_, _A18_, _A25_, _B_, _D_, _H49_, _JC_, _Lec_, _M_, _N_,
_O'F_, _P_, _S_, _TCC_, _TCD_, _W:_ _B heads_ His wife would
have gone as his page. ]
[1 interview, _Ed:_ interview _1635-69_]
[3 starving] striving _1669_, _B_, _P:_ starvling _A18_, _N_,
_TC_]
[7 beg: _D:_ beg. _1635-69_
fathers _1635-69_, _O'F:_ Parents _A18_, _A25_, _B_, _D_,
_H49_, _JC_, _Lec_, _M_, _N_, _P_, _S_, _TC_, _W_]
[11 Here I] I here _1669_]
[12 wayes _1635-54_, _O'F:_ means _1669, and rest of MSS. _]
[14 still . . . faign'd] _1669 om. _ still _and reads_ faigned]
[18 My soule . . . to thee] From other lands my soule towards
thee _A18_, _A25_, _B_, _D_, _H49_, _JC_, _Lec_, _M_(to), _N_,
_P_, _S_, _TC_, _W_
soare. _Ed:_ soare, _1635-69_]
[21 harshness] rashness _P_. _Compare_ Elegy V, 8]
[23 Faire Orithea] The fair Orithea _1669_]
[26 Lovers] friends _P_]
[28 mindes; _A18_, _A25_, _B_, _JC_, _N_, _TC_, _W:_ minde,
_1635-69_, _D_, _H49_, _Lec_, _O'F_, _P_]
[29 onely; _A18_, _D_, _N_, _TC:_ onely. _1635-69_]
[35 Loves fuellers,] Lyves fuellers, _1669_, _B_, _D_, _H49_,
_JC_, _Lec_, _S96_, _P_]
[37 Will quickly know thee, and no lesse, alas! _1635-54_,
_O'F:_ Will too too quickly know thee; and alas, _1669:_ Will
quickly know thee, and know thee, and alas _A18_, _N_, _S_
(_omitting second_ and), _TCD_, _W:_ Will quickly know thee,
and thee, and alas _A25:_ Will quickly know thee, and alas
_D_, _H49_, _JC_, _Lec_, _P_, _S96_, _TCC_]
[39 Page, _Ed:_ Page _1635-39_]
[40 hunt _1635-69_, _O'F:_ haunt _most MSS. _]
[42 hydroptique] Aydroptique _1669_]
[46 greatest _1635-69_, _B_, _O'F_, _P:_ greate _A18_, _A25_,
_D_, _H49_, _JC_, _Lec_, _N_, _S_, _TC_
call] doe call _A18_, _N_, _TC_
to] in to _A25_, _JC_, _S_]
[49 me, nor blesse] me; Blesse _A18_, _D_, _H49_, _JC_, _Lec_,
_N_, _TC_, _W_]
ELEGIE XVII.
_Variety. _
The heavens rejoyce in motion, why should I
Abjure my so much lov'd variety,
And not with many youth and love divide?
Pleasure is none, if not diversifi'd:
The sun that sitting in the chaire of light 5
Sheds flame into what else so ever doth seem bright,
Is not contented at one Signe to Inne,
But ends his year and with a new beginnes.
All things doe willingly in change delight,
The fruitfull mother of our appetite: 10
Rivers the clearer and more pleasing are,
Where their fair spreading streames run wide and farr;
And a dead lake that no strange bark doth greet,
Corrupts it self and what doth live in it.
Let no man tell me such a one is faire, 15
And worthy all alone my love to share.
Nature in her hath done the liberall part
Of a kinde Mistresse, and imploy'd her art
To make her loveable, and I aver
Him not humane that would turn back from her: 20
I love her well, and would, if need were, dye
To doe her service. But followes it that I
Must serve her onely, when I may have choice
Of other beauties, and in change rejoice?
The law is hard, and shall not have my voice. 25
The last I saw in all extreames is faire,
And holds me in the Sun-beames of her haire;
Her nymph-like features such agreements have
That I could venture with her to the grave:
Another's brown, I like her not the worse, 30
Her tongue is soft and takes me with discourse.
Others, for that they well descended are,
Do in my love obtain as large a share;
And though they be not fair, 'tis much with mee
To win their love onely for their degree. 35
And though I faile of my required ends,
The attempt is glorious and it self commends.
How happy were our Syres in ancient times,
Who held plurality of loves no crime!
With them it was accounted charity 40
To stirre up race of all indifferently;
Kindreds were not exempted from the bands:
Which with the Persian still in usage stands.
Women were then no sooner asked then won,
And what they did was honest and well done. 45
But since this title honour hath been us'd,
Our weake credulity hath been abus'd;
The golden laws of nature are repeald,
Which our first Fathers in such reverence held;
Our liberty's revers'd, our Charter's gone, 50
And we're made servants to opinion,
A monster in no certain shape attir'd,
And whose originall is much desir'd,
Formlesse at first, but goeing on it fashions,
And doth prescribe manners and laws to nations.
