No More Learning

_On the blessed Virgin Mary. _

Probably by Henry Constable.

In that, o Queene of Queenes, thy birth was free
From that which others doth of grace bereave,
When in their mothers wombe they life receive,
God, as his sole-borne daughter loved thee.

To match thee like thy births nobilitie, 5
He thee his Spirit for thy spouse did leave,
By whom thou didst his onely sonne conceive,
And so wast link'd to all the Trinitie.

Cease then, o Queenes, that earthly Crownes doe weare,
To glory in the Pompe of earthly things; 10
If men such high respects unto you beare,
Which daughters, wives, and mothers are to Kings,
What honour can unto that Queene be done
Who had your God for Father, Spouse and Sonne?


[On the _&c. _ _1635-69_, _A10_, _B_, _O'F_, _S_, _S96_: _also
among Spiritual Sonnets by H. C. in Harl. MS. 7553_]

[6 thy spouse _A10_, _B_: his spouse _1635-69_]

[12 to _B_: of _1635-69_

Kings,] kings, _1635_]




VI.


_On the Sacrament. _

He was the Word that spake it,
Hee tooke the bread and brake it;
And what that Word did make it,
I doe beleeve and take it.


[On the _&c. _ _1635-69_]


VII.


_Absence. _

That time and absence proves
Rather helps than hurts to loves.

Probably by John Hoskins.

Absence heare my protestation
Against thy strengthe
Distance and lengthe,
Doe what thou canst for alteration:
For harts of truest mettall 5
Absence doth joyne, and time doth settle.

Who loves a Mistris of right quality,
His mind hath founde
Affections grounde
Beyond time, place, and all mortality: 10
To harts that cannot vary
Absence is present, time doth tary:

My Sences want their outward motion
Which now within
Reason doth win, 15
Redoubled by her secret notion:
Like rich men that take pleasure
In hidinge more then handling treasure.

By absence this good means I gaine
That I can catch her 20
Where none can watch her
In some close corner of my braine:
There I embrace and there kiss her,
And so enjoye her, and so misse her.


[Absence. _The Grove_ (_1721_): _do. or no title_, _B_, _Cy_,
_HN_ (_signed_ J. H. ), _L74_, _O'F_, _P_, _S_, _S96_ (_the
text here printed_): _also in_ Davison's Poetical Rhapsody
(_PR_) _1602_ _and_ (_a maimed and altered version_) _in Wit
Restored_ (_WR_) _1658_]

[1 heare _B_, _S96_, _Grove_: heare thou _Cy_, _HN_, _L74_,
_PR_, _S_, _WR_]

[3 Distance] Disdayne _HN_]

[4 you can _PR_: yee dare _HN_]

[5 For hearts where love's refined _WR_]

[6 Are absent joyned, by tyme combined. _WR_]

[7 right _S96_: such _Grove_, _HN_, _L74_, _PR_]

[8 He soon hath found _PR_]

[10 all] _om. _ _WR_]

[11 To] That _WR_]

[12 present] presence _B_

tary] carry _WR_]

[13 motion] motions _PR_]

[16 by . . . notion:] in . . . notions: _PR_: in . . . notion _HN_]

[18 hidinge] finding _Grove_]

[19 means] mean _WR_]

[23 There I embrace and there kiss her, _S96_: There I embrace
her, and _&c. _ _L74_: There I embrace and there I kiss her,
_B_, _O'F_, _WR_: There I embrace and kiss her, _Grove_, _HN_,
_PR_]

[24 and so misse her _B_, _Cy_, _HN_, _L74_, _O'F_, _S96_,
_WR_: while none misse her. _Grove_: I both enjoy and miss
her. _PR_]




VIII.


_Song. _

Probably by the Earl of Pembroke.

Soules joy, now I am gone,
And you alone,
(Which cannot be,
Since I must leave my selfe with thee,
And carry thee with me) 5
Yet when unto our eyes
Absence denyes
Each others sight,
And makes to us a constant night,
When others change to light; 10
_O give no way to griefe,
But let beliefe
Of mutuall love,
This wonder to the vulgar prove
Our Bodyes, not wee move. _ 15

Let not thy wit beweepe
Wounds but sense-deepe,
For when we misse
By distance our lipp-joying blisse,
Even then our soules shall kisse, 20
Fooles have no meanes to meet,
But by their feet.
Why should our clay,
Over our spirits so much sway,
To tie us to that way? 25
_O give no way to griefe, &c. _


[Song. _1635-69_, _O'F_: also in the Poems &c. (1660) of
the Earle of Pembroke and S^{r} Benjamin Ruddier, and the
Lansdowne MS. 777, here it is signed E. of Pembroke. _]

[1 now] when _1660_, _L77_]

[17 Wounds _L77_: Words _1635-69_, _O'F_

sense-deepe,] _no hyphen_, _1635-69_]

[18 when] while _L77_]

[19 lipp-joyning _L77_ (_not_ lives joining _as Chambers
reports_): hopes joyning _1635-69_, _O'F_]




_A Dialogue. _


EARLE OF PEMBROKE.

If her disdaine least change in you can move,
you doe not love,
For whilst your hopes give fuell to the fire,
you sell desire.
Love is not love, but given free, 5
And so is mine, so should yours bee.

Her heart that melts at others moane,
to mine is stone.
Her eyes that weepe a strangers hurt to see,
joy to wound mee: 10
Yet I so much affect each part,
As (caus'd by them) I love my smart.

Say her disdaynings justly must be grac't
with name of chaste.
And that shee frownes least longing should exceed, 15
and raging breed;
Soe can her rigor ne'er offend
Unlesse selfe-love seeke private end.


BEN: RUDDIER

'Tis love breeds love in mee, and cold disdaine
kils that againe, 20
As water causeth fire to fret and fume,
till all consume.
Who can of love more free gift make,
Then to loves self, for loves own sake.

I'll never dig in Quarry of an heart 25
to have no part,
Nor roast in fiery eyes, which alwayes are
Canicular.
Who this way would a Lover prove,
May shew his patience, not his love. 30

A frowne may be sometimes for physick good,
But not for food;
And for that raging humour there is sure
A gentler Cure.
Why barre you love of private end, 35
Which never should to publique tend?


[A Dialogue. _Ed_: A Dialogue betweene S^{r} Henry Wotton and
M^{r} Donne. _1635-69 among_ Letters to Severall Personages:
_no heading but divided between_ Earle of Pembroke _and_ Ben:
Ruddier _H39_, _H40_, _P_: _and so between_ P _and_ R _in
the_ Poems _&c. _ (1660) _of Pembroke and Ruddier_. _See note_:
_only 18 lines and no dialogue_, _Cy_: _in TCD_ (_II_) _the
first part is given to_ Earl of Pembroke _and_ S^{r} Henry
Wotton, _the second to_ S^{r} Ben. Ruddier _and_ D^{r} John
Donne]

[3 whilst your hopes give _H39_, (the), _H40_, _P_: when the
hope gives _1635-54_: when that hope gives _1669_]

[7 melts at _H39_, _H40_, _P_, _TCD_: melts to hear of
_1635-69_]

[9 a strangers] anothers _P_

hurt _H39_, _H40_, _P_, _TCD_: eyes _1635-69 and mod. edd. _]

[11 much _Cy_, _H39_, _H40_, _P_, _TCD_: well _1635-69_]

[13 Say _1635-69_: I think _H39_: Think _H40_: But thinke _P_

her disdaynings _1635-69_: her unkindness _H40_: that her
disdaine _P_

must be] may well be _P_]

[17-18 _text_ _H40_, _P_, _P and R_:

So her disdaines can ne'er offend;
Vnlesse selfe-love take private end. _1635-69_
]

[21 causeth] maketh _H40_, _P_]

[23-4

Who can of love more free gift make
Then to loves self, for loves owne sake

_H39_, _H40_, _P_ (_but H39 has to love in 23_)

Who can of love more gift make,
Then to love selfe for loves sake. _1635-39_
Who can of love more rich gift make,
Then to love selfe-love for loves sake? _1650-54_
Who can of love more rich gift make,
Then to Loves self for loves own sake. _1669_
]

[25 Quarry] quarryes _P_]

[27 roast _1669_, _H40_: rest _1635-54_: waste _H39_, _P_]

[30 May] doth _H39_, _H40_, _P_]




IX.


_Break of Daye. _

Stanza prefixed to Donne's Poem (p. 23) in Stowe MS. 961 and
in Edition of 1669.

Probably by John Dowlands.

Stay, O sweet, and do not rise,
The light that shines comes from thine eyes;
The day breaks not, it is my heart,
Because that you and I must part.
Stay, or else my joys will die, 5
And perish in their infancie.


[Stanza _&c. _] _given as a separate poem in A25_ (_where it
is written in at the side_), _C_, _O'F_, _P_: _printed in John
Dowland's_ A Pilgrim's Solace (1612)]

[1 Stay, O sweet] Lie still my dear _A25_, _C_]

[3 The day breakes not] There breakes not day _S96_]

[4 Because that] To think that _S96_]

[5 Stay] Oh stay _S96_]




APPENDIX C.

A
SELECTION OF POEMS WHICH FREQUENTLY
ACCOMPANY POEMS BY JOHN DONNE
IN MANUSCRIPT COLLECTIONS OR
HAVE BEEN ASCRIBED TO
DONNE BY MODERN
EDITORS.


I.


POEMS FROM ADDITIONAL MS. 25707.

_A Letter written by S^{r} H: G: and J: D: alternis vicibus. _

Since ev'ry Tree beginns to blossome now
Perfuminge and enamelinge each bow,
Hartes should as well as they, some fruits allow.

For since one old poore sunn serves all the rest,
You sev'rall sunns that warme, and light each brest 5
Doe by that influence all your thoughts digest.

And that you two may soe your vertues move,
On better matter then beames from above,
Thus our twin'd souls send forth these buds of love.

As in devotions men Joyne both there hands, 10
Wee make ours doe one Act to seale the bands,
By which we enthrall ourselves to your commands,

And each for others faith and zeale stand bound:
As safe as spirits are from any wound,
Soe free from impure thoughts they shal be found. 15

Admit our magique then by which wee doe
Make you appeere to us, and us to you,
Supplying all the Muses in you twoe.

Wee doe consider noe flower that is sweet,
But wee your breath in that exhaling meet, 20
And as true types of you, them humbly greet.

Heere in our Nightingales we heere you singe
Who soe doe make the whole yeare through a springe,
And save us from the feare of Autumns stinge.

In Anchors calme face wee your smoothnes see, 25
Your mindes unmingled, and as cleare as shee
That keepes untoucht her first virginitie.

Did all St. Edith nunns descend againe
To honor Polesworth with their cloystred traine,
Compar'd with you each would confesse some stayne. 30

Or should wee more bleed out our thoughts in inke,
Noe paper (though it woulde be glad to drinke
Those drops) could comprehend what wee doe thinke.

For t'were in us ambition to write
Soe, that because wee two, you two unite, 35
Our letter should as you, bee infinite.


[Letter written _&c. _ _A25_: _published by Chambers, who
completes the names_]

[2 bow, _Ed_: bow _A25_]

[9 twin'd _A25_: twined _Chambers_]

[10 hands, _Ed_: hands _A25_]

[12-13 commands, . . . bound: _Ed_: command. . . . bound, _A25_]

[25 Anchors _Chambers_: Anchos _A25_]

[29 traine, _Ed_: traine _A25_]

[31 inke, _Ed_: inke _A25_]




_O Frutefull Garden. _

O Frutefull garden, and yet never tilde,
Box full of Treasure yet by noe man filde.
O thou which haste, made him that first made thee;
O neare of kinne to all the Trinetie;
O Pallace where the kinge of all, and more; 5
Went in, and out, yet never opened doore;
Whose flesh is purer, than an others sperrit
Reache him our Prayers, and reach us down his merrit;
O bread of lyfe which sweld'ste up without Leaven;
O bridge which joynst togeather earth and heaven; 10
Whose eyes see me through these walles, and throughe glasse,
And through this fleshe as thorowe Cipres passe.
Behould a little harte made greate by thee
Swellinge, yet shrinkinge at thy majestie.
O dwell in it, for where soe ere thou go'ste 15
There is the Temple of the Holy Ghoste.


[O Frutefull Garden. _A25_: [TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY. ]
_Chambers_]

[6 out, _Ed_: out _A25_]

[8 merrit; _Ed_: merrit, _A25_]

[9 Leaven, _Ed_: Leaven _A25_]




_To my Lord of Pembroke. _

Fye, Fye you sonnes of Pallas what madd rage
Makes you contend that Love's, or God, or page?
Hee that admires, his weaknes doth confess;
For as Love greater growes; soe hee growes less.
Hee that disdaines, what honor wynns thereby, 5
That he feeles not, or triumphes on a fly?
If love with queasie paine thy stomack move,
Soe will a slutt whome none dare touch; or love.
If it with sacred straines doe thee inspire
Of Poetrie; soe wee maye want admire. 10
If it thee valiant make, his ryvall hate
Can out doe that and make men desperate.
Yealdinge to us, all woemen conquer us,
By gentlenes we are betrayed thus.
We will not strive with Love that's a shee beaste; 15
But playinge wee are bounde, and yeald in Jest;
As in a Cobwebb toyle, a flye hath beene
Undone; so have I some fainte lover seene.
Love cannot take away our strength, but tame,
And wee less feele the thinge then feare the name; 20
Love is a temperate bath; hee that feeles more
Heate or could there, was hott, or could before.
But as Sun beames which would but norishe, burne,
Drawne into hollow Christall, soe we turne
To fire her bewties Lustre willingly, 25
By gatheringe it in our false treacherous eye.
Love is nor you, nor you; but I a balme,
Sword to the stiff, unto the wounded balme.
Prayes noe thinge adds, if it be infinite,
If it be nothing, who can lessen it? 30


[To my Lord of Pembroke. _A25_, _Chambers_]

[3 confess; _Ed_: confess _A25_]

[5 disdaines, _Ed_: disdaines _A25_]

[6 fly? _Ed_: fly; _A25_]

[19 tame, _Ed_: tame _A25_]

[27 I a balme, _A25_: Aye a calm, _Chambers conjectures_]




_Of a Lady in the Black Masque. _

Why chose shee black; was it that in whitenes
Shee did Leda equal? whose brightnes
Must suffer loss to put a bewtie on
Which hath no grace but from proportion.
It is but Coullor, which to loose is gayne, 5
For shee in black doth th'AEthiopian staine,
Beinge the forme that beautifies the creature
Her rareness not in Coullor is; but feature.
Black on her receaves soe strong a grace
It seemes the fittest beautie for the face. 10
Coullor is not, but in aestimation
Faire, or foule, as it is stild by fashion.
Kinges wearinge sackcloath it doth royall make;
Soe black<ne>s from her face doth beautie take.
It not in Coullor but in her, inheres, 15
For what she is, is faire, not what she weares;
The Moore shalle envye her, as much, or more,
As did the Ladies of our Court before.
The Sunn shall mourne that hee had westwarde beene,
To seeke his Love; whilst shee i'th North was seene. 20
Her blacknes lends like lustre to her eyes,
As in the night pale Phoebe glorifyes.
Hell, synne, and vice their attributes shall loose
Of black, for it wan, and pale whitenes choose,
As like themselves, Common, and most in use: 25
Sad of that Coulor is the late abuse.


[Of a Lady _&c. _ _A25_, _Chambers_]

[10 face. _Ed_: face _A25_]

[13 make; _Ed_: make _A25_]

[14 black<ne>s _Chambers_: blacks _A25_]

[16 weares; _Ed_: weares, _A25_]




II.


POEMS FROM THE BURLEY MS.


<_Life. _>

This lyfe it is not life, it is a sight
That wee have of y^e earth, y^e earth of vs;
It is a feild, where sence & reason fight,
The soules & bodies quarrells to discus;
It is a iorney where wee do not goe, 5
but fly w^{th} speedy wings t'our blisse or woe.
It is a chaine y^t hath but two smale links
Where<with> o^r graue is to o^r bodie ioyned;
It is a poysned feast wherein who thinks
To tast ioyes cup, y^e cup of death doth find. 10
It is a play, presented in heauens eye
Wherein o^r parts are to do naught but dye.


[Life. > _Ed_: _no title_, _Bur_]

[2 vs; _Ed_: vs _Bur_]

[3 feild, _Ed_: feild _Bur_]

[4 discus; _Ed_: discus _Bur_]

[6 Woe. _Ed_: woe _Bur_]

[8 Where<with> _Ed_: where _Bur_

ioyned; _Ed_: ioyned _Bur_]




<_My Love. _>

My love doth fly w^{th} wings of feare
And doth a flame of fire resemble,
w^{ch} mounting high & burning cleere
yet ever more doth wane & tremble.
My loue doth see & still admire, 5
Admiring breedeth humblenes;
blind loue is bold, but my desire
the more it loues p^{re}sumes y^e lesse.
My loue seekes no reward or glory
but w^{th} it self it self contenteth, 10
is never sullaine, never sory,
never repyneth or repenteth.
O'who the sunne beames can behold
but hath some passion, feeles some heat,
for though the sunn himself be cold 15
his beames reflecting fire begett.
O y^t myne eyes, o that myne hart
Were both enlarged to contayne
the beames & ioyes shee doth impart,
whilst shee this bowre doth not disdayne; 20
this bowre vnfit for such a gueste,
but since she makes it now her Inn,
Would god twere like her sacred breast
most fayre w^{th}out, most rich w^{th}in.


[<My Love. > _Ed_: _no title and no punctuation_, _Bur_]

[4 wane _Ed_: weane _Bur_]

[12 never _Ed_: ne're _Bur_]




<_O Eyes! _>

O Eyes, what do you see?
O eares what do you heare?
that makes y^o wish to bee
All eyes or else all eare?
I see a face as fayre 5
As mans eye ever saw,
I here as sweet an ayre
as y^t w^{ch} rocks did draw,
I wish, when in such wise
I see or heare y^e same, 10
I had all Argus eyes
or else y^e eare<s> of fame.


[<O Eyes! > _Ed_: _no title and no punctuation_, _Bur_]

[12 eare<s> _Ed_: eare _Bur_:

Cui, quot sunt corpore plumae,
Tot vigiles oculi subter, mirabile dictu,
Tot linguae, totidem ora sonant, _tot subrigit auris_.

Virgil: _Aen. _ iv. 181-3.
]




<_Silence Best Praise. _>

Comend her? no. I dare not terme her fayre,
nor sugred sweet, nor tall, nor louely browne;
suffice it y^t she is w^{th}out compare;
but how, I dare not tell lest she should frowne.
but those parts <least> w^{ch} others make theyre pryde, 5
and feed there fancies w^{th} devised lyes;
giue me but leaue to pull my saint asyde,
and tell her in her eare that she is wise.
to write of beauties rare ther is noe art,
for why tis common to there sex & kind, 10
but making choice of natures better part
my Muse doth most desire to prayse her mind.
But as her vertue<s> clayme a crowne of bayes,
So manners makes me sylent in her prayse.


[<Silence Best Praise. > _Ed_: _no title_, _Bur_]

[1 fayre, _Ed_: fayre _Bur_]

[2 sweet, . . . tall, . . . browne; _Ed_: _no stops_, _Bur_]

[3 compare; _Ed_: compare _Bur_]

[4 frowne. _Ed_: frowne _Bur_]

[5 <least> _Ed_: lest _Bur_

pryde, _Ed_: pryde _Bur_]

[6 lyes; _Ed_: lyes _Bur_]

[7 asyde, _Ed_: asyde _Bur_]

[8 wise. _Ed_: wise _Bur_]

[9-10 art, . . . kind. _Ed_: _no commas_, _Bur_]

[10 common] como _Bur_]

[12 mind. _Ed_: mind _Bur_]

[13 vertue<s> _Ed_: vertue _Bur_

bayes, _Ed_: bayes _Bur_]




<_Beauty in Little Room. _>

Those drossy heads & irrepurged braynes
w^{ch} sacred fyre of loue hath not refined
may grossly think my loue smale worth contaynes
because shee is of body smale combined.
Not diving to y^e depth of natures reach, 5
W^{ch} on smale things doth greatest guifts bestow:
small gems & pearls do witt more truly teach
W^ch little are yet great in vertue grow,
of flowers most part y^e least wee sweetest see,
of creatures having life & sence y^e annt 10
is smalst, yet great her guifts & vertues bee,
frugall & provident for feare of want.
Wherfore who sees not natures full intent?
she made her smale to make her excellent.


[<Beauty in Little Room. > _Ed_: _no title_, _Bur_]

[5 depth _Ed_: depht _Bur_

reach, _Ed_: reach _Bur_]

[6 bestow: _Ed_: bestow _Bur_]

[8 grow, _Ed_: grow _Bur_]

[11 bee, _Ed_: bee _Bur_]

[13 intent? _Ed_: intent _Bur_]




<_Loves Zodiake.
_>

I that y^e higher half of loues
Round Zodiake haue rune,
And in the signe of crabbed chaunce
My Tropick haue begun,
Am taught to teach y^e man is blest 5
Whose loues lott lights so badd,
as his solstitium soonest makes
And so growes Retrograde.


[<Loves Zodiake> _Ed_: _no title_, _Bur_]




<_Fortune, Love, and Time. _>

When fortune, loue, and Tyme bad me be happie,
Happy I was by fortune, loue, and tyme.
These powres at highest then began to vary,
and cast him downe whome they had caus'd to clyme;
They prun'd theire wings, and tooke theire flight in rage; 5
fortune to fooles, loue to gold, and tyme to age.

Fooles, gold, and age, (o foolish golden age! )
Witt, fayth, and loue must begg, must brybe, must dy;
These are the actors and the world's the stage,
Desert and hope are as but standers by: 10
True lovers sit and tune this restlesse song;
Fortune, loue, and tyme haue done me wrong.


[<Fortune, Love, and Time. > _Ed_: _no title and no
punctuation_, _Bur_]




<_Life a Play. _>

What is o^r life? a play of passion.
o^r mirth? the musick of diuision.
O^r mothers wombs the tyring houses bee
Where we are drest for liues short comedy.
The earth the stage, heauen y^e spectator is, 5
Who still doth note who ere do act amisse.
O^r graues that hyde vs, fro the all-seeing sun,
Are but drawne curtaynes wh? the play is done.


[<Life a Play. > _Ed_: _no title, and no punctuation except the
two marks of interrogation_, _Bur_]




_A Kisse. _

O what a blisse
is this?
heaven is effected
and loues eternity contracted
In one short kisse. 5
For not tymes measure
makes pleasure
more full,
tedious and dull
all ioyes are thought 10
y^t are not in an instant wrought.
Cupi<d>s blest and highest spheare
is heare.
heere on his throne
in his bright imperial crowne 15
hee sitts.
Those witts
That thinke to proue
that mortals know
in any place below 20
a blisse so great
so sweet
Are heretiques in loue.
These pleasures high
now dye, 25
but still beginning
new & greater glory wining
gett fresh supply.
No short breath'd panting
nor faynting 30
is heere,
fuller and freer
more pleasinge is
this pleasure still, & none but this.
Heer'es no blush nor labor great, 35
no sweat;
Heres no payne
nor repentance when againe
Loue cooles.
O fooles 40
That fondly glory
in base condition
of sensual fruition,
you do mistake
& make 45
y^r heaven purgatory.


[A Kisse. _Bur_]

[8 full. _Ed_: full _Bur_]

[12 Cupi<d>s _Ed_: Cupis _Bur_]

[27 new _Ed_: now _Bur_]

[28 supply. _Ed_: supply _Bur_]

[31 heere, _Ed_: heere _Bur_]

[35 great, _Ed_: great _Bur_]

[39 cooles. _Ed_: cooles _Bur_]

[43 fruition, _Ed_: fruition _Bur_]




_Epi: B: Jo:_

Tell me who can when a player dies
In w^{ch} of his shapes againe hee shall rise?
What need hee stand at the iudgment throne
Who hath a heaven and a hell of his owne.
Then feare not Burbage heavens angry rodd, 5
When thy fellows are angells & old Hemm? gs is God.


[Epi: B: Jo: (i. e. Epitaph: Ben Ionson) _Bur_: _no
punctuation_]




_Epi: Hen: Princ: Hug^o Holland. _

Loe now hee shineth yonder
A fixed starr in heaven,
Whose motion is vnder
None of the planetts seaven;
And if the son should tender 5
The moone his loue and marry,
They never could engender
So fayre a starr as Harry.


[Epi: Hen: Princ: Hug^o Holland. _Bur_: _no punctuation_]




III.


POEMS FROM VARIOUS MSS.


<_The Annuntiation. _

_Additional Lines. _>

Nature amaz'd sawe man without mans ayde
Borne of a mother nursed by her a mayd,
The child the Parent was, the worke the word,
No word till then did such a worke affoord.
Twas lesse from nothing the world's all to growe 5
Then all-Creato^{rs} height to stoope so lowe.
A virgin mother to a child bredd wonder,
T'was more a child should bee the God of thunder.
Th'omnipotent was strangely potent heere
To make the powerfull God pearelesse appeare. 10
Hee in our body cladd, for our soules love
Came downe to us, yet stay'd vnchanged above.
Yet God through man shind still in this cleere brooke,
Through meane shewes into maiesty wee looke.
Sinnes price seemd payd with brasse, fewe sawe the gold, 15
Yet true stones set in lead theyr lustre hold.
His birth though poore, Prophets foretold his story,
Hee breathd with beasts, but Angels sung his glory.
Hee, so farr of, so weake, yet Herod quakes,
The citty dreads, babes, murderd, feare mistakes. 20
His Circumcision bore sinne, payne, and shame,
Young bloud new budd, hence bloomd a sauiours name.
His paynes and passion bredd compassion, wonder;
Earth trembling, heavens darke, rocks rent asunder.
His birth, life, death, his words, his workes, his face 25
Shewd a rich Jewell shining through the case,
Cast thus, since man at gods high presence trembles.
Heere man mans troth loves whome his sheepe resembles.
The bright Sunne beame a sickly eye may di[~m]e,
A little babe in shallow heart may swi[~m]. 30
Hee heavens wealth to a poore stable brings,
Th'oxestall the Court unto the king of kings.
No Shadowes now nor lightning flames give terro^r.
This light tells with our tongue, and beares o^r erro^r.
Pure infant teares, moist pearle adornd his cheeke, 35
Assignd, ere borne, our erring soules to seeke.
Hee first wept teares, then bloud, a deare redemption;
This bought what Adam sould, that seemd preemption.
Cleare droppe, deare seede, the corne had bloudy eares,
Rich harvest reapd in bloud and sowne in teares. 40
Who this Corne in theyr hart nor thresh, nor lay,
Breake for sinnes debt, unthrifty never pay.
Use wealth, it wastes, a stayd hand heapes the store,
But this the more wee use wee have the more;
Use, not like usury whose growth is lending, 45
Rich thoughts this treasure keepe and thrive by spending;
Th'expense runnes circular, turning returning,
Such love no hart consumes, yet ever burning.


[<The Annuntiation. Additional Lines. > _Ed_: _these lines run
straight on as part of_ The Annuntiation and Passion _in O'F_]

[2 a mayd] _Norton supplies_ a mayd, _Ed_: mayd _O'F_]

[3 was,. . . word, _Ed_: _no commas_, _O'F_]

[6 lowe. _Ed_: lowe _O'F_]

[7 wonder, _Ed_: wonder _O'F_]

[8 thunder. _Ed_: thunder _O'F_]

[13 brooke, _Ed_: brooke _O'F_]

[21 shame, _Ed_: shame _O'F_]

[23 wonder; _Ed_: wonder _O'F_]

[24 trembling, _Ed_: trembling _O'F_]

[26 case, _Ed_: case _O'F_]

[27 trembles. _Ed_: trembles _O'F_]

[28 resembles. _Ed_: res? bles _O'F_]

[29 di[~m]e, _Ed_: di[~m]e _O'F_]

[31 brings, _Ed_: brings _O'F_]

[35 cheeke, _Ed_: cheeke _O'F_]

[37 redemption; _Ed_: redemption _O'F_]

[38 preemption. _Ed_: preemption _O'F_]

[39 eares, _Ed_: eares _O'F_]

[41 lay, _Ed_: lay _O'F_]

[43 store, _Ed_: store _O'F_]

[44 more; _Ed_: more _O'F_]

[45 Use, . . . lending, _Ed_: _no commas_, _O'F_]

[46 spending; _Ed_: spending _O'F_]

[47 returning, _Ed_: returning _O'F_]

[48 consumes, _Ed_: consumes _O'F_]




_Elegy. To Chast Love. _

Chast Love, let mee embrace thee in mine armes
Without the thought of lust. From thence no harmes
Ensue, no discontent attende those deeds
So innocently good w^{ch} thy love breeds.
Th'approche of day brings to thy sence no feares, 5
Nor is the black nights worke washd in thy teares;
Thou takst no care to keepe thy lover true,
Nor yet by flighte, nor fond inventions new
To hold him in, who with like flame of love
Must move his spirit too, as thine doth move; 10
w^{ch} ever mounts aloft with golden wings
And not declines to lowe despised things.
Thy soule is bodyd within thy quiet brest
In safety, free from trouble and unrest.
Thou fearst no ill because thou dost no ill, 15
Like mistress of thy selfe, thy thought, and will,
Obey thy mind, a mind for ever such
As all may prayse, but none admire too much.
Then come, Chast Love, choyse part of womankind
Infuse chast thoughts into my loving mind. 20


[Elegy. To Chast Love. _O'F_]

[5 feares, _Ed_: feares _O'F_]

[6 teares; _Ed_: teares _O'F_]

[7 true, _Ed_: true _O'F_]

[9 in, _Ed_: in _O'F_]

[10 move; _Ed_: move _O'F_]

[15 ill, _Ed_: ill _O'F_]

[16 will, _Ed_: will _O'F_]




_Upon his scornefull Mistresse. Elegy. _

Cruell since that thou dost not feare the curse
W^{ch} thy disdayne, and my despayre procure,
My prayer for thee shall torment thee worse
Then all the payne thou coudst thereby endure.
May, then, that beauty w^{ch} I did conceave 5
In thee above the height of heavens course,
When first my Liberty thou didst bereave,
Bee doubled on thee and with doubled force.
Chayne thousand vassalls in like thrall with mee,
W^{ch} in thy glory mayst thou still despise, 10
As the poore Trophyes of that victory
Which thou hast onely purchasd by thine eyes;
And when thy Triumphs so extended are
That there is nought left to bee conquered,
Mayst thou with the great Monarchs mournfull care 15
Weepe that thine Hono^{rs} are so limited;
So thy disdayne may melt it selfe to love
By an unlookd for and a wondrous change,
W^{ch} to thy selfe above the rest must prove
In all th'effects of love paynefully strange, 20
While wee thy scorned subjects live to see
Thee love the whole world, none of it love thee.


[Upon his scornefull Mistresse. _O'F_: _no title_, _B_, _which
adds note_, This hath relation to 'When by thy scorne'. _See_
The Apparition, _p. _ 191]

[2 despayre _B_: disdayne _O'F_

procure, _Ed_: procure _O'F_]

[6 course, _Ed_: course _O'F_]

[7 bereave, _Ed_: bereave _O'F_]

[8 force. _Ed_: force _O'F_]

[9 Chayne _B_: Stay _O'F_ mee, _Ed_: mee _O'F_]

[10 despise, _Ed_: despise _O'F_]

[12 eyes; _Ed_: eyes _O'F_]

[14 conquered, _Ed_: conquered _O'F_]

[16 limited; _Ed_: limited _O'F_]

[18 change, _Ed_: change _O'F_]

[20 strange, _Ed_: strange _O'F_]




<_Absence. _>

Wonder of Beautie, Goddesse of my sense,
You that have taught my soule to love aright,
You in whose limbes are natures chief expense
Fitt instrument to serve your matchless spright,
If ever you have felt the miserie 5
Of being banish'd from your best desier,
By Absence, Time, or Fortunes tyranny,
Sterving for cold, and yet denied for fier:
Deare mistresse pittie then the like effects
The which in mee your absence makes to flowe, 10
And haste their ebb by your divine aspect
In which the pleasure of my life doth growe:
Stay not so long for though it seem a wonder
You keepe my bodie and my soule asunder.

FINIS.




<_Tongue-tied Love. _>

Faire eies do not think scorne to read of Love
That to your eies durst never it presume,
Since absence those sweet wonders do<th> remove
That nourish thoughts, yet sence and wordes consume;
This makes my pen more hardy then my tongue, 5
Free from my feare yet feeling my desire,
To utter that I have conceal'd so long
By doing what you did yourself require.
Believe not him whom Love hath left so wise
As to have power his owne tale for to tell, 10
For childrens greefes do yield the loudest cries,
And cold desires may be expressed well:
In well told Love most often falsehood lies,
But pittie him that only sighes and dies.

FINIS.


[<Absence. > <Tongue-tied Love. > _Ed_: _whole sonnets without
titles in_ _L74_: _the last six lines of the second appear
among Donne's poems in_ _B_, _O'F_, _S96_ <Tongue-tied Love. >]

[12 cold desires] coldest Ayres _O'F_]




<_Love, if a God thou art. _>

Love if a god thou art
then evermore thou must
Bee mercifull and just;
If thou bee just, o wherefore doth thy dart
Wound mine alone and not my mistresse hart? 5

If mercifull, then why
Am I to payne reservd
Who have thee truely serv'd,
When shee that by thy powre sets not a fly
Laughs thee to scorne and lives at liberty? 10

Then if a God thou woulds accounted bee,
Heale mee like her, or else wound her like mee.




<_Great Lord of Love. _>

Greate Lord of love, how busy still thou art
To give new wounds and fetters to my hart!
Is't not enough that thou didst twice before
It so mangle
And intangle 5
By sly arts
of false harts.
Forbeare mee, Ile make love no more.

Fy busy Lord, will it not thee suffice
To use the Rhetorique of her tongue and eyes 10
When I am waking, but that absent so
They invade mee
To perswade mee,
When that sleepe
Oft should keepe 15
And lock out every sence of woe.

If thou perswade mee thus to speake, I dye
And shee the murdresse, for me will deny;
And if for silence I bee prest, Her good
Yet I cherish 20
Though I perish,
For that shee
Shall bee free
From that foule guilt of spilling bloud.


[<Love if a God thou art. > <Great Lord of Love. > <Loves
Exchange. > _all without titles in_ _O'F_: _punctuation mainly
the Editor's_]




<_Loves Exchange_>

1. To sue for all thy Love, and thy whole hart
were madnesse.
I doe not sue, nor can admitt,
(Fayrest) from yo^u to have all yet;
Who giveth all, hath nothing to impart 5
But sadnesse.

2. Hee who receaveth all can have no more,
Then seeing.
My love by length of every howre
Gathers new strength, new growth, new power: 10
You must have dayly new rewards in store
Still beeing.

3. You cannot every day give mee yo^r hart
For merit;
Yet if you will, when yours doth goe 15
You shall have still one to bestow,
For you shall mine, when yours doth part,
Inherit.

4. Yet if you please weele find a better way
Then change them, 20
For so alone (dearest) wee shall
Bee one and one another all;
Let us so joyne our harts, that nothing may
Estrange them.




_Song. _

Now y'have killd mee with yo^{r} scorne
Who shall live to call yo^{u} fayre?
What new foole must now bee borne
To prepare
Dayly sacrifice of service new, 5
Teares too good for woemen true?
Who shall sorrow when yo^{u} crye
And to please yo^{u} dayly dye?
Men succeeding shall beware
And woemen cruell, no more fayre. 10

2.

Now y'have killd mee, never looke
Any left to call yo^{u} trewe;
Who more madd must now bee tooke
To renewe
My oblations dayly, lost? 15
Vowes too good for woemen chast!
Who shall call yo^{u} sweete, and sweare
T'is yo^{r} face renews the yeare?
Men by my Death shall beleeve,
And woemen cruell yet shall greeve. 20


[Song. _O'F_: _punctuation mainly Editor's_]




_Love, bred of glances. _

Love bred of Glances twixt amorous eyes
Like Childrens fancies, sone borne, sone dyes.
Guilte, Bitternes, and smilinge woe
Doth ofte deceaue poore lovers soe,
As the fonde Sence th'unwary soule deceives 5
With deadly poison wrapt in Lily leaves.

But harts so chain'd as Goodnes stands
With truthe unstain'd to couple hands,
Love beinge to all beauty blinde
Save the cleere beauties of the minde, 10
There heaven is pleasd, continuall blessings sheddinge,
Angells are guests and dance at this blest weddinge.


[Love _&c. _ <True Love. > _Chambers_, _who prints from RP117_:
_no title_, _O'F_, _P_, _S96_ (_from which present text is
taken_)]

[2 borne _B_, _P_, _O'F_, _S96_: bred _Chambers_]

[4 Doth _S96_: does _B_, _O'F_: doe _P_]

[5 As] And _Chambers_]

[7 as Goodnes] 'tis goodnes _Chambers_]

[8 hands, _Ed_: hands _S96_]

[10 minde, _B_: minde _S96_]

[11 There heav'n is _O'F_, _P_, _S96_: Where Reason is
_Chambers_

sheddinge, _Ed_: sheddinge _S96_]

[12 this] his _Chambers_]




_To a Watch restored to its Mystres. _

Goe and Count her better howers.
For they are happier than oures.
The day that gives her any bliss,
Make it as long againe as 'tis.
The hower shee smyles in, lett it bee 5
By thy acte multiplyde to three.
But if shee frowne on thee or mee,
Know night is made by her, not thee;
Be swifte in such an hower & soone,
See thou make night, ere it be noone. 10
Obey her tymes, whoe is the free
Faire Sunne that governes thee & mee.


[To a Watch _&c. _ _B_, _where note below title says_ none of
J. D. _and poem is signed_ W. L. ]




<_Ad Solem. _>

Wherfore peepst thou, envious daye?
We can kisse without thee.
Lovers hate the golden raye,
Which thou bearst about thee.
Goe and give them light that sorowe 5
Or the saylor flyinge:
Our imbraces need noe morowe
Nor our blisses eying.

We shall curse thy curyous eye
For thy soone betrayinge, 10
And condemn thee for a spye
Yf thou catch us playinge.
Gett thee gone and lend thy flashes
Where there's need of lendinge,
Our affections are not ashes 15
Nor our pleasures endinge.

Weare we cold or withered heare
We would stay thee by us,
Or but one anothers feare
Then thou shouldst not flye us. 20
Wee are yongue, thou spoilst our pleasure;
Goe to sea and slumber,
Darknes only gives us leasure
Our stolne joyes to number.


[<Ad Solem. > _Ed_: _no title_, _Add. MSS. _ _22603_, _33998_,
_Egerton MS. 2013_, _Harleian MS. 791_, _S_, _TCD(II)_:
_printed J. Wilson_: Cheerful Ayres (1659), _Grosart and
Chambers_: _text from Eg. MS. 2013_: _punctuation partly
Editor's_]

[2 kisse] live _E20_]

[9 curyous _A22_, _A33_, _H79_, _S_, _TCD_: envious _E20_]

[19 one anothers feare _TCD_: one another fear _E20_: one
anothers sphere _A22_, _A33_, _S_]

[23 gives] lends _A22_, _A33_]




<_If She Deride. _>

Greate and goode if she deryde mee
Let me walke Ile not despayre,
Ere to morrowe Ile provide mee
One as greate, lesse prowd, more faire.
They that seeke Love to constraine 5
Have theire labour for their paine.

They that strongly can importune
And will never yeild nor tyre,
Gaine the paye in spight of Fortune
But such game Ile not desyre. 10
Where the prize is shame or synn,
Wynners loose and loosers wynn.

Looke upon the faythfull lover,
Griefe stands paynted in his face,
Groanes, and Teares and sighs discover 15
That they are his onely grace:
Hee must weepe as children doe
That will in the fashion wooe.

I whoe flie these idle fancies
Which my dearest rest betraye, 20
Warnd by others harmfull chances,
Vse my freedome as I may.
When all the worlde says what it cann
'Tis but--Fie, vnconstant mann!


[<If She Deryde. > _Chambers_: _no title_, _S_: _also, Chambers
reports, in C. C. C. Oxon. MS. 327, f. 26: printed by Grosart
and Chambers_]

[11 Where the prize is _Chambers_: Where they prize this
(_'t' struck out_) _S_: Where they prize is _Grosart_]

[14 Teares and sighs] _Chambers reverses_]




<_Fortune Never Fails. _>

What if I come to my mistris bedd
The candles all ecclipst from shyninge,
Shall I then attempt for her mayden-head
Or showe my selfe a coward by declyninge?
Oh noe 5
Fie doe not soe,
For thus much I knowe by devyninge,
Blynd is Love
The dark it doth approve,
To pray on pleasures pantinge; 10
What needeth light
For Cupid in the night,
If jealous eyes be wantinge.

Fortune never failes, if she badd take place,
To shroude all the faire proceedings: 15
Love and she though blynd, yet each other embrace,
To favor all their servants meetings:
Venture I say
To sport and to play,
If in place all be fitting; 20
Though she say fie
Yet doth she not denie:
For fie is but a word of tryall:
Jealosie doth sleepe,
Then doe not weepe 25
At force of a faynt denyall.

Glorious is my love, with tryumphs in her face,
Then to to bould were I to venter:
Who loves deserves to live in a princes grace,
Why stand you then affraid to enter? 30
Lights are all out
Then make noe doubt
A lover bouldly maye take chusinge.
Bewtie is a baite
For a princely mate.