The Stony Heart. WHENCE comes my love, O hearte, disclose : 'twas from her cheekes that shame the rose; from lyppes that spoyle the rubie's prayse; from eyes that mock the diamond's blaze. whence comes my woe, as freely owne: ah me! 'twas from a hearte lyke stone. the blushynge cheeke speakes modest mynde, the lyppes befittinge wordes most kynd: the eye does tempte to love's desyre, and seemes to say, 'tis Cupid's fire: yet all so faire but speake my moane, syth noughte dothe saye the hearte of stone. why thus, my love, so kyndely speake sweet lyppe, sweet eye, sweet blushynge cheeke, yet not a hearte to save my paine? o Venus! take thy giftes again; make not so faire to cause our moane, or make a hearte that's like our owne. Cupid. CUPID is a wicked wight; HARINGTON. yet, methinks, 'tis merely stupid thus the old song to recite: 'what a wicked wight is Cupid!' call him by an evil name, Love is charmed, and thanks the caller, glories in his very shame, cocks his chin and looks the taller. one thing sorely puzzles me: tell us, Venus, if it may be, From the Greek. Stat tibi in corde lapis. CAVSA mihi quae sit, mea mens effator, amandi; cur oculi, mea uita, tui tam suaue loquuntur, Improbus ille Puer. DIRVS Amor, dirus. sed quo recitare misello sic iterum atque iterum murmure: dirus Amor? scilicet his ridetque puer, laedique renidet, crescit et opprobriis erigiturque suis. dic age, quae liquidi celebraris filia ponti, quomodo tu flammae, Cypria, mater eras? To Sir Henry Vane the younger. VANE, young in years, but in sage counsel old, the helm of Rome, when gowns, not arms, repelled the drift of hollow states hard to be spelled; both spiritual power and civil, what each means, what severs each, thou hast learned, which few have done : the bounds of either sword to thee we owe: therefore on thy firm hand religion leans in peace, and reckons thee her eldest son. MILTON. Inscription on a Boat. THEY say that I am small and frail, it may be so; yet every sail makes shipwreck in the swelling breeze. nor strength nor size can then hold fast, let others trust in oar and mast, C. MERIVALE (from the Greek). Secundis temporibus dubiisque Rectus. quando peritae uox sapiens togae, et Libyae furiale robur; seu firma suades foedera, seu doces militiam properas duobus ferrique et auri. quid statuat sacrum, ciuile quid ius, quosque habeant modos, haut ista te fallunt sagacem discere quae didicere pauci. utrique fines tu gladio suos Inscriptio Cumbae. Ar tenuis, narrant, at sum male firma natando, at rabidi nequeo uerbera ferre sali. sim tenuis, sim firma parum: tamen omnis in alto naufragium Borea flante carina facit. tum nec magna tenet moles nec quernea transtra, sed fortuna fauens et sua fata, ratem. cetera confidat malis remisque caterua; tutantes adsint di mihi, sospes ero. The Fond Lover. WHY so pale and wan, fond lover? prithee, why so pale? will, when looking well can't move her, looking ill prevail? prithee, why so pale? why so dull and mute, young sinner? prithee, why so mute? will, when speaking well can't win her, saying nothing do't? prithee, why so mute? quit, quit for shame; this will not move, this cannot take her: if of herself she will not love, nothing can make her. the devil take her! SUCKLING. Marion. WILL ye gae to the ewe-bughts, Marion, and wear in the sheep wi' me? the sun shines sweet, my Marion, but nae half sae sweet as thee. oh, Marion's a bonnie lass, and the blythe blink's in her e'e; I've nine milch ewes, my Marion, Old Scottish Song. |