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.

  5It is but Coullor, which to loose is gayne,

For shee in black doth th'Æthiopian staine,

Beinge the forme that beautifies the creature

Her rareness not in Coullor is; but feature.

Black on her receaves soe strong a grace

10It seemes the fittest beautie for the face.

Coullor is not, but in æstimation

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.

15It not in Coullor but in her, inheres,

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,

20To seeke his Love; whilst shee i'th North was seene.

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,

25As like themselves, Common, and most in use:

Sad of that Coulor is the late abuse.

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.

  5My loue doth see & still admire,

Admiring breedeth humblenes;

blind loue is bold, but my desire

the more it loues p^resumes y^e lesse.

My loue seekes no reward or glory

10but w^th it self it self contenteth,

is never sullaine, never sory,

never repyneth or repenteth.

O'who the sunne beames can behold

but hath some passion, feeles some heat,

15for though the sunn himself be cold

his beames reflecting fire begett.

O y^t myne eyes, ô that myne hart

Were both enlarged to contayne

the beames & ioyes shee doth impart,

20whilst shee this bowre doth not disdayne;

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^thout, most rich w^thin.

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?

  5I see a face as fayre

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

10I see or heare y^e same,

I had all Argus eyes

or else y^e eare〈s〉 of fame.

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.

  5Not diving to y^e depth of natures reach,

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,

10of creatures having life & sence y^e annt

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.

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;

  5They prun'd theire wings, and tooke theire flight in rage;

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,

10Desert and hope are as but standers by:

True lovers sit and tune this restlesse song;

Fortune, loue, and tyme haue done me wrong.

O  WHAT a blisse

is this?

heaven is effected

and loues eternity contracted

  5In one short kisse.

For not tymes measure

makes pleasure

more full,

tedious and dull

10all ioyes are thought

y^t are not in an instant wrought.

Cupi〈d〉s blest and highest spheare

is heare.

heere on his throne

15in his bright imperial crowne

hee sitts.

Those witts

That thinke to proue

that mortals know

20in any place below

a blisse so great

so sweet

Are heretiques in loue.

These pleasures high

25now dye,

but still beginning

new & greater glory wiñing

gett fresh supply.

No short breath'd panting

30nor faynting

is heere,

fuller and freer

more pleasinge is

this pleasure still, & none but this.

35Heer'es no blush nor labor great,

no sweat;

Heres no payne

nor repentance when againe

Loue cooles.

40O fooles

That fondly glory

in base condition

of sensual fruition,

you do mistake

45& make

y^r heaven purgatory.

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.

  5Then feare not Burbage heavens angry rodd,

When thy fellows are angells & old Hemmĩgs is God.

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.

  5Twas lesse from nothing the world's all to growe

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

10To make the powerfull God pearelesse appeare.

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.

15Sinnes price seemd payd with brasse, fewe sawe the gold,

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,

20The citty dreads, babes, murderd, feare mistakes.

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.

25His birth, life, death, his words, his workes, his face

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 dim̃e,

30A little babe in shallow heart may swim̃.

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.

35Pure infant teares, moist pearle adornd his cheeke,

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,

40Rich harvest reapd in bloud and sowne in teares.

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;

45Use, not like usury whose growth is lending,

Rich thoughts this treasure keepe and thrive by spending;

Th'expense runnes circular, turning returning,

Such love no hart consumes, yet ever burning.

C HAST 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.

  5Th'approche of day brings to thy sence no feares,

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

10Must move his spirit too, as thine doth move;

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.

15Thou fearst no ill because thou dost no ill,

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

20Infuse chast thoughts into my loving mind.

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,

  5If ever you have felt the miserie

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

10The which in mee your absence makes to flowe,

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.

LOVE if a god thou art

  then evermore thou must

Bee mercifull and just;

If thou bee just, ô wherefore doth thy dart

  5Wound mine alone and not my mistresse hart?

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

10Laughs thee to scorne and lives at liberty?

Then if a God thou woulds accounted bee,

Heale mee like her, or else wound her like mee.

Fy busy Lord, will it not thee suffice

10To use the Rhetorique of her tongue and eyes

When I am waking, but that absent so

They invade mee

To perswade mee,

When that sleepe

15Oft should keepe

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

20Yet I cherish

Though I perish,

For that shee

Shall bee free

From that foule guilt of spilling bloud.

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

  5Dayly sacrifice of service new,

Teares too good for woemen true?

Who shall sorrow when yo^u crye

And to please yo^u dayly dye?

Men succeeding shall beware

10And woemen cruell, no more fayre.

Now y'have killd mee, never looke

Any left to call yo^u trewe;

Who more madd must now bee tooke

To renewe

15My oblations dayly, lost?

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,

20And woemen cruell yet shall greeve.

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,

  5As the fonde Sence th'unwary soule deceives

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

10Save the cleere beauties of the minde,

There heaven is pleasd, continuall blessings sheddinge,

Angells are guests and dance at this blest weddinge.

WHERFORE peepst thou, envious daye?

We can kisse without thee.

Lovers hate the golden raye,

Which thou bearst about thee.

  5Goe and give them light that sorowe

Or the saylor flyinge:

Our imbraces need noe morowe

Nor our blisses eying.

We shall curse thy curyous eye

10For thy soone betrayinge,

And condemn thee for a spye

Yf thou catch us playinge.

Gett thee gone and lend thy flashes

Where there's need of lendinge,

15Our affections are not ashes

Nor our pleasures endinge.

Weare we cold or withered heare

We would stay thee by us,

Or but one anothers feare

20Then thou shouldst not flye us.

Wee are yongue, thou spoilst our pleasure;

Goe to sea and slumber,

Darknes only gives us leasure

Our stolne joyes to number.

G REATE 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.

  5They that seeke Love to constraine

Have theire labour for their paine.

They that strongly can importune

And will never yeild nor tyre,

Gaine the paye in spight of Fortune

10But such game Ile not desyre.

Where the prize is shame or synn,

Wynners loose and loosers wynn.

Looke upon the faythfull lover,

Griefe stands paynted in his face,

15Groanes, and Teares and sighs discover

That they are his onely grace:

Hee must weepe as children doe

That will in the fashion wooe.

I whoe flie these idle fancies

20Which my dearest rest betraye,

Warnd by others harmfull chances,

Vse my freedome as I may.

When all the worlde says what it cann

'Tis but—Fie, vnconstant mann!

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?

  5Oh noe

Fie doe not soe,

For thus much I knowe by devyninge,

Blynd is Love

The dark it doth approve,

10To pray on pleasures pantinge;

What needeth light

For Cupid in the night,

If jealous eyes be wantinge.

Fortune never failes, if she badd take place,

15To shroude all the faire proceedings:

Love and she though blynd, yet each other embrace,

To favor all their servants meetings:

Venture I say

To sport and to play,

20If in place all be fitting;

Though she say fie

Yet doth she not denie:

For fie is but a word of tryall:

Jealosie doth sleepe,

25Then doe not weepe

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,

30Why stand you then affraid to enter?

Lights are all out

Then make noe doubt

A lover bouldly maye take chusinge.

Bewtie is a baite

35For a princely mate.

Fy, why stand you then a musinge?

You'll repent too late

If she doe you hate,

For loves delight refusinge.

1.  B ELEEVE yo^r Glasse, and if it tell you (Deare)

Yo^r Eyes inshrine

A brighter shine

Then faire Apollo, looke if theere appeare

  5The milkie skye

The Crimson dye

Mixt in your cheeks, and then bid Phoebus sett,

More Glory then hee owes appears. But yet

2. Be not deceived with fond Alteration

10.      .      .      .      .

.      .      .      .      .

  .      .      .      .      .      .      .      .      .

As Cynthias Globe,

A snow white robe

15 Is soonest spotled, a Carnation dye

Fades, and discolours open'd but to Eie.

3. Make use of youth, and bewty whilest they flourish:

Tyme never sleepes,

Though it but creeps

20 It still gets forward. Do not vainly nourish

Them to selfe-use,

It is Abuse;

The richest Grownds lying wast turne Boggs and rott,

And soe beinge useles, were as good were not.

254. Walke in a meddowe by a Rivers side,

Upon whose Bancks

Grow milk-white Ranks

Of full blown Lyllies in their height of Pryde,

Which downward bend

30And nothing tend

Save their owne Bewties in the Glassie streame:

Looke to yo^r selfe: Compare yo^rselfe to them.

5. In show, in bewtie, marke what followes then:

Sommer must end,

35The sunn must bend

His Longe Absented beames to others: then

Their spring being crost

By wynters frost

And sneap'd by bytter storms against w^ch nought boots,

40They bend their prowd topps lower then their roots.

6. Then none regard them; but w^th heedles feet

In durt each treads

Their declyned heads.

So when youthe wasted, Age, and yo^u shall meet,

45Then I alone

Shall sadly moane

That Interviewe; others it will not move,

So light regard we, what we little Love.