John Donne Collected Poems

8/9/2019 John Donne Collected Poems

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ONG

AND

ONNET .

By

John Donne


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THE FLEA.

MARK but this flea, and mark in this,

How little that which thou deniest me is ;

t suck!d me first, and now sucks thee,

And in this flea our two bloods min"led be.

Thou know!st that this cannot be said

A sin, nor shame, nor loss of maidenhead ;

#et this en$o%s before it woo,

And &am&er!d swells with one blood made of two ;

And this, alas ' is more than we would do.

( sta%, three li)es in one flea s&are,

*here we almost, %ea, more than married are.

This flea is %ou and , and this

(ur marria"e bed, and marria"e tem&le is.

+

Thou"h &arents "rud"e, and %ou, we!re met,

And cloister!d in these li)in" walls of $et.

Thou"h use make %ou a&t to kill me,

Let not to that selfmurder added be,

And sacrile"e, three sins in killin" three.

-ruel and sudden, hast thou sinceur&led th% nail in blood of innocence/


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*herein could this flea "uilt% be,

E0ce&t in that dro& which it suck!d from thee/

#et thou trium&h!st, and sa%!st that thou

Find!st not th%self nor me the weaker now.!Tis true ; then learn how false fears be ;

1ust so much honour, when thou %ield!st to me,

*ill waste, as this flea!s death took life from thee.

2

THE 3((4M(RR(*.

*(54ER b% m% troth, what thou and

4id, till we lo)ed / were we not wean!d till then /

6ut suck!d on countr% &leasures, childishl% /

(r snorted we in the 7e)en 7lee&ers! den /

!Twas so ; but this, all &leasures fancies be ;

f e)er an% beaut% did see,

*hich desired, and "ot, !twas but a dream of thee.

And now "oodmorrow to our wakin" souls,

*hich watch not one another out of fear ;

For lo)e all lo)e of other si"hts controls,

And makes one little room an e)er%where.

Let seadisco)erers to new worlds ha)e "one ;

Let ma&s to other, worlds on worlds ha)e shown ;

Let us &ossess one world ; each hath one, and is one.


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M% face in thine e%e, thine in mine a&&ears,

And true &lain hearts do in the faces rest ;

*here can we find two better hemis&heres

*ithout shar& north, without declinin" west /*hate)er dies, was not mi0!d e8uall% ;

f our two lo)es be one, or thou and

Lo)e so alike that none can slacken, none can die.

9

7(53.

3( and catch a fallin" star,

3et with child a mandrake root,

Tell me where all &ast %ears are,

(r who cleft the de)il!s foot,

Teach me to hear mermaids sin"in",

(r to kee& off en)%!s stin"in",

And find

*hat wind

7er)es to ad)ance an honest mind.

f thou be!st born to stran"e si"hts,

Thin"s in)isible to see,

Ride ten thousand da%s and ni"hts,

Till a"e snow white hairs on thee,

Thou, when thou return!st, wilt tell me,All stran"e wonders that befell thee,


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And swear,

5o where

Li)es a woman true and fair.

f thou find!st one, let me know,

7uch a &il"rima"e were sweet;

#et do not, would not "o,

Thou"h at ne0t door we mi"ht meet,

:

Thou"h she were true, when %ou met her,

And last, till %ou write %our letter,

#et she

*ill be

False, ere come, to two, or three.

*(MA5!7 -(57TA5-#.

5(* thou hast lo)ed me one whole da%,

Tomorrow when thou lea)est, what wilt thou sa% /

*ilt thou then antedate some newmade )ow /

(r sa% that now

*e are not $ust those &ersons which we were /

(r that oaths made in re)erential fear

(f Lo)e, and his wrath, an% ma% forswear /(r, as true deaths true marria"es untie,


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7o lo)ers! contracts, ima"es of those,

6ind but till slee&, death!s ima"e, them unloose /

(r, %our own end to $ustif%,

For ha)in" &ur&osed chan"e and falsehood, %ou-an ha)e no wa% but falsehood to be true /

ain lunatic, a"ainst these !sca&es could

4is&ute, and con8uer, if would ;

*hich abstain to do,

For b% tomorrow ma% think so too.

because no more

7uch stuff to work u&on, there is> *ould lo)e but as before.


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6ut he who lo)eliness within

Hath found, all outward loathes,

For he who color lo)es, and skin, Lo)es but their oldest clothes.

f, as ha)e, %ou also do

irtue in woman see,

And dare lo)e that, and sa% so too,

And for"et the He and 7he ;

?

And if this lo)e, thou"h &lac@d so,

From &rofane men %ou hide,

*hich will no faith on this bestow,

(r, if the% do, deride ;

Then %ou ha)e done a bra)er thin"

Than all the *orthies did ;

And a bra)er thence will s&rin",

*hich is, to kee& that hid.

THE 7=5 R753.


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6=7# old fool, unrul% 7un,

*h% dost thou thus,

Throu"h windows, and throu"h curtains, call on us /

Must to th% motions lo)ers! seasons run / 7auc% &edantic wretch, "o chide

Late schoolbo%s and sour &rentices,

3o tell courthuntsmen that the kin" will ride,

-all countr% ants to har)est offices ;

Lo)e, all alike, no season knows nor clime,

5or hours, da%s, months, which are the ra"s of time.

Th% beams so re)erend, and stron"

*h% shouldst thou think /

could ecli&se and cloud them with a wink,

6ut that would not lose her si"ht so lon".

f her e%es ha)e not blinded thine,

Look, and tomorrow late tell me,

*hether both th! ndias of s&ice and mine

6e where thou left!st them, or lie here with me.

Ask for those kin"s whom thou saw!st %esterda%,

And thou shalt hear, BAll here in one bed la%.B

7he!s all states, and all &rinces ;

5othin" else is ;

rinces do but &la% us ; com&ared to this,

All honour!s mimic, all wealth alchem%. Thou, 7un, art half as ha&&% as we,


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n that the world!s contracted thus ;

Thine a"e asks ease, and since th% duties be

To warm the world, that!s done in warmin" us.

7hine here to us, and thou art e)er%where ;This bed th% center is, these walls th% s&here.

C

THE 54FFERE5T.

-A5 lo)e both fair and brown ;

Her whom abundance melts, and her whom want betra%s ;

Her who lo)es loneness best, and her who masks and &la%s ;

Her whom the countr% form!d, and whom the town ;

Her who belie)es, and her who tries ;

Her who still wee&s with s&on"% e%es,

And her who is dr% cork, and ne)er cries.

can lo)e her, and her, and %ou, and %ou ;

can lo)e an%, so she be not true.

*ill no other )ice content %ou /

*ill it not ser)e %our turn to do as did %our mothers /

(r ha)e %ou all old )ices s&ent, and now would find out others /

(r doth a fear that men are true torment %ou /

( we are not, be not %ou so ;

Let me>and do %ou>twent% know ;

Rob me, but bind me not, and let me "o.Must , who came to tra)el thorou"h %ou,


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3row %our fi0!d sub$ect, because %ou are true /

D

enus heard me si"h this son" ;And b% lo)e!s sweetest &art, )ariet%, she swore,

7he heard not this till now ; and that it should be so no more.

7he went, e0amined, and return!d ere lon",

And said, BAlas ' some two or three

oor heretics in lo)e there be,

*hich think to stablish dan"erous constanc%.

6ut ha)e told them, !7ince %ou will be true,

#ou shall be true to them who!re false to %ou.! B

L(E!7 =7=R#.

F(R e)er% hour that thou wilt s&are me now,

will allow,

=surious "od of lo)e, twent% to thee,

*hen with m% brown m% "ra% hairs e8ual be.

Till then, Lo)e, let m% bod% ran"e, and let

Me tra)el, so$ourn, snatch, &lot, ha)e, for"et,

Resume m% last %ear!s relict ; think that %et

*e!d ne)er met.


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DD

Let me think an% ri)al!s letter mine,

And at ne0t nine

Kee& midni"ht!s &romise ; mistake b% the wa%The maid, and tell the lad% of that dela% ;

(nl% let me lo)e none ; no, not the s&ort

From countr% "rass to confitures of court,

(r cit%!s 8uel8uechoses ; let not re&ort

M% mind trans&ort.

This bar"ain!s "ood ; if when !m old, be

nflamed b% thee,

f thine own honour, or m% shame and &ain,

Thou co)et most, at that a"e thou shalt "ain.

4o th% will then ; then sub$ect and de"ree

And fruit of lo)e, Lo)e, submit to thee.

7&are me till then ; !ll bear it, thou"h she be

(ne that lo)e me.

D+

THE -A5(5AT(5.

F(R 3od!s sake hold %our ton"ue, and let me lo)e ;

(r chide m% &als%, or m% "out ;

M% fi)e "ra% hairs, or ruin!d fortune flout ;

*ith wealth %our state, %our mind with arts im&ro)e ; Take %ou a course, "et %ou a &lace,


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(bser)e his Honour, or his 3race ;

(r the kin"!s real, or his stam&!d face

-ontem&late ; what %ou will, a&&ro)e,

7o %ou will let me lo)e.

Alas ' alas ' who!s in$ured b% m% lo)e/

*hat merchant!s shi&s ha)e m% si"hs drown!d/

*ho sa%s m% tears ha)e o)erflow!d his "round/

*hen did m% colds a forward s&rin" remo)e/

*hen did the heats which m% )eins fill

Add one more to the &la"u% bill/

7oldiers find wars, and law%ers find out still

Liti"ious men, which 8uarrels mo)e,

Thou"h she and do lo)e.

-all!s what %ou will, we are made such b% lo)e ;

-all her one, me another fl%,

*e!re ta&ers too, and at our own cost die,

And we in us find th! ea"le and the do)e.

D2

The &hoeni0 riddle hath more wit

6% us ; we two bein" one, are it ;

7o, to one neutral thin" both se0es fit.

*e die and rise the same, and &ro)e

M%sterious b% this lo)e.

*e can die b% it, if not li)e b% lo)e,


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And if unfit for tomb or hearse

(ur le"end be, it will be fit for )erse ;

And if no &iece of chronicle we &ro)e,

*e!ll build in sonnets &rett% rooms ; As well a wellwrou"ht urn becomes

The "reatest ashes, as halfacre tombs,

And b% these h%mns, all shall a&&ro)e

=s canoniGed for lo)e ;

And thus in)oke us, B#ou, whom re)erend lo)e

Made one another!s hermita"e ;

#ou, to whom lo)e was &eace, that now is ra"e ;

*ho did the whole world!s soul contract, and dro)e

nto the "lasses of %our e%es ;

7o made such mirrors, and such s&ies,

That the% did all to %ou e&itomiGe>

-ountries, towns, courts be" from abo)e

A &attern of %our lo)e.B

D9

THE TRLE F((L.

am two fools, know,

For lo)in", and for sa%in" so

n whinin" &oetr% ;

6ut where!s that wise man, that would not be , f she would not den% /


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Then as th! earth!s inward narrow crooked lanes

4o &ur"e sea water!s fretful salt awa%,

thou"ht, if could draw m% &ains

Throu"h rh%me!s )e0ation, should them alla%.3rief brou"ht to numbers cannot be so fierce,

For he tames it, that fetters it in )erse.

6ut when ha)e done so,

7ome man, his art and )oice to show,

4oth set and sin" m% &ain ;

And, b% deli"htin" man%, frees a"ain

3rief, which )erse did restrain.

To lo)e and "rief tribute of )erse belon"s,

6ut not of such as &leases when !tis read.

6oth are increas@d b% such son"s,

For both their trium&hs so are &ublished,

And , which was two fools, do so "row three.

*ho are a little wise, the best fools be.

D:

L(ER7! 5F5TE5E77.

F %et ha)e not all th% lo)e,

4ear, shall ne)er ha)e it all ;

cannot breathe one other si"h, to mo)e,

5or can intreat one other tear to fall ;And all m% treasure, which should &urchase thee,


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7i"hs, tears, and oaths, and letters ha)e s&ent ;

#et no more can be due to me,

Than at the bar"ain made was meant.

f then th% "ift of lo)e were &artial,That some to me, some should to others fall,

4ear, shall ne)er ha)e thee all.

(r if then thou "a)est me all,

All was but all, which thou hadst then ;

6ut if in th% heart since there be or shall

5ew lo)e created be b% other men,

*hich ha)e their stocks entire, and can in tears,

n si"hs, in oaths, and letters, outbid me,

This new lo)e ma% be"et new fears,

For this lo)e was not )ow!d b% thee.

And %et it was, th% "ift bein" "eneral ;

The "round, th% heart, is mine ; what e)er shall

3row there, dear, should ha)e it all.

DAnd lo)ers! hours be full eternit%>

can remember %et, that

7omethin" did sa%, and somethin" did bestow ;

Thou"h be dead, which sent me, mi"ht be

Mine own e0ecutor, and le"ac%.

DC

heard me sa%, BTell her anon,

That m%self,B that is %ou, not ,

B 4id kill me,B and when felt me die,

bid me send m% heart, when was "one ;

6ut alas ' could there find none ;

*hen had ri&&!d, and search!d where hearts should lie,

t kill!d me a"ain, that who still was true

n life, in m% last will should coGen %ou.

#et found somethin" like a heart,

6ut colours it, and corners had ;

t was not "ood, it was not bad,t was entire to none, and few had &art ;


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As "ood as could be made b% art

t seem!d, and therefore for our loss be sad.

meant to send that heart instead of mine,

6ut ( ' no man could hold it, for !twas thine.

+

A FEER.

( ' 4( not die, for shall hate

All women so, when thou art "one,

That thee shall not celebrate,

*hen remember thou wast one.

6ut %et thou canst not die, know ;

To lea)e this world behind, is death ;

6ut when thou from this world wilt "o,

The whole world )a&ours with th% breath.

(r if, when thou, the world!s soul, "o!st,

t sta%, !tis but th% carcase then ;

The fairest woman, but th% "host,

6ut corru&t worms, the worthiest men.

( wran"lin" schools, that search what fire

7hall burn this world, had none the wit

=nto this knowled"e to as&ire, That this her fea)er mi"ht be it/


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And %et she cannot waste b% this,

5or lon" bear this torturin" wron",

For more corru&tion needful is, To fuel such a fe)er lon".

+D

These burnin" fits but meteors be,

*hose matter in thee is soon s&ent ;

Th% beaut%, and all &arts, which are thee,

Are unchan"eable firmament.

#et !twas of m% mind, seiGin" thee,

Thou"h it in thee cannot &ers)er ;

For had rather owner be

(f thee one hour, than all else e)er.

AR A54 A53EL7.

T*-E or thrice had lo)ed thee,

6efore knew th% face or name ;

7o in a )oice, so in a sha&eless flame

An"els affect us oft, and worshi&&!d be.

7till when, to where thou wert, came,

7ome lo)el% "lorious nothin" did see. 6ut since m% soul, whose child lo)e is,


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Takes limbs of flesh, and else could nothin" do,

More subtle than the &arent is

Lo)e must not be, but take a bod% too ;

And therefore what thou wert, and who, bid Lo)e ask, and now

That it assume th% bod%, allow,

And fi0 itself in th% li&, e%e, and brow.

++

*hilst thus to ballast lo)e thou"ht,

And so more steadil% to ha)e "one,

*ith wares which would sink admiration,

saw had lo)e!s &innace o)erfrau"ht ;

Th% e)er% hair for lo)e to work u&on

s much too much ; some fitter must be sou"ht ;

For, nor in nothin", nor in thin"s

E0treme, and scatterin" bri"ht, can lo)e inhere ;

Then as an an"el face and win"s

(f air, not &ure as it, %et &ure doth wear,

7o th% lo)e ma% be m% lo)e!s s&here ;

1ust such dis&arit%

As is !twi0t air!s and an"els! &urit%,

!Twi0t women!s lo)e, and men!s, will e)er be.


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6REAK (F 4A#.

7TA#, ( sweet, and do not rise ;

The li"ht that shines comes from thine e%es ;The da% breaks not, it is m% heart,

6ecause that %ou and must &art.

7ta%, or else m% $o%s will die,

And &erish in their infanc%.

+2

IA5(THER (F THE 7AME.J

!T7 true, !tis da% ; what thou"h it be/

(, wilt thou therefore rise from me/

*h% should we rise because !tis li"ht/

4id we lie down because !twas ni"ht/

Lo)e, which in s&ite of darkness brou"ht us hither,

7hould in des&ite of li"ht kee& us to"ether.

Li"ht hath no ton"ue, but is all e%e ;

f it could s&eak as well as s&%,

This were the worst that it could sa%,

That bein" well fain would sta%,

And that lo)ed m% heart and honour so

That would not from him, that had them, "o.

Must business thee from hence remo)e/


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( ' that!s the worst disease of lo)e,

The &oor, the foul, the false, lo)e can

Admit, but not the busied man.

He which hath business, and makes lo)e, doth do7uch wron", as when a married man doth woo.

+9

THE A55ER7AR#.

ALL kin"s, and all their fa)ourites,

All "lor% of honours, beauties, wits,

The sun it self, which makes time, as the% &ass,

s elder b% a %ear now than it was

*hen thou and first one another saw.

All other thin"s to their destruction draw,

(nl% our lo)e hath no deca% ;

This no tomorrow hath, nor %esterda% ;

Runnin" it ne)er runs from us awa%,

6ut trul% kee&s his first, last, e)erlastin" da%.

Two "ra)es must hide thine and m% corse ;

f one mi"ht, death were no di)orce.

Alas ' as well as other &rinces, we

>*ho &rince enou"h in one another be>

Must lea)e at last in death these e%es and ears,

(ft fed with true oaths, and with sweet salt tears ; 6ut souls where nothin" dwells but lo)e


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>All other thou"hts bein" inmates>then shall &ro)e

This or a lo)e increas@d there abo)e,

*hen bodies to their "ra)es, souls from their "ra)es remo)e.

And then we shall be throu"hl% blest ;

6ut now no more than all the rest.

+:

Here u&on earth we!re kin"s, and none but we

-an be such kin"s, nor of such sub$ects be.

*ho is so safe as we/ where none can do

Treason to us, e0ce&t one of us two.

True and false fears let us refrain,

Let us lo)e nobl%, and li)e, and add a"ain

#ears and %ears unto %ears, till we attain

To write threescore ; this is the second of our rei"n.

A ALE4-T(5 (F M# 5AME, 5 THE *54(*.

.

M# name en"ra)ed herein

4oth contribute m% firmness to this "lass,

*hich e)er since that charm hath been

As hard, as that which "ra)ed it was ;Thine e%e will "i)e it &rice enou"h, to mock


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The diamonds of either rock.

.

!Tis much that "lass should be

As allconfessin", and throu"hshine as ;

!Tis more that it shows thee to thee,

And clear reflects thee to thine e%e.

6ut all such rules lo)e!s ma"ic can undo ;

Here %ou see me, and am %ou.

+

(f the first nothin" the eli0ir "rown ;

*ere a man, that were one

needs must know ; should &refer,

f were an% beast,

7ome ends, some means ; %ea &lants, %ea stones detest,

And lo)e ; all, all some &ro&erties in)est.

f an ordinar% nothin" were,

As shadow, a li"ht, and bod% must be here.

6ut am none ; nor will m% sun renew.

#ou lo)ers, for whose sake the lesser sun

At this time to the 3oat is run

To fetch new lust, and "i)e it %ou,

En$o% %our summer all,7ince she en$o%s her lon" ni"ht!s festi)al.


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Let me &re&are towards her, and let me call

This hour her )i"il, and her e)e, since this

6oth the %ear!s and the da%!s dee& midni"ht is.

9?

*T-H-RAFT 6# A -T=RE.

F mine e%e on thine, and there

it% m% &icture burnin" in thine e%e ;

M% &icture drown!d in a trans&arent tear,

*hen look lower es&% ;

Hadst thou the wicked skill

6% &ictures made and marr!d, to kill,

How man% wa%s mi"htst thou &erform th% will/

6ut now !)e drunk th% sweet salt tears,

And thou"h thou &our more, !ll de&art ;

M% &icture )anished, )anish all fears

That can be endama"ed b% that art ;

Thou"h thou retain of me

(ne &icture more, %et that will be,

6ein" in thine own heart, from all malice free.

THE 6AT.


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-(ME li)e with me, and be m% lo)e,

And we will some new &leasures &ro)e

(f "olden sands, and cr%stal brooks,

*ith silken lines and sil)er hooks.

9

There will the ri)er whis&!rin" run

*arm!d b% th% e%es, more than the sun ;

And there th! enamour!d fish will sta%,

6e""in" themsel)es the% ma% betra%.

*hen thou wilt swim in that li)e bath,

Each fish, which e)er% channel hath,

*ill amorousl% to thee swim,

3ladder to catch thee, than thou him.

f thou, to be so seen, be!st loth,

6% sun or moon, thou dark!nest both,

And if m%self ha)e lea)e to see,

need not their li"ht, ha)in" thee.

Let others freeGe with an"lin" reeds,

And cut their le"s with shells and weeds,

(r treacherousl% &oor fish beset,

*ith stran"lin" snare, or window% net.

Let coarse bold hands from slim% nestThe bedded fish in banks outwrest ;


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(r curious traitors, slee)esilk flies,

6ewitch &oor fishes! wand!rin" e%es.

9CFor thee, thou need!st no such deceit,

For thou th%self art thine own bait O

That fish, that is not catch!d thereb%,

Alas ' is wiser far than .

THE AART(5.

*HE5 b% th% scorn, ( murd!ress, am dead,

And that thou thinkst thee free

From all solicitation from me,

Then shall m% "host come to th% bed,

And thee, fei"n!d )estal, in worse arms shall see O

Then th% sick ta&er will be"in to wink,

And he, whose thou art then, bein" tired before,

*ill, if thou stir, or &inch to wake him, think

Thou call!st for more,

And, in false slee&, will from thee shrink O

And then, &oor as&en wretch, ne"lected thou

6athed in a cold 8uicksil)er sweat wilt lie,

A )erier "host than .

*hat will sa%, will not tell thee now,Lest that &reser)e thee ; and since m% lo)e is s&ent,


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!d rather thou shouldst &ainfull% re&ent,

Than b% m% threatenin"s rest still innocent.

:

THE 6R(KE5 HEART.

He is stark mad, whoe)er sa%s,

That he hath been in lo)e an hour,

#et not that lo)e so soon deca%s,

6ut that it can ten in less s&ace de)our ;

*ho will belie)e me, if swear

That ha)e had the &la"ue a %ear/

*ho would not lau"h at me, if should sa%

saw a flash of &owder burn a da%/

Ah, what a trifle is a heart,

f once into lo)e!s hands it come '

All other "riefs allow a &art

To other "riefs, and ask themsel)es but some ;

The% come to us, but us lo)e draws ;

He swallows us and ne)er chaws ;

6% him, as b% chain!d shot, whole ranks do die ;

He is the t%rant &ike, our hearts the fr%.

f !twere not so, what did become

(f m% heart when first saw thee/ brou"ht a heart into the room,


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6ut from the room carried none with me.

f it had "one to thee, know

Mine would ha)e tau"ht thine heart to show

More &it% unto me ; but Lo)e, alas ' At one first blow did shi)er it as "lass.

:D

#et nothin" can to nothin" fall,

5or an% &lace be em&t% 8uite ;

Therefore think m% breast hath all

Those &ieces still, thou"h the% be not unite ;

And now, as broken "lasses show

A hundred lesser faces, so

M% ra"s of heart can like, wish, and adore,

6ut after one such lo)e, can lo)e no more.

A ALE4-T(5 F(R64453 M(=R553.

A7 )irtuous men &ass mildl% awa%,

And whis&er to their souls to "o,

*hilst some of their sad friends do sa%,

B5ow his breath "oes,B and some sa%, B5o.B

7o let us melt, and make no noise, 5o tearfloods, nor si"htem&ests mo)e ;


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!Twere &rofanation of our $o%s

To tell the lait% our lo)e.

Mo)in" of th! earth brin"s harms and fears ; Men reckon what it did, and meant ;

6ut tre&idation of the s&heres,

Thou"h "reater far, is innocent.

:+

4ull sublunar% lo)ers! lo)e

>*hose soul is sense>cannot admit

(f absence, !cause it doth remo)e

The thin" which elemented it.

6ut we b% a lo)e so much refined,

That oursel)es know not what it is,

nterassur@d of the mind,

-are less, e%es, li&s and hands to miss.

(ur two souls therefore, which are one,

Thou"h must "o, endure not %et

A breach, but an e0&ansion,

Like "old to aer% thinness beat.

f the% be two, the% are two so

As stiff twin com&asses are two ;

Th% soul, the fi0!d foot, makes no show To mo)e, but doth, if th! other do.


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And thou"h it in the centre sit,

#et, when the other far doth roam,

t leans, and hearkens after it, And "rows erect, as that comes home.

7uch wilt thou be to me, who must,

Like th! other foot, obli8uel% run ;

Th% firmness makes m% circle $ust,

And makes me end where be"un.

:2

THE E-7TA-#.

*HERE, like a &illow on a bed,

A &re"nant bank swell!d u&, to rest

The )iolet!s reclinin" head,

7at we two, one another!s best.

(ur hands were firml% cemented

6% a fast balm, which thence did s&rin" ;

(ur e%ebeams twisted, and did thread

(ur e%es u&on one double strin".

7o to en"raft our hands, as %et

*as all the means to make us one ;And &ictures in our e%es to "et


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*as all our &ro&a"ation.

As, !twi0t two e8ual armies, Fate

7us&ends uncertain )ictor%,(ur souls>which to ad)ance their state,

*ere "one out>hun" !twi0t her and me.

And whilst our souls ne"otiate there,

*e like se&ulchral statues la% ;

All da%, the same our &ostures were,

And we said nothin", all the da%.

:9

f an%, so b% lo)e refined,

That he soul!s lan"ua"e understood,

And b% "ood lo)e were "rown all mind,

*ithin con)enient distance stood,

He>thou"h he knew not which soul s&ake,

6ecause both meant, both s&ake the same>

Mi"ht thence a new concoction take,

And &art far &urer than he came.

This ecstas% doth un&er&le0

*e said and tell us what we lo)e ;

*e see b% this, it was not se0 ;

*e see, we saw not, what did mo)e O


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6ut as all se)eral souls contain

Mi0ture of thin"s the% know not what,

Lo)e these mi0!d souls doth mi0 a"ain,

And makes both one, each this, and that.

A sin"le )iolet trans&lant,

The stren"th, the colour, and the siGe>

All which before was &oor and scant>

Redoubles still, and multi&lies.

*hen lo)e with one another so

nteranimates two souls,

That abler soul, which thence doth flow,

4efects of loneliness controls.

::

*e then, who are this new soul, know,

(f what we are com&osed, and made,

For th! atomies of which we "row

Are souls, whom no chan"e can in)ade.

6ut, ( alas ' so lon", so far,

(ur bodies wh% do we forbear/

The% are ours, thou"h not we ; we are

Th! intelli"ences, the% the s&heres.

*e owe them thanks, because the% thus 4id us, to us, at first con)e%,


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#ielded their senses! force to us,

5or are dross to us, but alla%.

(n man hea)en!s influence works not so, 6ut that it first im&rints the air ;

For soul into the soul ma% flow,

Thou"h it to bod% first re&air.

As our blood labours to be"et

7&irits, as like souls as it can ;

6ecause such fin"ers need to knit

That subtle knot, which makes us man ;

7o must &ure lo)ers! souls descend

To affections, and to faculties,

*hich sense ma% reach and a&&rehend,

Else a "reat &rince in &rison lies.

:caused b% them> lo)e m% smart.

I*.J

7a% her disdainin"s $ustl% must be "raced

*ith name of chaste ;

And that she frowns lest lon"in" should e0ceed,

And ra"in" breed ;

7o her disdains can ne!er offend,

=nless selflo)e take &ri)ate end.

I4.J

!Tis lo)e breeds lo)e in me, and cold disdain

Kills that a"ain,

As water causeth fire to fret and fume,

Till all consume.

*ho can of lo)e more rich "ift make,

That to Lo)e!s self for lo)e!s own sake/

!ll ne)er di" in 8uarr% of an heart

To ha)e no &art,

5or roast in fier% e%es, which alwa%s are

-anicular.

*ho this wa% would a lo)er &ro)e, Ma% show his &atience, not his lo)e.


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A frown ma% be sometimes for &h%sic "ood,

6ut not for food ;

And for that ra"in" humour there is sure A "entler cure.

*h% bar %ou lo)e of &ri)ate end,

*hich ne)er should to &ublic tend/

THE T(KE5.

7E54 me some tokens, that m% ho&e ma% li)e

(r that m% easeless thou"hts ma% slee& and rest ;

7end me some hone%, to make sweet m% hi)e,

That in m% &assions ma% ho&e the best.

D

be" nor ribbon wrou"ht with thine own hands,

To knit our lo)es in the fantastic strain

(f newtouch!d %outh ; nor rin" to show the stands

(f our affection, that, as that!s round and &lain,

7o should our lo)es meet in sim&licit% ;

5o, nor the corals, which th% wrist enfold,

Laced u& to"ether in con"ruit%,

To show our thou"hts should rest in the same hold ;

5o, nor th% &icture, thou"h most "racious,

And most desired, !cause !tis like the best5or witt% lines, which are most co&ious,


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*ithin the writin"s which thou hast address!d.

7end me nor this nor that, to increase m% score,

6ut swear thou think!st lo)e thee, and no more.

7ELFL(E.

HE that cannot choose but lo)e,

And stri)es a"ainst it still,

5e)er shall m% fanc% mo)e,

For he lo)es a"ainst his will ;

5or he which is all his own,

And cannot &leasure choose ;

*hen am cau"ht he can be "one,

And when he list refuse ;

5or he that lo)es none but fair,

For such b% all are sou"ht ;

+

5or he that can for foul ones care,

For his $ud"ement then is nou"ht ;

5or he that hath wit, for he

*ill make me his $est or sla)e ;

5or a fool when others >

He can neither >

5or he that still his mistress &ra%s,For she is thrall!d therefore ;


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5or he that &a%s, not, for he sa%s

*ithin, she!s worth no more.

s there then no kind of men

*hom ma% freel% &ro)e/ will )ent that humour then

n mine own selflo)e.

5 F 5 T A T 7 A - R = M

D


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(thers at the orches and entries of their 6uildin"s set their Armes; , m%

&icture; if an% colours can deli)er a minde so &laine, and flat, and throu"hli"ht

as mine. 5aturall% at a new Author, doubt, and sticke, and doe not sa%

8uickl%, "ood. censure much and ta0e; And this libert% costs mee more thanothers, b% how much m% owne thin"s are worse than others. #et would not be

so rebellious a"ainst m% selfe, as not to doe it, since lo)e it; nor so un$ust to

others, to do it sine talione. As lon" as "i)e them as "ood hold u&on mee,

the% must &ardon mee m% bitin"s. forbid no re&rehender, but him that like

the Trent -ouncell forbids not bookes, but Authors, damnin" what e)er such a

name hath or shall write. 5one writes so ill, that he "i)es not some thin"

e0em&lar%, to follow, or flie. 5ow when be"inne this booke, ha)e no

&ur&ose to come into an% mans debt; how m% stocke will hold out know not;

&erchance waste, &erchance increase in use; if doe borrow an% thin" of

Anti8uitie, besides that make account that &a% it to &osterit%, with as much

and as "oodO #ou shall still finde mee to acknowled"e it, and to thanke not him

onel% that hath di""Nd out treasure for mee, but that hath li"hted mee a candle to

the &lace. All which bid %ou remember, for will ha)e no such Readers as

can teach is, that the itha"orian doctrine doth not onel% carr% one soule from

man to man, nor man to beast, but indifferentl% to &lants alsoO and therefore %ou

must not "rud"e to finde the same soule in an Em&erour, in a osthorse, and in

a Mucheron, since no unreadinesse in the soule, but an indis&osition in the

or"ans workes this. And therefore thou"h this soule could not mo)e when it

was a Melon, %et it ma% remember, and now tell mee, at what lasci)ious

ban8uet it was ser)Nd. And thou"h it could not s&eaker, when it was a s&ider,

%et it can remember, and now tell me, who used it for &oison to attaine di"nitie.

How e)er the bodies ha)e dullNd her other faculties, her memor% hath e)er been

her owne, which makes me so seriousl% deli)er %ou b% her relation all her&assa"es from her first makin" when shee was that a&&le which E)e eate, to this


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time when shee is hee, whose life %ou shall finde in the end of this booke.

T H E

R ( 3 R E 7 7 E

( F T H E 7 ( = L E.

First 7on".

.

sin" of the &ro"resse of a deathlesse soule,

*hom Fate, which 3od made, but doth not controule,

lacNd in most sha&es; all times before the law

#oakNd us, and when, and since, in this sin".

And the "reat world to his a"ed e)enin";

From infant morne, throu"h manl% noone draw.

*hat the "old -haldee, or sil)er ersian saw,

3reeke brasse, or Roman iron, is in this one;A worke tNoutweare 7eths &illars, bricke and stone,


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And hol% writt e0ce&ted made to %eeld to none.

.

Thee, e%e of hea)en, this "reate 7oule en)ies not,

6% th% male force, is all wee ha)e, be"ot,

n the first East, thou now be"inst to shine,

7uckNst earl% balme, and land s&ices there,

And wilt anon in th% loosereinNd careere

At Ta"us, o, 7ene, Thames, and 4anow dine.

And see at ni"ht th% *esterne land of M%ne,

#et hast thou not more nations seene then shee,

That before thee, one da% be"anne to bee,

And th% fraile li"ht bein" 8uenchNd, shall lon", lon" out li)e thee.

.

5or, hol% 1anus, in whose so)erai"ne boate

The -hurch, and all the Monarchies did floateO

That swimmin" -olled"e, and free Hos&itall

(f all mankinde, that ca"e and )i)arie

(f fowles, and beastes, in whose wombe, 4estinie

us, and our latest ne&hewes did installFrom thence are all deri)Nd, that fills this All,


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4idNst thou in that "reat stewardshi& embarke

7o di)erse sha&es into that floatin" &arke,

As ha)e beene mo)ed, and informNd b% this hea)enl% s&arke.

.

3reat 4estin% the -ommissar% of 3od,

That hast markNd out a &ath and &eriod

For e)er% thin"; who, where wee ofs&rin" tooke,

(ur wa%es and ends seest at one instant; Thou

Knot of all causes, thou whose chan"elesse brow

5eNr smiles nor frownes, ( )ouch thou safe to looke

And shew m% stor%, in th% eternall bookeO

That if m% &ra%er be fit ma%Nunderstand

7o much m% selfe, as to know with what hand,

How scant, or liberall this m% lifes race is s&and.

.

To m% si0e lustres almost now outwore,

E0ce&t th% booke owe me so man% more,

E0ce&t m% le"end be free from the letts(f stee&e ambition, slee&ie &o)ertie,


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7&irit8uenchin" sicknesse, dull ca&ti)itie,

4istractin" businesse, and from beauties nets,

And all that calls from this, and to others whets,

( let me not launch out, but let me sa)eThNe0&ense of braine and s&irit; that m% "ra)e

His ri"ht and due, a whole unwasted man ma% ha)e.

.

6ut if m% da%es be lon", and "ood enou"h,

n )aine this sea shall enlar"e, or enrou"h

t selfe; for will throu"h the wa)e, and fome,

And shall, in sad lone wa%es a li)el% s&ri"ht,

Make m% darke hea)% om li"ht, and li"ht.

For thou"h throu"h man% strei"hts, and lands roame,

launch at &aradise, and saile towards home;

The course there be"an, shall here be staid,

7ailes hoised there, stroke here, and anchors laid

n Thames, which were at T%"r%s, and Eu&hrates waide.

.

For the "reat soule which here amon"st us now4oth dwell, and mo)es that hand, and ton"ue, and brow,


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*hich, as the Moone the sea, mo)es us; to heare

*hose stor%, with lon" &atience %ou will lon";

For Stis the crowne, and last straine of m% son"

This soule to whom Luther and Mahomet wererisons of flesh; this soule which oft did teare,

And mend the wracks of thNEm&ire, and late Rome,

And li)Nd when e)er% "reat chan"e did come,

Had first in &aradise, a low, but fatall roome.

.

#et no low roome, nor then the "reatest, lesse,

f as de)out and shar&e men fitl% "uesse

That -rosse, our $o%, and "riefe, where nailes did t%e

That All, which alwa%es was all, e)er% where,

*hich could not sinne, and %et all sinnes did beare;

*hich could not die, %et could not chuse but die;

7tood in the selfe same roome in -al)arie,

*here first "rew the forbidden learned tree,

For on that tree hun" in securit%

This 7oule, made b% the Makers will from &ullin" free.

.


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rince of the orchard, faire as dawnin" morne,

FencNd with the law, and ri&e as soone as borne

That a&&le "rew, which this 7oule did enli)e

Till the then climin" ser&ent, that now cree&sFor that offence, for which all mankinde wee&es,

Tooke it, and tNher whom the first man did wi)e

*hom and her race, onl% forbiddin"s dri)e

He "a)e it, she, tNher husband, both did eate;

7o &erished the eaters, and the meateO

And wee for treason taints the blood thence die and sweat.

.

Man all at once was there b% woman slaine,

And one b% one weNare here slaine oNer a"aine

6% them. The mother &oisonNd the wellhead,

The dau"hters here corru&t us, Ri)olets,

5o smalnesse sca&es, no "reatnesse breaks their nets,

7he thrust us out, and b% them we are led

Astra%, from turnin", to whence we are fled.

*ere &risoners 1ud"es, Stwould seeme ri"orous,

7hee sinnNd, we beare; &art of our &aine is, thus

To lo)e them, whose fault to this &ainfull lo)e %oakNd us.


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.

7o fast in us doth this corru&tion "row,

That now wee dare aske wh% wee should be so.*ould 3od dis&utes the curious Rebell make

A law, and would not ha)e it ke&t/ (r can

His creatures will, crosse his/ (f e)er% man

For one, will 3od and be $ust )en"eance take/

*ho sinnNd/ tNwas not forbidden to the snake

5or her, who was not then made; nor isNt writ

That Adam cro&t, or knew the a& %et

The worme and she, and he, and wee endure for it.

.

6ut snatch mee hea)enl% 7&irit from this )aine

Reckonin" their )anities, lesse is their "aine

Then haGard still, to meditate on ill,

Thou"h with "ood minde, their reasons, like those to%es

(f "lassie bubbles, which the "amesome bo%es

7tretch to so nice a thinnes throu"h a 8uill

That the% themsel)es breake, doe themsel)es s&ill,

Ar"uin" is hereti8ues "ame, and E0ercise

As wrastlers, &erfects them; 5ot liberties

(f s&eech, but silence; hands, not ton"ues, end heresies.


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.

1ust in that instant when the ser&ents "ri&e,6roke the sli"ht )eines, and tender the conduit&i&e,

Throu"h which this soule from the trees root did draw

Life, and "rowth to this a&&le, fled awa%

This loose soule, old, one and another da%.

As li"htnin", which one scarce dares sa%, he saw,

STis so soone "one, and better &roofe the law

(f sense, then faith re8uires swiftl% she flew

To a darke and fo""ie lot; Her, her fates threw

There throu"h thNearths &ores, and in a lant housNd her anew.

.

The &lant thus abled, to it selfe did force

A &lace, where no &lace was; b% natures course

As aire from water, water fleets awa%

From thicker bodies, b% this root thron"ed so

His s&un"ie confines "a)e him &lace to "row,

1ust as in our streets, when the &eo&le sta%

To see the rince, and so fill u& the wa%

That weesels scarce could &asse, when she comes nere

The% thron" and clea)e u&, and a &assa"e cleare, As if, for that time, their round bodies flatned were.


92/187

.

His ri"ht arme he thrust out towards the East,

*estward his left; thNends did themsel)es di"est

nto ten lesser strin"s, these fin"ers wereO

And as a slumberer stretchin" on his bed,

This wa% he this, and that wa% scattered

His other le""e, which feet with toes u&beare;

3rew on his middle &arts, the first da%, haire,

To show, that in lo)es businesse hee should still

A dealer bee, and be usNd well, or illO

His a&&les kindle, his lea)es, force of conce&tion kill.

.

A mouth, but dumbe, he hath; blinde e%es, deafe eares,

And to his shoulders dan"le subtile haires;

A %oun" -olussus there hee stands u&ri"ht,

And as that "round b% him were con8uered

A leafe "arland weares he on his head

EnchasNd with little fruits, so red and bri"ht

That for them %ou would call %our Lo)es li&s white;7o, of a lone unhaunted &lace &ossest,


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(f "ummie blood, which doth in holl% "row,

How to make birdlime, nor how to decei)e

*ith faind calls, hid nets, or enwra&&in" snare

The free inhabitants of the l%ant aire.Man to be"et, and woman to concei)e

Askt not of rootes, nor of cocks&arrowes, lea)eO

#et chuseth hee, thou"h none of these he feares,

leasantl% three, than strei"htned twent% %eares

To li)e, and to encrease his race, himselfe outweares.

.

This cole with o)erblowin" 8uenchNd and dead,

The 7oule from her too acti)e or"ans fled

TNa brooke. A female fishes sandie Roe

*ith the males $ell%, newl% le)Nned was,

For the% had intertouchNd as the% did &asse,

And one of those small bodies, fitted so,

This soule informNd, and abled it to rowe

t selfe with finnie oares, which she did fitO

Her scales seemNd %et of &archment, and as %et

erchance a fish, but b% no name %ou could call it.

.


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*hen "oodl%, like a shi& in her full trim,

A swan, so white that %ou ma% unto him

-om&are all whitenesse, but himselfe to none,3lided alon", and as he "lided watchNd,

And with his arched necke this &oore fish catchNd.

t mo)Nd with state, as if to looke u&on

Low thin"s it scornNd, and %et before that one

-ould thinke he sou"ht it, he had swallowed cleare

This, and much such, and unblamNd de)ourNd there

All, but who too swift, too "reat, or well armNd were.

.

5ow swome a &rison in a &rison &ut,

And now this 7oule in double walls was shut,

Till melted with the 7wans di"esti)e fire,

7he left her house the fish, and )a&ourNd forth;

Fate not affordin" bodies of more worth

For her as %et, bids her a"aine retire

TNanother fish, to an% new desire

Made a new &re%; For, he that can to none

Resistance make, nor com&laint, sure is "one.

*eaknesse in)ites, but silence feasts o&&ression.


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.

ace with her nati)e streame, this fish doth kee&e,And $ourne%es with her, towards the "lassie dee&e,

6ut oft retarded, once with a hidden net

Thou"h with "reate windowes, for when 5eed first tau"ht

These tricks to catch food, then the% were not wrou"ht

As now, with curious "reedinesse to let

5one sca&e, but few, and fit for use, to "et,

As, in this tra& a ra)enous &ike was tane,

*ho, thou"h himselfe distrest, would faine ha)e slain

This wretch; 7o hardl% are ill habits left a"ain.

.

Here b% her smallnesse shee two deaths ore&ast,

(nce innocence sca&Nd, and left the o&&ressor fast.

The net throu"hswome, she kee&es the li8uid &ath,

And whether she lea&e u& sometimes to breath

And suck in aire, or find it underneath,

(r workin" &arts like mills or limbecks hath

To make the water thinne and airelike, faith

-ares not; but safe the lace sheNs come unto

*here fresh, with salt wa)es meet, and what to doe 7he knowes not, but betweene both makes a boord or two.


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.

7o farre from hidin" her "uests, water is,

That she showes them in bi""er 8uantities

Then the% are. Thus doubtfull of her wa%,

For "ame and not for hun"er a sea ie

7&ied throu"h this traitorous s&ectacle, from hi"h,

The seel% fish where it dis&utin" la%,

And tNend her doubts and her, beares her awa%,

E0halted sheNis, but to the e0halters "ood,

As are b% "reat ones, men which lowl% stood.

tNs raisNd, to be the Raisers instrument and food.

.

s an% kinde sub$ect to ra&e like fish/

ll unto man, the% neither doe, nor wishO

Fishers the% kill not, nor with noise awake,

The% doe not hunt, nor stri)e to make a &re%

(f beasts, nor their %on" sonnes to beare awa%;

Foules the% &ursue not, nor do undertake

To s&oile the nests industrious birds do make;#et them all these unkinde kinds feed u&on,


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To kill them is an occu&ation,

And lawes make fasts, and lents for their destruction.

.

A sudden stiffe landwinde in that selfe houre

To seaward forcNd this bird, that did de)our

The fish; he cares not, for with ease he flies,

Fat "luttonies best oratorO at last

7o lon" hee hath flowen, and hath flowen so fast

That lea"ues oNer&ast at sea, now tirNd hee l%es,

And with his &re%, that till then lan"uisht, dies,

The soules no lon"er foes, two wa%es did erre,

The fish follow, and kee&e no calender

(f the other; he li)es %et in some "reat officer.

.

nto an embrion fish, our 7oule is throwne,

And in due time throwne out a"aine, and "rowne

To such )astnesse, as if unmanacled

From 3reece, Morea were, and that b% some

Earth8uake unrooted, loose Morea swome,(r seas from Africks bod% had se)ered


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And in his "ulfelike throat, sucks e)er% thin"

That &asseth neare. Fish chaseth fish, and all,

Fl%er and follower, in this whirle&oole fall;

( mi"ht not states of more e8ualit%-onsist/ and is it of necessit%

That thousand "uiltlesse smals, to make one "reat, must die/

.

5ow drinkes he u& seas, and he eates u& flocks,

He $ustles lands, and he shakes firme rockes.

5ow in a roomefull house this 7oule doth float,

And like a rince she sends her faculties

To all her limbes, distant as ro)inces.

The 7unne hath twent% times both crab and "oate

arched, since first lanchNd forth this li)in" boate,

STis "reatest now, and to destruction

5earest; ThereNs no &ause at &erfection,

3reatenesse a &eriod hath, but hath no station.

.

Two little fishes whom hee ne)er harmNd,5or fed on their kinde, two not thorou"hl% armNd


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*ith ho&e that the% could kill him, nor could doe

3ood to themsel)es b% his death the% did not eate

His flesh, nor suck those o%les, which thence outstreat

-ons&irNd a"ainst him, and it mi"ht undoeThe &lot of all, that the &lotters were two,

6ut that the% fishes were, and could not s&eake.

How shall a T%ran wise stron" &ro$ects breake,

f wreches can on them the common an"er wreake/

.

The flailefinnNd Thresher, and steelbeakNd 7wordfish

(nel% attem&t to doe, what all doe wish.

The Thresher backs him, and to beate be"ins;

The slu""ard *hale %eelds to o&&ression,

And tNhide himselfe from shame and dan"er, downe

6e"ins to sinke; the 7wordfish u&ward s&ins,

And "ores him with his beake; his staffelike finnes,

7o well the one, his sword the other &l%es,

That now a scoffe, and &re%, this t%ran d%es,

And his owne dole feeds with himselfe all com&anies.

.


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*ho will re)en"e his death/ or who will call

Those to account, that thou"ht, and wrou"ht his fall/

The heires of slaine kin"s, wee see are often so

Trans&orted with the $o% of what the% "et,That the%, re)en"e and obse8uies for"et,

5or will a"ainst such men the &eo&le "oe,

6ecause hNis now dead, to whom the% should show

Lo)e in that act. 7ome kin"s b% )ice bein" "rowne

7o need% of sub$ects lo)e, that of their own

The% thinke the% lose, if lo)e be to the dead rince showne.

.

This 7oule, now free from &rison, and &assion,

Hath %et a little indi"nation

That so small hammers should so soone downe beat

7o "reat a castle. And ha)in" for her house

3ot the strei"ht clo%ster of a wreched mouse

As basest men that ha)e not what to eate,

5or en$o% ou"ht, doe farre more hate the "reat

Then the%, who "ood re&osNd estates &ossesse

This 7oule, late tau"ht that "reat thin"s mi"ht b% lesse

6e slaine, to "allant mischiefe doth herself addresse.


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.

5atures "reat master&eece, an Ele&hant,

The onel% harmlesse "reat thin"; the "iant(f beasts; who thou"ht, no more had "one, to make one wise

6ut to be $ust, and thankfull, loth to offend,

#et nature hath "i)en him no knees to bend

Himselfe he u&&ro&s, on himselfe relies,

And foe to none, sus&ects no enemies,

7till slee&in" stood; )e0Nt not his fantasie

6lacke dreames, like and unbent bow, carelessl%

His sinew% roboscis did remisl% lie.

L.

n which as in a "aller% this mouse

*alkNd, and sur)eid the roomes of this )ast house,

And to the braine, the soules bedchamber, went,

And "nawNd the life cords there; Like a whole towne

-leane underminNd, the slaine beast tumbled downe,

*ith him the murtherer dies whom en)% sent

To kill, not sca&e, for, onl% hee that ment

To die, did e)er kill a man of better roome,

And thus he made his foe, his &re%, and tombeO

*ho cares not to turn back, ma% an% whither come.


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L.

5e0t, housNd this 7oule a *ol)es %et unborne whel&,

Till the best midwife, 5ature, "a)e it hel&e,

To issue. t could kill, as soon as "oeO

Abel, as white, and milde as his shee&e were,

*ho in that trade, of -hurch, and kin"domes, there

*as the first t%&e was still infested soe,

*ith this wolfe, that it bred his losse and woe;

And %et his bitch, his sentinell attends

The flocke so neere, so well warnes and defends,

That the wolfe, ho&elesse else to corru&t her, intends.

L.

Hee tooke a course, which since, successfull%,

3reat men ha)e often taken, to es&ie

The counsels, or to breake the &lots of foes,

To Abels tent he stealeth in the darke,

(n whose skirts the bitch sle&t; ere she could barke,

AttachNd her with strei"ht "ri&es, %et hee callNd those,

Embracements of lo)e; to lo)es work he "oes,

*here deeds mo)e more than words; nor doth she show,5or much resist, nor needs hee strei"hten so


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His &re%, for, were shee loose, she would nor barke, nor "oe.

L.

Hee hath en"a"Nd her; his, she whol% bides;

*ho not her owne, none others secrets hides,

f to the flocke he come, and Abell there,

7he faines hoarse barkin"s, but she biteth not,

Her faith is 8uite, but not her lo)e for"ot.

At last a tra&, of which some e)er% where

Abell had &lacNd, ends all his losse, and feare,

6% the *ol)es death; and now $ust time it was

That a 8uick soule should "i)e life to that masse

(f blood in Abels bitch, and thither this did &asse.

L.

7ome ha)e their wi)es, their sisters some be"ot,

6ut in the li)es of Em&erours %ou shall not

Reade of a lust the which ma% e8uall this;

This wolfe be"ot himselfe, and finished

*hat he be"an ali)e, when hee was dead,

7onne to himselfe, and father too, hee isA ridlin" lust, for which 7choolemen would misse


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A &ro&er name. The whel&e of both these la%

n Abels tent, and with soft Moaba,

His sister, bein" %on", it usNd to s&ort and &la%.

L.

Hee soone for her too harsh, and churlish "rew,

And Abell the dam dead would use this new

For the field, bein" of two kindes thus made,

He, as his dam, from shee&e dro)e wol)es awa%,

And as his 7ire, he made them his ownes &re%.

Fi)e %ears he li)Nd, and cosened with his trade,

Then ho&eless that his faults were hid, betraid

Himselfe b% fli"ht, and b% all followed,

From do""es, a wolfe; from wol)es, a do""e he fled;

And, like a s&ie to both sides false, he &erished.

L.

t 8uickened ne0t a to%full A&e, and so

3amesome it was, that it mi"ht freel% "oe

From tent to tent, and with the children &la%,

His or"ans now so like theirs hee doth finde,That wh% he cannot lau"h, and s&eake his minde,


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He wonders. Much with all, most he doth sta%

*ith Adams fift dau"hter 7i&hatecia

4oth "aGe on her, and, where she &asseth, &asse,

3athers her fruits, and tumbles on the "rasse, And wisest of that kinde, the first true lo)er was.

L.

He was the first that more desirNd to ha)e

(ne then another; first that ere did cra)e

Lo)e b% mute si"nes, and had no &ower to s&eake;

First that could make lo)e faces, or could doe

The )alters sombersalts, or usNd to wooe

*ith hoitin" "ambolls, his owne bones to breake

To make his mistresse merr%; or to wreake

Her an"er on himselfe. 7innes a"ainst kinde

The% easil% doe, that can let feed their minde

*ith outward beaut%, beaut% the% in bo%es and beasts do find.

L.

6% this misled, too low thin"s men ha)e &ro)Nd,

And too hi"h; beasts and an"els ha)e beene lo)Nd;This A&e, thou"h else throu"h)aine, in this was wise,


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He reachNd at thin"s too hi"h, but o&en wa%

There was, and he knew not she would sa% na%;

His to%es &re)aile not, likelier meanes he tries,

He "aGeth on her face with teareshot e%es,And u& lifts subtl% with his russet &awe

Her kidskinne a&ron without feare or awe

(f 5ature; 5ature hath no "aole, thou"h she hath law.

L.

First she was sill% and knew not what he ment,

That )ertue, b% his touches, chaft and s&ent,

7ucceeds an itchie warmth, that melts her 8uite,

7he knew not first, now cares not what he doth,

And willin" halfe and more, more then halfe loth,

7he neither &uls nor &ushes, but outri"ht

5ow cries, and now re&ents; when Tethlemite

Her brother, enterd, and a "reat stone threw

After the A&e, who thus &re)ented, flew,

This house thus batterNd downe, the 7oule &ossest a new.

L.

And whether b% this chan"e she lose or win,


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7he comes out ne0t, where the A&e would ha)e "one in,

Adam and

E)e

had min"led bloods, and nowLike -himi8ues e8uall fires, her tem&erate wombe

Had stewNd and formNd itO and &art did become

A s&un"ie li)er, that did richl% allow,

Like a free conduit, on a hi"h hils brow,

Life kee&in" moisture unto e)er% &art;

art hardned it selfe to a thicker heart,

*hose busie furnaces lifes s&irits do im&art.

L.

Another &art became the well of sense,

The tender wellarmNd feelin" braine, from whence,

Those sinowie strin"s which do our bodies tie,

Are ra)eld out; and fast there b% one end,

4id this 7oule limbes, these limbes a soule attend;

And now the% $o%nNd; kee&in" some 8ualit%

(f e)er% &ast sha&e, she knew treacher%,

Ra&ine, deceit, and lust, and ills enow

To be a woman. Themech she is now,

7ister and wife to -aine, -aine that first did &low.


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L.

*ho ere thou beest that readNst this sullen *rit,*hich $ust so much courts thee, as thou dost it,

Let me arrest th% thou"hts; wonder with mee,

*h% &lowin", buildin", rulin" and the rest,

(r most of those arts, whence our li)es are blest,

6% cursed -ains race in)ented be,

And blest 7eth )e0t us with Astronomie,

TherNs nothin" sim&l% "ood, nor ill alone,

(f e)er% 8ualit% com&arison,

The onel% measure is, and $ud"e, o&inion.

F 5 7.

ELE3# .

1EAL(=7#.

F(54 woman, which wouldst ha)e th% husband die,

And %et com&lain!st of his "reat $ealous% ;

f, swollen with &oison, he la% in his last bed,

His bod% with a sere bark co)ered,4rawin" his breath as thick and short as can


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The nimblest crochetin" musician,

Read% with loathsome )omitin" to s&ew

His soul out of one hell into a new,

Made deaf with his &oor kindred!s howlin" cries,6e""in" with few fei"n!d tears "reat le"acies,>

Thou wouldst not wee&, but $oll%, and frolic be,

As a sla)e, which tomorrow should be free.

#et wee&!st thou, when thou seest him hun"erl%

7wallow his own death, heart!sbane $ealous%/

( "i)e him man% thanks, he!s courteous,

That in sus&ectin" kindl% warneth us.

*e must not, as we used, flout o&enl%,

n scoffin" riddles, his deformit% ;

5or at his board to"ether bein" sat,

*ith words, nor touch, scarce looks, adulterate.

5or when he, swollen and &am&er!d with "reat fare,

7its down and snorts, ca"ed in his basket chair,

Must we usur& his own bed an% more,

5or kiss and &la% in his house, as before.

5ow see man% dan"ers ; for it is

His realm, his castle, and his diocese.

6ut if>as en)ious men, which would re)ile

Their &rince, or coin his "old, themsel)es e0ile

nto another countr%, and do it there>

*e &la% in another house, what should we fear/

There we will scorn his household &olicies,

His sill% &lots, and &ensionar% s&ies,As the inhabitants of Thames! ri"ht side


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4o London!s ma%or, or 3ermans the o&e!s &ride.

ELE3# .

THE A5A3RAM.

MARR#, and lo)e th% Fla)ia, for she

Hath all thin"s, whereb% others beauteous be ;

For, thou"h her e%es be small, her mouth is "reat ;

Thou"h the% be i)or%, %et her teeth be $et ;

Thou"h the% be dim, %et she is li"ht enou"h ;

And thou"h her harsh hair fall, her skin is tou"h ;

*hat thou"h her cheeks be %ellow, her hair!s red,

3i)e her thine, and she hath a maidenhead.

These thin"s are beaut%!s elements ; where these

Meet in one, that one must, as &erfect, &lease.

f red and white, and each "ood 8ualit%

6e in th% wench, ne!er ask where it doth lie.

n bu%in" thin"s &erfumed, we ask, if there

6e musk and amber in it, but not where.

Thou"h all her &arts be not in th! usual &lace,

7he hath %et an ana"ram of a "ood face.

f we mi"ht &ut the letters but one wa%,

n that lean dearth of words, what could we sa%/

*hen b% the "amut some musicians make

A &erfect son", others will undertake,6% the same "amut chan"ed, to e8ual it.


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Thin"s sim&l% "ood can ne)er be unfit ;

7he!s fair as an%, if all be like her ;

And if none be, then she is sin"ular.

All lo)e is wonder ; if we $ustl% doAccount her wonderful, wh% not lo)el% too/

Lo)e built on beaut%, soon as beaut%, dies ;

-hoose this face, chan"ed b% no deformities.

*omen are all like an"els ; the fair be

Like those which fell to worse ; but such as she,

Like to "ood an"els, nothin" can im&air O

!Tis less "rief to be foul, than to ha)e been fair.

For one ni"ht!s re)els, silk and "old we choose,

6ut, in lon" $ourne%s, cloth and leather use.

6eaut% is barren oft ; best husbands sa%,

There is best land, where there is foulest wa%.

(h, what a so)erei"n &laster will she be,

f th% &ast sins ha)e tau"ht thee $ealous%'

Here needs no s&ies, nor eunuchs ; her commit

7afe to th% foes, %ea, to a marmoset.

*hen 6el"ia!s cities the round countr% drowns,

That dirt% foulness "uards and arms the towns,

7o doth her face "uard her ; and so, for thee,

*hich forced b% business, absent oft must be,

7he, whose face, like clouds, turns the da% to ni"ht ;

*ho, mi"htier than the sea, makes Moors seem white ;

*ho, thou"h se)en %ears she in the stews had laid,

A nunner% durst recei)e, and think a maid ;And thou"h in childbed!s labour she did lie,


116/187

Midwi)es would swear !twere but a t%m&an% ;

*hom, if she accuse herself, credit less

Than witches, which im&ossibles confess ;

(ne like none, and liked of none, fittest were ;For thin"s in fashion e)er% man will wear.

ELE3# .

-HA53E.

ALTH(=3H th% hand and faith, and "ood works too,

Ha)e sealed th% lo)e which nothin" should undo,

#ea, thou"h thou fall back, that a&ostas%

-onfirm th% lo)e, %et much, much fear thee.

*omen are like the arts, forced unto none,

(&en to all searchers, un&riGed, if unknown.

f ha)e cau"ht a bird, and let him fl%,

Another fowler usin" these means, as ,

Ma% catch the same bird ; and, as these thin"s be,

*omen are made for men, not him nor me.

Fo0es, and "oats>all beasts>chan"e when the% &lease.

7hall women, more hot, wil%, wild than these,

6e bound to one man, and did nature then

dl% make them a&ter to endure than men/

The%!re our clo"s, not their own ; if a man be

-hain!d to a "alle%, %et the "alle%!s free.*ho hath a &lou"hland, casts all his seed corn there,


117/187

And %et allows his "round more corn should bear ;

Thou"h 4anub% into the sea must flow,

The sea recei)es the Rhine, ol"a, and o.

6% nature, which "a)e it, this libert%Thou lo)est, but ( ' canst thou lo)e it and me/

Likeness "lues lo)e ; and if that thou so do,

To make us like and lo)e, must chan"e too/

More than th% hate, hate it ; rather let me

Allow her chan"e, then chan"e as oft as she,

And so not teach, but force m% o&inion,

To lo)e not an% one, nor e)er% one.

To li)e in one land is ca&ti)it%,

To run all countries a wild ro"uer%.

*aters stink soon, if in one &lace the% bide,

And in the )ast sea are more &utrified ;

6ut when the% kiss one bank, and lea)in" this

5e)er look back, but the ne0t bank do kiss,

Then are the% &urest ; chan"e is the nurser%

(f music, $o%, life and eternit%.

ELE3# .

THE ERF=ME.

(5-E, and but once, found in th% com&an%,

All th% su&&osed esca&es are laid on me ;And as a thief at bar is 8uestion!d there


118/187

6% all the men that ha)e been robb!d that %ear,

7o am >b% this traiterous means sur&riGed>

6% th% h%dro&tic father catechiGed.

Thou"h he had wont to search with "laG@d e%es,As thou"h he came to kill a cockatrice ;

Thou"h he hath oft sworn that he would remo)e

Th% beaut%!s beaut%, and food of our lo)e,

Ho&e of his "oods, if with thee were seen,

#et close and secret, as our souls, we!)e been.

Thou"h th% immortal mother, which doth lie

7till buried in her bed, %et will not die,

Takes this ad)anta"e to slee& out da%li"ht,

And watch th% entries and returns all ni"ht ;

And, when she takes th% hand, and would seem kind,

4oth search what rin"s and armlets she can find ;

And kissin" notes the colour of th% face ;

And fearin" lest thou!rt swollen, doth thee embrace ;

To tr% if thou lon", doth name stran"e meats ;

And notes th% &aleness, blushin", si"hs, and sweats ;

And &oliticl% will to thee confess

The sins of her own %outh!s rank lustiness ;

#et lo)e these sorceries did remo)e, and mo)e

Thee to "ull thine own mother for m% lo)e.

Th% little brethren, which like fair% s&rites

(ft ski&&!d into our chamber, those sweet ni"hts,

And kiss!d, and in"led on th% father!s knee,

*ere bribed ne0t da% to tell what the% did see ;The "rimei"htfoothi"hironbound ser)in"man,


119/187

That oft names 3od in oaths, and onl% then,

He that, to bar the first "ate, doth as wide

As the "reat Rhodian -olossus stride

>*hich, if in hell no other &ains there were,Makes me fear hell, because he must be there>

Thou"h b% th% father he were hired to this,

-ould ne)er witness an% touch or kiss.

6ut ( ' too common ill, brou"ht with me

That, which betra%!d me to mine enem%,

A loud &erfume, which at m% entrance cried

E)en at th% father!s nose ; so were we s&ied.

*hen, like a t%rant Kin", that in his bed

7melt "un&owder, the &ale wretch shi)ered,

Had it been some bad smell, he would ha)e thou"ht

That his own feet, or breath, that smell had wrou"ht ;

6ut as we in our isle im&risoned,

*here cattle onl% and di)erse do"s are bred,

The &recious unicorns stran"e monsters call,

7o thou"ht he "ood stran"e, that had none at all.

tau"ht m% silks their whistlin" to forbear ;

E)en m% o&&ress!d shoes dumb and s&eechless were ;

(nl% thou bitter sweet, whom had laid

5e0t me, me traiterousl% hast betra%!d,

And unsus&ected hast in)isibl%

At once fled unto him, and sta%!d with me.

6ase e0crement of earth, which dost confound

7ense from distin"uishin" the sick from sound '6% thee the sill% amorous sucks his death


120/187

6% drawin" in a le&rous harlot!s breath ;

6% thee the "reatest stain to man!s estate

Falls on us, to be call!d effeminate ;

Thou"h %ou be much lo)ed in the &rince!s hall,There thin"s that seem e0ceed substantial ;

3ods, when %e fumed on altars, were &leased well,

6ecause %ou were burnt, not that the% liked %our smell ;

#ou!re loathsome all, bein" taken sim&l% alone ;

7hall we lo)e ill thin"s $oin!d, and hate each one/

f %ou were "ood, %our "ood doth soon deca% ;

And %ou are rare ; that takes the "ood awa% O

All m% &erfumes "i)e most willin"l%

To embalm th% father!s cor&se ; what/ will he die/

ELE3# .

H7 -T=RE.

HERE take m% &icture ; thou"h bid farewell,

Thine, in m% heart, where m% soul dwells, shall dwell.

!Tis like me now, but dead, !twill be more,

*hen we are shadows both, than !twas before.

*hen weatherbeaten come back ; m% hand

erha&s with rude oars torn, or sunbeams tann!d,

M% face and breast of haircloth, and m% head

*ith care!s harsh sudden hoariness o!ers&read,M% bod% a sack of bones, broken within,


121/187

And &owder!s blue stains scatter!d on m% skin ;

f ri)al fools ta0 thee to ha)e lo)ed a man,

7o foul and coarse, as, ( ' ma% seem then,

This shall sa% what was ; and thou shalt sa%,B 4o his hurts reach me/ doth m% worth deca%/

(r do the% reach his $ud"in" mind, that he

7hould now lo)e less, what he did lo)e to see/

That which in him was fair and delicate,

*as but the milk, which in lo)e!s childish state

4id nurse it ; who now is "rown stron" enou"h

To feed on that, which to weak tastes seems tou"h.B

ELE3# .

(, LET me not ser)e so, as those men ser)e,

*hom honour!s smokes at once fatten and star)e,

oorl% enrich!d with "reat men!s words or looks ;

5or so write m% name in th% lo)in" books

As those idolatrous flatterers, which still

Their &rinces! st%le with man% realms fulfil,

*hence the% no tribute ha)e, and where no swa%.

7uch ser)ices offer as shall &a%

Themsel)es ; hate dead names. (, then let me

Fa)ourite in ordinar%, or no fa)ourite be.

*hen m% soul was in her own bod% sheathed,

5or %et b% oaths betroth!d, nor kisses breathednto m% &ur"ator%, faithless thee,


122/187

Th% heart seemed wa0, and steel th% constanc%.

7o, careless flowers strew!d on the water!s face

The curled whirl&ools suck, smack, and embrace,

#et drown them ; so the ta&er!s beam% e%eAmorousl% twinklin" beckons the "idd% fl%,

#et burns his win"s ; and such the de)il is,

7carce )isitin" them who are entirel% his.

*hen behold a stream, which from the s&rin"

4oth with doubtful melodious murmurin",

(r in a s&eechless slumber, calml% ride

Her wedded channel!s bosom, and there chide,

And bend her brows, and swell, if an% bou"h

4o but stoo& down to kiss her u&most brow ;

#et, if her often "nawin" kisses win

The traitorous banks to "a&e, and let her in,

7he rusheth )iolentl%, and doth di)orce

Her from her nati)e and her lon"ke&t course,

And roars, and bra)es it, and in "allant scorn,

n flatterin" eddies &romisin" return,

7he flouts her channel, which thenceforth is dr% ;

Then sa% ; BThat is she, and this am .B

#et let not th% dee& bitterness be"et

-areless des&air in me, for that will whet

M% mind to scorn ; and (, lo)e dull!d with &ain

*as ne!er so wise, nor well arm!d, as disdain.

Then with new e%es shall sur)e% thee, and s&%

4eath in th% cheeks, and darkness in thine e%e,Thou"h ho&e bred faith and lo)e ; thus tau"ht, shall,


123/187

As nations do from Rome, from th% lo)e fall ;

M% hate shall out"row thine, and utterl%

will renounce th% dalliance ; and when

Am the recusant, in that resolute state*hat hurts it me to be e0communicate/

ELE3# .

5AT=RE!7 la% idiot, tau"ht thee to lo)e,

And in that so&histr%, ( ' thou dost &ro)e

Too subtle ; fool, thou didst not understand

The m%stic lan"ua"e of the e%e nor hand ;

5or couldst thou $ud"e the difference of the air

(f si"hs, and sa%, BThis lies, this sounds des&airB ;

5or b% th! e%e!s water cast a malad%

4es&eratel% hot, or chan"in" fe)erousl%.

had not tau"ht thee then the al&habet

(f flowers, how the%, de)isefull% bein" set

And bound u&, mi"ht with s&eechless secrec%

4eli)er errands mutel%, and mutuall%.

Remember since all th% words used to be

To e)er% suitor, BA%, if m% friends a"ree ;B

7ince household charms, th% husband!s name to teach,

*ere all the lo)etricks that th% wit could reach ;

And since an hour!s discourse could scarce ha)e made

(ne answer in thee, and that ill arra%!dn broken &ro)erbs, and torn sentences.


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Thou art not b% so man% duties his>

That from th! world!s common ha)in" se)er!d thee,

nlaid thee, neither to be seen, nor see>

As mine ; who ha)e with amorous delicaciesRefined thee into a blissful &aradise.

Th% "races and "ood works m% creatures be ;

&lanted knowled"e and life!s tree in thee ;

*hich ( ' shall stran"ers taste/ Must , alas '

Frame and enamel &late, and drink in "lass/

-hafe wa0 for other!s seals/ break a colt!s force,

And lea)e him then, bein" made a read% horse/

ELE3# .

THE -(MAR7(5.

A7 the sweet sweat of roses in a still,

As that which from chafed musk cat!s &ores doth trill,

As the almi"ht% balm of th! earl% east,

7uch are the sweat dro&s of m% mistress! breast ;

And on her neck her skin such lustre sets,

The% seem no sweat dro&s, but &earl carcanets.

Rank sweat% froth th% mistress! brow defiles,

Like s&ermatic issue of ri&e menstruous boils,

(r like the scum, which, b% need!s lawless law

Enforced, 7anserra!s star)@d men did drawFrom &arboil!d shoes and boots, and all the rest


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*hich were with an% so)erei"n fatness blest ;

And like )ile l%in" stones in saffron!d tin,

(r warts, or wheals, it han"s u&on her skin.

Round as the world!s her head, on e)er% side,Like to the fatal ball which fell on de ;

(r that whereof 3od had such $ealous%,

As for the ra)ishin" thereof we die.

Th% head is like a rou"hhewn statue of $et,

*here marks for e%es, nose, mouth, are %et scarce set ;

Like the first chaos, or flat seemin" face

(f -%nthia, when th! earth!s shadows her embrace.

Like roser&ine!s white beaut%kee&in" chest,

(r 1o)e!s best fortune!s urn, is her fair breast.

Thine!s like wormeaten trunks, clothed in seal!s skin,

(r "ra)e, that!s dust without, and stink within.

And like that slender stalk, at whose end stands

The woodbine 8ui)erin", are her arms and hands.

Like rou"hbark!d elmbou"hs, or the russet skin

(f men late scour"ed for madness, or for sin,

Like sun&arch!d 8uarters on the cit% "ate,

7uch is th% tann!d skin!s lamentable state ;

And like a bunch of ra""ed carrots stand

The short swollen fin"ers of th% "out% hand.

Then like the chemic!s masculine e8ual fire,

*hich in the limbec!s warm womb doth ins&ire

nto th! earth!s worthless dirt a soul of "old,

7uch cherishin" heat her best lo)ed &art doth hold.Thine!s like the dread mouth of a fired "un,


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(r like hot li8uid metals newl% run

nto cla% moulds, or like to that tna,

*here round about the "rass is burnt awa%.

Are not %our kisses then as filth%, and more,As a worm suckin" an en)enom!d sore/

4oth not th% fearful hand in feelin" 8uake,

As one which "atherin" flowers still fears a snake/

s not %our last act harsh and )iolent,

As when a &lou"h a ston% "round doth rent/

7o kiss "ood turtles, so de)outl% nice

Are &riests in handlin" re)erent sacrifice,

And such in searchin" wounds the sur"eon is,

As we, when we embrace, or touch, or kiss.

Lea)e her, and will lea)e com&arin" thus,

7he and com&arisons are odious.

ELE3# .

THE A=T=M5AL.

5( s&rin", nor summer beaut% hath such "race

As ha)e seen in one autumnal face ;

#oun" beauties force our lo)e, and that!s a ra&e ;

This doth but counsel, %et %ou cannot sca&e.

f !twere a shame to lo)e, here !twere no shame ;

Affections here take re)erence!s name.*ere her first %ears the 3olden A"e / that!s true,


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6ut now the%!re "old oft tried, and e)er new.

That was her torrid and inflamin" time ;

This is her tolerable tro&ic clime.

Fair e%es ; who asks more heat than comes from hence,He in a fe)er wishes &estilence.

-all not these wrinkles, "ra)es ; if "ra)es the% were,

The% were Lo)e!s "ra)es, for else he is nowhere.

#et lies not Lo)e dead here, but here doth sit,

ow!d to this trench, like an anachorite,

And here, till hers, which must be his death, come,

He doth not di" a "ra)e, but build a tomb.

Here dwells he ; thou"h he so$ourn e)er%where,

n &ro"ress, %et his standin" house is here ;

Here, where still e)enin" is, not noon, nor ni"ht ;

*here no )olu&tuousness, %et all deli"ht.

n all her words, unto all hearers fit,

#ou ma% at re)els, %ou at council, sit.

This is lo)e!s timber ; %outh his underwood ;

There he, as wine in 1une, enra"es blood ;

*hich then comes seasonablest, when our taste

And a&&etite to other thin"s is &ast.

er0es! stran"e L%dian lo)e, the &latane tree,

*as lo)ed for a"e, none bein" so lar"e as she ;

(r else because, bein" %oun", nature did bless

Her %outh with a"e!s "lor%, barrenness.

f we lo)e thin"s lon" sou"ht, a"e is a thin"

*hich we are fift% %ears in com&assin" ;f transitor% thin"s, which soon deca%,


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A"e must be lo)eliest at the latest da%.

6ut name not winter faces, whose skin!s slack,

Lank as an unthrift!s &urse, but a soul!s sack ;

*hose e%es seek li"ht within, for all here!s shade ;*hose mouths are holes, rather worn out, than made ;

*hose e)er% tooth to a se)eral &lace is "one,

To )e0 their souls at resurrection ;

5ame not these li)in" deathheads unto me,

For these, not ancient, but anti8ue be.

hate e0tremes ; %et had rather sta%

*ith tombs than cradles, to wear out a da%.

7ince such lo)e!s motion natural is, ma% still

M% lo)e descend, and $ourne% down the hill,

5ot &antin" after "rowin" beauties ; so

shall ebb out with them who homeward "o.

ELE3# .

THE 4REAM.

MA3E of her whom lo)e, more than she,

*hose fair im&ression in m% faithful heart

Makes me her medal, and makes her lo)e me,

As kin"s do coins, to which their stam&s im&art

The )alue ; "o, and take m% heart from hence,

*hich now is "rown too "reat and "ood for me.Honours o&&ress weak s&irits, and our sense


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7tron" ob$ects dull ; the more, the less we see.

*hen %ou are "one, and reason "one with %ou,

Then fantas% is 8ueen and soul, and all ;

7he can &resent $o%s meaner than %ou do, -on)enient, and more &ro&ortional.

7o, if dream ha)e %ou, ha)e %ou,

For all our $o%s are but fantastical ;

And so !sca&e the &ain, for &ain is true ;

And slee&, which locks u& sense, doth lock out all.

After a such fruition shall wake,

And, but the wakin", nothin" shall re&ent ;

And shall to lo)e more thankful sonnets make,

Than if more honour, tears, and &ains were s&ent.

6ut, dearest heart and dearer ima"e, sta% ;

Alas ' true $o%s at best are dream enou"h ;

Thou"h %ou sta% here, %ou &ass too fast awa%,

For e)en at first life!s ta&er is a snuff.

Fill!d with her lo)e, ma% be rather "rown

Mad with much heart, than idiot with none.

ELE3# .

THE 6RA-ELET.

=(5 THE L(77 (F H7 M7TRE77! -HA5, F(R

*H-H HE MA4E 7AT7FA-T(5.


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5(T that in colour it was like th% hair,

For armlets of that thou ma%st let me wear ;

5or that th% hand it oft embraced and kiss!d,

For so it had that "ood, which oft miss!d ;5or for that sill% old moralit%,

That, as these links were knit, our lo)e should be,

Mourn that th% se)enfold chain ha)e lost ;

5or for the luck sake ; but the bitter cost.

(, shall twel)e ri"hteous an"els, which as %et

5o lea)en of )ile solder did admit ;

5or %et b% an% wa% ha)e stra%!d or "one

From the first state of their creation ;

An"els, which hea)en commanded to &ro)ide

All thin"s to me, and be m% faithful "uide ;

To "ain new friends, to a&&ease "reat enemies ;

To comfort m% soul, when lie or rise ;

7hall these twel)e innocents, b% th% se)ere

7entence, dread $ud"e, m% sin!s "reat burden bear/

7hall the% be damn!d, and in the furnace thrown,

And &unish!d for offenses not their own/

The% sa)e not me, the% do not ease m% &ains,

*hen in that hell the%!re burnt and tied in chains.

*ere the% but crowns of France, car@d not,

For most of these their countr%!s natural rot,

think, &ossesseth ; the% come here to us

7o &ale, so lame, so lean, so ruinous.

And howsoe!er French kin"s most -hristian be,Their crowns are circumcised most 1ewishl%.


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(r were the% 7&anish stam&s, still tra)ellin",

That are become as -atholic as their kin" ;

These unlick!d bearwhel&s, unfiled &istolets,

That>more than cannon shot>a)ails or lets ;*hich, ne"li"entl% left unrounded, look

Like man%an"led fi"ures in the book

(f some "reat con$urer that would enforce

5ature, so these do $ustice, from her course ;

*hich, as the soul 8uickens head, feet and heart,

As streams, like )eins, run throu"h th! earth!s e)er% &art,

isit all countries, and ha)e slil% made

3or"eous France, ruin!d, ra""ed and deca%!d,

7cotland, which knew no state, &roud in one da%,

And man"led se)enteenheaded 6el"ia.

(r were it such "old as that wherewithal

Almi"ht% chemics, from each mineral

Ha)in" b% subtle fire a soul out&ull!d,

Are dirtil% and des&eratel% "ull!d ;

would not s&it to 8uench the fire the%!re in,

For the% are "uilt% of much heinous sin.

6ut shall m% harmless an"els &erish/ 7hall

lose m% "uard, m% ease, m% food, m% all/

Much ho&e which the% would nourish will be dead.

Much of m% able %outh, and lustihead

*ill )anish ; if thou lo)e, let them alone,

For thou wilt lo)e me less when the% are "one ;

And be content that some loud s8ueakin" crier,*ell&leas!d with one lean threadbare "roat, for hire,


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Ma% like a de)il roar throu"h e)er% street,

And "all the finder!s conscience, if he meet.

(r let me cree& to some dread con$urer,

That with fantastic schemes fills full much &a&er ;*hich hath di)ided hea)en in tenements,

And with whores, thie)es, and murderers stuff!d his rents

7o full, that thou"h he &ass them all in sin,

He lea)es himself no room to enter in.

John Donne Collected Poems

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