I Has it a body? 2 Ay, and wings,
With thousand rare encolourings;

And as it flies, it gently sings

Chor. Love honey yields, but never stings.

* 217.

COMFORT TO A YOUTH THAT HAD LOST HIS LOVE

WHAT needs complaints,

When she a place

Has with the race

Of saints?

In endless mirth,

She thinks not on

What's said or done

In earth:

She sees no tears,

Or any tone

Of thy deep groan

She hears;

Nor does she mind,

Or think on't now,

That ever thou

Wast kind :

But changed above,
She likes not there,

As she did here,
Thy love.

-Forbear, therefore,

And lull asleep

Thy woes, and weep

No more.

ORPHEUS he went, as poets tell,
To fetch Eurydicé from hell ;
And had her, but it was upon
This short, but strict condition;
Backward he should not look, while he
Led her through hell's obscurity.
But ah! it happen'd, as he made
His passage through that dreadful shade,
Revolve he did his loving eye,

For gentle fear or jealousy ;

And looking back, that look did sever
Him and Eurydicé for ever.

* 219*

A REQUEST TO THE GRACES

PONDER my words, if so that any be
Known guilty here of incivility;

Let what is graceless, discomposed, and rude,
With sweetness, smoothness, softness be endued
Teach it to blush, to curtsey, lisp, and show
Demure, but yet full of temptation, too.
Numbers ne'er tickle, or but lightly please,
Unless they have some wanton carriages :-
This if ye do, each piece will here be good
And graceful made by your neat sisterhood.

*220*

A HYMN TO VENUS AND CUPID

SEA-BORN goddess, let me be
By thy son thus graced, and thee,
That whene'er I woo, I find
Virgins coy, but not unkind.
Let me, when I kiss a maid,
Taste her lips, so overlaid
With love's sirop, that I may
In your temple, when I pray,
Kiss the altar, and confess
There's in love no bitterness.

* 221 *

TO BACCHUS:

A CANTICLE

WHITHER dost thou hurry me,

Bacchus, being full of thee?

This way, that way, that way, this,-Here and there a fresh Love is ; That doth like me, this doth please; -Thus a thousand mistresses

I have now: yet I alone,

Having all, enjoy not one!

* 222 *

A HYMN TO BACCHUS

BACCHUS, let me drink no more :
Wild are seas that want a shore ;
When our drinking has no stint,
There is no one pleasure in't.
I have drank up for to please
Thee, that great cup, Hercules.
Urge no more; and there shall be
Daffadils giv'n up to thee.

Hark, hark! the God docs play! And as he leads the way

Through heaven, the very spheres,

As men, turn all to ears!

* 224*

TO MUSIC, TO BECALM A SWEET SICK YOUTH

CHARMS, that call down the moon from out her sphere, On this sick youth work your enchantments here!

Bind

up his senses with your numbers, so
As to entrance his pain, or cure his woe.
Fall gently, gently, and a-while him keep
Lost in the civil wilderness of sleep :
That done, then let him, dispossess'd of pain,
Like to a slumbering bride, awake again.

* 225 *

TO MUSIC:

A SONG

MUSIC, thou queen of heaven, care-charming spell,
That strik'st a stillness into hell;

Thou that tam'st tigers, and fierce storms, that rise,
With thy soul-melting lullabies;

Fall down, down, down, from those thy chiming spheres
To charm our souls, as thou enchant'st our ears.

THE mellow touch of music most doth wound
The soul, when it doth rather sigh, than sound.