Thus, till we see the fire less shine

From th' embers than the kitling's eyne,
We'll still sit up,

Sphering about the wassail-cup

To all those times

Which gave me honour for my rhymes.
The coal once spent, we'll then to bed,
Far more than night-bewearied.

337. A SHORT HYMN TO VENUS.

GODDESS, I do love a girl,
Ruby-lipp'd and tooth'd with pearl;
If so be I may but prove
Lucky in this maid I love,
I will promise there shall be
Myrtles offer'd up to thee.

338. TO A GENTLEWOMAN ON JUST DEALING.

TRUE to yourself and sheets, you'll have me swear;
You shall, if righteous dealing I find there.
Do not you fall through frailty; I'll be sure
To keep my bond still free from forfeiture.

339. THE HAND AND TONGUE.

Two parts of us successively command:
The tongue in peace; but then in war the hand.

340. UPON A DELAYING LADY.

COME, come away,

Or let me go;

Must I here stay

Because you're slow,

And will continue so?
Troth, lady, no.

I scorn to be

A slave to state :

And, since I'm free,

I will not wait

Henceforth at such a rate

For needy fate.

If you desire

My spark should glow,

The peeping fire

You must blow,

Or I shall quickly grow

To frost or snow.

441. TO THE LADY MARY VILLARS, GOVERNESS TO THE PRINCESS HENRIETTA.

WHEN I of Villars do but hear the name,
It calls to mind that mighty Buckingham,
Who was your brave exalted uncle here,
Binding the wheel of fortune to his sphere,

Who spurned at envy, and could bring with ease
An end to all his stately purposes.

For his love then, whose sacred relics show
Their resurrection and their growth in you;
And for my sake, who ever did prefer
You above all those sweets of Westminster;
Permit my book to have a free access
To kiss your hand, most dainty governess.

342. UPON HIS JULIA.

WILL ye hear what I can say

Briefly of my Julia?

Black and rolling is her eye,
Double-chinn'd and forehead high;
Lips she has all ruby red,
Cheeks like cream enclareted;
And a nose that is the grace
And proscenium of her face.
So that we may guess by these
The other parts will richly please.

343. TO FLOWERS.

IN time of life I graced ye with my verse;
Do now your flowery honours to my hearse.
You shall not languish, trust me; virgins here
Weeping shall make ye flourish all the year.

344. TO MY ILL READEer.

THOU say'st my lines are hard,
And I the truth will tell-
They are both hard and marr'd

If thou not read'st them well.

345. THE POWER IN THE PEOPLE.

LET kings command and do the best they may, The saucy subjects still will bear the sway.

346. A HYMN TO VENUS AND CUPID.

SEA-BORN goddess, let me be

By thy son thus grac'd 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 syrup, that I may,
In your temple when I pray,
Kiss the altar and confess
There's in love no bitterness.

347. ON JULIA'S PICTURE.

How am I ravish'd! when I do but see
The painter's art in thy sciography ?
If so, how much more shall I dote thereon
When once he gives it incarnation?

348. HER BEd.

SEE'ST thou that cloud as silver clear,
Plump, soft, and swelling everywhere?
'Tis Julia's bed, and she sleeps there.

Sciography, the profile or section of a building.

349. HER LEGS.

FAIN Would I kiss my Julia's dainty leg,
Which is as white and hairless as an egg.

350. UPON HER ALMS.

SEE how the poor do waiting stand
For the expansion of thy hand.
A wafer dol'd by thee will swell
Thousands to feed by miracle.

351. REWARDS.

STILL to our gains our chief respect is had; Reward it is that makes us good or bad.

352. NOTHING NEW.

NOTHING is new; we walk where others went; There's no vice now but has his precedent.

353. THE RAINBOW.

Look how the rainbow doth appear

But in one only hemisphere;

So likewise after our decease
No more is seen the arch of peace.
That cov'nant's here, the under-bow,
That nothing shoots but war and woe.