UPON HER PROTESTING

THAT SHE LOVED HIM

ADY! you are with beauties so enriched,

LA

Of body and of mind,

As I can hardly find

Which of them all hath most my heart bewitched.

Whether your skin so white, so smooth, so tender, Or face so lovely fair,

Or heart-ensnaring hair,

Or dainty hand, or leg and foot so slender.

Or whether your sharp wit and lively spirit,
Where pride can find no place,

Or your most pleasing grace,

Or speech, which doth true eloquence inherit.

Most lovely all, and each of them doth move me More than words can express ;

But yet I must confess

I love you most because you please to love me.

ONLY SHE PLEASES HIM

PASSION may my judgment blear,

Therefore sure I will not swear
That others are not pleasing:
But (I speak it to my pain

And my life shall it maintain)

None else yields my heart easing.

Ladies I do think there be,

Other some as fair as she,

Though none have fairer features;
But my turtle-like affection,
Since of her I made election,

Scorns other fairest creatures.

Surely I will not deny

But some others reach as high

With their sweet warbling voices; But, since her notes charm'd mine ear, Even the sweetest tunes I hear

To me seem rude harsh noises.

A COMPARISON

SOME THERE ARE as fair to see too,

But by art and not by nature ;

Some as tall, and goodly be too,
But want beauty to their stature ;
Some have gracious, kind behaviour,
But are foul or simple creatures ;

Some have wit, but want sweet favour,
Or are proud of their good features:
and you want pity-

Only you

Are most fair, tall, kind, and witty.

TO CUPID

LOVE! if a God thou art,

Then evermore thou must

Be merciful and just :

If thou be just, O wherefore doth thy dart Wound mine alone, and not my Lady's heart?

If merciful, then way

Am I to pain reserved

Who have thee truly served,

While she that by thy power sets not a fly
Laughs thee to scorn and lives at liberty?

Then if a God thou wilt accounted be,
Heal me like her, or else wound her like me!

BEAUMONT AND FLETCHER

HE

TELL ME!

- TELL me, Dearest ! what is love?

SHE'Tis a lightning from above; 'Tis an arrow; 'tis a fire;

HE

Tell me more! Are women true?

SHE YES! some are; and some as you. Some are willing, some are strange, Since you men first taught to change. BOTH And till troth

Be in both

All shall love to love anew.

HE Tell me more yet! Can they grieve?

SHE

Yes! and sicken sore, but live,

And be wiser and delay

When you men are wise as they.

BACK

WEDDING SONG

HOLD thy hours, dark Night! till we have done:

The day will come too soon.

Young maids will curse thee if thou stealest away
And leavest their losses open to the day.

Stay! stay, and hide

The blushes of the bride!

Stay, gentle Night! and with thy darkness cover
The kisses of her lover!

Stay, and confound her tears and her shrill cryings,
Her weak denials, vows, and often dyings !
Stay, and hide all;

But help not, though she call!

FREEDOM IN LOVE

NEVER MORE will I protest

To love a woman, but in jest:

For as they can not be true,
So to give each man his due,
When the wooing fit is past
Their affection can not last.

Therefore, if I chance to meet
With a mistress fair and sweet,
She my service shall obtain,
Loving her, for love again :
This much liberty I crave,—
Not to be a constant slave.