SONNET. I MUST not grieve my love, whose eyes would read Lines of delight whereon her youth might smile; Flowers have a time before they come to seed, And she is young, and now must sport the while. And sport, sweet maid, in season of these years, I And learn to gather flowers before they wither, And where the sweetest blossom2 first appears, Let Love and Youth conduct thy pleasures thither! Lighten forth smiles to clear the clouded air, And calm the tempest which my sighs do raise; Pity and smiles do best become the fair, 3 Pity and smiles must only yield thee 3 praise. Make me to 4 say, when all my griefs are gone, Happy the heart that sigh'd for such a one! AN ODE. [This first appeared in ed. 1594.] Now each creature joys the other, "Ah." "blossoms." "shall yield thee lasting." 4" I hope to." One bird reports unto another In the fall of silver showers; : Whilst the greatest torch of heaven With bright rays warms Flora's lap, Making nights and days both even, Cheering plants with fresher sap; My field of flowers quite bereaven, Wants refresh of better hap. Echo, daughter of the air, Babbling guest of rocks and hills, Knows the name of my fierce fair, And sounds the accents of my ills: Each thing pities my despair, Whilst that she her lover kills. Whilst that she (O cruel maid !) Doth me and my love despise, My life's flourish is decay'd That depended on her eyes: And well he ends, for love who dies. PASTORAL. [First printed in ed. 1602.] Он happy golden age! Not for that rivers ran With streams of milk and honey dropt from trees; Not that the earth did gage Unto the husbandman Her voluntary fruits, free, without fees; Not for, no cold did freeze, Nor any cloud beguile Th' eternal flowering spring, Wherein liv'd every thing, And whereon th' heavens perpetually did smile; Not for, no ship had brought From foreign shores, or wars, or wares ill sought: But only for, that name, That idle name of wind, That idol of deceit, that empty sound, Call'd HONOUR, which became The tyrant of the mind, And so torments our nature without ground, Was not yet vainly found: Nor yet sad griefs imparts, Of joyful amorous wights, Nor were his hard laws known to freeborn hearts; But golden laws, like these Which Nature wrote-THAT'S LAWFUL WHICH DOTH PLEASE. Then amongst flowers and springs, Making delightful sport, Sat lovers, without conflict, without flame, And nymphs and shepherds sings, Mixing, in wanton sort, Whisperings with songs, then kisses with the same Which from affection came. The naked virgin then Her roses fresh reveals, Which now her veil conceals, The tender apples in her bosom seen: And oft in rivers clear The lovers with their loves consorting were. HONOUR! thou first didst close The spring of all delight, Denying water to the amorous thirst: Thou taught'st fair eyes to lose The glory of their light, Restrain'd from men, and ou themselves revers'd: Thou in a lawn didst first Those golden hairs incase, Late spread unto the wind: Thou mad'st loose grace unkind, Gav'st bridle to their words, art to their pace: Oh, HONOUR, it is thou That mak'st that stealth which Love doth free allow : It is thy work that brings Our griefs and torments thus. But, thou fierce lord of Nature and of Love, The qualifier of kings, What dost thou here with us That are below thy power, shut from above? Go; and from us remove! Trouble the mighty's sleep, Let us, neglected, base, Live still without thy grace, And th' use of th' ancient happy ages keep! Let's love! this life of ours Can make no truce with time, that all devours. Comes once to set, it makes eternal night. SONG. [In "Hymen's Triumph."] LOVE is a sickness full of woes, All remedies refusing; A plant that with most cutting grows; |