As it goes round, each give his miftrefs fome Commending character.
2. Why then a health to her, whose beauties are Not a grofs earth with painted fuperficies;
But a more (prightly element of purer fire: Within whole fphere, a glorious mind doth move All th' orbs of virtue, with celeftial flame: Whofe active climbings carry her defires To th' utmoft heighth of nobleness and honour. 3. And here's a health to her, will freely put Her fweets to ufe; kifs, and be kiss'd again Without a fie: whofe boldness will not bluth At an affault, or any wanton touch: And if a man perfilt to farther doing, Accounts it lofs of time; a tedious wooing.
When she was born, nature in sport began To learn the cunning of an artifan ; And did vermilion with a white compofe, To mock herself, and paint a damask rose : But fcorning nature unto art should feek, She fpilt her colours on this maiden's cheek. Her mouth, the gate, from whence all goodness came Of pow'r to give the dead a living name. Her words embalmed in fo fweet a breath, That made them triumph both on time and death-; Whose fragrant fweets, fince the camelion knew, And tasted of, he to this humour grew;
Left other elements; held this fo rare, That since he never feeds on aught but air.
I have a mistress, for perfection, rare In ev'ry eye; but in my thoughts most fair: Like tapers on the altar, fhine her eyes; Her breath is the perfume of facrifice : And whenfoe'er my fancy would begin; Still her perfection lets religion in:
I touch her like my beads, with devout care; And come unto my courtship, as my pray❜r. We fit, and talk, and kifs away the hours, As chaftly, as the morning dews kifs flow'rs.
If when the fun at noon displays
His brighter rays, Thou but appear,
He then, all pale with fhame and fear,
Quencheth his light;
Hides his dark brow, flys from thy fight;
And grows more dim,
Compar'd to thee, than flars to him.
If thou but fhew thy face again, When darkness doth at midnight reign; Then darkness flies, and light is hurl'd, Round about the filent world:
So as alike thou driv❜ft away,
Both light and darkness, night and day.
Long abfence in far diftant place Creates the winter; and the space She tarry'd with me, well I might Call it my fummer of delight. Diverfity of weather came
From what fhe did, and thence had name; Sometimes he'd fmile, that made it fair ; And when fhe laugh'd, the fun shin'd clear : Sometimes fhe'd frown, and fometimes weep; So clouds and rain their turns do keep : Sometimes again fhe'd be all ice, Extreamly cold, extreamly nice.
The foldier that joins conqueft to his name By victories, when o'ercome with years,
As you must one day be, preferves his fame, Not by those wounds he gave, but thofe he bears:
So when your charms, in age's furrows lie Loft, and forgotten they had once fo mov'd; One wound amidft your heaps of victory,
Would better tell that you had been belov'd. Then like a Tyrant ravifh'd from his throne, You'll wish, that you had gentlier us'd your own. Sir Robert Howard.
Some fragrant flow'rs the fmell; fome trees the fight Do much content; fome pearls are wond'rous bright; There's not fo fweet a flow'r, fo fair a tree, So pure a gem in all the world, as fhe :
Some ladies humble are, and fome are wife; Some chaft, fome kind, fome fair to please the eyes; All virtues do in her like ftars appear, And make a glorious conftellation there.
Mens eyes are dim, but womens blind to excellence. This beauteous woman look'd upon my head And faw no crown on it, and look'd no deeper: Thus are our fex by women oft deceiv'd; The gallant thinks his miftrefs fees his qualities, She only fees his equipage and garniture : Th' old wooden lord fees a young beauty glance, He thinks on him; alas! 'tis on a toy, More wooden than himself, his coronet :
'The ftatefman thinks his great parts charm his mistress; She only looks on's great houfe, his great train: The brave young hero thinks his mistress values him, Becaufe his courage can fupport her honour;
'Tis for his pages to hold
Crown's Ambitious Statefman
MODESTY.
1. Of all flowers methinks a rofe is beft.
2. Why, gentle madam ?
1. It is the very emblem of a maid : For when the weft wind courts her gently, How modeftly she blows, and paints the fun
With her chafte blushes ? when the north comes near her, Rude and impatient, then like chastity She locks her beauties in her bud again, And leaves him to base briars.
Shakespear and Rowley's Two Noble Kinfmen.
I ask, that I might waken reverence; And bid the cheek be ready with a blush Modest as morning, when the coldly eyes The youthful Phoebus.
Shakespear's Troilus and Creffida. Strange crofs in nature! pureft virgin shame Lies in the blood, as luft lies; and together Many times mix too: and in none more fhameful Than in the fhamefac'd. Who can then diftinguish "Twixt their affections; or tell when he meets With one not common? yet, as worthieft poets Shun common and plebeian forms of speech, 'Ev'ry illib'ral and affected phrafe
To cloath their matter; and together tie Matter, and form, with art and decency : So worthiest women fhould fhun vulgar guifes; And though they cannot but fly out for change, Yet modefty, the matter of their lives, Be it adult'rate, fhould be painted true
With modeft out-parts; what they should do ftill Grac'd with good fhew, though deeds be ne'er fo ill. Chapman's Revenge of Buffy D'ambois.
A modeft filence, though 't be thought
A virgin's beauty, and her highest honour;
Though bafhful feignings nicely wrought,
Grace her, that virtue takes not in, buton her;
What I dare think, I boldly speak;
After my word, my well-old action rusheth;
In open flame then paffion break;
Where virtue prompts, thought, word, act, never blusheth.
2, 'Tis not at first word, up and ride; thou art
Cozen'd, that would fhew mad in faith; befides, We lofe the main part of our politick Government, if we become provokers: Then we are fair, and fit for mens embraces, When, like towns they lie before us ages, Yet not carry'd, hold out their strongest batteries; Then compound too without the lofs of honour; And march off with our fair wedding colours flying. Beaumont and Fletcher's Wit without Money. What is't you doubt, her coyness? that's but the Superficies of luft, moft women have ;
Yet why should ladies blush to hear that nam'd, Which they don't fear to handle ? oh, they're politick! They know our defire is encreas'd by the Difficulty of enjoying; where fatiety Is a blunt, weary, and drowzy paffion : If the battery-hatch at court ftood always Open, there would be nothing fo paffionate Crowding, nor hot fuit after beverage.
If I do fhun you, 'tis As bafhful debtors fhun their creditors; I cannot pay you in the felf fame coin, And am afham'd to offer any other.
O useless fhame! officious bashfulness!
Virtue's vain fign, which only there appears Where virtue grows erroneous by excess;
And shapes more fins, than frighted confcience fears. Your blushes, which to mere complexion grow, You must as nature, not as virtue own; And for your open'd love, you but blush so, As guiltless rofes blush that they are blown.
As well the morn, whose effence poet's made, And gave her bafhful eyes, we may believe Does blush for what the fees through night's thin shade, As that you can for love discover'd grieve.
Sir W. Davenant's Gondibert.
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