Thou 'dst swear her teeth her words did break,

That they might passage get;

But she so handled still the matter,

They came as good as ours, or better,

65

And are not spent a whit.

Just in the nick the cook knocked thrice,
And all the waiters in a trice

His summons did obey:

Each serving-man, with dish in hand,

70

Marched boldly up, like our trained band,
Presented, and away.

Healths first go round, and then the house;

The bride's came thick and thick:

And when 't was named another's health,
Perhaps he made it hers by stealth;

And who could help it, Dick?

O' th' sudden up they rise and dance;
Then sit again, and sigh and glance;
Then dance again, and kiss.
Thus sev'ral ways the time did pass,
Till ev'ry woman wished her place,
And ev'ry man wished his!

1640.

90

95

1640.

TRUE LOVE

No, no, fair heretic, it needs must be
But an ill love in me,

And worse for thee;

For were it in my power
To love thee now this hour
More than I did the last,
I would then so fall

I might not love at all:

Love that can flow and can admit increase,
Admits as well an ebb and may grow less.

5

ΙΟ

True love is still the same: the torrid zones,

And those more frigid ones,

It must not know;

For love grown cold or hot

Is lust or friendship, not

The thing we have,

For that's a flame would die,

Held down or up too high.

Then, think I love more than I can express,
And would love more could I but love thee less.

Before 1642.

CONSTANCY

Out upon it, I have loved

Three whole days together;

And am like to love three more,
If it prove fair weather.

1646.

RICHARD LOVELACE

TO LUCASTA, ON GOING TO THE WARS

Tell me not, sweet, I am unkind,
That from the nunnery

Of thy chaste breast and quiet mind
To war and arms I fly.

5

ΙΟ

When I lie tangled in her hair

And fettered to her eye,
The gods that wanton in the air
Know no such liberty.

When flowing cups run swiftly round,
With no allaying Thames,

Our careless heads with roses crowned,

Our hearts with loyal flames;

When thirsty grief in wine we steep,

When healths and draughts go free;
Fishes that tipple in the deep

Know no such liberty.

When, like committed linnets, I

With shriller throat shall sing

The sweetness, mercy, majesty,
And glories of my king;

When I shall voice aloud how good
He is, how great should be,

Know no such liberty.

Enlarged winds that curl the flood

BEING THEN TO TAKE A JOURNEY

Where art thou, Sol, while thus the blindfold Day
Staggers out of the east, loses her way,
Stumbling on Night? Rouse thee, illustrious youth,
And let no dull mists choke the light's fair growth.
Point here thy beams; O glance on yonder flocks,
And make their fleeces golden as thy locks!
Unfold thy fair front, and there shall appear
Full Glory flaming in her own free sphere!
Gladness shall clothe the earth; we will instile
The face of things an universal smile.

Say to the sullen Morn, thou com'st to court her,
And wilt command proud Zephyrus to sport her
With wanton gales: his balmy breath shall lick
The tender drops which tremble on her cheek;
Which, rarefied, and in a gentle rain
On those delicious banks distilled again,
Shall rise in a sweet harvest, which discloses
To every blushing bed of new-born roses.
He'll fan her bright locks, teaching them to flow
And frisk in curled meanders; he will throw
A fragrant breath, sucked from the spicy nest
O' th' precious phoenix, warm upon her breast;

5

ΙΟ

15

20