THOMAS DEKKER O SWEET CONTENT Art thou poor, yet hast thou golden slumbers? Art thou rich, yet is thy mind perplexèd? O punishment! Dost thou laugh to see how fools are vexèd Canst drink the waters of the crispèd spring? O sweet content! Swim'st thou in wealth, yet sink'st in thine own tears? O punishment! Then he that patiently want's burden bears No burden bears, but is a king, a king! O sweet content! O sweet, O sweet content! Then hey nonny nonny, hey nonny nonny! 5 10 15 20 1603. Smiles awake you when you rise. Sleep, pretty wantons, do not cry, And I will sing a lullaby: Rock them, rock them, lullaby. 5 Care is heavy, therefore sleep you; And I will sing a lullaby: Rock them, rock them, lullaby. ΙΟ 1603. O SORROW, SORROW O Sorrow, Sorrow, say, where dost thou dwell? No, no, I have a furier face. O, why into the world is Sorrow sent? What dost thou feed on? What takest thou pleasure in? To sigh, to sob, to pine, to groan, To wring my hands, to sit alone. O when, O when shall Sorrow quiet have? Never till she finds a grave. 1602? 1634. BEN JONSON QUEEN AND HUNTRESS, CHASTE AND FAIR Queen and huntress, chaste and fair, Hesperus entreats thy light, Earth, let not thy envious shade Cynthia's shining orb was made Heav'n to clear when day did close: Bless us, then, with wishèd sight, Lay thy bow of pearl apart, 5 ΙΟ 15 5 ΙΟ Give unto the flying hart Space to breathe, how short soever; 1600. EPODE 1600. 15 5 ΙΟ 115 Not to know Vice at all, and keep true state, Is virtue and not fate. Next to that virtue, is to know Vice well And her black spite expel; Which to effect (since no breast is so sure Or safe but she'll procure Some way of entrance) we must plant a guard At the eye and ear, the ports unto the mind, Object arrive there, but the heart, our spy, To wakeful Reason, our affections' king, Will quickly taste the treason and commit 'Tis the securest policy we have, To make our sense our slave. But this true course is not embraced by many By many! scarce by any: For either our affections do rebel; Or else the sentinel, That should ring 'larum to the heart, doth sleep; Or some great thought doth keep Back the intelligence, and falsely swears They are base and idle fears Whereof the loyal conscience so complains. Do several passions invade the mind, And strike our Reason blind; Of which usurping rank, some have thought Love Most frequent tumults, horrors, and unrests But this doth from the cloud of error grow, Which thus we over-blow: The thing they here call Love is blind Desire, Inconstant, like the sea, of whence 't is born, Rough, swelling, like a storm; 40 With whom who sails rides on the surge of fear, In a continual tempest. Now, true love No such effects doth prove: That is an essence far more gentle, fine, 45 It is a golden chain let down from heaven, That falls like sleep on lovers, and combines 50 In equal knots; this bears no brands nor darts, To murther different hearts, But in a calm and godlike unity Preserves community. O, who is he that in this peace enjoys 55 The elixir of all joys A form more fresh than are the Eden bowers, Richer than Time, and as Time's virtue rare; Sober as saddest care; 60 A fixed thought, an eye untaught to glance- Would, at suggestion of a steep desire, Cast himself from the spire Of all his happiness? But soft! I hear Some vicious fool draw near, That cries we dream, and swears there's no such thing As this chaste love we sing. Peace, Luxury! thou art like one of those Who, being at sea, suppose, 65 70 Because they move, the continent doth so. No, Vice, we let thee know, Though thy wild thoughts with sparrows' wings do fly, Turtles can chastely die. And yet (in this t' express ourselves more clear) We do not number here 75 Such spirits as are only continent Because lust's means are spent; Or those who doubt the common mouth of fame, 80 And for their place and name Cannot so safely sin-their chastity Is mere necessity; Nor mean we those whom vows and conscience 85 Have filled with abstinence, Though we acknowledge who can so abstain Makes a most blessed gain; He that for love of goodness hateth ill Is more crown-worthy still Than he which for sin's penalty forbears- But we propose a person like our dove, Graced with a phoenix' love; A beauty of that clear and sparkling light, And turn the blackest sorrows to bright joys; All taste of bitterness, and makes the air A body so harmoniously composed As if Nature disclosed All her best symmetry in that one feature: O, so divine a creature Who could be false to? chiefly when he knows How only she bestows The wealthy treasure of her love on him, Making his fortunes swim In the full flood of her admired perfection? What savage, brute affection Would not be fearful to offend a dame Of this excelling frame? Much more a noble and right generous mind, To virtuous moods inclined, |