'I care not now how soon 'tis done, Or cut, if cut by you.'
*125*
A CONJURATION: TO ELECTRA
By those soft tods of wool, With which the air is full;
By all those tinctures there That paint the hemisphere;
By dews and drizzling rain, That swell the golden grain;
By all those sweets that be I'th' flowery nunnery;
By silent nights, and the Three forms of Hecate;
By all aspects that bless The sober sorceress, While juice she strains, and pith To make her philtres with;
By Time, that hastens on Things to perfection;
And by your self, the best Conjurement of the rest;
--O, my Electra! be In love with none but me.
*126*
TO SAPHO
Sapho, I will chuse to go Where the northern winds do blow Endless ice, and endless snow;
Rather than I once would see But a winter's face in thee,--
To benumb my hopes and me.
*127*
OF LOVE: A SONNET
How Love came in, I do not know, Whether by th'eye, or ear, or no;
Or whether with the soul it came, At first, infused with the same;
Whether in part 'tis here or there, Or, like the soul, whole every where.
This troubles me; but I as well As any other, this can tell;
That when from hence she does depart, The outlet then is from the heart.
*128*
TO DIANEME
Sweet, be not proud of those two eyes, Which, star-like, sparkle in their skies;
Nor be you proud, that you can see All hearts your captives, yours, yet free;
Be you not proud of that rich hair Which wantons with the love-sick air;
Whenas that ruby which you wear, Sunk from the tip of your soft ear, Will last to be a precious stone, When all your world of beauty's gone.
*129*
TO DIANEME
Dear, though to part it be a hell, Yet, Dianeme, now farewell!
Thy frown last night did bid me go, But whither, only grief does know.
I do beseech thee, ere we part, (If merciful, as fair thou art;
Or else desir'st that maids should tell Thy pity by Love's chronicle)
O, Dianeme, rather kill Me, than to make me languish still!
'Tis cruelty in thee to th' height, Thus, thus to wound, not kill outright;
Yet there's a way found, if thou please, By sudden death, to give me ease;
And thus devised,--do thou but this, --Bequeath to me one parting kiss!
So sup'rabundant joy shall be The executioner of me.
*130*
KISSING USURY
Biancha, let Me pay the debt I owe thee for a kiss Thou lend'st to me;
And I to thee Will render ten for this.
If thou wilt say, Ten will not pay For that so rich a one;
I'll clear the sum, If it will come Unto a million.
He must of right, To th' utmost mite, Make payment for his pleasure, (By this I guess)
Of happiness Who has a little measure.
*131*
UPON THE LOSS OF HIS MISTRESSES
I have lost, and lately, these Many dainty mistresses:--
Stately Julia, prime of all;
Sapho next, a principal:
Smooth Anthea, for a skin White, and heaven-like crystalline:
Sweet Electra, and the choice Myrha, for the lute and voice.
Next, Corinna, for her wit, And the graceful use of it;
With Perilla:--All are gone;
Only Herrick's left alone, For to number sorrow by Their departures hence, and die.
*132*
THE WOUNDED HEART
Come, bring your sampler, and with art Draw in't a wounded heart, And dropping here and there;
Not that I think that any dart Can make your's bleed a tear, Or pierce it any where;
Yet do it to this end,--that I May by This secret see, Though you can make That heart to bleed, your's ne'er will ache For me, *133*
HIS MISTRESS TO HIM AT HIS FAREWELL
You may vow I'll not forget To pay the debt Which to thy memory stands as due As faith can seal it you.
--Take then tribute of my tears;
So long as I have fears To prompt me, I shall ever Languish and look, but thy return see never.
Oh then to lessen my despair, Print thy lips into the air, So by this Means, I may kiss thy kiss, Whenas some kind Wind Shall hither waft it:--And, in lieu, My lips shall send a thousand back to you.
*134*
CRUTCHES
Thou see'st me, Lucia, this year droop;
Three zodiacs fill'd more, I shall stoop;
