| |
| THE HEAVENS rejoice in motion; why should I | |
| Abjure my so much loved variety, | |
| And not with many youth and love divide? | |
| Pleasure is none, if not diversified. | |
| The sun that, sitting in the chair of light, | 5 |
| Sheds flame into what else so ever doth seem bright, | |
| Is not contented at one sign to inn, | |
| But ends his year, and with a new begin. | |
| All things do willingly in change delight, | |
| The fruitful mother of our appetite; | 10 |
| Rivers the clearer and more pleasing are, | |
| Where their fair-spreading streams run wide and clear; | |
| And a dead lake, that no strange bark doth greet, | |
| Corrupts itself, and what doth live in it. | |
| Let no man tell me such a one is fair, | 15 |
| And worthy all alone my love to share. | |
| Nature in her hath done the liberal part | |
| Of a kind mistress, and employed her art, | |
| To make her lovable, and I aver | |
| Him not humane, that would turn back from her. | 20 |
| I love her well, and would, if need were, die, | |
| To do her service. But follows it that I | |
| Must serve her only, when I may have choice? | |
| The law is hard, and shall not have my voice. | |
| The last I saw in all extremes is fair, | 25 |
| And holds me in the sunbeams of her hair; | |
| Her nymph-like features such agreements have, | |
| That I could venture with her to the grave. | |
| Another’s brown; I like her not the worse; | |
| Her tongue is soft and takes me with discourse. | 30 |
| Others, for that they well descended were, | |
| Do in my love obtain as large a share; | |
| And though they be not fair, ’tis much with me | |
| To win their love only for their degree. | |
| And though I fail of my required ends, | 35 |
| The attempt is glorious and itself commends. | |
| How happy were our sires in ancient time, | |
| Who held plurality of loves no crime. | |
| With them it was accounted charity | |
| To stir up race of all indifferently; | 40 |
| Kindred were not exempted from the bands, | |
| Which with the Persian still in usage stands. | |
| Women were then no sooner ask’d than won, | |
| And what they did was honest and well done. | |
| But since this little Honour hath been used, | 45 |
| Our weak credulity hath been abused; | |
| The golden laws of nature are repeal’d, | |
| Which our first fathers in such reverence held; | |
| Our liberty reversed and charters gone; | |
| And we made servants to Opinion; | 50 |
| A monster in no certain shape attired, | |
| And whose original is much desired, | |
| Formless at first, but growing on its fashions, | |
| And doth prescribe manners and laws to nations. | |
| Here love received immedicable harms, | 55 |
| And was despoiled of his daring arms; | |
| A greater want than is his daring eyes, | |
| He lost those awful wings with which he flies, | |
| His sinewy bow and those immortal darts, | |
| With which he is wont to bruise resisting hearts. | 60 |
| Only some few, strong in themselves and free, | |
| Retain the seeds of ancient liberty, | |
| Following that part of love although depress’d, | |
| Yet make a throne for him within their breast, | |
| In spite of modern censures him avowing | 65 |
| Their sovereign, all service him allowing | |
| Amongst which troop although I am the least, | |
| Yet equal in perfection with the best, | |
| I glory in subjection of his hand, | |
| Nor ever did decline his least command; | 70 |
| For in whatever form the message came | |
| My heart did open and receive the same, | |
| But time will in his course a point descry | |
| When I this loved service must deny; | |
| For our allegiance temporary is; | 75 |
| With firmer age returns our liberties. | |
| What time in years and judgment we reposed, | |
| Shall not so easily be to change disposed, | |
| Nor to the art of several eyes obeying, | |
| But beauty with true worth securely weighing; | 80 |
| Which being found assembled in some one | |
| We’ll leave her ever, 1 and love her alone. | |
