Thomas Humphry Ward, ed. The English Poets. 1880–1918.rnVol. II. The Seventeenth Century: Ben Jonson to Dryden

John Wilmot, Earl of Rochester (1647–1680)

Song (from Valentinian): ‘Injurious charmer of my vanquished heart’

Nymph.

INJURIOUS charmer of my vanquished heart,

Canst thou feel love, and yet no pity know?

Since of myself from thee I cannot part,

Invent some gentle way to let me go;

For what with joy thou didst obtain,

And I with more did give,

In time will make thee false and vain,

And me unfit to live.

Shepherd.

Frail angel, that would’st leave a heart forlorn,

With vain pretence Falsehood therein might lie,

Seek not to cast wild shadows o’er your scorn,

You cannot sooner change than I can die;

To tedious life I ’ll never fall,

Thrown from thy dear-lov’d breast;

He merits not to live at all,

Who cares to live unblest.