XIV

LOVE THE ONLY STUDENT

STUDY me how to please the eye indeed

By fixing it upon a fairer eye,

Who dazzling so, that eye shall be his heed,
And give him light that it was blinded by.

Study is like the heaven's glorious sun

That will not be deep-search'd with saucy looks : Small have continual plodders ever won Save base authority from others' books.

These earthly godfathers of heaven's lights
That give a name to every fixéd star,
Have no more profit of their shining nights

Than those that walk and wot not what they are.

Too much to know is to know nought but fame,
And every godfather can give a name.

XV

THE PERJURIES OF LOVE

DID not the heavenly rhetoric of thine eye,

'Gainst whom the world cannot hold argument,

Persuade my heart to this false perjury?

Vows for thee broke deserve not punishment.

A woman I forswore; but I will prove,

Thou being a goddess, I forswore not thee. My vow was earthly, thou a heavenly love; Thy grace being gain'd cures all disgrace in me.

Vows are but breath, and breath a vapour is :

Then thou, fair Sun, which on my earth dost

shine,

Exhalest this vapour-vow; in thee it is:

If broken, then, it is no fault of mine:

If by me broke, what fool is not so wise
To lose an oath, to win a paradise?

XVI

THE LONGING THAT CANNOT BE UTTERED

ON a day-alack the day !—

ΟΝ

Love, whose month is ever May,

Spied a blossom passing fair

Playing in the wanton air:

Through the velvet leaves the wind,
All unseen, can passage find;

That the Lover, sick to death,

Wish himself the heaven's breath.

-Air, quoth he, thy cheeks may blow;
Air, would I might triumph so!

But, alack, my hand is sworn

Ne'er to pluck thee from thy thorn;

Vow, alack, for youth unmeet,

Youth so apt to pluck a sweet !

Do not call it sin in me,

That I am forsworn for thee;
Thou,-for whom Jove would swear

Juno but an Ethiope were,
And deny himself for Jove,

Turning mortal for thy love.

XVII

EPITHALAMIUM

THEN is there mirth in Heaven,
When earthly things made even

Atone together!

Good duke, receive thy daughter :

Hymen from heaven brought her,

Yea, brought her hither,

That thou mightest join her hand with his Whose heart within his bosom is.

SONG

Wedding is great Juno's crown :

O blesséd bond of board and bed!

'Tis Hymen peoples every town;

High Wedlock then be honoured: Honour, high honour and renown, To Hymen, god of every town!

XVIII

SONG OF BLESSING

HONOUR, riches, marriage-blessing,

Long continuance, and increasing,

Hourly joys be still upon you!

Juno sings her blessings on you.

Earth's increase, foison plenty,

Barns and garners never empty

Vines with clustering bunches growing,

Plants with goodly burthen bowing;

Spring come to you at the farthest

In the very end of harvest!
Scarcity and want shall shun you;
Ceres' blessing so is on you.