LOVE IS BLIND, AND A WANTON. L OVE is blind, and a wanton ; In the whole world, there is scant one No, not his mother. He hath plucked her doves and sparrows, While sick Venus waileth. But if Cypris once recover Or she will undo him. ADDE MERUM! ́AKE, our mirth begins to die, WA Quicken it with tunes and wine. Raise your notes; you're out : fy, fy! This drowsiness is an ill sign. We banish him the quire of gods, That droops again : Then all are men, For here's not one, but nods. I. THE BANQUET OF SENSE. `HEN, in a free and lofty strain ΤΗ Our broken tunes we thus repair; 2. And we answer them again, Running division on the panting air; Ambo. To celebrate this feast of sense, Here is beauty for the eye; I. 2. For the ear sweet melody; 1. Ambrosiac odours for the smell; 2. Delicious nectar for the taste; Ambo. For the touch a lady's waist, Which doth all the rest excel. Fo From BEN JONSON'S Volpone, or O FORTUNATI! OOLS, they are the only nation Free from care or sorrow-taking, Your fool he is your great man's dearling, 1 Tongue and bable 1 are his treasure. Ev'n his face begetteth laughter, And he speaks truth free from slaughter; He's the grace of every feast, And sometimes the chiefest guest; Hath his trencher and his stool, When wit waits upon the fool. O, who would not be 1 Old form of "bauble." VIVAMUS, MEA LESBIA. 'OME, my Celia, let us prove, COM While we can, the sports of love, Time will not be ours for ever, He, at length, our good will sever; Spend not then his gifts in vain : Suns that set may rise again; But if once we lose this light, 'Tis with us perpetual night. Why should we defer our joys? Fame and rumour are but toys. Cannot we delude the eyes Of a few poor household spies? Or his easier ears beguile, Thus removed by our wile? 'Tis no sin love's fruits to steal, But the sweet thefts to reveal; To be taken, to be seen, These have crimes accounted been. From BEN JONSON'S The Description of the Masque, with the Nuptial Songs, celebrating the happy marriage of John, Lord Ramsay, with the Lady Elizabeth Radcliffe, 1608. EPITHALAMION. P! youths and virgins! up, and praise UP! The God whose nights outshine his days! Could never boast of brighter lights; Whose bands pass liberty. Two of your troop, that with the morn were free, And what they are, Yourselves must be. Shine, Hesperus ! shine forth, thou wished star! What joy or honours can compare Of years, of states, of hands, of hearts; The spouse and spoused have the foremost voice! Live what they are And long perfection see: And such ours be. Shine, Hesperus! shine forth, thou wished star! The solemn state of this one night But there are rites behind Have less of state and more of kind : And fruitful harvest of his mother's blisses. Sound then to Hymen's war! That what these are, May haste to be. Shine, Hesperus ! shine forth, thou wished star! Love's Commonwealth consists of toys; Games, Laughter, Sports, Delights, For now their reign begins, and lasts till day. And in that jar Make all, that married be,. Shine, Hesperus ! shine forth, thou wished star! Why stays the bridegroom to invade Good-night! whilst yet we may Good-night to you a virgin say. |