Rich Nature in women wisely made
Two purses, and their mouths aversely laid.
They then, which to the lower tribute owe,
That way which that exchequer looks must go;
He which doth not, his error is as great,
As who by clyster gives the stomach meat.

ELEGY XX.

TO HIS MISTRESS GOING TO BED.

COME, madam, come, all rest my powers defy ;
Until I labour, I in labour lie.

The foe ofttimes, having the foe in sight,

Is tired with standing, though he never fight.
Off with that girdle, like heaven's zone glittering,
But a far fairer world encompassing.

Unpin that spangled breast-plate, which you wear,
That th' eyes of busy fools may be stopp'd there.
Unlace yourself, for that harmonious chime
Tells me from you that now it is bed-time.
Off with that happy busk, which I envy,

That still can be, and.still can stand so nigh.

Your gown going off such beauteous state reveals,
As when from flowery meads th' hill's shadow steals.
Off with your wiry coronet, and show

The hairy diadems which on you do grow.

ΤΟ

1. 16. So Stephens MS.; 1669, The hairy diadem which on your head doth grow

Off with your hose and shoes; then softly tread
In this love's hallow'd tempie, this soft bed.
In such white robes heaven's angeis used to be
Revealed to men; thou, angel, bring'st with thee 20
A heaven-like Mahomet's paradise; and though
Ill spirits walk in white, we easily know
By this these angels from an evil sprite ;

Those set our hairs, but these our flesh upright.

Licence my roving hands, and let them go Before, behind, between, above, below.

Oh, my America, my Newfoundland,

My kingdom, safest when with one man mann'd,
My mine of precious stones, my empery;
How am I blest in thus discovering thee!
To enter in these bonds, is to be free;

Then, where my hand is set, my soul shall be.
Full nakedness! All joys are due to thee;

30

As souls unbodied, bodies unclothed must be
To taste whole joys. Gems which you women

use

Are like Atlanta's ball cast in men's views;

That, when a fool's eye lighteth on a gem,

His earthly soul might court that, not them.
Like pictures, or like books' gay coverings made
For laymen, are all women thus array'd.
Themselves are only mystic books, which we
—Whom their imputed grace will dignify—

40

1. 17. So Stephens MS.; 1669, Now off with those

shoes

1. 22. Query? All spirits

Must see reveal'd.

Then, since that I may know,

As liberally as to thy midwife show

Thyself; cast all, yea, this white linen hence;
There is no penance due to innocence:

To teach thee, I am naked first; why then,
What needst thou have more covering than a man?

DIVINE POEMS.

TO THE EARL] OF D[ONCASTER]: WITH SIX HOLY

SONNETS.

SEE, sir, how, as the sun's hot masculine flame
Begets strange creatures on Nile's dirty slime,
In me your fatherly yet lusty rhyme

-For these songs are their fruits-have wrought the

same.

But though th' engend'ring force from which they

came

Be strong enough, and Nature doth admit

Seven to be born at once; I send as yet

But six; they say the seventh hath still some maim.

I choose your judgment, which the same degree Doth with her sister, your invention, hold,

As fire these drossy rhymes to purify,

Or as elixir, to change them to gold.

You are that alchemist, which always had

ΙΟ

Wit, whose one spark could make good things of bad.

LA CORONA.

1. Deign at my hands this crown of prayer and praise, Weaved in my lone devout melancholy,

Thou which of good hast, yea, art treasury,
All changing unchanged Ancient of days.
But do not with a vile crown of frail bays
Reward my Muse's white sincerity;

But what Thy thorny crown gain'd, that give me,
A crown of glory, which doth flower always.

The ends crown our works, but Thou crown'st our ends,

For at our ends begins our endless rest.
The first last end, now zealously possess'd,
With a strong sober thirst my soul attends.
'Tis time that heart and voice be lifted high;
Salvation to all that will is nigh.

ΙΟ

ANNUNCIATION,

2. Salvation to all that will is nigh;

That All, which always is all everywhere,
Which cannot sin, and yet all sins must bear,
Which cannot die, yet cannot choose but die,
Lo! faithful Virgin, yields Himself to lie

In prison, in thy womb; and though He there
Can take no sin, nor thou give, yet He'll wear,
Taken from thence, flesh, which death's force may
try.

1. 1. 2. So 1635; 1633, low

1. 10. So 1635; 1633, our end