SONNETS. I. To the Nightingale. Nightingale, that on yon bloomy spray Ganzone. Warbleft at eve, when all the woods are ftill, IDONSI donne e giovani amorofi Thou with fresh hope the lover's heart doth fill, Foretel my hopeless doom in fome grove nigh; Whether the Mufe, or Love call thee his mate, II. ONNA leggiadra il cui bel nome honora Bene è colui d'ogni valore scarco De fui atti foavi giamai parco, Ei don', che fon d'amor faette ed arco, Che mover poffa duro alpeftre legno Q III. UAL in colle afpro, al imbrunir di fera Va bagnando l'herbetta ftrana e bella ΙΟ 5 ΙΟ M' accoftandofi attorno, e perche fcrivi, Spuntati ad hor, ad hor a la tua chioma Canzon dirotti, e tu per me rifpondi Gia caddi, ov' huom dabben talhor s'impiglia. E degli occhi fuoi auventa fi gran fuoco V. ER certo i bei voftr' occhi, Donna mia Si mi percuoton forte, come ei fuole Scoffo mi il petto, e poi n'ufcendo poco 5 ΙΟ To the Lady Margaret Ley. DAUGHTER to that good Earl, once Prefident Of England's Council, and her Treasury, Who liv'd in both, unftain'd with gold or fee, And left them both, more in himself content, Till fad the breaking of that Parliament Broke him, as that dishoneft victory At Charonea, fatal to liberty, Kill'd with report that old man eloquent. Though later born than to have known the days Wherein your father florish'd, yet by you, 10 Madam, methinks I fee him living yet; So well your words his noble virtues praise, That all both judge you to relate them true, And to poffefs them, honor'd Margaret. XII. On the fame. DID but prompt the age to quit their clogs By the known rules of ancient liberty, When ftrait a barbarous noife environs me Of owls and cuckoos, affes, apes, and dogs = On the religious Memory of Mrs. Catharine Thomson, my Chriftian Friend, deceas'd 16 Decemb. 1646. XVII. To Sir Henry Vane the younger. ANE, young in years, but in fage counfel old, HEN faith and love, which parted from VANhan on a better fenator ne'er held WHEN thee never, Had ripen'd thy juft foul to dwell with God, Meekly thou didit refign this earthly load Of death, call'd life; which us from life doth The helm of Rome, when gowns not arms re NYRIAC, whofe grandfire on the royal bench Of British Themis, with no mean applaufe Pronounc'd and in his volumes taught our laws, Which others at their bar fo often wrench; To-day deep thoughts refolve with me to drench 5 In mirth, that after no repenting draws; I et Euclid reft and Archimedes paufe, And what the Swede intends, and what the French. To measure life learn thou betimes, and know Toward folid good what leads the nearest way; For other things mild Heav'n a time ordains, And difapproves that care, though wife in show, That with fuperfluous burden loads the day, And when God fends a chearful hour, refrains. XXII. To the fame. CYRIA though clear, YRIAC, this three years day these eyes, To outward view, of blemish or of spot, Bereft of light, their seeing have forgot, Nor to their idle orbs doth fight appear Of fun, or moon, or ftar, throughout the year, 5 Or man, or woman. Yet I argue not Against Heav'n's hand or will, nor bate a jot Of heart or hope; but ftill bear up and fleer Right onward. What fupports me, doft thou ask? The confcience, Friend, to' have lost them over ply'd 10 6 Mine, as whom wafh'd from spot of child-bed taint Her face was veil'd, yet to my fancied fight 10 I wak'd, fhe fled, and day brought back my night. XXIV. On occafion of the Plague in London. Found on a glass Window at Chalfont, in Buckinglum. fire, where Milton refided during the Continuant of that Calamity. [From Birch's Life.] AIR mirror of foul times; whofe fragile sheen (Aye watching o'er his faints with eye unfeen) For the fair Hittite, when, on feraph's wings, He fent him war, or plague, or famine fore. 1 PSA L M S Pfalm 1. Done into verse, 1653. LESS'D is the man who hath not walk'd aftray But Some of the wicked, and i'th way Of finners hath not flood, and in the feat 5 ΙΟ 15 20 Haft broke the teeth. This help was from the Lord; Thy blefling on thy people flows. Pfalm 1v. Aug. 10, 1653. 15 ANSWER me when I call, Th' Heathen, and as thy conquest to be sway'd Earth's utmost bounds: them fhalt thou bring full low With iron scepter bruis'd, and them difperfe 20 Like to a potter's veffel fhiver'd fo. And now be wife at length, ye Kings averfe, Be taught, ye Judges of the earth; with fear VOL. II. God of my righteousness, In ftraits and in diftrefs New pity me, and hear my earnest prayer. |