PHINEAS FLETCHER. (1582-1648?.) AN HYMN. From the Poems of Fletcher, 1633. Reprinted in Chalmers' Poets, vol. vi., and in the Fuller Worthies Library (edited by Dr. Grosart). DROP, drop, slow tears, And bathe those beauteous feet, Which brought from Heaven The news and Prince of Peace: Cease not, wet eyes, His mercies to entreat; To cry for vengeance Sin doth never cease: In your deep floods Drown all my faults and fears; Nor let His eye See sin, but through my tears. JOHN FORD. (1586?-1639?.) CALANTHA'S DIRGE. From the Broken Heart, 1633 (acted 1629?). Dyce has edited Ford's Works. GLORIES, pleasures, pomps, delights, and ease, Can but please Youth may revel, yet it must Love only reigns in death; though art PENTHEA'S DYING SONG. H no more, no more, too late Он Sighs are spent; the burning tapers Of a life as chaste as fate, Pure as are unwritten papers, Are burnt out; no heat, no light Love is dead; let lovers' eyes Now Love dies-implying Love's martyr must be ever, ever dying. ROBERT DAVENPORT. (?-1651?.) From King John and Matilda, 1655 (acted 1636?). A REQUIEM. MATILDA, now go take thy bed In the dark dwellings of the dead; And rise in the great waking day, Rest thou, chaste soul, fixed in thy proper sphere, Amongst Heaven's fair ones; all are fair ones there. Chorus. Rest there, chaste soul, whilst we here troubled say "Time gives us griefs, Death takes our joys away". "A. W." A DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE SOUL AND THE BODY. "A. W." is a frequent contributor to Davison's Poetical Rhapsody, 1602, where the following extract is found. Various conjectures as to his identity are discussed by Mr. Bullen in the Introduction to his edition of the Rhapsody. Soul. AY me, poor soul, whom bound in sinful chains This wretched body keeps against my will! Body. Ay me, poor body, whom for all my pains, This froward soul causeless condemneth still! Soul. Causeless? Whenas thou striv'st to sin each day! Body. Causeless? Whenas I strive thee to obey! Soul. Thou art the means, by which I fall to sin. Body. Thou art the cause that sett'st this means a-work. Soul. No part of thee that hath not faulty been. ANONYMOUS LYRICS, 1604-1675. SUMMER. From Weelkes' Madrigals, 1604. COLD winter ice is fled and gone, And summer brags on every tree; The red-breast peeps among the throng Of wood-brown birds that wanton be: Each one forgets what they have been, And so doth Phyllis, summer's queen. IN LAUDEM AMORIS. From Hume's First Part of Airs, 1605. FAIN would I change that note To which fond love hath charmed me Long, long to sing by rote, Fancying that that harmed me: Of all delight", I have no other choice Either for pen or voice To sing or write. O Love! they wrong thee much I do adore thee: I know thee what thou art, YE LITTLE BIRDS THAT SIT AND SING. From the Fair Maid of the Exchange, 1607. YE little birds that sit and sing Amidst the shady valleys, And see how Phyllis sweetly walks Go, pretty birds, about her bower; Go, tell her through your chirping bills, To her is only known my love, Which from the world is hidden. Go, tune your voices' harmony, Strain loud and sweet, that every note Oh, fly! make haste! see, see, she falls Sing round about her rosy bed, That waking, she may wonder. Say to her, 't is her lover true Return with pleasant warblings. |