SIR ROBERT AYTON. [1570-1638.] FAIR AND UNWORTHY. I DO confess thou 'rt smooth and fair, And I might have gone near to love thee, Had I not found the lightest prayer THOMAS HEYWOOD. [About 1640.] GOOD-MORROW. PACK clouds away, and welcome day, Sweet air, blow soft; mount, larks, aloft, That lips could speak, had power to Wings from the wind to please her mind, move thee: But I can let thee now alone, As worthy to be loved by none. I do confess thou 'rt sweet; yet find Thee such an unthrift of thy sweets, Thy favors are but like the wind, That kisses everything it meets; And since thou canst with more than one, Thou 'rt worthy to be kissed by none. The morning rose that untouched stands Armed with her briers, how sweetly smells! But plucked and strained through ruder hands, Notes from the lark I 'll borrow; Wake from thy nest, robin redbreast; SEARCH AFTER GOD. No more her sweetness with her dwells, I soUGHT thee round about, O thou my But scent and beauty both are gone, And leaves fall from her, one by one. Such fate, erelong, will thee betide, When thou hast handled been awhile, Like sere flowers to be thrown aside: And I will sigh, while some will smile, To see thy love for more than one Hath brought thee to be loved by none. WILLIAM STRODE. [1600-1644.] MUSIC. O LULL me, lull me, charming air! And slumbering die, And change his soul for harmony! God! Offended with my question, in full choir, I answered: The all-potent, sole, imAnswered, "To find thy God thou must look higher. I asked the world's great universal mass If that God was; mense, Surpassing sense; Unspeakable, inscrutable, eternal, The only terrible, strong, just, and true, Who hath no end, and no beginning knew. He is the well of life, for he doth give Both breath and being; he is the Creator Earth, air, and fire. Of all things that subsist He hath the list, Which with a mighty and strong voice And now, my God, by thine illumining replied, As stupefied, "I am not he, O man! for know that I grace, Thy glorious face (So far forth as it may discovered be) And though invisible and infinite, Thou, in thy mercy, justice, truth, appearest, In which, to our weak sense, thou comest nearest. O, make us apt to seek and quick to find, Thou, God, most kind! Give us love, hope, and faith, in thee to trust, Thou, God, most just! Remit all our offences, we entreat, Most good! most great! Grant that our willing, though unworthy quest through thy grace, admit us 'mongst the blest. May, HENRY KING. [1591-1669.] SIC VITA. LIKE to the falling of a star, Or like a wind that chafes the flood, ELEGY. SLEEP on, my love, in thy cold bed, My last good night! Thou wilt not wake It so much loves, and fill the room Stay for me there! I will not fail Through which to thee I swiftly glide. "T is true, with shame and grief I yield, The thought of this bids me go on, SIR THOMAS BROWNE. Your heads must come Only the actions of the just EDWARD HERBERT, (EARL OF CHERBURY.) [1581-1648.] CELINDA. WALKING thus towards a pleasant grove, She bowed her gracious head to rest, Let then no doubt, Celinda, touch, SIR THOMAS BROWNE. [1605-1682.] EVENING HYMN. THE night is come; like to the day, Whilst I do rest, my soul advance; |