A Welcome Or have smelt o' the bud o' the brier? Or have tasted the bag o' the bee? O so white, O so soft, O so sweet is she! 509 Ben Jonson (1573?-1637] OF PHYLLIS IN petticoat of green, Her hair about her eyne, Sat milking her fair flock: Among that sweet-strained moisture, rare delight, William Drummond [1585-1649] A WELCOME Welcome, welcome, do I sing, Far more welcome than the spring; He that to the voice is near, He that looks still on your eyes, Shall not want the summer's sun. He that still may see your cheeks, Is a fool if e'er he seeks Other lilies, other roses. He to whom your soft lip yields, And perceives your breath in kissing, All the odors of the fields Never, never shall be missing. He that question would anew And a brief of that behold. Welcome, welcome, then I sing, William Browne [1591-1643?] THE COMPLETE LOVER FOR her gait, if she be walking; For her state's sake; and admire her Gait and state and wit approve her; Be she sullen, I commend her For a kind one her prefer I. Briefly, everything doth lend her So much grace, and so approve her, That for everything I love her. William Browne [1591-1643?] RUBIES AND PEARLS SOME asked me where the rubies grew, And nothing I did say, But with my finger pointed to The lips of Julia. To Cynthia Some asked how pearls did grow, and where; Then spoke I to my girl, To part her lips, and showed them there The quarrelets of pearl. 511 Robert Herrick [1591-1674] UPON JULIA'S CLOTHES WHENAS in silks my Julia goes, -O how that glittering taketh me! Robert Herrick [1591-1674] TO CYNTHIA ON CONCEALMENT OF HER BEAUTY Do not conceal those radiant eyes, Lest, wanting of their heavenly light, Do not conceal those tresses fair, Do not conceal those breasts of thine, Do not conceal that fragrant scent, Do not conceal thy heavenly voice, Do not conceal, nor yet eclipse, Thy pearly teeth with coral lips; Lest that the seas cease to bring forth Gems which from thee have all their worth. Do not conceal no beauty, grace, Make men believe no Paradise. Francis Kynaston [1587-1642] SONG Ask me no more where Jove bestows, Ask me no more whither do stray Ask me no more whither doth haste Ask me no more where those stars 'light Ask me no more if east or west Thomas Carew [1598?-1639?] Castara 513 A DEVOUT LOVER I HAVE a mistress, for perfections rare In every eye, but in my thoughts most fair. We sit and talk, and kiss away the hours ON A GIRDLE THAT which her slender waist confined It was my Heaven's extremest sphere, A narrow compass! and yet there Dwelt all that's good, and all that's fair! Take all the rest the sun goes round! Edmund Waller [1606-1687] CASTARA LIKE the violet, which alone My Castara lives unknown, For she's to herself untrue |