THE Grecians used to offer up their hair Do thou the like, sweet LAURA, unto me! Thy golden tresses on me do bestow! Who hold whole rivers flowing in mine eyes: Yet would not I, thou off shouldst cut them though! Dost muse! and ask, How this, thou mayst devise? I'll tell thee! Give thyself to me, for mine! So shalt thou give, uncut, thy tresses fine. ON quicksedge, wrought with lovely eglantine, But, after, when she called to memory, Ere sun could do, as would her glist'ring eyes: She cast from them such sparkling glances straight, And with such force, in such a strangy guise, As suddenly, and in one selfsame time, She dried her cloth; but burnt this heart of mine! GOLD upon gold, my only Joy did plate; Whilst she did dress her head by crystal Glass. But whilst she looked on it, it sudden brake! So as, amazed thereat, much grieved she was. To whom I said, 'To grieve thus, 'tis in vain ! Since what is broke, whole cannot be again! 'Look steadfastly, with both thine eyes, on me; Who have my heart, through love, a Glass new made!' She on my face looked, and herself did see; Wherewith contented th'roughly, thus she said, 'Most happy I! Since, for to dress my head, For broken Glass, of whole one I am sped!' RICH damask roses in fair cheeks do bide Her hair of gold shows yellow, like the corn In July; when the sun doth scorch the ground: And her fair breast, ripe fruit; which doth adorn September rich. So as in her are found Both Harvest, Summer, Winter, Spring, to be; Which you in breast, hair, heart, and face, may see! SIREN. COME, worthy Greek! ULYSSES! come, And joy the day in mirth the while; ULYSSES. Fair Nymph, if Fame, or Honour, were Then would I come and rest with thee, To spend the time luxuriously SIREN. ULYSSES! O, be not deceived Begotten only to molest Our peace, and to beguile (The best thing of our life!) our rest; And gives us up to toil. ULYSSES. Delicious Nymph! suppose there were For Toil doth give a better touch, And Ease finds tediousness as much SIREN. Then, Pleasure likewise seems the shore, And Ease may have variety, ULYSSES. But natures of the noblest frame, These toils and dangers please! And with the thought of actions past When Pleasure leaves a touch, at last, SIREN. That doth Opinion only cause! No widows wail for our delights! ULYSSES. But yet the state of things requires And these Great Spirits of high desire To purge the mischiefs that increase, For oft we see a wicked Peace, SIREN. Well! Well! ULYSSES! then I see |