My father had a daughter lov'd a man, As it might be, perhaps, were I a woman, I should your lordship. Duke. And what's her history? Vio.-A blank, my lord. She never told her love, But let concealment, like a worm i' the bud, Feed on her damask cheek; she pin'd in thought; And with a green and yellow melancholy, She sat like patience on a monument, Smiling at grief. Was not this love indeed? We men may say more, swear more; but indeed Our shows are more than will; for still we prove Much in our vows, but little in our love. Duke. But died thy sister of her love, my boy? Vio.-I am all the daughters of my father's house, And all the brothers too. And therefore little shall I grace my cause In speaking for myself. Yet, by your gracious patience, I will a round unvarnished tale deliver Of my whole course of love; what drugs, what charms, What conjuration, and what mighty magic, (For such proceeding I am charged withal,) I won his daughter with. Her father loved me, oft invited me; Still questioned me the story of my life, From year to year; the battles, sieges, fortunes, That I have passed. I ran it through, even from my boyish days, To the very moment that he bade me tell it: Wherein I spoke of most disastrous chances, Of moving accidents, by flood and field; Of hairbreadth scapes in the imminent deadly breach; Of being taken by the insolent foe, And sold to slavery; of my redemption thence, And portance in my travel's history: Wherein of antres vast, and deserts idle, Rough quarries, rocks, and hills whose heads touch heaven, It was my hint to speak, such was the process: And of the Cannibals that each other eat, The Anthropophagi, and men whose heads Do grow beneath their shoulders. Which ever as she could with haste despatch, She'd come again, and with a greedy ear Devour up my discourse: which, I observing, Took once a pliant hour, and found good means But not intentively: I did consent; And often did beguile her of her tears, When I did speak of some distressful stroke That my youth suffer'd. My story being done, She gave me for my pains a world of sighs: She swore, in faith, 'twas strange, 'twas passing strange; 'Twas pitiful, 'twas wondrous pitiful: She wished she had not heard it; yet she wished That heaven had made her such a man; she thank'd me; And bade me, if I had a friend that loved her, I should but teach him how to tell my story, And that would woo her. Upon this hint, I spake: She loved me for the dangers I had passed, And I loved her that she did pity them. This only is the witchcraft I have used: Here comes the lady, let her witness it. Do likewise. Starting at the random word, And dumb with trepidation, there I stood Some seconds as bewitched; then I looked up, And in her face beheld an orient flush Of half-bewildered pleasure: from which trance She with an instant ease resumed herself, And frankly, with a pleasant laugh, held out Her arrowy hand. And whilst our souls negotiate there, We like sepulchral statues lay: All day the same our postures were, And we said nothing all the day. If any, so by love refined, That he soul's language understood, And by good love were grown all mind, Within convenient distance stood, He, (though he knew not which soul spoke, Because both meant, both spoke the same,) Might thence a new concoction take, And part far purer than he came. This ecstasy doth unperplex, We said, and tell us what we love; We see by this it was not sex, We see, we saw not what did Thou the fuel, and the flame; BEAUMONT AND FLETCHER. ROSALINE. LIKE to the clear in highest sphere Heigh ho, fair Rosaline! Heigh ho, would she were mine! Her cheeks are like the blushing cloud That beautifies Aurora's face, Heigh ho, fair Rosaline! Her lips are like two budded roses Whom ranks of lilies neighbor nigh, Within which bounds she balm encloses Apt to entice a deity: Heigh ho, would she were mine! Her neck is like a stately tower Where Love himself imprisoned lies, To watch for glances every hour From her divine and sacred eyes: Heigh ho, fair Rosaline! Her paps are centres of delight, Her breasts are orbs of heavenly frame, Where Nature moulds the dew of light To feed perfection with the same: Heigh ho, would she were mine! With orient pearl, with ruby red, With marble white, with sapphire blue, Her body every way is fed, Yet soft in touch and sweet in view: |