O

HAPPY Thames, that didst my Stella bear!

I saw thee with full many a smiling line Upon thy cheerful face Joy's livery wear,

While those fair planets on thy streams did shine; The boat for joy could not to dance forbear, While wanton winds, with beauties so divine Ravished, stayed not, till in her golden hair

They did themselves (O sweetest prison !) twine.
And fain those Æol's youth there would their stay
Have made, but, forced by Nature still to fly,
First did with puffing kiss those locks display:
She, so dishevelled, blushed; from window I

With sight thereof cried out, 'O fair disgrace,
Let Honour' self to thee grant highest place!'

L

EAVE me, O Love, which reachest but to dust,

And thou, my mind, aspire to higher things; Grow rich in that which never taketh rust:

What ever fades but fading pleasure brings. Draw in thy beams, and humble all thy might

To that sweet yoke where lasting freedoms be, Which breaks the clouds and opens forth the light That doth both shine and give us sight to see. Oh, take fast hold! let that light be thy guide

In this small course which birth draws out to death, And think how evil becometh him to slide

Who seeketh heaven, and comes of heavenly breath

Then farewell, world; thy uttermost I see :

Eternal Love, maintain thy life in me.

Splendidis longum valedico nugis.

INCE Nature's works be good, and death doth serve

SINCE

As Nature's work, why should we fear to die?

Since fear is vain but when it may preserve,

Why should we fear that which we cannot fly? Fear is more pain than is the pain it fears,

Disarming human minds of native might ;
While each conceit an ugly figure bears

Which were not evil, well viewed in reason's light.
Our owly eyes, which dimmed with passions be,
And scarce discern the dawn of coming day,
Let them be cleared, and now begin to see
Our life is but a step in dusty way.

Then let us hold the bliss of peaceful mind;
Since this we feel, great loss we cannot find.

A

G'

TO SIR PHILIP SIDNEY'S SOUL.

IVE pardon, blessèd soul, to my bold cries,

If they (importune) interrupt thy song

Which now, with joyful notes, thou sing'st among

The angel-quiristers of heavenly skies;

Give pardon eke, sweet soul, to my slow cries,

That since I saw thee now it is so long,

And yet the tears that unto thee belong
To thee as yet they did not sacrifice.

I did not know that thou wert dead before,
I did not feel the grief I did sustain :
The greater stroke astonisheth the more,
Astonishment takes from us sense of pain.
I stood amazed when others' tears begun,
And now begin to weep when they have done.

TO SAINT KATHARINE.

ECAUSE thou wast the daughter of a king,

BECAU

Whose beauty did all Nature's works exceed, And wisdom wonder to the world did breed, A muse might rouse itself on Cupid's wing; But, sith the graces which from nature spring

Were graced by those which from grace did proceed,
And glory have deserved, my Muse doth need

An angel's feathers when thy praise I sing.
For all in thee became angelical:

An angel's face had angels' purity,

And thou an angel's tongue didst speak withal;
Lo! why thy soul, set free by martyrdom,
Was crowned by God in angels' company,

And angels' hands thy body did entomb.