Classic Poem

THE FIRST ELEGIE .

I late the roman youth's loud prayse and pride,
Whom long none could obtain, though thousands try'd,
Lo here am left (alas), For my lost mate
T'embrace my teares, and kisse an unkind Fate .
Sure in my early woes starres were at strife,
And try'd to make a W IDOW ere a W IFE .
Nor can I tell (and this new teares doth breed)
In what strange path my lord's fair footsteppes bleed.
O knew I where he wander'd, I should see
Some solace in my sorrow's certainty.
I'd send my woes in words should weep for me,
(Who knowes how powrfull well-writt praires would be?)
Sending's too slow a word, my selfe would fly.
Who knowes my own heart's woes so well as I?
But how shall I steal hence? A LEXIS thou
Ah thou thy self, alas, hast taught me how.
Love too, that leads the way, would lend the wings
To bear me harmlesse through the hardest things,
And where love lends the wing, and leads the way,
What dangers can there be dare say me nay?
If I be shipwrack't, Love shall teach to swimme.
If drown'd; sweet is the death indur'd for H IM ,
The noted sea shall change his name with me;
I, 'mongst the blest S TARRES a new name shall be.
And sure where lovers make their watry graves
The weeping mariner will augment the waves.
For who so hard, but passing by that way
Will take acquaintance of my woes, and say
Here 't was the roman M AID found a hard fate
While through the world she sought her wandring mate.
Here perish't she, poor heart, heavns, be my vowes
As true to me, as she was to her spouse.
O live, so rare a love! live! and in thee
The too frail life of femal constancy.
Farewell; and shine, fair soul, shine there above
Firm in thy crown, as here fast in thy love.
There thy lost fugitive thou'hast found at last.
Be happy; and for ever hold him fast.

THE SECONDE ELEGIE .

Though All the joyes I had fleed hence with Thee,
Unkind! yet are my T EARES still true to me.
I'am wedded ore again since thou art gone;
Nor couldst thou, cruell, leave me quite alone.
A LEXIS ' widdow now is sorrow's wife.
With him shall I weep out my weary life.
Wellcome, my sad sweet Mate! Now have I gott
At last a constant love that leaves me not.
Firm he, as thou art false, Nor need my cryes
Thus vex the earth and teare the beauteous skyes.
For him, alas, n'ere shall I need to be
Troublesom to the world, thus, as for thee.
For thee I talk to trees; with silent groves
Expostulate my woes and much-wrong'd loves.
Hills and relentlesse rockes, or if there be
Things that in hardnesse more allude to thee;
To these I talk in teares, and tell my pain;
And answer too for them in teares again.
How oft have I wept out the weary sun!
My watry hour-glasse hath old times outrunne.
O I am learned grown, Poor love and I
Have study'd over all astrology.
I'am perfect in heavn's state, with every starr
My skillfull greife is grown familiar.
Rise, fairest of those fires; whate're thou be
Whose rosy beam shall point my sun to me.
Such as the sacred light that erst did bring
The E ASTERN princes to their infant king.
O rise, pure lamp! and lend thy golden ray
That weary love at last may find his way.

THE THIRD ELEGIE .

Rich, churlish L AND ! that hid'st so long in thee,
My treasures, rich, alas, by robbing mee.
Needs must my miseryes owe that man a spite
Who e're he be was the first wandring knight.
O had he nere been at that cruell cost
N ATURE 's virginity had nere been lost.
Seas had not bin rebuk't by sawcy oares
But ly'n lock't up safe in their sacred shores.
Men had not spurn'd at mountaines; nor made warrs
With rocks; nor bold hands struck the world's strong barres.
Nor lost in too larg bounds, our little Rome
Full sweetly with it selfe had dwell't at home.
My poor A LEXIS , then in peacefull life,
Had under some low roofe lov'd his plain wife.
But now, ah me, from where he has no foes
He flyes; and into willfull exile goes.
Cruell return. O tell the reason why
Thy dearest parents have deserv'd to dy.
And I, what is my crime I cannot tell.
Unlesse it be a crime to'have lov'd too well.
If Heates of holyer love and high desire
Make bigge thy fair brest with immortall fire,
What needes my virgin lord fly thus from me,
Who only wish his virgin wife to be?
Wittnesse, chast heavns! no happyer vowes I know
Then to a virgin G RAVE untouch't to goe.
Love's truest Knott by Venus is not ty'd;
Nor doe embraces onely make a bride.
The Q UEEN of angels, (and men chast as You)
Was Maiden W IFE and Maiden M OTHER too.
C ECILIA , Glory of her name and blood
With happy gain her maiden vowes made good.
The lusty bridegroom made approach: young man,
Take heed (said she) take heed, V ALERIAN !
My bosome's guard, a S PIRIT great and strong,
Stands arm'd, to sheild me from all wanton wrong.
My Chastity is sacred; and my sleep
Wakefull, her dear vowes undefil'd to keep.
P ALLAS beares armes, forsooth, and should there be
No fortresse built for true V IRGINITY ?
No gaping gorgon, this. None, like the rest
Of your learn'd lyes. Here you'l find no such jest.
I'am yours, O were my G OD , my C HRIST so too,
I'd know no name of love on earth but you.
He yeilds, and straight Baptis'd, obtains the grace
To gaze on the fair souldier's glorious face.
Both mixt at last their blood in one rich bed
Of rosy M ARTYRDOME , twice Married.
O burn our hymen bright in such high Flame.
Thy torch, terrestriall love, have here no name.
How sweet the mutuall yoke of man and wife,
When holy fires maintain love's Heavnly life!
But I, (so help me heavn my hopes to see)
When thousands sought my love, lov'd none but Thee.
Still, as their vain teares my firm vowes did try,
A LEXIS , he alone is mine (said I)
Half true, alas, half false, proves that poor line.
A LEXIS is alone; But is not mine.