Classic Poem

Did Wisedome write, or speake the world to please,
Shee were not wisedom in a pleasing Sence:
Then who doth please with any one of these
Doth please vnwisely, but the World, or Sence.
Then are they worldly wise or sensual
That doe soe write or speake; but none of those
Can be in them whose words can sweeten Gall,
Which Sweets do rest where sweetest Soules repose.
And they repose but in the Sweet of Sweets
[God only wise] or Bodies of the Blest:
In whom true Wisedome, Grace and Nature meets,
Whose gracefull Words are naturally exprest.
If Words inchaunt the Sense, and not the Soule
The Charme of Words coniures no holy Spright:
For, Such, such Words (not Such, such Words) controule;
Soule-pleasing Words must then, bee rare, and right.
Yet though a Sonnet bee as right, as rare,
For Number Measure, Waight, or Noueltie,
Yet if it sounds so, but to Senses Eare,
The Soule, as harshe, doth hold that Hermonie:
Then all our Straines that relishe double Loue,
(Sweet double Relishe, worthie treble praise)
To Soule, and Bodie Soule and Body moue.
(With ioy) to listen, as to Angells Laies!
These bee the Aires that gett the Aire of Fame,
[Of Fame whose Aire, diuinely is refinde]
That feeds with purest praise immortall Name;
Fitting the nature of each mightie Minde
And they are only mightie that disdaine,
All that that disagrees with Mightinesse:
As is light Loue, fraile Fancies Shadowes vaine,
Weake Witt, base Blisse, Worlds weale, or Wretchednes.
Then [as to Nature curst, but kinde to Grace]
I here haue made a Rodd my selfe to beate,
Whose highest reach in Straines of Loue, is base,
Sith Lightnesse measures them with heauie Feete
Yet if this Lightnesse heauy make the Light
In Summing vp my Numbers totall Summe,
I hope the weight thereof, will bee of weight
Their Lightnesse [if it rise] to ouercome:
For, they are too Light that in Those but waigh
What Lusters, not what Louers ought to say.