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And She Washed His Feet with Her Tears, and Wiped Them with the Hairs of Her Head

The proud AEgyptian Queen, her Roman guest,
(T'express her love in height of state, and pleasure)
With pearl dissolv'd in gold did feast,
Both food, and treasure.

And now (dear Lord!) thy lover, on the fair
And silver tables of thy feet, behold!
Pearl in her tears, and in her hair
Offers thee gold.

A Dialogue between Strephon and Daphne

strephon: Prithee now, fond Fool, give o'er;
Since my Heart is gone before,
To what purpose shou'd I stay?
Love commands another way.

daphne: Perjur'd Swain, I knew the time
When Dissembling was your Crime.
In pity now employ that Art
Which first betray'd, to ease my Heart.

strephon: Women can with pleasure feign:
Men dissemble still with pain.
What advantage will it prove
If I lye, who cannot love?

daphne: Tell me then the reason why,
Love from Hearts in Love does fly?
Why the Bird will build a Nest,

O! what a thing is Love? who can define

O! what a thing is Love? who can define
Or liniament it out? Its strange to tell.
A Sparke of Spirit empearld pill like and fine
In't shugard pargings, crusted, and doth dwell
Within the heart, where thron'd, without Controle
It ruleth all the Inmates of the Soule.

It makes a poother in its Secret Sell
Mongst the affections: oh! it swells, its paind,
Like kirnells soked untill it breaks its Shell
Unless its object be obtained and gain'd.
Like Caskd wines jumbled breake the Caske, this Sparke

The Love of Christ

Come, let's adore the King of Love,
And King of Sufferings too;
For Love it was that brought Him down
And set Him here in woe.

Love drew Him from His Paradise,
Where flowers that fade not grow;
And planted Him in our poor dust,
Among us weeds below.

Here for a time this heavenly Plant
Fairly grew up and thrived;
Diffused its sweetness all about,
And all in sweetness lived.

But envious frosts and furious storms
So long, so fiercely chide;
This tender Flower at last bowed down,
And hung its head and died.

The Pumpkin-Eater

Peter, Peter, pumpkin eater,
Had a wife and couldn't keep her;
He put her in a pumpkin shell
And there he kept her very well.

Peter, Peter, pumpkin eater,
Had another, and didn't love her;
Peter learned to read and spell,
And then he loved her very well.

The Old Love

Out of my door I step into
The country, all her scent and dew,
Nor travel there by a hard road,
Dusty and far from my abode.

The country washes to my door
Green miles on miles in soft uproar,
The thunder of the woods, and then
The backwash of green surf again.

Beyond the feverfew and stocks,
The guelder-rose and hollyhocks;
Outside my trellised porch a tree
Of lilac frames a sky for me.

A stretch of primrose and pale green
To hold the tender Hesper in;
Hesper that by the moon makes pale

Hearts and Flowers

1. Out amongst the flowers sweet, Lingers pretty Marguerite,
Sowing with her hands so white, Future blossoms, fair and bright.
And the sunbeams lovingly,
Kiss sweet Marguerite for me.
Kiss my little lady sweet,
Blue eyed gentle Marguerite!
2. When I say, " Oh Marguerite, All my heart is at your feet,
Turn it to a garden fair, See it blossom 'neath your care.
Till it yields for you alone,
Wond'rous fragrance all your own.
And its sweetest flowers shall grow,
For my Marguerite I know!

Vertue, whom we all obtain

Vertue, whom we all obtain
With much labour, but more gain,
For your sake to dy would please,
Toyle and torments were but ease,
You direct men in pursuit
Of immortall sacred fruit,
Richer far then gold refin'd,
Soft as sleep, as parents kinde.
Great Alcides for your sake
Labours vast did undertake.
Leda's valiant twins made known
More your glories then their own;
Ajax and Achilles too
Only dy'd for love of you;
Ah! for you Atarna's pride ;
Hermias untimely dy'd .
But his name we will revive;
That our Muse shal keep alive,

For Her Heart Only

Only, sweet Love, afford me but thy heart,
Then close thine eyes within their ivory covers,
That they to me no beam of light impart,
Although they shine on all thy other lovers.
As for thy lip of ruby, cheek of rose,
Though I have kissed them oft with sweet content,
I am content that sweet content to lose;
If thy sweet Will will bar me, I assent.
Let me not touch thy hand, but through thy glove,
Nor let it be the pledge of kindness more;
Keep all thy beauties to thyself, sweet Love,
I ask not such bold favours as before.

Accompanying a Gift

(A Quilt.)

One whose love will never end,
May this present, from a friend,
Bring to thee refreshing sleep,
While thy spirit angels keep.

Peaceful may thy slumbers be,
From the cares of time set free,
Till the dream of life is past —
Till we meet at home at last.