'Twas when the spousal time of May
Hangs all the hedge with bridal wreaths,
And air's so sweet the bosom gay
Gives thanks for every breath it breathes;
When like to like is gladly moved,
And each thing joins in Spring's refrain,
"Let those love now who never loved;
"Let those who have loved love again;'
That I, in whom the sweet time wrought,
Lay stretch'd within a lonely glade,
Abandon'd to delicious thought,
Beneath the softly twinkling shade.
The leaves, all stirring, mimick'd well
A neighbouring rush of rivers cold,

What measure Fate to him shall mete
Is not the noble Lover's care;
He's heart-sick with a longing sweet
To make her happy as she's fair.
Oh, misery, should she him refuse,
And so her dearest good mistake!
His own success he thus pursues
With frantic zeal for her sole sake.

To lose her were his life to blight,
Being loss to hers; to make her his,
Except as helping her delight,
He calls but incidental bliss;
And, holding life as so much pelf
To buy her posies, learns this lore:
He does not rightly love himself

Whene'er I come where ladies are,
How sad soever I was before,
Though like a ship frost-bound and far
Withheld in ice from the ocean's roar,
Third-wintered in that dreadful dock,
With stiffened cordage, sails decayed,
And crew that care for calm and shock
Alike, too dull to be dismayed,
Yet, if I come where ladies are,
How sad soever I was before,
Then is my sadness banished far,
And I am like that ship no more;
Or like that ship if the ice-field splits,
Burst by the sudden polar Spring,
And all thank God with their warming wits,

By the great stones we chose our ground
For shade; and there, in converse sweet,
Took luncheon. On a little mound
Sat the three ladies; at their feet
I sat; and smelt the healthy smell,
Pluck'd harebells, turn'd the telescope
To the country round. My life went well,
For once, without the wheels of hope;
And I despised the Druid rocks
That scowl'd their chill gloom from above,
Like churls whose stolid wisdom mocks
The lightness of immortal love.
And, as we talk'd, my spirit quaff'd
The sparkling winds; the candid skies

Across the sky the daylight crept,
And birds grew garrulous in the grove,
And on my marriage-morn I slept
A soft sleep, undisturb'd by love.

Graecinus (well I wot) thou told'st me once
I could not be in love with two at once.
By thee deceiv'd, by thee surpris'd am I,
For now I love two women equally.
Both are well favoured, both rich in array,
Which is the loveliest it is hard to say.
This seems the fairest, so doth that to me,
And this doth please me most, and so doth she.
Even as a boat toss'd by contrary wind,
So with this love and that, wavers my mind.
Venus, why doublest thou my endless smart?
Was not one wench enough to grieve my heart?

My lifes Catastrophe is at an end,
The Staffe whereon my sickly Love did leane,
And which from falling (still) did him defend,
Is through mischance in sunder broken cleane.
 Gone is my Mediatrix , my best Advocate ,
 Who usde for me to intercessionate.

Ah that my Love cannot aright be waide
In Ballance just, as merits due desart,
But must with Hate (for her Goodwill) be paide,
Whereof Th'exchequer is mine ALBAS Hart:
 The Saphire cut with his owne dust may be,
 Mine owne pure Faith, in Love confoundeth me.

The Fall of Leafe , the Spring tide of my Love ,
Flowring a fresh with Hope I found to bee:
But now (alas) the Spring time for to prove,
Fall of the Leafe of my lost Love I see.
 The Carnovale of my sweet LOVE is past,
 Now comes the Lent of my long Hate at last.

LOVE is revolted, whilst he (Traytor like)
Against his prince (gainst me his Soveraigne)
Weapons unjust (sauns cause) takes up to fight,
And doth his fealtie and his Homage staine.
 He is revolted and mine ALBA'S fled,
 I seeme alive here, yet in deede am dead.

Rivers of gorie blood into the Sea,
In sted of Waters shall most swiftlie runne;
The hugie Ocean drie as land shall be,
And darke as pitch shall shew the glistering Sunne:
 LOVE shall of Love, and kindenes be deprivde,
 And vastie world (sauns people) shall abide.

The Night shall lightsome be as Day most plaine,
The Heavens with their coloured cloudes shall fall,
Fore LOVE in me, a new IDEA frame,
Or my firme Heart, from ALBA alter shall;
 Ah fore I change, let horror stop my breth,
 Unworthie Her, unworthie of this earth.

An Answer.

Bound by Desert, (thy Merits, but not mine)
A Stranger thou, how shall I make amends?
That of thy friendship, such assured signe
(To me scant knowne) such loving Verses sends?
 Thanks give I; that's a yonger Brother's reward,
 Nought els I have, my Fortune is so hard.

My worthles lines th'hast red, (as thou dost write)
But (partiall thou) too much the same dost praise,
To sing still kindly thou dost me invite,
My Glorie (but indeed my Shame) to blaze.
 Alas I cannot; dead is that sweet Fire,