The Hesperides & Noble Numbers Part 64

742. UPON HER WEEPING.

She wept upon her cheeks, and weeping so, She seem'd to quench love's fire that there did glow.

743. ANOTHER UPON HER WEEPING.

She by the river sat, and sitting there, She wept, and made it deeper by a tear.

744. DELAY.

Break off delay, since we but read of one That ever prospered by cunctation.

_Cunctation_, delay: the word is suggested by the name of Fabius Cunctator, the conqueror of the Carthaginians, addressed by Virg.

(aen. vi. 846) as "Unus qui n.o.bis cunctando rest.i.tuis rem".

745. TO SIR JOHN BERKLEY, GOVERNOR OF EXETER.

Stand forth, brave man, since fate has made thee here The Hector over aged Exeter, Who for a long, sad time has weeping stood Like a poor lady lost in widowhood, But fears not now to see her safety sold, As other towns and cities were, for gold By those ign.o.ble births which shame the stem That gave progermination unto them: Whose restless ghosts shall hear their children sing, "Our sires betrayed their country and their king".

True, if this city seven times rounded was With rock, and seven times circ.u.mflank'd with bra.s.s, Yet if thou wert not, Berkley, loyal proof, The senators, down tumbling with the roof, Would into prais'd, but pitied, ruins fall, Leaving no show where stood the capitol.

But thou art just and itchless, and dost please Thy Genius with two strengthening b.u.t.tresses, Faith and affection, which will never slip To weaken this thy great dictators.h.i.+p.

_Progermination_, budding out.

_Itchless_, _i.e._, with no itch for bribes.

746. TO ELECTRA. LOVE LOOKS FOR LOVE.

Love love begets, then never be Unsoft to him who's smooth to thee.

Tigers and bears, I've heard some say, For proffer'd love will love repay: None are so harsh, but if they find Softness in others, will be kind; Affection will affection move, Then you must like because I love.

747. REGRESSION SPOILS RESOLUTION.

Hast thou attempted greatness? then go on: Back-turning slackens resolution.

748. CONTENTION.

Discreet and prudent we that discord call That either profits, or not hurts at all.

749. CONSULTATION.

Consult ere thou begin'st; that done, go on With all wise speed for execution.

_Consult_, take counsel. The word and the epigram are suggested by Sall.u.s.t's "Nam et, prius quam incipias, consulto, et ubi consulueris, mature facto opus est," Cat. i.

750. LOVE DISLIKES NOTHING.

Whatsoever thing I see, Rich or poor although it be; 'Tis a mistress unto me.

Be my girl or fair or brown, Does she smile or does she frown, Still I write a sweetheart down.

Be she rough or smooth of skin; When I touch I then begin For to let affection in.

Be she bald, or does she wear Locks incurl'd of other hair, I shall find enchantment there.

Be she whole, or be she rent, So my fancy be content, She's to me most excellent.

Be she fat, or be she lean, Be she s.l.u.ttish, be she clean, I'm a man for ev'ry scene.

751. OUR OWN SINS UNSEEN.

Other men's sins we ever bear in mind; _None sees the fardell of his faults behind_.

_Fardell_, bundle.

752. NO PAINS, NO GAINS.

If little labour, little are our gains: Man's fortunes are according to his pains.

754. VIRTUE BEST UNITED.

By so much, virtue is the less, By how much, near to singleness.

755. THE EYE.

A wanton and lascivious eye Betrays the heart's adultery.

756. TO PRINCE CHARLES UPON HIS COMING TO EXETER.

What fate decreed, time now has made us see, A renovation of the west by thee.

That preternatural fever, which did threat Death to our country, now hath lost his heat, And, calms succeeding, we perceive no more Th' unequal pulse to beat, as heretofore.

Something there yet remains for thee to do; Then reach those ends that thou wast destin'd to.

Go on with Sylla's fortune; let thy fate Make thee like him, this, that way fortunate: Apollo's image side with thee to bless Thy war (discreetly made) with white success.

Meantime thy prophets watch by watch shall pray, While young Charles fights, and fighting wins the day: That done, our smooth-paced poems all shall be Sung in the high doxology of thee.

Then maids shall strew thee, and thy curls from them Receive with songs a flowery diadem.

_Sylla's fortune_, in allusion to Sylla's surname of _Felix_.

_Doxology_, glorifying.