Another Mary then arose, And did rigorous laws impose; Had not Rebecca set me free. When fair Rebecca set me free, 'Twas then a golden time with me; But soon those pleasures fled; For the gracious princess died, In her youth and beauty's pride, And Judith reignéd in her stead. One month, three days, and half an hour, But so small and weak her wit, And so Susanna took her place. But, when Isabella came, Armed with a resistless flame, And th' artillery of her eye; Whilst she proudly marched about Greater conquests to find out, She beat out Susan, by the by. But in her place I then obeyed Black-eyed Bess, her viceroy-maid, To whom ensued a vacancy. Thousand worse passions then possessed The interregnum of my breast: Bless me from such an anarchy! Gentle Henrietta then, And a third Mary next began; And then a pretty Thomasine, And then a long et cætera. But should I now to you relate, The strength and riches of their state, The ribands, jewels, and the rings, If I should tell the politic arts To take and keep men's hearts; The letters, embassies, and spies, The frowns, and smiles, and flatteries, The quarrels, tears, and perjuries, Numberless, nameless mysteries ! And all the little lime-twigs laid By Machiavel, the waiting-maid; I more voluminous should grow (Chiefly, if I like them should tell All change of weathers that befel) Than Holinshed, or Stow. But I will briefer with them be, Since few of them were long with me. An higher and a noble strain, My present emperess doth claim, Whom God grant long to reign! THE ROCK OF RUBIES, AND THE QUARRY OF PEARLS. Some asked me where the rubies grew, And nothing I did say, But with my finger pointed to The lips of Julia. Some asked how pearls did grow, and where, Then spoke I to my girl, To part her lips, and showed them there The quarrelets of pearl. THE CAPTIVED BEE, OR THE LITTLE FILCHER. As Julia once a slumbering lay, To tipple freely in a flower. For some rich flower he took the lip Of Julia, and began to sip; But when he felt he sucked from thence Honey, and in the quintessence, He drank so much he scarce could stir, So Julia took the pilferer, And thus surprised, as filchers use, Of honey 'fore her ladyship; And told her, as some tears did fall, That that he took, and that was all. TO DAISIES, NOT TO SHUT SO SOON. Shut not so soon; the dull-eyed night To make a seizure on the light, No marigolds yet closed are, Nor doth the early shepherd's star Stay but till my Julia close Her life-begetting eye; And let the whole world then dispose THE NIGHT-PIECE, TO JULIA. Her eyes the glow-worm lend thee, Whose little eyes glow Like the sparks of fire, befriend thee. No Will-o'-th'-Wisp mislight thee; But on, on thy way, Not making a stay, Since ghost there's none to affright thee. Let not the dark thee cumber; What though the moon does slumber? The stars of the night, Will lend thee their light, Like tapers clear without number. |