"Oh shrill-voiced insect! that with dew-drops sweet
Inebriate----"
See also Cowley's ANACREONTIQUES, No. X. THE GRASSHOPPER.
<41.5> i.e.
horizontal lines tinged with gold. See Halliwell's
GLOSSARY OF ARCHAIC WORDS, 1860, art. PLAT (seventh and eighth
meaning). The late editors of Nares cite this passage from LUCASTA
as an
illustration of GUILT-PLATS, which they
define to be "plots
of gold." This
definition, unsupported by any other evidence, is
not very
satisfactory, and certainly it has no
obvious application
here.
<41.6> Randolph says:--
"----toiling ants
perchance delight to hear
The summer musique of the gras-hopper."
POEMS, 1640, p. 90.
It is it question, perhaps, whether Lovelace intended by the
GRASSHOPPER the CICADA or the LOCUSTA. See Sir Thomas Browne's
INQUIRIES INTO VULGAR ERRORS (Works, by Wilkins, 1836, iii. 93).
<41.7> Perch.
<41.8> i.e. old Greek wine.
AN ELEGIE.
ON THE DEATH OF MRS. CASSANDRA COTTON,
ONLY SISTER TO MR. C. COTTON.<42.1>
Hither with
hallowed steps as is the ground,
That must enshrine this saint with lookes profound,
And sad
aspects as the dark vails you weare,
Virgins opprest, draw
gently,
gently neare;
Enter the dismall chancell of this rooome,
Where each pale guest stands fixt a living tombe;
With trembling hands helpe to remove this earth
To its last death and first
victorious birth:
Let gums and
incense fume, who are at strife
To enter th' hearse and
breath in it new life;
Mingle your steppes with flowers as you goe,
Which, as they haste to fade, will speake your woe.
And when y' have plac't your tapers on her urn,
How poor a
tribute 'tis to weep and mourn!
That flood the channell of your eye-lids fils,
When you lose trifles, or what's lesse, your wills.
If you'l be
worthy of these obsequies,
Be blind unto the world, and drop your eyes;
Waste and
consume, burn
downward as this fire
That's fed no more: so
willingly expire;
Passe through the cold and obscure narrow way,
Then light your torches at the spring of day,
There with her
triumph in your victory.
Such joy alone and such solemnity
Becomes this funerall of
virginity.
Or, if you faint to be so blest, oh heare!
If not to dye, dare but to live like her:
Dare to live
virgins, till the honour'd age
Of
thrice fifteen cals matrons on the stage,
Whilst not a
blemish or least staine is scene
On your white roabe 'twixt fifty and fifteene;
But as it in your swathing-bands was given,
Bring't in your winding sheet unsoyl'd to Heav'n.
Daere to do
purely, without
compact good,
Or
herald, by no one understood
But him, who now in thanks bows either knee
For th' early benefit and secresie.
Dare to
affect a serious holy sorrow,
To which delights of pallaces are narrow,
And,
lasting as their smiles, dig you a roome,
Where
practise the probation of your tombe
With ever-bended knees and
piercing pray'r,
Smooth the rough passe through craggy earth to ay'r;
Flame there as lights that shipwrackt mariners
May put in
safely, and secure their feares,
Who, adding to your joyes, now owe you theirs.
Virgins, if thus you dare but courage take
To follow her in life, else through this lake
Of Nature wade, and breake her
earthly bars,
Y' are fixt with her upon a
throne of stars,
Arched with a pure Heav'n chrystaline,
Where round you love and joy for ever shine.
But you are dumbe, as what you do lament
More senseles then her very monument,
Which at your weaknes weeps. Spare that vaine teare,
Enough to burst the rev'rend sepulcher.
Rise and walk home; there groaning
prostrate fall,
And
celebrate your owne sad funerall:
For howsoe're you move, may heare, or see,
YOU ARE MORE DEAD AND BURIED THEN SHEE.
<42.1> Cassandra Cotton, only daughter of Sir George Cotton,
of Warblenton, Co. Sussex, and of Bedhampton, co. Hants, died
some time before 1649,
unmarried. She was the sister of Charles
Cotton the elder, and aunt to the poet. See WALTON'S ANGLER,
ed. Nicolas, Introduction, clxvi.
THE VINTAGE TO THE DUNGEON.
A SONG.<43.1>
SET BY MR. WILLIAM LAWES.
I.
Sing out, pent soules, sing cheerefully!
Care shackles you in liberty:
Mirth frees you in captivity.
Would you double fetters adde?
Else why so sadde?
Chorus.
Besides your pinion'd armes youl finde
Griefe too can manakell the minde.
II.
Live then, pris'ners, uncontrol'd;
Drink oth' strong, the rich, the old,
Till wine too hath your wits in hold;
Then if still your jollitie
And throats are free--
Chorus.
Tryumph in your bonds and paines,
And daunce to the music of your chaines.
<43.1> Probably
composed during the poet's
confinement in
Peterhouse.
ON THE DEATH OF MRS. ELIZABETH FILMER.<44.1>
AN ELEGIACALL EPITAPH.
You that shall live
awhile, before
Old time tyrs, and is no more:
When that this
ambitious stone
Stoopes low as what it tramples on:
Know that in that age, when sinne
Gave the world law, and governd Queene,
A
virgin liv'd, that still put on
White thoughts, though out of fashion:
That trac't the stars, 'spite of report,
And durst be good, though chidden for't:
Of such a soule that
infant Heav'n
Repented what it thus had giv'n:
For
finding equall happy man,
Th'
impatient pow'rs
snatch it agen.
Thus,
chaste as th' ayre whither shee's fled,
She, making her celestiall bed
In her warme alablaster, lay
As cold is in this house of clay:
Nor were the rooms unfit to feast
Or circumscribe this angel-guest;
The
radiant gemme was
brightly set
In as
divine a carkanet;
Of<44.2> which the clearer was not knowne,
Her minde or her complexion.
Such an ever
lasting grace,
Such a beatifick face,
Incloysters here this narrow floore,
That possest all hearts before.
Blest and bewayl'd in death and birth!
The smiles and teares of heav'n and earth!
Virgins at each step are afeard,
Filmer is shot by which they steer'd,
Their star
extinct, their beauty dead,
That the yong world to honour led;
But see! the rapid spheres stand still,
And tune themselves unto her will.
Thus, although this
marble must,
As all things,
crumble into dust,
And though you finde this faire-built tombe
Ashes, as what lyes in its wombe:
Yet her saint-like name shall shine
A living glory to this shrine,
And her eternall fame be read,
When all but VERY VERTUE'S DEAD.<44.3>
<44.1> This lady was perhaps the daughter of Edward Filmer, Esq.,
of East Sutton, co. Kent, by his wife Eliza, daughter of Richard
Argall, Esq., of the same place (See Harl. MS. 1432, p. 300).
Possibly, the Edward Filmer mentioned here was the same as the
author of "Frenche Court Ayres, with their Ditties englished,"
1629, in praise of which Jonson has some lines in his UNDERWOODS.
<44.2> Original reads FOR.
<44.3> "Which ensuing times shall warble,
When 'tis lost, that's writ in
marble."
Wither's FAIR VIRTUE, THE MISTRESS OF PHILARETE, 1622.
Headley (SELECT BEAUTIES, ed. 1810, ii. p. 42) has remarked
the similarity between these lines and some in Collins'
DIRGE IN CYMBELINE:--
"Belov'd till life can charm no more;
And MOURN'D TILL PITY'S SELF BE DEAD."
TO MY WORTHY FRIEND MR. PETER LILLY:<45.1>
ON THAT EXCELLENT PICTURE OF HIS MAJESTY AND THE DUKE OF YORKE,
DRAWNE BY HIM AT HAMPTON-COURT.
See! what a clouded
majesty, and eyes
Whose glory through their mist doth brighter rise!
See! what an
humblebravery doth shine,
And griefe
triumphant breaking through each line,
How it commands the face! so sweet a scorne
Never did HAPPY MISERY adorne!
So
sacred a
contempt, that others show
To this, (oth'
height of all the wheele) below,
That mightiest monarchs by this shaded booke
May coppy out their proudest, richest looke.
Whilst the true eaglet this quick
luster spies,
And by his SUN'S enlightens his owne eyes;
He cures<45.2> his cares, his burthen feeles, then streight
Joyes that so
lightly he can beare such weight;
Whilst either eithers
passion doth borrow,
And both doe
grieve the same
victorious sorrow.
These, my best LILLY, with so bold a spirit
And soft a grace, as if thou didst inherit
For that time all their greatnesse, and didst draw
With those brave eyes your royal sitters saw.
Not as of old, when a rough hand did speake
A strong
aspect, and a faire face, a weake;
When only a black beard cried villaine, and
By hieroglyphicks we could understand;
When chrystall typified in a white spot,
And the bright ruby was but one red blot;
Thou dost the things Orientally the same