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Si mi percuoton forte, come ei fuole
Per l'arene di Libia chi s'invia,
Mentre un caldo vapor (ne fenti pria)
Da quel lato fi fpinge ove mi duole
Che force amanti nelle lor parole
Chiaman fofpir; io non fo che fi fiaș
Parte rinchiusa, e turbida fi cela

Scoffo mi il petto, e poi n'ufcendo poce
Quivi d'attorno s'agghiaccia, o s'ingielaz
Ma quanto a gli occhi giunge a trovar loco
Tutte le notti a me fuol far piovofe
Finche mia Alba rivien colma di rofe.

SONNET VI.

Giovane piano, e semplicetto amante

Poi che fuggir me stesso in dubbio fono, Madonna a voi del mio cuor P bumil dena Faro divoto; io certo a prove tante L'bebbi fedele, intrepido, conftante,

De penfieri leggiadro, accorto, e buono ; Quando rugge il gran mondo e scocca il tuono, S'arma di Je e d'intero diamante,

Tante del forfe, e d'invidia ficuro,

Di timori, e speranze al popol use

Quanto d'ingegno, e d'alto valor vago,

E di cetra fonora, e delle mufe:
Sol troverete in tal parte men dure
Ove amor mife l'infanabil ago.

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SONNET

VII.

On his being arriv'd to his 23d Year. How foon hath Time, the fubtle thief of youth, Stol'n on his wing my three and twentieth year! My hafting days flie on with full career, But my late fpring no bud or bloffom fhew'th. Perhaps my femblance might deceive the truth, That I to manhood am arriv'd so near;

And inward ripeness doth much less appear, That fome more timely happy spirits indu'th. Yet be it lefs or more, or foon or flow,

It fhall be ftill in ftrictest measure ev'n

To that fame lot, however mean or high,

Tow'rd which Time leads me, and the will of All is, if I have grace to use it so, [Heav'n;

As ever in my great Task-master's eye.

SONNET VIII.

To the Soldier, to spare his Dwelling-place.

Captain, or Colonel, or Knight in Arms,

Whofe chance on thefe defenceless doors may feize, If ever deed of honour did thee please,

Guard them, and him within protect from harms, He can requite thee; for he knows the charms That call Fame on fuch gentle acts as thefe, And he can spread thy name 'er Lands and Seas, What-ever clime the Sun's bright circle warms.

Lift not thy fpear against the Muses Bower.

The

The great Emathian Conqueror bid spare

The house of Pindarus, when Temple and Tower
Went to the ground: And the repeated air
Of fad Electra's Poet had the power
To fave th' Atberian Walls from rujn bare.

SONNET IX.
To a Lady.

Lady, that in the prime of earliest youth
Wifely haft fhun'd the broad way and the green,
And with thofe few art eminently feen,
That labour up the Hill of Heav'nly Truth.
The better part with Mary and with Ruth
Chofen thou haft, and they that overween,
And at thy growing virtues fret their fleen,
No anger find in thee, but pity and ruth.
Thy care is fixt, and zealously attends

To fill thy odorous Lamp with deeds of light,
And hope that reaps not shame. Therefore be fure
Thou, when the bridegroom with his feaftful friends
Paffes to blifs at the mid-hour of night,
Haft gain'd thy entrance, Virgin wife and pure.

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To the Lady Margaret Lee Daughter to the Earl of Marlborough.

Daughter to that good Earl, once President
Of England's Council, and her Treasury,
Who liv'd in both unftain'd with gold or fee,
And left them both more in himself content,

M 3

TIN

Till the fad breaking of that Parliament
Broke him, as that dishonest victory
At Charonea, fatal to Liberty,

Kill'd with report that old man eloquent.
Though later born, than to have known the days
Wherein your Father flourisht, yet by you,
Madam, methinks I fee him living yet:
So well your words his noble virtues praise,
That all both judge you to relate them true,
And to poffefs them, Honour'd Margaret.

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On the Reception his Book of Divorce met. with.

A Book was writ of late call'd Tetrachordon;
And woven close, both matter, form and ftile;
The fubject new: it walk'd the Town a while,
Numb'ring good intellects; now seldom pored on.
Cries the ftall-reader, Blefs us! what a word on
A title page is this! and fome in file

Stand fpelling falfe, while one might walk to Mile-
End Green. Why is it harder, Sirs, than Gorden,
Colkitto, or Macdonnel, or Galafp?

Thofe rugged Names to our like mouths grow fleek,

That would have made Quintilian stare and gafp. Thy age, like ours, O Soul of Sir John Cheek, Hated not Learning worse than Toad or Afp, When thou taught'ft Cambridge, and King Ed

ward Greek.

SON

SONNET XII.

On the fame.

I did but prompt the age to quit their clogs
By the known rules of ancient Liberty,
When ftrait a barbarous noife environs me
Of Owls and Cuckoes, Affes, Apes and Dogs:
As when those Hinds that were transform'd to Frogs
Rail'd at Latena's twin-born Progenie,

Which after held the Sun and Moon in fee.
But this is got by cafting Pearls to hogs ;,
That bawl for freedom in their fenfeiefs mood,

And ftill revolt when truth would fet them free. Licence they mean when they cry Liberty; For who loves that, must first be wife and good: But from that mark how far they rove we fee, For all this waste of wealth, and lofs of blood.

SONNET

XIII.

To Mr. H. Lawes, on his Aires. Harry, whofe tuneful and well-meafur'd Song

First taught our English Musick how to span Words with just note and accent, not to fcan With Midas' Ears, committing short and long; Thy worth and skill exempts thee from the throng, With praise enough for Envy to look wan; To after age thou shalt be writ the man,

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