Anne Killigrew

“ Hard as the Earth he feels his Downy Bed, His Pillow stufft with Thornes, that bears his Head, He rolls from side to side, in vain seeks Rest; For if sleep comes at last to the Distrest; His Troubles then cease not to vex him too, But Dreams present, what he does waking do. On th'other side, if he obtains the Prey, And Fate to his impetuous Sute gives way, Be he or Rich, or Amorous, or Great, He'll find this Riddle still of a Defeat, That only Care, for Bliss, he home has brought, Or else Contempt of what he so much sought. ”

“ The Bird to whom the spacious Aire was given, As in a smooth and trackless Path to go, A Walk which does no Limits know Pervious alone to Her and Heaven: Should she her Airy Race forget, On Earth affect to walk and sit; Should she so high a Priviledge neglect, As still on Earth, to walk and sit, affect, What could she of Wrong complain, Who thus her Birdly Kind doth stain, If all her Feathers moulted were, And naked she were left and bare, The Jest and Scorn of Earth and Aire? ”

“ Thy Brother-Angels at thy Birth Strung each his Lyre, and tun'd it high, That all the People of the Skie Might know a Poetess was born on Earth. And then if ever, Mortal Ears Had heard the Musick of the Spheres! And if no clust'ring Swarm of Bees On thy sweet Mouth distill'd their golden Dew, 'Twas that, such vulgar Miracles, Heav'n had not Leasure to renew: For all the Blest Fraternity of Love Solemniz'd there thy Birth, and kept thy Holyday above. IV.
O Gracious God! ”

“ But hurry thee, uncurb'd, from place to place, A wild, unruly, and an Uncouth Chace. Now cursed Gold does lead the Man astray, False flatt'ring Honours do anon betray, Then Beauty does as dang'rously delude, Beauty, that vanishes, while 'tis pursu'd, That, while we do behold it, fades away, And even a Long Encomium will not stay.
Each one of these can the Whole Man employ, Nor knows he anger, sorrow, fear, or joy, But what to these relate; no Thought does start Aside, but tends to its appointed Part, No Respite to himself from Cares he gives, But on the Rack of Expectation lives. ”

“ Here take no Care, take here no Care, my Muse, Nor ought of Art or Labour use: But let thy Lines rude and unpolisht go, Nor Equal be their Feet, nor Num'rous let them flow. The ruggeder my Measures run when read, They'l livelier paint th'unequal Paths fond Mortals tread. Who when th'are tempted by the smooth Ascents, Which flatt'ring Hope presents, Briskly they clime, and Great Things undertake; But Fatal Voyages, alas, they make: For 'tis not long before their Feet, Inextricable Mazes meet, Perplexing Doubts obstruct their Way, Mountains with-stand them of Dismay ”

“ Their Sighs and Groans who draw a painful Breath, And feel the Pangs of slow approaching Death: Yet happier these, far happier are the Dead, Than who into Captivity are led: What by their Chains, and by the Victors Pride, We pity these, and envy those that dy'd. ”

“ Friendship, the Cement, that does faster twine Two Souls, than that which Soul and Body joyn: Thousands have been, who their own Blood did spill, But never any yet his Friend did kill. Then 'gainst thy Dart what Armour can be found, Who, where thou do'st not strike, do'st deepest wound? ”

“ Wary, without the least Offence, to live, Yet none than thee more ready to forgive! Even on thy Beauty thou dost Fetters lay, Least, unawares, it any should betray. Far unlike, sure, to many of thy Sex, Whose Pride it is, the doting World to vex; [Pg 61] Spreading their Universal Nets to take Who e're their artifice can captive make. But thou command'st thy Sweet, but Modest Eye, That no Inviting Glance from thence should fly. Beholding with a Gen'rous Disdain, The lighter Courtships of each amorous Swain; Knowing, true Fame, Vertue alone can give: Nor dost thou greedily even that receive. ”

“ Yet thou of many Evils art but One, Though thou by much too many art alone.
[Pg 35] What shall I say of Poverty, whence flows? To miserable Man so many Woes? Rediculous Evil which too oft we prove, Does Laughter cause, where it should Pitty move; Solitary Ill, into which no Eye, Though ne're so Curious, ever cares to pry, And were there, 'mong such plenty, onely One Poor Man, he certainly would live alone.
Yet Poverty does leave the Man entire, But Sickness nearer Mischiefs does conspire; Invades the Body with a loath'd Embrace, Prides both its Strength, and Beauty to deface ”

“ May thy Bright Love, All Youthfull Minds Inspire, And like the SUN, put out all other Fire; May all the Virtuous Celebrate thy Name; All Poets Hearts Partake of thy Great Flame That all their Ardors & their Flights may be The Flames that Fly up to the Deitie ”

“ What ever happy Region be thy place, Cease thy Celestial Song a little space; (Thou wilt have Time enough for Hymns Divine, Since Heav'ns Eternal Year is thine.) Hear then a Mortal Muse thy Praise rehearse, In no ignoble Verse; But such as thy own voice did practise here, When thy first Fruits of Poesie were giv'n; To make thy self a welcome Inmate there: While yet a young Probationer, And Candidate of Heav'n. II.
If by Traduction came thy Mind, Our Wonder is the less to find A Soul so charming from a Stock so good ”

“ Oh Cruel Fetters! rather wish to feel, On your soft Limbs, the Gauling Weight of Steel; Rather to bloudy Wounds oppose your Breast No Ill, by which the Body can be prest; You will so sensible a Torment find, As Shackles on your captivated Mind. ”

“ For few are found, that truly acted be By Principles of Generosity. That when they know a Virgins Heart they've gain'd, (And though by many Vows and Arts obtain'd) Will think themselves oblig'd their Faith to hold Tempted by Friends, by Interest, or by Gold. Expect it not: most, Love their Pastime make, Lightly they Like, and lightly they forsake; Their Roving Humour wants but a pretence With Oaths and what's most Sacred to dispence. When unto such a Maid has given her Heart, And said, Alone my Happiness thou art, In thee and in thy Truth I place my Rest. ”

“ Since no Material Stroke the Soul can feel, The smart of Fire, or yet the Edge of Steel. As little can it Worldly Joys partake, Though it the Body does its Agent make, And joyntly with it Servile Labour bear, For Things, alas, in which it cannot share. ”

“ Her, Thee, & All the Glorious Souls Above I Now Enioy, whilst in You All I Love The Boundless Spring of Joy to Ev'ry Mind That knowes what's Truly Fair & Knowes what's Truly Kind. How have I Labour'd to Depress the Pride Of one [Dr. Parker] that strives Illustrious Truth to Hide In the Thick Bushes of Learn'd Sophistrie, Which he that Enters hardly sees the Skie? Truth that thy Splendid Soul did clearly see And of it made a plain Discoverie. And having Conquer'd Fate, Thou leavst those Arms [Her Poems] By which Mankind may Conquer All their Harms And make them Serve their Noble Purposes. ”

“ Celinda great in Birth, greater in Meen, Yet none so humble as this Fair-One's seen. Her Youth and Beauty justly might disdain, But the least Pride her Glories ne're did stain. [Pg 78] Celinda of each State th'ambitious Strife, At once a Noble Virgin, and a Wife Who, while her Gallant Lord in Forraign parts Adorns his Youth with all accomplisht Arts, Grows ripe at home in Vertue, more than Years, And in each Grace a Miracle appears! ”

“ How dares its Ulcerous Face appear, When Heavenly Beauty is so near? But so when God was close at hand, And the bright Cloud did threatning stand (In sight of Israel) on the Tent, They on in their Rebellion went.
O that I once so happy were, To find a nearer Shelter there! Till then poor Dove, I wandering fly [Pg 10] Between the Deluge and the Skie: Till then I Mourn, but do not sing, And oft shall plunge my wearied wing: If her bless'd hand vouchsafe the Grace, I'th'Ark with her to give a place, I safe from danger shall be found, When Vice and Folly others drown'd. ”

“ As Man does Man, more skilful to annoy, Both Mischievous and Witty to destroy. The bloody Wolf, the Wolf does not pursue; The Boar, though fierce, his Tusk will not embrue In his own Kind, Bares, not on Bares do prey: Then art thou, Man, more savage far than they.
And now, methinks, I present do behold The Bloudy Fields that are in Fame enroll'd, I see, I see thousands in Battle slain, The Dead and Dying cover all the Plain, Confused Noises hear, each way sent out, The Vanquishts Cries joyn'd with the Victors shout ”

“ Now liquid Streams by the fierce Cold do grow As solid as the Rocks from whence they flow; Now Tibers Banks with Ice united meet, And it's firm Stream may well be term'd its Street; Now Vot'ries 'fore the Shrines like Statues show, And scarce the Men from Images we know; Now Winters Palsey seizes ev'ry Age, And none's so warm, but feels the Seasons Rage; Even the bright Lillies and triumphant Red Which o're Corinna's youthful cheeks are spred, Look pale and bleak, and shew a purple hew, And Violets staine, where Roses lately grew. ”

“ And can it be, Lord of the Sea and Earth, Off-spring of Heaven, that to thy State and Birth Things so incompatible should be joyn'd, Passions should thee confound, to Heaven assign'd? [Pg 42] Passions that do the Soul unguarded lay, And to the strokes of Fortune ope' a way. Were't not that these thy Force did from thee take, How bold, how brave Resistance would'st thou make? Defie the Strength and Malice of thy Foes, Unmoved stand the Worlds United Blows? For what is't, Man, unto thy Better Part, That thou or Sick, or Poor, or Captive art? ”

“ A Charge Heaven dares to few commit, So few, like her, can manage it; Without all Blame or Envy bear, The being Witty, Great and Fair! III.
[Pg 80] So well these Murd'ring Weapons weild, As first Herself with them to shield, Then slaughter none in proud Disport, Destroy those she invites to Court: Great are her Charmes, but Vertue more, She wounds no Hearts, though All adore. IV.
'Tis Am'rous Beauty Love invites, A Passion, like it self, excites: The Paragon, though all admire, Kindles in none a fond desire: No more than those the Kings Renown And State applaud, affect his Crown. ”

“ No Terror sits upon his Awful Brow, Where Fierceness reign'd, there Calmness triumphs now; As Lovers use, he gazes on my Face, With Eyes that languish, as they sued for Grace; Wholly subdu'd by my Victorious Charms, See how his Head reposes in my Arms. Come, joyn then with me in my just Transport, Who thus have brought the Hermite to the Court. ”

“ Here's no faint trembling Flame: all Bright appears 'Tis ne're blown out with Sighs, nor quencht with tears. Thy Soul Enflames my Love: the Unitie I had with Her, who was Allie'd to Thee Is Now made Perfect: Our Souls Mutual Flame Tho Higher in Degree in Nature's still the same. ”

“ From Heaven they are, and such as ne're can dye, But with thy Soul they will ascend the Sky! For though my ravisht Eye beholds in Thee, Such beauty as I can in none else see; [Pg 60] That Nature there alone is without blame, Yet did not this my faithful Heart enflame: Nor when in Dance thou mov'st upon the Plaine, Or other Sports pursu'st among the Train Of choicest Nymphs, where thy attractive Grace Shews thee alone, though thousands be in place! Yet not for these do I Alinda love, Hear then what 'tis, that does my Passion move. ”

“ Thus nothing to her Genius was deny'd, But like a Ball of Fire the further thrown, Still with a greater Blaze she shone, And her bright Soul broke out on ev'ry side. What next she had design'd, Heaven only knows, To such Immod'rate Growth her Conquest rose, That Fate alone their Progress could oppose. VIII.
Now all those Charmes, that blooming Grace, The well-proportion'd Shape, and beauteous Face, Shall never more be seen by Mortal Eyes ”

“ In Mind, as well as Body, far more weak Than Men: therefore to them my Song shall speak, Advising well, however it succeed: But unto All I say, Of Love take heed. So hazardous, because so hard to know On whom they are we do our Hearts bestow ”

“ Tell me thou safest End of all our Woe, Why wreched Mortals do avoid thee so: Thou gentle drier o'th' afflicteds Tears, Thou noble ender of the Cowards Fears; Thou sweet Repose to Lovers sad dispaire, Thou Calm t'Ambitions rough Tempestuous Care. If in regard of Bliss thou wert a Curse, And then the Joys of Paradise art worse; Yet after Man from his first Station fell, And God from Eden Adam did expel, Thou wert no more an Evil, but Relief; The Balm and Cure to ev'ry Humane Grief: Through thee (what Man had forfeited before) [Pg 14] He now enjoys, and ne'r can loose it more. ”

“ Confessing though, in Love, he be, A Powerful, Dreadful Deitie, A Child, in Wrath, can do as much as he: Whence is this Evil hurl'd, On all the sweetness of the World? Among those Things with Beauty shine, (Both Humane natures, and Divine) There was not so much sorrow spi'd, No, not that Day the sweet Adonis died! II.
Ambitious both to know the Ill, and to partake, The little Weeping Gods I thus bespake. ”

“ Paying short thanks, at fair Amiras feet, I'le lay me down: let her choose where 'tis meet
Al. Shepherd, behold, we all attentive sit.
Meli. What shall I sing? what shall my Muse reherse? Love is a Theme well sutes a Past'ral Verse, That gen'ral Error, Universal Ill, That Darling of our Weakness and our Will; By which though many fall, few hold it shame; Smile at the Fault, which they would seem to blame. What wonder then, if those with Mischief play, It to destruction them doth oft betray? But by experience it is daily found, That Love the softer Sex does sorest wound ”

“ While daily these Perfections I discry, Matchless Alinda makes me daily dy. Thou absent, Flow'rs to me no Odours yield, Nor find I freshness in the dewy Field; Not Thyrsis Voice, nor Melibeus Lire, Can my Sad Heart with one Gay Thought inspire; My thriving Flock ('mong Shepherds Vows the Chief) I unconcern'd behold, as they my Grief. This I profess, if this thou not believe, A further proof I ready am to give, Command: there's nothing I'le not undertake, And, thy Injunctions, Love will easie make. [Pg 62] Ah, if thou couldst incline a gentle Ear, Of plighted Faith, and hated Hymen hear ”