Who is it that fays moft? which can say more
Than this rich praise, that you alone are you?
In whofe confine immured is the store
Which should example where your equal grew..
Lean penury within that pen doth dwell
That to his fubje&t lends not some small glory;
But he that writes of you, if he can tell
That you are you, fo dignifies his story,
Let him but copy what in you is writ,
Not making worse what nature made so clear,
And fuch a counterpart shall fame his wit,
Making his style admired every where.
You to your beauteous blessings add a curse,
Being fond on praife, which makes your praises
worse.
My tongue-tied Mufe in manners holds her still, While comments of your praise, richly compiled, Referve their character with golden quill,
And precious phrafe by all the Mufes filed.
I think good thoughts, whilft other write good words,
And, like unlettered clerk, still cry 'Amen'
To every hymn that able spirit affords,
In polish'd form of well-refined pen.
Hearing you praised, I say ''Tis so, 'tis true,'
And to the most of praise add something more;
But that is in my thought, whose love to you,
Though words come hindmoft, holds his rank before.
Then others for the breath of words respect,
Me for my dumb thoughts, fpeaking in effect.
Was it the proud full fail of his great verse,
Bound for the prize of all too precious you,
That did my ripe thoughts in my brain inhearse,
Making their tomb the womb wherein they grew?
Was it his fpirit, by fpirits taught to write
Above a mortal pitch, that struck me dead?
No, neither he, nor his compeers by night
Giving him aid, my verse astonished.
He, nor that affable familiar ghost
Which nightly gulls him with intelligence,
As victors, of my filence cannot boast;
I was not fick of any fear from thence?
But when your countenance fill'd up his line,
Then lack'd I matter; that enfeebled mine.
Farewell! thou art too dear for my possessing,
And like enough thou know'st thy estimate:
The charter of thy worth gives thee releasing;
My bonds in thee are all determinate.
For how do I hold thee but by thy granting?
And for that riches where is my deferving?
The cause of this fair gift in me is wanting,
And so my patent back again is swerving.
Thyself thou gavest, thy own worth then not know-
Or me, to whom thou gavest it, else mistaking;
So thy great gift, upon mifprifion growing,
Comes home again, on better judgement making.
Thus have I had thee, as a dream doth flatter,
In sleep a king, but waking no such matter.
When thou shalt be disposed to set me light,
And place my merit in the eye of scorn,
Upon thy fide against myself I'll fight, ́
And prove thee virtuous, though thou art forfworn. With mine own weakness being beft acquainted, Upon thy part I can set down a ftory
Of faults conceal'd, wherein I am attainted;
That thou in losing me shalt win much glory:
And I by this will be a gainer too;
For bending all my loving thoughts on thee,
The injuries that to myself I do,
Doing thee vantage, double-vantage me.
Such is my love, to thee I fo belong,
That for thy right myself will bear all wrong.
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