CANZONE RIDONSI donne e giovani amorosi Spuntati ad or ad or alla tua chioma Canzon, dirotti, e tu per me rispondi : 'Dice mia Donna, e 'l suo dir è il mio cuore, "Questa è lingua di cui si vanta Amore." V. DIODATI (e te 'l dirò con maraviglia), Quel ritroso io, ch' amor spreggiar solea Già caddi, ov' uom dabben talor s' impiglia. Nè treccie d'oro nè guancia vermiglia M' abbaglian sì, ma sotto nova idea Parole adorne di lingua più d'una, E degli occhi suoi avventa sì gran fuoco VI. PER certo i bei vostr' occhi, Donna mia, Scossomi il petto, e poi n' uscendo poco VII. GIOVANE, piano, e semplicetto amante, Poichè fuggir me stesso in dubbio sono, L' ebbi fedele, intrepido, costante, Di pensieri leggiadro, accorto, e buono. Tanto del forse e d' invidia sicuro, Di timori, e speranze al popol use, Quanto d' ingegno e d' alto valor vago, E di cetra sonora, e delle Muse. Sol troverete in tal parte men duro VIII. WHEN THE ASSAULT WAS INTENDED TO THE CITY CAPTAIN or Colonel, or Knight in Arms, Whose chance on these defenceless doors may seize, Guard them, and him within protect from harms. The house of Pindarus, when temple and tower Went to the ground; and the repeated air Of sad Electra's poet had the power To save the Athenian walls from ruin bare. IX. [TO A VIRTUOUS YOUNG LADY] LADY, that in the prime of earliest youth Wisely hast shunned the broad way and the green, And with those few art eminently seen That labour up the hill of heavenly Truth, The better part with Mary and with Ruth Chosen thou hast; and they that overween, And at thy growing virtues fret their spleen, No anger find in thee, but pity and ruth. Thy care is fixed, and zealously attends To fill thy odorous lamp with deeds of light, And hope that reaps not shame. Therefore be sure Thou, when the Bridegroom with his feastful friends Passes to bliss at the mid-hour of night, Hast gained thy entrance, Virgin wise and pure. X. TO THE LADY MARGARET LEY DAUGHTER to that good Earl, once President Broke him, as that dishonest victory At Chæronea, fatal to liberty, Killed with report that old man eloquent; your That all both judge you to relate them true XI. ON THE DETRACTION WHICH FOLLOWED UPON MY WRITING CERTAIN TREATISES A BOOK was writ of late called Tetrachordon, And woven close, both matter, form, and style; The subject new: it walked the town a while, Numbering good intellects; now seldom pored on. Cries the stall-reader, "Bless us! what a word on A title-page is this!"; and some in file Stand spelling false, while one might walk to MileEnd Green. Why, is it harder, sirs, than Gordon, Colkitto, or Macdonnel, or Galasp? Those rugged names to our like mouths grow sleek That would have made Quintilian stare and gasp. Thy age, like ours, O soul of Sir John Cheek, Hated not learning worse than toad or asp, When thou taught'st Cambridge and King Edward XII. ON THE SAME I DID but prompt the age to quit their clogs When straight a barbarous noise environs me Which after held the Sun and Moon in fee. ON THE NEW FORCERS OF CONSCIENCE UNDER THE LONG PARLIAMENT BECAUSE you have thrown off your Prelate Lord, Dare From them whose sin ye envied, not abhorred, To force our consciences that Christ set free, |