XII: Some Verses: Sonnet, To The Authour by William Alexander
Of knowne effects, grounds too precisely sought, Young Naturalists oft Atheists old doe proue. And some who naught, saue who first moues, can moue, Scorne mediate meanes, as wonders still were wrought: But tempring both, thou dost this difference euen, Diuine Physician, physicall Diuine; Who soules and bodies help’st, dost heere designe From earth by […]
XI: Some Verses: To His Worthy Friend Master Walter Quin by William Alexander
I must commend the clearenesse of thy mind, Which (stil ingenuous) bent true worth to raise, Though in the graue an obiect fit will find, Not flattring liuing Men with question’d praise. Braue Bernards valour noble Naples sounds: Which scarce his Country venters to proclaime, But sith his sword preuail’d in forraine bounds, Their pennes […]
X: Some Verses: To His Most Affectionate Friend Mr. Lithgow by William Alexander
No Arabs, Turkes, Moores, Sarazens, nor strangers, Woods, Wildernesse, and darke, vmbragous Caues, No Serpents, Beasts, nor cruel fatall dangers, Nor sad regrates of ghostly groning graues, Could thee affright, disswade, disturbe, annoy, To venture life, to winne a world of ioy: This Worke, which pompe-expecting eyes may feed, To Vs, and Thee, shall perfect […]
VII: Some Verses: On The Death of John Murray by William Alexander
Mourne Muses, mourne, your greatest gallant dyes, Who free in state did court your sacred traine, Your Minion Murray, Albiones sweetest swaine, Who soar’d so high, now sore neglected lyes. If of true worth the world had right esteemd His loftie thoughts what bounds could haue confind? But Fortune feard to match with such a […]
V: Some Verses: To The Author Parthenius by William Alexander
While thou dost praise the Roses, Lillies, Gold, Which in a dangling Tresse and Face appeare, Still stands the Sunne in Skies thy Songs to heare, A Silence sweet each Whispering Wind doth hold, Sleepe in Pasitheas Lap his Eyes doth fold, The Sword falls from the God of the fift Spheare, The Heards to […]
To Prince Charles by William Alexander
That which I first for Henries life did sound, Shall spite of death, which did high hopes betray, A speaking pledge, a living token stay, Which with his name shall make my love renown’d; His successor, thou may’st make use of this, Which freely showes what Princes doe deserve; It both him dead, and thee […]
To his Majestie by William Alexander
The worlds affection now this tragick tryall proues, Heauen heape mishaps vpon his head, whom it not highly moues. But though the weight be great, which makes each hart to bow, That men when mad, rage not so much as reason doth allow: And that [thryse Royall Syre] since that it first was knowne, All […]
The Sonnet, The Lady, And The Prince by William Alexander
A Vignette and Moral A royal barge once brush’d the meadows Nigh tall trees by yon river’s tide. Bathed in its leafy lights and shadows Head-down a linnet dropp’d quick-eyed In leaves, gold-dipp’d on his green side. The linnet heard a lady’s foot Who met a princely lover there. On the deck standing flush’d and […]
The Roses And The Mothers Cannot Choose by William Alexander
The roses and the mothers cannot choose But give forth what of beautiful they have, But give forth what fair love and sunshine gave In tender sympathy, or delicate hues, Soft scents eternal, love’s undying dews. And He who bore the man’s heart from earth’s wave To Heaven’s calm shore that He might sweetly save, […]
Sonet 58 by William Alexander
Feare not, my Faire, that euer any chaunce So shake the resolutions of my mind, That like Demophon changing with the wind, I thy fames rent not labor to enhaunce: The ring which thou in signe of fauour gaue, Shall from fine gold transforme it selfe in glasse: The Diamond which then so solid was, […]
Sonet 57 by William Alexander
Whil’st th’Apenin seems cloth’d with snows to vaunt, As if that their pure white all hues did staine, I match them with thy matchlesse faire againe, Whose lillies haue a luster, that they want: But when some die, train’d with a pleasant show, In their plaine-seeming depths, as many do, Then I remember how Aurora […]
Sonet 56 by William Alexander
Lo, now reuiuing my disast’rous stile, I prosecute the tenor of my fate, And follow forth at dangers highest rate, In forraine Realmes my fortune for a while: I might haue learn’d this by my last exile, That change of countries cannot change my state: Where euer that my bodie seeke a seate, I leaue […]
Sonet 55 by William Alexander
I enuie Neptune oft, not that his hands Did build that loftie Ilions stately towers, Nor that he Emperour of the liquid pow’rs, Doth brooke a place amongst the immortall bands, But that embracing her whom I loue best, As Achilous with Alcides once, Still wrestling with the riuall earth he grones, For earnestnes t’ouerflow […]
Sonet 54 by William Alexander
Great God that guides the Dolphin through the deepe, Looke now as thou didst then with smiling grace, When seeking once her beauties to embrace, Thou forc’d the faire Amimone to weepe: The liquid monarchie thou canst not keepe, If thus the blustring God vsurp thy place; Rise and against his blasts erect thy face; […]
Sonet 53 by William Alexander
If now cleare Po, that pittie be not spent, Which for to quench his flames did once thee moue, Whom the great thunderer thundred from aboue, And to thy siluer bosome burning sent, To pitie his coequall be content; That in effect doth the like fortune proue, Throwne headlong from the highest heau’ns of loue; […]
Sonet 52 by William Alexander
Some men delight huge buildings to behold, Some theaters, mountaines, floods, and famous springs; Some monuments of Monarkes, and such things As in the bookes of fame haue bene inrol’d: Those stately townes that to the starres were rais’d, Some would their ruines see (their beautie’s gone) Of which the worlds three parts, each bosts […]
Sonet 51 by William Alexander
I dream’d, the Nymph that ore my fancie raignes, Came to a part whereas I paus’d alone; Then said, what needs you in such sort to mone? Haue I not power to recompence your paines? Lo I coniure you by that loyall loue, Which you professe, to cast those griefes apart, It’s long deare loue […]
Sonet 50 by William Alexander
Once Cupid had compassion of my state, And wounded with a wonderfull remorce, Vow’d that he would my cruell faire enforce, To melt the rigor of her cold conceit: But when he came his purpose to fulfill, And shot at her a volly from the skies, She did receiue the darts within her eyes; Then […]
Sonet 5 by William Alexander
No wonder though that this my blisse dismaies, Whil’st rendred vp to neuer-pleas’d desires, I burne, and yet must couer cursed fires, Whose flame it selfe against my will bewrayes. Some times my faire to launce my wound assayes, And with th’occasion as it seemes conspires, And indirectly oft my state inquires, Which I would […]
Sonet 49 by William Alexander
I thinke that Cipris in a high disdaine, Barr’d by the barb’rous Turkes that conquer’d seate, To re-erect the ruins of her state, Comes ore their bounds t’establish beauties raigne; And whil’st her greatnesse doth begin to rise, As sdaining temples built of baser frame, She in those rosie snowes t’enstall her name, Reares stately […]
Sonet 48 by William Alexander
When as I come to thy respected sight, Thy lookes are all so chast, thy words so graue, That my affections do the foile receaue, And like to darknes yeeld vnto the light; Still vertue holds the ballance of thy wit, In which great reason ponders euery thought, And thou deare Ladie neuer staind in […]
Sonet 47 by William Alexander
When whiles I heare some gallants to giue forth, That those whom they adore are onely faire, With whom they thinke none other can compare; The beautie of beautie, and the height of worth, Then Iealousie doth all my ioyes controule, For ô I thinke, who can accomplish’d be, (There is no Sunne but one) […]
Sonet 44 by William Alexander
O now I thinke, and do not thinke amisse, That th’old Philosophers were all but fooles, Who vs’d such curious questions in their schooles, Yet could not apprehend the highest Blisse. Lo, I haue learn’d in th’ Academe of Loue, A Maxime which they neuer vnderstood: To loue and be belou’d, this is the good, […]
Sonet 43 by William Alexander
Now when the Syren sings, as one dismaid, I straight with waxe begin to stop mine eares; And when the Crocadile doth shed foorth teares, I flie away, for feare to be betraid. I know when as thou seem’st to waile my state, Thy face is no true table of thy mind: And thou wouldst […]
Sonet 42 by William Alexander
Oft with that mirror would I change my shape, From which my Faire askes counsell euery day, How she th’vntainted beauties should array, To th’end their fierce assaults no soule may scape. Then in my bosome I behoou’d t’imbrace That which I loue, and whil’st on me she gaz’d, In her sweet eyes I many […]
Sonet 41 by William Alexander
If that so many braue men leauing Greece, Durst earst aduenter through the raging deepe, And all to get the spoiles of a poore sheepe, That had bene famous for his golden fleece. O then for that pure gold what should be sought, Of which each haire is worth a thousand such! No doubt for […]
Sonet 4 by William Alexander
Once to debate my cause whil’st I drew neere, My staggering toung against me did conspire, And whil’st it should haue charg’d, it did retire, A certaine signe of loue that was sincere: I saw her heauenly vertues shine so cleere, That I was forc’d for to conceale my fire, And with respects euen bridling […]
Sonet 39 by William Alexander
Mvst I attend an vnrelenting will, Which neuer any signe of fauour shew? Ah, why should’st thou Aurora thus pursue An innocent, that neuer did thee ill? I did not with the Greeke conspire to kill Thy sonne, for whom thou shed’st such flouds of dew: But I as one that yet his destine rue, […]
Sonet 38 by William Alexander
My teares might all the parched sands haue drench’d, Though Phaeton had vndone the liquide frame: Ile furnish Vulcans fornace with a flame, That like the Vestals fire was neuer quench’d. And though th’infected aire turmoil’d remaine, It by my sighes and cries may be refin’d: And if the bodie answer to the mind, If […]
Sonet 36 by William Alexander
Loyr, witnesse thou what was my spotlesse part, Whil’st thou amaz’d to see thy Nymphes so faire, As loth to part thence where they did repaire, Still murm’ring did thy plaints t’each stone impart: Then did mine eyes betake them to my hart, As scorning to behold all those, though rare, And gaz’d vpon her […]
Sonet 35 by William Alexander
When I behold that face for which I pin’d, And did my selfe so long in vaine annoy, My toung not able to vnfold my ioy, A wondring silence onely shewes my mind: But when againe thou dost extend thy rigour, And wilt not daigne to grace me with thy sight, Thou kil’st my comfort, […]
Sonet 34 by William Alexander
What vncouth motion makes my mirth decay? Is this the thing poore martyr’d men call Loue? And whil’st their torment doth their wits dismay, As those that raue, do for a god approue? Although he bring his greatnesse from aboue, And rule the world according to his will, Yet doth he euen from those all […]
Sonet 33 by William Alexander
O if thou knew’st how thou thy selfe dost harme, And dost preiudge thy blisse, and spoile my rest: Then thou would’st melt the yce out of thy brest, And thy relenting heart would kindly warme. O if thy pride did not our ioyes controule, What world of louing wonders should’st thou see! For if […]
Sonet 32 by William Alexander
The turret of my hope, which neuer falles, Did at the first all Cupids power despise: But it t’orethrow while as thou arm’d thine eyes; Thy lookes were Canons, thy disdaines their balles: I brau’d thy beauties in a gallant sort, And did resist all thy assaults a time: But ah, I find in end, […]
Jonathan: The First Booke by William Alexander
An heroicke Poeme intended. The Argument With Ammons King, griev’d Iabesh did agree, If not reliev’d, their right eyes lost, to live; From this disgrace Saul fights to make them free, And God to him, the victory doth give, Those, who their King (with successe crown’d) did see; Them who him first had scorn’d, to […]
IX: Some Verses: This Day Design’d To Spoil The World of Peace by William Alexander
This Day, design’d to spoil the World of Peace, And accessary to so foul a Crime, Why should it rest in the Records of Time, Since stain’d by Treason forfeiting the Place. O! but those err who would it odious make: This Day from Danger Britain’s Monarch sav’d, That Day when first the Mischief was […]
IV: Some Verses: To The Author by William Alexander
In Waues of Woe thy Sighes my Soule doe tosse, And doe burst vp the Conduits of my Teares, Whose ranckling Wound no smoothing Baulme long beares, But freshly bleedes when Ought vpbraides my Losse. Then thou so sweetly Sorrow makes to sing, And troubled Passions dost so well accord, That more Delight Thy Anguish […]
III: Some Verses: To M. Michaell Drayton by William Alexander
Now I perceiue PYTHAGORAS diuin’d, When he that mocked Maxim did maintaine, That Spirits once spoyl’d, reuested were againe, Though chang’d in shape, remaining one in Mind; These loue-sicke Princes passionate estates; Who feeling reades, he cannot but allow, That OVIDS soule reuiues in DRAYTON now, Still learn’d in Loue, still rich in rare Conceits, […]
Elegie IV: On The Death of Prince Henrie by William Alexander
If griefe would giue me leaue, to let the world haue part Of that which it [though surfetting] engrosses in my hart: Then I would sow some teares, that so they mo might breed, Not such as eyes vse to distill, but which the hart doth bleed. As from a troubled spring like off-spring must […]
Doomes-Day: The Twelfth Houre by William Alexander
The Argument The height of joy the cleared soules attends; The Earth and Sea suppos’d are new to be; The new Ierusalem from heaven descends, Where still to dwell God doth with men agree; The heavenly blisse, all humane sense transcends, Which Saints attaine when thus from trouble free; The joyes of heaven for blessed […]