Читать книгу Notes and Queries, Number 63, January 11, 1851 - Various - Страница 2
NOTES
POEMS DISCOVERED AMONG THE PAPERS OF SIR KENELM DIGBY
ОглавлениеMR. HALLIWELL (Vol. ii., p. 238.) says that he does not believe my MS. of the "Minde of the Lady Venetia Digby" can be an autograph. I have reason to think that he is right from discovering another MS. written in the same hand as the above, and containing two poems without date or signature, neither of which (I believe) are Ben Jonson's. I enclose the shorter of the two, and should feel obliged if any of your correspondents could tell me the author of it, as this would throw some light upon the writer of the two MSS.
THE HOURGLASSE
Doe but consider this small dust running in this glasse,
By atoms moved;
Would you believe that this the body ever was
Of one that loved;
Who in his mistresse flames playing like a fly,
Burnt to cinders by her eye?
Yes! and in death as life unblest,
To have it exprest
Even ashes of lovers have no rest.
I also enclose a copy of another poem I have discovered, which appears to me very curious, and, from the date, written the very year of the visit of Prince Charles and Buckingham to the court of Spain. Has it ever been printed, and who is the author?
What sodaine change hath dark't of late
The glory of the Arcadian state?
The fleecy flocks refuse to feede
The Lambes to play, the Ewes to breede
The altars make(s) the offeringes burne
That Jack and Tom may safe returne.
The Springe neglectes his course to keepe,
The Ayre continual stormes do weepe,
The pretty Birdes disdaine to singe,
The Maides to smile, the woods to springe,
The Mountaines droppe, the valleys morne
Till Jack and Tom do safe returne.
What may that be that mov'd this woe?
Whose want afflicts Arcadia so?
The hope of Greece, the proppe of artes,
Was prinly Jack, the joy of hartes.
And Tom was to his Royall Paw
His trusty swayne, his chiefest maw.
The loftye Toppes of Menalus
Did shake with winde from Hesperus,
Whose sweete delicious Ayre did fly
Through all the Boundes of Arcady,
Which mov'd a vaine in Jack and Tom
To see the coast the winde came from.
This winde was love, which Princes state
To Pages turn, but who can hate
Where equall fortune love procures,
Or equall love success assures?
So virtuous Jack shall bring from Greece
The Beautyous prize, the Golden fleece.
Love is a world of many paines,
Where coldest hills, and hottest playnes,
With barren rockes and fertill fieldes
By turne despaire and comforte yeldes;
But who can doubt of prosperous lucke
Where Love and fortune both conducte?
Thy Grandsire great, and father too,
Were thine examples thus to doe,
Whose brave attempts, in heate of love,
Both France and Denmark did approve.
For Jack and Tom do nothing newe
When Love and Fortune they pursue.
Kind shepheardes that have lov'd them long,
Be not rasfe in censuringe wronge,
Correct your feares, leave of to mourne,
The Heavens will favour their returne;
Committ your cares to Royall Pan,
For Jack his sonne and Tom his man.
FINIS
From London, 31. Martii, 1623.
Prefaced to this poem is an extract from a letter of Buckingham's to his wife, containing an account of their reception: but it is hardly worth copying.
H.A.B.
