John Fletcher
Care-charming Sleep
Care-charming Sleep, thou easer of all woes, Brother to Death, sweetly thyself dispose On this afflicted prince; fall like a cloud In gentle showers; give nothing that is loud Or painful to his slumbers;
Take, Oh Take Those Lips Away
Take, oh take those lips away, That so sweetly were forsworn, And those eyes, the break of day, Lights that do mislead the morn: But my kisses bring again, Seals of love, but sealed
Hymn to Pan
SING his praises that doth keep Our flocks from harm. Pan, the father of our sheep; And arm in arm Tread we softly in a round, Whilst the hollow neighbouring ground Fills the music
Love's Emblems
NOW the lusty spring is seen; Golden yellow, gaudy blue, Daintily invite the view: Everywhere on every green Roses blushing as they blow, And enticing men to pull, Lilies whiter than the snow, Woodbines
Weep no more
WEEP no more, nor sigh, nor groan, Sorrow calls no time that ‘s gone: Violets pluck’d, the sweetest rain Makes not fresh nor grow again. Trim thy locks, look cheerfully; Fate’s hid ends eyes
Bridal Song
CYNTHIA, to thy power and thee We obey. Joy to this great company! And no day Come to steal this night away Till the rites of love are ended, And the lusty bridegroom say,
Beauty Clear and Fair
BEAUTY clear and fair, Where the air Rather like a perfume dwells; Where the violet and the rose Their blue veins and blush disclose, And come to honour nothing else: Where to live near
Away, Delights
AWAY, delights! go seek some other dwelling, For I must die. Farewell, false love! thy tongue is ever telling Lie after lie. For ever let me rest now from thy smarts; Alas, for pity
Aspatia's Song
LAY a garland on my herse Of the dismal yew; Maidens, willow branches bear; Say, I died true. My love was false, but I was firm From my hour of birth. Upon my buried
Sleep
COME, Sleep, and with thy sweet deceiving Lock me in delight awhile; Let some pleasing dreams beguile All my fancies; that from thence I may feel an influence All my powers of care bereaving!
God Lyaeus
GOD Lyaeus, ever young, Ever honour’d, ever sung, Stain’d with blood of lusty grapes, In a thousand lusty shapes Dance upon the mazer’s brim, In the crimson liquor swim; From thy plenteous hand divine
Hence, All You Vain Delights from the Nice Valour
Hence, all you vain delights, As short as are the nights Wherein you spend your folly: There’s nought in this life sweet, If man were wise to see’t, But only melancholy, O sweetest melancholy!
Melancholy
HENCE, all you vain delights, As short as are the nights Wherein you spend your folly! There ‘s naught in this life sweet, If men were wise to see’t, But only melancholy O sweetest
Hear, ye Ladies
HEAR, ye ladies that despise What the mighty Love has done; Fear examples and be wise: Fair Callisto was a nun; Leda, sailing on the stream To deceive the hopes of man, Love accounting