Within invention's reach; but he's not yet Arrived to his period, his unmoved stars sit Thus in their orbs secured. It was the use Of th' Turkish pride, which triumphs in th' abuse Of suffering Christians, once, before they take The ornaments of nature off, to make Their prisoners public to the view, that all Might mock their miseries: this sight did call Janusa to her palace-window, where, Whilst she beholds them, love resolved to bear Her ruin on her treacherous eye-beams, till Her heart infected grew; their orbs did fill, As the most pleasing object, with the sight Of him whose sword open'd a way for the flight Of her loved brother's soul. At the first view Passion had struck her dumb, but when it grew Into desire, she speedily did send
To have his name-which known, hate did defend Her heart; besieged with love,she sighs,and straight Commands him to a dungeon; but love's bait Cannot be so cast up, though to efface
Her image from her soul she strives. The place For execution she commands to be 'Gainst the next day prepared; but rest and she Grow enemies about it: if she steal
A slumber from her thoughts, that doth reveal Her passions in a dream, sometimes she thought She saw her brother's pale grim ghost, that brought His grisly wounds to show her, smear'd in blood, Standing before her sight; and by that flood Those red streams wept, imploring vengeance, then, Enraged, she cries, "O, let him die!" But when Her sleep-imprison'd fancy, wandering in The shades of darken'd reason, did begin To draw Argalia's image on her soul, Love's sovereign power did suddenly control The strength of those abortive embryos, sprung From smother'd anger. The glad birds had sung A lullaby to night, the lark was fled, On dropping wings, up from his dewy bed, To fan them in the rising sunbeams, ere Whose early reign Janusa, that could bear No longer lock'd within her breast so great An army of rebellious passions, beat From reason's conquer'd fortress, did unfold Her thoughts to Manto, a stout wench; whose bold Wit, join'd with zeal to serve her, had endear'd Her to her best affections. Having clear'd All doubts with hopeful promises, her maid, By whose close wiles this plot must be convey'd, To secret action of her council makes Two eunuch pandars, by whose help she takes Argalia from his keeper's charge, as to Suffer more torments than the rest should do, And lodged him in that castle to affright And soften his great soul with fear. The light, Which lent its beams into the dismal place In which he lay, without presents the face Of horror smear'd in blood; a scaffold built To be the stage of murder, blush'd with guilt Of Christian blood, by several torments let From th' imprisoning veins. This object set To startle his resolves if good, and make His future joys more welcome, could not shake The heaven-built pillars of his soul, that stood
Steady, though in the slippery paths of blood. The gloomy night now sat enthroned in dead And silent shadows, midnight curtains spread The earth in black for what the falling day Had blush'd in fire, whilst the brave pris'ner lay, Circled in darkness, yet in those shades spends The hours with angels, whose assistance lends Strength to the wings of faith. . . . .
A glimmering light, whose near approach unfolds The leaves of darkness. While his wonder grows Big with amazement, the dim taper shows False Manto enter'd, who, prepared to be A bawd unto her lustful mistress, came, Not with persuasive rhetoric to inflame A heart congeal'd with death's approach. . . . . Most blest of men!
Compose thy wonder, and let only joy Dwell in thy soul. My coming's to destroy, Not nurse thy trembling fears: be but so wise To follow thy swift fate, and thou mayst rise Above the reach of danger. In thy arms Circle that power whose radiant brightness charms Fierce Ammurat's anger, when his crescents shine In a full orb of forces; what was thine Ere made a prisoner, though the doubtful state Of her best Christian monarch, will abate Its splendour, when that daughter of the night, Thy feeble star, shines in a heaven of light. If life or liberty, then, bear a shape Worthy thy courting, swear not to escape By the attempts of strength, and I will free The iron bonds of thy captivity.
A solemn oath, by that great power he served, Took, and believed: his hopes no longer starved In expectation. From that swarthy seat Of sad despair, his narrow jail, replete With lazy damps, she leads him to a room In whose delights joy's summer seem'd to bloom, There left him to the brisk society
Of costly baths and Corsic wines, whose high And sprightly tempers from cool sherbets found A calm ally; here his harsh thoughts unwound Themselves in pleasure, as not fearing fate So much, but that he dares to recreate His spirit, by unwieldy action tired, With all that lust into no crime had fired. By mutes, those silent ministers of sin, His sullied garments were removed, and in Their place such various habits laid, as pride Would clothe her favourites with..... Unruffled here by the rash wearer, rests Fair Persian mantles, rich Sclavonian vests.... Though on this swift variety of fate He looks with wonder, yet his brave soul sate Too safe within her guards of reason, to Be shook with passion; that there's something
His guilty conduct now had brought him near Janusa's room, the glaring lights appear Thorough the window's crystal walls, the strong Perfumes of balmy incense mix'd among The wandering atoms of the air did fly. ... The open doors allow
A free access into the room, where come, Such real forms he saw as would strike dumb The Alcoran's tales of Paradise, the fair And sparkling gems i' the gilded roof impair Their taper's fire, yet both themselves confess Weak to those flames Janusa's eyes possess With such a joy as bodies that do long For souls, shall meet them in the doomsday throng, She that ruled princes, though not passions, sate Waiting her lover, on a throne whose state Epitomized the empire's wealth; her robe, With costly pride, had robb'd the chequer'd globe Of its most fair and orient jewels, to Enhance its value; captive princes who Had lost their crowns, might there those gems have seen.....
Placed in a seat near her bright throne, to stir His settled thoughts she thus begins: "From her Your sword hath so much injured as to shed Blood so near kin to mine, that it was fed By the same milky fountains, and within One womb warm'd into life, is such a sin I could not pardon, did not love commit A rape upon my mercy: all the wit Of man in vain inventions had been lost, Ere thou redeem'd; which now, although it cost The price of all my honours, I will do: Be but so full of gratitude as to Repay my care with love.
Why dost thou thus Sit dumb to my discourse? it lies in us To raise or ruin thee, and make my way Thorough their bloods that our embraces stay.". To charm those sullen spirits that within The dark cells of his conscience might have been Yet by religion hid-that gift divine, The soul's composure, music, did refine The lazy air, whose polish'd harmony, Whilst dancing in redoubled echoes, by
A wanton song was answer'd, whose each part Invites the hearing to betray the heart. Having with all these choice flowers strew'd the way That leads to lust, to shun the slow decay Of his approach, her sickly passions haste To die in action. 66 Come," she cries, "we waste The precious minutes. Now thou know'st for what Thou'rt sent for hither."
Her soul's pale agony..... And now she steeps Her down in tears-a flood of sorrow weeps,
Of power (if penitent) to expiate
Youth's vigorous sins; but all her mourning sate Beneath a darker veil than that which shades Repentant grief. . . . .
So far the fair Janusa in this sad
Region of grief had gone, till sorrow had That fever turn'd, upon whose flaming wings At first love only sate, to one which brings Death's symptoms near the heart.
The rose had lost His ensigns in her cheeks, and though it cost Pains near to death, the lily had alone Set his pale banners up; no brightness shone Within her eye's dim orbs, whose fading light Being quench'd in death, had set in endless night, Had not the wise endeavours of her maid, The careful Manto, grief's pale scouts betray'd, By sly deceit.
Although she cures not, yet gives present ease, By laying opiates to the harsh disease. A letter, which did for uncivil blame His first denial, in the stranger's name Disguised, she gives her; which, with eyes that did O'erflow with joy read o'er, had soon forbid Grief's sullen progress, whose next stage had been O'er life's short road, the grave-death's quiet inn, From whose dark terror, by this gleam of light, Like trembling children by a lamp's weak light, Freed from night's dreadful shadows, she embraced Sleep, nature's darkness-... and upon the wings Of airy hope, that wanton bird which sings As soon as fledged, advanced her to survey The dawning beauties of a long'd-for day..... But ere this pyramid of pleasure to Its height arrives-with's presence to undo The golden structure-dreadful Ammurat, From his floating mansion lately landed at The city's port, impatient love had brought In an untimely visit..
Hastens to help, her fortune did declare Her sorrow's dark enigma; from her bed The letter dropt-which, when life's army fled, Their frontier garrisons neglected, had Been left within't-this seen, declares a sad Truth to th' amazed Bassa, though 'twere mix'd With subtle falsehood. While he stands, betwixt High rage and grief distracted, doubtful yet In what new dress to wear revenge, the fit Forsakes Janusa; who, not knowing she Detected stood of lust's conspiracy 'Gainst honour's royal charter, from a low Voice strains a welcome, which did seem to flow From fickle discontent, such as the weak Lungs breathe their thoughts in whilst their fibres break.
To counterfeited slumbers leaving her, He's gone with silent anger to confer; With such a farewell as kind husbands leave Their pregnant wives, preparing to receive A mother's first of blessings, he forsakes The room, and into strict inquiry takes The wretched Manto, who, ere she could call Excuse to aid, surprised, discovers all.
The captive Argalia is again brought before Janusa, who is unconscious that the Bassa had read the letter. Ammurat, in the mean time, is concealed, to watch the interview.
PLACED, by false Manto, in a closet, which, Silent and sad, had only to enrich
Its roof with light, some few neglected beams Sent from Janusa's room, which serve as streams To watch intelligence; here he beheld, Whilst she who with his absence had expell'd All thoughtful cares, was with her joy swell'd high, As captives are when call'd to liberty. Perfumed and costly, her fair bed was more Adorn'd than shrines which costly kings adore; Incense, in smoky curls, climbs to the fair Roof, whilst choice music rarifies the air; Each element in more perfection here, Than in the first creation did appear, Yet lived in harmony: the wing'd fire lent Perfumes to the air, that to moist cordials pent In crystal vials, strength; and those impart Their vigour to that ball of earth, the heart. The nice eye here epitomized might see Rich Persia's wealth, and old Rome's luxury.
But now, like Nature's new-made favourite, Who, until all created for delight
Was framed, did ne'er see Paradise, comes in Deceived Argalia, thinking he had been Call'd thither to behold a penitent. . . With such a high Heroic scorn as aged saints that die, [slights Heaven's fav'rites, leave the trivial world-he
That gilded pomp; no splendent beam invites His serious eye to meet their objects in An amorous glance, reserved as he had been Before his grave confessor: he beholds Beauty's bright magic, while its art unfolds Great love's mysterious riddles, and commands Captive Janusa to infringe the bands
Of matrimonial modesty. When all Temptation fails, she leaves her throne to fall, The scorn of greatness, at his feet: but prayer, Like flattery, expires in useless air,
Too weak to batter that firm confidence Their torment's thunder could not shake. From hence
Despair, love's tyrant, had enforced her to More wild attempts, had not her Ammurat, who, Unseen, beheld all this, prevented, by His sight, the death of bleeding modesty.
Made swift with rage, the ruffled curtain flies His angry touch-he enters-fix'd his eyes, From whence some drops of rage distil, on her Whose heart had lent her face its character. Whilst he stood red with flaming anger, she Looks pale with fear-passion's disparity Dwelt in their troubled breasts; his wild eyes stood Like comets, when attracting storms of blood Shook with portents sad, the whilst hers sate Like the dull earth, when trembling at the fate Of those ensuing evils-heavy fix'd Within their orbs. Passions thus strangely mix'd, No various fever e'er created in [been The phrenzied brain, when sleep's sweet calm had From her soft throne deposed....
So having paused, his dreadful voice thus broke The dismal silence.
Thou curse of my nativity, that more Affects me than eternal wrath can do- Spirits condemn'd, some fiends, instruct me to Heighten revenge to thy desert; but so
I should do more than mortals may, and throw Thy spotted soul to flames. Yet I will give Its passport hence; for think not to outlive This hour, this fatal hour, ordain'd to see More than an age before of tragedy. . . . .
Fearing tears should win
The victory of anger, Ammurat draws His scimitar, which had in blood writ laws For conquer'd provinces, and with a swift And cruel rage, ere penitence could lift Her burden'd soul in a repentant thought Tow'rds heaven, sheathes the cold steel in her soft And snowy breast: with a loud groan she falls Upon the bloody floor, half breathless, calls For his untimely pity: but perceiving The fleeting spirits, with her blood, were leaving Her heart unguarded, she implores that breath Which yet remain'd, not to bewail her death, But beg his life that caused it-on her knees, Struggling to rise. But now calm'd Ammurat frees Her from disturbing death, in his last great work And thus declares some virtue in a Turk.
I have, brave Christian, by perusing thee In this great art of honour learnt to be, Too late, thy follower: this ring (with that Gives him his signet) shall, when question'd at
The castle guards, thy safety be.
And now I see her blood's low water doth allow Me only time to launch my soul's black bark Into death's rubric sea-for to the dark And silent region, though we here were by Passion divorced, fortune shall not deny Our souls to sail together. From thy eyes Remove death's load, and see what sacrifice My love is offering. With that word, a stroke Pierces his breast, whose speedy pains invoke Death's opiates to appease them: he sinks down By 's dying wife, who, ere the cold flood drown Life in the deluge of her wounds, once more Betrays her eyes to the light; and though they wore The weight of death upon their lids, did keep Them so long open, till the icy sleep Began to seize on him, and then she criesO see, just heaven! see, see my Ammurat dies, To wander with me in the unknown shade Of immortality-But I have made
The wounds that murther'd both; his hand that gave Mine, did but gently let me blood to save An everlasting fever. Pardon me, My dear, my dying lord. Eternity
Shall see my soul white-wash'd in tears; but oh! I now feel time's dear want-they will not flow Fast as my stream of blood. Christian, farewell! Whene'er thou dost our tragic story tell,
Do not extenuate my crimes, but let Them in their own black characters be set, Near Ammurat's bright virtues, that, read by Th' unpractised lover, which posterity, Whilst wanton winds play with our dust, shall raise On beauties; that the good may justice praise By his example, and the bad by mine From vice's throne be scared to virtue's shrine. ... This,
She cries, is our last interview-a kiss Then joins their bloodless lips-each close the eyes Of the other, whilst the parting spirit flies.
[Born, 1618. Died, 1658.]
Tuis gallant, unfortunate man, who was much distinguished for the beauty of his person, was the son of Sir William Lovelace, of Woolwich, in Kent. After taking a master's degree at Cambridge, he was for some time an officer in the army; but returned to his native country after the pacification of Berwick, and took possession of his paternal estate, worth about 5007. per annum. About the same time he was deputed by the county of Kent to deliver their petition to the House of Commons, for restoring the king to his rights, and settling the government. This petition gave such offence that he was committed to the Gate-house prison, and only released on finding bail to an enormous amount not to pass beyond the lines of communication. During his
A LOOSE SARABAND. AH me, the little tyrant thief
As once my heart was playing, He snatch'd it up, and flew away, Laughing at all my praying. Proud of his purchase, he surveys, And curiously sounds it;
And though he sees it full of wounds, Cruel still on he wounds it. And now this heart is all his sport, Which as a ball he boundeth, From hand to hand, from breast to lip, And all its rest confoundeth.
Then as a top he sets it up,
And pitifully whips it; Sometimes he clothes it gay and fine, Then straight again he strips it. He cover'd it with false belief, Which gloriously show'd it; And for a morning cushionet
On's mother he bestow'd it.
confinement to London his fortune was wasted in support of the royal cause. In 1646 he formed a regiment for the service of the French king, was colonel of it, and was wounded at Dunkirk. On this occasion his mistress, Lucasta, a Miss Lucy Sacheverel, married another, hearing that he had died of his wounds. At the end of two years he returned to England, and was again imprisoned till after the death of Charles I. He was then at liberty; but, according to Wood, was left in the most destitute circumstances, his estate being gone. He, who had been the favourite of courts, is represented as having lodged in the most obscure recesses of poverty, and died in great misery in a lodging near Shoe-lane.
Each day with her small brazen stings A thousand times she raced it; But then at night, bright with her gems, Once near her breast she placed it. Then warm it 'gan to throb and bleed, She knew that smart and grieved; At length this poor condemned heart, With these rich drugs reprieved. She wash'd the wound with a fresh tear, Which my Lucasta dropped; And in the sleeve silk of her hair "Twas hard bound up and wrapped. She probed it with her constancy, And found no rancour nigh it; Only the anger of her eye
Had wrought some proud flesh nigh it.
The compiler of the Biographia Dramatica remarks that Wood must have exaggerated Lovelace's poverty, for his daughter and sole heir married the son of Lord Chief Justice Coke, and brought to her husband the estates of her father at King's-down in Kent.
Then press'd she hard in every vein, Which from her kisses thrill'd, And with the balm heal'd all its pain That from her hand distill'd.
But yet this heart avoids me still,
Will not by me be owned; But, fled to its physician's breast, There proudly sits enthroned.
Stone walls do not a prison make,
Nor iron bars a cage; Minds innocent and quiet take That for an hermitage. If I have freedom in my love, And in my soul am free,- Angels alone, that soar above, Enjoy such liberty.
AMARANTHA, sweet and fair, Forbear to braid that shining hair: As my curious hand or eye, Hovering round thee, let it fly:
Let it fly as unconfined As its ravisher the wind, Who has left his darling east To wanton o'er this spicy nest. Every tress must be confess'd But neatly tangled at the best, Like a clew of golden thread Most excellently ravelled:
Do not then wind up that light In ribands, and o'ercloud the night; Like the sun in his early ray, But shake your head and scatter day.
TO ALTHEA, FROM PRISON.
WHEN Love, with unconfined wings, Hovers within my gates, And my divine Althea brings
To whisper at my grates; When I lie tangled in her hair,
And fetter'd to her eye,- The birds, that wanton in the air Know no such liberty.
When flowing cups run swiftly round With no allaying Thames, Our careless head with roses bound, Our hearts with loyal flames; When thirsty grief in wine we steep, When healths and draughts go free,- Fishes, that tipple in the deep, Know no such liberty. When, like committed linnets, I With shriller throat shall sing The sweetness, mercy, majesty, And glories of my King;* When I shall voice aloud how good
He is, how great should be,- Enlarged winds, that curl the flood, Know no such liberty.
[Charles I., in whose cause Lovelace was then in prison.-C.]
WHY should you swear I am forsworn? Since thine I vow'd to be;
Lady, it is already morn,
And 'twas last night I swore to thee That fond impossibility.
Have I not loved thee much and long, A tedious twelve hours' space?
I must all other beauties wrong, And rob thee of a new embrace, Could I still dote upon thy face. Not but all joy in thy brown hair, By others may be found; But I must search the black and fair, Like skilful mineralists that sound For treasure in unplough'd-up ground. Then, if when I have loved my round, Thou provest the pleasant she; With spoils of meaner beauties crown'd I laden will return to thee, Ev'n sated with variety.
TO LUCASTA.-GOING TO THE WARS. TELL me not, sweet, I am unkind, That from the nunnery
Of thy chaste breast, and quiet mind To war and arms I fly.
True; a new mistress now I chase, The first foe in the field;
And with a stronger faith embrace A sword, a horse, a shield.
Yet this inconstancy is such As you too shall adore;
I could not love thee, dear, so much, Loved I not honour more.
TO SIR PETER LELY, ON HIS PICTURE OF CHARLES I.
SEE! what an humble bravery doth shine And grief triumphant breaking through each line. How it commands the face! so sweet a scorn Never did happy misery adorn!
So sacred a contempt! that others show To this (o' th' height of all the wheel) below; That mightiest monarchs by this shaded book May copy out their proudest, richest look. . . . . Thou sorrow canst design without a tear. And, with the man, his very hope or fear. . . . .
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