The Complete Poems of Sir John Davies. Volume 1 of 2.Davies, John, Sir
General
The Complete Poems of Sir John Davies. Volume 1 of 2.
Davies, John, Sir
Davies, John, Sir, 1569-1626; English poetry -- Early modern, 1500-1700
$R$ oyall _free-will_, and onely _free_,
$E$ ach other _will_ is slaue to thee;
$G$ lad is each will to serue thee:
$I$ n thee such princely power is seene,
$N$ o spirit but takes thee for her Queene,
$A$ nd thinkes she must obserue thee.
[Footnote 175: = spoil. G.]
HYMNE XVII.
OF HER MEMORIE.
$E$ xcellent iewels would you see,
$L$ ouely ladies? come with me,
$I$ will (for loue I owe you).
$S$ hew you as rich a treasurie,
$A$ s East or West can shew you.
$B$ ehold, if you can iudge of it,
$E$ uen that great store-house of her wit:
$T$ hat beautiful large Table,
$H$ er Memory; wherein is writ
$A$ ll knowledge admirable.
$R$ eade this faire book, and you shall learne
$E$ xquisite skill; if you discerne,
$G$ aine heau'n by this discerning;
$I$ n such a memory diuine,
$N$ ature did forme the _Muses_ nine,
$A$ nd _Pallas_ Queene of Learning.
HYMNE XVIII.
OF HER PHANTASIE.
$E$ xquisite curiositie,
$L$ ooke on thy selfe with iudging eye,
$I$ f ought be faultie, leaue it;
$S$ o delicate a phantasie
$A$ s this, will straight perceiue it.
$B$ ecause her temper is so fine,
$E$ ndewèd with harmonies diuine;
$T$ herefore if discord strike it,
$H$ er true proportions doe repine,
$A$ nd sadly do[176] mislike it.
$R$ ight otherwise a pleasure sweet
$E$ uer she takes in actions meet,
$G$ racing with smiles such meetnesse;
$I$ n her faire forehead, beames appeare,
$N$ o Summer's day is halfe so cleare,
$A$ dorn'd with halfe that sweetnesse.
[Footnote 176: Misprinted 'to.' G.]
HYMNE XIX.
OF THE ORGANS OF HER MINDE.
$E$ clipsed she is, and her bright rayes.
$L$ ie under vailes, yet many wayes
$I$ s her faire forme reuealed;
$S$ he diuersly her selfe conueyes,
$A$ nd cannot be concealed.
$B$ y instruments her powers appeare
$E$ xceedingly well tun'd and cleare:
$T$ his lute is still in measure,
$H$ olds still in tune, euen like a spheare,
$A$ nd yeelds the world sweet pleasure.
$R$ esolue me, Muse, how this thing is,
$E$ uer a body like to this
$G$ aue Heau'n to earthly creature?
$I$ am but fond[177] this doubt to make
$N$ o doubt the angels bodies take,
$A$ bove our common nature.
[Footnote 177: = Foolish. G.]
HYMNE XX.
OF THE PASSIONS OF HER HEART.
$E$ xamine not _th' inscrutable heart_,
$L$ ight _Muse_ of her, though she in part
$I$ mpart it to the subiect;
$S$ earch not, although from Heau'n thou art,
$A$ nd this an heauenly obiect.
$B$ ut since she hath a heart, we know,
$E$ uer some passions thence doe flow,
$T$ hough euer rul'd with Honor;
$H$ er judgment raignes, they waite below,
$A$ nd fixe their eyes vpon her.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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