PASSIONATE PILGRIM. I. SWEET Cytherea, sitting by a brook, She show'd him favours to allure his eye: To win his heart, she touch'd him here and there: But whether unripe years did want conceit, Then fell she on her back, fair queen, and toward; II. Scarce had the sun dried up the dewy morn, A longing tarriance for Adonis made, A brook, where Adon us'd to cool his spleen. Hot was the day; she hotter that did look For his approach, that often there had been. He spying her, bounc'd in, whereas he stood; III. Fair was the morn, when the fair queen of love, Paler for sorrow than her milk-white dove, Anon Adonis comes with horn and hounds; IV. Venus with [young] Adonis sitting by her, 1 Here a line has dropped out. 250 Even thus, quoth she, the warlike god embrac'd me; And then she clipp'd Adonis in her arms: Even thus, quoth she, the warlike god unlac'd me As if the boy should use like loving charms. Even thus, quoth she, he seiz'd on my lips, And with her lips on his did act the seizure; And as she fetched a breath, away he skips, And would not take her meaning nor her pleasure. Ah! that I had my lady at this bay, To kiss and clip me till I run away! V. Crabbed age and youth Age like winter weather; Age like winter bare. Youth is full of sport, Age's breath is short, Youth is nimble, age is lame: Youth is hot and bold, Age is weak and cold; Youth is wild, and age is tame. Age, I do abhor thee, Youth, I do adore thee; O, my love, my love is young! O sweet shepherd, hie thee, For methinks thou stay'st too long! VI. Sweet rose, fair flower, untimely pluck'd, soon Pluck'd in the bud, and vaded in the spring! Like a green plum that hangs upon a tree, I weep for thee, and yet no cause I have; O yes, dear friend, I pardon crave of thee; VII. Fair is my love, but not so fair as fickle, 2 raded] Malone throughout these fragments altered the word to faded, which is generally considered as synonymous; yet Brathwaite, in his Strappado for the Devil, 1615, (the exact reference to which I have mislaid,) speaks of "no fading, vading flower," and other poets make the same distinction between the words. A lily pale, with damask die to grace her, Her lips to mine how often hath she join'd, Between each kiss her oaths of true love swearing! How many tales to please me hath she coin'd, Dreading my love, the loss thereof still fearing! Yet in the midst of all her pure protestings, Her faith, her oaths, her tears and all were jestings. She burn'd with love, as straw with fire flameth, Was this a lover, or a lecher whether? VIII. Did not the heavenly rhetorick of thine eye, |