JOHN HARRINGTON. WHENCE COMES MY LOVE. WHENCE Comes my love? O heart disclose! The blushing cheek speaks modest mind, Yet all so fair, bespeak my moan, Why thus my love, so kind, bespeak Sweet lip, sweet eye, sweet blushing cheek, O Venus! take thy gifts again; Make not so fair, to cause our moan, Or make a heart that's like our own. 29 The above is "A Sonnet made on Isabella Markham, when I first thought her fair, as she stood at the Princess's window, in goodly attire, and talked to divers in the Court-yard," from a M. S. of JOHN HARRINGTON's, dated 1564, and inserted into the Nugæ Antiquæ. This John Harrington, Esq. says Ellis, was father to the above mentioned Sir John. In the reign of Queen Mary, he was imprisoned for having espoused the cause of Elizabeth, who rewarded his attention, by the reversion of a grant of lands at Kelston, near Bath. He was born in 1534, and died in 1582. His love verses, says Campbell, possess an elegance and terseness more modern by a hundred years, than others of his contemporaries. ROSALIND'S MADRIGAL. Love in my bosom, like a bee, Doth suck his sweet, Now with his wings he plays with me, Now with his feet; Within mine eyes he makes his nest, His bed amidst my tender breast, My kisses are his daily feast, And yet he robs me of my Ah! wanton, will ye! rest: And if I sleep, then pierceth he With pretty slight, And makes his pillow of my knee, The live long night; Strike I the lute, he tunes the string; He music plays, if I but sing; Else I, with roses every day, Will whip you hence; And bind ye when ye long to play, For your offence; I'll shut my eyes to keep you in, I'll make you fast it for your sin, I'll count your power not worth a pin— Helas! what hereby shall I win, If he gainsay me! JOHN LYLY. What if I beat the wanton boy, He will repay me with annoy, Then sit thou softly on my knee, 31 The above Ballad is by DR. THOMAS LODGE. His plays and poetry possess considerable merit. He was born in 1556, and died in 1625. WHAT BIRD SO SINGS. WHAT bird so sings, yet so does wail? Jugg, jugg, jugg, jugg, terue, she cries, Brave prick song, who is't now we hear? CUPID AND CAMPASPE. CUPID and my Campaspe play'd Growing on's cheek (but none knows how), And then the dimple of his chin: What shall, alas! become of me? The two foregoing Sonnets are the composition of JOHN LYLY, a celebrated writer in the time of Queen Elizabeth, born about 1553, in the wilds of Kent. He was the author of nine plays, and several lyrics, published betwixt 1580 and 1632, which, along with the above, certainly merit preservation. The last of these, "Cupid and Campaspe," is to be found in his play of " Alexander and Campaspe," printed in 1591. The time of this author's death is uncertain, but Ellis fixes it about the year 1600. THE MAD MAID'S SONG. GOOD-morrow to the day so fair, Good-morrow, Sir, to you; Good-morrow to mine own torn hair, Bedabbled all with dew. HERRICK'S SONGS. Good-morrow to this primrose too; That will with flowers the tomb bestrew Ah, woe is me, woe, woe is me, Alack and well-a-day! For pity, Sir, find out that bee I'll seek him in your bonnet brave, Nay, now I think they've made his grave I'll seek him there, I know ere this, But I will go, or send a kiss By you, Sir, to awake him. Pray, hurt him not; though he be dead, He's soft and tender, pray take heed, 33 |