VERSES: Lately vvritten by THOMAS Earle of STRAFFORD.
(I.)
GO, Empty Joyes,
With all your noyse,
And leave me here alone,
In sweet sad silence to bemoane
Your vaine and fleet delight,
Whose danger none can see aright,
Whilest your false splendor dimmes his sight.
(II.)
Goe and insnare
With you false ware,
Some other easie Wight,
And ch [...] him with your flattering Light;
Raine on his head a shower
Of Honours, favor, wealth, and power;
Then snatch it from him in an houre.
(III.)
Fill his big minde
With gallant winde
Of Insolent applause:
Let him not feare all-curbing Lawes,
Nor King nor Peoples frowne;
But dreame of something like a Crowne,
And climing towards it, tumble downe.
(IV.)
Let him appeare
In his bright Sphere,
Like Scynthia in her pride,
With star-like troups on every side;
Such for their number and their light,
As may at last orewhelme him quite,
And blend us both in one dead night.
(V.)
Welcome sad Night,
Griefes sole delight,
your mourning best agrees
With Honours funerall Obsequies.
In Thetis lap he lies,
Mantled with soft securities,
Whose too much Sun-shine blinds his eyes.
(VI.)
Was he too bold,
That needs would hold
With curbing raines, the day,
And make Sols fiery Steeds obay?
Then sure as rash was I,
Who with ambitious wings did fly
In Charles his Waine too loftily.
(VII.)
I fall, I fall;
Whom shall I call?
Alas, can he be heard,
Who now is neither lov'd nor fear'd.
You, who were wont to kisse the ground,
Where e're my honor'd steps were found,
Come catch me at my last rebound.
(VIII.)
How each admires
Heav'ns twinkling fires,
When from their glorious seat
Their influence gives life and heat.
But O! how few there ar',
(Though danger from that act be far)
Will stoop and catch a falling star.
(IX.)
Now 'tis too late
To imitate
Those Lights, whose pallidnesse
Argues no inward guiltinesse:
Their course one way is bent.
The reason is, there's no dissent,
In Heavens high Court of Parliament.
London printed, 1641.