The Online Library of Liberty

A project of Liberty Fund, Inc.

• Poems
• Venus and Adonis
• The Rape of Lucrece
• Sonnets
• A Lover’s Complaint
• The Passionate Pilgrim
• Sonnets to Sundry Notes of Music
• The PhŒnix and the Turtle

A LOVER’S COMPLAINT

• • From off a hill whose concave womb re-worded
  • A plaintful story from a sistering vale,
  • My spirits to attend this double voice accorded,
  • And down I laid to list the sad-tun’d tale;4
  • Ere long espied a fickle maid full pale,
  • Tearing of papers, breaking rings a-twain,
  • Storming her world with sorrow’s wind and rain.
• • Upon her head a platted hive of straw,8
  • Which fortified her visage from the sun,
  • Whereon the thought might think sometime it saw
  • The carcass of a beauty spent and done:
  • Time had not scythed all that youth begun,12
  • Nor youth all quit; but, spite of heaven’s fell rage,
  • Some beauty peep’d through lattice of sear’d age.
• • Oft did she heave her napkin to her eyne,
  • Which on it had conceited characters,16
  • Laundering the silken figures in the brine
  • That season’d woe had pelleted in tears,
  • And often reading what content it bears;
  • As often shrieking undistinguish’d woe20
  • In clamours of all size, both high and low.
• • Sometimes her levell’d eyes their carriage ride,
  • As they did battery to the spheres intend;
  • Sometime diverted, their poor balls are tied24
  • To the orbed earth; sometimes they do extend
  • Their view right on; anon their gazes lend
  • To every place at once, and nowhere fix’d,
  • The mind and sight distractedly commix’d.28
• • Her hair, nor loose nor tied in formal plat,
  • Proclaim’d in her a careless hand of pride;
  • For some, untuck’d, descended her sheav’d hat,
  • Hanging her pale and pined cheek beside;32
  • Some in her threaden fillet still did bide,
  • And true to bondage would not break from thence
  • Though slackly braided in loose negligence.
• • A thousand favours from a maund she drew36
  • Of amber, crystal, and of beaded jet,
  • Which one by one she in a river threw,
  • Upon whose weeping margent she was set;
  • Like usury, applying wet to wet,40
  • Or monarch’s hands that let not bounty fall
  • Where want cries some, but where excess begs all.
• • Of folded schedules had she many a one,
  • Which she perus’d, sigh’d, tore, and gave the flood;44
  • Crack’d many a ring of posied gold and bone,
  • Bidding them find their sepulchres in mud;
  • Found yet more letters sadly penn’d in blood,
  • With sleided silk feat and affectedly48
  • Enswath’d, and seal’d to curious secrecy.
• • These often bath’d she in her fluxive eyes,
  • And often kiss’d, and often ’gan to tear;
  • Cried ‘O false blood! thou register of lies,52
  • What unapproved witness dost thou bear;
  • Ink would have seem’d more black and damned here.’
  • This said, in top of rage the lines she rents,
  • Big discontent so breaking their contents.56
• • A reverend man that graz’d his cattle nigh—
  • Sometime a blusterer, that the ruffle knew
  • Of court, of city, and had let go by
  • The swiftest hours, observed as they flew—60
  • Towards this afflicted fancy fastly drew;
  • And, privileg’d by age, desires to know
  • In brief the grounds and motives of her woe.
• • So slides he down upon his grained bat,64
  • And comely-distant sits he by her side;
  • When he again desires her, being sat,
  • Her grievance with his hearing to divide:
  • If that from him there may be aught applied68
  • Which may her suffering ecstasy assuage,
  • ’Tis promis’d in the charity of age.
• • ‘Father,’ she says, ‘though in me you behold
  • The injury of many a blasting hour,72
  • Let it not tell your judgment I am old;
  • Not age, but sorrow, over me hath power:
  • I might as yet have been a spreading flower,
  • Fresh to myself, if I had self-applied76
  • Love to myself and to no love beside.
• • ‘But woe is me! too early I attended
  • A youthful suit, it was to gain my grace,
  • Of one by nature’s outwards so commended,80
  • That maidens’ eyes stuck over all his face.
  • Love lack’d a dwelling, and made him her place;
  • And when in his fair parts she did abide,
  • She was new lodg’d and newly deified.84
• • ‘His browny locks did hang in crooked curls,
  • And every light occasion of the wind
  • Upon his lips their silken parcels hurls.
  • What’s sweet to do, to do will aptly find:88
  • Each eye that saw him did enchant the mind,
  • For on his visage was in little drawn
  • What largeness thinks in Paradise was sawn.
• • ‘Small show of man was yet upon his chin;92
  • His phœnix down began but to appear
  • Like unshorn velvet on that termless skin
  • Whose bare out-bragg’d the web it seem’d to wear;
  • Yet show’d his visage by that cost more dear,96
  • And nice affections wavering stood in doubt
  • If best were as it was, or best without.
• • ‘His qualities were beauteous as his form,
  • For maiden-tongu’d he was, and thereof free;100
  • Yet, if men mov’d him, was he such a storm
  • As oft ’twixt May and April is to see,
  • When winds breathe sweet, unruly though they be.
  • His rudeness so with his authoriz’d youth104
  • Did livery falseness in a pride of truth.
• • ‘Well could he ride, and often men would say
  • “That horse his mettle from his rider takes:
  • Proud of subjection, noble by the sway,108
  • What rounds, what bounds, what course, what stop he makes!”
  • And controversy hence a question takes,
  • Whether the horse by him became his deed,
  • Or he his manage by the well-doing steed.112
• • ‘But quickly on this side the verdict went:
  • His real habitude gave life and grace
  • To appertainings and to ornament,
  • Accomplish’d in himself, not in his case:116
  • All aids, themselves made fairer by their place,
  • Came for additions; yet their purpos’d trim
  • Piec’d not his grace, but were all grac’d by him.
• • ‘So on the tip of his subduing tongue120
  • All kind of arguments and question deep,
  • All replication prompt, and reason strong,
  • For his advantage still did wake and sleep:
  • To make the weeper laugh, the laugher weep,
  • He had the dialect and different skill,125
  • Catching all passions in his craft of will:
• • ‘That he did in the general bosom reign
  • Of young, of old; and sexes both enchanted,128
  • To dwell with him in thoughts, or to remain
  • In personal duty, following where he haunted:
  • Consents bewitch’d, ere he desire, have granted;
  • And dialogu’d for him what he would say,132
  • Ask’d their own wills, and made their wills obey.
• • ‘Many there were that did his picture get,
  • To serve their eyes, and in it put their mind;
  • Like fools that in the imagination set136
  • The goodly objects which abroad they find
  • Of lands and mansions, theirs in thought assign’d;
  • And labouring in more pleasures to bestow them
  • Than the true gouty landlord which doth owe them.140
• • ‘So many have, that never touch’d his hand,
  • Sweetly suppos’d them mistress of his heart.
  • My woeful self, that did in freedom stand,
  • And was my own fee-simple, not in part,144
  • What with his art in youth, and youth in art,
  • Threw my affections in his charmed power,
  • Reserv’d the stalk and gave him all my flower.
• • ‘Yet did I not, as some my equals did,148
  • Demand of him, nor being desired yielded;
  • Finding myself in honour so forbid,
  • With safest distance I mine honour shielded.
  • Experience for me many bulwarks builded152
  • Of proofs new-bleeding, which remain’d the foil
  • Of this false jewel, and his amorous spoil.
• • ‘But, ah! who ever shunn’d by precedent
  • The destin’d ill she must herself assay?156
  • Or forc’d examples, ’gainst her own content,
  • To put the by-pass’d perils in her way?
  • Counsel may stop awhile what will not stay;
  • For when we rage, advice is often seen160
  • By blunting us to make our wits more keen.
• • ‘Nor gives it satisfaction to our blood,
  • That we must curb it upon others’ proof;
  • To be forbid the sweets that seem so good,164
  • For fear of harms that preach in our behoof.
  • O appetite! from judgment stand aloof;
  • The one a palate hath that needs will taste,167
  • Though Reason weep, and cry “It is thy last.”
• • ‘For further I could say “This man’s untrue,”
  • And knew the patterns of his foul beguiling;
  • Heard where his plants in others’ orchards grew,
  • Saw how deceits were gilded in his smiling;172
  • Knew vows were ever brokers to defiling;
  • Thought characters and words merely but art,
  • And bastards of his foul adulterate heart.
• • ‘And long upon these terms I held my city,176
  • Till thus he ’gan besiege me: “Gentle maid,
  • Have of my suffering youth some feeling pity,
  • And be not of my holy vows afraid:
  • That’s to ye sworn to none was ever said;180
  • For feasts of love I have been call’d unto,
  • Till now did ne’er invite, nor never woo.
• • ‘ “All my offences that abroad you see
  • Are errors of the blood, none of the mind;184
  • Love made them not: with acture they may be,
  • Where neither party is nor true nor kind:
  • They sought their shame that so their shame did find,
  • And so much less of shame in me remains,188
  • By how much of me their reproach contains.
• • ‘ “Among the many that mine eyes have seen,
  • Not one whose flame my heart so much as warm’d,
  • Or my affection put to the smallest teen,192
  • Or any of my leisures ever charm’d:
  • Harm have I done to them, but ne’er was harm’d;
  • Kept hearts in liveries, but mine own was free,
  • And reign’d, commanding in his monarchy.196
• • ‘ “Look here, what tributes wounded fancies sent me,
  • Of paled pearls and rubies red as blood;
  • Figuring that they their passions likewise lent me
  • Of grief and blushes, aptly understood200
  • In bloodless white and the encrimson’d mood;
  • Effects of terror and dear modesty,
  • Encamp’d in hearts, but fighting outwardly.
• • ‘ “And, lo! behold these talents of their hair,
  • With twisted metal amorously impleach’d,205
  • I have receiv’d from many a several fair,
  • Their kind acceptance weepingly beseech’d,
  • With the annexions of fair gems enrich’d,208
  • And deep-brain’d sonnets, that did amplify
  • Each stone’s dear nature, worth, and quality.
• • ‘ “The diamond; why, ’twas beautiful and hard,
  • Whereto his invis’d properties did tend;212
  • The deep-green emerald, in whose fresh regard
  • Weak sights their sickly radiance do amend;
  • The heaven-hu’d sapphire and the opal blend
  • With objects manifold: each several stone,216
  • With wit well blazon’d, smil’d or made some moan.
• • ‘ “Lo! all these trophies of affections hot,
  • Of pensiv’d and subdu’d desires the tender,219
  • Nature hath charg’d me that I hoard them not,
  • But yield them up where I myself must render,
  • That is, to you, my origin and ender;
  • For these, of force, must your oblations be,
  • Since I their altar, you enpatron me.224
• • ‘ “O! then, advance of yours that phraseless hand,
  • Whose white weighs down the airy scale of praise;
  • Take all these similes to your own command,
  • Hallow’d with sighs that burning lungs did raise;228
  • What me your minister, for you obeys,
  • Works under you; and to your audit comes
  • Their distract parcels in combined sums.
• • ‘ “Lo! this device was sent me from a nun,232
  • Or sister sanctified, of holiest note;
  • Which late her noble suit in court did shun,
  • Whose rarest havings made the blossoms dote;
  • For she was sought by spirits of richest coat,236
  • But kept cold distance, and did thence remove,
  • To spend her living in eternal love.
• • ‘ “But, O my sweet! what labour is ’t to leave
  • The thing we have not, mastering what not strives,240
  • Paling the place which did no form receive,
  • Playing patient sports in unconstrained gyves?
  • She that her fame so to herself contrives,
  • The scars of battle ’scapeth by the flight,244
  • And makes her absence valiant, not her might.
• • ‘ “O! pardon me, in that my boast is true;
  • The accident which brought me to her eye
  • Upon the moment did her force subdue,248
  • And now she would the caged cloister fly;
  • Religious love put out Religion’s eye:
  • Not to be tempted, would she be immur’d,
  • And now, to tempt, all liberty procur’d.252
• • ‘ “How mighty then you are, O! hear me tell:
  • The broken bosoms that to me belong
  • Have emptied all their fountains in my well,
  • And mine I pour your ocean all among:256
  • I strong o’er them, and you o’er me being strong,
  • Must for your victory us all congest,
  • As compound love to physic your cold breast.
• • ‘ “My parts had power to charm a sacred nun,
  • Who, disciplin’d, ay, dieted in grace,261
  • Believ’d her eyes when they to assail begun,
  • All vows and consecrations giving place.
  • O most potential love! vow, bond, nor space,
  • In thee hath neither sting, knot, nor confine,
  • For thou art all, and all things else are thine.
• • ‘ “When thou impressest, what are precepts worth
  • Of stale example? When thou wilt inflame,268
  • How coldly those impediments stand forth
  • Of wealth, of filial fear, law, kindred, fame!
  • Love’s arms are peace, ’gainst rule, ’gainst sense, ’gainst shame,
  • And sweetens, in the suffering pangs it bears,
  • The aloes of all forces, shocks, and fears.273
• • ‘ “Now all these hearts that do on mine depend,
  • Feeling it break, with bleeding groans they pine;
  • And supplicant their sighs to you extend,276
  • To leave the battery that you make ’gainst mine,
  • Lending soft audience to my sweet design,
  • And credent soul to that strong-bonded oath
  • That shall prefer and undertake my troth.”280
• • ‘This said, his watery eyes he did dismount,
  • Whose sights till then were levell’d on my face;
  • Each cheek a river running from a fount283
  • With brinish current downward flow’d apace.
  • O! how the channel to the stream gave grace;
  • Who glaz’d with crystal gate the glowing roses
  • That flame through water which their hue encloses.
• • ‘O father! what a hell of witchcraft lies288
  • In the small orb of one particular tear,
  • But with the inundation of the eyes
  • What rocky heart to water will not wear?
  • What breast so cold that is not warmed here?
  • O cleft effect! cold modesty, hot wrath,293
  • Both fire from hence and chill extincture hath.
• • ‘For, lo! his passion, but an art of craft,
  • Even there resolv’d my reason into tears;296
  • There my white stole of chastity I daff’d,
  • Shook off my sober guards and civil fears;
  • Appear to him, as he to me appears,
  • All melting; though our drops this difference bore,300
  • His poison’d me, and mine did him restore.
• • ‘In him a plenitude of subtle matter,
  • Applied to cautels, all strange forms receives,
  • Of burning blushes, or of weeping water,304
  • Or swounding paleness; and he takes and leaves,
  • In either’s aptness, as it best deceives,
  • To blush at speeches rank, to weep at woes,
  • Or to turn white and swound at tragic shows:
• • ‘That not a heart which in his level came309
  • Could ’scape the hail of his all-hurting aim,
  • Showing fair nature is both kind and tame;
  • And, veil’d in them, did win whom he would maim:312
  • Against the thing he sought he would exclaim;
  • When he most burn’d in heart-wish’d luxury,
  • He preach’d pure maid, and prais’d cold chastity.
• • ‘Thus merely with the garment of a Grace316
  • The naked and concealed fiend he cover’d;
  • That the unexperient gave the tempter place,
  • Which like a cherubin above them hover’d.
  • Who, young and simple, would not be so lover’d?320
  • Ay me! I fell; and yet do question make
  • What I should do again for such a sake.
• • ‘O! that infected moisture of his eye,
  • O! that false fire which in his cheek so glow’d,
  • O! that forc’d thunder from his heart did fly,
  • O! that sad breath his spongy lungs bestow’d,
  • O! all that borrow’d motion seeming ow’d,
  • Would yet again betray the fore-betray’d,328
  • And new pervert a reconciled maid.’