Poems, with a maske by Thomas Carew ... ; the songs were set in musick by Mr. Henry Lawes ...

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Title
Poems, with a maske by Thomas Carew ... ; the songs were set in musick by Mr. Henry Lawes ...
Author
Carew, Thomas, 1595?-1639?
Publication
London :: Printed for H.M., and are to be sold by J. Martin ...,
1651.
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http://name.umdl.umich.edu/A34171.0001.001
Cite this Item
"Poems, with a maske by Thomas Carew ... ; the songs were set in musick by Mr. Henry Lawes ..." In the digital collection Early English Books Online. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A34171.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed June 15, 2024.

Pages

To my worthy friend Master Geo. Sands, on his translation of the Psalmes.

I Press not to the Quire, nor dare I greet The holy place with my unhallowed feet; My unwasht Muse pollutes not things Divine, Nor mingles her prophaner notes with thine; Here, humbly at the porch she stayes, And with glad eares sucks in thy sacred layes. So, devout Penitents of Old were wont, Some without doore, and some beneath the Font, To stand and hear the Churche's Liturgies, Yet not assist the solemn exercise:

Page 127

Sufficeth her, that she a lay-place gain, To trim thy Vestments, or but bear thy train; Though nor in tune, nor wing, she reach thy Lark, Her Lyrick feet may dance before the Arke. Who knows, but that her wandring eys that run, Now hunting Glow-worms, may adore the Sun, A pure flame may, shot by Almighty powre Into her brest, the earthy flame devoure. My eys, in penitentiall dew may steep That brine, which they for sensuall love did weep. So (though 'gainst Natures course) fire may be quencht With fire, and water be with water drencht; Perhaps my restless soul, tyr'd with pursuit Of mortall beauty, seeking without fruit Contentment there, which hath not, when enjoy'd, Quencht all her thirst, nor satisfied, though cloy'd; Weary of her vain search below, Above In the first fair may find th' immortall Love. Prompted by thy example then, no more In moulds of clay will I my God adore; But tear those Idols from my heart, and write What his blest Spirit, not fond Love, shall indite; Then I no more shall court the verdant Bay, But the dry leaveless Trunk on Golgotha; And rather strive to gain from thence one Thorn, Than all the flourishing wreaths by Laureats worn.
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