Samuel Daniel

Whilst youth and error led my wand’ring mind

All unawares a goddes chaste I find,Diana-like, to work my sudden change.For her no sooner had my view bewray’d,But with disdain to see me in that place;With fairest hand, the sweet unkindest maidCasts water-cold disdain upon my face.Which turn’d my sport into a hart’s despair,Which still is chas’d, whilst I have any breath,By mine own…

Delia, these eyes that so admireth thine

To check the world, how they entomb’d have lyenWithin themselves, and on them plows have ear’d.Yet for all that no barbarous hand attain’dThe spoil of fame deserv’d by virtuous men,Whose glorious actions luckily had gain’dTh’eternal Annals of a happier pen.Why then, though Delia fade, let that not move her,Though Time do spoil her of the…

VI

Her brow shades frowns although her eyes are sunny,Her smiles are lightning though her pride despair,And her disdains are gall, her favours honey;A modest maid, deck’d with a blush of honour,Whose feet do tread green paths of youth and love,The wonder of all eyes that look upon her:Sacred on earth, design’d a saint above.Chastity and…

To M. P.

Circumpass’d round with filth and loathsome mud,Pines in her grief, imprison’d in her nest,And cannot issue forth to seek her good,So I environ’d with a hateful wantLook to the heav’ns, the heav’ns yield forth no grace;I search the earth, the earth I find as scant;I view my self, my self in woeful case.Heav’n nor earth…