Oh doe not die, for I shall hate
All women so, when thou art gone,
That thee I shall not celebrate,
When I remember, thou wast one.
But yet thou canst not die, I know;
To leave this world behinde, is death,
But when thou from this world wilt goe,
The whole world vapors with thy breath.
Or if, when thou, the worlds soule, goest,
It stay, tis but thy carkasse then,
The fairest woman, but thy ghost,
But corrupt wormes, the worthyest men.
O wrangling schooles, that search what fire
Shall burne this world, had none the wit
Unto this knowledge to aspire,
That this her feaver might be it?
And yet she cannot wast by this,
Nor long beare this torturing wrong,
For much corruption needfull is
To fuell such a feaver long.
These burning fits but meteors bee,
Whose matter in thee is soone spent.
Thy beauty,'and all parts, which are thee,
Are unchangeable firmament.
Yet t'was of my minde, seising thee,
Though it in thee cannot persever.
For I had rather owner bee
Of thee one houre, then all else ever.
[A Feaver. 1633-69, D, H40, H49, Lec, S96: Of a
fever. L74: The Fever. B, Cy, O'F, P: Fever. A18,
N, TCC, TCD: no title, JC]
[5 know; Ed: know, 1633-69]
[8 with] in 1669]
[16 might] must TCC]
[18 beare] endure 1669
torturing] tormenting JC, O'F (corr. from torturing)]
[19 For much 1633, A18, B, D, H40, H49, JC,
L74, Lec, N, S, S96, TC: For more 1635-69,
O'F: Far more Cy, P]
[22 is soon] soon is 1669]
[24 Are] Are an 1669, P, S96]
[25 Yet 'twas of 1633-54: And here as 1669]
[27 For] Yet 1669]