Sweetest love, I do not goe,
For wearinesse of thee,
Nor in hope the world can show
A fitter Love for mee;
But since that I
Must dye at last, 'tis best,
To use my selfe in jest
Thus by fain'd deaths to dye;
Yesternight the Sunne went hence,
And yet is here to day,
He hath no desire nor sense,
Nor halfe so short a way:
Then feare not mee,
But beleeve that I shall make
Speedier journeyes, since I take
More wings and spurres then hee.
O how feeble is mans power,
That if good fortune fall,
Cannot adde another houre,
Nor a lost houre recall!
But come bad chance,
And wee joyne to'it our strength,
And wee teach it art and length,
It selfe o'r us to'advance.
When thou sigh'st, thou sigh'st not winde,
But sigh'st my soule away,
When thou weep'st, unkindly kinde,
My lifes blood doth decay.
It cannot bee
That thou lov'st mee, as thou say'st,
If in thine my life thou waste,
Thou art the best of mee.
Let not thy divining heart
Forethinke me any ill,
Destiny may take thy part,
And may thy feares fulfill;
But thinke that wee
Are but turn'd aside to sleepe;
They who one another keepe
Alive, ne'r parted bee.
[Song. 1633-69: Song. or no title, A18, A25, B, C,
D, H40, H49, JC, Lec, N, O'F, P, S, S96,
TCC, TCD: in A18, N, TCC, TCD, this with Send
home my long stray'd eyes and The Bait are given as Songs
which were made to certain ayres which were made before.]
[1-4 In most MSS. these lines are written as two long lines,
and so with ll. 9-12, 17-20, 25-28, 33-36]
[4 mee; 1650-69: mee, 1633-39]
[5-8 But since ... dye; 1633, A18, A25, B, D, H40,
H49, JC, Lec, N, P, S, S96, TC:
At the last must part 'tis best,
Thus to use my selfe in jest
By fained deaths to dye; 1635-54, O'F:
Must dye at last, 'tis best,
Thus to use my self in jest
By fained death to dye; 1669
]
[15 Speedier] Hastier 1669]
[20 recall! Ed: recall? 1633-69]
[25 not wind 1633: no wind 1635-69]
[32 Thou 1633 and MSS. generally: That 1635-54: Which
best 1633-54: life 1669]
[36 may 1633-35, 1669: make 1639-54
fulfill; Ed: fulfill, 1633-69]
[38 turn'd] lai'd 1669]