1. Who ere she be,
That not impossible she
That shall command my heart and me;
2. Where ere she lye,
Lock't up from mortall eye,
In shady leaves of Destiny;
3. Till that ripe birth
Of studied Fate stand forth,
And teach her faire steps tread our Earth;
4. Till that divine
Idaea, take a shrine
Of chrystall flesh, through which to shine;
5. Meet you her, my wishes,
Bespeake her to my blisses,
And be ye call'd, my absent kisses.
6. I wish her, beauty
That owes not all its duty
To gaudy tire or glistring shoo-ty.
7. Something more than
Taffata or tissew can,
Or rampant feather, or rich fan.
8. More than the spoyle
Of shop, or silkeworme's toyle,
Or a bought blush, or a set smile.
9. A face that's best
By its owne beauty drest,
And can alone commend the rest.
10. A face made up,
Out of no other shop
Than what Nature's white hand sets ope.
11. A cheeke where Youth,
And blood, with pen of Truth
Write, what their reader sweetly ru'th.
12. A cheeke where growes
More than a morning rose:
Which to no boxe his being owes.
13. Lipps, where all day
A lover's kisse may play,
Yet carry nothing thence away.
14. Lookes that oppresse
Their richest tires, but dresse
Themselves in simple nakednesse.
15. Eyes, that displace
The neighbour diamond, and out-face
That sunshine, by their own sweet grace.
16. Tresses, that weare
Iewells, but to declare
How much themselves more pretious are.
17. Whose native ray,
Can tame the wanton day
Of gems, that in their bright shades play.
18. Each ruby there,
Or pearle that dares appeare,
Be its own blush, be its own teare.
19. A well tam'd heart,
For whose more noble smart,
Love may be long chusing a dart.
20. Eyes, that bestow
Full quivers on Love's bow;
Yet pay lesse arrowes than they owe.
21. Smiles, that can warme
The blood, yet teach a charme,
That Chastity shall take no harme.
22. Blushes, that bin
The burnish of no sin,
Nor flames of ought too hot within.
23. Ioyes, that confesse,
Vertue their mistresse,
And have no other head to dresse.
24. Feares, fond, and flight,
As the coy bride's, when Night
First does the longing lover right.
25. Teares, quickly fled,
And vaine, as those are shed
For a dying maydenhead.
26. Dayes, that need borrow,
No part of their good morrow,
From a fore-spent night of sorrow.
27. Dayes, that in spight
Of darknesse, by the light
Of a cleere mind are day all night.
28. Nights, sweet as they,
Made short by lovers play,
Yet long by th' absence of the day.
29. Life, that dares send
A challenge to his end,
And when it comes say, Welcome friend!
30. Sydnaean showers
Of sweet discourse, whose powers
Can crown old Winter's head with flowers.
31. Soft silken hours;
Open sunnes; shady bowers;
'Bove all, nothing within that lowers.
32. What ere delight
Can make Daye's forehead bright,
Or give downe to the wings of Night.
33. In her whole frame,
Haue Nature all the name,
Art and ornament the shame.
34. Her flattery,
Picture and Poesy,
Her counsell her owne vertue be.
35. I wish her store
Of worth may leave her poore
Of wishes; and I wish——no more.
36. Now if Time knowes
That her, whose radiant browes
Weave them a garland of my vowes;
37. Her whose just bayes,
My future hopes can raise,
A trophie to her present praise.
38. Her that dares be,
What these lines wish to see:
I seeke no further: it is she.
39. 'Tis she, and here
Lo I uncloath and cleare,
My wishes cloudy character.
40. May she enjoy it,
Whose merit dare apply it,
But Modesty dares still deny it.
41. Such worth as this is
Shall fixe my flying wishes,
And determine them to kisses.
42. Let her full glory,
My fancyes, fly before ye,
Be ye my fictions; but her story.